If you want to explore the beauty of Means, glamping is an excellent option. Glamping offers the perfect opportunity to explore Means and stay off the beaten path. The Dyrt makes it easy to find glamping for your Means adventure.
Zilpo, a large, fun-filled campground on Cave Run Lake, is a prime destination for families. The scenic campground offers a cabin rental, tent camping, RV sites with electric hookups and a selection of lakefront sites. Views of the lake are enjoyed by those who relax on the sandy beach. Tater Knob, a fire tower open to the public, is nearby, offering outstanding views of the area.
Water skiing and swimming are wonderful ways to enjoy the lake. Muskie, large and smallmouth bass, bluegill, crappie and catfish attract avid anglers. Hikers are fans of the Zilpo Mountain Loop Trail that extends for 2.25 miles, connecting to a network of other trails around the lake. Nature programs are regularly scheduled during peak season and wildlife watching is rewarding.
Zilpo sits on a peninsula in the middle portion of Cave Run Lake at an elevation of 800 feet. The lake spans 8,270 acres with soft, sandy beaches. The campground is shaded by a stand of mixed hardwoods, and campsites have good privacy.
The nearest community is 12 miles away.
$28 - $94 / night
Nestled on the shores of Cave Run Lake, this camp is part of the larger Twin Knobs Recreation Area. There are more than 200 sites spread out over 10 loops under a dense forest of mixed conifer and deciduous trees. The recreation area includes two reservable group picnic areas. Group camping is also available.
Summer amphitheater programs and scheduled campground activities provide family fun and entertainment. The campground also has volleyball courts, basketball hoops and horseshoe pits. There is a boat ramp and beach. Popular lake activities include fishing, swimming, motor boating, windsurfing, sailing and water skiing. Scenic foot trails include the 2.5-mile Twin Knobs Shoreline Trail and the 1.5-mile Knob Overlook Trail.
The Daniel Boone National Forest embraces some of the most rugged terrain west of the Appalachian Mountains. The forest lies within the Cumberland Plateau, where steep forested slopes, sandstone cliffs and narrow ravines characterize the land in this region. Cave Run Lake is in the Cumberland District in the northernmost part of the forest. The lake is surrounded by the rolling hills of northeastern Kentucky.
The Morehead Office Visitor Center offers information about the Daniel Boone National Forest in addition to interpretive exhibits. A popular attraction within the Daniel Boone National Forest is the Red River Gorge Geological Area, which features more than 100 natural sandstone arches.
$31 - $128 / night
Near Red River Gorge and Natural bridge
Set back almost a mile from the main road on its own private drive, Lago Linda Hideaway provides security and privacy for its campers in a gorgeous setting. The 35 Piney Woods and Lazy Oaks campsites (which can be reserved in advance) lie on ridge tops among groves of oak trees, allowing campers to spread out and enjoy as much privacy as they wish. All of these campsites are graveled and have electrical hookups.
Each site has its own city water, picnic table, and fire ring. In addition, a large, grassy meadow provides ample overflow camping for tent and car campers, including a big, covered, cooking pavilion with electricity along with another covered area that provides additional shelter for a number of tents.
Lago Linda Hideaway has a bathhouse with hot showers and flush toilets, as well as Broadband Internet access. Well-behaved children and dogs are welcome to this accommodating environment.
$12 - $86 / night
The campground is on 10 acres of tree lined frontage on the Red River. There is a mix of trees/shade and open fields. It is a primitive campground, meaning that there are no power hook-ups or running water. There is an excellent canoe/kayak take-out. It's location in the heart of the Gorge makes it the perfect place for riverside camping and provides access to hiking trails.
$8 - $20 / night
Hidden deep under the northeast forests of Kentucky, strange formations with names like Giant Turkey, Headache Rock, and The Cathedral mingle with cave corals, underground waterfalls and thousands of endangered bats. This is what awaits visitors to Carter Caves State Resort Park, approximately 90 miles east of Lexington. The park was only established, and the cave environments protected, in 1946. Prior to this, the land—and caves—have a long and storied history. It begins millions of years ago, when North America was in its development stage, with the land rising and falling, cracking and washing away. This began forming the caves as seen today. Fast-forward to the 1800s, and the caves served as a resource during the War of 1812. Today however, this 2000-acre park—both above and below ground—serves as a recreation destination for campers and adventurers. The resort at Carter Caves offers a variety of overnight options, including camping, cottages and a lodge. Campers will find a large campground with 89 RV sites with utilities, 30 primitive tent sites, eight equestrian sites, and two bunkhouses. Most RV sites are back-in, and can accommodate vehicles/trailers up to 60 feet; bunkhouses can accommodate up to six people. The campground features bathhouses with showers, water faucets, picnic shelters, horse stables, and a playground. The park’s cottages are fully equipped with linens, cookware, and most have wood-burning fireplaces; these can accommodate up to eight people. The Lewis Caveland Lodge offers 28 rooms with full amenities, balconies and patios. Dogs are permitted in designated areas, and must remain leashed. Campsite rates are $18–$55/night; cottages and lodge rooms are $75–$240/night. The main attraction at Carter Caves State Resort Park is … the caves! There are six named caves in the park for exploring. Some are open year-round, some are only open during the summer. The park offers guided walking tours in four of the caves. Tours range from 45 minutes to 2.5 hours, and require some stair-climbing and stooping. There are also two caves open for self-exploration. These are undeveloped, and require visitors to provide their own light source. For the adventurous, there are also two cave crawling expeditions. These tours are three hours long, and explore tight, undeveloped passages that require lots of crawling, stooping and duck-walking in muddy conditions. For visitors who would rather stay and play above ground, the park features 26 miles of hiking trails, guided horseback rides, putt-putt golf, rock climbing, and fishing and paddling on Smoky Valley Lake.
4 Guys RV Park is a new RV park located near Natural Bridge, The Red River Gorge, and Daniel Boone National Forest. It's unlike any RV park in the area.
$50 / night
Cave Run Lake is nestled among the rolling hills of northeastern Kentucky. It is located on the Cumberland Ranger District of the Daniel Boone National Forest. This 8,270-acre lake provides flood protection and a clean water supply to area communities. Tourists enjoy the lake for its scenery and excellent recreation opportunities. Submit your photosthat capture your recreation experiences (fishing, hiking, camping, boating, etc) at Cave Run Lake. Cave Run Lake Area Map Boating, camping, fishing, hiking, hunting and wildlife viewing are some of the activities enjoyed by visitors. Recreation Areas Campgrounds: The Twin Knobs and Zilpo campgrounds provide nearly 400 campsites, some with RV hook-ups. The campgrounds also have swimming beaches and group-use picnic areas. Boat ramps: Cave Run Lake has 12 ramps for boat launching. A fee pass is required to use Alfrey, Claylick, Poppin Rock, Long Bow, Scott Creek and Warixboat ramps. Passes may be purchased at local vendors or at the Cumberland Ranger District office. Picnic areas: The Billy Branch and Boat Gunnel picnic areas are popular locations near Cave Run Lake. Trails: Several trails are developed in the Cave Run Lake area. These trails wind through the forest, providing scenic views and glimpses of wildlife. View information about Cave Run Lake Nonmotorized Trailsfor horseback riding, mountain biking and hiking around Cave Run Lake. Check out the Cumberland Ranger District Habitat map showing Pioneer Weapons WMA, Wildfire Activity Since 2010, Wildlife Openings, Timber Harvests Since 2010 and Constructed Wildlife Wetlands. Cumberland District Habitat MapView map at: https://usfs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=c58fc9969c96499a9be878aa79aba0e2 Some of the most popular recreation areas around Cave Run Lake include: Twin Knobs Recreation Area Zilpo Recreation Area For camping reservations call NATIONAL RECREATION RESERVATION SERVICE: 877-444-6777 or 877-833-6777 for hearing impaired. White Sulphur Horse Camp Clear Creek Recreation Area Clay Lick Boat-in Campground
We are River front campground/glamping/kayaking in the heart of the Red River Gorge!
Located near many popular trails, rock climbing, and kayaking in the lush Daniel Boone National Forest!
We love pets and welcome everyone to stay in one of our themed glampers and tiny homes! Solar Showers avaiable and warm summer nights!
$80 / night
Come visit our newly renovated 90 site campground in the heart of the Daniel Boone National Forest, just minutes from beautiful Cave Run Lake. Full hookup, 50 amp sites, pull through sites, pet and big rig friendly. Laundry, Bath, free wifi, and pool!
$30 - $75 / night
Come visit our newly renovated 90 site campground in the heart of the Daniel Boone National Forest, just minutes from beautiful Cave Run Lake. Full hookup, 50 amp sites, pull through sites, pet and big rig friendly. Laundry, Bath, free wifi, and pool!
$30 - $75 / night
Ranger
We actually camped at Boat Gunnel which is a part of Twin Knobs Campground. We love this campground because it is a private area with 4 RV hookups and approximately 10 tent sites. You rent the entire place for $125 or $130 a night. It is close to the water. We left our boats down on the bank. You have a "private" restroom and shower house. Occasionally you will get a hiker or someone coming through the trails that will use it. The only reason that it didn't score perfect is that the showers need some attention. There was mud along side the blacktop path that led down to the fire pit that was full of mosquito larvae and smelled. Easy fix, but had to keep the kids and dogs away from it constantly. My sister took a nasty fall on the trail down to the waters edge and that would be an easy fix to make that trail a little smoother. I know we are camping, but with the price, it is actually glamping. We like this place because it is easy for my aging parents to come down and visit. Great, large shelter also.
Traveler
Nestled in a narrow valley between high ridges of The Knobs, this campground gives the feel of secluded country living with your own trails and creeks to explore. The coffee is locally roasted, fair trade, and most importantly, served fresh, early and rich. All are welcomed here, including the primitive camper, the glamper, and the yurt goer along with the farm chickens and neighbor dogs. My personal favorite sleeping spot is in the tipi, which is large enough for a small crowd but private enough for a single sleeper. Facilities at the site are plentiful and clean. Art and crafts festivals as well as music festivals occur frequently here so check the calendar and plan to stay for a while!
Ranger
Nice caves & trails, but the campground is not best. Kentucky's sharing power poles make finding a level site with reachable power even tougher. Weekends are crazy crowded. Staff is friendly. Would never attempt to stay here without a reservaton.
Guide
We originally were going to stay at Twin Knobs Campbrougnd, but after some research, we decided to switch the reservation to Zilpo. Having recently moved to Kentucky from California was so happy to get to camp in another season besides summer. All the spots in the H Loop seemed like they would be great for a visit, but after walking around the whole section, we found H 26. It was a double spot with easy access to the lake and set up a beach fire for the night. The only issue was the bathroom nearest to us was shut down, but it really wasn't that much farther. Amazing seeing the Milky Way one evening.
Traveler
My husband and I stayed there for 8 months through the fall and winter of 2018 into the spring of 2019. The staff are very friendly and helpful. They have really worked hard to bring this campground back to a place you would like to stay. There are several who are residents there and are very nice as well. They do have camper storage at the top of the property which does have some older, broken-down looking units but also some very nice ones too. Full hook-ups for $395/mo if you are staying monthly. The only down-side to the stay was the husband of the couple that own it. He isn't very friendly at all. Our first night there, the electric went out at our pole and he kept trying to blame it on our RV when it turned out it was the main breaker for our line of electric poles and was his issue. He never apologized and was not nice at all. Any time he is there(which is very rarely) he is just an unhappy person. His wife is wonderful as are all the regular staff. I wouldn't let him keep you from staying there as he is not there normally but just know that his demeanor isn't the best. We have 4 dogs and they were very welcomed by everyone. The pool is nice although they do sell memberships to it for outside folks to use which means there can be a lot of people there on a holiday or very warm day. All in all, it was a pleasant experience and we would definitely stay there again if need be.
TravelerBeen camping here for more than 40 years, as a kid we loved it, as an adult camping with kids, love it even more. A few of the sites we have stayed in recently are D011, G007, and I008. All were great, plenty of privacy, sites are far enough away that you don't feel right on top of each other but close enough to the amenities (trash, bathroom, etc.) that you don't feel lost in the wilderness!
This portion of Daniel Boone National Forest is peak beauty in the summer, the beautiful mature trees and well maintained sites make camping so much more enjoyable. The camp hosts are always helpful when needed but not overbearing. Amenities are near enough if you forget something, you'd never know staying here that there is a Walmart about 20 minutes away if you forget something important.
Get a site close to the water to bring your canoe/kayak or do some fishing from the shore. This is BY FAR our favorite place in Kentucky to camp. Happy Camping!
Traveler
This is my all time favorite campground. (When I’m not looking for a lot of amenities). This campground is actually a veteran owned boating rental/shuttle service with an attached campground. It’s very spacious, I’ve camped on holiday weekends and never had other campers within 100 ft of my site. I’ve also been on weekends where I was the only camper there. The campsites are fairly primitive, only including a fire ring and a nice picnic table. They do not have any water or electric hookups and no cell service, which is all a plus in my opinion. But they do have a trash bin and portable-potty’s scattered around and they sell firewood on site. Oh and the grass is always maintained. There is so much room and there are a variety of “types” of campsites. By that I mean there are wide open spaces, sites in the trees, sites with sandy floors, etc. The entire campground runs alongside the river bank, so you can put in your own kayak/canoe or rent one from them. I just love this place. It is super family friendly, they have an 11pm quiet time and strict alcohol policy. The owners and all staff are the friendliest people I’ve ever met. Two of the owners know me and my friends by name and strike up convo with us every time we’re there and we’ve only been 3-4 times a year for the past 3 years. This campground is only a two mile paddle to the infamous jump rock and swim hole. Also, you are just 10 minutes from slade, where you will find Miguel’s, (the best pizza you’ll ever eat), gas stations, and cell signal. You’re also only 20-30 minutes away from Muir Valley, an excellent rock climbing destination. And if you have made It this far, I don’t mind sharing with you that if you wade out into the water about 15ft upstream of the boat launch, the river is relatively flat with a sandy bottom that is about 5’ at normal water level. Excellent place for an afternoon swim or a rinse after a hot day of climbing. I looked for photos, I just have one from our trip and It was after we packed up. See below. Happy Camping my friends!
GuideFull disclosure 1st time here and last minute (night before) booking. The whole campground is nice depending on how you're camping. Some site are better than others in general, but some are better fitted for campers and other for tents. I'm not talking about electric/water hookup vs primitive, just layout. We booked Thursday night on a last minute cancellation for Friday-Sunday. A site with electric in the H loop. It was clean and the sites are nicely spaced so you're not right on top of another. Problem is it was all booked up online so we expected a busy campground and over 1/2 the sites booked were empty all weekend. Not that that was a bad thing. It just that better site were available. I think this is a problem with the online booking system that can be fixed. They have a mix of sites and small cabins. We will probably book one of those on a return trip. Despite what the maps show there are no sites that are "waterfront". The sites next to the water have steep drop offs so no back door fishing. It's easy to get to the water just not right at the sites. The swimming beach was a disappointment. The water was nice but the beach itself left a ton to be desired. It's lined with gravel that's not real bare foot friendly. In the heat of the summer when we were there the gravel was extremely hot and hard to walk on. Once I. The water was fine, but if you plan to lay out and tan bring something padded to lay on. Also. The goose poop.. Man was there a ton of goose poop on the beach. I mean all over the place. There is another sand beach that's a boat up to beach by the boat dock that's also accessible by shore but depending on the water level may not be that great. It was sand not gravel and didn't have much "beach. More like field next to water. It was much better. Still goose poop but not as much. The lake water was close to clear and clean. The staff was nice. There are a moderate amount of shower house bathrooms but some site may have a decent walk. There is one store in the campground by the beach but didn't have much in it. Boat traffic for the time didn't seem bad. Overall it was a good trip, and we will probably be back.
Guide
This has ranked #1 for campgrounds for our family this season.
Nestled in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, this campground has all the things your family could want to do in nature.
Check in was super easy and the staff was great.
The site was very easy to get to.
We were on site 13 and it was nearly perfectly level from left to right. It had both 30 and 50 amp hookups and water (about 35psi on pressure). Each site has a charcoal grill, a fire pit with a grate for cooking and a large picnic table.
Our site backed up to the creek and a nice little levee for fishing. You could also go up back the park and fish right at the spillway from Buckhorn Lake Dam. Really fun experience.
Hands down the best playground for kids we have seen in a campground.
They had a large bathhouse with super clean bathrooms. Unsure about showers as I use the one in my TT.
There were horseshoe pits in two locations in the campsite. Several locations to dispose of trash. They also provided trash bags upon arrival.
Laundry facilities onsite and firewood you could purchase.
The dump station was clean and easily accessible with a hose for flushing.
Erica and her husband are the hosts and were so friendly and helpful. We were there over Mother’s Day weekend and they provided coffee juice and doughnuts for Mother’s Day.
A ton of kiddos for kids to play with and a great area for their bikes, etc.
We 100% will be back to this campground this season.
Scout
Had a really great time at 4 Guys! The park is super clean, tons of showers in the bath house, nice little pool, lots of amenities at the camp store, fire pits and picnic tables at every site, a little creek access to wade in, and everyone was super friendly! Full hookups were SO nice. Great location near all Red River Gorge has to offer. My only complaint, and I will say it is a very small complaint — it must be a relatively new park because there are no shade trees. This minor flaw will not stop me from returning!
TravelerConvenient to mountain parkway. Large level sites. Commercial campground, so sites are close without trees to separate. Very clean restrooms. Pool, fishing lake.
ScoutThis place is gorgeous. Friendly staff and campers. They have a small fishing pond, swimming pool, basketball court, and a playground. They are very close to Natural Bridge/Red River Gorge area
RangerIf you are looking for a campground that is near all of the hiking trails and sights in and around the red river gorge this is the place to be!! Loads of amenities; clean/hot showers, playgrounds, pool, full hookups, campstore, fire rings & picnic tables at each sight and nice views. Staff was great to deal with and the WiFi/cell service if great.
Scout
We love this campground! Had a great time here, the staff was friendly and helpful and kind and it felt extremely remote and secluded and private too! The campsites are very large and spacious - they have firewood and porta-potties on site and its right along the river. Our favorite campsite in the gorge - especially because it has no cell service! :)
GuideHanson’s point at the red river gorge is often called the best view of the Gorge. To get to Hanson’s point you’ll have to earn it by hiking for about 2.5 miles, but trust me when I say it’s worth it. The campsites at Hanson’s Point are primitive campsites, so make sure you bring EVERYTHING you need for your stay. Here are the coordinates to the parking lot. Type in the coordinates into your GPS and it will take you right to it!
37.80528, -83.65528
To easily stay on the trial, I recommend downloading the AllTrails apps. Enjoy!
GuideThis was a nice little campground right on the Red River. The spots were all primitive with rock fire rings. One site had a pic nic table. During our two night stay the other sites were all filled with families, so very kid friendly. Not a lot of amenities.
TravelerMy wife, two friends, and I all own our own kayaks and decided to go to the Gorge one afternoon. We usually put in at the normal kayak put in and pull out at the parking lot that is located near jump rock. The parking lot happened to be closed due to corona so we drove down to Red River Adventure to see how much it would be to park one car there so we could drive our other to the put in. A woman came out and we asked how much to just park our car there since we already had our own kayaks. She immediately got an attitude with my wife, I’m assuming since we weren’t going to rent their kayaks, and said it would be $15 to park. Then she said we would also have to pay an additional $5 per kayak to pull out our own kayaks since it’s their private pull out. Which is fine, but we weren’t trying to spend a lot of money since we had brought all our own supplies. We told her we were going to try to find another pull out near by, but we might we back. That’s when she really got an attitude with us and told us, “good luck finding parking and do NOT pull out on their land”. We left and drove 1/4 of a mile down the road and found parking and a pull out that was perfect. She was so rude to us for no reason and we will not be using them or recommending them to any more of our friends in the future.
TravelerWhat a nice quiet secluded spot. Such a friendly staff, reasonable prices, and well maintained campground. We spent a great day in the river and an even better night in our hammocks!
ScoutLove this place, will be returning in the future. We stayed a week and only saw three other campers and no one with in 100 yards of our campsite. All the sites had a fire pit and I believe tables at the sites. They close the gates at night and don’t open the gates till 8 am was the only drawback. The gate adds to the security of the campground I liked that they control coming and going at night times.
ScoutDispite the reviews saying it was peaceful and either well spaced/not crowded, i found it to be the smallest campground I've ever seen and we were packed in there like sardines. It was VERY crowded. Also the GPS took us to the wrong location, making it cwry difficult to find.
GuideGreat place to camp right on the river! I would suggest bring your own fire wood and do not by it there at the camp the wood they gave us was not good and wouldn't catch fire. But other than that I would go back in a heartbeat. With trails close by to explore!
Traveler
We stayed 5 nights at the Outpost and the owner was extremely nice! Brought me some fresh tomatoes and watermelon for my birthday! The campground was clean, the play ground needed a little attention when we first arrived but they filled in the holes and it made it so much more enjoyable for my 3 YO. The pool was a nice addition. The camp store has the essentials that you may need during your stay. Can't wait to come back!
ScoutVery full this weekend. Stayed 3nights as a rest point in our travels. Very clean and well laid out. Laundry was inexpensive and accessible all hours.
RangerWe stayed June 5th through June 9th and it rained every day, a lot. Our campsite (A-30) drained the rain off really well. The staff are constantly working to keep everything clean and repaired. We had two campers on the site lined up on one side. One is a 22 ft. and the other a 37 ft. We had plenty of room on the campsite. We ended up putting up 4 popups because of the rain. The site is level and graveled. This is one of the most popular sites and we booked it 6 months in advance. I wish they had more electric loops as more people are camping in a camper of some sort. We had a lot of kids, so we ended up running out of water. I had to carry water from about 500 or 600 ft away. They also need more water hookups. I know, I'm a glamper. Still love this place and will continue to stay every chance I get.
TravelerPeaceful and beautiful
GuideBusy but nicely kept and spots are not right on top of each other. Great access to cave run lake in various places.
ScoutAwesome RV spot. Lots of the sites don’t have power.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Means, KY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Means, KY is Zilpo Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 49 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Means, KY?
TheDyrt.com has all 18 glamping camping locations near Means, KY, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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