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Located along the banks of the Ohio River, Tower Rock Campground offers beautiful scenery and close proximity to water activities like fishing and boating. The 1/4 mile trail can be accessed near the boat launch. Be aware this area is prone to flooding when river levels fluctuate.
This campground is the site of an old Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) work camp. Somewhat off the beaten path Camp Cadiz is usually quiet and rarely do the campsites fill up; with the exception of turkey and deer hunting seasons. The campsites are level and each has a fire ring with grill and picnic table. __Equestrian camping is allowed.__Recreation Area brochure/map
You may camp almost anywhere in Land Between the Lakes. A Basic Camping Permit is required for each person 18 and over when camping in Basic Camping Facilities. A Dispersed Camping Permit is required when camping in non-designated areas of the recreation area. Both permits currently cost $50 for an annual permit and $10 for a 3-day permit and can be purchased online or any of our facilities. Please note that these permits do not apply when camping at Self-Service Campgrounds.
Legend
We found this campground using Google Maps looking for different campground (CG) options. As this was the first week of November on a Tuesday, we did not have any trouble getting reservations to include getting site 25 that we’d seen recommended in reviews. When making our reservation, we were told by the owner, Angie, to follow our GPS to the end of the road where you will find the CG. Angie met us and we were escorted to pull through site 25 with water and electric(50/30/20 AMP). This pull through is a large half moon. It was difficult to get straight on the rig but we made it work for an overnighter. We would not recommended trying to anything longer than a 38’ rig into the site due to the turn to get out. We needed levelers on the door side. Once we were set up, we were delighted with this site’s lake view. The water pressure was good at about 50 psi and no issues with the 50 AMP service. We got three bars on Verizon. We could have put out satellite, but did not for this overnight stay. They have a restroom/bath house, but we didn’t use it. This CG is mostly full of seasonals. We noticed that golf carts are the thing here. As we were here during the week, there was very little CG activity. However, we can guess this place is quite festive during the summer months and associated weekends. From what gather from their website and saw, they keep about 10 sites available for short term stays(max 28). Of the 76 sites total, the only pull through was site 25. We had to maneuver to get out of the site with our running over the railroad tie border. We wouldn’t go in there with anything over 38’. The sites here vary a lot on how close they are to each other. The website states the sites are 50 feet long, which is probably correct. We enjoyed the lake view from our site plus we saw deer and eagles in the CG during our overnight stay. The owner Angie, was very nice and accommodating.
Scout
Only stay for several hours,haven't spent the night yet,that will be planned next
Scout
This will be the next campground to go
Guide
This is lakefront with a vault toilet and no running water. On a Wednesday night everything was quiet and peaceful. It is a self serve campground.
Scout
I once gave this locarion a 5 star review that I've since deleted. This was our 3rd visit. With new owners, much cutback on staff and available hours for activities. Why oh why do you close a main attraction, go carts and pizza, during the week and cut hours of go carts when they ARE open??? I'd been communicating with stsff and had expressed our grandson's excitement to return to the go carts. THAT was the perfect opportunity to tell me o substantially reduced hours. This campground caters to seasonal campers. They don't all respect quiet hours are zipping around on golf carts partying. We won't return.
Scout
I stayed here and camped for a bike rally. I think you can only camp during an event. And cost is different from each event. Nice place
Guide
Stayed here for a week and it was great. Plenty to do to keep you busy. Nice pool with retractable roof. Playset for kids. Full service marina with boat rentals. Golf cart rentals as well.
Guide
Was the only one there $ 20 with Electricity, what a Deal Steve is a great Host Also had free Music….. Cicadas
Scout
Primitive campground with electric and water, who knew. Nice sites well kept. Showers were disgusting, drain had accumulated crud. Sinks also gross.
Legend
We camped here with our pups to see the eclipse in Paducah. The area is not really pretty or scenic. You can walk to the dam from the campground but it's nothing super special to see. There is dead fish laying around everywhere and it also smells like it. The campsites are very confusing. There is no map anywhere, except online. Sometimes you can't even read the numbers on the piles. The bathhouse was pretty ok. It was cleaned daily and always stocked. The water pressure was very low. Our camp host was super awesome and nice. There are also no hiking trails close by. The town of Paducah was worth a visit, otherwise we would not camp there again.
Traveler
Very nice campground, better than what I expected. We stayed at site 20 with a 36' travel trailer we had to actually drive all the way to the end of the campground to turn around so we could back into the site. Cravens Bay is secluded and about a 2 mile drive off the main road running through LBL.
There is a attendant at the site that you have to check in with first who will let you know what sites are available and pay after you have chosen your site and settled in. The attendant station did have some snacks for sale as well ice, also in the event that you may need assistance with any problems at you camp site or even with your camper the attendant more than likely has the tools to help you.
The road leading into the campsite is paved but narrow, the roads at the campsite are well hard packed gravel and very narrow. Cravens Bay basically breaks down into two areas, the low ground (first sites upon entering) and the high ground (sites further in at the top of the hill), there are some sites scattered in-between these two areas but for the most part the largest campsites areas are the high and low ground sites. The sites in-between the two high and low ground areas are very private and two are definitely secluded.
We stay three days and during that time other than the occasional fisherman or the attendant driving by it was definitely very private and quite. There were some seasonal campers there who were very helpful and friendly (even cut up some timber for us to burn).
If you don't mind not having any hook ups and dry/boon docking with your camper Cravens Bay has a lot to offer in terms of privacy, peace, boating, fishing, and swimming. Defiantly for the nature lovers out there, nothing like seeing a Bald Eagle hunting fish while drinking coffee first thing in the morning.
Guide
Smaller campground with many older run down campers that are likely full time living here. All sites are pull through, and within 2 feet of the drive. Good spacing between sites, I didn’t feel like I was right up on my neighbors
Traveler
This was a fantastic dispersed camping spot! A few cars went by looking for whatever, but the road dead ends at Energy Lake. It was quiet most of the time. Occasionally heard some obnoxious people across the lake where I believe a campground is located. Also heard a sound during the night, possibly coyotes. Otherwise, I felt safe and had a great time here!! The ground was flat and there was a lot of room. We were just passing through and needed somewhere quiet to sleep after two days of driving. There is a lot to do in this area! I hope I got the location right… it wouldn’t let me add the exact coordinates I saved when I was there.
Traveler
I stayed at two difderent spots in March 2024. You might need 4wd; it had rained all day before I got here and there were some rough/sloppy patches in the road. The pit toilt at the entrance is about a 10-12 minute drive away. Both spots had fire pits
Scout
We had so much fun at Energy Lake Campground. We were only able to stay one night but it was the reset we needed. Our pups loved it too! Bathrooms were clean, electricity worked great and the view was STELLAR! Super easy check in and check out.
Guide
We usually start camping in November since the campgrounds are usually getting closer to empty. This place was packed with people hunting and fishing. The camp sites are so close together that you can hear the people talking at their campsite next to you even when they are talking at a very calm conversational level. People were letting their kids run wild until about 10pm then you could hear a pin drop it got so quiet. However, by 3 am the place starts hopping. People getting in and out of their cars, doors closing and cars driving off in the gravel, RV doors opening and closing, gravel crunching under foot as people walk to and from the bathroom. Two women stood outside our tent (but at their camp site) at 5am chatting it up and opening and closing and opening and closing the car doors for over half an hour. If you can function on 5 hours of sleep and don't mind hearing everything everyone around you says in clear detail it isn't a bad place. The bathrooms are clean and warm in the winter.
Scout
We basically had the place to ourselves. Just a couple boat launchers was it. Dark skies, lots of stars. There are seasonal showers, ice and firewood sales. Boat ramps, day use areas... it was really nice. I would definitely come back here again. Good cell coverage too.
ScoutWe stayed here November 2023, site 9 up on the hill. Nice and quiet, beautiful stars at night and good cell service if you needed it.
Scout
Some of the most beautiful waterfront sites we’ve been to. Most of the water sites were very big, with several being huge. Lots of separation between most of them, fresh gravel, mostly level. Some of the sites are elevated and the pads have nice guardrails so that kids can’t access the rip rap and fall. Very quiet when we were there, and hosts were great as well. Had Consumere Cellular and mostly had 2 bars, easily enough to stream.
Traveler
Very clean well maintained campsite with a vault toilet, no hook up's for RV's or campers. Several areas for camp fires already set up, as well as a boat ramp. We were able to pull right up to the lake and secure our own private area, major score there. Road leading into the camp does have a few dips here and there one needs to be aware of. I was able to get a 36' pull behind camper back here without four wheel drive but wouldn't try that during the raining season or if the road was wet. Only two other campers where present but we didn't notice due to there being enough space for privacy. There is also (I believe) a camp manager on site as well. If you like seclusion and quite this is the site.
TravelerBeautiful lake front site on Lake Barkley. Eureka, Kay
Guide
Easy booking. Easy check in. Roads getting into park were narrow. But worth the trip. The campground is very clean. Easy hookup for electric and water. Except there was someone plugged into our electric when we got there. It was for a boat that belonged to campers up the road that didn’t have lake front. Other than that this place is awesome. We plan to come back when we can stay longer.
LegendNice campground right on the lake. Family friendly, lots of children on their scooters. Many campers had boats for lake recreation. Some sites can be hard to back into, especially #39 where I broke the stabilizer jack on the railroad tie campsite border. Recommend the sites on the water, with the exception of #22 & 23 which also looked very difficult to get into. Downside of the water sites is that most have very little shade. Bathrooms are decent, and handicap accessible. Shower water was lukewarm at best but it was so hot that wasn’t an issue. Did find a few ticks, but mosquitos were surprisingly scarce.
RangerVery small but popular campground run by the corp of engineers. Great fishing, boating, jet ski campground. No camp store or laundry but plenty nearby to serve all your wants and needs. The host and hostess couldn’t be better people to know.
ScoutNeeded to make a reservation for my husband who travels for work. Checked their website for cancelation policy and there isn't one. They don't take credit cards and requested one month's deposit plus a deposit for electric. Sent a cashier's check for$750.00, 4 weeks prior to arrival date. One week later, we contacted them to advise we would not be coming. Refunded the$200.00 only. Very disappointed, said they" never dealt with something like this before" but had NO problem keeping an entire month's lot fee. Think long and hard before booking here. It's 2023 and EVERYONE utilizes credit card payments.
Scout
I have camped there 2-3 times. It has been a while now, but I believe there are 4 sites with tables and fire pits. There is a pit toilet, but no water. But if you drive a few miles North East there is a Illinois State Park, Cave in the Rock I think, and you can refill your water jugs/bladders there by the showers/bathrooms, and there are garbage dumsters. The Cave off the Ohio River is definitely worth seeing, and free, so why not.
A short walk from the campground is Tower Rock that was an old CCC path and over look of the Ohio River. Last time I was there it is a bit of a pain to find the old path, but basically from the boat landing go UP... follow the terrain and you will find it. It is a rock cliff that is, I don't know 100 feet above the river. In my opinion it is worth a look.
There is a Ferry that goes between Illinois and Kentucky right by the park too. Free. I went over once, never been on a Ferry.. and the gas tax in Kentucky is cheaper...
Guide
Nice little campground. We stayed here one night passing through. We liked the Twigs. Bathroom and showers were clean. Grounds were very well maintained.
Frequently Asked Questions
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