Camping near Shelbyville, Kentucky offers year-round opportunities with sites ranging from 600 to 900 feet in elevation. Spring rainfall averages 4.5 inches per month from March through May, creating seasonal challenges for primitive campsites along waterways. Camping options extend beyond traditional lakeside sites with unique woodland settings and access to bourbon country attractions.
What to do
Kayak rental access: Lake Shelby Campground provides paddleboat and canoe rentals for exploring the lake, though adults must accompany minors. "The paddle boat lost steering when we were halfway around the lake. It took 20 minutes for them to send someone to assist us," noted one camper at Lake Shelby Campground.
Hiking trail exploration: Trails around Shelbyville camping areas vary in maintenance and difficulty. At Taylorsville Lake State Park Campground, a visitor reported, "Some of the hiking trails were well marked and up kept but some others were not so if you aren't good with navigation, choose wisely. Biggest issue we had was with the Gazebo Loop Trail/Pioneer Trail."
Bourbon Trail access: Campgrounds near Shelbyville serve as convenient bases for bourbon distillery tours. "Nice campground with great access to KY Bourbon," wrote a visitor to Elkhorn Campground, which positions campers within driving distance to multiple distilleries.
What campers like
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Despite being near town, many campgrounds offer surprising wildlife sightings. At Lake Shelby, one camper observed "awesome wildlife for a park within the city: herons, geese (except for poop), ducks, turtles, beavers. We didn't see the coons but put food away every night as they visited our camp on a nightly basis."
Spacious primitive sites: Kentucky River Campground provides larger-than-average tent sites. "Spacious campsites. The campsites seemed almost 'double' in size of other places we have stayed. Each campsite is divided off by trees and shrubs which we liked," according to one tent camper.
Clean bathhouse facilities: Guist Creek Marina & Campground receives positive feedback for its bathroom maintenance. One camper emphasized, "The shower house was immaculate. Been camping since I was six months old. Don't remember all the shower houses but I've never seen one this clean and well maintained."
What you should know
Late season limitations: Many campgrounds restrict tent camping earlier than RV access. "Lake Shelby was easy to find. The signs were easy to see and tent sites are well marked," wrote a camper, though these tent sites typically close after October.
Site selection importance: Research specific sites before booking as quality varies considerably within the same campground. At Taylorsville Lake State Park Campground, a camper advised, "We stayed at site P02, but I don't recommend that specific site. It was probably the worst site in the primitive camp... It was far from flat, and the space provided for the picnic table was pretty much unusable. Just about every other site there looked amazing though."
Limited privacy in some areas: Public access can impact camping privacy at certain locations. "This place was nice except there is a trail going right through the primitive sites. The fact the trail goes right through the sites defeats the purpose of a primitive site! People actually walk the trail, and if you have dogs, expect to keep them close," warned a Lake Shelby visitor.
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Several Shelbyville-area campgrounds feature playgrounds for children. A camper at My Old Kentucky Home State Park Campground shared, "Playground was close and perfect for everyone to go run and play. Reservations were easy and staff friendly."
Group site availability: Taylorsville Lake State Park offers designated group camping areas ideal for family gatherings. "We camped there in July for my son's birthday party. We were near the restroom facilities which were very clean. The camping area was recently mowed. Plenty of parking for guests and tents," noted one visitor.
Swimming options: River and lake access provides natural swimming areas. At Kentucky River Campground, a visitor mentioned, "Love having access to the river to swim in. There is also a lake nearby that we saw on one of our hikes."
Tips from RVers
RV length considerations: While many campgrounds accommodate larger rigs, site configurations may require creative parking. A visitor with a 40-foot Class A at Lake Shelby Campground observed, "Very weird at first as the sites are 20 feet long, but they allow front ends to stick out. Very nice park on a lake. All new electrical and water, all sites have 50 amp despite the website stating only 30 amps as recent update."
Backing considerations: Lake Shelby offers a convenient layout for backing into sites despite tight dimensions. "Only 10 RV spots, 9 have electric and water hook ups. It was awesome backing into the spot as there is ample asphalt in front of all the sites," reported one RVer, who added, "To dump afterward was OK to get in but it is a tighter fit... It would be nice if you could pull through to dump but you have to back in."
Site leveling preparation: Bring adequate leveling equipment as many sites in the area require significant adjustment. "The site was gravel. There are tent sites on the lake and that would be nice for a family with kids," mentioned a camper who stayed in the Shelbyville area with a pop-up camper.
