U.S. Forest Service · Daniel Boone National Forest · Kentucky

Great Meadows Campground

Great Meadows Campground is developed on both sides of the road. Deer Loop is on the right; Raccoon Loop is on the left. Rock Creek, a designated Kentucky Wild River, runs along the Raccoon Loop. Trails nearby: Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail - Section 37 and Section 38; Mark Branch Trail # 635 and Gobblers Arch Trail # 636.

Open nowBooking not publishedDark skyFrom $10 per nightTents only

More like this: first-come in Kentucky · tent only in Kentucky

Great Meadows Campground
Photo from the area. Roseanna Denton (CC0), via Wikimedia Commons
1fire
active
Ste - Goodin Ridge Rx (prescribed burn) · 29 mi away · 2,604 acres
Interagency incident data as of 2026-10-26
Incident details ↓

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents
FeesA fee is required to use the campground. Campers register and pay at a self-serve pay station. $10/single; $15/double. Recreation Permits and Passes
Dark sky8.5 miles from Pickett CCC Memorial State Park & Pogue Creek Canyon State Natural Area, a certified International Dark Sky Park

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusOpen
SeasonApril 1 - November 15
ForestDaniel Boone National Forest
FeesA fee is required to use the campground. Campers register and pay at a self-serve pay station. $10/single; $15/double. Recreation Permits and Passes

Daniel Boone National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Great Meadows Campground30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 33.8°F averageFebruary: 37.2°F averageMarch: 45.0°F averageApril: 54.3°F averageMay: 62.4°F averageJune: 69.3°F averageJuly: 72.7°F averageAugust: 72.2°F averageSeptember: 66.2°F averageOctober: 56.2°F averageNovember: 44.9°F averageDecember: 37.7°F averageTemp °F
The line is the average temperature at Pickett Sp, 7 miles from the campground at 1,625 feet, station USC00407141 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. The shaded span is the published season, April 1 to November 15.

Getting there

Coordinates36.6289° N, 84.7259° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Ste - Goodin Ridge Rx

    29 mi from the campground · 2,604 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗6.6 mi
Outdoor gearHail's Sports and Outdoors ↗18.1 mi
RV sales & serviceWeekend RV Center ↗51.4 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Great Meadows camping,fly fishing and hiking trip

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 1.2 mi
    Gobblers Arch
    3.4 mi trail
  • 1.3 mi
    Sheltowee Spur Stearns
    0.1 mi trail
  • 1.4 mi
    Mark Branch
    1.2 mi trail
  • 1.9 mi
    Parker Mountain
    2.6 mi trail
  • 2 mi
    Sheltowee Trace ↗
    285 mi trail · national_recreation_or_other
  • 2.5 mi
    Buffalo Arch
    0.4 mi trail

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Guidebooks for Daniel Boone National Forest and Kentucky

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Day Hiking the Daniel Boone National Forest
    Johnny Molloy, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Hiking Kentucky
    Falcon Guides and Carrie Stambaugh, 2023
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Hiking Kentucky's Red River Gorge
    Sean Patrick Hill, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to camp at Great Meadows Campground?

A fee is required to use the campground. Campers register and pay at a self-serve pay station. $10/single; $15/double.

Source: Forest Service

Is Great Meadows Campground open right now?

Open as of Oct 26, 2026. Season April 1 - November 15.

Source: Forest Service status

Can I bring an RV to Great Meadows Campground?

Great Meadows Campground is listed for tents only.

Source: Forest Service

Is Great Meadows Campground good for stargazing?

Pickett CCC Memorial State Park & Pogue Creek Canyon State Natural Area, a certified International Dark Sky Park, is 8.5 miles away. Skies that dark carry for miles; a moonless night here should show the Milky Way.

Source: DarkSky International

What if Great Meadows Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Bell Farm Horse Camp (4.3 mi, first-come), Station Camp (7.5 mi), and Bandy Creek (9.8 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby