Looking to go glamping near Madisonville and enjoy a rustic retreat into nature? Glamping offers the perfect opportunity to explore Madisonville and stay off the beaten path. The Dyrt's camping photos, reviews, and tips are an easy way to find the right Kentucky glamping spot for you.
The park is situated in the middle of 14,000 plus acres of forest. We have a 56 acre lake with pedal boats and row boats. There are miles of hiking trails that meander through the forest. It is a great place to get back to nature. We also have an 18 hole golf course, tennis and basketball court, and a lodge with a full service dinning room. Equine Camping: Pennyrile Forest offers 8 pull-through campsites specifically designed for horse owners. These sites feature electric, water and sewer hook-ups. Each site has its own corresponding hitching posts for up to four horses, picnic table, lantern hanger & fire ring/grill combo. Horse campers have access to all campground amenities, which include bathhouses, laundry area and playgrounds. A new 1.25 mile horse trail near the campground connects horseback riders to the 40+ miles of horse trails on the adjacent Pennyrile State Forest.
This recreation area is part of Barkley Lake
Situated along a peninsula between the lush shorelines of Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake, Canal Campground offers modern camping and provides the ideal setting to enjoy nature at its best with family and friends. Visitors can enjoy a stunning view of the Barkley Dam and boats traveling through the canal from the comfort of their campsite. The campground faces Barkley Lake, and the shore of Kentucky Lake is a brisk one-mile walk across the canal.
From water sports to wildlife viewing to hiking and biking, Canal Campground is the perfect setting for outdoor activities. Eagle nests can be spotted throughout the grounds, and its not unlikely for visitors to encounter deer and other wildlife. A short hiking trail allows campers to enjoy the outdoor scenery at their leisure. Fishing is also a popular pastime, and during warm months bass and catfish are plentiful in both lakes.
Lake Barkley, as part of a dam project at the Cumberland River, spans 134 miles along the Kentucky landscape, offering countless recreational activities to visitors. The canal connects Lake Barley with Kentucky Lake, forming one of the greatest freshwater recreational complexes in the country.
Grand Rivers, a short drive from the campground, has several restaurants and two public marinas.
$20 - $256 / night
$10 / night
This recreation area is part of Barkley Lake
Holiday Hills Resort is your premier resort location in western Kentucky. We have lake side lodging units with everything included for your stay. Full kitchen, gas grill, stove, microwave and much more. All you need to bring is your food and clothes. We have a brand new 50,000-gallon swimming pool, 2 playgrounds, a beach, game room and activities throughout the year. We offer water and electric camps sites that can handle anything from a tent to a 36’ camper. Our lake side lodging can fit groups from 4 to 60 people. Call now to book your family get-away
$43 - $999 / night
Legend
Jake from the Dyrt here! Nine Pines has all the glamping amenities you could want, and then some, its not often you find a place set in nature where you have access to a full pizza oven. Check them out and show them some love from the Dyrt!
Legend
Although this is a remote campground, it is situated in a State RESORT park, so it is more like glamping. The resort amenities and features are all accessible through short hikes via well marked and maintained trails, or by vehicle roads. The resort sponsors many amenities, such as an indoor pool, family activities, gym, tennis courts, hiking trails, horseback riding, golf... it is a resort, after all. Within 10 miles of Cadiz, which hosts grocery stores, general merchandise stores, restaurants, small businesses and family activities.
Guide
The sites are hard to back in with a camper, we had to buy longer extension cables and a longer water hose, sites are very close together, the activities were good had to pay for them not very much. The miniature golf course was good but a little expensive. The beach was amazing but it’s first come first serve regardless if u camped there. It opens up at 10am. The lodge restaurant was amazing buffet and the banana pudding was amazing as well. They do serve a sandwich called Hot Brown I guess it known in Kentucky was good.
Legend
Canal campground is right on the canal that connects Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake at the north end of Land Between the Lakes. Sitting on the north side of the Canal, just outside of Grand Rivers, KY, where the famous Patti's Settlement boasts a two inch thick pork chop and home cooked everything. Canal campground books fast, and offers a substantial number of activities for all ages. Very well upkept and constantly making improvements, this is a favorites campground for folks from miles around.
TravelerRight on Lake Barkley where it joins Kentucky Lake. Over 200,000 acres of lake. We had sites 76 and 77. The roads to the sites have a lot of curves be careful not to clip your trailer on a tree. Our sites were easy to back in, plenty of room for the two tables that were there. The sites are gravel, but you do have water and electric hookups. Very quiet and peaceful place. Bath houses were clean and stocked, campground was clean. There is a beach area and also a playground for the kids. While your here be sure to go to the elk and bison prairie.
Guide
Very beautiful campground and park. Very spacious sites, and there was hardly anyone there , so it seemed like we had the campground to ourselves. So peaceful. The shower house was very nice and clean and had flush toilets. However the other restrooms were not so nice (pit toilets with spiders and mosquitoes everywhere). The campground host was really nice. Also note that there is no place to buy ice or firewood nearby. We crossed the ferry and went to Marion Kentucky and found some there. The park and ferry is really cool. There is a lodge that has a nice restaurant and a bar. If you want to buy alcohol the nearest place is Elizabethtown where they have a liquor store. Overall this is a wonderful campground and we will return someday!
LegendPennyrile Forest State Park off Ky69 outside Dawson Springs, Ky. A newer trail Pennyrile Nature Trail is 13.5 mile long hiking trail, from Dawson Springs to the park. There is also a site for the Pennyrile Trail which is a 75 mile driving loop connecting several Kentucky parks.
The park is multi-leveled with the views and some cool rock formations. The beach has some confusing parking signs, but we figured it off. It was busy and had some loud visitors with loud vehicles and loud vehicles. Not surprising considering the neighborhood it is located in.
The campground has some interesting sites all along the roadway. The campground and horse campground are connected. Several of the sites can be challenging due to not being level or being shallow, but they are workable.
I'm not sure if biking would be great due to the hills but it would be challenging. Hiking and backpacking definitely and of course swimming and horseback riding( on your own horse)
Guide
We stayed at site D3 over Memorial Day weekend. I was pretty nervous when we first saw the site, it was literally on a hillside. We have two small kids and were with family (in adjacent D4) so we really hoped for a site with flat space for the kids to play in, but there was absolutely no grassy area. That didn't stop us from having a good time!
The D loop was nice and quiet with very little traffic. We were very close to the lake to drop our kayaks in the water or fish without going far, always a plus!
Bathrooms were very clean for camp restrooms. The showers were in their own rooms, so that was really nice. Great water pressure and it wasn't a push button shower like some campgrounds have!
Since we have kids, we had to check out the play ground. It was pretty disappointing with only a couple swings, a hot metal slide and a climbing bar. The beach was far from impressive with basically gravel as half of the beach. I wasn't expecting Florida beaches in Kentucky, but in Indiana we have nice sandy beaches at lakes so I was disappointed.
The lake was gorgeous and perfect for kayaking though, with lots of nice coves to explore and wildlife to see. I saw a doe with a spotted fawn nursing on my first trip onto the water
All in all, if you want flat spaces, don't go to loop D, loop C was much flatter. We probably won't return, but it was a nice stay, but probably better for those without small kids to entertain.
LegendCave in Rock State Park, Il is sorta out in the middle of nowhere. That being said it is an adventure worth the trip. Weekday visits will supply you with more things to do but weekend adventures are just as fun.
If your coming from the Kentucky side first there is Amish country to visit. Check in Marion for what’s available and where (fill your gas tank up!)
Next there is the ferry ride across. If you’ve done it a lot no big deal, but my kids used to love it every time.
Write your directions down for this whole area, the cell phone coverage is spotty and it will keep frustration down.
Signage will greet you as soon as you exit the ferry and Cave in Rock city has several small businesses you might want to visit. Plus a bunch of painted bikes...
To the right down the road a bit and your in the park.
The RV area is spread throughout a hilly, tree’d area, after being in Army Corp of Engineers last week which uses every foot of area available this campground seems huge and vacant. There were many sites occupied they are spread out across a huge area which is awesome. There is a playground near the showerhouse and a pond back in behind the playground.
The primitive area is up another hill back in the woods, my favorite. Two handicap accessible spots next to the pit toilet let’s everyone have some fun.
If you want a shower you have to return to the RV area. These basic sites have a grill, fire pit and picnic table. Some are pretty level some not so much ;) Best of all there are several options if you have a Tentstile.
We took a 2 mile loop hike across to the lodge, along the cliff face and down to the cave. A lot of history here and some nice views.
This was our second outing with our new to us EVAC Trailer (www.evactrailer.com) I added some metal poles and a tarp and bam! we have an impromptu sitting area. The tool box made a nice meal prep and cooking area. Still looking at other ideas, but it’s a sturdy little trailer that is serving its purpose well!
ScoutI love this park! Camping, cabins, hiking, horseback, swimming, and even mini golf. There are numerous trails, and a plethora of wildlife. We even saw a bald eagle within 15 minutes drive from the park.
ScoutWe stayed at sight #58. We were on the very corner and even though it was close to the road it was beautiful and not super traffic heavy. There was however a streetlight at the corner and it was extremely bright. We were prepared enough though so we put a dark tarp up on the outside of our tent to block it. I do wish we could have seen a better picture of the site before hand it would have made choosing easier. This wasn’t the best spot for a tent, but we made it work :)
ScoutFirst of all, the drive to Dawson Springs is GORGEOUS. Rolling hills, farmland, trees, really gets you in the mood! Upon arrival, the camp store worker was very friendly, gave us a campground map and hiking map and answered all of our questions. We stayed in the regular campground but they also have a campground for people with horses/horse trailers, as the park has horse trails to go on as well! We didn’t swim in the lake, but it did look beautiful and looked to be a nice place to swim and kayak and paddle boat (which they have for rental as well). The hiking trails are gorgeous and vary in length and intensity. The spot that we were at had plenty of room to spread out and relax. One side had the picnic table and fire pit, and the other side was a grassy area with trees where we hung our hammock. It was stunning! We will definitely be back!
TravelerBeautiful area! Really nice swimming beach, hiking trails, and campground. Paved sites, most with plenty of shade. Campground host very nice and people in nearby towns very nice also. Enjoyed talking with the locals. Only reason I don’t give campground a 5 is due to the very sloped sites. Most are very difficult to level up.
LegendPennyrile Forest State Park was a pleasant surprise, especially compared to the many state parks I visited in my earlier years in North Carolina. However, when you reserve your site make sure you ask about the specific site’s terrain. Site 48, where I was, was sloped with no grass and had just been repaired. There were a lot of grassy sites, and they were much better. When I talked to the campground host, he was very pleasant and explained that you do not have to have a horse to camp in the equestrian sites. Those sites are level pull-through sites. There is a camp store, although it is small and limited, but they do sell firewood. Not only does this state park have a putt putt course, but it also has an 18-hole golf course complete with pro shop. The thing I enjoyed best about his state park is the waterfront. There is a large sandy beach and a place to rent canoes, kayaks, and paddle boats. Also at the beach are picnic tables, grills, a playground, and concessions. From the beach area, you can hike the lake trail, but it is moderate. There is a good view of the lake from the trail, and if you walk to the left before crossing the wooden bridge, you can see a very small waterfall. Even though you have to drive a little from the campground to get to it, there is a swimming pool and a lodge. Other activities include tennis courts and basketball. Staying at the campground, other than the sloping site, was a pleasant experience. It was not crowded and the bathrooms have hot showers, but I would suggest paying the extra$15.00 to get one of the equestrian sites.
GuidePros Mini golf on site Nice knob showers - not the push button facets Really nice white sand beach Clean campground and bathrooms
Cons Beach is a public beach so really crowded Sites are tight and most are not level Most are not easy to get into. Only one pull thru
TravelerWe like this campground for its beauty and it’s size. Pros: Swimming beach very nice Quiet campground Clean facilities Nice size lake with canoe, paddle board rentals Great kid environment Easy access from Interstate Paved sites
Cons: Sites are very sloped. Worst I’ve ever seen. Major drawback to this campground. Beach is free to public so very crowded and some elements are not family friendly. Prices are higher than most campgrounds. Camp site sizes are small and difficult to navigate.
Summary: I’m really surprised that all sites were paved with such bad slopes. If the state would come back in and level the sites then pave this would be a jewel. Also, charge a fee for beach access to control the rowdy’s from taking over the beach.
Overall a beautiful park that is one of my wife’s favorites.
Travelerwe went there for the night as we was driving through. they had a girl in there by herself and it was her first day and she didn't not know how to do stuff in there and all he sites are off and not even. so you have to go and stay where the horses are cause that area is even.
LegendGreat place to visit. Is beautiful with a lot of walking trails 10 things to do. In summer for swimming and rental boats paddle boats and some battery powered boats.I was there for a fall photography contest it was a little too soon and theirwas very little color. You can camp in tents or campers you can ride horses or enjoy the lake and many miles of walking trails. They also have hotel rooms and cabins if you care to spend multiple nights the beautiful Park and I highly recommend it to anybody that enjoys outdoor Beauty.This year 2019 makes the fifth year tha I've gone to Pennyroyal for the fall photography contest I've also been there a few springs for the spring photography contest. These photos are not the best cuz I took them from the restaurant through a window screen so you can kind of see it in the in the images I'll try to upload better ones later.
ScoutLove this place
RangerIf you want a campground that has it all, Pennyrile State Park is where you want to be!
It has a GORGEOUS white sand beach with breathtaking blue water. Crazy to see that in KY!
Explore their caves, kayaking, canoeing, basketball and so much more! They even offer a wrangler campground if you want to bring the horses.
A little pricier than others, but worth it.
ScoutThis place I can't even begin . I have lived in KY ALOT OF MY LIFE .I HAD NO IDEA THIS EXISTED. AND I STILL HAVE A HARD TIME I FEEL LIKE I HAVE OPENED THE DOORS OF A STORY BOOK AND THERE IT IS THIS PLACE IVE BEEN LOOKING FOR BUT ALWAYS THOUGHT I HAD TO GO FAR AWAY TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS OR .JUST KEEP DREAMING ABOUT IT . BUT ITS VERY WELL KEPT NOT TO CROWDED . NOW IF UR A SWIMMER GET UP AND GET UR SPOT EARLY CUZ IF NOT WELL THAT SHUD BE SELF EXPLANITORY LOL. BUT ITS A GREAT PLACE TO JUST GO RELAX MEET NEW PEOPLE OR NOT SOME LIKE THERE PRIVACY . SOME PLACES U GO DOGS ACTING CRAZY,KIDS EVERYWERE..LOUD MUSIC .OR PEOPLE ITS REALLY A GREAT PLACE .STAFF IS GREAT .CLEAN BATHROOMS .NICE CAMP SITES . NICE HIKING ,SITE SEEING ALL TOGETHER .U WONT WANT TO LEAVE ..I REALLY FELT LIKE I HAD A vacation. HERE IVE BEEN ALOT DIFFERENT PLACED S AND ALOT.I IVE NEEDED A VACATION AFTER CUZ IT JUST STRESSED OUT SITUATION. BUT THIS PLACE IS ON MY FORSURE RETURN FOR MANY YEARS ..THANK U ..FOR GIVEN ME AND MY FAMILY GREAT MEMORIES FOR LIFE..
TravelerThis place was laid out and built by someone who hates RVs. Seriously steep compound slopes, tight 90 degree turns, and hookups 100’ away on the wrong side of the site all make this place horrible for anything but a pop up. I saw at least four people worth reservations leave because they couldn’t get into their site. The bath house has one working shower and it wasn’t very clean. The dump station was 15’ from a site so I totally ruined someone’s peaceful breakfast. The hiking trail was a dead end on an unidentifiable paved road. The beach and boat access are gated until 10am. No early morning paddling for me.
Now the good stuff:
ScoutThe Pennyrile state park campground is in need of a makeover. I didn’t see any sites suitable for a tent. I was car camping and slept in my SUV so no tent but I’m glad I didn’t have to rely on the sites being level. There were roots and rocks on all the sites. It is quite and relaxing. Electric and water was adequate. The shower house only had one working shower in the women’s bathroom. The entire thing could use a good cleaning and maintenance.
TravelerNice
RangerThis is such a beautiful park. The rooms are dated but very clean. The views here are breathtaking. Hiking trails, paddle boating, canoeing and kayaking and geocaching.
RangerI stayed here on a whim on my way to a funeral. I just needed a place to rest for the night. This was a peaceful place and clean. Just needs to be updated.
Traveler
These sites are right off the green river, there is a boat ramp adjacent. Good people all around , and the monthly is amazingly low. You can opt to pay for 50 or 30 amp service. Only cash or check accepted however
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Madisonville, KY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Madisonville, KY is Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park with a 4-star rating from 19 reviews.
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