Public land camping
Camping in Kentucky
41 federal places to camp in Kentucky, from Forest Service, National Park Service and Army Corps of Engineers, on the land they sit on.
- 41
- federal places to camp
- 8 Forest Service, 6 National Park Service, 27 Army Corps of Engineers
- 2,598
- campsites you can book ahead
- At the 38 places that take reservations on Recreation.gov. The rest are first come or not listed there
- 1,301 ft
- the highest you can drive to
- Bear Creek Campground - KY
- 23
- counties with federal camping
- 36 gateway towns, each with three or more within 30 miles
The Kentucky campground map
Select a pin for its elevation, its sites and its page. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see how you get there, and use the finder for a campground, a town or a peak.
Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.
Map layers
Legend
Federal land, by managing agency
Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
US Forest Service (USFS)
National Park Service (NPS)
US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
Department Of Defense (DOD)
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
Other Federal
State
Local
Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
Alaska Native Allotment
Federal campgrounds, by agency
- Forest Service
- Bureau of Land Management
- National Park Service
- Army Corps of Engineers
- Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others
State and local land (USGS PAD-US)
- State land
- County and city land
- Regional agency or district
- Land trust or conservancy
BLM roads and trails
Roads Managed for Public Motorized Use
Road
Primitive Road
Roads Managed for Limited Public Motorized Use
Road
Primitive Road
Trails Managed for Public Motorized Use
Trail
Trails Managed for Limited Public Motorized Use
- Trail
Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use Map
Roads
Roads open to all Vehicles, Yearlong
Roads open to all Vehicles, Seasonal
Roads open to highway legal vehicles only, Yearlong
Roads open to highway legal vehicles only, Seasonal
Special Designation, Yearlong
Special Designation, Seasonal
Trails
Trails open to all vehicles, Yearlong
Trails open to all vehicles, Seasonal
Trails open to vehicles 50" or less in width, Yearlong
Trails open to vehicles 50" or less in width, Seasonal
Trails open to motorcycles, Yearlong
Trails open to motorcycles, Seasonal- Special Designation, Yearlong
Special Designation, Seasonal
Trails Open to Wheeled Vehicles Only < 50" in Width, Yearlong
Trails Open to Wheeled Vehicles Only < 50" or Less in Width, Seasonal
BLM Wilderness
Wilderness Area
Wilderness Study Area
BLM recreation sites
- Camping
- OHV area
- Trailhead
Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.
Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.
Select any point to see who manages the land.
The map could not start in this browser.
It needs WebGL, which is turned off or unavailable here. You can still browse public land by state, or use the BLM’s own maps.
Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.
Camping near a town
- Albany
- Booneville
- Brownsville
- Buckhorn
- Burnside
- Cadiz
- Campbellsville
- Campton
- Caneyville
- Cave City
- Clarkson
- Columbia
- Corbin
- Eddyville
- Ferguson
- Fordsville
- Frenchburg
- Glasgow
- Grand Rivers
- Greensburg
- Hardinsburg
- Hindman
- Hyden
- Jamestown
- Kuttawa
- Lakeview Heights
- Leitchfield
- London
- Monticello
- Park City
- Salt Lick
- Scottsville
- Smiths Grove
- Somerset
- Vicco
- Williamsburg
No town by that name has three federal campgrounds within 30 miles. Try the county list below.
Every federal campground in Kentucky
41 places
- Alum Ford Campground Park Service · Big South Fork National River · McCreary County 709 ftelevation 6sites n/alongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Axtel Army Corps · Rough River Lake · Breckinridge County 523 ftelevation 153sites 80 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Baileys Point Army Corps · Barren River Lake · Allen County 550 ftelevation 215sites 79 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Bear Creek Campground - KY Park Service · Big South Fork National River · McCreary County 1,301 ftelevation 22sites 75 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Blue Heron Campground Park Service · Big South Fork National River · McCreary County 1,276 ftelevation 45sites 61 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Boat Gunnel Group Campground group campground Forest Service · Daniel Boone National Forest · Rowan County 743 ftelevation 1site n/alongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Buckhorn Campground Army Corps · Buckhorn Lake · Perry County 1,018 ftelevation 35sites 55 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Canal Army Corps · Barkley Lake · Lyon County 411 ftelevation 115sites 69 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Cave Creek Army Corps · Rough River Lake · Grayson County 592 ftelevation 63sites 80 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Confluence Recreation Area group campground Army Corps · Buckhorn Lake · Perry County n/aelevation 1site n/alongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Craigs Creek Group Area group campground Forest Service · Daniel Boone National Forest · Laurel County 1,061 ftelevation 3sites 20 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Cumberland Point Campground Army Corps · Lake Cumberland · Wayne County 751 ftelevation 30sites 68 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Dog Creek Army Corps · Nolin River Lake · Hart County 537 ftelevation 68sites 80 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Eureka Army Corps · Barkley Lake · Lyon County 434 ftelevation 26sites 68 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Fall Creek Campground Army Corps · Lake Cumberland · Wayne County 954 ftelevation 10sites 61 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Fishing Creek Campground Army Corps · Lake Cumberland · Pulaski County 740 ftelevation 46sites 59 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- German Campground Army Corps · Dewey Lake · Floyd County 741 ftelevation n/asites n/alongest rig First comeor not listed
- Grove Forest Service · Daniel Boone National Forest · Whitley County 1,166 ftelevation 54sites 50 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Holly Bay Forest Service · Daniel Boone National Forest · Laurel County 1,086 ftelevation 70sites 50 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Holmes Bend Army Corps · Green River Lake · Adair County 846 ftelevation 125sites 80 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Houchin Ferry Campground Park Service · Mammoth Cave National Park · Edmonson County n/aelevation 12sites 30 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Hurricane Creek Army Corps · Barkley Lake · Trigg County 381 ftelevation 51sites 78 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Kendall Campground Army Corps · Lake Cumberland · Russell County 603 ftelevation 113sites 80 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Koomer Ridge Campground Forest Service · Daniel Boone National Forest · Wolfe County 1,255 ftelevation 52sites n/alongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Laurel Branch Army Corps · Rough River Lake · Breckinridge County 565 ftelevation 61sites 70 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Leatherwood Recreation Area group campground Army Corps · Buckhorn Lake · Perry County n/aelevation 1site n/alongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Littcarr Campground Army Corps · Carr Creek Lake · Knott County 1,044 ftelevation 45sites 54 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Mammoth Cave Campground Park Service · Mammoth Cave National Park · Edmonson County 580 ftelevation 108sites 40 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Maple Springs Park Service · Mammoth Cave National Park · Edmonson County 773 ftelevation 7sites 50 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Moutardier Army Corps · Nolin River Lake · Edmonson County 631 ftelevation 164sites 80 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- North Fork Army Corps · Rough River Lake · Breckinridge County 555 ftelevation 79sites 80 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Pikes Ridge Army Corps · Green River Lake · Taylor County 709 ftelevation 60sites 80 ftlongest rig First comeor not listed
- S-Tree Campground Forest Service · Daniel Boone National Forest · Laurel County n/aelevation 20sites n/alongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Smith Ridge Army Corps · Green River Lake · Taylor County 831 ftelevation 79sites 80 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Tailwater Army Corps · Barren River Lake · Allen County 489 ftelevation 49sites 80 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- The Narrows Army Corps · Barren River Lake · Barren County 611 ftelevation 90sites 80 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Trace Branch Campground Army Corps · Buckhorn Lake · Leslie County 1,051 ftelevation 28sites 55 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Twin Knobs Campground Forest Service · Daniel Boone National Forest · Rowan County 800 ftelevation 200sites 70 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Waitsboro Campground Army Corps · Lake Cumberland · Pulaski County 735 ftelevation 21sites 70 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
- Wax Army Corps · Nolin River Lake · Grayson County 525 ftelevation 107sites 80 ftlongest rig First comeor not listed
- Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For. Forest Service · Daniel Boone National Forest · Bath County 800 ftelevation 163sites 65 ftlongest rig ReserveRecreation.gov
Nothing matches those filters. Clear one and try again.
Camping rules worth knowing in Kentucky
- Every camp at Mammoth Cave needs a permit
- All camping in the park requires a permit. Mammoth Cave Campground has 111 sites with a 38-foot RV limit, open 1 March to 30 November; Maple Springs has seven group sites with a 40-foot limit; Houchin Ferry has 12 tent-only sites year round and takes no RVs or trailers. Green River Ferry runs 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central, closes on fluctuating water levels, and takes vehicles up to 12 tons and 16 feet. Source 38
- Five developed campgrounds, and no outside firewood
- Big South Fork runs five developed campgrounds, with Blue Heron the developed one on the Kentucky side and Alum Ford primitive. Firewood brought in from outside the park is prohibited, which is standard across the region and enforced. Source 43
- During fire season, no burning within 150 feet of woodland
- The Division of Forestry states that during fire seasons it is illegal to burn anything within 150 feet of any woodland or brushland between the hours the statute sets, and that burning garbage or anything other than natural plant matter is illegal at any time. Local fire departments and counties set further restrictions on top. The statute is KRS 149.400. Source 54
- Dispersed camping: 14 days, and stay off the cliffs
- The Daniel Boone allows a consecutive 14 days or less in any 30-day period. Camping is prohibited within 100 feet of the base of any cliff or the back of any rock shelter, within 300 feet of any developed road or trail in the Red River Gorge including Tunnel Ridge Road and its parking lots, and within 300 feet of the water’s edge or of any road or trail leading to it at Cave Run Lake, Laurel River Lake or Lake Cumberland. Someone must be present the first night, and gear cannot be left unattended for more than 24 hours. Source 12
- Fire hazard seasons are dated, and they are the law
- Kentucky sets two forest fire hazard seasons each year: February 15 to April 30 and October 1 to December 15. During both it is illegal to burn anything within 150 feet of any woodland or brushland between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., and it is illegal at any time to burn garbage or anything other than natural plant matter such as brush and woody debris. The Division of Forestry enforces this and directs travellers to check local fire department and county restrictions as well. At Land Between the Lakes all campfires must be contained in fire rings, and they are prohibited outside designated camping areas in Turkey Bay. Source 53
By county
- Adair County
- Allen County
- Barren County
- Bath County
- Breckinridge County
- Edmonson County
- Floyd County
- Grayson County
- Hart County
- Knott County
- Laurel County
- Leslie County
- Lyon County
- McCreary County
- Perry County
- Pulaski County
- Rowan County
- Russell County
- Taylor County
- Trigg County
- Wayne County
- Whitley County
- Wolfe County
Campground records: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), read September 19, 2026. Elevations: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Fees, seasons and limits change; confirm with the managing office before you go.