Details
State Hwy 700, Whitley City, KY, 42653
National Park ServiceLast Updated: December 5, 2025
Table Of Contents
Campground Overview
Introduction
Alum Ford is a primitive campground and offers six campsites with a vault toilet facility. No drinking water is located at this area. Alum Ford also has a boat ramp. There are no fees to use the ramp.
Campsite Details
Operating Hours
Alum Ford is a primitive campground and offers six campsites with a vault toilet facility. This campground is open year-round on a first come-first serve basis.
Weather
The weather along the Cumberland Plateau can be best described as unpredictable. Each season brings its own weather patterns. Summers are generally hot and humid, with high temperatures sometimes eclipsing 90 degrees. The low temperatures in winter often dip below freezing. Spring sees the most amount of precipitation, but rainfall can occur in various amounts throughout the year.
Amenities
Trash & Recycling Collection
Toilets
Food Storage Lockers
Directions
Exit I-75 onto HWY 92 at Williamsburg (Exit 11). (This road has been recently upgraded and provides a direct access to Stearns and Blue Heron) Turn right on 92 for approximately 7 miles to the intersection of Hwy 700 and US 27 . Turn Left onto Hwy 700 and continue approximately 5.5 miles to the campground.
Rates & Fees
Campsite Fee
This fee is for one night of camping for up to six persons per site. Holders of the Interagency Access/Senior Passport pay only half the fee per night.
Rules & Regulations
Fire/Stove Policy
Firewood must be purchased and/or collected from the local vicinity; to learn more visit http://dontmovefirewood.org/.Regulations Overview
All food, food items (mustard, ketchup, etc), coolers (even if they are empty or have ice, water, pop, etc), must be kept in a vehicle or trailer with hard sides, except while preparing or eating it. Parking is allowed on the asphalt surface ONLY, not on the grass or gravel pads (gravel pads are for tents). Pets MUST be restrained on a leash AT ALL TIMES. QUIET HOURS ARE FROM 10:00 PM (ET) TO 6:00 AM (ET) Alcohol is prohibited in the Kentucky area of the Park. All grey water (dishes, shower, etc) must NEVER be dumped onto the ground. Bicycles may be ridden at night only if you have a light in the front and a red reflective marker on the back.Accessibility
Wheelchair Access
Campsite number 7 is wheelchair accessible on a gravel surface. The vault toilet is accessible on a paved surface.
Cell Phone Information
Cell phone reception is poor in this area due to the gorge.
RV Allowed
No
RV Information
No RVs in this campground.
RV Maximum Length
0
Additional Information
The campground is located adjacent to the Alum Ford Boat Launch, providing access for motorized boats to this remote section of Lake Cumberland. The Sheltowee Trace National Recreational Trail also passes through the campground. The Sheltowee Trace is a 260-mile back country trail through Daniel Boone National Forest, Big South Fork NRRA, and Natural Bridge, Cumberland Falls, & Pickett State Parks in Kentucky and Tennessee.
Trailer Maximum Length
0
ADA Information
There is one accessible site located at the end of the campground near the vault toilet which is also accessible. The surface is gravel only.
Trailer Allowed
No
Access Roads
Unpaved Roads - All vehicles OK in good weather
Classifications
Limited Development Campground
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