Thousands of people go camping every summer, and one of the top places to visit is the Blue Grass State. Some campers are very familiar with all that KY has to offer campers. While others have never even been to a Kentucky State park. Whether you are a seasoned Kentucky camper or just scouting out a good place to spend the weekend, check out these five camping sites for a guaranteed good time. The top five on my list is Natural Bridge State Park Campground, Cumberland Gap National Historic Park Campground, Koomer Ridge Campground, Carter Caves State Park Campground, and Lake Malone State ParkCampground.

Natural Bridge State Park is a 2,200 acre park surrounded by the Daniel Boone National Forest, and it is located near the Red River Gorge National Geologic Area. The park includes 22 miles of trails, a 60 acre lake, two campgrounds, lodging, and dining facilities. The park also has many attractions for the outdoor oriented camper including boating, fishing, hiking, geological formations, canoe rentals, and much more. There are also some modern conveniences such as picnic areas, putt-putt, a swimming pool, and a Nature Center for families with youngsters.

At Cumberland Gap National Historic Park you can camp and get a sense of history at the same time. The gap has been traversed by virtually all early settler to the region and was well known to the Native American population and the men who first hunted Kentucky. The parks 85 miles of trails offer scenic beauties that must be seen to truly be understood. Cascading waterfalls, lush forests, and the mountain views are enough to convince anyone to visit the park.

Koomer Ridge Campground is located in the Red River Gorge geological area and is near the Daniel Boone National Forest, Natural Bridge State Park, and Clifty Wilderness. The Koomer Ridge campground offers cabins, trailer spaces, or tent spaces for rent. Outdoor activities located near Koomer Ridge include climbing, biking, hiking, and canoeing. I like this camp ground for its location and staff.

Carter Caves State Park offers a great array of activities for one location. As the name suggests, there are caves to be explored here, but there is also fishing, boating, golf, hiking, biking, and special events. There are varying types of lodging available at the park including cottages, a lodge, trailer lots, and tent spaces. I really loved the cave tours. It's one of my favorite things to do when I go camping, and Carter Caves Park does not let down a cave enthusiast.

Lake Malone State Park is the smallest park on my list at only 388 acres, but its 788 acre lake and beautiful scenery far make up for its small size. Lake Malone boasts of the best hikes through its forest and amazing views of sandstone cliffs along the water's edge. If you enjoy an exciting day of fishing, it doesn't get much better than Lake Malone's stock of large mouth bass, blue gill, crappie, and channel cats. Other activities around Lake Malone include boating, hiking, biking, picnicking, canoeing, jet skiing, volleyball, and horseshoes. Lake Malone has both primitive and improved camping sites.