Blue Heron Campground in Kentucky on map
Blue Heron Campground
Blue Heron is a great base camp from which to explore the northern Big South Fork.
Blue Heron Campground is a well-kept campground in the middle of the rugged Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area (BSFNRRA). Here, you can enjoy the bluffs, forests, and waterways of this Kentucky treasure and return to your refuge amid a wilderness I have explored from top to bottom, from the water and from the land. I like having a campground host on-site, as the campground is located just a little ways from all the features of the Big South Fork. I can just leave my stuff at the campground and know it will be safe.
The campground itself is located on a dead-end road just inside the boundaries of the BSFNRRA. The access road soon reaches campsites 1-10, all on the right-hand side of the road. The well-kept nature of the campground is immediately evident, as the amenities, such as picnic tables, are all in good shape. The first few sites are shaded by pine or sycamore.
Here, the campground spreads out. It is generally forested with hickories, oaks, pines, dogwoods, and tulip trees. Ahead is a bathhouse that replicates the old homes of Big South Fork settlers before it became a federal recreation destination. To the right are sites 11-17, on their own loop. I highly recommend sites 11 and 12, as they back up to a scenic little pond. Off on its own, another loop popular with tent campers has sites 19-22. Sites 23-28, stretched along a road, have adequate size and distance from one another. Sites 30-45 are most popular with RVs. A campground host is strategically located here for your safety and convenience. Nearby is the playground for kids.
Sites are available all the time during April. Though the weather can be iffy, April is great for wildflowers in the Big South Fork. The campground fills on summer holiday weekends, as well as October weekends, when the leaves are showing their fall glory.
RVs and tent campers are not separated at this campground, but it is still a great place to camp. It has been one of my go-to destinations through the years. Hikers, families, and those riding the Big South Fork Scenic Railway can be found here. There is so much to see and do. The northern part of the Big South Fork features the Blue Heron Mining Community, a restored interpretive area on the Big South Fork River. Here, you'll find plenty of hiking trails that travel along the river and to overlooks where you can peer down into the Big South Fork Gorge and Devils Jump, a challenging rapid for those
who dare take on the Big South Fork River. Luckily, a bridge crosses the Big South Fork near Blue Heron, enabling visitors to explore the west side of the river, where there are more cliffs, bluffs and overhangs, densely wooded bottomlands, and more railroad and mining history. By the way, check out Wagon Wheel Arch near the turn into the campground. Your best bet for finding your favorite activities here is to stop by the BSFNRRA visitor center, located at the Big South Fork Scenic Railway depot off KY 92 on your way in. This depot and its surrounding buildings are holdovers from the old Stearns Coal Company. They are also the starting point for a ride on the railway that traverses Big South Fork country. It's a window not only to the natural setting of this beautiful area but also to its cultural history.
Getting to Blue Heron Campground
From Whitley City, take US 27 South to KY 92. Turn right and head west on KY 92 1.2 miles; then veer left on KY 1651. Follow KY 1651 1 mile to reach KY 742. Make a sharp right here, and follow KY 742 5.3 miles to the campground entrance road, on your right.
GPS COORDINATES N36° 40.661' W84° 31.111
Key Information Blue Heron Campground
ADDRESS: Off Hwy. 742, Strunk, KY 42649
OPERATED BY: National Park Service
CONTACT: 423-286-7275, nps . gov / biso ; reservations: 877-444-6777, recreation . gov
OPEN: April-October
SITES: 45
SITE AMENITIES: Picnic table, fire grate, lantern post, tent pad, water, electricity
ASSIGNMENT: First come, first served and by reservation
REGISTRATION: At campground kiosk FACILITIES: Hot showers, flush toilets PARKING: At campsites only FEE: $17
ELEVATION: 1,250 feet
RESTRICTIONS in Blue Heron Campground
¦ Pets: On 6-foot leash only
¦ Fires: In fire rings only
¦ Alcohol: Prohibited
¦ Vehicles: No more than 2 per site
¦ Other: Riding on the tailgates of trucks prohibited
