Best Campgrounds near Slade, KY

We camped here over the weekend with our dogs. We had campsite 38, one out of 3 that are away from the rest of the sites. The campground is not very big, but very well maintained. The sites are very close together. A big plus was definitely the little creek, perfect for the dogs to play in. The bathhouse was very clean. One of the 2 showers had no bench, which makes it difficult to keep all your stuff dry while you shower. There are 2 trails that you can hike from the campground. Both were dog friendly, the rest of the park is not. Nearby is Miguel's Pizza, which is a pretty place to stop and ear breakfast, lunch, or dinner with outdoor seating
The whole area is absolutely gorgeous. We hiked to Gray's Arch, which is about 15 min from the campground. The skylift to the Natural Bridge is very close by.

We were with a group that had reservations here but when we arrived mid-afternoon, the gate was locked, no one was there, and there was no cell service. A member of the group drove to where there was cell reception and called but no one answered the phone. Eventually, we spoke with the father of the outgoing owner who gave us the gate code and we set up camp. The manager showed up a few hours later but the owner did not arrive until early evening; it was then we learned new owners were taking over the next day! 

This is a primitive campground which is not a problem for us, but it had a neglected feeling to it (due likely to pending ownership change). Fortunately, the vault toilets had recently been serviced and were not too bad. Toilet paper but no hand sanitizer. Outdoor non-private solar showers that do not guarantee hot water (and it was chilly when we were there, so no one tried to use them). 

There was no place to put garbage that I saw and there was loose garbage where it should have been collected. 

Most sites had a fire ring marked by rocks.

Some sites had gravel pads while others had grass. They were clearly marked but you had to watch out for the drainage ditch when backing into the site. There is no separation between sites, but we were the only ones there so not a problem for us.

The main draw for this campground is the kayak rentals and transportation to the put-in site. Kayaking was fun, despite obstacles in the river due to recent rains (and parts of the campground were also flooded). The price was reasonable -$10 per person. I am hopeful the new owners made some improvements, although this may raise the price!

General: A mix of electric sites, tent sites, and cottages spread out along Route 11. 

Site Quality: All sites were level; some were paved, and some were gravel (riverfront sites tended to be gravel). Most are back-in, but the middle row has pull-thru sites, however, if you had a large RV with a toad, you would likely not have room for both in your site. 

Bath/Shower house: More than adequate toilet stalls, two sinks, and two showers. Only one sink had hot water. The shower was wimpy at best. Took a long time to coax hot water, and then the flow was very weak. 

Activities/Amenities: Upon check-in, we were given a pamphlet of the many area hikes. There is a sky lift (chair lift) that takes you to Natural Bridge (or you can hike to it). In season, there is a small mini-golf course. Trout fishing is permitted. Closer to the cottages is a lodge, playground, and pool. Ice and firewood are available.

Because of its proximity to Route 11, you will hear road noise at many of the sites, including the tent sites. The cabins are situated further back in the woods, so you won't hear the road noise there. This campground suited our needs for area fun for four days.

Stayed here a week. Had the place pretty much to myself especially on the rainy days. Outstanding features for me were the 4 pull thrus, one of which I scored,. Water is available here and there but not at every site. One side of the campground abuts an asphalt plant which was quit noisy at times. The park is on the river at the bottom of a valley. The highway traffic comes down one side with engine brakes bellowing and the passing lane going back up is almost as loud with truck drivers using every gear to stay up to speed. I noticed the number of dump trucks near the park/asphalt plant on my way in. Near quitting time for the plant the highway many feet above you sounds like the scene in full metal jacket on the beach with the helicopters coming and going,  the plant is on the same side of the river next to the bridge. I was very close.

We came in on a Friday late afternoon and there were only a few camping sites available. We found a spot right on the lake.

Our first morning a heron was fishing in the lake less than 100 feet from us. We saw him catch a fish. There were woodpeckers, hawks and several other birds I did not recognize.

The view of the lake from our camp site was amazing. Very picture worthy!

The campsites are pretty close together providing less than optimal privacy. Some of the campers stayed up late but they kept the noise level down.

While there we saw one group hang a deer carcass in a tree. Good times!