Koomer Ridge Campground Guide

Have you ever stayed at Koomer Ridge Campground in the Red River Gorge of Daniel Boone National Forest in eastern Kentucky?

My wife and I stayed at Koomer Ridge for an extended weekend during our one-year wedding anniversary and explored the Red River Gorge. In this review, I’ll tell you how our experience was while staying at this campground.

After you read this review, you can decide if staying at Koomer Ridge Campground is right for you or not.

Koomer Ridge Campground Snapshot

Important campground information that you should know:

Location: Koomer Ridge Campground, Pine Ridge, Kentucky
Number of Sites: 54 tent sites (19 suitable for trailer campers)
Price Per Site: $10 to $25 per site
Campground Type: Tent and trailer, no electricity hookup available
Online Reservation: Recreation.gov Reservation Available
Walk Up Reservation: Available; First-come, first-served
Pets Allowed: Yes
Restrooms: Yes
Showers: Yes
Water Availability: Restrooms
Trails Nearby: Hidden Arch and Silvermine Arch Trail

PRO TIP: We reserved our campsite months ahead using the online reservation system, as these sites will quickly fill up when the weather is nice or around holidays, when people like to get outside. If you risk doing a “walk-up” campsite, you might arrive with no available sites.

Why Koomer Ridge Campground is Worth Camping At

We looked everywhere for camping at Red River Gorge, and Koomer Ridge Campground was our main choice and will be the main choice again in the future.

Other options were expensive cabins, and Airbnb stays, walk-in only campgrounds that we didn’t know would be full or not or renting a spot in the backyard of a pizza place with a bunch of other campers who may or may not be loud at night.

Koomer Ridge gave us the ability to reserve a spot online many months in advance of our trip to Red River Gorge, so we took advantage of it.

They have different sites. We got one that you could fit a trailer in when we were there. However, in the future, we’ll go for more of a tent site so that we get more privacy. There are multiple tent sites that are basically in the woods and away from other campsites.

The campground is having some issues getting their water hydrants in working order (as it is still the Forest Service after all, and we know how the federal government works), but you can still get water at the shower house.

The shower house was so clean that I used it. I won’t use nasty ones, but this one was very clean, and the water was hot or cold, whatever you want. I want hot no matter what time of the year it is.

After 10:00 PM, Koomer Ridge Campground was quiet. We usually have issues with noisy neighbors almost everywhere we camp, but never once at this campground. It was nice being able to sleep without hearing drunk people scream and carry on all night long.

The campground is easy to access and drive through. Sites were easy to find. The hosts are very friendly and sell firewood and ice. There are a few really nice hiking trails that start at the campground, as well, including the Hidden Arch and Silvermine Arch Trails.

In all honesty, Koomer Ridge was one of our favorite camping experiences.

Campground Map + Directions

You can find a Campground Map on the Recreation.gov website to reserve campsites. You do not need to reserve a site in order to see the map. The map is on the main page.

For directions from Slade, Kentucky:

Take KY 15 S for 5.7 miles.
Turn left onto Koomer Ridge Road.
You’ve arrived at the campground.

All the roads leading to and into the campground are paved and wide enough to accommodate larger recreational vehicles and trailers.

Use this Google Maps Link to get to Koomer Ridge Campground from Slade, Kentucky.

The host is available at the first campsite on your left after you enter the campground. There is a secondary host on your left further down that same road. There are signs showing that they’re campground hosts.

What You Get When Staying at Koomer Ridge Campground

You get quite a bit when you camp at the Koomer Ridge Campground on the Red River Gorge.

For starters, you’re close to all the best trails. It’s a short distance to all of them. You’re also less than 6 miles away from Slade, which has everything you need, just in case you need supplies.

The campground is heavily forested, so you’ll have plenty of shade. We went when it was over 100 degrees every day, and the shade was a lifesaver. The campground is also quiet at night, which is really important. I found the campground to be very accommodating for families, too.

Each site has a picnic table, fire ring, and a tent area. Some sites are big enough to accommodate larger trailers and RVs.

There is vault toilets scattered around the campground. They are well-stocked and cleaned daily by staff. There is also a shower house with flushable toilets and sinks located in the campground that is free for guests. The shower house was very clean, and they had good hot water.

There is a campground host you can consult for information, buy firewood or ice, and report anything you’d need to report about your site or experience.

Anything Bad About Koomer Ridge Campground?

The only complaint we had was about the areas where you put up your tent.

It’s a gravel or woodchip square. This is an overall complaint at pretty much every campground we stay at. It’s common that all of the campgrounds do that, too.

However, it’s hard to drive tent stakes into the gravel or woodchip surface and get them to hold. We instead put our tent on the dirt surface away from the square. No one seemed to complain about it or tell us it was against the rules.

This isn’t really a complaint that’s worthy of noting. I’m mainly noting it for those who have the same issues with putting tents up. We’re probably doing it wrong and just need to fix how we do it.

I do want to note the water situation. Some of the drinking water hydrants are down, but you can still get water from the shower house sinks. The Forest Service has a big to-do with getting things fixed, so it will take a while to get those hydrants repaired – that’s the federal government for you.

Other than that, we had absolutely no other complaints and would stay there again and again in the future.

Best Time to Stay at Koomer Ridge Campground

Koomer Ridge Campground is open from Spring to Fall. Spring or Fall would be the best times to stay. Summer is acceptable, but it can be hot in eastern Kentucky during the middle of summer. It was over 100 degrees each day we stayed there, but the campground was very shaded, at least.

The campground doesn’t appear to be open in the winter. You can stay 1 to 14 days at a time at the campground per US Forest Service regulations on staying in the forest. The 14-day limit is pretty much a standard anywhere there is a campground available on US Forest Service-managed land.

Be prepared for limited to no availability in sites during peak fall colors and on holidays like Labor Day and Memorial Day. We reserved our days online months in advance so that we were able to camp there. I highly recommend you do the same.

What to Bring with You to this Campground

There are definitely things you should bring with you when staying at Koomer Ridge Campground.

We brought the following items:

Large tent for extra room
Inflatable queen-size air mattress
Sheets, covers, and pillows
Gas-canister cook stove with extra gas canisters
Lighter, napkins, cookware, plasticware, paper plates, cups, and bowls
Dry food, marshmallows, seasoning, and sauces
Hotdog sticks
Cooler with ice, food, and drinks
Case of bottled water (Definitely recommend this!)
Clothing
Personal and toiletry items
Bear spray
Hiking gear

I’m sure there are other things I’m forgetting to list or things you’ll want to take with you on your visit, as well.

Safety Notes and Warnings

We found that Koomer Ridge Campground was very safe during our visit. The hosts occasionally drive through the campground, and we even seen US Forest Service officials make a pass through at least once a day. At no time did we ever feel unsafe while staying there.

There is wildlife at Koomer Ridge, and that includes black bears. You should store your food safely and securely in your vehicle at night. Never sleep with food in your tent and always be bear aware.

We were warned ahead of time that the Red River Gorge is loaded with copperhead snakes, which are venomous. However, during the nearly weeklong trip we were there, in the summer, we saw one copperhead on a hiking trail. I am good at spotting snakes as I am constantly looking for them, and I never saw as many as people claim there are.

Obviously, there are a lot of spots at Red River Gorge, Koomer Ridge included, that have high cliffs and dangerous drops. If you fall from these areas, you will likely die. Stay on the trail and be safe around the edges to avoid injury or getting lost.

Follow the rules while staying at Koomer Ridge Campground:

Camping only in designated spots
Paying for your spot
Fires are only allowed in fire rings.
Site limits
Quiet hours 9:00 PM to 8:00 AM
Leave No Trace
Camping up to 14 days max

Common sense will keep you safe while visiting Koomer Ridge and the Red River Gorge in eastern Kentucky.

Nearby Trails to Hike

We hiked quite a few trails in the area when we visited.

I recommend hiking the Hidden Arch and Silvermine Arch Trails, which are located at the campground. Grays Arch Trail and Auxier Ridge to Courthouse Rock Trail were also a lot of fun. We also enjoyed hiking at Natural Bridge State Resort Park in nearby Slade.

Red River Gorge is full of great trails. I recommend using AllTrails Premium to access the trail. My link won’t impact your price, but I may earn a commission.

Who is Koomer Ridge Campground Best For?

Koomer Ridge Campground is best for a variety of different people looking for a campground option at Red River Gorge in eastern Kentucky.

I would recommend this campground for families with small children. It wasn’t party central, and people abide by the quiet hour rules. The hosts were very accommodating and friendly, too.

If you need electricity, this campground isn’t for you. If you need Wi-Fi, this campground isn’t for you. If you need a relaxing getaway, then I would definitely stay here.

What To Do Near Koomer Ridge Campground

There is a lot to do aside from hiking when staying at Koomer Ridge Campground.

The Red River Gorge is full of great places to eat, many places to stay at if the campground is booked up or you need more amenities, and great stores to shop at for supplies and gifts.

Gas is also available in nearby Slade, Kentucky.

Final Verdict for Koomer Ridge Campground

Koomer Ridge Campground is probably one of our most favored campgrounds out there.

We really enjoyed our stay. Aside from the tent issue, we had fun and had no complaints at all. We’ll definitely be staying there again when we return to Red River Gorge.

If you find this campground review to be helpful, consider supporting me in publishing it. You can do that by becoming a Patron Member or by giving me a one-time donation if you’d rather do that. Your support goes a long way.

I’d also like to invite you to subscribe to my free monthly newsletter for more hiking tips, reviews, and upcoming local events. Join my free Hiking and Backpacking Forum to discuss the outdoors all over the world and get away from social media for a change. The newsletter and forum are 100% free.

And until next time, I’ll see you on the trail!

Watch the videos for this trail!

Below is a recent video that we filmed while enjoying this area.

Check out the trail gallery!

Enjoy these photos taken around this area!