Discover the best forest campgrounds near Berea, Kentucky

United States
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Kentucky
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Berea

97% (2029 reviews)

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12 top forest campgrounds near Berea

95%

(620)

Rockcastle Riverside

50 sites · RVs, Tents200 acres · Livingston, KY

Started as a retirement experiment, Rockcastle Riverside is a story told of music and family. We have almost 200 acres of beautiful country surrounded by the Daniel Boone National Forest in Rockcastle County. With a mile of river to swim, kayak, and fish and enchanted forest trails to hike, climb, or play, we have all of the best Kentucky has to offer! We have more established sites with fire rings, or you can find a place off the beaten path for more privacy, if you choose. The riverside is perfect for hammock camping, too. We love music and often host bands on the weekends. We rent kayaks and canoes on site, as well. While there are almost 200 acres to escape into, on any fine night, the stage sits wit a drum kit and the will to make music within the Daniel Boone National Forest. Come play, come get away....we have it ALL! We have a little of something for everyone!

Camp Middle Fork

4 sites · Tents180 acres · Irvine, KY

Learn more about this land: Come stay at Middle Fork Camp: two acres of grass and eleven acres of wooded hillside overlooking a valley meadow in the Daniel Boone National Forest region. Just forty minutes from the Red River Gorge and past homesite of pioneer settlers, the property features an outdoor kitchen, potable spring water, an outdoor shower, WiFi, and 110V and RV-type electric outlets. There is a yoga deck, picnic table, and wood benches with stone ring fireplaces for your use. Help yourself to vegetables from the veggie patch in season! There are ample hiking and trail running opportunities from the site, starting right behind the (private) A-frame cabin, up and over the limestone cliffs or out the gravel road. I have established hiking/running trail loops to scenic points ranging from 1 - 15 miles in length and will be happy to provide detailed information, including GPS tracks upon request. Enjoy! Note: Camp Middle Fork is a true nature area: in season there are ticks, you may see a snake, and common to this region, there is poison ivy in the woods. If you are sensitive, dress accordingly.

HomeGrown HideAways

15 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents100 acres · Berea, KY

HomeGrown HideAways is a hundred-acre farm, lodging, and event facility in the Appalachian foothills near Berea, Ky. We're just 8 miles from the Berea College Pinnacles hiking trails, 8 miles to Owsley Fork Reservoir, 20 minutes to Anglin Falls, 12 miles to Berea, and 35 minutes to Richmond, Ky. For insurance purposes and the safety of our own livestock and pets, we do not allow guests to bring their pets onto the property. Prepare to UNPLUG as we do not have cell service or wifi (there IS a landline for guests to make phone calls located in the Community Farmhouse). Learn more about this land: HomeGrown HideAways is a privately-owned farm near the end of a curvy dead-end road. We have dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, and all the insects and wildlife you’d expect to find in the Appalachian foothills (please do not let your children chase the birds). We have a wide variety of lodging options scattered throughout our farm including treehouses, yurts, a bunkhouse, vintage campers, and campsites. (Please note, not all sites are available through Hipcamp at this time). All guests from tent to treehouse have access to our Community Farmhoues featuring a fully-stocked gourmet kitchen, restrooms, coin-op laundry, and upstairs multi-purpose room with a library and board games. There is also an outdoor kitchen area with additional cooking space including a grill, microwave, and sink (sink is closed in the winter so the pipes don’t freeze). Next to the Community Building is a massive pavilion with a dozen picnic tables, yard games, and firewood bundles to purchase. BRING CASH! Out on the grounds, we have a small playground, a couple disc golf baskets, communal bonfire area, seasonal bath house with 4 flush toilets and 2 showers. There is a steep and rugged 1.5 mile hiking loop and creeks to explore. CHECK-IN/CHECK-OUT: Guests can check in any time after 4pm, but we do recommend arriving before dark. Depending on our cleaning schedule, we may be able to accommodate an earlier arrival time with advance notice. Rentals are unlocked so guests can just follow the instructions sent with the check-in email to find their location and let themselves in. Check-out is at 10am so that we have time to clean the rental before the next guest arrives, but you can stay to explore the farm until 11 (late departure fee of $35 after 11am). Self-contained guests (tents, campers, RVs) may arrive at 3 and leave at 11. If something comes up and you need to leave before your scheduled check-out date, please do us the courtesy of sending a message once you have cell service so that we know not to expect you. UNPLUG AND RECONNECT: HomeGrown HideAways does not have cell service or wifi, but there is a landline in the Community Farmhouse for guests to use. We hope that you will take the opportunity to re-connect with nature, yourself, your family, and other guests. In addition to the shared kitchen space, we also have a pavilion with cornhole set up for rainy days, and a massive bonfire area where we encourage guests to pitch in on firewood to share stories and s’mores. Please note that quiet hours are from 10pm – 7am and sound carries far in the holler. SHARED BATH HOUSE: In addition to year-round outhouses, there is a seasonal BATH HOUSE with 4 flush toilets and 2 solar-heated showers. The bath house is rustic with a concrete floor so we recommend shower shoes or flip flops. Towels and toiletries are not provided, but we do have extra for purchase if you forget yours. COMMUNITY FARMHOUSE (open from 6am - 10pm): The farm has a brand new (2021), centrally-located, solar-powered, fully-stocked, chef-inspired KITCHEN with 4 ovens, 5-burner gas cooktop, microwave, refrigerator with farm-fresh eggs (when available), coffee-maker, toaster, dishes, cutlery, baking sheets, basic cooking supplies (oil, salt, pepper, etc), plus HomeGrown farm goods, s’more kits, and other goodies. BRING CASH for the honor system. Please remember that this space is available for ALL visitors of the farm so guests are expected to clean up after themselves and not to loiter when others are waiting. To prevent over-crowding, we ask that a maximum of TWO people from your group occupy the space at a time and children MUST be accompanied by a guardian at all times. Meals may be eaten at the picnic tables on the porch, under the pavilion, or you can take food back to your site. FOOD SCRAPS MUST BE PUT INTO THE COMPOST BIN – NOT IN THE TRASH. Please do not discard food on the ground as it can make our animals sick and attract unwanted wildlife. THE FARM: We are a farm in the mountains so we have all the good (beautiful views, babbling brook, hiking trails) and the bad (insects, howling coyotes, poison ivy) that nature has to offer so come prepared. We recommend hiking boots, bug spray, and weather-appropriate clothing. Be prepared to encounter INSECTS (mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers), WILDLIFE (deer, turkey, snakes, toads, and dare we mention the bear track we spotted one spring?), WEATHER (hot, cold, rain, snow), TOXIC PLANTS (poison ivy, stinging nettle, wild mushrooms), just to name a few. There is a steep and rugged 1.5-mile hiking loop that takes most folks about an hour (if they can get past the first 10-minute uphill climb). We also have playground swings, disc golf, hula hoops, a croquet set, and a creek full of geodes to hunt. Please do not leave any sticks, rocks, games, or other items in the grass where the mower might run over them. If you would like to take a souvenir rock home, please note that we limit this to ONE PER GUEST. CAMPFIRES: Most sites have their own fire pit except for the primitive camping area. There is also a large communal fire pit near the Community Kitchen. Due to the spread of invasive insects, we ask that you DO NOT BRING FIREWOOD unless it is store-bought/kiln dried. We have bundles for sale here for $5/bundle (bring cash) or you can scavenge dead wood from the forest floor for free. DO NOT “scavenge” wood we have already cut, DO NOT cut down live trees, and DO NOT burn plastic, glass, trash, gas, or anything that isn’t wood or paper. There are plenty of fire-starting materials under the Pavilion next to the bundles. On your way to the farm, you will pass the local fire department. Please make note of the fire danger sign. If the fire danger is high, a campfire may not be advisable – please check for local burn bans. SMOKING: Smoking is not permitted within the vicinity of any building on the farm. Please do not discard cigarette butts in the firepits or on the ground. They must be completely extinguished and can be thrown in the trash. TRASH: In case you missed it before, we do not have trash pick-up on the farm and very much appreciate it if you can take your trash with you when you leave the farm. We do have recycling bins for clean plastic and aluminum cans. Paper and cardboard can be put in the box next to the firewood bundles under the pavilion for others to use for starting fires. We also have a compost bin available for all food scraps, paper napkins, and paper plates. Please do not discard food on the ground as it can make our animals sick and attract unwanted wildlife. MOTORIZED VEHICLES: We do not allow ATVs, 4-wheelers, golf carts, or any non-medical motorized transportation. Bicycles are welcome and encouraged. GENERATORS: We highly discourage the use of generators as they can be quite noisy and produce toxic fumes. Please talk to us in advance if you require one for a specific purpose. ACCIDENTS: If a child or member of your party has an accident involving bodily fluids, please take the time to clean up after them. First aid kits are supplied in most rentals and in the Community Kitchen. If bedding is involved, we have coin-operated laundry facilities in the Community building to begin the washing process. Please notify us of such events. COOLERS & CANDLES: Coolers should be left outside so that the condensation doesn't damage our floors. Candles are not allowed due to too many wax spills. NEARBY: We are just 8 miles from the Berea Pinnacles, 6 miles from Get Outside Ky (they rent canoes, kayaks, SUPs, and e-bikes), 3 miles to Tater Knob Pottery, 20 minutes to Anglin Falls, and a scenic hour from Red River Gorge. Berea is known for its arts and crafts, the historic Berea College, and outdoor recreation. In addition to hiking at the Pinnacles, there are several other trails throughout town and the newly opened Silver Creek Bike Park. NOMS: Our favorite places to eat in Berea are Native Bagel Company, Nightjar, Peg& Awl Public House, Bert's SpeakCheezy, Apollo Pizza, PapaLeno’s, and El Rio Grande. In Richmond, we like Masala Indian, Purdy’s Coffee Co., and Thai Smile. Note: Madison County is DRY, Berea is MOIST, and Richmond is WET so plan your alcohol accordingly. UPDATE: Madison County is now wet and we have our liquor license plus a small selection of LOCAL beer, wine, and canned cocktails. ACTIVITIES: We highly encourage guests to check out the Berea Tourism website for all kinds of classes, workshops, concerts, art demonstrations, guided hikes, and other events. Some of our favorite places are Rebel Rebel Studio & Lounge, the Berea Makerspace, Berea Arts Council, and the Berea College Forestry Outreach Center. Need more info? HomeGrown HideAways has a website, facebook page, and instagram so give us a look!

Kinner Kampground

7 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents10 acres · Winchester, KY

We fell in love with the views and roaring of an occasional train on our farm. We wanted to share our slice of heaven with others. With this campground, we can offer camping in our themed campers or primitive camping with your tent. Come stay with us or even host your family reunions/Birthday party/weddings with us. We promise you won't be disappointed and you will come back year after year!

Serenity Camp

26 sites · RVs, Tents175 acres · Beattyville, KY

I moved back here a few years ago to my home place where I grew up. To me it is the most relaxing thing I can do to just sit by a bonfire and look at the view.

Plantasia Homestead at Anglin Falls

1 site · RV, Tent35 acres · Mount Vernon, KY

Our property, Plantasia, is thirty-five acres of hardwood forest, lined with limestone boulders and sandstone cliffs, the occasional old growth tree, and mineral springs pouring out pure delicious water. The rest of the property is an old Appalachian homestead, featuring organic gardens and orchards, two farm cats and one farm dog, bee hives, and a flock of domestic ducks. The stewards are Phil, Sacha, and two year-old Aurora. We are particularly keen to welcoming other families and/or folks who live in relative sobriety. The springs feed into creeks which criss-cross the wildflower meadow, creating spaces to splash and explore with the minnows, crawdads, frogs, snakes, and whoever else you might find. To the interest of fossil hunters and rock hounds, the creeks are packed with geodes, agates, and relics of an age when Plantasia was the ocean floor (~250 million years ago). Down the road, the trailhead of one of Kentucky's greatest waterfalls, Anglin Falls, is within walking distance (though you can also drive there and park). Plantasia is also a short drive from Berea, the folk art capital of Kentucky, which features plenty of local shops and restaurants, as well as some beautiful trails on the outskirts of town (Brushy Fork for a relaxing stroll, or the Pinnacles for a big majestic hike).

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Savvy Retreat

2 sites · RVs3 acres · Berea, KY

Peaceful and private camping spot with a 50 foot Pavilion to park a camper or pitch a few tents under to enjoy the beauty of the nature surrounding you. 25 minutes from the historic downtown of Berea and the Pinnacle Trails. 30 minutes from Flat Lick Falls Recreational Area & Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail. Down the road from Rock Lick that gives you access to four wheeling trails. Very pet friendly. Come enjoy the beauty that our small town has to offer, surrounded by the Daniel Boone National Forrest.

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The Kilns @ The Red River Gorge

5 sites · RVs, Tents5 acres · Campton, KY

Located 1 mile from the Red River Gorge in Pine Ridge KY between Mt. Parkway Exit 40 East and Exit 40 West and 8 miles to Natural Bridge State Park. The Kilns provides an area for rest and relaxation for those wanting to camp. while enjoying the outdoors. The KILNS got its name from large charcoal kilns that was a thriving family business in the late 50's early 60's. Although they are no longer in functioning, they are part of our history. The camping area is nestled on a small family farm with 5 acres designated for PRIMATIVE Tent or Van Camping. The property is surrounded by beautiful woodlands and a lush green field, freshly manicured. It is easy access to Red River Gorge, Local Restaurants, General Stores all while secluded from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Come relax and enjoy, we look forward to seeing you! Here are the coordinates: the maps sometimes take you to Campton, but the coordinates are accurate. Address: 300 Johnson Ln. Campton, KY 41301 Coordinates: 37.75254° N, 83.60836° W

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The Harrican Lakehouse

2 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents200 acres · KY

There is a lot of history in this land. It's been in my family for over a hundred years. They worked the land with their hands and so have I. It's a special place. Come see for your yourself and be our guest at The Harrican! Learn more about this land: Unplug and unwind at this two story cabin built right on the water in the heart of the Kentucky Wildlands! Even though there is complete peaceful seclusion it does get a little noisy when the bullfrogs start their evening ritual. There is a dock and pier perfect for fishing or swimming. Firepit, grill with gas provided, two boats, fishing poles, lots of seating on the wrap around porch, two bedrooms; one with a queen bed and the other with two twin beds and just lots of natural beauty and peace! The BIG update everyone has been waiting for; the plumbing and electricity are now complete! We have all the ammenities to make your stay comfoetable and relaxing! Early and late check in and check out options available when availability exists the day before or after your booked stay. Thank you for interest in the Harrican Lakehouse!

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Off grid hillside Cabin

1 site · Lodging20 acres · Irvine, KY

Beautiful off grid cabin perched on a hillside above an old tobacco farm. Incredibly quiet, peaceful location close to many trails & half-way between Berea and Irvine. This cabin is off grid and has no running water or internet connectivity. There's an outhouse with RV toilet and you may have cell phone service but you'll be better off if you expect you won't. There are solar lights and a fan, plus moderate power available when the sun's been out. Not much traffic but the darn owls can be loud.

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Nocoma’s Pass

6 sites · RVs, Tents50 acres · Ravenna, KY

We searched all over for a piece of property in the mountains of Kentucky! We fell in love with our 50 acres nestled in between 3 mountains. With waterfalls a cave 2 streams beautiful star filled nights tucked away in the middle of a wooded utopia! Totally away from the modern world but close enough to be there in 30 minutes!

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Boone Valley Campground

50 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents30 acres · Beattyville, KY

Boone Valley Campground is a family owned and operated business that offers 30 acres of primitive, RV, and Van camping. Conveniently located only 1 mile away from the Pendergrass Murray Recreational Preserve, 7 miles from the Miller Fork Recreational Preserve, and 15 miles from the Natural Bridge State Resort Park and Red River Gorge Area. Boone Valley is perfect for outdoor adventurers and families who want to spend and enjoyable weekend in nature. Enjoy local events! Boone Valley is located 5 miles from downtown Beattyville, KY. Camp with us on weekends of local festivals such as the Bourbon and Moonshine Festival and the Woolly Worm Festival. Onsite enjoy weekend live music, bonfires, and home cooking from the Boone Valley Kitchen.

Nearby parks

Explore the area’s public lands.

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Daniel Boone National Forest

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Natural Bridge State Resort Park

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Fort Boonesborough State Park

Forest camping near Berea guide

Overview

Welcome to Hipcamp, the go-to website for all your camping needs! With over 1500 options available near Berea, Kentucky, specifically in the forest terrain, you're sure to find the perfect camping spot for your outdoor adventure. Looking for some top-rated campsites? Check out Hidden Lake Farm (359 reviews), Patrick's Point River Camp (263 reviews), and Rockcastle Riverside (225 reviews) for some highly recommended options. And with popular amenities like campfires, pet-friendly sites, and showers, and activities such as biking, fishing, and surfing, you'll have everything you need for a memorable camping experience. So pack your gear and get ready to explore the great outdoors!