U.S. Forest Service · Daniel Boone National Forest · Kentucky

Claylick Boat-In Campground

Claylick Boat-in Campground is located on Cave Run Lake on the Cumberland District. It features 13 primitive campsites on Cave Run Lake. The campground must be entered by boat or by walking in from the nearby Claylick Boat Ramp parking lot. The walk is approximately 1/2-mile. Boat moorings are available at the campground for those who boat in. If you park at Claylick Boat Ramp and walk in, you will need to purchase a pass to display in your vehicle.

Closed for the seasonReservable · Recreation.gov2 sitesPets okFires ok

More like this: reservable in Kentucky · pets allowed in Kentucky

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Claylick Boat-In CampgroundSite 4AView From Site 1View
Photos courtesy of Staff · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Boat-in2
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Amenities & rules

PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
SeasonApril to October
ForestDaniel Boone National Forest
FeesA fee is required to use this campground. Pay at site using fee envelope. $15 single site/$20 double site. Note: In addition to the camping fee, you must purchase a parking pass if you park at the boat ramp.

Daniel Boone National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Claylick Boat-In Campground30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 3.56 inches of precipitation, 4.3 inches of snowFebruary: 3.56 inches of precipitation, 3.4 inches of snowMarch: 4.60 inches of precipitation, 2.0 inches of snowApril: 4.69 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowMay: 5.17 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 4.81 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 5.92 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 3.87 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 3.89 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 3.41 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 3.23 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowDecember: 4.08 inches of precipitation, 2.4 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 32.9°F averageFebruary: 36.0°F averageMarch: 44.2°F averageApril: 54.8°F averageMay: 63.5°F averageJune: 71.4°F averageJuly: 75.0°F averageAugust: 73.8°F averageSeptember: 67.6°F averageOctober: 56.4°F averageNovember: 45.3°F averageDecember: 37.2°F average0 in2 in4 in6 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Cave Run Lake, 6 miles from the campground at 840 feet, station USC00152791 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 51 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 12 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From I-64, take exit 133 and go south on KY 801. In 13.7 miles, 801 merges directly onto KY 1274. After another 1.9 miles, turn right onto Forest Service Road 968 (Claylick Road). The boat ramp is located at the end of the road.

Coordinates38.0590° N, 83.4715° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearSky Bridge Station ↗21.8 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗22.2 mi
RV sales & serviceBluegrass RV ↗54.4 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Cave Run Lake in Kentucky. Kayak Camping

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 1.2 mi
    Zilpo Mountain
    0.8 mi trail
  • 1.7 mi
    Buckskin Connector
    0.9 mi trail
  • 1.7 mi
    Buckskin ↗
    6.4 mi trail
  • 2.1 mi
    Windy Bay Shoreline
    0.2 mi trail
  • 2.1 mi
    Windy Bay Shoreline A
    under 0.1 mi trail
  • 2.1 mi
    Windy Bay Shoreline B
    0.2 mi trail

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

Clifty Wilderness begins about 14.4 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

Cave Run Lake is widely known for its scenic beauty and varied outdoor recreation opportunities. The lake is also the home of Kentucky's state record muskie. This 8,270-acre lake is jointly operated and managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Forest Service.

Guidebooks for Daniel Boone National Forest and Kentucky

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Day Hiking the Daniel Boone National Forest
    Johnny Molloy, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Hiking Kentucky
    Falcon Guides and Carrie Stambaugh, 2023
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Hiking Kentucky's Red River Gorge
    Sean Patrick Hill, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Claylick Boat-In Campground?

Sites at Claylick Boat-In Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Claylick Boat-In Campground?

A fee is required to use this campground. Pay at site using fee envelope. $15 single site/$20 double site.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Claylick Boat-In Campground?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Claylick Boat-In Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026. Season April to October.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Claylick Boat-In Campground have?

2 sites, including 2 boat-in sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Claylick Boat-In Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Claylick Boat-In Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Claylick Boat-In Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

What if Claylick Boat-In Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Zilpo (1.9 mi), Boat Gunnel Group Campground (3.2 mi), and Twin Knobs Campground (3.5 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby