Best Cabin Camping near Olive Hill, KY

Recent Cabin Reviews near Olive Hill, Kentucky

314 Reviews of 31 Olive Hill Campgrounds

• T

  TrailMom

  Scout

  

  Jun. 18, 2021

  Pappy's Creekside Camp

  Best campground around

  We have been camping at Pappys for 2 yrs now!  We always have a great time, the folks out there are so nice and friendly it literally feels like a family reunion everytime!! We ride with the WV Outlaws and they take you on awesome trail and creek rides!! Kids love the creeks on hot days they have so much fun!! 

  I definitely would recommend Pappy’s to everyone looking for an awesome camping / cabin experience and WV Outlaws for Awesome trail riding.

• 

  Daniel S.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 12, 2017

  Zilpo Campground

  OVER RATED

  "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."

  We were planning on staying multiple night because of the reviews online but it ended up being a whole lot of families with kids running around like wild beasts for hours on end. it truly annoyed us the entire time we were there and left early in the morning. I'm sure we could have spoke to some one and moved sites. It is advertised as above as fun for the whole family so we felt like dicks haha. whatever. moving along now.

• 

  Megan M.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 6, 2024

  Shawnee State Park Campground

  Some secluded sites in woods- nice!

  This campground has some features that are nicer than what is found in many state campgrounds. There are some secluded sites back in the woods, so you don't feel like you are camping in a parking lot in a few places. NOTE that most of these secluded sites (along the back edge of the campground) are up a flight of stairs. You have to carry all your gear up a hill or stairs to set up. You will not be near your car, which can get annoying.

  The bathrooms were average, not great but not gross. We were there on their Halloween weekend, with a fun site-decorating contest and trick or treat in the afternoon, which was mildly annoying for us because they closed the roads from 2 to 6 so we could not drive back to our site, and when we finally could, someone was in our parking pot for the next hour. 

  The lakes are quite tiny. The one at the campground is more like a large pond- fine for paddling around on a paddleboard for practice, but don't think you'll get in any meaningful kayaking or sight-seeing on this pond. The other lake is slightly bigger, but still not big enough for kayaking more than a couple hours at most.

  The new campground is on the river on what used to be the golf course- I will write a separate review for that.

  The lodge has some amenities (pool, hot tub, cafe, bar), but we ate in the restaurant and it was terrible. I do not recommend. Get some apps at the bar if you have to but keep your expectations low. We had pork nachos and the pork tasted old, everything was cold and it gave me a terrible stomachache.

• K

  Kenpocentaur K.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 1, 2021

  Shawnee State Park Campground

  Little Smokies in Ohio

  In the short videos I posted you will notice that I did not add a transcript.  Please turn on your Google Accessibility for Live Captions to access the spoken information within the video clips. 

  Shawnee State Park (Little Smokies of Ohio)

  Has a great ranger/naturalist (Jenny) she made the days go by in a memorable way as we were able to do a creek crawl with her one day, kayaked for free with her on the lake, and had several other activities that we enjoyed.  ODNR has a gem in Jenny as she was able to tailor the events to a wide range of abilities, interests, and ages. 

  Cell Phone service is weak at the park.  We didn't always have a signal at the camp grounds but if you go over to the lodge you will have a signal.  You can also access Wi-Fi while at the lodge if needed.  The lodge has a restaurant that you can eat at if you wish.  They also have an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, and an indoor hot tub. If you camp at the state park campsites you can pay for a day pass.  This is a great thing to do when you need a change of pace or if it is rainy and you want to swim indoors. They even have a game room (old school arcade). 

  Near the Shawnee State Park is a dairy bar that my family has gone to for many years. It is a part of the tradition to get Turtle Sundaes. https://www.facebook.com/Buckeye-Dairy-Bar-Miniature-Golf-166451746787194/

  In the Shawnee lodge if you look closely at the main mural you will notice Raven Rock. We totally overlooked this while we were growing up.  Thanks to the internet we now know this is a nature preserve. https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/raven-rock-state-nature-preserve

  Our first campsite was number 12.  We arrived at 5:55 PM and the camp office closes at 6:00 PM. The gal waited for us to check out the site and we promptly came back as she did indicate it was a rough site.  This site and 13, 14 is what I would expect for a backpacking campsite.  Not for a traditional car camping non-electric campsite.  If we had any older or younger family members with us it would have been inaccessible.  We didn't like the walk up to the site and the big draw back was the table in the poison ivy. We promptly for the 1st time in my camping career paid a fee to switch to a new site. Luckily the park was not super busy as it was a weekday.  

  Bathroom access such as the stairs, bathroom stalls ADA, and other access points will need to continue to be improved for those with mobility issues. This would have greatly impacted my friends and family had they been with me on this trip.  

  The showers in the bathhouse are motion sensor based. That means if you get too far from the sensor the shower will turn off.  Also, make sure you take your shampoo items etc. out with you before you get dressed as if you reach back in to grab your items you will promptly get sprayed. 

  Another favorite spot is the fire tower https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/copperhead-fire-tower  Please make sure to respect the fire tower as it is one of the few fire towers that you can still go up in and look at the beautiful view.  You will not have a signal here so make sure you also ask about how to get back as we didn't have a GPS signal for the way back and just explored our way back to civilization. 

  The park was not super busy while we were there in June.  It is a well kept secret as I found this to be one of the most charming parks that I have been to in a long time.  I suspect the cell phone signal and location has impacted folks coming to this park compared to others. It isn't super close to a major city but for me that is part of the charm. 

  For those of you who like to mountain bike do check out the new mountain bike trails. I cannot report on those as I am not talented enough to go out on those trails;)

• D

  Doug M.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 4, 2022

  Zilpo Campground

  Great semi rustic

  Stayed at cabin D11. Nicely maintained.  A bit on the small side but good for a place to lay your head. This cabin is directly opposite the restrooms for this loop. Cabin is about 10 x 20. The front room has two chairs a bench and table and the air conditioner. The second room has four single bunk beds.

  The grounds around the cabin are nice with gravel area for setting up an outdoor kitchen or tent or lounge chairs.

• M

  Marc H.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 9, 2020

  Shawnee State Park Campground

  Family Campground

  I stayed at Shawnee SP campground in August 2020 (Friday night). This campground is geared towards families with kids, especially with RVs. It has all of the amenities: electric at most sites, water, flush toilets, showeres, laundry. There’s a small lake at the campground with a swimming beach and canoe rentals. They also have a gift shop and miniature golf. North of the campground there is a lodge with cabins and larger fishing lake. The campsites are very close together and the campground was full when I was there. It was surprisingly quiet at night. I prefer a little more privacy and separation from other campers. Looking around the campground I’d say that Site 8 is the best site for car camping or RV camping. There are 2 tent camping sites (111 and 112) that provide separation from other campers but you have to park and carry your gear back to the sites

• P

  Paul P.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 7, 2022

  Zilpo Campground

  Great time with family and great staff

  Nice primitive cabin with luxury

• K

  Kenpocentaur K.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 2, 2021

  Zilpo Campground

  Land and Lake Beauty

  This campground has it all:)  I picked this campsite as it is further south in the Daniel Boone National Forest so it isn't near the chaos of the climbing that is found further North.  

  "Peak Season Rates as listed on website - https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232370?tab=fees

  Cabin Electric$75.00 Standard Electric$30.00 Standard Electric Other$41.00 Standard Nonelectric$22.00 Standard Nonelectric Other$27.00 Standard Nonelectric Double Site$33.00

  Limit 6 people and 2 vehicles per single campsite; additional vehicles will be charged$8/night; additional campers will be charged$1/night A$5 nightly fee is charged for electric hookups Each cabin has 2 double bunk beds with out mattresses, Please bring your own sleeping bags or other bedding."

  We wanted to check out the cabins as they looked so darling.  We couldn't quite tell if the cabins had AC or heat. 

  As for the beach, it was a blast and we spent pretty much the whole day there and every day with the heat. At night the beach is sadly closed but if you go up a little more on the road you will find another "beach" spot that isn't closed so you can look at the stars over the lake. 

  It is a pain to get back to town in my opinion so make sure you have what you need.

• 

  Anny A. G.

  Scout

  

  Apr. 20, 2021

  Cave Run Lake

  Gateway to the woods

  We stayed in a cabin, didn't have any mattress in lol but the view was amazing

• 

  Tammy G.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 8, 2018

  Carter Caves State Resort Park

  good campground

  something for everyone ,rv to tent camping...also cabins and a lodge is available for reservations. great dinning at lodge. wonderful hiking trails...And cave tours.

• 

  Tammy G.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 8, 2018

  Red River Gorge Campground

  dispersed camping in gorge

  beauty in ever direction. get a back country pass and head for one of the many trails or stay at one of the campgrounds in the area...cabins in area also.

• 

  Aaron R.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 2, 2019

  Carter Caves State Resort Park

  Always had a nice time there

  Primitive camping and rv space. You can rent a cabin and such. There is a resort.  Everything always looks really nice. So many recreational activities, caves, hiking, horses and a lot more. I would really recommend visiting.

• 

  Crystal S.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 21, 2018

  Red River Gorge Campground

  Spring visit

  We fell in love with The Gorge in April and will be back in September and at Christmas! Several kid friendly (ages 8, 4, & 2) spots and while we went the cabin route, we'll be tent camping next round!

• 

  Chris B.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 24, 2016

  Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park

  Getaway right in our backyard!

  Blue licks features a great lodge, restaurant and cabins. Our family used to visit the restaurant a few times a month for its down home cooking on the buffet. Camp grounds are clean and well spaced out, and there's great fishing spots.

  We still fish there on a regular basis.

• 

  Paul C.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 2, 2020

  Zilpo Campground

  Great place to camp

  It’s peaceful and the area we were in was not too close to each other. They have spots for tents, campers and they also have cabins. It’s surrounded by a huge lake with fishing and a boat ramp. You do have to make sure you have all your supplies, the closest store is 30 to 40 minutes away.

• 

  Gwen C.

  Guide

  

  May. 31, 2023

  Sandy Springs Campground

  Easy, breezy river living

  I found this jewel during the pandemic. I wanted to stay closer to home than usual for vacation. It was the cutest, most affordable, safe for solo female campers, clean, wonderful owners, tons of things to do, or just relaxing. I fell in love and have returned many, many times. I have stayed in all of the cabins and campers except SS Sandy Springs and Flair. I am familiar with this area and Shawnee State Forest, aka, The Little Smokies!

• 

  William C.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 7, 2022

  Zilpo Campground

  Great, secluded campground

  We’re very familiar with twin knobs. Zilpo is the backwoods cousin. A bit more remote, but we found the campground to be fantastic. It is more densely wooded than twin knobs. The sites are generally just as good, but there is more variety between primitive/hookup/cabins. The beach is not quite as big, but plenty big, and wasn’t crowded over July 4 weekend. The beach store has bare essentials. There doesn’t seem to be ranger programming. Not all the loops have showers in the bathroom buildings.

• 

  Sara S.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 25, 2016

  Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park

  maybe try a cabin next visit...

  Short visit here, but it was enjoyable :) This park as a few shorter hiking trails, which were nice, as well as historic sites, mini golf, and a pool. The park has a lodge and cabins as well as a campground. In the campground area is basketball and volleyball. Campground is not very large, but ‘secluded’ is not a word I would use when describing it. The tent camping sites, ‘primitive’ were not :( It was an okay experience, but there was road noise and no seclusion (we were in a field essentially with the other tent campers).

• 

  Connie C.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 18, 2023

  Pappy's Creekside Camp

  Absolute Terrible Experience

  I would give it a zero if possible. The cabin we stayed in was absolutely filthy-dirt and dead bugs on the floor, coffee pot was nasty, extremely small counter was dirty, no access to running water(no even a sink in the bathhouse) and I could go on but I think you get the point. The bathhouse looked like a shed and was also dirty. Were told there were groups going out every weekend, all day long and also night riding. Trails are not marked so you really can't go out on your own. We paid for 3 nights, but only stayed for 2. And of course, we were never offered a refund or partial refund. Like Share

• 

  Lisa S.

  Ranger

  

  Apr. 16, 2019

  Shawnee State Park Campground

  Outstanding jaw-dropping slice of beauty

  Nestled close to the Ohio River and the Shawnee State Forest, you will find rolling hills and valleys that offer serene beauty and picturesque landscapes. Wildflowers run rampant throughout this enchanted state park, and deer, raccoons, and turkey frolic throughout the more than 1,160 acre paradise. Challenge your family members for a round of mini golf or basketball, or set out on a geocaching adventure. Cruise along one of the numerous hiking trails and or set off on a relaxing ride on the two bridle trails. Rest your head at one of the campsites offering a dump station and showers, or stay in a cabin. If neither of those are your thing there is a beautiful lodge that provides swimming pools, a game room, and breathtaking views of either the river or forest.

• K

  Kim B.

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 1, 2016

  Jenny Wiley State Park Campground

  Dewey Lake

  The park’s along the lake and has hiking, birding, a restaurant, and a nice surprise: an open air theatre with shows outside all summer. The park is kind of famous for having elk, which are common out west, but we didn’t get to see any. If you have horses there are trails but AFAIK the park doesn’t let you hire them (not sure about outside companies). None of the campsites are alone or very close to the lake. All the ones we saw were very open but along the trees, so no lakeside views either. They also have cabins. Nice built-up modern KY state park with enough to do to fill a whole weekend for all of your family. Never been in the water so can’t comment on Carrie J’s assessment of the lake being gross.

• 

  Barbara O.

  Scout

  

  May. 31, 2023

  Sandy Springs Campground

  Beautiful, Spacious Spots, Relaxing, Wonderful Hosts, & Very Clean

  This campground should be a must visit on your list 🤗

  We have camped in many places & this is definitely a 5 star 🌟 place. The spaces are so spacious & clean. The bathrooms & showers are so clean as well (Hardly see that anymore) The campground is relaxing & quiet 😁

  The hosts & owners make you feel right at home & like family 💕 Beautiful views of the Ohio River & access to the water (beach) 🏖️ You can see the barges go by, watch the beautiful sky, & see the mountain range across the river. So much beauty to truly relax. Close to Cincinnati but far enough away to be in a peaceful relaxing place. You can tent, rent a cabin, or bring your own camper. Perfect for family camping 🏕️ 

  Great events for families to enjoy. 

  Truly a wonderful place to be. 

  Love love love this campground 🏕️🏖️🛶🐟❤️🌟

• J

  Joseph T.

  Guide

  

  May. 31, 2023

  Sandy Springs Campground

  Beautiful, quiet, hidden gem campground in Southern Ohio

  Sandy Springs is our RV home away from home.  From the beautiful views of the Ohio River, fishing, quiet out in nature, there is just not enough great words to describe this campground.

  The owners Julie and Darcy are the best when making sure your stay is pleasant and we've made this our go to campground since 2018.

  From the simple registration for RV/Tent spots as well as cabins, it doesn't get any easier to book a site.  Unlike some campgrounds, where the full-timers get all of the premium spots, it is the opposite at Sandy Springs, the river view spots are left open for the "weekenders".

  Some weekends, there are special events going on, from bands to bouncy houses and there are also those weekends where nothing is going on, it you are looking for the slower pace camping.

  You cannot go wrong camping here :)

  Feel free to reach out if you want more info, always glad to share,

  Joe Testa

  info@rvmentor.com

• 

  Todd C.

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 10, 2018

  Cave Run Lake

  Awesome Lake

  Very clean and fun lake, close to campgrounds, boat rentals, marina, and hiking close.

• D

  Darrin R.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 10, 2019

  Falls Campground

  Fallsburg campground

  Good place to get away for the weekend.

• 

  Henry S.

  Scout

  

  May. 31, 2023

  Sandy Springs Campground

  Amazing experience at Sandy Springs Campground

  Sandy Springs Campground is this awesome little gem on the Ohio River. It is a small family owned and family oriented Campground with some amazing views of the foothills of Ohio and Kentucky. The Campground is super clean and well maintained. They have full hookups and 30/50 Amp service. There are pull through sites and river front sites. They have several rental options and the coolest house boat over looking the river with a wrap around porch. They have really nice shower and laundry facilities. There is a pretty cool camp store there too. The best part is the friendly people and atmosphere. The owners work very hard here. They take very good care of the guests and there are always plenty of activities on the weekends and holidays. The prices are definitely affordable and can't be beat anywhere I have stayed before. Couldn't recommend a better place to stay on your next camping adventure.

• 

  Ashley U.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 15, 2018

  Red River Gorge Campground

  One of the best campground closest to Indiana

  My husband and I go to Red River Gorge any time we are looking to get away for a couple nights!