Looking for the best tent campgrounds near Laurel River Lake? You can find tent campsites by type, including drive-in, walk-in, and even hike-in for a backpacking adventure. Each tent site offers quick access to one or more of Laurel River Lake, Kentucky's most popular destinations.
White Oak Boat-In Campground is one of two boat-in campgrounds on [Laurel River Lake] on [London Ranger District]. The area is accessible by boat or by [Cold Rock School Trail] that begins near the [Marsh Branch Boat Ramp]
The campground has 51 lakeshore campsites, most of which are located near the water's edge with boat moorings available. Sites have a tent pad, picnic table, fire ring and lantern pole. Self-serve pay stations, water and vault toilets are centrally located. There are no flush toilets or showers. The sites are wooded and spaced far enough apart to provide a sense of seclusion. The campground usually fills on weekends during the peak camping season.
Trails nearby: [Cold Rock School Trail #430] (3-mile hiking and biking route into the White Oak Boat-In Campground) The campground is located on Laurel River Lake. The lake features 5,600 acres of clear, deep water and nearly 200 miles of tree-lined shore. The quiet coves and cliff-lined shores offer relaxation and quiet reflection, as well as boating, fishing, skiing and scuba diving in one of the deepest and cleanest lakes in Kentucky.
Rockcastle Campground is temporarily closed due to the hazardous road conditions and deteriorating campsite conditions. The February 2019 Rockcastle River flooding further increased the damage to the area. In 2018, the ash trees that were infected with the Emerald Ash Borer were eliminated. Because of the extensive amount of work needed, and the lack of funding available, the campground will remain closed until further notice. The boat ramp remains open. Rockcastle Campground is located on the backwaters of Lake Cumberland at the mouth of Rockcastle River on London Ranger District. Large, towering beech and hemlock trees provide plenty of shade and a sense of seclusion. Fishing and hiking are popular activities. The campground is bounded on one side by the lake and on the other side by massive sandstone cliffs. Rockcastle Boat Ramp is nearby. A picnic shelter located at the campground entrance is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Make this page look nicer by submitting photos of your visit to Rockcastle Campground. Learn more... Most of the 27 campsites are designed for tent camping although a few are large enough to accommodate pop-up campers. Each site has tent pad, fire ring, picnic table, and lantern poles. The sites are near the water’s edge. CAUTION: Low lying areas are prone to flooding, so be alert for flooding when driving, camping or crossing streams in this area. Swift currents and undertows can make swimming and wading very hazardous. Some of the most popular hiking trails on the London Ranger District lead from this campground. Dutch Branch Trail #404B leads hikers through a rich cove forest of mostly beech and hemlock. Scuttle Hole Trail #404 climbs through a crack in the cliffs to reach overlooks of the lake. Lakeside South Trail #412 follows the shore of the lake and connects with Twin Branch Trail #406 and Ned Branch Trail #405 to form an 8.5 mile loop around the campground.
Located 15 minutes NW of Williamsburg Kentucky, Tranquillity Creek Campground offers 8 acres of beautiful woods with a creek for a peaceful get away to relax and be one with nature. Close to stores and area attractions in SW Kentucky.
$60 - $100 / night
Our Rabbit Road Campground hosts ten primitive hike-in campsites along the Airplane Pond Trail. These sites are the perfect place for tent camping and peaceful relaxation. Each site hosts a tent pad, a fire pit, and is partially or fully shaded. These sites do not offer electric or water hook-up points. A bathhouse for campers is located in the parking area, which offers hot showers and restrooms.
Please note that the Rabbit Road Primitive Campground is only open March - October.
Hidden Ridge Camping sits on 53-acres of wooded land on Lake Cumberland, near the lake's largest commercial marina, Conley Bottom.
Over the years, the property
has been a functioning farm, a team building destination with a climbing tower, the site of a theatre production and a winery!
Today, it is a secluded camping destination that offers hiking trails to a natural spring, a waterfall and Lake Cumberland, as well as a stocked fishing pond. We are also home to a wide range of wildlife. including owls, foxes, and deer.
Our spacious sites are perfect for large groups.
$50 - $160 / night
Craigs Creek Group Area is perched near Laurel River Lake in the Daniel Boone National Forest. Here, group campers find hours of fun playing on the sports field, firing up the grills and exploring the beautiful lake. Daniel Boone National Forest protects 23 species listed as federally threatened or endangered. Species range from the magnificent bald eagle to the small Indiana bat and the Cumberland Sandwort.
The hiking and biking trail at Craig's Creek is an easy, half-mile path that features several views of the lake.Picnicking, boating and fishing are popular pastimes for visitors. Fish species include crappie, catfish, and small and largemouth bass.A spacious sports field with a volleyball net and horseshoe pits lies near the picnic shelter.
The campground sits on Craig's Creek, which flows into an arm of Laurel River Lake across from Holly Bay Campground. The group site lies in a somewhat open space surrounded by woods. Set in the Appalachian foothills, plenty of hills and valleys create a beautiful backdrop for the lake area.
$150 - $204 / night
Laurel River Lake is located on London Ranger District and features 5,600 acres of clear, deep water and nearly 200 miles of tree-lined shore. The quiet coves and cliff-lined shores offer relaxation and quiet reflection, as well as boating, fishing, skiing and scuba diving in one of the deepest and cleanest lakes in Kentucky. Fishing for black bass, rainbow trout, walleye, crappie, blue gill and catfish is excellent. Night fishing for trout is also popular during the summer months. The U.S. Forest Service administers the lake and surrounding shoreline. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers oversees the operation of the lake's dam and nearby recreation facilities, including a picnic area and a swimming beach at the spillway. Make this page look nicer by submitting photos of your visit to Laurel River Lake. Learn more... Campgrounds nearby: Drive-in Campgrounds - Holly Bay and Grove Boat-in Campgrounds - Grove and White Oak Group Campground: Craigs Creek Group Campground Boat Ramps nearby: Craigs Creek Boat Ramp Flatwoods Boat Ramp Grove Boat Ramp Hightop Boat Ramp Holly Bay Boat Ramp Laurel Bridge Boat Ramp Marsh Branch Boat Ramp Marinas: Grove Marina Holly Bay Marina
You can spend a weekend in our Treehouse Yurt, experience comfort and seclusion in our Yome Away From Home, park your RV, pitch your tent, or hang your hammock.
We are also available for your wedding, retreat, reunion, fundraiser, or festival.
We are a farm in the mountains so be prepared to encounter INSECTS (mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers), WILDLIFE (deer, turkey, snakes, toads, and dare we mention the bear track we spotted one spring?), WEATHER (hot, cold, rain, snow), TOXIC PLANTS (poison ivy, stinging nettle, wild mushrooms), just to name a few.
We DO NOT have internet or cell service, though we do have a phone for emergency use (trust us, your "people" aren't out here). Instead, we do encourage other forms of entertainment: instruments, hiking shoes, fishing poles, bubbles, hula hoops, etc.
We also DO NOT have trash service. We will have recycling bins set up for plastic, cans, paper, and compost for your food waste, but plan to take your trash with you when you leave. We will have extra bags for those that forget. We also encourage you to bring your own dishes & cutlery to minimize excess trash as well.
You're always welcome to try our home line before 9pm at 859.Yum.Dirt (986.3478), but the best way to catch us (usually) is via email at Jessa@HomeGrownHideAways.org.
$15 - $75 / night
Traveler
Review from the perspective of a motorcycle traveler tent camping. Tent sites are along two sides of a river. Clean and well maintained. Nice hidden gem. Honor system payment of $15 at envelope boxes.
Traveler
Review from the perspective of a motorcycle traveler tent camping. Tent sites are along a stream on Racoon side. Got surprised by a bear while gathering firewood nearby. Clean and well maintained although it was a sleepless night because of a group of drunk locals.
Guide
This was my first time to the Niagara of the South. My husband and I left our dog back in Louisville for this trip which was originally an attempt to see the moon bow at Cumberland Falls.
We looked at the tent site map on the state resort park map and nothing looked GREAT except for Clifty Campground spots 050, 048, and 049 they all look isolated from any of the other sites with 050 being a site that you have to traverse a grassy/rocky area from your car to set up.
We opted for spot 047 because, on the map, it looked set back from the campground road… and it was… sorta. Nothing at this campsite is going to be private. The majority of the sites do not have so much as a weed between them although the sites themselves are very roomy for car camping. Your vehicle will be a presence at the site, which have electric hookups so if, like me, you have an electric car… it's nice to be able to simply plug the car in. This site did not get a lot of shade except for where we had the tent set up, and still… that would've received sun had it not been raining.
Our site had a good picnic bench, a sturdy wooden post for hanging trash etc and the fire pit seemed pretty new. The grill wasn't bent at all, which was a 1st in my years of camping. The view from this site was pretty cool… we set out tent up at the furthest out spot on the small cliff as we could before it turned to mostly rock and faced the door out over the trails. We hung our rain tarp because, instead of a moon bow, we endured a nearly 24 hour torrential downpour. The tarp, which is small, and having the tent faced appropriately gave us a semblance of privacy although we had a camper van family next to us. Site has a lot of gravel so it was reasonably muddy but not dried out quick.
There are a lot of raccoons that visit the dumpster area so expect it to be a little messy if your fellow campers aren't shutting the dumpster lids. Shower facilities reminded me of middle school camp… kind of mildewed… and well… rustic. Everything functioned and it wasn't "gross" just old. Water was hot. Toilet stalls (ladies) were small. I weight 130 and at 5 foot 2 it was a tight squeeze for me.
We hiked the WIldflower Loop Trail (1.5 miles) in a drizzle and although wet it was safe. When the rain stopped we hiked Eagle Falls Trail and it was very muddy but the views were worth it.
Would love to go back but if camping in a tent it's a must to get one of the two more private spots, or at the very least
GuideWe stayed at site RV33. We have a 25ft travel trailer and it was perfect. There were two tent sites very close to us, but we had more than enough room. If we were to go again, we would pull straight into the site (this would have put our slide towards the road). The tent sites looked to be the best tent sites I’ve seen. The bath house was very clean. The staff was very helpful. There were trails from the campground to Cumberland Falls. We hiked to see Cumberland Falls (from the lodge) and Eagle Falls. After a short drive, we hiked Natural Arch and Yahoo Falls.
Guide
We finally made it hear this spring and as long as you enjoy tent camping and no RVs this is your place. We’ll be back!
Traveler
A nice quiet campground on Lake Cumberland in the Burnside area. Nice RV sites and tent sites
Guide
Good tent camping sites. Lots of trees; level sites; fire pit; picnic table. Very clean & well supplied restrooms. Great individual private room showers with plenty of good hot water.
Traveler
This is a large and clean campground. It has RV sites, tent sites, and shelter houses.. There are several cabins on site. Great lake views and beach. Lots to do at PCP.
Ranger
We tent camped in August. The campground area was huge and perfect for tent camping or an RV. We were next to the restroom building which also served as a storm shelter. The restrooms were air conditioned and very clean! The only negative thing I have to say about the site is the fire ring needed to be cleaned out. The Rowena Landing restaurant had a good buffet and excellent catfish! The pool was closed for repairs and that was disappointing. The country store was very close and offered a small selection of foods, but most everything you would need for your campsite. The mini golf was fun, but there was a little flooding on the course due to a crazy storm the day before. Everyone was very nice and this felt like a safe place to be. The lake was crazy beautiful and worth going out on to see.
Traveler
We had a wonderful time camping! Its mostly for RVs, but they accommodated us for tent camping. The site is beautiful and well kept, everyone was so very friendly. Kayaking the Powell River was a joy. Read the rules before you go, they are there to keep the campground a family place
Ranger
Take an awesome little ferry across the river (or drive around). Tent sites vary in privacy. Great simple site, clean. No trails on site but we did a pretty one nearby (forget the name). Babbling river and nice wildlife. Good place to bring a boat.
Ranger
A couple of the tent sites are waterfront and ideal for a tenter like me. The rest seem a little packed together, though some offer a little bit of seclusion. Decent facilities and easy access to Devil’s Backbone section of Cumberland trail.
Guide
I had the only tent site. It was adequate but many stares up and down. No water no electricity. Bathrooms were clean, campground was clean and quite. There is a snack shack outside the gate and they have bait. Good fishing lake and river.
Guide
I have tent camped here a couple of times in the past few years. The campground is clean and neat, and some sites offer great views of the lake and surrounding cliffs. It's a beautiful place to hang out at during sunset or sunrise. The shower and restrooms are clean, and the general store is nice and convenient. The laundry facilities are a nice place to get things cleaned up while you're on the road. The biggest problem I see with this area is the noise. A lot of the Wahweap workers live in an area of mobile homes above the campground, and they definitely like to party at night. A group of motorcyclists also thought it was a good idea to rev their Harleys up at 6 am one day. I am sure camping in and RV would isolate you from the noise, or maybe camping during a weekday would be better. Either way, I would stay here again. As for tent camping, some of the sites have zero shade, so be prepared with your own shelters. Just make sure you anchor them down; afternoons can bring some strong winds to the area.
Scout
This is a great campground that offers a lot of amenities, including a bath house, fire rings, picnic tables and offers both RV and tent camping. The people in the campground were respectful and there were trailheads leading directly from the campground to the wilderness. Pickett is a great place to visit because it’s an international dark sky, there are beautiful natural bridges and lots of recreation opportunities.
GuideThis place is not for you if you are looking for solitude or silence. It might be your scene if you’re into parties. Tent sites were not all accessible by drive up - some you had to park at the top of the hill and walk down. Bathrooms were clean though, and the staff was friendly. Can’t beat the proximity to the falls either.
ScoutCampsites are nice but electric hookups only at certain sites. Its a national campground so its beautiful with nice bathouses but not much activities other than hiking. There are a limited amount of sites that would accommodate a large RV, mostly tent sites. It is first come first serve with no reservations. There is no rv parks close if the campground is full.
Scout
We usually camp here at least 3 times every year. They have dedicated tent sites with electric and also a primitive tent area. It's open year around but in the summer season you can take a trail off of loop I that leads to the community pool to cool off. The campground organizes fun activities for the summer holidays like tie dying, camper's only pool party, bingo, best decorated campsite, etc. It always seems to pack out everytime we are there.
Scout
Got here just after dark. Was a bit difficult finding the office. The office was closed but they left me information on my assigned site and a map. The tent sites are off a gravel, poorly maintained path that was difficult to locate in the dark. The site itself was okay but on a hill. The location was convenient and my pup enjoyed using the enclosed dog area to run around.
RangerThis is the favorite campground of local friends. It’s within the Daniel Boone National Forest on Laurel River lake and is not actually an island. It can’t be accessed by car but you can bike in on a dirt service road. Most of the docks are quite small, so plan to visit by small boat or by canoe/kayak, though we did see some larger boats at some of the docks. Great spacious sites, beautiful and wooded. It’s a medium sized campground.
Yay: wonderful atmosphere here, potable water provided, pit toilets.
Nay: no reservations and it apparently fills up on weekends.
Surprise: you can XC ski or snowshoe to the site (3+ miles) in the winter. Great wildlife all year. People go scuba diving in this lake but we haven’t ever tried it. Definitely the can’t miss campground in this area.
GuideGreat campground with very friendly and helpful rangers. Was pretty empty the night we were there. Very cool tent camping spots right on the small lake and RV spots all pretty much have a lake view. Full hookups and dump when you exit the campground. They do not have water at the sites in the winter. Bathrooms were clean enough and the showers were hot. Would definitely come back. Many trailheads near the campsite but the weather was bad when we were there. Drone photos courtesy of SweetDroneChicago on Instagram
Traveler
We went after labor day in September n it was closed from road we put in at boat ramp landed here n late afternoon had sandy beaches like n Florida but hidden n small. U can grill out camp fire n party down.we had no one bother us.We fished for all caught brown n rainbow trout,blue cats,gar,bluegill,striper but caught most from banks. Seen a wild mink n other wildlife. Great for kids or Adults or guys night out we tent camped n used electric outlets to charge phone & plug in boom box.
ScoutI was a little underwhelmed compared to what I was expecting from camping at a national park. The positives are the cheap rates and there are bathroom and shower facilities. If you want old fashion tent camping the park does have some backcountry campsites.
The cons are the lack of actual campsites. They are more like parking spaces. Probably to appeal to the people who use campers. The noise of the highway was constant and annoying.
Overall I enjoyed my time staying here. Wish I could have done more backcountry camping but the weather didn't permit it.
LegendWe took a trip here with my older parents and chose to stay in the lodge for the added amenities. We did drive around the campground area though for future reference and were not sad about our choice to stay in the lodge. The campground has 3 separate areas all smaller but the sites are similar throughout- simple, not secluded, and probably better for RV campers than tent camping. The highlight of the park for us was the disc golf course. There were a couple hiking trails that were nice as well. I didn’t choose to horseback ride but the reviews from our family were positive. This is a nice park with tons of little features that make it great for a family with all ages.
GuideWe stayed in tent site 19. I think it is definitely the best site in the campground. Sites 19 and 20 are a couple of the only sites with any privacy. Site 19 is a walk in (down) but the site itself is huge and the tent platform is built out on a rock outcrop. Overall the campground is nice but the other sites are very close together. The rangers/camp hosts came by while we were gone to warn us about bear activity in the campground, you do need to be careful with food. We went to see the moonbow so it was fairly busy while we were there. We also took a hike to Eagles Falls where it seems to be clothing optional swimming...lol It didn’t bother us but just an FYI. We had a very relaxing 3 days at Cumberland Falls, would definitely recommend it.
Traveler
Nice campground surrounded by forest. They have a pond for fishing and another pond for swimming with nice Sandy beach. They also put out bouncy houses for the kids at no extra cost. You can rent golf carts which is helpful since the campground is fairly large, the front and back sites are separated by a manmade dam that forms the swimming pond. Tent site tucked away in the woods give you the secluded experience with amenities nearby. Bathrooms and showers are what you'd expect and kept clean and we'll stocked. Family run campground and they work hard to give a family feeling. Movies on the lawn, dance parties, bands on Holiday weekend while we were there. Very close to Daniel Boone forest and Laurel Lake and Marina's. This was our 2nd time and we will definitely come back
Traveler
Just ran into this spot and was pleasantly surprised at how nice it was especially for the cost. Showers and facilities were great and clean. Tent camping and RVs were separated in different loops which is nice.
The campsite is nice and wooded, sites are spaced nicely. There was a bear box and a fire ring at my site. Plenty of hiking nearby.
The recreation area was a real nice surprise in terms of scenery. The rafting looked great at the right time of year.
I don’t think there was any first come first serve sights, but there were plenty of sites mid October.
There looks like great mountain biking, horseback riding, and some challenging hiking near by.
I’d check out Yahoo Falls which was really nice. I can imagine at high water Angel Falls would be grand, even though there was low water it was a nice and easy hike along the river.
Tent camping near Laurel River Lake in Kentucky offers a serene escape into nature, with a variety of campgrounds that cater to outdoor enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Laurel River Lake?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Laurel River Lake is Grove Boat-In Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 4 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 20 tent camping locations near Laurel River Lake, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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