Looking to get away and reconnect with nature? Glamping in Kentucky is the perfect choice. Find all the best glamping campsites for your Kentucky camping adventure. Search nearby glamping or find top-rated spots from other campers.
Mammoth Cave Campground puts campers in a prime spot to explore the depths and overland treasures of Mammoth Cave National Park. Mammoth Cave is an underground passageway containing more than 400 miles of naturally sculpted limestone and sandstone. It is the longest recorded cave system in the world. The grand-scale chambers and long, winding passageways were the inspiration behind the park's name. The campground doubles as an entry point to 14 miles of hiking and biking trails. It's also a five minute walk to the visitor center, where cave tours begin.
A must-do activity in the park is exploring Mammoth Cave. Walking tours of the caverns leave from the visitor center daily. There are also miles of bike trails and hiking trails within the park.
The campground is tucked inside Mammoth Cave National Park, which boasts scenic valleys along the Green River. The river is within walking distance of the camp, and the hilly Kentucky countryside expands beyond the valley. Deer and turkeys commonly stroll around the campground, so visitors are likely to see them grazing in the early morning and at dusk.
Nearly 30 miles of the Green and Nolin rivers offer canoeing and boating through the park. Commercial outfitters outside the park rent canoes, kayaks and safety equipment.Most trails north of the Green River are open for horseback riding. Commercial liveries outside the park rent horses and some may provide organized excursions.
For local information, please call (270) 758-2424 or call (270) 758-2180 for general information.
For rules and reservation policies please follow the link below: https://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policies
$50 / night
Zilpo, a large, fun-filled campground on Cave Run Lake, is a prime destination for families. The scenic campground offers a cabin rental, tent camping, RV sites with electric hookups and a selection of lakefront sites. Views of the lake are enjoyed by those who relax on the sandy beach. Tater Knob, a fire tower open to the public, is nearby, offering outstanding views of the area.
Water skiing and swimming are wonderful ways to enjoy the lake. Muskie, large and smallmouth bass, bluegill, crappie and catfish attract avid anglers. Hikers are fans of the Zilpo Mountain Loop Trail that extends for 2.25 miles, connecting to a network of other trails around the lake. Nature programs are regularly scheduled during peak season and wildlife watching is rewarding.
Zilpo sits on a peninsula in the middle portion of Cave Run Lake at an elevation of 800 feet. The lake spans 8,270 acres with soft, sandy beaches. The campground is shaded by a stand of mixed hardwoods, and campsites have good privacy.
The nearest community is 12 miles away.
$85 / night
Hidden deep under the northeast forests of Kentucky, strange formations with names like Giant Turkey, Headache Rock, and The Cathedral mingle with cave corals, underground waterfalls and thousands of endangered bats. This is what awaits visitors to Carter Caves State Resort Park, approximately 90 miles east of Lexington. The park was only established, and the cave environments protected, in 1946. Prior to this, the land—and caves—have a long and storied history. It begins millions of years ago, when North America was in its development stage, with the land rising and falling, cracking and washing away. This began forming the caves as seen today. Fast-forward to the 1800s, and the caves served as a resource during the War of 1812. Today however, this 2000-acre park—both above and below ground—serves as a recreation destination for campers and adventurers. The resort at Carter Caves offers a variety of overnight options, including camping, cottages and a lodge. Campers will find a large campground with 89 RV sites with utilities, 30 primitive tent sites, eight equestrian sites, and two bunkhouses. Most RV sites are back-in, and can accommodate vehicles/trailers up to 60 feet; bunkhouses can accommodate up to six people. The campground features bathhouses with showers, water faucets, picnic shelters, horse stables, and a playground. The park’s cottages are fully equipped with linens, cookware, and most have wood-burning fireplaces; these can accommodate up to eight people. The Lewis Caveland Lodge offers 28 rooms with full amenities, balconies and patios. Dogs are permitted in designated areas, and must remain leashed. Campsite rates are $18–$55/night; cottages and lodge rooms are $75–$240/night. The main attraction at Carter Caves State Resort Park is … the caves! There are six named caves in the park for exploring. Some are open year-round, some are only open during the summer. The park offers guided walking tours in four of the caves. Tours range from 45 minutes to 2.5 hours, and require some stair-climbing and stooping. There are also two caves open for self-exploration. These are undeveloped, and require visitors to provide their own light source. For the adventurous, there are also two cave crawling expeditions. These tours are three hours long, and explore tight, undeveloped passages that require lots of crawling, stooping and duck-walking in muddy conditions. For visitors who would rather stay and play above ground, the park features 26 miles of hiking trails, guided horseback rides, putt-putt golf, rock climbing, and fishing and paddling on Smoky Valley Lake.
Nestled on the shores of Cave Run Lake, this camp is part of the larger Twin Knobs Recreation Area. There are more than 200 sites spread out over 10 loops under a dense forest of mixed conifer and deciduous trees. The recreation area includes two reservable group picnic areas. Group camping is also available.
Summer amphitheater programs and scheduled campground activities provide family fun and entertainment. The campground also has volleyball courts, basketball hoops and horseshoe pits. There is a boat ramp and beach. Popular lake activities include fishing, swimming, motor boating, windsurfing, sailing and water skiing. Scenic foot trails include the 2.5-mile Twin Knobs Shoreline Trail and the 1.5-mile Knob Overlook Trail.
The Daniel Boone National Forest embraces some of the most rugged terrain west of the Appalachian Mountains. The forest lies within the Cumberland Plateau, where steep forested slopes, sandstone cliffs and narrow ravines characterize the land in this region. Cave Run Lake is in the Cumberland District in the northernmost part of the forest. The lake is surrounded by the rolling hills of northeastern Kentucky.
The Morehead Office Visitor Center offers information about the Daniel Boone National Forest in addition to interpretive exhibits. A popular attraction within the Daniel Boone National Forest is the Red River Gorge Geological Area, which features more than 100 natural sandstone arches.
$40 - $43 / night
Bailey's Point campground is the largest of the Army Corps of Engineers' campgrounds on Barren River Lake. This campground offers several waterfront campsites with scenic views of the lake. Though the campground is one of the largest, you won't know it. There is room to roam, five camping loops with diverse scenery, and private coves for swimming or mooring your boat. You are sure to find a site that's your escape to nature and relaxation. View a virtual tour of Barren River Lake.
Baileys Point has a boat ramp for access to prime fishing, water skiing and boating. Several islands in proximity to the campground are great for a quick picnic getaway by boat. Birding is also a popular activity with a variety of species including kestrels, indigo buntings, bald eagles and at night you can hear the calls of barred owls. Hikers can explore the C.E. Rager Nature Trail and the Robert Foster Hiking Trail. Robert Foster Hiking Trail gives you the opportunity to see the diversity of trees Kentucky has to offer and the C.E. Rager Nature trail is a nice short stroll along the shoreline of the lake. Great for poking around and possibly seeing the resident white squirrel of Baileys Point!
The 10,000-acre lake is hugged by wooded hillsides in south-central Kentucky. With scenic views from almost every campsite, it's sure to make for a memorable camping experience.
Across the lake from Baileys Point is the Barren River Lake State Resort Park, host of the Glasgow Highland Games. Other ramps and marinas close by are Port Oliver, Peninsula, and The Narrows. Not far away are other attractions such as the National Corvette Museum, Kentucky Down Under, Diamond Caverns, and many other day trips within reach. Visitors can explore Mammoth Cave National Park, an hour north of the campground.
Once your reservation has been created, there will be a $10.00 fee to cancel and a $10.00 fee to change your sites or dates. Cancellations made the day before, or up to the day after your arrival date will also be charged the first nights use fee. No-Shows are charged a $20.00 fee plus the first nights use fee. If your reservation is for 1 night, and you have been charged the first nights use fee, there is no $10.00 service fee.
$50 / night
Near Red River Gorge and Natural bridge
Set back almost a mile from the main road on its own private drive, Lago Linda Hideaway provides security and privacy for its campers in a gorgeous setting. The 35 Piney Woods and Lazy Oaks campsites (which can be reserved in advance) lie on ridge tops among groves of oak trees, allowing campers to spread out and enjoy as much privacy as they wish. All of these campsites are graveled and have electrical hookups.
Each site has its own city water, picnic table, and fire ring. In addition, a large, grassy meadow provides ample overflow camping for tent and car campers, including a big, covered, cooking pavilion with electricity along with another covered area that provides additional shelter for a number of tents.
Lago Linda Hideaway has a bathhouse with hot showers and flush toilets, as well as Broadband Internet access. Well-behaved children and dogs are welcome to this accommodating environment.
$12 - $86 / night
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.
$60 / night
Scout
We spent 2 nights at Cummins Ferry with 2 other families! We absolutely LOVED it! The staff was friendly and the scenery was amazing! Our sites overlooked the river and we loved the walking trails along the river! We had kids that fished and played in the playground and sat by the fire every night! We will absolutely return!
Legend
This KOA was easy to find by following our GPS. We checked in about 45 minutes prior to their 1:00 PM check in time and they didn’t even mention us being early. We decided we didn’t need an escort to our site as it was near the office. We proceeded to deluxe-patio pull-through site H-4 with FHUs. The utilities were nicely placed in the middle of the pad. Water pressure was good at about 50 psi. This site has plenty of shade as does most sites in the campground (CG) due to mature trees, so we did not put out Starlink. We got 4 bars LTE on Verizon and used our MiFi versus Starlink. Site H-4 has a utility box on the yard side, so we had extra space between the adjacent site. They have a decent sized dog park with an agility set up. This KOA has a lot of amenities and lives up to a Holiday KOA rating. The dog park is a nice size. They have a decent laundry room behind the office with 4 washers and 8 dryers. It’s$2.50 to wash and$1.50 to dry. They have 2 fishing ponds. The large one you can keep 2 fish for$20 and the small one is catch and release. There’s some traffic noise from I-65 and surrounding roads. Our main reason to visit the area was to visit the National Corvette Museum. We enjoyed our two night stay.
Guide
Well kept campground with a pond. Bathrooms were well maintained and clean. Lots of stars at night!
Guide
The campsites are surrounded by trees and it’s beautiful. Campsite has good showers too which is a plus. Nearby mammoth caves!
Traveler
Loud Carson road and kids playing basketball til 11:00 pm. They were very loud and vulgar.
Site had lots of room though. We left after the first nite. Lost our next 2 nites fee but worth the loss not having to stay any longer.
Staff somewhat indifferent.
TravelerBest State Park we have stayed at to date..everything was better than expected. Staff very helpful.
Traveler
We stayed one night— fine for the quick in and out. Did NOT have sewer hookups as advertised, so plan to dump before you park if you’ve been traveling. Spaces are narrow— though we were able to navigate the area, I wouldn’t necessarily call it “Big Rig Friendly” Road behind is loud but the campground itself was quiet.
Guide
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ScoutFinal approach/exit to the park is very steep. Beautiful sites but fairly close together. Gravelled roads and pads surrounded by forest with three small streams cutting through. Sites are not particularly level. Bathrooms are clean and the hosts are attentive. The only trash bin is near the office by the out of service pool.
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Guide
The map for this campground isn’t quite accurate. Also, the price is $24 p/ night not $14. Not quite what we were looking for.
GuideHi there, cute easy things to draw I found your blog via Google while searching for such kinda informative post and your post looks very interesting for me
GuideVery quiet, clean, and nice campground. Very close to Mammoth Cave. Shower facilities were very very clean. Nice well spaced sites.
Guide
Expensive for what it has to offer. At 48.00 bucks a night yes they do have WIFI in the RV section. They do have concrete pads. It’s a shame they are worthless they are to small to park the average RV on an are on the wrong side of most rigs unless you pull in 1/2 the sites the electric is on the wrong side. The sites are gravel and not level the rest rooms are new and nice. The horse stalks are very nice. If you have a large horse trailer type camper your screwed the sites are small so that only leaves you with the RV sites that are a few 100 feet away from the stables If you want to walk threw the drainage ditch add about 300 ft if you don’t want to walk threw the muck. It’s a shame when they paved the entry road they didn’t spend a little more. “Grant money “ or tax money an do it properly. The main play ground is extremely nice. About 1/3 Mile walk. They do have a small playground in the rv section. For horses again they have a nice setup for big RVs it Sux they have a dump station. Situated in between the entry road to the Fkatwood rv section and equestrian area The main lake is nice you can rent kayaks canoes. Or use your own boat. The boat ramp is nice the other end of the lake at the flat wood rv section. Is t really a lake it’s a back water shallow mud hole depending on the time of the year. Mosquitoes the size of jet fighters. Will rather eat you alive or carry you off. “Lol sorry could t resist “ it gets bad the park is clean and well maintained Except for the camp sites
Legend
We’re staying one night for Mammoth Cave and added a second night thanks to the activities offered. For a family that usually only spends one night that’s a big deal. The kids are super excited to do the lake inflatable course and have already enjoyed the nice playground and bouncing pad. We chose a standard site so I didn’t expect much. For the price it’s great to have all the hookups but it’s not level at all. I parked at an angle, propped up the front and our full slide gives it a wonky tilt so got it pretty good. It could probably use another level of blocks at the front. Just wonky sites. But nice and wide
Ranger
Start off by saying the staff were super great!!!! Stayed in space #1 and all the upper spots are open, wish they had more trees around the spaces. Overall it was still a great experience staying at this location.
GuideWe really enjoyed the four days we spent at the Mammoth Caves Campground, right in the national park. I have to correct some information on this listing, though. There are no electric hookups. There is water available at spots throughout the campground, but not at the sites. There is one difficult to use dump station. Also, internet connections are terrible. You need to rely on the WiFi at the visitor center and lodge.
Setting that aside, it’s a beautiful, wooded campground with large and generally level sites. You’re right in the middle of the park, with all it has to offer. Its about a ten-twelve minute walk to the Visitor Center, which is where all the cave tours and many of the hiking trails start. The Visitor Center also has a great exhibit explaining the geology and history of the park and area. It is connected by a pedestrian bridge to the park lodge, which has several restaurants. Both buildings are wonderfully air conditioned, which helped a lot in the August heat.
Also helping with the heat are the caves themselves, which are spectacular and not to be missed. Other activities right in the park are lots of hiking opportunities and canoe and kayak rental.
There are modern and very clean bathrooms throughout the campground. It’s a mystery why they didn’t include showers when they built those bathrooms. Instead there are paid showers in the building housing the camp store. You insert six quarters and get a decent amount of time. For me, this was the only real downside of the campground, one I could put up with given all the other advantages.
Site 35B was a great site and was next to a small field, giving us extra space and privacy.
Guide
I stayed in spot 87 for 4 days. It was a clean camp with all kinds of variety of camping spots. The only reason is not getting 5 stars is bc it's right on the Interstate, and that noise wasn't the most peaceful. There were a ton of things for kids and families to do. There was a pool, playground, pond, etc. There were some really cool wagon tents, teepee's, and actual tree houses.
RangerAfter completing the warranty work at Camping World, we enjoyed this fabulous campground for two months.
The vibe is great, the campground is clean, and the office staff is fabulous. We enjoyed playing putt-putt golf and fishing in the catch-and-release and paid ponds.
Be sure to check out the Flight Museum across the street, the Corvette Museum, and the friendly people in the area.
The only downside is at night due to the road noise from the I-65/I-165 split.
Guide
My family visited Louisville South at the beginning of June for an extended family trip.
Pros- Lots of activities for kids. Nice pool, great playground, bounce pad. Bike rental. Decent (not spectacular) hiking trails. The RV sites with patio were very nice, but could be bigger.
Cons- some (not all) of the staff. One lady in particular was always rude, and didn’t like answering questions. There was a security light for the bounce pad that was on all night long, and thoroughly illuminated the adjacent tent sites. My brother’s family of 6 did not sleep well. This is something that is easily corrected by installing a shade over one edge of the light, but the staff didn’t seem to care.
Scout
This campground is clean and the campsites are decent. However, our campsite had two stumps there were hard to work around when backing up the camper in the dark. If you need to use the showers or bathroom, they never fix anything. One bathroom hasn’t had electric in two years and another women’s bathroom only has hot water in one shower and the hand dryers don’t work.
Scout
One key feature of The Dyrt is its extensive campground database, which includes over 44,000 campgrounds nationwide. This allows users to easily search for and discover new camping destinations based on location, amenities, and user ratings. The app also offers offline maps and filters for specific preferences such as pet-friendly sites, RV accessibility, and more.
Traveler
A very nice state park with an abundance of natural resources surrounding the campground. There are many hiking options, some that explore the various caves around the grounds. The caves themselves are quite the treat.
The staff are all very friendly and there are camping sites for tents or rigs. However, like many state parks that have not been updated, navigating into some of the spots with a large rig can be challenging. On the one hand, this is nice as there are mature trees throughout. On the other hand, they could increase the size / length of the existing campsites. There is a nice playground and a camp store for any items you have forgotten.
The lodge is available down the road (within the state park) for dinner if you are looking to mix up the trip. Not fine dining, but decent food. There is also a pool available at a discounted rate for campers - which our kids enjoyed. Note: there are no full hookup sites, which is not uncommon for KY State Parks.
TravelerWe loved our visit here! We stayed two nights with our dog and felt very safe. Campsites appear close at first but actually felt comfortably private. People walk and bike along the roads and it felt very friendly. Bathrooms are clean and cool. There’s a camp store, Caver’s, with food, souvenirs, showers, and bathroom. Super close to the visiting center for tours.
Scout
Quiet, less utilized campground on Cave Run Lake. Campsites have more privacy and are more primitive. There is a bathhouse, but it is not regularly maintained. This campground is perfect for kayaking and fishing. Some of the campsites have private beaches.
Legend
Easy to find, well marked. It’s has many (12) trails and many falls. Would definitely recommend shopping before camping, it’s several miles, and mountains, to get to stores. There are several lodging options…cottages, The Lodge, (which is beautiful) tent and RV camping. There are 2 small campgrounds ~ 1) Ridgeline which accommodates RVs up to 26”, water and 10/30/50 amp hook ups. Sites have a fire ring and picnic table. WiFi is available, and there is a dump station. A small playground, office/campstore, and a bathhouse and laundry next to it. 3 sites are walk-in. Big rigs would have to stay elsewhere. 2) Clifty Campground is tent camping only 7 sites offer electric and water. WiFi is also offered. There is a bathhouse and a playground, and these CG’s are pet friendly. (Falls Creek is a few miles up the road…they have pull through and back ins. For bigger Rvs. They also have tents, wagons, cabin rentals, and primitive sites) We had no T-Mobile service, or satellite service in our vehicle. The trails and Cumberland falls were awesome. The horse rides looked amazing, and the Pool was big, with a diving board, and a small fee for campers to use it.
Traveler
We stayed here in our tent. The lady who checked us in was exceptionally nice and the campsites were clean quiet and shady. The restrooms were spick and span. We would certainly stay here again.
