Best Glamping in Kentucky

With Kentucky’s 45 state parks, the greatest length of navigable waterways in the lower 48, and the world’s longest cave system, the state of bourbon and horse racing is a dream destination for outdoor lovers. A diverse state with numerous distinct natural regions, Kentucky has a plethora of camping locations. Whether you choose to visit a state park or national forest, you don’t have to look hard to find amazing locations for camping in Kentucky.

For some of the most romantic and rugged landscapes in the state, visit the Red River Gorge in the south. With some of the most spectacular sites for camping in Kentucky, the gorge is a popular destination with visitors and locals alike. Climbers and hikers love the steep and rocky hillsides and cliffs which make the gorge famous. Located in the Daniel Boone National Forest, the Red River Gorge offers endless overnight options. From dispersed camping in quiet stretches of forest to whimsical treehouse and full-access campgrounds, it’s easy to find the perfect spot to spend the night. Snag a site next to a lake with record-sized muskies and you won’t have to go far to get on the water first thing in the morning.

If you love fishing, visiting Kentucky’s Red River Gorge is a must. With an abundance of lakes and rivers teeming with fish, it’s an angler’s dream. Enjoy lazy afternoons canoeing on the river or get an adrenaline rush on thrilling rapids. Nature lovers will love the plethora of wildlife and numerous hiking trails that wind through lush shaded forests.

Keep exploring Kentucky’s shaded forests and rugged cliffs in Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area in southeast Kentucky. Boaters will delight in the park’s large, languorous rivers and quick-flowing streams. Sheer bluffs and rocky gorges characterize the river valleys where water flows over rugged rapids and slows in quiet pools.

There are a variety of options for camping in Kentucky near the Big South Fork, from primitive to developed campgrounds. If you’re travelling with horses, stay in the horse camp, complete with a tack store stocked with essentials. Keep in mind that most parks and campgrounds have a ban on bringing your own firewood to prevent the spread of invasive species. Check with the campground regulations before you come, as some allow collection of wood on the forest floor and other require you to purchase firewood from a ranger. Wherever you choose to stay, with the Dyrt you can be sure to find the best camping in Kentucky.

Best Glamping Sites in Kentucky (91)

    1. Mammoth Cave Campground — Mammoth Cave National Park

    137 Reviews
    Mammoth Cave, KY
    +1 (270) 758-2424

    $25 - $50 / night

    "Mammoth Cave and the surrounding area offer many activities to suit anyone's desires."

    "The bathrooms were very clean and also air conditioned, which was a nice treat for a few minutes to step out of the humid June heat. They were flush toilets."

    2. Zilpo Campground

    49 Reviews
    Salt Lick, KY
    Website
    +1 (606) 768-2722

    $28 - $94 / night

    "We brought our small a-frame, kayaks, ez-up, kitchen set up and one of our dogs, Butters, with us for this trip."

    "The second room has four single bunk beds.

    The grounds around the cabin are nice with gravel area for setting up an outdoor kitchen or tent or lounge chairs."

    3. Carter Caves State Resort Park Campground

    46 Reviews
    Olive Hill, KY
    Website
    +1 (606) 286-4411

    $20 - $120 / night

    "Yes it can get crowded, yes there are kids and lots of noise. they’re coming here to have fun too! I grew up in the primitive campground with a huge canvas tent."

    "Park was nice, clean and has friendly staff. We liked that we could walk to the bathrooms and not have to drive there. We stayed at site 100 and really enjoyed the shade trees."

    4. Twin Knobs Recreation Area

    42 Reviews
    Salt Lick, KY
    Website
    +1 (606) 780-7818

    $31 - $128 / night

    "We love how the outer loop sites have such quick access to the water.

    Both sites are shaded very well and the sites themselves are huge."

    "Twin Knobs Campground

    We stayed in the F loop on site F22 primitive camping. It had a short path to the lake, easy access for shore swimming or fishing. Great for kids and adults."

    5. Nolin Lake State Park Campground

    40 Reviews
    Sweeden, KY
    Website
    +1 (270) 286-4240

    $25 - $40 / night

    "The sites are located in a grove of pine trees, which makes for well shaded sites with a pleasant surface of soft pine straw to pitch your tents."

    "It was on the water and at night we had our campfire in the nice fire pit while overlooking the water. Very serene. The campground doesn’t have a ton of sites and they are spaced out quite well."

    6. Baileys Point

    34 Reviews
    Lucas, KY
    Website
    +1 (270) 622-6959

    $22 - $50 / night

    "Most sites have electric and water. Many sites have incredible views of Barren River Lake and some are downright on the banks. Bath houses are climate controlled and CLEAN."

    "It's one of the few in the state where you can camp near the water and keep your kayaks or boat within a quick stroll."

    7. Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park at Mammoth Cave

    34 Reviews
    Park City, KY
    Website

    "When we arrived, the check in process was very easy and staff were helpful and friendly. Ice and firewood can be purchased on site."

    "The park was beautiful and a packet was ready since we arrived after 7:00pm. Our fire pit was littered with trash. I notified the office the next morning however it was not cleaned during our stay."

    8. Kendall Campground

    23 Reviews
    Jamestown, KY
    Website
    +1 (270) 343-4660

    $16 - $60 / night

    "We stayed for 6 nights on 2 sites, right next to the bath house. Laundry was free and on the back of the bath house (2 washers, 2 dryers). Bath house was clean."

    "Dump station on site. Clean showers/bathrooms. Laundry too! I stayed in the annex campground, which is the newer one farther from the dam."

    9. Lago Linda Hideaway

    23 Reviews
    Beattyville, KY
    Website
    +1 (606) 464-2876

    $12 - $115 / night

    "The huge field is available for tent campers, but these are primitive sites with no water/electricity. The improved sites with water/electricity are closer to The Pavilion and Shake Out Lounge."

    "There are limited 30 amp sites and several sites with electric. Lazy Oaks and Piney are in the trees, Cardinal which is good for larger RVs is in the field , no shade."

    10. Canal Campground- Lake Barkley COE

    21 Reviews
    Grand Rivers, KY
    Website
    +1 (270) 362-4840

    $20 - $256 / night

    "Grand Rivers KY Canal Campground at Barkley Lake COE Site 111 This is a great COE campground located between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, with views of the Barkley Dam."

    "Right on Lake Barkley where it joins Kentucky Lake. Over 200,000 acres of lake. We had sites 76 and 77. The roads to the sites have a lot of curves be careful not to clip your trailer on a tree."

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Glamping Reviews in Kentucky

1039 Reviews of 91 Kentucky Campgrounds


  • Heather K.
    Jul. 19, 2020

    Sheltowee Trace Adventure Resort

    Easy accessed, good sites/cabins, good amenities

    This campground is conveniently located near Corbin, KY. It sits right off the main road on the way to Cumberland Falls. There are plenty of signs and it is well marked, easy to find. When you pull in the gravel road, the main building and check in area is easily recognized and there are plenty of places to park. Check in was easy and fast. The store has a pretty big selection of camping items, clothes, food, accessories, shoes and snacks. There are also souvenirs. Just outside is the White Dog snack bar. A pretty nice menu with burgers, hot dogs, ice cream and fries. There is also an 8 unit restroom between the snack bar and main building. The restrooms are air conditioned and were always very clean and well stocked. Directly behind the snack bar is the circle of covered wagons with a fire pit in the middle of them. These were really cool looking and seemed like a fun way to camp. We stayed in the cozy cabins which are directly behind the wagons. Cozy cabin 2 had air conditioning, a full size bed and and bunk bed. There was a counter, microwave and mini fridge. 3 stools, a broom, clock, lamp, garbage can, ceiling fan and an electric fire place. Really quaint but a perfect way to camp without being too expensive. Electricity but no running water. There is also a small porch with 2 chairs and side table. A ceiling fan on the front porch is nice. There is a fire pit and a separate raised grill for cooking. The cabin was very clean and bug free. It’s walking distance to the restrooms but the wagons are closer. We walked around the RV and other camping sites as well. The RV sites we saw, were pull through sites and seemed very roomy and easy to get in and out of. The entire campground runs slightly downhill but overall offers flat sites. There are nice, shaded tent sites and an open, sunny area for group camping. The zip line runs from the entrance of the campground and runs over the group camp area, ending just beyond it. There are 2 zip lines available for different age groups. They offer many different activities through their company, such as electric bikes, white water rafting, zip lines, and tubing. We did the rafting and tubing. The rafting was fun and a great way to introduce beginners to the sport. The rapids were not too wild and none of us fell out of the raft. There were several areas to jump out and swim and that was fun. At the end of the rafting, a boat picks you up and you eat lunch and take a boat ride back to the bus. To get to the tubing, you have to drive yourself and it’s an hour drive to get there. The tubing trip lasted about 2 hours and was not very fun. The water was very still and basically we just barely floated down the river in the hot sun. There were 2 areas with small rapids but they didn’t make up for the rest of the still water being boring. We also got separated from our group. By the time we made it to the take out spot, everyone else had gotten out of the river and the shuttle left us behind. We waited for about 10 minutes and decided to start walking back to where we got in the water. After a while, the shuttle came back and saw us. He stopped and picked us up but ultimately felt this was dangerous as we were in the middle Daniel Boone Forest, alone, walking on the road. I would NOT recommend the tubing. It was not worth the money or the drive. If I was reviewing just the tubing experience, I would give 1 star. Everyone at Sheltowee were nice and professional. Our guide, Free (yep, that’s his name), was nice and funny and knowledgeable about the river. If we go again, we would request him again. We would definitely camp here again and recommend it to friends. The only reason I can’t give 5 stars is because of the tubing experience and the fact that it was not clear, when the reservation was made, that the tubing was 1 hour away.

  • Shannon G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 25, 2021

    Zilpo Campground

    A Week of Relaxation

    This was a week long trip for our 7th Anniversary. We brought our small a-frame, kayaks, ez-up, kitchen set up and one of our dogs, Butters, with us for this trip. We've never been to this campground before so we tried to do some research on reviews - the good, the bad the ugly. We found that the H loop seemed to be the way to go so we reserved H006. It had a very level pad for our camper - that was a plus and it included electric. There was a tent pad at the top where we would sit in the morning with coffee. When you follow the steps down, there was a very large camping area with the fire ring. We were able to set an RV mat with our ez-up and then set up our cooking kitchen across the way. The picnic table was huge (no gaps!) and provide plenty of seating for more than just the two of us. There were three lantern/food polls available to use, one at the top and two at the bottom. Across the street was extra parking and a path that led down to your own private beach. We didn't have to go to the beach (which was closed for the season) to enjoy the lake. We loved our site and although we had sites on either side - you weren't on top of each other. 

    There was a man-made path you could follow down to the lower road and take a short walk to the shower house. The shower house was ok - three toilets (one broken) and three showers (the handicap out of order). The toilets flushed "hard", in other words, be read to step out as you hit the flush button as it tends to splash more than it should. The showers had a door, a small bench for clothes and a very small stall. It was kept clean, but still covered in bugs/cobwebs/etc. There are two shower houses in H loop.

    We walked the H loop at least twice a day - almost a mile around. There are not very many electric sites on the loop. Some sites were single and some were double (much larger). We did get to walk/drive through the other loops - they were ok as well, but I would only go back knowing we'd be in H. 

    We drove out to do a couple of short hikes. No bears, but lots of nature - tons of mushrooms! We even drove through the Clear Creek campground - not a lot there, drop toilets and the water main was broken. Very low key if that's what you're looking for. We stopped by a small park and saw the old iron furnace, pretty cool and lot's of places to picnic. 

    We loved our site, the H loop and the variety of things we got to do while we were there.

  • Staci R.
    Aug. 1, 2017

    Mammoth Cave Campground — Mammoth Cave National Park

    Hidden Gem in south central Kentucky

    Mammoth Cave and the surrounding area offer many activities to suit anyone's desires. There are several competitive runs (5K and up) almost every weekend in the surrounding communities, and several are hosted in Mammoth Cave park itself. There is also the opportunity to go "caving", and you can walk through the caverns, and there are numerous hiking trails. Mammoth Cave offers tent, RV, and cabin camping - just be aware the cabins have running water, but no kitchens or air conditioning.

  • Heather K.
    May. 16, 2019

    Lago Linda Hideaway

    A nice campground for families and rock climbers!

    This big campground is a hidden gem near Red River Gorge. The road getting to the campsite is mostly one lane so is you are in an RV, go slow. The area for RV's is a little tight in the trees and probably won't accommodate an extremely large vehicle. However, there is a huge open field on further into the camp that should be fairly easy to turn around in. The huge field is available for tent campers, but these are primitive sites with no water/electricity. The improved sites with water/electricity are closer to The Pavilion and Shake Out Lounge. The Pavilion is a great place to gather and talk with friends or enjoy the big campfire next to it. The Shake Out Lounge has a tv, free wifi and free books to borrow. There is a bathhouse with toilets and showers. There are 2 locations to obtain firewood on the campground. They also sell ice. There is not a store on site, but a short drive up the road there is a general & grocery store that also sells fresh made sandwiches. There are cabins to rent. The cabins are tucked in the trees and are very cozy. The cabin we stayed in on one of our visits, had a queen bed, kitchen area and bathroom with a shower. Plenty of trees to hang a hammock, as well. Some of the cabins overlook the beautiful lake. The lake is perfect for swimming in and has a dock and life jackets for campers use. The gravel/dirt road getting to the lake is steep, so I recommend walking down to the lake. Fishing is allowed with a permit in the lake. There are hiking trails and dogs are welcome at the campground. Overall, a great campground for individuals, friends and families.

  • Kristin H.
    Nov. 5, 2021

    Baileys Point

    Our Go-To

    What can I say, but Bailey's is our happy little piece of paradise! I've camped here since I was in my early 20s in tents, to camping in a camper in my 40s. Most sites have electric and water. Many sites have incredible views of Barren River Lake and some are downright on the banks. Bath houses are climate controlled and CLEAN. Bailey's is a large campground but it's not usually crowded with loud, obnoxious people. There's nearly a camaraderie here between the campers and while everyone is friendly, they tend to keep to themselves. We like loops B and C the best for a combo of waterfront views and shade trees. Something about watching the moonlight sparkle on the lake with a warm, crackling fire nearby. Bailey's is it!

  • Diana W.
    Jul. 1, 2019

    Elizabethtown Crossroads Campground

    Really nice!

    We stayed here one night. It's a small campground about 35 mins from Louisville and has about 40ish sites for RVs with electric and water, some with sewage. Our site was fairly small and pretty close to other sites but it was easy enough to get into and fit our 12ft pop up without issue. They have 2 bathrooms(the one by the laundry/store is very nice!), a catch and release pond(small, but there are small bluegill and some bass), a nice playground, clean pool, store on site, and overall we had a great time. There are also several connections for wifi, and cable(we didn't try it). The staff seemed very nice. Our site without sewage was $30 plus tax, they also offer tent sites and small cabins($40-50 with air conditioning) if that's your thing. Our site was nice and shaded. We were disturbed a few times by trains in the middle of the night- otherwise it was pretty peaceful and quiet.

  • M
    Jun. 24, 2018

    Mammoth Cave Campground — Mammoth Cave National Park

    Quiet and relaxing

    Quiet and laid back. The bathrooms were very clean and also air conditioned, which was a nice treat for a few minutes to step out of the humid June heat. They were flush toilets. There was potable water right by the bathrooms. There were no showers but if you drove right outside the campground in the park there was coin operated showers and laundry room. There was also a camp store and post office. There were trails that ran through the campground and ones right outside in the park. During the day you could schedule tours to the caves which was a great view.

  • Heather K.
    Jul. 8, 2019

    Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park at Mammoth Cave

    Wonderful fall getaway!

    When we arrived, the check in process was very easy and staff were helpful and friendly. Ice and firewood can be purchased on site. The efficiency cabin we stayed in was very clean and just perfect for 4 people. The cabin had a bunk bed and a futon bed. The kitchen had a small stove, sink and fridge. The bathroom was small but had a shower and toilet. There was a fire pit and picnic table. The jump pad was fun for the kids. The mini golf course needed a little cleaning/maintenance for the rocks and leaves on the course. The planned fall activities were so much fun for my kids. They did painting, bingo and games. All the staff we came in contact with were friendly. The cabin was situated in a convenient location to all activities. Our stay for this trip was awesome and I would recommend staying at this campground in the fall.

  • Alejandra E.
    Sep. 2, 2021

    Mammoth Cave Campground — Mammoth Cave National Park

    Great camping spot

    We booked a group site and had 3 tents. It’s very woodsy and tranquil. Bathrooms were close by and air conditioned too! The showers are in the general store building where the post office is so a short walk or drive there. It’s coin operated with a change machine for bills. $1.50 to turn the shower on and insert more coins before it turns off for additional time if needed. The park is amazing and there’s lots of trails that lead to caves and cave openings. All the cave tours within the park were fully booked when we went so we booked some private tours outside the park in the surrounding area. Lots of opportunities to see caves! We stayed for two nights and did some star gazing! Overall great campground and facilities. They also have a kennel for a small fee at the park lodge if you bring your pet and you’re going in a cave tour whether in the park or outside of it. Pets are generally not allowed in caves. Just confirm pet is vaccinated.