Blue Heron Campground

Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: ONEIDA, KY, KY

Price: From $30 per night

Price range: $30–$35 per night

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (346 reviews)

Season: May through October

Blue Heron Campground is a rustic and spacious campground, situated on the Kentucky side of The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area--a vast and scenic expanse of land that offers visitors countless recreational activities.The Big South Fork is located in north central Tennessee and southeastern Kentucky in some of the most rugged terrain of the Cumberland Plateau. The park encompasses approximately 125,000 acres of both rocky gorges and forested plateaus. Numerous pristine streams

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): moderate signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: Verizon. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 100%. T-Mobile 4G: 0%.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Showers, Electric Hookups, Fishing

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/blue-heron-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Blue Heron Campground is situated on the Kentucky side of The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, offering countless recreational activities including hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and fishing. The campground provides rustic accommodations with 45 sites featuring fire rings, picnic tables, flush toilets, and showers.

Wildlife alert: Eastern Copperhead snakes present in the area; also Eastern Whip-poor-will, Black-throated Green Warbler, North American Racer, and Ringneck Snake documented within 8km.

Insider tips for Blue Heron Campground: Book early as this is a popular federal campground Electric hookups available on select sites only Fishing opportunities at nearby Big South Fork river

Skip Blue Heron Campground if: You need water or sewer hookups at your site. You plan to visit outside May through October when the campground is closed. You require hookups at most sites.

Best time to visit Blue Heron Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Bear Creek Campground - Ky (Oneida, KY), Alum Ford Campground (Oneida, KY), Station Camp Campground (ONEIDA, TN), Bandy Creek (ONEIDA, TN).

Cell Phone Coverage at Blue Heron Campground

Cell signal at Blue Heron Campground (ONEIDA, KY): moderate overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: Verizon.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area — riverside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Blue Heron Campground

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ONEIDA, KY, KY★ 4.5 (346 reviews)From $30/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Blue Heron Campground is a rustic and spacious campground, situated on the Kentucky side of The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area--a vast and scenic expanse of land that offers visitors countless recreational activities.The Big South Fork is located in north central Tennessee and southeastern Kentucky in some of the most rugged terrain of the Cumberland Plateau. The park encompasses approximately 125,000 acres of both rocky gorges and forested plateaus. Numerous pristine streams unite with the free-flowing Big South Fork of the Cumberland River.

Best for:AnglersHikersFamiliesBackpackersSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV61 ft
Hookups45 electric sites
ADA sites1 sites
Bear boxesYes — at every site
ToiletsFlush toilets
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsShowers
Recreation
Picnic TablesElectric Hookups
Family & Pets
Flush ToiletsFishing

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need water or sewer hookups at your site✕ You plan to visit outside May through October when the campground is closed✕ You require hookups at most sites

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a popular federal campground

Electric hookups available on select sites only

Fishing opportunities at nearby Big South Fork river

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 100%
AT&T
4G · 100%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: Verizon.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Eastern Copperhead snakes present in the area; also Eastern Whip-poor-will, Black-throated Green Warbler, North American Racer, and Ringneck Snake documented within 8km.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
(423) 286-7275· Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area
Getting there →

For detailed directions, please visit: http://www.nps.gov/biso/planyourvisit/directions.htm

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Blue Heron Campground cost per night?+
Blue Heron Campground costs $30–$35 per night. Hookup options: Electric hookups on select sites. No water/sewer.
What season is Blue Heron Campground open?+
Blue Heron Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Blue Heron Campground have hookups?+
Electric hookups on select sites. No water/sewer.
What is the maximum RV length at Blue Heron Campground?+
Blue Heron Campground can accommodate RVs up to 61 feet.
How do I make reservations at Blue Heron Campground?+
Blue Heron Campground is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Blue Heron Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Blue Heron Campground is rated moderate. Best carrier: Verizon. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Blue Heron Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Blue Heron Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Charit Creek Lodge
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$30 /night★ 4.5 (346)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Blue Heron Campground cost per night?+
What season is Blue Heron Campground open?+
Does Blue Heron Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Bear Creek Campground - Ky

Oneida, KY

From $30/night

Alum Ford Campground

Oneida, KY

From $15/night

Station Camp Campground

ONEIDA, TN

From $30/night

Bandy Creek

ONEIDA, TN

From $20/night

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