While Kentucky Camp Company, the new camping planning and equipment rental company featured in this issue, only offers set-up at Cave Run Lake at this time, there are plenty more great places to camp within a two-hour drive from Lexington. Here are a few of our favorites.
Note: We intend this guide to be just a starting point to planning an overnight trip in the woods. Many campsites have additional regulations related to COVID-19, and most have some kind of fee. Please be sure to confirm all the details with the campsite before heading out on your adventure!
HomeGrown Hideaways
Drive time from Lexington: A little over an hour • www.homegrownhideaways.org • (859) 986-3478
Whether you are seeking a quiet, romantic getaway or a relaxing or enlightening experience with family or friends, Homegrown Hideaways, nestled in the beautiful Red Lick Valley near Berea, offers a tranquil destination free from modern distractions like cell service or internet (a landline is available for emergency use). Owners Jessa and Nathan Turner have painstakingly evolved their lovely, 100-acre property into a hospitable and eclectic respite for hiking, creek-splashing and relaxing for guests looking for a unique, off-the-grid-style experience.
Guests can choose from a variety of lodging options, including primitive tent camping, or “glamping” in a tipi, treehouse, furnished yurt and more. RV hook-ups are also available. Several sites have private outhouses, but all guests have access to a communal bath house with showers, as well as a communal kitchen that’s slated for renovation and upgrade this winter. Packages are also available to accommodate larger groups up to 20. The farm is remodeling its event center, with plans to return to hosting workshops, classes, live music, weddings and other events when the facility reopens this spring.
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Hidden Ridge Camping at Lake Cumberland
Distance from Lexington: A little under 2 hours • www.hiddenridgecamping.com • (859) 428-8667
Hidden Ridge is a relatively new woodsy retreat backing up to the shoreline of Kentucky’s Lake Cumberland. The secluded 53-acre site is owned and overseen by John and Ginger Smithwick, who are known locally by many as the hosts of Lexington’s Raven House Living Room Shows. (They have also hosted a handful of live music events at Hidden Ridge, though this year’s events were unfortunately canceled due to COVID-19.)
Hidden Ridge features a variety of lodging options, including four primitive tent camping spots and more than 23 RV hook-ups (annual RV leasing is also available). Recently, the venue has expanded to include the addition of a handful of “glamping” options, including two safari-style tents — each featuring a queen bed, electricity, private fire pit and a small deck with rocking chairs — and a bell-style tent with two single cots on an elevated platform. A fully equipped house, called The Lodge, sleeps up to 16 guests and is available to rent via the Hidden Ridge Camping website or AirBnB. A new “yome” (a yurt-style dome) is in the works, and expected to be ready to rent by mid-September.
All guests have access to a community shelter on-site, which features running water, electricity, a refrigerator, charcoal grill, toaster and coffeemaker and porta potty. Guests also have access to a full indoor bathroom located near The Lodge, a short walk from the sites. On-site hiking trails are open to guests, with access to a natural spring, creeks, a waterfall and Lake Cumberland.
Red River Gorge
Drive time from Lexington: Approximately 75 minutes • www.redrivergorge.com • (606) 663-8100
The Red River Gorge is one of the most popular outdoor destinations in the region, and for good reason: Located about 60 miles east of Lexington, this unique scenic area within the Daniel Boone National Forest is bursting with unique geological features. It is relatively easy to access, and offers a variety of hiking trails, camping spots and adventure options for nature-seekers of all types, from casual hikers to adrenaline-seeking rock climbers.
The 29,000 acres of the Red River Gorge — commonly referred to as “The Gorge” — offers over 30 different official trailheads, with hiking and climbing options in a wide range of lengths and difficulties. If you’re looking to turn your visit into a weekend-long nature excursion, The Gorge offers a variety of camping options, a handful of which we’ve outlined below. The area also features several privately owned campsites, which you can easily find by searching online.
Koomer Ridge is a popular, semi-primitive campsite overseen by the U.S. Forest Service that offers the best of both worlds: a shaded, forested setting with basic creature comforts such as restrooms, showers and potable water. The only developed campground near the Gorge within a natural forested setting, Koomer Ridge features 54 tent sites and 14 primitive RV sites, all of which are “first come first served” (be aware there are no water or electric hook-ups and no dump station).
If you’re looking for a more “backcountry” experience, which requires more planning and careful packing, dispersed camping within the Gorge is typically permitted so long as campers follow specific guidelines, such as no camping within 300 feet of streams, trails, roads and parking lots; practicing proper food-storage techniques; and other Leave No Trace principles. Auxier Ridge, Silvermine Trail and Swift Camp Creek are a few popular trails/areas that feature good backcountry camping options for backpackers, but the route options for backcountry camping are numerous. Permits must be obtained in advance for all dispersed camping, and it’s important to plan your route very carefully and to be sure you are knowledgeable about the location of water sources, etc.
Big South Fork
Drive time from Lexington: Approximately 2.5 hours • www.nps.gov/biso • (423) 569-9778
Big South Fork is a hidden treasure located in southeastern Kentucky and north central Tennessee. This historic mining community features a scenic railway that traverses some of the most rugged terrain of the Cumberland Plateau. Visitors can enjoy approximately 125,000 acres of rocky gorges and forested areas adjacent to the Cumberland River. This unique area offers five developed campgrounds to experience a custom getaway adventure. While the visitor’s center is currently closed to in-person traffic due to the pandemic, exploring the natural features and campsites in this beautiful area is not off limits.
Blue Heron is a spacious campsite in the Kentucky portion of Big South Fork that offers a total of 45 sites, all featuring water and electric hook-ups, picnic tables, fire rings, restroom facilities and a dump station. Sites are available via reservations between April and October, and are also available on a “first come, first serve” basis. Fifteen miles down the road in Oneida, Tennessee, Bandy Creek offers similar amenities among its 181 campsites.
Alum Ford offers a more primitive experience, featuring six sites with picnic table and fire rings. Only pit toilets are available, and the site does not feature accessible drinking water. The popular Sheltowee National Recreation Trail also passes through this site.
Big South Fork also offers two well-maintained and highly developed equestrian campgrounds, Bear Creek (KY) and Station Camp (TN). Both sites offer modern needs for water, electricity, tables, grills, tie-outs for horses, restrooms, dump stations, horse trails and wi-fi.
A friendly caution that no outside wood should brought into the sites due to non-native insects that can be transported on firewood. Proper food storage is recommended for all sites, as Big South Fork is a residence for black bears. Reservations for sites can be made through National Recreation Reservation Service by calling 1-877-444-6777, or online at t www.recreation.gov.