Excellent part of Daniel Boone NF
Fantastic campground. The sites at Zilpo are great. Most sit a decent way off the camping loops. Almost all have a good amount of trees and vegetation between campsites. Picnic tables and fire rings are in great condition. The bathrooms are a little dated (paint is peeling in the showers, out of order stalls, etc.) but staff keeps them clean and the shower water was very hot. Unfortunately, I can not say the same about my campsite. There was a large amount of toilet paper in the woods surrounding the campsite (not the campground's fault but disrespectful past campers). Our particular site had a little trail to access the lake, and many sites offer the same. The campground is pretty isolated so it's a pretty long trip to get groceries or gas. The check-in booth does sell ice and wood which was nice so you don't have to drive 20 minutes out and back to get the basics. There is one main trail within the campground (Zilpo) which offers great views but isn't very long. The campground has a nice beach and a separate boat launch. Campers are able to store their boats at their sites because the drives are long enough and sit so far back from the road. We brought our kayaks and enjoyed spending time on the water this way. Seeing a bald eagle while kayaking was a highlight. Overall, it's a well run and great campground. Since it is quite isolated, there is not a ton to do (especially if you don't own a boat) but part of the attraction to camping is getting away to relax anyway. We would definitely recommend Zilpo and will return.