Tent Camping Near Louisville, KY

Recent Tent Reviews near Louisville, Kentucky

396 Reviews of 8 Louisville Campgrounds

• D

  Darren S.

  Scout

  

  May. 25, 2019

  My Old Kentucky Home State Park Campground — My Old Kentucky Home State Park

  Works in a pinch

  Has tent and RV camping. I tent camped this trip and stopped by for one night as I was passing through. Cost was about $16ish. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Tent sites are at the front of the property with the RVs to the back. Tent campsites are not defined - just an open area for all to share with picnic tables and grills scattered around. Kids playground next to it. Couldn't find the potable water for the tent area. The RVs had electric & water hookups. Showers and bathrooms available. Right next to a side road with a bit of traffic the night I stayed.

• 

  Diana W.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 1, 2019

  Elizabethtown Crossroads Campground

  Really nice!

  We stayed here one night. It's a small campground about 35 mins from Louisville and has about 40ish sites for RVs with electric and water, some with sewage. Our site was fairly small and pretty close to other sites but it was easy enough to get into and fit our 12ft pop up without issue. They have 2 bathrooms(the one by the laundry/store is very nice!), a catch and release pond(small, but there are small bluegill and some bass), a nice playground, clean pool, store on site, and overall we had a great time. There are also several connections for wifi, and cable(we didn't try it). The staff seemed very nice. Our site without sewage was $30 plus tax, they also offer tent sites and small cabins($40-50 with air conditioning) if that's your thing. Our site was nice and shaded. We were disturbed a few times by trains in the middle of the night- otherwise it was pretty peaceful and quiet.

• J

  Jason M.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 18, 2022

  Lake Shelby Campground

  Fun campground

  Fun little place. RV sites and tent sites lakeside. Fishing, ducks. $5 swimming pool nearby. $20/night tents. Showers and restrooms. Nice parks nearby for equestrian, playground, disk golf course. Huge mall nearby in Simpsonville KY. Drivable to Louisville. Stop at Wings n Rings, yum. Highly recommend. Closes for winter Oct 31 to tents.

• 

  Stephanie T.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 31, 2016

  Taylorsville Lake State Park Campground

  Peaceful, horse and fisherman friendly

  Felt like we were the only people without a horse or a fishing pole! Great water for kayaking and beautiful sunsets.

  Lots of raccoons in the area, so make sure your food is secure. Some of the sites are equestrian only, but they may give leeway. We reserved our primitive site ahead of time.

  Good weekend trip from Louisville.

• 

  Mary H.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 26, 2019

  Louisville South KOA

  Disappointed

  We have a tent which attaches to our truck— no hook ups. Everywhere we go we get a tent site. This campground would not let us get a tent site because we “sleep in the bed of our truck.” We reluctantly rented a cabin because we needed a place to stay for the night. We told them our set-up & that we’ve never been denied a tent site, but they still refused. WiFi was fickle. Got on then would get bumped off.

• J

  Jordan C.

  Scout

  

  May. 19, 2024

  Clark State Forest

  Nice and cheap

  We tent camped and it was not a bad time. Very dead and very quiet, and we met a friendly raccoon.

• 

  Chelsea M.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 31, 2021

  Deam Lake State Rec Area

  Not the worst experience

  After reading negative reviews from 2020, I was hesitant that they were true. That all of the critters from Louisville flock to this area. That wasn’t entirely untrue. This place is absolutely great for people watching, but expect the quiet time hours to not be enforced and a large number of dogs to bark all night. Early mornings are wonderful because nobody wakes up until at least 11. If you enjoy hiking; there are a nice array of trails. We avoided the beach; far too crowded. We intend on returning; but choose your spot wisely. Shower house bathrooms were very clean.

• 

  Heather K.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 8, 2019

  Lake Shelby Campground

  Not the worst place, but close...

  First, the good: Lake Shelby was easy to find. The signs were easy to see and tent sites are well marked. The office, RV area and restrooms were easy to find and also well marked. The tent sites were shaded by nice trees and were located right next to the lake. The group tent sites looked nice and had shade and open areas. You can rent a paddle boat or canoe. However, there has to be an adult in the canoe for rental. There are several docks and a boat ramp. You have to pay to launch and there is an honor box for that. The campsite itself, was mostly flat and partially shaded. The fire pit was nice as well. Now, the bad: The lake was brown and had an oily film across the top. It smelled of dead fish and something else that I couldn't identify. I saw people fishing, but I never saw anyone actually catch anything. The tent sites were down a dead end road, however the amount of cars that went past our site made me feel like there was a parade that lasted almost the entire time we were there. The paddle boat lost steering when we were halfway around the lake. The only thing we could do was go in a circle. It took 20 minutes for them to send someone to assist us. There was a trash can next to our site, however, it was nearly full when we arrived and no one ever emptied it. The restrooms are located at the RV parking area, so we had to drive to use them. In my opinion, the restrooms should have been built in between the RV sites and tent sites to make them easier to access by walking. Overall, I didn't hate my time at Lake Shelby, but there was nothing great enough to make me return or recommend it to friends.

• D

  Dan T.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 22, 2024

  Louisville South KOA

  Clean and fun. Nice location.

  My family visited Louisville South at the beginning of June for an extended family trip.

  Pros- Lots of activities for kids. Nice pool, great playground, bounce pad. Bike rental. Decent (not spectacular) hiking trails. The RV sites with patio were very nice, but could be bigger.

  Cons- some (not all) of the staff. One lady in particular was always rude, and didn’t like answering questions. There was a security light for the bounce pad that was on all night long, and thoroughly illuminated the adjacent tent sites. My brother’s family of 6 did not sleep well. This is something that is easily corrected by installing a shade over one edge of the light, but the staff didn’t seem to care.

• J

  Jason M.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 15, 2022

  Louisville South KOA

  Tent sites stink here, $50+, very expensive

  Tent sites: steep hill with rodents living there. Gravel driveway leading to tent sites: a trench sure to rip the exhaust off your car. The RVers and workers: they make it obvious you are beneath them. Pets allowed: you WILL be up all night with the barking chihuaua on the next site. Airplanes flying over head as you are getting ready to sleep. Traverse the lawn to the faraway bathroom to ruin your shoes at 2am. Laundry on-site but the workers will scowl while you use it. Catch all this ire for the grand old price of $50+ per night.

• 

  Emily C.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 7, 2021

  Elizabethtown Crossroads Campground

  Great spot to rest

  The bathrooms were beautiful and air conditioned! They were very clean and smelled like a swimming pool. They were nice and cool after a hot sweaty day and tent camping.

• 

  Kevin T.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 18, 2020

  Guist Creek Marina & Campground

  Had a nice evening

  The staff were very friendly and accommodating. I asked for the most remote location to set up my tent. It’s still pretty close (across the gravel road about 100’ from RV/trailer campers). The row of tent sites backed up to a fence line. There are trees along this row so you’re not in full sun all day. I wish the tent sites were along the edge of the lake, but this is safer for small children. I’d camp here again possibly. There is a shower house but I did not use this facility. A Rural King store and other retail businesses are less than 5 miles from the location if you happen to forget something.

• 

  Ruth K.

  Guide

  

  May. 19, 2018

  Sycamore Springs Park

  Clean, friendly staff, quiet, affordable, family-friendly.

  This campground has RV sites and tent sites, pond to fish in and plenty of playgrounds for the children. Clean showers and bathrooms and friendly staff.

• 

  Rachelle W.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 5, 2018

  My Old Kentucky Home State Park Campground — My Old Kentucky Home State Park

  Primitive tent camping at My Old Kentucky Home

  The primitive tent camping is located in a grove of beautiful, mature trees. Fire rings & picnic tables are dotted throughout the trees. There is a highway right beside the campsite so you will best cars, but it is not a high traffic area.

• J

  Jason M.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 3, 2022

  Grandma's RV Park

  Zero grass here... no attendant, no one answers phone

  I don't see how there could be tent camping here, there's no grass. But I wouldn't be able to verify anyway because there was no attendant in the office at 10 am on a Monday morning. No one answers the phone. Doesn't seem like much of a business.

• 

  Hannah B.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 9, 2023

  Lake Shelby Campground

  Our childhood camping location

  Loved this campground growing up! We tent camped and our relatives RV camped. However they have cut down most of the trees, the facilities aren’t maintained very well and the campground/park looks more run down than ever. It’s sad but I hope they update and maintain it more in the future.

• T

  Trinda B.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 2, 2022

  Elizabethtown Crossroads Campground

  Very Accommodating

  Very nice campground the tent sites even have electric and water but my advice is try not to setup tent near the little pond they have, it stinks. Showers are great, if your tall like me, your gonna have to bend a knee to get underneath the shower head. LOL bathroom water pressure could be better. Very affordable!

• 

  Brandon E.

  Scout

  

  May. 8, 2021

  Guist Creek Marina & Campground

  Courteous staff, not best site itself

  Staff was very courteous. I was given very clear directions to the site and couldn't miss it. The lake is beautiful. Dog and I took a little canoe ride. My only issue was that the primitive tent sites were so close to the camper sites which likely couldn't be helped.

• 

  Craig F.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 23, 2019

  Louisville South KOA

  Close to Louisville and Bourbon Tours

  The Louisville South KOA is approximately 25 miles south of downtown Louisville in Shepardsville, KY. The location is easy to find off the exit of 65(which also has a Walmart and other stores nearby to resupply). 

  The campground has both pull through gravel sites, back-in, and tent sites. The sites were close to each other but provided plenty of space for the average sized rig. Many were longer than other KOAs, which enabled the tow vehicle and TT to be parked. Full hook-ups and 30/50 amp services at the sites, some leveling required. The campground store is well stocked and the employees are very friendly. 

  There is a pool(no hot tub-filled in with stones), play/game area, bounce pillow, and 2 miles of hiking trails around the campground. While the campground was nice, there is a lot of“stuff”(old broken trailers, mowers, etc) laying around the edges and in need of mowing between the sites. These items tend to take away from the overall welcoming feeling of the campground. 

  This being said, the wifi was strong and it is very convenient to sightseeing around Nashville, especially for the price of$54 per night.

• C

  Crystal H.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 9, 2019

  Louisville South KOA

  Nice

  There was lots to do at this KOA. There was corn hole, ladder ball, pool, walking trails, access to the river, cat fish pond, small dog park, and washers & dryers. You could bring your RV, travel trailer, tent camp, or rent a cabin. I’m sure I’m forgetting something. The spots were close together. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The park was clean and well maintained.

• 

  Micah N.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 4, 2020

  Starve Hollow State Rec Area

  Beautiful lake

  My family enjoyed the campground a lot. We rented boats, hiked and swam. We stayed in site 54 and though we couldn’t see the lake we loved the privacy. We arrived on a Sunday and it cleared out nicely. I wouldn’t want to come on a weekend, too busy. A few to many RVs for my tent camping taste. The facilities were nice and clean. Some playgrounds were a bit dated, but kids still enjoyed them. Plenty of bugs, but not insufferable.

• C

  Craig F.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 25, 2020

  Louisville South KOA

  Good stopover

  We stopped here for one night on the way through on a week night for Covid Camping. We got in late and our site was hung on the wall - we had reservations. They gave us an easy in and out site that was level. Nice nature trail and fishing pond. Pretty empty when we were here. The patio sites looked nice. We might come back sometime. Tent sites look good too, some have a sandy area to pitch your tent and a shelter with a table.

• 

  Susan A.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 18, 2019

  Youngs Creek Horse Camp

  Great Camping Spot

  We camp here every time we come to Indiana. We have camped there in a truck camper, and now we tent camp with our Jeep. The sites are large, and there are fire rings available. There are vault toilets and a fresh water pump not far from them. The only time this camp is full is when a trail ride is going on, then it fills up fast. It is only five miles from Paoli, and there is a Walmart there if you need supplies..

• 

  Barry B.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 8, 2020

  Sycamore Springs Park

  Friendly, quiet and clean

  My wife and I went to Sycamore Springs Park a few weeks ago and stayed for 3 days. We tent camped and it was fantastic. We were right at the lake edge. The campsite had electric but no water, but the water was just across the road at a shelter. The park assigned campers to where they were distanced from each other due to COVID. The showers were the best I've seen, clean and strong pressure. It is also pet friendly. Our Golden loved the camp and the lake. I recommend this camp to all who want a quiet get away.

• 

  Ella L.

  Guide

  

  Mar. 24, 2023

  Otter Creek Park Campground

  Good hikes with river views. Not a lot of solitude.

  My husband and I camped here in the May to escape Derby in Louisville. It's close enough to the city that it makes for an easy get-away. Even if you're not camping the hiking is pretty incredible and none of the trails are really to strenuous for an experienced hiker compared to other trails in the region. 

  This isn't the most quite campground you're going to find. There is an RV area and a loop for tent camping, the sites are fairly close together with some only having as little as a few saplings or briars between sites. The loop itself is a bulky gravel road that is VERY NOISY when campers drive on it, or in our case... a child drives their Barbie Power Wheels up and down the road until 10pm in the dark. 

  That being said.... it's close to the city. It's inexpensive and the firewood bundles are sizable. Our site didn't have a picnic bench, just a fire ring but the ground was mostly grassy and very level. It was a comfortable site and the majority of them looked pretty similar so it's hard to say there's a "best site" for privacy on the loop.  Our site was on the road leading up to the loop and those sites seem best since a few don't have campers across from them and they are spaced out slightly more than the sites on the actual loop... although you're further from water.  

  *This campground does allow you to make reservations

• C

  Carolynn K.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 11, 2021

  Lake Jericho Recreation Area

  Lots of permanent residents

  We stayed here 2 nights as a shake down trip. Bring cash, no credit cards taken. We didn't have enough with us, but the Manager let us set up and Hubby went back home and got some cash. We live less then 15 mins from the park. It was very quiet. Even the local kids were nice and respectful.  We did take a walk around the park and the lake is beautiful. It was hot during our stay, so we didn't go to the fishing area. The bath house is old and could really use an update. The gentleman who cleaned it every morning spent about 10 mins just spraying a mystery liquid around. Smelled like bleach.  The site was gravel. There are tent sites on the lake and that would be nice for a family with kids.

• 

  Nicklaus G.

  Scout

  

  Mar. 28, 2021

  Guist Creek Marina & Campground

  Perfect all around!

  I’m on a month camping trek. This is the third place I’ve stopped in the past week. Beautiful area, tent camping and pull thru available. Camp hosts were knowledgeable, helpful, and kind. Store had everything I needed.

  The place is beautiful with river view and valley overlooking sunsets every night. Options of wooded or open concept sites. Picnic tables and fireplaces were in good shape. Thunderstorms came though the night by noon everything was dry and perfect.

  Everyone in the store when I arrived was welcoming. Answered all my questions. The have fishing licenses available, along with hunting.

  Be aware it is a Marina, this said if fishings your deal everything your looking for in the store. If you’re used to being spoiled in state park camp stores, they have wood and ice and food and coffee. Don’t bank on them have that last minute toothbrush you forgot.

  This being said the shower house was immaculate. Been camping since I was six months old. Don’t remember all the shower houses but I’ve never seen one this clean and well maintained.

  For sure will be visiting again!