Fishtrap Lake Shelters

Fishtrap Lake — lakeside, fishing

Location: SHELBIANA, KY, KY

Price: From $50 per night

Rating: 2 out of 5 (4 reviews)

Season: May through October

Nestled among mountains and dense forests, the Fishtrap Lake area will appeal to anyone who loves boating, fishing or hiking. A man-made lake surrounded by natural beauty, Fishtrap Lake was created to help control flooding along the Ohio and Big Sandy Rivers. The lake’s location allows visitors to choose from endless recreational opportunities, whether its water sports on the lake, hiking on nearby trails or picnicking in the picturesque group area.Downtown Pikeville is 20 minutes North from pro

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Fishing, Boat Launch

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

Fishtrap Lake offers excellent boating, fishing, and hiking opportunities nestled in mountains and dense forests. Campers appreciate it as a quiet, scenic spot to relax and fish, though facilities are minimal.

Wildlife alert: White-tailed Deer, Elk, Wild Turkey, Great Blue Herons, Eastern Box Turtles, and River Cooters present in the area.

Insider tips for Fishtrap Lake Shelters: Book early—this is a federal campground with only 4 tent sites. No hookups available, so plan accordingly for tent camping. Boat launch is on-site for water recreation.

Skip Fishtrap Lake Shelters if: You need electrical or water hookups.. You prefer larger campgrounds with more amenities.. You visit outside May-October season..

Best time to visit Fishtrap Lake Shelters: May-October — Campground operates seasonally during these months only..

Nearby campgrounds: John W. Flannagan Day Use (HAYSI, VA), Lower Twin Campground (Va) (Haysi, VA), Pound River Campground (Va) (Clintwood, VA), Cranesnest Campground (Va) (Clintwood, VA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Fishtrap Lake Shelters

Cell signal at Fishtrap Lake Shelters (SHELBIANA, KY): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

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.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›KY›Fishtrap Lake Shelters
Fishtrap Lake Shelters — photo 1
Fishtrap Lake Shelters — photo 2
See all photos
Fishtrap Lake — lakeside, fishingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Fishtrap Lake Shelters

Share:
SHELBIANA, KY, KY★ 2 (4 reviews)From $50/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Nestled among mountains and dense forests, the Fishtrap Lake area will appeal to anyone who loves boating, fishing or hiking. A man-made lake surrounded by natural beauty, Fishtrap Lake was created to help control flooding along the Ohio and Big Sandy Rivers. The lake’s location allows visitors to choose from endless recreational opportunities, whether its water sports on the lake, hiking on nearby trails or picnicking in the picturesque group area.Downtown Pikeville is 20 minutes North from project which provides; Hatfield Mccoy History tours, Dueling Barrel Brewery and Distillery, Kayaking, Horse Trails, Zipline, Jenny Wiley Theatre, and EXPO Center.

Best for:AnglersBoatersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:Tent
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 RV18 ft
Hookups3 electric sites
ADA sites3 sites
Pull-throughsAvailable
PetsAllowed
CampfiresNot permitted
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsBoat Launch
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Fishing

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 electrical or water hookups.✕ You prefer larger campgrounds with more amenities.✕ You visit outside May-October season.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 4 tent sites.

No hookups available, so plan accordingly for tent camping.

Boat launch is on-site for water recreation.

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally during these months 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 · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: White-tailed Deer, Elk, Wild Turkey, Great Blue Herons, Eastern Box Turtles, and River Cooters present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
606-437-7496· Fishtrap Lake
Getting there →

From US-460/Shelbiana Road, continue approximately five miles, then make a slight right onto Kentucky Route 1789/Fishtrap Road. Continue three miles to the Fishtrap Lake Dam Site Recreation Area. Shelter # 1 is the first right turn after entering the dam site, located approximately one mile below the dam. Located along the same road, Shelter #2 is the second shelter on the right near the end of the recreation area. Fishtrap Lakes' Grapevine Recreation Area is located along State Route 194 at Phy

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 — Fishtrap Lake fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Fishtrap Lake before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Fishtrap Lake Shelters cost per night?+
Fishtrap Lake Shelters costs $50 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Fishtrap Lake Shelters open?+
Fishtrap Lake Shelters is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Fishtrap Lake Shelters have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Fishtrap Lake Shelters?+
Fishtrap Lake Shelters can accommodate RVs up to 18 feet.
How do I make reservations at Fishtrap Lake Shelters?+
Fishtrap Lake Shelters 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 Fishtrap Lake Shelters?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Fishtrap Lake Shelters is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Fishtrap Lake Shelters open, and what are check-in times?+
Fishtrap Lake Shelters is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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.

$50 /night★ 2 (4)
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 Fishtrap Lake Shelters cost per night?+
What season is Fishtrap Lake Shelters open?+
Does Fishtrap Lake Shelters have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

John W. Flannagan Day Use

HAYSI, VA

From $50/night

Lower Twin Campground (Va)

Haysi, VA

From $20/night

Pound River Campground (Va)

Clintwood, VA

From $20/night

Cranesnest Campground (Va)

Clintwood, VA

From $20/night

Own a campground nearby?

List free on CamperWatch — we take 5% only on bookings we send. No monthly fee.

List your campground →
$50 /nightNo booking fees
+TRIPCheck availability