National Park Service · Kentucky

Bear Creek Campground - KY

National Park Service · Kentucky, United States · in Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area

Open on the map Drive there Reserve Official page Directions
Sites
22
Hookups
22 electric, 22 with water
Season
April 1 to November 30
Max RV length
52 ft
Drinking water
Yes
Restrooms
Yes
Showers
Yes
Dump station
Yes
Laundry
No
Pets
Yes
Elevation
1,306 ft
Dark sky
Bortle class 2
Cell coverage
T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
Lake
Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area
Phone
(423) 286-7275
Activities
Camping, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Hunting, Wildlife Viewing

Site map

The imagery of the campground. Press and hold the map to drop your own pins and notes; the operator publishes no site points here. Your ratings, notes, pins and photos are kept with the campground on your Saved list, the same list the camping map and the drive page keep.

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About

Overview

Bear Creek Horse Camp is located in the Kentucky portion of Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area.

Recreation

Numerous trails snake through the recreation area, offering mountain biking, hiking and horseback riding for visitors.

Facilities

Bear Creek combines the experience of traditional woods camping with the modern conveniences of flush toilets, hot showers and electric hookups. Sites can accommodate both RV and tent camping. Tie-stalls are available on each site.

Natural Features

Big South Fork is located in north-central Tennessee and southeastern Kentucky in some of the most rugged terrain of the Cumberland Plateau. The park encompasses approximately 125,000 acres including rocky gorges and forested plateaus.

Nearby Attractions

Just a few miles from the campground is Blue Heron Mine, also known as Mine 18, a historic abandoned mining town that has been rebuilt as an outdoor museum. Visitors can hear audio presentations from actual people who lived in the community in the 1950s.

Fees

Campsite Fee: $28. This fee covers one night of camping for up to six persons per site. Holders of the Interagency Access/Senior Passports pay only half the fee.

Weather, month by month

MonthTypical highTypical lowColdest nightHottest dayYears with a night below 32°F
January41°27°-4°66°10 of 11
February50°33°16°71°11 of 11
March62°42°12°79°7 of 11
April69°49°32°83°1 of 11
May77°60°41°87°0 of 11
June83°65°51°95°0 of 11
July86°70°61°93°0 of 11
August85°70°60°96°0 of 11
September83°65°52°94°0 of 11
October68°48°36°86°0 of 10
November58°40°21°75°4 of 10
December50°33°11°66°9 of 10

Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.

Trails nearby

All 200 trails in Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area

Trailheads the Park Service and the Forest Service map; each trail's page has its length, climbing and the Service's description.

Nearby campgrounds

All public campgrounds in Kentucky · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-03-11. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.