Blue Heron Campground

Picnic table sits on gravel tent pad with bathhouse in background

Photo · NPS

Not publishedStatus

ReservableAccess

45Sites

45First-come

61 ftMax rig

The place

Blue Heron Campground is a rustic and spacious campground, situated on the Kentucky side of The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area--a vast and scenic expanse of land that offers visitors countless recreational activities. Recreation Numerous trails snake through the Recreation Area, offering mountain biking, hiking and horseback riding for visitors. The main river of the Big South Fork is also a short drive away, offering fishing opportunities. Keep reading

Facilities Blue Heron Campground combines the experience of traditional woods camping with the modern convenience of flush toilets, hot showers and electric hookups. Sites can accommodate both RV and tent camping. The campsites are spacious and provide picnic areas and plenty of shade. Natural Features The 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 of both rocky gorges and forested plateaus. Numerous pristine streams unite with the free-flowing Big South Fork of the Cumberland River. Over thousands of years, this ceaselessly moving water has carved the sandstone of the plateau into impressive cliffs, arches and chimneys that are found throughout the park. 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. The Big South Fork Scenic Railway Depot is located about 9 miles away in the town of Stearns, which offers train rides and other educational opportunities for campers. More information can be found online at https://bsfsry.com. Additional attractions include the Daniel Boone National Forest and Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, offering additional recreation opportunities.

SRC · Recreation.gov RIDB full extract · 2026-08-23

The sites · 45

Site	Type	Max rig	Electric	ADA
001	standard electric	45 ft	30
002	standard electric	36 ft	30
003	standard electric	45 ft	30
004	standard electric	43 ft	30
005	standard electric	45 ft	30
006	standard electric	44 ft	30
007	standard electric	40 ft	30
008	standard electric	35 ft	30
009	standard electric	35 ft	30
010	standard electric	29 ft	30
011	standard electric	39 ft	30
012	standard electric	35 ft	30
013	standard electric	30 ft	30
014	standard electric	40 ft	30
015	standard electric	35 ft	30
016	standard electric	28 ft	30
017	standard electric	42 ft	30
018	standard electric	47 ft	30
019	standard electric	43 ft	30
020	standard electric	38 ft	30
021	standard electric	47 ft	30
022	standard electric	36 ft	30
023	standard electric	35 ft	30
024	standard electric	49 ft	30
025	standard electric	42 ft	30
026	standard electric	37 ft	30
027	standard electric	42 ft	30
028	standard electric	47 ft	30
029	standard electric	38 ft	30	yes
030	standard electric	29 ft	50
031	standard electric	44 ft	50
032	standard electric	32 ft	50
033	standard electric	32 ft	50
034	standard electric	47 ft	50
035	standard electric	43 ft	50
036	standard electric	44 ft	30
037	standard electric	45 ft	30
038	standard electric	45 ft	30
039	standard electric	61 ft	50
040	rv electric	44 ft	30
041	standard electric	56 ft	50
042	standard electric	30 ft	30
043	standard electric	50 ft	50
044	standard electric	48 ft	30
045	standard electric	44 ft	30

SRC · Recreation.gov RIDB full extract · 2026-08-23

Booking

183 daysBooking window before arrival

Recreation.gov default: most campsites can be booked six months prior to arrival date. Most campgrounds go on sale at 7am PT / 8am MT / 10am ET, but not always; check the facility Seasons and Fees tab. Some locations also offer shorter supplemental booking windows.

Book on recreation.gov

SRC · Rules verified against recreation.gov · 2026-08-24

Your representative

This campground sits in KY-05. This member’s public-lands record →

SRC · U.S. Census TIGER · MTJP Scorecard