Carter Caves State Resort Park Campground offers various accommodation options near Maysville, Kentucky, with sites ranging from tent-only areas to RV hookups with electricity. The campground requires extra water hoses and extension cords at many sites due to layout designs. Located approximately an hour from Maysville, the park provides access to extensive cave systems, hiking trails, and natural bridges that can be explored through ranger-guided tours.
What to do
Cave exploration tours: Available at Carter Caves State Resort Park Campground, where visitors can explore the extensive cave system with professional guidance. According to one camper, "Various levels of caving experience at a reasonable cost. Lots of hiking, fairly well marked. Almost every hike is relatively short with an arch or natural bridge as a feature."
Paddling opportunities: Twin Knobs Recreation Area has a lake with easy access points for kayaking and canoeing. One visitor noted, "Great spot right on the water," while another mentioned that the "campground is in a wooded area and each campsite is separate by woods from the nearby sites."
Disc golf course: Shawnee State Park features an 18-hole disc golf course among its recreational amenities. A recent visitor confirmed, "Paddle boats, marina, 18 hole disc golf, bike park, huge dog park, store, archery range, playground and trails." The site serves as an ideal base for exploring what locals call "Ohio's Little Smokies."
What campers like
Waterfront sites: Twin Knobs Recreation Area offers premium lakeside sites with unobstructed views. One camper shared, "We stayed in one of the 'premium' sites, right on the water F19. The view was incredible. The campground was quiet and the facilities clean. Perfect spot."
Family activities: Long's Retreat Family Resort provides multiple recreation options within the campground. A visitor explained, "Everyone always has such a great time and it is the highlight of all the kids summers. The kids can either swim up at the lake (with multiple water slides and a huge floating dock with diving board), the little kids can have fun in the splash pad right at the beach, go carts, rock wall climbing, basketball, arcade and so much more."
Privacy between sites: Zilpo Campground at Daniel Boone National Forest provides secluded camping spots with adequate separation. A camper remarked, "Great campground with a lot of privacy! Nice secluded area with a lot of privacy." Another stated it's "One of my wife and I favorite spot! Great campground with great views of lake and easy way to the beach."
What you should know
Cell service limitations: Shawnee State Park Campground has extremely limited cell coverage. A visitor advised, "There is absolutely no cell service in the Campground. The lodge at the top of the hill has a weak signal, but is better than nothing if you really need to check in with outside world."
Site levelness varies: A.J. Jolly Park & Campground sites can be challenging for larger RVs. One camper noted, "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."
Water and electric access: Several campgrounds require longer than standard hookup equipment. As one Carter Caves visitor mentioned, "The only issue was that some of the sites were around 50 ft from the electric hook up. Thankfully we were able to switch spots instead of renting an extension cord."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Rocky Fork State Park Campground offers family-friendly amenities. A visitor shared, "Great place to camp with children. Tons of things for them to do. Beach was clean and lake nice to swim and play in. Fishing was good."
Technology-free experience: Long's Retreat Family Resort promotes unplugged family time. A regular camper mentioned, "Best part is there is no phone service.....everyone has to actually spend time together and it's a great reset!"
Halloween festivities: Shawnee State Park hosts special seasonal events. One camper explained, "We were there on their Halloween weekend, with a fun site-decorating contest and trick or treat in the afternoon, which was mildly annoying for us because they closed the roads from 2 to 6."
Tips from RVers
Hookup placement: Outpost Campground & RV Park offers convenient pull-through sites with well-positioned utilities. An RVer noted, "The pull through sites were all flat and oriented well. We were fully set up in 15 mins."
Site selection for larger rigs: Carter Caves State Resort Park Campground requires careful site selection for bigger RVs. A camper advised, "Nice Campground, electric but no water at the sites. Lots of good tent or small camper spots, but be selective if you have a camper bigger than 25ft. I recommend site 82, 83, 85, or 78."
Seasonal accessibility: Most glamping accommodations near Maysville are available April through October, though some luxury sites offer year-round options. Many campgrounds with yurts close for winter, with Outpost Campground & RV Park being one of the few noting "All year" for their season.
