Whittleton Campground, near Natural Bridge State Resort Park, is a solid choice for those looking to immerse themselves in nature while enjoying some modern conveniences. The sites here are generally level and well-kept, with a nice mix of shade and sun, making it comfortable for both tent campers and RV enthusiasts.

This campground is known for its proximity to fantastic hiking trails, with many visitors raving about the nearby options. If you can snag a site by the stream, you’ll be treated to some lovely views and the soothing sound of water. Just keep in mind that some spots can be a bit tight, so maneuvering larger RVs might require some patience.

Amenities include electric hookups, drinking water, and clean restrooms, though some campers have suggested that the bathrooms could use a little updating. The friendly staff and the peaceful atmosphere make it a great spot to unwind after a day of exploring the stunning landscapes of the Red River Gorge.

For those who enjoy a bit of adventure, the area is packed with opportunities for hiking, kayaking, and even some scenic drives. Just remember, if you’re bringing your furry friends, they’ll have to stick to the trails outside the park, as dogs aren’t allowed on the main hiking paths. Whether you’re here for a weekend or a longer stay, Whittleton Campground offers a welcoming base for your outdoor adventures.

Natural Bridge is a 2,200 acre forested park and nature preserve with 22 miles of trails, a 60 acre lake, two campgrounds, lodging, and dining facilities. It is surrounded by the Daniel Boone National Forest and adjacent to the Red River Gorge National Geologic Area.

Whittleton Campground — Natural Bridge State Resort Park

Join the fun near Slade. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Kentucky camping adventure.

Slade

The Best Camping Near Slade, Kentucky

Very cool, well marked hiking area. Lots of photo opportunities and just interesting stuff/history. Easy camping with amenities.

Chicken little.....

The beauty of this site is exceptional but wow the crowds just kind of ruined the camping for our family we were there on a summer weekend so it was exceptionally busy and loud. The hiking trails were a little busy but we didn’t end up spending so much time at the busy camp site. It’s kind of a touristy camp site but I’m sure it’s real nice if you’re there when it’s not so busy. 


Natural Bridge  

love visit all the time, you have trails for all levels of hikers

great trails

I was extremely thankful to get a last minute tent site during my trip to run the Rugged Red.  Locationwise, it's perfect and right at the start of the race.  The scenery is absolutely gorgeous and I can't wait to go back!!  I love the creek that runs through the campground (we were in the  Whittleton loop)...and the trail that starts in the back of the campground.  It poured all night while we were there, but we stayed dry...our site didn't flood or anything.

I only have two complaints.  The website said free wi-fi, but evidently that's only on the other larger loop.  It was misleading.  Also, this trail is one of the only ones in the area where dogs are allowed.  That's a huge issue for me, since I always camp and hike with my sidekick.  That's a state park issue, not an isolated campground issue.  It's pet friendly!!

Camping during the Rugged Red!

This whole area is lovely with a lot of serious hiking opportunities. The Natural Bridge is worth seeing, even if you’ve been to Utah etc., and there are different access options (trails, ski lift) to suit your whole family. Pros: many park activities (hiking, rock climbing, zip line), local activities (restaurants nearby, more hiking, fishing), shady campsites, large campsites, different options for staying over (lodge, cabins, RV, tents), picnic sites throughout, fire pits at camp sites, shower house, clean, kept up nice, lots of staff. Cons: crowded, busy, definitely need to reserve in summer. 


Busy but not quite a tourist trap 

We stayed in the campground which offered the tightest spots I've ever camped in. Our slide was on the neighboring tent pad and we had to park our truck elsewhere because the site was too small. There were no bathrooms for the primitive campers so they drove over the hill all night to use the only bathhouse. The young jerks at the entry gate wouldn't sell us firewood because they had already counted the drawer 10 minutes before closing. We offered to forgo our change just to have firewood for the night. Next time we'll bring firewood in even though it states not to. The swimming pool was nice and the trails were well maintained but the campground was not well maintained. The dump station is on the wrong side of the road and on a slope as to. Or allow the tanks to fully drain. Hiking to the natural bridge was beautiful and not crowded but once at the top the fat smokers who rode the lift up kind of ruined the feeling of accomplishment and the ability to soak in the beauty. This was my first camping experience in KY and it was not good. The kids had fun at the pool. No dogs on the trails. 

Kentucky Hick Central!

The Natural Bridge State Park and Red River Gorge is one of the most beautiful and well hidden gems of the region in my opinion. Located off I-64 in eastern Kentucky,  RRG and Natural Bridge offer a wide variety of activities including hiking,  camping, backcountry camping,  kayak and canoe rentals,  and the area has various local restaurants that make for a truly unforgettable weekend away from  big city life. I personally backpack on a variety of it's seemingly endless trails, including a section of the Sheltowee Trace, which runs hundreds of miles through Kentucky.  Get here if you have a chance!

Red River Gorge

For a little privacy stay in the back of the campground. Most spots are level, paved (or packed gravel). Shower room was nice and pretty clean.

Whittleton Arch (another natural bridge) is across the street from campground - was a great hike and it allows dogs (Natural Bridge Park does not).

Worth a few nights.

Took our family here while on our family reunion. we all had a blast. Views are breathe taking

very nice

Great weekend of camping and kayaking. We enjoyed food from the Lodge and The Rock house. 

Kayaking Trip

Came here for a rest day after climbing at the Red and was pleasantly surprised by the heftiness of the bridges. Were from Utah so these bulky bridges were a nice change from the slender arches were used to

Nice in the fall

There is a great creek running behind the campground. The kids had a great time playing in it. This campground is fairly small with only one bathroom. Campground is very popular with tent campers and small campers. There were large campers however, the sites are not huge. The hiking is great here and it is close to Red River Gorge as well.

Creek camping

Beautiful area. Campsites are tight! Had trouble backing in our 32’ bumper pull. Close to the Natural Bridge trail and multiple SUP Kentucky sites.

Nic (but tight!) Campground

Con mi esposa

Whittleton Sites are level, not huge, well kept. Good mix of shade and sun. Small creek runs behind camper and tent sites. we plan on returning in a month for the fall leaves.

Beautiful, quiet, very nice staff 

Whittleton Campground is the perfect spot for the Red River Gorge Area. It's not overly large, which means no overcrowding. It's located by a stream producing water, and pleasant sounds to sleep by. It has a couple of trailheads near the campground so if you don't feel like driving out, you can still get some exercise. Amenities were clean and comfortable.

Cozy, Friendly, and Perfectly Situated

Daniel Boone National Park is split into several areas, Natural Bridge State Park is in the Red River Gorge section and SUCH a cool area with so much to do.
Natural Bridge has two campgrounds that accommodate RV campers as well as tent campers. Both campgrounds are well maintained and can get very busy. 
Unless you are an avid hiker you will need to drive to all the different areas and attractions, neither park us very close to anything. 
That being said, the trails are awesome! No dogs allowed on the trails in Natural Bridge SP but there are plenty of trails in the out lying areas to take the pups on. Nada Tunnel is nearby and a must see! And there are several trails along the scenic roadway that’s travels through Nada and the gorge area. Bring your camera and swim trunks!

No dogs on trail

Location was within walking distance or short drive to Natural Bridge trails (explored several with kids). Layout of campsite was not suited for longer campers... we have a 30 foot &amp; there were only a few sites that were adequate. The road is narrow (one lane but 2 way) which caused a few bottlenecks if someone is backing in. Don’t make the mistake of going to the end of the campsite or turning around will be a chore. Dump station is on tent site side, which made no sense. Only good for smaller trailers or portable waste tanks. 

Bring long or multiple water hoses. The water is located between sites instead of @ the electrical outlet. 

Staff was awesome and helpful. We would camp here again but only if we got the right site. Look at site #30 and up for longer trailers but call &amp; double check with staff to make sure you are good to go. 

3 stars for the layout and lack of space. 

Great location, friendly & helpful staff, tight turns & campsites  

Our plans were tentative so we had not made reservations in advance. We felt lucky to grab a site. The camp manager was very helpful. It was quite and clean. Women’s showers were fine, but my husband said the men’s were not so great. We hiked to the arch a mile away and while it was muddy, it was still beautiful. It rained our second night, but we were fine. We would definitely return.

Beautiful campground near natural bridge Kentucky, October 2020

So we were a little skeptical after not enjoying the sister site to this campground (Middle Fork Campground, see my review) but were pleasantly surprised. Although the privacy issue was still an issue (I'm sorry, but when I am camping I don't really want to know any other humans exist) because the sites are really close with no foliage in between, the site we booked A07, was, I believe, the best one. Nestled back into the campground and nearest one of the trails, A07 was lovely and somewhat secluded.

Unfortunately, we haven't had the best weather for camping so far in 2021, rain ruined our plans to do more hiking at the Red River Gorge this weekend, but we will most likely go back to Whittleton for a short weekend in the future. Beware, if you forget to stock up on firewood, the camp store closes a little earlier than expected. (Around 5pm on Saturdays). Overall, we enjoyed our stay. Happy Camping!

Gorgeous views and friendly staff

This is one of two campgrounds at Natural Bridges State Resort Park in the Red River Gorge Area of Kentucky.   I visited on the weekend in mid-April and this place was very full.  It is small, so, this meant being very close to other campers.  It is in a great location, near many trails in the area.  Bathrooms/showers were nice and clean.  I was in site A007, which is a good site, but, I would recommend sites A23-A37 as these would be away from the restrooms and the "loop" where sites are closely spaced.

Small campground, good location, very crowded on weekends

We have stayed here several times, nice level sites and a quiet relaxing area

Great sites and location

It’s a great small camping area make sure you get a flat lot there’s plenty of them. Although there’s more you’re near so many beautiful areas/ definitely a place to come back to!

Nice small camping area 

I was looking forward to exploring the area, but there's no easy to get my 24' fifth wheel into a site.  Very tight turnaround at the end. Wish I could have stayed here! 

Very tight spots

Our first night, our neighbors were a bit rowdy. The second night we had the place to ourselves! The driveway into primitive spots was washed out, so they relocated us to another (upgraded) spot - just wish they contacted us to tell us - but we found it. The heated bathrooms were a PLUS!

Camp next to a babbling creek!

A great campground with tons of hiking spots nearby. If you can get a campsite backing up to the stream you should. Keep in mind though that those spots are really tight to fit in and you need a 30 foot or less RV. I loved the amount of hiking spots available near-by. 

Great hikes

One section is for campers and rv’s with electric hook ups. While one is tent camping . Showers available 

Narrow campground 

Check in was simple, some sites bigger than others but even the smaller ones still fell like they have privacy. Sites fairly level good for rv or tents. Bathrooms are ok could be updated and made bigger or an extra added. Right across street is the park. Verizon is ok here couple bars that go in and out

Good camp

Perfect for a quick one night stay while traveling! Reasonable, nice site backed up to a babbling stream. Short walk to bathroom with shower! Short walk w/ my dog on the trails before heading back on the road!

Quiet, scenic campground!

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. 


Photos of Whittleton Campground — Natural Bridge State Resort Park

Real photos from real campers