Zilpo Campground — Cave Run Lake, Daniel Boone National Forest
Zilpo sits on a wooded peninsula jutting into Cave Run Lake in the Morehead District of Daniel Boone National Forest. It’s a legit USFS campground with paved loop roads, electric hookup sites, a boat ramp, and vault toilets — the kind of place you pull into after a long grind through eastern Kentucky’s ridge-and-hollow country and feel like you’ve earned it. Sites are shaded by hardwoods, the lake is right there, and it fills up on summer weekends with locals who know it well. Get there mid-week or early if you’re running through in July or August.
Access is via Zilpo Road (FR 918) off KY-801 south of Morehead — paved the whole way, so any rig makes it fine. Water and electric sites available; no dump station on-site. Reservations accepted and recommended Memorial Day through Labor Day. Spring and fall are underrated — fewer people, better light, and the hardwood color in October is something else.
Cave Run Lake hardwood camp, Daniel Boone NF.
Place Details
| Type | Established Campground |
|---|---|
| Street address | Arrowhead Campground Road, Zilpo Recreation Area, Kentucky 46351 Get directions → |
| Elevation (ft) | 760 ft |
| Nearest town | Morehead, KY |
| Miles from pavement | 0 mi |
| Minimum vehicle | Any vehicle |
| Access road surface | Paved |
| Cell service | Partial |
| Cost (USD/night, 0 = free) | $25.00 / night |
| Reservation required | Yes — Reservation site |
| Stay limit (nights) | 14 nights |
| Best season | April-October |
| Land manager | USFS |
| Permit required | No |
| Amenities | Cell signal, Drinking water, Fire ring, Hookups, Picnic table, Shade, Toilets, Trash service |
| Coordinates | Open directions |
| Find on Google | Search on Google → |