Our Kentucky camping was part of a larger, monthlong trip that began with a plan for the NuCamp Rally in Ohio. NuCamp is the company that produces our T@G camper and also a larger model we are considering. We chose a path to Ohio and beyond to see previously unseen states. The link to the plan for our overall trip is below.
Summer Camping, Planning a Long Summer Trip
This was our first time to camp, or really spend any sort of time, in Kentucky. We had three quite different stops. First, we stayed at Holly Bay, a National Forest campground with full amenities. Next, we parked our camper in Versailles and spent a couple of nights in our cousin’s home. Lastly, on our way back home, we visited Mammoth Cave National Park, where we camped without electricity. There was definitely a wide range of amenities.
Kentucky Camping, Holly Bay Campground
Holly Bay was our first experience with Kentucky Camping and our first time to camp in a National Forest. Our site, D03, was extremely large and well-shaded. I was concerned that we would roast considering it was July and still very much the South. Thankfully, the immense shade provided by the forest greatly reduced the heat. We did not bother with our side tent as our site was not very hot and the restroom was close.
Laurel River Lake surrounds the campground. We spoke to several campers from nearby areas who were there with their boats. The water is very clear. We took the small hike to the waterside, but did not go swimming. It was so pleasant in the campground that we spent a good bit of time just hanging out there and talking with our camping neighbors.
Cumberland Falls
However, we did leave camp the next day to visit nearby Cumberland Falls State Park. We were there for lunch at the Riverview Restaurant and particularly to visit the Falls.
We have not yet visited Niagara Falls, which I am sure is very grand. But, frankly, the waterfalls we have seen on our past travels have been sadly lacking in the water part of the description. Not so, however, for Cumberland Waterfall! It is 68’ high and has been called the Niagara of the South. It is the only place in the Western Hemisphere to have a regularly visible moonbow. There is a schedule for when the moonbow occurs, but unfortunately, it was not visible during our stay.
We viewed the waterfall from several lookouts and it was incredible! I particularly liked the lower lookout. You could clearly see the the mist rising from the falls and feel it on your face. Invigorating, to say the least!
The Wilderness Restaurant within the park served a dish we have never encountered, Kentucky Hot Brown, which was quite good.
Visiting Family
Stop number two was not Kentucky Camping at all. We stayed a couple of nights in Versailles, Kentucky, to visit cousins.
The countryside around Versailles is beautiful! Green rolling hills with spectacular-looking horses and stately homes nestled behind immaculate fences are abundant in the area. Justifify, the winner of the 2018 Triple Crown, hailed from one of the horse farms in the area.
While visiting, we parked our camper in our cousins (Jamie and Ellen’s) driveway. We enjoyed their hospitality and guest room during our stay.
Camper Considerations
Our Norcold cooler was packed with food, so we hooked up to their 110 using an adapter. It is important to remember when parking a camper with a cooler that is on for an extended period of time to hook it to a power source. This is because the Norcold will eventually drain the battery. It is my understanding that it is very damaging for batteries to be fully drained. Also, it is important to remove the 7-pin adapter from the tow vehicle so it will not drain its battery.
Family Time
Our time spent with family was great—we loved hanging out with our cousins and seeing their home and the area in which they live.
They provided us with a couple of home-cooked meals during our stay, which was very nice. Also, I had a delicious lunch at Glitz, a local restaurant, with Ellen. It is located in a store/antique shop that was fun to browse as well.
Woodford Distillery
We all took a tour of nearby Woodford Distillery, which produces the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby. The tour was quite interesting and featured a tasting of two bourbons and a bourbon chocolate candy at the end of the tour. Yum! I bought a bottle of a special production of their double oaked Rye to take to the rally in Ohio.
We headed to Ohio next and then Michigan and Indiana. However, our last site on the way home was also Kentucky camping.
Kentucky Camping, Mammoth Cave Campground
Our last opportunity for Kentucky camping was at Mommoth Cave National Park. We had booked Site # 11 at Mammoth Cave Campground. This was our first time to actually camp inside one of the National Parks. Our site was only $10 a night with the Senior Pass. However, the showers are provided by a vendor and there is a $1.50 additional charge for them.
The sites do not have electricity and we were there for two nights (Yikes!), so it was a real test of our new solar panels. There is a separate post that includes what we learned on this trip about using solar panels. It was not a rousing success!
Site #11 was large with an asphalt pull through, which was perfect for us. It had a lot of shade, but also some sunlight for the solar panels. Another plus, it was right across the street from the air-conditioned restroom, which appears new and is immaculately maintained. Truly, this was the nicest and cleanest restroom of all the sites on our trip!
We were concerned that we would be miserable camping this far south in August. However, it was reasonably comfortable sitting in the shade. Sleeping was more difficult because we are accustomed to sleeping in a cool environment. When camping, we usually have the fan or air conditioner running. It took some time to get to sleep, but it was nice to be sleeping with just the sound of the crickets. I feel this is the closest we have been to real camping since we began. My big guy did not love it though.
The Cave Tour
We had the 8:30 Frozen Niagara tour the next day. It lasted about 90 minutes and was quite nice. It includes some of the more spectacular parts of the caverns, but is considered a relatively easy hike.
We learned that Mammoth is over 400 miles long and is the longest cave in the world. It is about twice as long as the second longest.
It was distressing to learn that Mammoth has lost approximately 80% of its bat population to a fungus called white nose syndrome that is present in caves in the eastern United States and Canada. The disease has been associated with the death of 5.5 million bats and there is currently no known cure. This is very disturbing as bats devour insects that are harmful to agriculture. After all tours, everyone must walk through sudsy biosecurity mats to remove spores and dirt from their shoes to prevent spreading the fungus to other caves.
Currently, the Cave has bats, crickets that do not chirp, and unique blind creatures far below that have no eyes. We only saw crickets on our tour.
National Park Land
The land for the park was purchased from farmers in the 1930s and the Civilian Corps planted miles and miles of trees and laid out the road for the park. Prior to that, the park was not forested at all.
Many of the people on the land lived and died on what is now park property. A church and graveyard still exists with headstones that indicate people who were born in the early 1800s, along with some much later dates.
Exploring the Park
We also took a scenic drive through the park and saw a cool place, Dennison’s Ferry, where rental canoes are put into the water. A young couple was leaving for an overnight trip in which they would camp on an island on the river. Very daring and cool!
We never left the National Park during our stay and had meals the full day that we were there at the Lodge. It was not the greatest, but it was okay and very convenient. We were enjoying the park and also babysitting our solar panels.
Our evening ended with a ranger presentation at the Amphitheater. It was a presentation about the land above the caves and the abundance of wildlife. The morning that we left to return home, we saw a doe and her fawn on the road about twenty feet away. They allowed me to get fairly close. It was a great way to end our time in the park.
We survived two days without electrical hookups. I’m proud of us!
One Last Stop
Bowling Green was on our path home, so we stopped at the Corvette Museum. My big guy really enjoyed it and is posing below with his favorite car.
We thoroughly enjoyed Kentucky camping! It is a beautiful state with friendly people. We hope to return someday.
