Are you planning a tent camping trip to Kentucky? We've got you covered. Find the best information on tent camping in Kentucky, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. Search nearby tent campgrounds or find top-rated spots from other campers.
Red River Gorge Campground is known for its picturesque surroundings and range of outdoor activities. The campground is located in the heart of Red River Gorge, a geological wonderland with soaring sandstone cliffs, natural arches and deep gorges. The area is popular with hikers, climbers and outdoor enthusiasts, offering numerous trails for all levels of experience, as well as opportunities for rock climbing, kayaking and fishing. Red River Gorge Campground provides a one-of-a-kind camping experience in Kentucky.
$10 / night
$14 / night
Jefferson Memorial Forest features a campground for tent camping and can accommodate both families and groups. Although the Forest is only minutes from Metro Louisville, camping here seems like a much more remote camping experience. Located within the Horine Reservation, the campground is in the uplands of the Forest and has good separation between individual campsites. Seven family campsites and four group campsites are available. Latrines and water are near to all the sites.
$15 - $30 / night
Local Family Owned & Operated est.2012 Riverside Campground RV & Tent Camping 50amp, 30amp, 110v NEW Bathhouse Kayak/Canoe Rental & Shuttle Service
The campground is on 10 acres of tree lined frontage on the Red River. There is a mix of trees/shade and open fields. It is a primitive campground, meaning that there are no power hook-ups or running water. There is an excellent canoe/kayak take-out. It's location in the heart of the Gorge makes it the perfect place for riverside camping and provides access to hiking trails.
$8 - $20 / night
$14 / night
Paragon is a primitive camping area with 7 designated campsites, some with lantern posts and fire rings. Alert: August 21, 2019 - The U.S. Forest Service opened a section of Paragon Road on Friday, August 16, 2019. The gate closest to Highway 519 was opened and motor vehicles will be able to drive to the first two loops commonly used for camping, swimming, and fishing. The new gate has been installed to allow vehicle access into the area while road work and repairs continue. The new gate will also allow the two camping loops to remain open when Cave Run Lake is 1.5 to 2 feet above summer pool and inundating the lowest portions of Paragon Road, which has occurred many times in the last decade and resulted in closure of the entire road and camping area. Make this page look nicer by submitting photos of your trip to this area. Learn more... The campground is located on the Cumberland Ranger District, Daniel Boone National Forest. Cave Run Lake is widely known for its scenic beauty and varied outdoor recreation opportunities. The lake is also the home of Kentucky's state record muskie.This 8,270-acre lake is jointly operated and managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Forest Service. Nearby facilities: Poppin Rock Boat Ramp
Scout
Has tent and RV camping. I tent camped this trip and stopped by for one night as I was passing through. Cost was about $16ish. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Tent sites are at the front of the property with the RVs to the back. Tent campsites are not defined - just an open area for all to share with picnic tables and grills scattered around. Kids playground next to it. Couldn't find the potable water for the tent area. The RVs had electric & water hookups. Showers and bathrooms available. Right next to a side road with a bit of traffic the night I stayed.
Traveler
Review from the perspective of a motorcycle traveler tent camping. Tent sites are along two sides of a river. Clean and well maintained. Nice hidden gem. Honor system payment of $15 at envelope boxes.
Guide
Absolutely loved tent camping here! Several modern bath houses with showers, toilets and sinks. Tent sites are spacious enough for multiple tents/ canopy's to be set up. Waterfront and has stairs to walk down to the water.
Traveler
Review from the perspective of a motorcycle traveler tent camping. Tent sites are along a stream on Racoon side. Got surprised by a bear while gathering firewood nearby. Clean and well maintained although it was a sleepless night because of a group of drunk locals.
Scout
Pros: very well maintained facilities, toddlers enjoyed playground, able to walk along lake shore, could hear small waterfall behind our campsite, within 20 minutes of Mammoth Cave NP via Green River Ferry Con: sites nothing special for tent camping (probably great if in RV). Very sunny, out in open so windy. But nice to have electric and water when camping with toddlers so worth it. Would agree with previous review that the 1 tent site among all the electric sites looked beautiful- right on the water. If you don’t need electric, go with that one!
Legend
I visited mid/early July and the drive in was incredibly beautiful. It’s a little bit remote and my phone didn’t really have service, but that’s my favorite kind of camping. It was predictably hot and muggy until a rainstorm rolled through. The host and staff were very friendly. There’s no drinking water in the campground. Because of COVID-19 the only park of the park that was open was the campground but usually there’s a small store where I imagine you could buy water. The RV sites are on top of a hill where the facilities and playground are. The tent sites are down a steep hill towards the lake. If you are tent camping and can snag a site by the water, it may cost a little more but is worth it! The sunrise on the lake is beautiful. Because of the steep slope down to the water, many of the tent sites aren’t all that flat. Heads up, if you are driving out in the early morning keep and eye out for the dozens of deer and woodland creatures along the roads. Also, bring bug spray.
Guide
Been several times at different times of the year. The summer months fill up quick. Great place to visit on its own or with day trips to Mammoth Cave. Water slide, 2 pools, and other things for the kids to do during the hot summers. Karaoke, and games at night at the shelter. Food in the lodge is acceptable snacks for the pool but dont expect 4 star club food. Cabin Rentals, RV Site and Tent sites. All have a fire ring. Cabin came with a golf cart. Cabins are decent. group showers and restrooms are not that great. If I had one down side. If tent camping on the weekend bring earplugs. Durring the summer the adult beverages flow in the evening and into the night and the gas powered golf carts at 2am get annoying. Over all a great place in the summer for a close family retreat.
ScoutI was tent camping with my family Thursday-Saturday while visiting Mammoth Cave.
The good: the tent campground has spacious, level sites. 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. A few sites had trees suitable for hanging hammocks if you enjoy that. There are toilets and sinks in the park office near the primitive campsites. There is a swimming beach and boat ramp on Nolin Lake nearby. Convenient to Mammoth Cave NP and fishing and hiking opportunities abound.
The bad: the shower house is in the RV campground and too far away to be a convenient walk. You have to drive there which is a pain with kids. There were few shower stalls and they were not kept clean. The park staff were very friendly but just overworked. Thursday night we were kept awake by loud campers and campground staff weren’t around to enforce quiet hours. Quiet hours do not start until 11 PM which is not ideal for campers with young children. The park started filling up on Friday and Saturday and was obviously very crowded on the weekend. Seems like a "party spot" for locals.
We might return here but perhaps would choose to camp during the week or during a less busy time of year.
Guide
This was my first time to the Niagara of the South. My husband and I left our dog back in Louisville for this trip which was originally an attempt to see the moon bow at Cumberland Falls.
We looked at the tent site map on the state resort park map and nothing looked GREAT except for Clifty Campground spots 050, 048, and 049 they all look isolated from any of the other sites with 050 being a site that you have to traverse a grassy/rocky area from your car to set up.
We opted for spot 047 because, on the map, it looked set back from the campground road… and it was… sorta. Nothing at this campsite is going to be private. The majority of the sites do not have so much as a weed between them although the sites themselves are very roomy for car camping. Your vehicle will be a presence at the site, which have electric hookups so if, like me, you have an electric car… it's nice to be able to simply plug the car in. This site did not get a lot of shade except for where we had the tent set up, and still… that would've received sun had it not been raining.
Our site had a good picnic bench, a sturdy wooden post for hanging trash etc and the fire pit seemed pretty new. The grill wasn't bent at all, which was a 1st in my years of camping. The view from this site was pretty cool… we set out tent up at the furthest out spot on the small cliff as we could before it turned to mostly rock and faced the door out over the trails. We hung our rain tarp because, instead of a moon bow, we endured a nearly 24 hour torrential downpour. The tarp, which is small, and having the tent faced appropriately gave us a semblance of privacy although we had a camper van family next to us. Site has a lot of gravel so it was reasonably muddy but not dried out quick.
There are a lot of raccoons that visit the dumpster area so expect it to be a little messy if your fellow campers aren't shutting the dumpster lids. Shower facilities reminded me of middle school camp… kind of mildewed… and well… rustic. Everything functioned and it wasn't "gross" just old. Water was hot. Toilet stalls (ladies) were small. I weight 130 and at 5 foot 2 it was a tight squeeze for me.
We hiked the WIldflower Loop Trail (1.5 miles) in a drizzle and although wet it was safe. When the rain stopped we hiked Eagle Falls Trail and it was very muddy but the views were worth it.
Would love to go back but if camping in a tent it's a must to get one of the two more private spots, or at the very least
Legend
Something that sets this place apart from others in the area is long term tent camping!! Yes you read that right, LONG TERM TENT CAMPING! For most of those who travel you know they often offer long term services for those in RVs which provides a discount for staying more than a night or two, but at this campground you as a tent camper can find a location that suits your Kentucky home needs on the road for a day, a week or even a month!
But what does that entail exactly?
This site is really nice, with level sites for RVs or tents, padded grass which is well maintained, nice gravel roads around camp and a river frontage with views which will make you just want to stop and take in the scenery.
When I visited I noticed a lot of people staying here near the weekend were visiting to launch their boats and troll the river fishing for what looked like some pretty large fish. It was pretty cool to see some of the people setting up their campground fish fry, and they were even friendly enough to invite me to join, though I don't eat fish so it didn't really work out that way.
The tent sites were shaded and had several different options, you could choose primitive which is only $17 or for a few dollars more you could have electricity. All sites come with a picnic table and fire ring and a pull in to keep you and your things closely together.
There was a playground and volleyball, but I didn't see anyone using these when I was there. A small camp store has a lot of the essentials in case your forgot something or just needed to pick up a snack. There was also firewood available, a big plus!!
This place is a bit older looking in appearance but it is charming and the owner is very cool. I didn't meet a single person there that wasn't just enjoying life.
TIPS:
Guide
This Campground is Fantastic. My Wife and I camped here for the first time last September 2019, we Camped in a tent and it was just Beautiful there. We will be going back this year but this time we will be going in a Camper fhat we just bought. We can't wait to go back.
Thank you A.J. Jolly Campground.
Traveler
Great family campground where you can do anything from camp in a tent to rent a bunkhouse.
Energy lake is at land between the lakes but you pay for your site at the gate. You can choose a primitive site, a camper site with utilities, or a bunk house with heat and a/c. You can also rent a canoe or a kayak for the day. There is a private beach and great fishing.
I would recommend energy lake to any type of camper.
Scout
I have been camping here since early 90's, my experience has always been a. Good one, I have mostly camped in a tent right on the water. I used to take my kids by myself and as a lady, my first priority was, safety. I always felt safe. I've taken my boat and kept on water with no worries of anyone taking or messing with any of my belongings. Since then, they have added some things n I'm looking forward for my next stay
Legend
Negatives: This campground is pretty hilly. Many of the spots don't have a great space for a tent. The flattest spots are in the middle of the circle with an open field behind them (but then you won't have any privacy or tree coverage). Even the RV camping on the inside of the loop across from us had its front tires suspended about a foot in the air to make it level though. Considering the flat spots are very limited, I don't think its a great tent campground and geared more towards RVs. One side of the campground runs against a golf course. If you're tent camping over a weekend, be prepared to have golfers tee-ing off next to you beginning at 7am. On Monday morning, be prepared for them to start mowing at 7am. The opposite side of the campground sits against a tree-line and therefore has much better spots. Many of the picnic tables are in pretty rough shape. The ones that have been replaced were done with the metal style that is dipped in plastic and are much sturdier. Likewise, some of the firepits are in pretty bad shape. I'd recommend having a grill grate with you just in case if you cook over the fire like we do. The firewood that is sold at the campground is kept in a shed but it was very wet, there also aren't any options around for buying wood outside the park. The office is supposed to be open until 6pm but one night it was closed earlier and the camp host wasn't on premises all weekend so we were stuck resorting to finding and burning downfall to get dinner cooked.
The positives: Its a good location and there are plenty of kayaking spots on Grayson Lake. Going to "The Grotto" aka Clifty Falls is a must (4.5 mile round trip). The same boat ramp has a decent place to get in and swim. Lick Falls Loop hike can be done from the campground and was nice (4.5 miles). We also kayaked the Southern portion of Grayson Lake in Laurel Gorge and that was much quieter than the Clifty Falls area. The campground bathrooms were clean. Most of the campsites were a decent size.
Legend
Hurricane Creek Campground is small and intimate while still being close too many amenities. There are adequate RV campsites, and tent sites. Some RV sites require some serious driving skill to back your RV into and we better suited for tents. The tent sites are ample for tents, and two of the five tent sites have Trees close enough together for Hammock Camping.Tent site 11 has two trees that are not too big in diameter for hammocking. Parking for tent sites is above in a lot, and RV's are directly behind you 25-30 feet. I would recommend tenting on an RV site if you want your vehicle close to your site.
Guide
We have a tent which attaches to our truck— no hook ups. Everywhere we go we get a tent site. This campground would not let us get a tent site because we “sleep in the bed of our truck.” We reluctantly rented a cabin because we needed a place to stay for the night. We told them our set-up & that we’ve never been denied a tent site, but they still refused. WiFi was fickle. Got on then would get bumped off.
Guide
We stayed here in the middle of July in 2019! Wow was it hot! It also had a bit of flooding, how ever it made it easier for our girls to launch their kayaks and swim. Great spot for kayaking and tent camping. We were the only ones there so it was perfect! Highly recommend for tent camping.
Traveler
Tent camping.
TravelerPark is nice, tent sites along the lake are beautiful and very peaceful. Unfortunately most tent sites are not very level, it can be a bit tough with larger tents. The park is very clean and well maintained and I will definitely be staying here again.
GuideWe stayed at site RV33. We have a 25ft travel trailer and it was perfect. There were two tent sites very close to us, but we had more than enough room. If we were to go again, we would pull straight into the site (this would have put our slide towards the road). The tent sites looked to be the best tent sites I’ve seen. The bath house was very clean. The staff was very helpful. There were trails from the campground to Cumberland Falls. We hiked to see Cumberland Falls (from the lodge) and Eagle Falls. After a short drive, we hiked Natural Arch and Yahoo Falls.
Traveler
showers, tent camping, little to no trees for shade. friendly
Scout
This place is right off the highway close to most things. It’s a cute little place with RV sites and tent sites. The tent sites are located on the lake and have power available. The price was very reasonable and the people here were very friendly and accommodating. The only down fall is the highway noise. Definitely would stay here again given the chance!
Traveler
Tent sites are rough, some outside ring sites have tent pads.
Traveler
Very popular for RV. I was just tent camping. Decent sized plots. Bathroom facilities were good. Nice stay.
Guide
One section is for campers and rv’s with electric hook ups. While one is tent camping . Showers available
ScoutWe went during Wet N Wild week and the kids absolutely loved all of the activities there were... The excitement of the Witbit the first day left us sore for a couple days after... ALOT to do at the campground and around... However this is not geared for tent camping... there are minimal shade spots and 95% of the sites are gravel...water and electric are setup for campers not tents... also the whole not being able to squirt water from or too the golf carts is a bummer and killed the excitement. we will definitely be back if a better suited area for tent camping is developed...
Scout
Cabins, tent camping and rv sites hosts the annual Whippoorwill earth skills festival as well as many climbers visiting the nearby Red River Gorge.
Kentucky offers a diverse range of tent camping experiences, from serene lakeside spots to secluded forest retreats, perfect for nature lovers and adventure seekers alike.
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