Best Tent Camping near Shepherdsville, KY

Tent campers visiting Shepherdsville, Kentucky can find several established campgrounds within driving distance. Wildcat Creek Farm offers tent sites along the Kentucky River with fire rings and picnic tables, while Old Mill Tent And Hammock Camping provides riverside sites with tree canopy for shade. Happy Hollow Homestead in nearby Indiana also accommodates tent campers with spacious sites in a forested setting.

Most tent sites in the area include basic amenities like fire rings and picnic tables, though facilities vary between locations. Wildcat Creek Farm provides drinking water and trash disposal, while Old Mill relies on portable toilets with no running water except the adjacent river. Campgrounds typically allow pets and fires, with firewood available for purchase at most locations. Access is primarily drive-in, though some sites at Happy Hollow Homestead offer walk-in options for those seeking more seclusion. According to one visitor, "The forest is beautiful and we had no problems with ticks or mosquitoes while sleeping in our hammocks."

Primitive tent setups benefit from the natural features of these campgrounds. Old Mill Tent And Hammock Camping offers shaded sites with plenty of trees for hammocks along Blue River. A camper noted that "sites are relatively close but you still have plenty of your own space." Wildcat Creek Farm provides a unique experience with farm animals on site and access to the Kentucky River, where campers can enjoy riverside relaxation. Happy Hollow Homestead features widely spaced campsites in a forested setting with attractions like a tire swing and tree web that appeal to families. Walk-in tent sites at these locations often provide more privacy than drive-in options, making them ideal for campers seeking a more immersive outdoor experience away from vehicles and road noise.

Best Tent Sites Near Shepherdsville, Kentucky (6)

    1. Happy Hollow Homestead

    5 Reviews
    English, IN
    46 miles
    Website

    $40 - $65 / night

    "He has firewood for purchase and will set up your fire for free with his propane torch, which was very helpful for us after a rainstorm."

    "We were nervous about bottoming in the dry creek bed on way to Walnut Grove area, but no problem. Great stay. 20' Ford Transit ModVan. One bar with cell booster."

    2. Old Mill Tent And Hammock Camping

    3 Reviews
    English, IN
    43 miles
    Website
    +1 (812) 472-3140

    $20 / night

    "Nice size site with fire ring and picnic table. Lots of trees- so great tree canopy and plenty of hammock. Nice size pieces of wood and large bundles."

    "Sites are relatively close but you still have plenty of your own space. Each site comes with a fire pit and picnic table. Plenty of trees to hang up a hammock and empty space to pitch a tent."

    3. Wildcat Creek Farm

    4 Reviews
    Lawrenceburg, KY
    48 miles

    $32 - $82 / night

    "A campsite settled upon the bank of the Kentucky River with a friendly farm cat, goats, horses and cow we delighted in a campfire as the sun set and the stars came out."

    "Neighbors were quiet as well. Even though we had an accidental mishap. Kevin was super cool. Would definitely recommend. Will be coming back for sure. "

    4. Birdsell Castle

    Be the first to review!
    Goshen, IN
    36 miles
    Website
    +1 (352) 842-8611

    $25 - $75 / night

    5. Bourbon Trail Campground

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    Lawrenceburg, KY
    43 miles
    +1 (502) 316-1712

    $39 - $55 / night

    6. Yellowbank Creek

    Be the first to review!
    Rome, KY
    44 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 273-3568
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Tent Camping Reviews near Shepherdsville, KY

360 Reviews of 6 Shepherdsville Campgrounds


  • Ella L.
    Mar. 23, 2023

    Horine Reservation Camping at Jefferson County Memorial Forest

    Know the flight path schedule for UPS and you'll have a GREAT TIME!

    Tent sites have so many trees surrounding them. If you're looking for more privacy anything off of the loop will do just fine. We stayed at FS1 and could only catch glimpses of other campers, although you do hear and see folks on trails frequently. The ground is SUPER SOFT due to all the pine needles that have fallen over the years. We moved our tent around a bit to get it anchored firmly for expected wind at night... some spots were to soft, but it made for good sleeping!

    Firewood was ordered in advance when I booked the site, delivered to our spot while we were setting up.

    We took our dog and he had a great time(on leash of course!).

    Restrooms are porta-style but hand sanitizer was everywhere and everything was VERY CLEAN.

    Since the camp sites are behind a locked gate there is no through traffic aside from other campers. Very nice!

    Going back this upcoming weekend as well! Camped this past weekend at Group Site 3. You could fit 6 tents here and still have space. Couldn't hear any other campers aside from some jerks at Group Site 1 that decided to start howling and barking around 11pm as well as playing a radio very loudly past 9:30pm. Couldn't hear the radio unless I walked up to the porta-potties though.

    Even with all of the planes overhead from folks leaving town after Derby the tree cover dampened the noise wonderfully. Love love love camping at JCMF.

  • Sofia A.
    Oct. 24, 2020

    Marengo Cave Campgrounds

    Near Caves

    I stayed on late October and I was the only one there, except for a family on the cabins. The spots are just near and walking distance from the caves and other attractions. They have two potable water spots (so no water on each spot), picnic tables, fire rings, grills and every spot faces the little river. restrooms and showers too. You can bring small pets inside the cave if you carry them all time. I have a small zuchon and carry her in a doggy backpack 🎒 she loved it!

  • Heather K.
    Jul. 22, 2019

    Horine Reservation Camping at Jefferson County Memorial Forest

    Close to town with a country feel

    To find the campground, follow your GPS to Horine Reservation at 12304 Holsclaw Hill Rd. If you follow GPS to Jefferson Memorial Forest, you will end up at the zipline & welcome center. Once on Holsclaw Hill Rd, follow the road & signs to the campground until you reach a gate. A 4 digit code is given to you when you make a reservation. The gate gives a nice sense of privacy & security for the campsite. The camp sites are easy to find and well marked with big signs. I was at Group Site 1This site is huge! Just a guess, but I would say around 1.5 acres. About 2/3 of this site is open, grassy field. The other 1/3 is shaded. The shaded area has 3 large picnic tables, water, fire ring & a private latrine. I purchased firewood in advance & it was delivered to our site before we even arrived. The dumpster is conveniently located near this site. The private latrine is a small, open-air structure near the shaded area of the site. There are 2 composting toilets & the toilet paper was fully stocked. The building is partially open the elements, so it was a little dirty (to be expected) but we used our hose and sprayed the floor clean. The toilets are "squatting" toilets. Which mean they are close to the floor (see pic). There are plenty of wooded areas to explore & hiking trails nearby & several great areas for hammocks. The site looks well maintained & had recently been mowed prior to our arrival. There are enough trees & space to give plenty of privacy between sites. This site is perfect for a large group or family wanting to tent camp together. The picnic tables are the large, sturdy kind. The fire ring was huge with an attached grill. There was another fire ring and 2 more picnic tables in the open grassy area, closer to the road.  Designated parking is near the road, which is a bit of distance for carrying a lot of gear. However, since the ground was completely dry, we dropped our gear at the shady area and then parked our car at the road. Overall, this is a great space with unexpected beauty!

  • Heather K.
    Jul. 29, 2019

    COE Rough River Lake Axtel Campground

    Enjoy a beach in the middle of KY!

    I suggest you make a reservation as this campground fills up quickly. Axtel is located on the shore of Rough River Lake and has over 150 camp sites. Almost every site has quick access and/or views of the lake. There is a designated swimming and beach area. There are several restrooms located throughout the campsite. They were clean and stocked with toilet paper and hand soap. There is an easily accessed dumpster area and dump station near the main entrance. WiFi is available however, there is a fee. There is a boat ramp, so you can bring your boat and/or other watercraft. Fishing is allowed as well. There are a lot of sites with electric and water, but some without either. There are sites for tent camping and RV's. Sites have fire pits and a post with a hook for hanging trash and/or lanterns. No alcohol is allowed. Dogs on a leash are allowed. While we were here, several of the sites along the lake were flooded (see pics). The beach had recently been closed due to flooding, but was open while we were there. If you dig down just a couple of inches on the beach, you'll find clay. My kids loved this and made a couple of clay pots (see pics). As with most campsites we visit, people here were friendly and courteous. There is not a market on site, however there was a Dollar General about 13 miles away. They had a lot of the groceries we needed. There were also several gas stations along the way there that had ice and firewood. This is a great place for families to enjoy a beach without leaving KY!

  • Rachelle W.
    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
    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.

  • Ella L.
    Mar. 23, 2023

    Taylorsville Lake State Park Campground

    Stellar Staff, great amenities, good for kids and big groups!

    The shower/bath house is on a European level of well-equipped. Reasonably clean(a little bit of boot muck on the floors but you should be wearing shower shoes anyway in a public facility) Self flushing toilets, air dryers for your hands.

    Well thought out for handicap accessibility as far as the toilet and shower stalls. Hand sinks could be a bit lower for folks using a chair but they do have a low hand dryer and no threshold in the doorway to get over.

    There are windows that look into the bathroom and although they are up high, pervs and curious kids will find a way. Campground should def. frost them but if you have the stall door shut to the space you're using you can hide your shame. A+ on the restroom space. Seriously impressed.

    Very well heated on a cold morning and although I didn't use the shower there were plenty of places in the shower stall to keep your things up off of anything wet. Single use stall and there were several. Door shuts and there is also a shower curtain to keep moisture off of your things.

    Outlets by the sinks for hair dryer if you bring one.

    Campground has hit or miss tent spots depending on how much space you need. We had a 3 person tent, 2 hammocks and a dog and we reserved spot 8 on the primitive loop and had more than enough room. There was a fire ring(one at every site) and two picnic tables. This spot, as most of them appeared to have enough room for at least 2 very large tents and a dining fly if that's your thing.

    With the brush cover during May site P10, although small, seemed to be the most private. We were at P8 and couldn't see anything at P10 though the brush.

    If you are looking for privacy, although you are still going to see headlights of cars on the loop road and hear pretty much everyone else on the Primitive loop P10 probably has the most privacy as far as brush shielding you. I would say that everything on the outer part of the Primitive loop towards the back is going to be the furthest away from other people but you are still going to hear everyone else. P6, P7, P8, P10 look the best to me as far as just being chill sites with a bit more space away from others.

     All of the sites on the interior of the loop back into each other and those seemed to be more of the "party sites" the night that we stayed. A lot of competing blue tooth speaker music at very loud volumes well after the quite time of 11pm. Loud music started again at 7:58AM. It was Bollywood music, which was different and honestly kind of fun... we were already awake though.

    Our site itself was fairly even although there were a lot of tree roots. No problem finding a grassy place to set up our tent however. We picked up all the trash, aside from a weird sock, left by previous campers so that aspect was a little sad... campers leaving cigarette butts and plastic water bottle caps laying around. Tree cover would be more than adequate at this site during a hot summer day. Water spigot is next to the dumpster by the shower house btw.

    Bundles of wood were fairly small compared to some other campsites and unfortunately wrapped in plastic but the wood was good quality, dry, and didn't burn overly smoky. There is a nylon strap handle that will be stapled through the plastic wrap into one piece of the wood so if you want to burn that piece you'll need to pry the staples out/cut the strap off.

    The woman working the registration check point, we didn't catch her name, was amazing, pleasant, helpful and gave great directions. She drove by a few times in a golf cart checking on things and didn't hassle anyone. If you ask at the check point for a map you will get a packet of papers with rules and a few different slightly blurry print outs, it's a lot of info and we found it helpful exploring a few of the points of interest in the park that you can drive to. Overall it was a fun experience and although it was louder than I expected when people did quiet down it was VERY quiet and we heard owls all night and what sounded like coyote howling in the distance.

    Super good place for families!

  • Heather K.
    Sep. 30, 2019

    COE Rough River Lake Axtel Campground

    Ranger Review Red Ledge Thunderlight jacket at Axtel Campground

    Campground Review: I have stayed at and reviewed this campground before, however this time I am reviewing our experience at site I158 over Labor Day Weekend while using the Red Ledge Thunderlight jacket. Site I158 has no electric or water. It is a fairly small tent site that is very close to other sites. There is only enough room for 1 tent and 1 vehicle. The fire ring is nice and has a grill attached. There is a large picnic table and a prep table with a tall hook, which we hung our trash on. The site is gravel but I was able to put in my tent stakes with minimal effort. The site is completely wooded, so if you don't like tent camping near trees, this site is not for you. The upside is there are plenty of sticks for kindling. I did however get hit with a few falling acorns, and that did not feel good at all. The quiet time at this campground is respected and followed. The beach is great for hanging out and swimming in the lake. The beach had previously been damaged by flooding but was beautiful for Labor Day Weekend. 

    Product Review: As a Ranger for The Dyrt www.thedyrt.com, I get products to test from time to time and today I am reviewing the Men& Women's Thunderlight Jacket from Red Ledge https://www.redledge.com/products/mens-and-womens-thunderlight-jacket?variant=7068462153788. I made a video folding the jacket into the carrying bag after I returned home from camping. 

    1. What I liked about this product: The jacket fits great. Using the size guidelines on Red Ledge's website, I ordered the appropriate sized jacket and it fits perfectly. I like the sealed edges that kept any water from getting to my clothes underneath. This jacket is lightweight. It is a great jacket to use anywhere, but this would be great for back country camping. Because it's lightweight and breathable, I also used it for sun protection while sitting on Rough River Lake beach. The hood hangs over a little bit keeping the sun and rain out of your eyes. The cuffs and the bottom of the jacket are adjustable, which I love. Red Ledge offers this jacket in 13 different colors, but I chose Mercury(gray). The price of the jacket is a little higher than I expected, however, I believe this jacket will hold up over time and be completely worth it. As a tent camper, I have learned to spend a little more money on better quality products than to buy cheap stuff and have to keep replacing them. 

    2. What I didn't like about this product: I didn't quite understand how the hood adjust worked and it took me a little bit of figuring it out. However, once I understood what I was doing, it worked great. 

    Overall, I would recommend this jacket. My son has the youth version of The Thunderlight and he loves it. I think Red Ledge has made a good quality product that anyone can use and appreciate.

  • Joe F.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 8, 2023

    Buzzard Roost Campground — Hoosier National Forest

    Cliff top camping

    Stayed here one night, got in around midnight. Had no issues locating it, nice hard top the entire way there. The site has 5 camp sites that are pull off spurs with a decent parking space. One could probably fit a small pickup and trailer. Each site has a fire ring and a picnic table. There's a restroom, bring your own TP. The sites are close and there isn't much for privacy between most of the sites. I found site 1 and 2 had the most privacy as one could use their vehicle to block some view. They are marked on bollards that ring the parking spaces. There's a nice trail that overlooks the river and has a cleared vantage point with a bench. All in all I liked it and there was only one other vehicle when I was here. Oh and I didn't see any trash on my site. A little in my fire ring but it was all paper products so free kindling?


Guide to Shepherdsville

Tent camping near Shepherdsville, Kentucky, offers a blend of natural beauty and outdoor activities, making it an ideal getaway for nature enthusiasts.

Tent campers appreciate these amenities

Some prices for tent camping range from $15 to $30

Local attractions to explore

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Shepherdsville, KY?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Shepherdsville, KY is Happy Hollow Homestead with a 4.8-star rating from 5 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Shepherdsville, KY?

TheDyrt.com has all 6 tent camping locations near Shepherdsville, KY, with real photos and reviews from campers.