Tailwater

Barren River Lake

🏕️ CampgroundDale Hollow LakeKentucky⭐ 4.0 (223)

🟢 11 open windows as of Sep 19 — soonest Thu Oct 1–Sun Oct 4

Availability checked 8h ago · changes fast, verify before you drive

🐕 Dogs allowed — all 49 sites here that publish a pet policy say yes.

Per-site pet policy from Recreation.gov site details (RIDB), checked 3h ago.

Book / check availability →🧭 Directions

💡 In short

Tailwater in Kentucky has 11 open booking windows on Recreation.gov right now, the soonest Thu Oct 1–Sun Oct 4. Reserve directly through the booking link above — cancellations go fast. To catch future openings the instant they appear, set a free CampSage cancellation alert.

📅 Open dates

Thu Oct 1 – Sun Oct 43 nights👥 group🗓 weekendbook these dates →👥 20 in a row, TAIL #20–TAIL #39 next to each othersites 👥 #49, #01, #02, #03, #04, #06, #07, #08, #09, #10, #11, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #20, #21, #22, #23, #24, #25, #26, #27, #28, #29, #30, #31, #32, #33, #34, #35, #36, #37, #38, #39, #41, #42, #44, #45, #46, #47, #48

Fri Oct 2 – Mon Oct 53 nights👥 group🗓 weekendbook these dates →👥 20 in a row, TAIL #20–TAIL #39 next to each othersites 👥 #49, #01, #02, #03, #04, #06, #07, #08, #09, #10, #11, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #20, #21, #22, #23, #24, #25, #26, #27, #28, #29, #30, #31, #32, #33, #34, #35, #36, #37, #38, #39, #41, #42, #44, #45, #46, #47, #48

Sun Oct 4 – Wed Oct 73 nightsbook these dates →sites #05, #19

Mon Oct 5 – Thu Oct 83 nightsbook these dates →👥 TAIL #17 & TAIL #18 next to each othersites #17, #18

Fri Oct 9 – Mon Oct 123 nights🗓 weekendbook these dates →👥 3 in a row, TAIL #17–TAIL #19 next to each othersites #05, #17, #18, #19

Sun Oct 11 – Wed Oct 143 nights👥 groupbook these dates →sites 👥 #49, #12, #37

Wed Oct 28 – Fri Oct 302 nightsbook these dates →sites #05

Fri Oct 30 – Mon Nov 23 nights🗓 weekendbook these dates →sites #43

📷 What these sites look like

Photos of sites that are open right now, from recreation.gov. Angles vary by park — usually the site and its parking pad.

Campsite TAIL #49 — Tailwater Site 49 — **Site TAIL #49** · Tailwater Site 49USACE

Campsite TAIL #01 — Tailwater Site 01 — **Site TAIL #01** · Tailwater Site 01USACE

Campsite TAIL #02 — Tailwater Site 02 — **Site TAIL #02** · Tailwater Site 02USACE

Campsite TAIL #03 — Tailwater Site 03 — **Site TAIL #03** · Tailwater Site 03USACE

Campsite TAIL #04 — Tailwater Site 04 — **Site TAIL #04** · Tailwater Site 04USACE

Campsite TAIL #06 — Tailwater Site 06 — **Site TAIL #06** · Tailwater Site 06USACE

🔭 Planning further ahead?

We watch the next 60 days closely — that's where cancellations show up. recreation.gov takes bookings out to about March 2027, so there may be 2+ night stays past our window.

🏕️ About this campground

💵 $16–$50/nightGroup Standard NonelectricStandard Electric🎒 car camping🎒 fishing🎒 hiking🎒 swimming🎒 wildlife viewing

Ratings

4.0★★★★☆223 ratings

Star ratings from recreation.gov (they don't publish written review text). Read & leave reviews on recreation.gov ↗

💡 Insider tips from campers

❓ Tailwater FAQ

How do I reserve a campsite at Tailwater?

Tailwater in Kentucky takes campsite reservations through Recreation.gov. On this page, use the “Book / check availability” button to open the live booking page, see which dates are free, and reserve your site.

How much does it cost to camp at Tailwater?

Campsite fees at Tailwater run about $16–$50/night, as listed by Recreation.gov. Exact rates vary by site type, number of campers, and season.

How can I get a spot at Tailwater when it's fully booked?

Popular campgrounds like Tailwater often fill months ahead, but campers cancel every day and those sites reopen for booking. CampSage checks availability for you and sends a free email the instant a cancellation opens — set an alert on this page and you can grab the spot before anyone else.

Is Tailwater a good campground?

Tailwater holds an average rating of 4.0/5 from 223 camper ratings on Recreation.gov. The full star breakdown is shown above.

Where is Tailwater located?

Tailwater is located in Dale Hollow Lake, Kentucky. Tap “Directions” above for driving directions, or see nearby campgrounds lower on this page.

🔔 Get a free opening alert

We'll email you when a site opens at Tailwater.

🎯 Only these dates (optional): to

Only weekends (Fri/Sat nights)

🌙 Minimum stay (Pro):

Skip the 1-night midweek openings — only hear about stays worth the drive.

👥 Group size (Pro):

Camping with a group? Only hear about openings with that many sites NEXT TO EACH OTHER on the same dates — consecutive numbers in one loop, not just that many free somewhere in the park.

🚫 Skip site types (Pro):
No hookup/electric sites (tent or van camping)
No hike-in / walk-in / boat-in / backcountry sites
No group sites (solo/family camping)

Works where the booking system publishes per-site types (rec.gov campgrounds).

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📆 iCal feed · 📡 RSS feed

Running a camping/RV blog? Embed this widget free →

A live cancellation widget for Tailwater that updates itself — free, no account, no API key. The snippet includes a one-line credit under the widget; leaving it in is what keeps this free for everyone, and it tells your readers what they are looking at. Preview it.

<iframe src="https://campsage.app/camp/embed/tailwater-233698" width="340" height="280" loading="lazy" style="border:0;border-radius:14px" title="Tailwater cancellations"></iframe>
<p style="font:12px/1.5 system-ui,sans-serif;margin:6px 0 0">Live campsite availability for <a href="https://campsage.app/camp/site/tailwater-233698">Tailwater</a> · powered by <a href="https://campsage.app">CampSage</a></p>