Campgrounds and RV parks near Garrison, KY

Garrison is a small unincorporated community in Lewis County, Kentucky, sitting along the Ohio River and Kentucky Route 8. It puts RV travelers within reach of two very different park systems: Kentucky state parks to the south and east, and Ohio state parks and the Shawnee State Forest directly across the river. The closest developed public campground is Main - Shawnee State Park, located across the Ohio River near West Portsmouth, Ohio, inside the 63,000-acre Shawnee State Forest. Southeast in Carter County, Kentucky, Carter Caves State Resort Park offers a full-service campground plus a dedicated Equestrian Campground for horse trailers. Private options in the immediate Garrison area include Sandy Springs Campground, Lazy Village Campground and RV Park, and Bens Happy Trails Horsemens Camp for riders. The area works well as a river-and-forest base: quiet rural roads, forested hills, and easy access to Portsmouth for groceries, fuel, and supplies before heading back to a wooded site.

Shawnee State Park reservations are handled through the Ohio State Parks reservation system at reserveohio.com or by phone at 866-644-6727, and can be made up to six months in advance. The campground offers electric and non-electric sites plus two camper cabins. At Carter Caves State Resort Park, standard campsites are booked through Kentucky State Parks on ReserveAmerica up to 12 months ahead, with a one-day-ahead minimum. The Equestrian Campground at Carter Caves is different: it is reserved only by calling the park directly at 606-286-4411 and selecting option 4. Non-equestrian campers who want an equestrian site must wait until 10 days before arrival to book. Private parks such as Sandy Springs Campground, Lazy Village Campground and RV Park, and Bens Happy Trails Horsemens Camp are booked directly with the operator.