Best Tent Camping near Columbia, KY

Tent Camping Reviews near Columbia, KY

643 Reviews of 13 Columbia Campgrounds

• 

  Lori H.

  Legend

  Aug. 4, 2019

  Pickett CCC Memorial State Park Campground

  Beautiful Night Sky, Quiet Camping

  Pickett State Park is a great spot to camp if you like peace and quiet, but don’t want to have to backpack in to a spot. Despite the small campground, it was pretty much empty on the first weekend in August when we stayed. It is near the Big South Fork, and Scott State Forest, so there’s lots of great hiking, horseback riding, river recreation, etc. nearby. From other reviews on The Dyrt, I learned the park is excellent for stargazing, and it is true, you will have amazing views at night, we slept in a tent without a rain fly, just so we could see the stars!

  The campground has several sites with electric and some without. We stayed in B1, which did not have electric. All the sites have picnic tables and fire rings, and the ones on the outside of the loops back up to the woods and trails. All the sites are spacious.

  The restrooms were clean, but they must be pretty old. There were some areas in need of tile repair, but it was just a cosmetic issue, so it didn’t bother me. The showers were nice, and everything was clean.

  The campground also has cabins, and those seemed to have more guests than the campground. They have a set of cabins that were connected, like apartments, and they have some larger, freestanding cabins too. They had a group site as well, but I did not go to it.

  The park has a lake with swimming area, and canoe/kayak/paddle board rentals, a swinging bridge, playground, tennis courts, a gigantic picnic area, and several great trails.

  This was a very pleasant find, and we will definitely return!

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• 

  Shelly S.

  Legend

  May. 20, 2018

  Mammoth Cave Campground — Mammoth Cave National Park

  Base Station

  Mammoth Cave Campground is in the country but centrally located between several nice size cities and right off I65.

  No signal once you get in the park except if your lucky at the lodge. We tuned in to WIFI whenever we passed through the Visitors Center/lodge restaurant in the morning.

  The campground is primitive, no electric with parking pads, picnic tables and fire rings. There is a restroom in the campground and a shower house, laundry room, post office and store adjacent. The dump station is next to that facility right outside the front “gate”.

  There is enough space between camp sites to have some privacy and the trees provide natural noise block and shade. There be critters in the woods so protect your food! You may see deer and turkey, you won’t see the little shit raccoon that runs off with dog toys and any food left out ;)

  There are several trail access points directly from the campground. Including two easy trails to the visitors center.

  Aside from the obvious, cave tours, there are several other options on how to spend your day and nights.

  If your coming for the cave specifically make sure you reserve your preferred cave tour way ahead of time!

  If you are coming for the trails, enjoy! There are multiple options. I run the trail near the visitor center year round. It is technical and hilly, not stroller friendly.

  The trails on the far side of the Green River ferry have dispersed camping sites and plenty of natural features to discover.

  The float down the Green River is enjoyable. If you bring your own water craft several of the companies will drive you to the put in from the ferry parking area for a nominal fee.

  Also across the Green River is the Maple Springs group and horse campground, I’m not a horse person but I see plenty of them in the area and they seem to be enjoying the trails and campground.

  There is also zip lines in the area, a winery and golfing.

  Fast food and Wally World in Brownsville, other touristy attractions one exit up at Cave City. (Ky Down Under and Dinosaur World, plus a Yogi Bear Campground)

  We spent the weekend hiking in the rain and avoided Green River, it’s a muddy mess right now.

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• 

  Peg D.

  Scout

  May. 1, 2019

  Mammoth Cave Campground — Mammoth Cave National Park

  Best weekend ever

  Loved staying at the mammoth cave state park last weekend. April 26th-28th 2019.

  No reservations are needed until May 1st. It was Walk up First come first serve from March through May. The last weekend of April was perfect and was not over crowded but had a good amount of visitors. We had perfect weather as well. The camp grounds are clean and nice looking , bathrooms also very clean and have normal toilets, laundry room had new washers and dryers and very roomy & clean with attached bathrooms & showers for men & women. The camp store was nicely set up and had plenty of foods and stuff Incase you forgot anything. However they do not sell real fire wood. They do sell compressed fire bricks. That Looks-like compressed sawdust bricks. So if you want real fire wood you have to go off trail and find it. Recommend and saw to cut it up but there was plenty of dead branches to be found through out the park and you are allowed to pick it up and burn it. The cave tours are fun and educational however if you lack fitness some of them will test your limits. So know your limits before booking. Highly recommend buying your tickets before you arrive as they fill up super fast and they offer more tours during the peak season than they do in spring.

  The lodge is nice has 2 restaurants one is sit down one is fast food snacks like setting. There are 5 gift shops in all between the camp store has 1 the lodge has 2 and the visitors center has 2. It’s worth the trip if your in to caving and hiking. Unfortunately there is lack of access to the river unless you go backwoods hiking/camping But all in all it’s a fun time!

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• 

  Shelly S.

  Legend

  Jul. 10, 2018

  Alum Ford Campground — Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area

  Put it on the Pad

  Ranger Review: Mountain House Meals at Alum Ford Campground ,Big South Fork, Ky

  Campground Review: Near Yahoo Falls Alum Ford this small (6 sites) primitive campground is a good place to set up base camp for activities your planning in the area. 

  Not much to the actual campground: 

  • Picnic table, bear box, tent pad ,fire ring

  • Pit toilets

  • Co-located with a boat-ramp (Cumberland River)

  • A trail that meanders along the cliff face behind the campsites that takes you down to the boat-ramp

  • Trailhead in the very back to Yamacraw Bridge and the Sheltowee Trace

  The campground is quiet aside from loading and unloading boats (which went on until after midnight) There were only two occupied sites when we arrived on a Saturday. No reservations and $5 per site. There is credit card information on the pay envelope but I prefer to use cash and not have my info floating around. 

  The campground was clean and well maintained but obviously old and in need of some restoration, no surprise with all the cuts in Park positions. I like this type of campground but not so much the noise from the boat-ramp. There is no direct put in from the sites. I doubt I would leave my watercraft tied off overnight either.

   This would be an excellent and cheap spot to do some extensive hiking from or even backpacking/dispersed camping from. Due to there being no through traffic you could leave your vehicle and odds and ends and not have to worry about anything wandering off while your gone. We camped here after hiking some of the Tennessee end of the Sheltowee Trace. Sunday we hiked some more and visited Yahoo Falls. 

  Product Review: Mountain House Freeze Dried Meals are surprisingly very good....https://www.mountainhouse.com/m/abus.html

  Now I say this from a background of years of MRE’s (Meals Ready to Eat....in someone’s opinion) and T-rations. So it should only be improvement, BUT some of the other products I’ve tried were not that great. 

  I first tried Mountain House a few years ago on a backpacking trip and thought it was okay, but not great. I tried Mountain House again last year and enjoyed it a lot more. I don’t know if they changed anything or maybe I read and followed the directions ;)

  So when given the opportunity as a Dyrt Ranger to review Mountain House I was like absolutely!

  I selected breakfast items, Granola and Egg mixtures( not together;) because that’s the time of day I like quick and easy so we can get on the move.

  I read the directions and boiled my water, poured a cup in, waited 3 minutes and Had Some Scrumptious Eggs and Bacon! Just that easy, quick AND filled me up. 

  I’m trying to think of any cons but right off hand the only problem I ever had was not reconstituting it correctly. Eggs needed some salt and pepper but that would go back to preference. 

  Mountain House comes in pro-paks for backpackers and high altitudes, which are packed to save space. They have cans for crowds and kits for preppers or just emergency preparedness.

  Definitely good for at the house, in the camper and the car just in case.

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• 

  Roger W.

  Legend

  Jan. 2, 2025

  Barren River Tailwater

  40 Mins from 65

  Tailwater CG - Glasco, KY 1/1/25

  (72 yr olds in 27’ trailer.)

  Overall Rating: 4 for an overnight stay. Great winter price, but 40 minutes from 65 w trailer. Price 2024: $8 w interagency pass during winter Security: Host’s site at entry. Usage during visit: Only us Visual Privacy Between Adjacent Sites: No Site Spacing: Close. Varies.
  Pad surface: Gravel Reservations: Required. Can be made at the cg.
  Outside Road Noise: No Through Traffic in campground: No Electric Hookup: Yes, however off during winter 24/25.
  Sewer Hookup: No Dump Station: Yes Potable Water Available: Yes. Only at one location during winter. Generators: Allowed. Bathroom: Two. Flush Bath and showers bathhouse is closed during winter. Pit toilets at far end open. Pull Throughs: One. Cell Service (Verizon): 1 to 3 bars Setting: Along River Recent Weather: Cold nights.
  Solar: Yes Host: Yes, helpful.
  Rig Size: Varies between sites. Sites: Some sites back up to the river. These are the best locations, I think.

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• 

  Lisa D.

  Guide

  May. 23, 2023

  Kendall Campground

  Only tent site

  I had the only tent site. It was adequate but many stares up and down. No water no electricity. Bathrooms were clean, campground was clean and quite. There is a snack shack outside the gate and they have bait. Good fishing lake and river.

• 

  Rachelle W.

  Guide

  Aug. 5, 2018

  My Old Kentucky Home State Park Campground

  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.

• D

  Darren S.

  Scout

  May. 25, 2019

  My Old Kentucky Home State Park Campground

  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.

• 

  Matthew H.

  Traveler

  Mar. 2, 2025

  Trace Branch Dispersed - Rock Creek Road

  Great Spot

  Visited here in the middle of January with all the snow and I was hot tent camping. You can only set up your tent on the designated tent pad, luckily we had heavy duty stakes that could get through the ground. The entire river was frozen over and ponds were frozen too. There were a few cars that drove through the middle of the night but no issues. We left our site unattended for hours to check out the streams and rivers and nothing was missing. Lots of beer bottles left over and shattered so I have to pick up the trash before letting my dog out. There are more sites down the gravel road but we went with the first one we came to.

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