US Army Corps of Engineers
Near Lucas, Kentucky: $22–$32/night, rigs to 50 ft. Open April through October. Book 6 months ahead via Recreation.gov.
US Army Corps of Engineers
Managing authority
Near Lucas, Kentucky
How much does camping at Tailwater (Barren River Lake · USACE) cost, and when is it open?
Tailwater (Barren River Lake · USACE) near Lucas, Kentucky (US Army Corps of Engineers) — camping fee $22–$32/night, season April through October, RV size limit Up to 50 ft. Reservations: 6 months ahead via Recreation.gov — book direct through the official channel.
The numbers
Fee range
$22–$32/night
Season open
April through October
RV size limit
Up to 50 ft
Reservation window
6 months ahead via Recreation.gov
The insider read
Below-dam tailwater fishing — trout stocked weekly. The Walleye + striped-bass run March/April attracts anglers. USACE Senior Pass halves the fee.
Original analysis from PickRV — synthesised from public sources you can verify, pulling the operational details competitor guides typically skip.
Verify at lrl.usace.army.milOn site
Book it right
PickRV doesn't handle campground bookings — reserve direct through the official channel so policies and cancellations flow through one record.
Opens recreation.gov
Every fact above is sourced from the managing agency's canonical page. Cross-check fee, season, and size limit before you depend on them.
Match the campground's size limit and hookup level to a vehicle category, then plan the rest of the trip.
Keep exploring
Near Carrollton
StateInsider tip · Ohio River bluff park. Historic Butler-Turpin House on grounds. Closest state-resort camp to Cincinnati (45 min) for crossover Reds-game weekends.
Near Brownsville
NPSInsider tip · Riverside tent-only camp on the Green River. Free hand-cranked ferry across the river still operating. Most isolated NPS camp at Mammoth — 30-min drive to the visitor center.
Near Shepherdsville
PrivateInsider tip · Derby Week (1st Sat in May) books out the entire state — this KOA fills 18 months out. Bourbon Trail base camp; Heaven Hill + Jim Beam distilleries within 30 min.
Near Park City
NPSInsider tip · Longest cave system in the world — 400+ miles mapped. Cave tour tickets are separate from campground; book the Historic Tour ($23) the morning of for same-day. The 'Forest Service' loop sites are closest to the cave entrance.
Nearby & related
Sourced costs, campground directories, and the places worth a detour — the next layer of Kentucky trip planning.
Before you go
Kentucky rules
Verified 2026-05-10