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Blue Heron Campground is a rustic and spacious campground, situated on the Kentucky side of The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area--a vast and scenic expanse of land that offers visitors countless recreational activities.
Numerous trails snake through the Recreation Area, offering mountain biking, hiking and horseback riding for visitors. The main river of the Big South Fork is also a short drive away, offering fishing opportunities.
The Big South Fork is located in north central Tennessee and southeastern Kentucky in some of the most rugged terrain of the Cumberland Plateau. The park encompasses approximately 125,000 acres of both rocky gorges and forested plateaus. Numerous pristine streams unite with the free-flowing Big South Fork of the Cumberland River. Over thousands of years, this ceaselessly moving water has carved the sandstone of the plateau into impressive cliffs, arches and chimneys that are found throughout the park.
Just a few miles from the campground is Blue Heron Mine, also known as Mine 18, a historic abandoned mining town that has been rebuilt as an outdoor museum. Visitors can hear audio presentations from actual people who lived in the community in the 1950s. The Big South Fork Scenic Railway Depot is located about 9 miles away in the town of Stearns, which offers train rides and other educational opportunities for campers. More information can be found online at https://bsfsry.com. Additional attractions include the Daniel Boone National Forest and Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, offering additional recreation opportunities.
$30 - $35 / night
This recreation area is part of Lake Cumberland
Waitsboro Campground is at 500 Waitsboro Road and is situated on beautiful Lake Cumberland in southern Kentucky.Click here for the Lake Cumberland virtual tour.
Lake Cumberland is the largest man-made lake east of the Mississippi River. Its large surface acreage and over 1,200 miles of shoreline provide a myriad of recreational activities. The lake has an abundance of largemouth, smallmouth, white and Kentucky bass, bluegill, crappie, rockfish and walleye, making it a favorite among anglers. The Black Walnut Nature Trail, located near the lake office, is a self-guided educational trail. The trail is open Monday through Friday 8:00am to 4pm EST.
The campground overlooks the main body of the lake, offering sweeping scenic views. Dense stands of mature hardwoods forest the site, offering scenic views, pleasant shade and wildlife habitat. Because of the temperate climate and relatively long recreation season, the lake provides varied outdoor recreational opportunities for millions of visitors each year.
General Burnside Island State Park is nearby. It was named after Civil War General Ambrose Burnside, who led patrols along the Cumberland River, circling this 400-acre island to keep watch for Confederate soldiers. Visitors come today to enjoy boating, fishing, golfing and picnicking on Kentucky's only island state park. Burnside Marina is 10 minutes away, with boat rentals, a restaurant and general store.
$16 - $42 / night
This recreation area is part of Lake Cumberland
Kendall Campground is located at 80 Kendall Road, south of Jamestown, Kentucky, just below Wolf Creek Dam, which forms beautiful Lake Cumberland. Click here for the Lake Cumberland virtual tour.
Lake Cumberland is the largest man-made lake east of the Mississippi River. Its large surface acreage and over 1,200 miles of shoreline provide a myriad of recreational activities. Kendall Campground offers visitors convenient access to a cold water trout stream, making it a popular fishing destination. The stream is well-stocked with rainbow, brook and brown trout. Whispering Pines Trail, located within the campground, is a non-strenuous trail approximately half a mile long.
The campground overlooks the river, offering sweeping scenic views. Dense stands of mature hardwoods forest the site, offering scenic views, pleasant shade and wildlife habitat. Because of the temperate climate and relatively long recreation season, the lake provides varied outdoor recreational opportunities for millions of visitors each year.
Wolf Creek Dam National Fish Hatchery is within walking distance of the campground. It is open year-round and offers free tours to the public and an excellent Environmental Education Center. Click here for more information. Lake Cumberland State Park is just 6.5 miles from the campground. This beautiful park offers fishing, hiking, horseback riding, mini golf, disc golf and boat rentals. Birders enjoy the park for its exceptional viewing prospects of raptors, songbirds and waterfowl. Grider Hill Marina and Resort is 25 minutes away, with boat rentals, a restaurant and general store. Jamestown Marina & Resort is 25 minutes away, with boat rentals, a restaurant and general store. State Dock Marina is 8 miles away, with boat rentals, snack bar and general store.
$16 - $60 / night
$25 - $174 / night
Scout
This campground is in a great location. Only a 10 minute drive from Somerset, the “big” city, for supplies & food.
Theres a very large walking trail, and archery area. You can put a boat right in at their little dock as well. The lake view is gorgeous. There’s many places for kids to play, a basketball court, volleyball court, disk golf, and a small beach area.
The cost of camping there is very affordable. They also have little cabins you can rent.
Despite the no alcohol rule, there’s still a lot of partying at night. No one really enforces that. It can get loud and I have heard from friends incidences of theft and cars getting scratched up at night.
The campsites are close together, so perhaps we just got unlucky with our “neighbors”. We do visit a lot during the day just to swim at the lake and give the kids playtime.
Traveler
The campground has all of the glamping necessities. Water hook-up, electrical, dumping station, clean hot water showers, etc. It's pet friendly and the campground is very clean. The location is excellent for those who love rock climbing (sport and trad), easy and moderate level hiking, white water kayaking, or maybe want to spend a day or two also doing some backcountry camping. There are bears and other curious wildlife so make sure to keep your stuff in the provided bear boxes!
Ranger
This place was clean, had several choice spots with water view, and lots of shade! Loved it! Lake Cumberland is the perfect summer rec lake to cool off at. Near Somerset, KY as well for town "stuff!" The best part of this campground are the water sites. Fall asleep to the sound of the gentle lapping of the water!
Traveler
Nestled in a narrow valley between high ridges of The Knobs, this campground gives the feel of secluded country living with your own trails and creeks to explore. The coffee is locally roasted, fair trade, and most importantly, served fresh, early and rich. All are welcomed here, including the primitive camper, the glamper, and the yurt goer along with the farm chickens and neighbor dogs. My personal favorite sleeping spot is in the tipi, which is large enough for a small crowd but private enough for a single sleeper. Facilities at the site are plentiful and clean. Art and crafts festivals as well as music festivals occur frequently here so check the calendar and plan to stay for a while!
Guide
Great option for young families. Many activities at the park and it is also close to the birth place of Kentucky Fried Chicken. They have nice sites for larger campers and some for small units that are more shaded.
LegendWe camped here over the weekend with our dogs. The campground is actually not in Tennessee. It's located on the Kentucky side of Big South Fork. The campsites have a picnic table and a firepit. Our campsite was very nice and private with a big grassy area. The bathhouse was nice and clean. There are hiking trails nearby and access to a small mining village. We would definitely camp here again.
Scout
This is great for a night or two, we have used it as a base camp for property search. For this ise it has been great. The sites are a good size with picnic tables at each site. The only problem right now is construction going on behind it, they are clearing out land to build something and they started work today at 5 in the morning. Also you do get road noise as it is at the intersection of two main Kentucky roads.
LegendAlum Ford Big South Fork Recreation Area is in my top 10 favorite areas.
I try to participate in the Yamacraw Trail Run every year because it is just AWESOME, and this area is part of their route due to the excellent scenery of the area.
If you like trees, hills, streams, falls, historical markers, old cabins and history , plus not much use of modern technology when you camp then you will thoroughly enjoy Big South Bend! If you are a bring the kitchen sink kinda camper you might wanna find a nearby KOA or other type campground.
The campground has no signal, no electricity, no showers, no host. Just you, a tent pad, picnic table and fire ring. Oh, and there is one pit toilet. Bring 5$ cash for the honor pay station and your hiking shoes and watercraft. There is a Trailhead at the back of the 6 site campground and a boat ramp down the hill.
The sites are well maintained and old , probably CCC built with wood steps leading up or down to your site. There is no direct access to the boatramp but there is a short trail that connects the sites to the boatramp that runs along the cliff face down to the ramp.
The trailhead is part of the Sheltowee Trace Trail and connects to the Yamacraw Bridge. You could easily stage a multi day backpacking trip from Alum Ford to take in the local sights.
Not far up the road is the Yahoo Picnic Area. I think it used to be a campground just by the way it’s set up. Picnic tables on pads and a nice old pavilion for groups with a grill. Past that Yahoo Falls. This is a technical, moderate trail down to the tallest falls in Kentucky. Also a very old area but maintained with newer restroom facilities. The loop trail was approximately 1.5 miles long with a metal staircase on one side and trail on the far side. This is also part of a thru trail. Get you an old fashion paper map before coming cause your fancy electronic gear may or may not work here.
This is one of many areas through the Kentucky/Tennessee Big South Fork if you are able plan for an extended stay to check the whole place out;)
LegendBig South Fork NRRA is definitely one of my favorite places in Tennessee. It stretches into Kentucky’s too. So much to do and see, and the hiking and camping is equal to the Smokies in my opinion, except there’s no crowds, no traffic, not many people! It’s great! There’s a few campgrounds in BSF, like Bandy Creek and Station Camp,and they are excellent spots, but the backcountry is where it’s at n the BSF! I have found so many excellent camp sites along the river and in the forest, and I’ve always been able to find one with plenty of privacy on any given weekend. There’s lots of hiking, 4-wheeling, fishing, swimming, mountain biking, horse riding, kayaking, rock climbing, etc here. The possibilities are endless! The sounds at night are so peaceful and relaxing, and the lightning bugs put on quite a show in the summer! I tried to make a video, I don’t think you can see them, but you can hear the woods at night!
Guide
This was a one night stop on our way to Ohio. The property is nice and the sites are spacious. Didn't really like the placement of the fire ring. Had we used it, we would have been listening to our neighbor's music most of the night. We had a W/E site. Our Verizon cell signal was terrible and the campground wifi was not much better. The sites were gravel but were level. We didn't use the showers but they looked clean. The laundry room had only 1 washer and 1 dryer. The playground is best suited for toddlers. The dump station would have been convenient if we were dumping on the way in, but not placed well for dumping upon departure. They did have a zip line and a gem mining station for an extra cost. It was secluded enough that there wasn't a lot of road noise at night. It seems like it would be a nice enough campground during the summer. For the price paid for the site, it would have been nice to have included some of the extra activities. No cell or wifi service would probably keep us from staying here again as it was impossible to get any work done. Be sure to check out the Birthplace of Kentucky Fried Chicken. We didn't get to go inside the cafe(COVID), but we did have some photo ops outside.
Legend
The sites are inconsistent between their sizes on the Clifty campground. We had two small tents and one car. If we had any more gear or people it would have been uncomfortable.
I had to be careful when parking as I had to avoid the water supply, 2 trees, a safety pole for the water supply (painted brown), electricity box, and then the drop off on the other side of the road. It did take a few turns to get in and out of the campsite. We did have cell phone service (Verizon) at the campground. My friend that was T-Mobile did not have cell service. There are areas in the park where I did not have a signal such as when we went hiking or exploring. I would pre-download maps for the area on All Trails as that was extremely helpful.
Some of the campsites at Clifty were much larger and were 2 of my site. Each site had a water hook up, standard lantern/trash pole, fire ring, electric box, and was a short walk from the Clifty campground bathroom. If you can hand pick your site or scout it out before hand it is well worth doing that if you have a larger sized family or tent.
I actually preferred Clifty over the main campground (Ridgeline). Ridgeline was down a long winding road. It had way more folks. Ridgeline is better suited for the RV and large tent crowds. Look closely as each site is rated for a different RV length and they had one pull in site. At Ridgeline they even have one campsite (tent) that was rated for 16 campers. Generally, each site was rated for 8 campers. Ridgeline also had some horse campers as I was able to see their horse trailers when going through the campsite. I saw 3 riders on horseback when I was driving to the camp store. The stables are in two spots on the road down to Ridgeline.
Taken from Cumberland Falls State Park webpage "Cumberland Falls State Resort Park is the perfect destination to introduce the family to the thrill of horseback riding. The park offers guided trail rides that are easy enough for the first timer and still adventurous for the more experienced. Riders, age 6 and up will enjoy a 45-minute ride through an eastern Kentucky forest, beautiful in any season. The stables open weekends in May and are daily after Memorial Weekend until Labor Day. Also open on weekends during Sept. and Oct. Rides start on the hour from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost is$20.00 per person. Personal horses are not permitted on the trails at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, but there are several opportunities to do so in the surrounding area. There are many miles of trails and several horse camps in the nearby Daniel Boone National Forest and The Big South Fork National River and Recreation area."
Clifty was smaller and quieter. It felt like it had more trees and only tents on this row of campsites. The campsites are close to each other as we talked with our camp site neighbors on the both sides. When I first booked my site I knew of the difference in locations between Ridgeline and Clifty but I couldn't figure out what the difference in settings/vibe would be like and I am so happy that I had picked Clifty.
The perk about the Clifty campsites is that they are close to the pool. You can easily walk to the pool with your family when it opens. The pool is free for campers. I didn't get to check out their bathrooms but my fellow camper did and she said it was good. I also discovered a trail and more down behind the Clifty campground. I only found it as I noticed yellow blazes by the bathroom and followed it back to the trailhead. Close to the bathroom is the dumpster with a home made jamming device to keep the bears out of the dumpster. The Clifty bathroom was not ADA accessible as no wheelchair bathroom stall. Shower wasn't accessible either if you have any mobility challenges.
Moonbow at Cumberland Falls - We arrived early and had a picnic dinner. The moon bow is best when the moon is high over the falls. We were hoping to see it around sun set at 9:30 - 10:00 but we actually had to stay later. Make sure you take advantage of the picnic tables that are near by and the bathrooms. The best site to see the Moonbow is at the Upper Falls which is close to the gift shop/snack bar. You can see the falls from further down at the other observation decks. We hung out there for some time to avoid the crowds at the Upper Falls.
The parking lot will fill up as it gets closer to the time of the Moonbow. I avoided that by doing the picnic dinner and coming before sun set. The Cumberland Falls remain open till midnight as they know folks will want to see the Moonbow this is only seen at certain times of the year due to the moon. It was nice to notice the ranger at the entrance of the park as we were leaving. He was keeping tabs on the crowds at a distance as he wasn't needed at that time.
Hiking - Ask for a map at the lodge as I didn't see them at the campgrounds or even signs explaining what trail 12 vs 2 was in the area. Also, be aware that the Sheltowee trail is in the area this is a 333 mile long trail and you will see the white blaze or turtle blazes.
Even some of the signs such as where the waterfall was for the near by Dog Slaughter Falls Trail said the falls were 1 mile away but it was actually several more miles. I used the All Trails App and kept track of the miles on my Fitbit. We found the Extended trail on All Trails and that matched up to the GPS tracking we did while on the trail. We found 3 different signs for this hike in 3 different locations and each time the mileage was off.
RangerThis is a big reservoir with fishing. There’s a short nature trail and a playground, plus the whole area has a lot to do. We were happy to find laundry here (it’s the little things when you have kids!). Good camp site but nothing fancy or really memorable.
TravelerNice COE campground. Plenty of trees . Clean and quiet
TravelerA nice quiet campground on Lake Cumberland in the Burnside area. Nice RV sites and tent sites
TravelerVery clean great view of the lake
TravelerNice place, close to amenities but still feels like you’re somewhere very far.
Pros: tranquil, beautiful, waterfalls at several locations on site, views of the lake from every location and I mean every location, clean, flushing toilets
Cons: they close the gate at night but it isn’t locked. Almost thought we were locked out and was ready to turn around, bathrooms sort of have a feeling of a rest area public bathroom but just cleaner
All in all, I think we will try and come here again.
GuideThis campground is built between a steep hillside and the Cumberland River. Most sites don't offer much privacy, but the views of the river are so nice. The bath house was very clean and the showers were hot. Our site was all gravel and level. I think every site has electric and water. Sites 1-4 are closest to the water, but do not have easy access to the river. The campground is not remote. You can hear traffic from the nearest town. But, the campground itself is quiet. We would camp here again!
RangerThis place is such a fun place to hang out and just play in the water, the camp sites are within walking distance to the water, and a majority of the sites have full hookups
TravelerSite 22 was perfect, and the host was very nice and helpful.
ScoutThis campground has boat ramp very accessible. The shower house has both showers and stalls but are not kept clean during very busy times.
TravelerI have camped at this campground for over 58 years. It has been improved over the years and still needs work. More RV sites have been added. More are needed. Great place to go camping and priced well.
TravelerGreat beach access. Quite and very clean.
GuideMy family and I have camped here most of my life. There has been lots of improvements to the camp ground. There is also several shelters you can rent for different events. There are hiking trails near the entrance of the camp. There is several different types of camp areas ranging from primitive to cabins. There are several play ground areas close by for the kids to play. You can bring your boats along and put them in right there they have 2 different ramps on either side of the camp ground. The only thing I would add is another bath house at the lower end of the camp areas. Something for everyone.
TravelerThis is a large and clean campground. It has RV sites, tent sites, and shelter houses.. There are several cabins on site. Great lake views and beach. Lots to do at PCP.
GuideGood primitive sites. If they are really busy it can be a little crowded especially down by the water but over all a really good camping spot
TravelerBathhouse ; showers are so outdated and barley cleaned and just gross, water source is old and campground manager didn’t follow up with me. Grounds are kept nice, has store and dishwashing station . Only one bathhouse open and I don’t think they cleaned it once all week. Stay elsewhere! Brown nasty water and so much garbage.
LegendI visited Pulaski County Park several years ago and it was okay. They have made several improvements since then and it is a lot better. The campground is spread across the hills and “bays” of the park. Not crowded right now and the water is WAY down. There is the hilltop “parking lot” pull throughs , the largest part of the campground spread across the knoll , to include water front sites and primitive sites across the road in the trees, also some water front sites. The trails are varied and pretty cool. They twist and turn and cross creeks and hill tops. I won’t say their easy to navigate but it’s doable if you pay attention to the names and direction your going. They are all mountain bike oriented and a few are challenging. The layout of the park is also confusing at times. I’ve been there several times and just recently found another parking area and trailhead. I’m surprised they don’t have a tree top trail or zip line, might be in future plans. The disc golf will take you on quite a hike and to another parking lot and trailhead totally outside the park. And of course there is the water sports/ recreation. I wouldn’t travel from across the country to visit this park, however it is a nice local place to spend a family week/end or just relax.
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Somerset, KY is Cumberland Falls State Resort Park with a 4.3-star rating from 46 reviews.
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