If you're heading up to Cave Run Lake in Kentucky for some RV camping, you'll be motoring into the wilderness of Daniel Boone country. The eight-thousand-acre lake is hidden away in the northern section of the Daniel Boone National Forest and miles from the nearest urbanization. The incredibly scenic lake was formed when the US Army COE dammed the Licking River for assisting flood prevention in the Licking River Valley area.
Cave Run Lake is a wonderful place to escape to and surrounded as it is by forest, there are endless outdoor activities to enjoy. There are three COE campgrounds at Cave Run Lake. One, the Cave Run Dam Tailwater is day-use only. If you want to spend a few nights among the trees, you'll find RV pitches at the Zilpo and Twin Knobs campgrounds.
Cave Run Lake is a fantastic area for hiking - both pedestrian and equestrian - hunting, and fishing. It's popular for all types of water sport including windsurfing, water skiing, and sailing plus there are some great trails for off-roading. If you want to rappel down cliff faces, you can do that too in the Red River Gorge Geological Area. Expect an adventurous trip because whatever you do while RV camping at Cave Run Lake, guaranteed it'll be just as legendary as the great explorer himself.
If you're arriving at Cave Run Lake from the west of the state, once you've passed through Lexington, you'll have a relatively straight run along the I 64 until you're almost on the boundaries of the forest. Just make sure when you hit the I64 you're heading east or you could end up in Indiana and find yourself in the Hoosier National Forest instead.
If you're going to the Zilpo campround, you'll need to take the turning for the I 60 to get to Polksville then head for the small town of Salt Lick and pick up Route 211. Be prepared for about four miles of twisting roads until you come across the sign for the Forest Recreation Area. The curves continue for another eleven miles as you wind your way along Clear Creek Road and FR 918. It might take a while but it'll be worth it when you get there.
If you're pitching camp at the Twin Knobs, you'll have an easier drive. The campground is on the northern edge of the lake just off the I 64 and eight miles along SR 801. If you're coming from the south of the state, you'll find the I 75 will get you to Lexington. From the east, it's I 64 all the way. Both campgrounds are serviced by well-maintained forest roads and you'll have no trouble negotiating them in your RV.
There are almost one hundred and fifty campsites for RVs and trailers at the Zilpo campground at Cave Run Lake. They're secluded and very private pitches, well-separated by dense trees. The RV campsites at Zilpo have electric hook-ups for which there is a daily charge of $5. It's an extra expense that's well worth it to park at a site with a lake view. Picnic tables and fire rings are also provided. Zilpo caters for RVs up to forty feet. If yours is longer check out the Twin Knobs Campground which has pitches with no length limit. Zilpo is a favorite campground for families visiting Cave Run Lake. The youngsters love climbing up the nearby Tater Knob fire tower and seeing the forest from high up. There's also a small beach where they can go to swim. The campground facilities are good for families too. There are several blocks of showers and toilets distributed throughout the campground, spigots for drinking water, dump stations and a boat ramp.
The Twin Knobs Campground at Cave Run Lake is the one to go to if you have a big rig. Many, though not all, of the two-hundred plus RV campsites at Twin Knobs have no maximum RV and trailer length restrictions. If you decide on a springtime spur of the moment camping trip to Cave Run Lake, you'll find Twin Knobs has the first-come-first-served period from mid-March until early April.
All of the RV campsites at Twin Knobs are paved, have picnic tables, fire rings, and grills. Some have electric hook-ups, and others don't. The on-site amenities include water, sewage, and electric hook-ups. For recreation, there are courts for volleyball and basketball as well as access from the campground to two short walking trails.
There's often a prevailing wind at Cave Run Lake, and that makes it a popular spot for sailing. There are boat ramps at both of the campgrounds as well as ten more at various locations around the lake's perimeter. The wide-open expanse of the lake is a big draw for windsurfers and water skiers too, and even if you don't participate in either sport, they're fascinating to watch as they skim across the reservoir.
Many fishermen flock to Cave Run Lake to troll for muskie. The fish, a sharp-toothed native of North America, inhabits the lake in decent numbers but is by no means an easy catch. The fact they're a challenge to catch doesn't stop the anglers attempting to hook them. You never know, the fish you reel in on your RV break in Cave Run Lake could be the next state record-breaker. The biggest muskie ever caught in Kentucky was caught at Cave Run Lake and weighed in at a hefty forty-seven pounds.
The areas of the Daniel Boone National Forest around Cave Run Lake are well-populated with many different species of game. There are five distinct wildlife management areas where hunters are permitted to practice their sport, and those are governed by the hunting rules and regulations of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Turkey, elk, deer, quail, and rabbit are typical quarry. If you need to check your sights are correctly lined before going hunting, you can do that at one of four different shooting ranges at the lake.
If you're the owner of an OHV, Cave Run Lake is an excellent place to head to in your RV. You'll find over one-hundred and fifty miles of tracks and trails running through the forest where you can go off-roading. Two of the best are the Redbird Crest and White Sulphur OHV Trail. A fee for each vehicle is payable before hitting the tracks, and the permit must be displayed while you're out on the trails.
While zoos serve a purpose, if you're an animal lover, there's nothing more exciting than seeing creatures in their natural habitat. Cave Run Lake is the perfect place to hunker down, get out your binoculars and see the birds and mammals of the forest going about their daily business. In the Cumberland, Stearns and Redbird wildlife management districts you're almost guaranteed to spot bears or elk on the ground and eagles and falcons if you look up.
Taking a slow drive through the beautiful countryside can often be just as relaxing as taking a quiet picnic under the trees. From Cave Run Lake you can access over six hundred miles of roads including several designated scenic byways. Fall is a great time for a drive along the Zilpo National Forest Scenic Byway or the Wilderness Road Heritage Highway.
