OutReserve

Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For.

8697 Z Ilpo Road, Salt Lick, Kentucky, United States

Warning

General

Reservations for seven consecutive nights or more receive an automatic 25% discount.

Zilpo campground site H a relaxing quiet place
A photo of facility ZILPO - DANIEL BOONE NAT. FOR. with Boat Ramp
ZILPO Cabins
Zilpo DANIEL BOONE NAT. FOR.
Zilpo DANIEL BOONE NAT. FOR.

Featured amenities

Showers

About Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For.

Zilpo, a large, fun-filled campground on Cave Run Lake, is a prime destination for families. The scenic campground offers a cabin rental, tent camping, RV sites with electric hookups and a selection of lakefront sites. Views of the lake are enjoyed by those who relax on the sandy beach. Tater Knob, a fire tower open to the public, is nearby, offering outstanding views of the area.

Number of accommodations: 162

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Currently open - Mar 29 to Oct 31

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

Showers
Water and Hygiene

Water and Hygiene

  • Showers
Missing information?

Rates, Sites & Availability

Select check-in and check-out dates to see real-time availability for each site.

162 Sites Available

Site
Price
🚐 A001, Loop: A LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 A002, Loop: A LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
⛺ A003, Loop: A LOOP
6 guests
Price not available
🚐 A004, Loop: A LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
⛺ A005, Loop: A LOOP
6 guests
Price not available
🚐 A006, Loop: A LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 A007, Loop: A LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 A008, Loop: A LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 A009, Loop: A LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 A010, Loop: A LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 A011, Loop: A LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 A012, Loop: A LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 B001, Loop: B LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 B003, Loop: B LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 B004, Loop: B LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 B005, Loop: B LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 B006, Loop: B LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 B007, Loop: B LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 B008, Loop: B LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 B009, Loop: B LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 B010, Loop: B LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 B011, Loop: B LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 B012, Loop: B LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 B013, Loop: B LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 B014, Loop: B LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 B015, Loop: B LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 B016, Loop: B LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 C001, Loop: C LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 C002, Loop: C LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 C003, Loop: C LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 C004, Loop: C LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 C005, Loop: C LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 C007, Loop: C LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 C008, Loop: C LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 C009, Loop: C LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 C010, Loop: C LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 C011, Loop: C LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 C012, Loop: C LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 C013, Loop: C LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 C014, Loop: C LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 C015, Loop: C LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 C016, Loop: C LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 C017, Loop: C LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 C018, Loop: C LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 C019, Loop: C LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 C020, Loop: C LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🏠 Cabin 039, Loop: H LOOP
6 guests · Campfire
Price not available
🏠 Cabin 040, Loop: H LOOP
6 guests · Campfire
Price not available
🏠 Cabin 041, Loop: H LOOP
6 guests · Campfire · Pet Friendly
Price not available
🏠 Cabin A013, Loop: A LOOP
6 guests · Campfire
Price not available
🏠 Cabin D009, Loop: D LOOP
6 guests · Campfire
Price not available
🏠 Cabin D010, Loop: D LOOP
6 guests · Campfire
Price not available
🏠 Cabin D011, Loop: D LOOP
6 guests · Campfire · Pet Friendly
Price not available
🏠 Cabin D012, Loop: D LOOP
6 guests · Campfire · Pet Friendly
Price not available
🏠 Cabin D013, Loop: D LOOP
6 guests · Campfire
Price not available
🏠 Cabin D014, Loop: D LOOP
6 guests · Campfire · Pet Friendly
Price not available
🏠 Cabin F019, Loop: F LOOP
6 guests · Campfire
Price not available
🏠 Cabin G030, Loop: G LOOP
6 guests · Campfire
Price not available
🚐 D001, Loop: D LOOP
Electric Only
Price not available
🚐 D002, Loop: D LOOP
Electric Only
Price not available
🚐 D003, Loop: D LOOP
Electric Only
Price not available
🚐 D004, Loop: D LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 D005, Loop: D LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 D006, Loop: D LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 E001, Loop: E LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 E002, Loop: E LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 E003, Loop: E LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 E004, Loop: E LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 E005, Loop: E LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 E006, Loop: E LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 E007, Loop: E LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 E008, Loop: E LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 E009, Loop: E LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 E010, Loop: E LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 E011, Loop: E LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 E012, Loop: E LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 E013, Loop: E LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 E014, Loop: E LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 F001, Loop: F LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 F002, Loop: F LOOP
30 Amp · Electric Only
Price not available
🚐 F004, Loop: F LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 F005, Loop: F LOOP
30 Amp · Electric Only
Price not available
🚐 F006, Loop: F LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 F007, Loop: F LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 F008, Loop: F LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 F009, Loop: F LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 F010, Loop: F LOOP
Electric Only
Price not available
🚐 F011, Loop: F LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 F012, Loop: F LOOP
30 Amp · Electric Only
Price not available
🚐 F013, Loop: F LOOP
30 Amp · Electric Only
Price not available
🚐 F014, Loop: F LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 F015, Loop: F LOOP
30 Amp · Electric Only
Price not available
🚐 F016, Loop: F LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 F017, Loop: F LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 F018, Loop: F LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 G002, Loop: G LOOP
Electric Only
Price not available
🚐 G003, Loop: G LOOP
Electric Only
Price not available
🚐 G004, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 G005, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 G006, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 G007, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
⛺ G008, Loop: G LOOP
6 guests
Price not available
⛺ G009, Loop: G LOOP
6 guests
Price not available
🚐 G010, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 G011, Loop: G LOOP
Electric Only
Price not available
🚐 G012, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 G013, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 G014, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 G015, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 G016, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 G017, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 G018, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 G019, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
⛺ G020, Loop: G LOOP
6 guests
Price not available
⛺ G021, Loop: G LOOP
6 guests
Price not available
🚐 G022, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 G023, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 G024, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 G025, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 G026, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 G027, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 G028, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 G029, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 G031, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 G032, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 G034, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 G035, Loop: G LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H001, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H003, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H006, Loop: H LOOP
30 Amp · Electric Only
Price not available
🚐 H007, Loop: H LOOP
Electric Only
Price not available
🚐 H008, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H009, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H010, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H011, Loop: H LOOP
Full Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H012, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H013, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H014, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H015, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H016, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H017, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H018, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H019, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H020, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H021, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H022, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H023, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H024, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
⛺ H025, Loop: H LOOP
6 guests
Price not available
🚐 H026, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H027, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H028, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H029, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
⛺ H030, Loop: H LOOP
6 guests
Price not available
🚐 H031, Loop: H LOOP
30 Amp · Electric Only
Price not available
🚐 H032, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H033, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 H034, Loop: H LOOP
30 Amp · Electric Only
Price not available
🚐 H035, Loop: H LOOP
30 Amp · Electric Only
Price not available
🚐 H036, Loop: H LOOP
No Hookups
Price not available
⛺ H037, Loop: H LOOP
6 guests
Price not available
🚐 H038, Loop: H LOOP
30 Amp · Electric Only
Price not available

Reviews (658)

Verified Only

What Guests Are Saying

Zilpo Campground is praised for its beautiful location, cleanliness, and friendly camp hosts, making it a favorite for many long-time visitors. While some amenities, such as hot water availability and maintenance support, have declined, most campers still enjoy the private, serene sites and the access to outdoor activities like hiking and fishing. However, issues like noise from other campers and limited store supplies have been noted, highlighting areas for improvement.

Review Summary

4.2
658 reviews
5
55.5%
365
4
22.2%
146
3
11.9%
78
2
5.3%
35
1
5.2%
34

Melissa P

Verified

August 3, 2023 • Stayed at: H022, Loop: H LOOP

5

Great staff and campground was clean.

Melissa P

Verified

August 3, 2023 • Stayed at: H022, Loop: H LOOP

5

Great staff and campground was clean.

Judith W

Verified

August 2, 2023 • Stayed at: Cabin 040, Loop: H LOOP

4

Our cabin was super cute, comfortable & exactly what we wanted. Getting the key though involved calling 2 different numbers & took about 20min. I don’t understand why the gatehouse was closed at close to check-in (230pm), but it was.
The lake was wonderful, although the rocks on the beach hurt our feet (my 7yr old actually cut his foot on one). We ended up wearing our flip-flops to swim in because the rocks continued far into the water. I'm unsure as to why they didn't use river rocks or pebbles instead of driveway grade gravel.
Also the camp store was closed, which we weren’t informed of, so that wasn't exactly convenient. They were doing some kind of renovation to the stairs, so it wasn't short notice for them. I even rechecked the website but it still said it was open for business.
Most of the bathrooms were out of order as well.
Overall, it was a good "primitive camping" experience, but it definitely could have been better. I hope things are improved by the next time we visit!

Judith W

Verified

August 2, 2023 • Stayed at: Cabin 040, Loop: H LOOP

4

Our cabin was super cute, comfortable & exactly what we wanted. Getting the key though involved calling 2 different numbers & took about 20min. I don’t understand why the gatehouse was closed at close to check-in (230pm), but it was.
The lake was wonderful, although the rocks on the beach hurt our feet (my 7yr old actually cut his foot on one). We ended up wearing our flip-flops to swim in because the rocks continued far into the water. I'm unsure as to why they didn't use river rocks or pebbles instead of driveway grade gravel.
Also the camp store was closed, which we weren’t informed of, so that wasn't exactly convenient. They were doing some kind of renovation to the stairs, so it wasn't short notice for them. I even rechecked the website but it still said it was open for business.
Most of the bathrooms were out of order as well.
Overall, it was a good "primitive camping" experience, but it definitely could have been better. I hope things are improved by the next time we visit!

Brad G

Verified

July 31, 2023 • Stayed at: H031, Loop: H LOOP

4

This was my group's 10th year staying at Zilpo. The camp site are in my opinion the best because of the seclusion, maintained, and level. Cave Run Lake was walking distance from my campsite. Camp host was great and friendly.

Brad G

Verified

July 31, 2023 • Stayed at: H031, Loop: H LOOP

4

This was my group's 10th year staying at Zilpo. The camp site are in my opinion the best because of the seclusion, maintained, and level. Cave Run Lake was walking distance from my campsite. Camp host was great and friendly.

Chris P

Verified

July 25, 2023 • Stayed at: H001, Loop: H LOOP

3

Pretty good site and campground, but be advised that site H001 (and H002) are listed as "waterfront" but the water is not actually accessible from the site (there's a very steep cliff that leads down to the water). The grate for cooking over the fire pit was broken, also, but we had our own.

Chris P

Verified

July 25, 2023 • Stayed at: H001, Loop: H LOOP

3

Pretty good site and campground, but be advised that site H001 (and H002) are listed as "waterfront" but the water is not actually accessible from the site (there's a very steep cliff that leads down to the water). The grate for cooking over the fire pit was broken, also, but we had our own.

Sherman C

Verified

July 24, 2023 • Stayed at: F010, Loop: F LOOP

5

Zilpo is a great campground, if not underutilized.

- Our RV site was well-paved and had fine gravel over the common area. There was a nice fire ring, a hook on a pole, and a picnic table.
- The restrooms and showers were clean with plenty of hot water (solar heated, so it's hot in the summer, and mild in the spring and fall).
- Most of the campground has poor cell service (AT&T, T-Mobile) but going up the hill from the check-in gate is a cell tower that provides excellent reception.
- The beach was not in great shape - the sand was littered with hard gravel that made walking barefoot painful - with the gravel extending well into the water. It was better to swim outside of the beach areas where it was much more sandy. The water was clean.
- The campground store was closed but set to open within a few days of our departure. There was a maintenance issue that deferred its opening. The closest store is 30 minutes away near Salt Lick. Firewood and ice are sold at the gatehouse, though.

I wish more amenities were offered at Zilpo. There are trails around but they are not advertised (compared to a state park). Sadly, the fire tower was never rebuilt although it would make for a nice observation platform (minus the shelter building).

Sherman C

Verified

July 24, 2023 • Stayed at: F010, Loop: F LOOP

5

Zilpo is a great campground, if not underutilized.

- Our RV site was well-paved and had fine gravel over the common area. There was a nice fire ring, a hook on a pole, and a picnic table.
- The restrooms and showers were clean with plenty of hot water (solar heated, so it's hot in the summer, and mild in the spring and fall).
- Most of the campground has poor cell service (AT&T, T-Mobile) but going up the hill from the check-in gate is a cell tower that provides excellent reception.
- The beach was not in great shape - the sand was littered with hard gravel that made walking barefoot painful - with the gravel extending well into the water. It was better to swim outside of the beach areas where it was much more sandy. The water was clean.
- The campground store was closed but set to open within a few days of our departure. There was a maintenance issue that deferred its opening. The closest store is 30 minutes away near Salt Lick. Firewood and ice are sold at the gatehouse, though.

I wish more amenities were offered at Zilpo. There are trails around but they are not advertised (compared to a state park). Sadly, the fire tower was never rebuilt although it would make for a nice observation platform (minus the shelter building).

Location Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For.

Address:
8697 Z Ilpo Road
Salt Lick, KY, 40371
United States

Highway access

The campground is accessible via U.S. Route 60 and State Route 211. U.S. Route 60 is approximately 3.6 miles from the campground.

Latitude & Longitude: 38.075 / -83.5

Map of Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For. location at Salt Lick, KY, United States
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Policies & Rules

General

  • Limit 6 people and 2 vehicles per single campsite; additional vehicles will be charged an additional fee per night; additional guest will be charged $2 per night.
  • Each cabin has 2 double bunk beds with out mattresses, Please bring your own sleeping bags or other bedding.Each cabin can accommodate up to 6 people and 1 vehicle. Tents and RVs are not allowed at the cabins.
  • Beach is opened from Memorial day to Labor day, unless flooding occurs hours of operation are 11am to 8 pm
  • Only Authorized companies are allowed to drop off and set up rental trailers, all unauthorized RV trailer rental deliveries will be turned away.
  • Reserved Sites will be held until check out time (NOON) the day following your arrival date. Sites must be occupied by the checkout time of that following day to hold a reservation or the site will be forfeited and released to other guests. Once your reservation start date has begun, neither the Recreation.gov Contact Center nor the campground manager will be able to modify your reservation.
  • Don't Move Firewood: Help protect our forests! Prevent the spread of tree-killing pests by obtaining firewood at or near your destination and burning it on-site. Moving firewood is illegal in some states. Visit dontmovefirewood.org to learn more.
  • A discount of 25% is now available for reservations that include 7 or more consecutive days.

Warnings & Advisories

Warning

General

Reservations for seven consecutive nights or more receive an automatic 25% discount.

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Last updated: June 13, 2026

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