Camping near Wellington, Kentucky offers diverse terrain options from wooded settings to lakeside sites. Several campgrounds accommodate pets with specific amenities and restrictions. Most pet-friendly locations maintain designated hiking trails ranging from under 2 miles to multi-day routes through mixed forest environments.
What to do
Hiking through forest trails: Jefferson County Memorial Forest offers extensive hiking opportunities with varying difficulty levels. One visitor notes, "Lots of trails ranging from 1.5 to 13.0 miles through gorgeous mixed forest of old and new growth deciduous and coniferous hardwoods." These trails provide good exercise for pets and their owners while exploring the natural landscape.
Swimming and boating: Lake Shelby Campground provides water activities for campers with pets. "They have paddleboats and such for rent at a reasonable price," reports one camper. The campground features multiple docks and boat launches, though some guests mention water quality can vary seasonally.
Trail exploration: Charlestown State Park Campground offers challenging trail experiences. A visitor shared, "Enjoyed rose island trail lots of cool history to learn. Also enjoyed trail 6 with the waterfalls." Many trails are pet accessible but require leashes at all times.
What campers like
Secluded camping options: Horine Reservation Camping at Jefferson County Memorial Forest provides peaceful camping near Wellington. A camper notes: "The seclusion here and the closeness to nature is a grand slam! Due to fall, the sites seem much closer than they are due to the thinning foliage." Ground conditions are notably soft from accumulated forest debris.
Full hookup availability: Brooks RV Park offers complete RV services in a secure setting. A visitor reports: "Nice sized sites, reasonable priced compared to the KOA, all good full hookups, nicely kept, and most importantly it is in a safe country setting surrounded by large trees and on a dead end road." Each site includes individual picnic tables and fire pits.
Good site separation: Taylorsville Lake State Park Campground provides well-spaced camping areas. One reviewer mentions, "Plenty of room for camper and car, big grass area and nice bathhouse." Many sites offer enough separation for pets to have space without disturbing neighbors.
What you should know
Airport noise considerations: Multiple campgrounds sit under flight paths. One visitor to Jefferson Memorial Forest explains: "The campsite rests below the route to Louisville's international airport. For an hour or two in the morning and in the afternoon huge jets fly right over the campgrounds." This affects pet owners whose animals may be sensitive to loud noises.
Train activity: Louisville North Campground experiences regular train traffic. A camper warns: "OMG, the trains. All night, every night. I'm a heavy sleeper and it sounded like the trains were going to crash into our RV and we were across the row from them." This noise may disturb dogs with sound sensitivity.
Seasonal considerations: Many campgrounds experience high seasonal traffic. During peak summer months, campers report fuller facilities and limited site availability, especially at lakeside locations. For pet owners, this means more interactions with other campers and their animals.
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature play areas for children. At Lake Shelby, "There was an awesome play area for the kids and the shower facilities were clean." This provides recreation options for families with both children and pets.
Water safety: Deam Lake State Recreation Area offers family-friendly water options. A visitor notes: "Perfect lake to kayak for a beginner bc no wake zone." This creates safer conditions for families with pets who want to enjoy water activities.
Group site availability: Taylorsville Lake State Park Campground accommodates larger 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." These facilities work well for families bringing multiple pets.
Tips from RVers
Site length variations: Campgrounds near Wellington have diverse parking limitations. One RVer at Lake Shelby noted: "Very weird at first as the sites are 20 feet long, but they allow front ends to stick out." This requires planning for RVers traveling with pets to ensure adequate space.
Utility upgrades: Some facilities have updated their services. An RVer mentioned: "All new electrical and water, all sites have 50 amp despite the website stating only 30 amps as recent update." These improvements provide better climate control options for pets staying in RVs during temperature extremes.
Spacing between sites: RV campers note varying site proximity across locations. Brooks RV Park offers "nice sized sites" while Louisville North Campground has sites "literally on top of each other." Site selection impacts pet containment and comfort when camping.
