Waitsboro Campground in Kentucky on map
Waitsboro Campground
Waitsboro maximizes its natural lakefront scenery and offers interesting campsites.
If Waitsboro Campground were I private land, it would go for big, big bucks. The scenery is outstanding. The campground is built just below a cliff-side bluff that overlooks a big bend in the Cumberland River arm of Lake Cumberland. Luckily for us tent campers, we can overnight here—for a modest fee, of course—but it's much cheaper than buying such a piece of property. This landscape offers a commanding view of the water below as it curves off into the distance in both directions. To make a good thing even better, the Army Corps of Engineers used all their design skills to integrate the facility into the uneven yet
aesthetically appealing terrain, resulting in a campground where it is hard to pick the best sites because there are so many neat ones. To make a better thing even better, the shoreline at Waitsboro offers a place to swim, a boat ramp and dock, and even a little waterfall uphill from the picnic area. However, this is such an appealing campground that you may not even want to leave your site.
Pass the campground attendant, who's there for your safety and security. Then reach the first of 10 lakefront campsites. Sites i and 2 are on a bluff directly overlooking the water. A set of stairs leads down to the lake, so campers here can access Lake Cumberland. Site 3 is a bit open for my taste but still offers a good view. Sites 4-6 are a bit closer to one another than I like and are usually claimed by RVs anyway. (Generally, these lakefront sites are claimed by whoever gets here first.) Site 7 is of special note, as it is a designated primitive site. It is down on the water and RVs can't use it, which is effectively the definition of a primitive campsite here at Waitsboro. Sites 8 and 9 offer the best in waterfront camping. Tent campers love site 10, which practically hangs over the water and is next to stairs that access the water below. Reach a loop to come to the only two undesirable sites here: 14, which is in the middle of the loop turnaround, and 11, which overlooks the water but is too close to site 12. Site 13 is elevated and features a watery vista of its own.
As with the rest of the campground, the next set of sites, 15-20, are average to small in size, primarily because they were fit where they could be integrated into the landscape. But they are also some of the coolest. The campground road rises to a cliff line, and you reach these sites, which are literally backed against a tall, tan-colored cliff that makes for a neat setting overlooking the scene below. I would stay here, even though the sites aren't waterfront. Sites 21-24 are inside a little turnaround beside a bathroom. Site 25 is also of special note, as it takes a good driver to back into the long, narrow space with a steep drop-off below. Sites such as this have fences around them to keep campers from falling off.
The four best sites for tent campers are 7, 10, 22, and 23. When you come to Waitsboro, you may have your own favorites, but the camp host thinks these are the neatest too. I have scrutinized campsites in Kentuck' from the Mississippi River in the west to the Tug Fork River in the east, and these four sites distinctly stand out. Reservations are recommended, especially on nice summer weekends, but spring and fall are less-crowded options.
The picnic area is very nice and has a shelter that could be used to weather the summertime thunderstorms that sometimes roll across this part of the Bluegrass State. A small streamlet flows toward the lake amid the shaded picnic tables. If you follow this stream uphill, you will soon meet a waterfall that is more impressive following such thunderstorms.
Waitsboro is oriented toward families and lake lovers. Campers tie their boats to the shoreline at their campsites or use the courtesy ramp and dock. Swimmers enjoy the water along the shoreline below the campground. The facility is at the end of the road, which cuts down on traffic most of the time, yet the town of Somerset is just a quick drive away if you need anything. So enjoy this special piece of lakefront property that would go for big bucks—if it were for sale, that is.
Key Information about Waitsboro Campground
ADDRESS: 500 Waitsboro Rd, Somerset, KY 42501
OPERATED BY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
CONTACT: 606-561-5513, www .lrn. usace. army .mil; reservations: 877-444-6777, reserveamerica . com
OPEN: Mid-April-mid-October
SITES: 3 nonelectric, 19 electric
SITE AMENITIES: Picnic table, lantern post, tent pad, fire ring, water
ASSIGNMENT: First come, first served and by reservation
REGISTRATION: At campground entrance station
FACILITIES: Hot showers, flush toilets PARKING: At campsites only FEE: $10-$ 15 nonelectric, $20 electric ELEVATION: 770 feet
RESTRICTIONS in Waitsboro Campground
¦ Pets: On leash only
¦ Fires: In fire rings only M Alcohol: Prohibited
¦ Vehicles: At campsites only
Other: 14-day stay limit in a 30-day period
Getting to Waitsboro Campground
From the junction of US 27 and KY 80 in Somerset, take US 27 South 5.5 miles; then turn right onto signed Waitsboro Road, indicating that the campground is this way (the turn is across from a Wendy's fast-food restaurant). Follow this road to deadend at the campground.
GPS COORDINATES N37° 0.924' W84° 38.084'
