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Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For.

Daniel Boone National Forest — lakeside, hiking

Location: SALT LICK, KY, KY

Price: From $31 per night

Price range: $31–$105 per night

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (329 reviews)

Season: May through October

Zilpo, a large, fun-filled campground on Cave Run Lake, is a prime destination for families. The scenic campground offers a cabin rental, tent camping, RV sites with electric hookups and a selection of lakefront sites. Views of the lake are enjoyed by those who relax on the sandy beach.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Drinking Water, Showers, Dump Station, Electric Hookups, Boat Launch, Firewood for Sale

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/zilpo-daniel-boone-nat-for to be notified when sites open up.

Zilpo is a large, scenic campground on Cave Run Lake offering lakefront sites, sandy beach access, and family-friendly recreation including boating, swimming, and water skiing. Google reviewers rate it 4.6/5 stars and praise its peaceful atmosphere and well-maintained facilities.

Wildlife alert: High tick presence reported by campers. Wildlife in area includes raccoons, Long-billed Dowitchers, Red-shouldered Hawks, White-throated Sparrows, Yellow-throated Warblers, Little Brown Skinks, DeKay's Brownsnakes, and Eastern Garter Snakes.

Insider tips for Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For.: Book online using a computer rather than phone for easier campsite map viewing Camp host maintains updated site information and clean restrooms Some areas were closed due to flood damage; check availability before booking

Skip Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For. if: You need water or sewer hookups — only electric hookups available on select sites. You prefer spontaneous visits — federal campground requires early booking. You dislike tick-heavy environments — woods area has significant tick population.

Best time to visit Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For.: May-October — Official operating season; peak recreation for water activities.

Nearby campgrounds: Twin Knobs Campground (MOREHEAD, KY), Boat Gunnel Group Campground (MOREHEAD, KY), Claylick Boat-In Campground (Morehead, KY), Cave Run Dam Tailwater (MOREHEAD, KY).

Cell Phone Coverage at Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For.

Cell signal at Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For. (SALT LICK, KY): strong overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: T-Mobile.

  • Verizon 4G LTE: 100% coverage
  • AT&T 4G LTE: 100% coverage · AT&T 5G: 100%
  • T-Mobile 4G LTE: 100% coverage · T-Mobile 5G: 100%

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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CamperWatch›KY›Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For.
Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For. — photo 1
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Daniel Boone National Forest — lakeside, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For.

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SALT LICK, KY, KY★ 4.2 (329 reviews)From $31/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Zilpo, a large, fun-filled campground on Cave Run Lake, is a prime destination for families. The scenic campground offers a cabin rental, tent camping, RV sites with electric hookups and a selection of lakefront sites. Views of the lake are enjoyed by those who relax on the sandy beach.

Best for:HikersBoatersFamiliesSites: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 RV65 ft
Hookups37 electric sites
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking WaterElectric Hookups
Recreation
Picnic TablesShowersBoat Launch
Family & Pets
Flush ToiletsDump StationFirewood for Sale

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 — only electric hookups available on select sites✕ You prefer spontaneous visits — federal campground requires early booking✕ You dislike tick-heavy environments — woods area has significant tick population

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book online using a computer rather than phone for easier campsite map viewing

Camp host maintains updated site information and clean restrooms

Some areas were closed due to flood damage; check availability before booking

Best: May-October

Official operating season; peak recreation for water activities

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G + 5G · 100%
Verizon
4G · 100%
AT&T
4G + 5G · 100%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: T-Mobile.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: High tick presence reported by campers. Wildlife in area includes raccoons, Long-billed Dowitchers, Red-shouldered Hawks, White-throated Sparrows, Yellow-throated Warblers, Little Brown Skinks, DeKay's Brownsnakes, and Eastern Garter Snakes.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
606-768-2722· Daniel Boone National Forest
vista@vista-rec.com
Getting there →

In Salt Lick, KY, at the intersection of State Route 211 and U.S. Route 60, take Route 211 south for 3.6 miles to the Forest Recreation sign. Turn left at the sign, onto Clear Creek Road and go 3.9 miles to Zilpo Campground sign. Turn left at the sign onto Forest Route 918 and drive 8.7 miles to the campground.

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 — Daniel Boone National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Daniel Boone National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For. cost per night?+
Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For. costs $31–$105 per night. Hookup options: Electric hookups on select sites. No water/sewer.
What season is Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For. open?+
Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For. is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For. have hookups?+
Electric hookups on select sites. No water/sewer.
What is the maximum RV length at Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For.?+
Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For. can accommodate RVs up to 65 feet.
How do I make reservations at Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For.?+
Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For. 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 Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For.?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For. is rated strong. Best carrier: T-Mobile. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For. open, and what are check-in times?+
Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For. is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Forest Service ConcessionaireUnited States Forest Service Cumberland Ranger District
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.

$31 /night★ 4.2 (329)
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 Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For. cost per night?+
What season is Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For. open?+
Does Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For. have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Twin Knobs Campground

MOREHEAD, KY

From $35/night

Boat Gunnel Group Campground

MOREHEAD, KY

From $175/night

Claylick Boat-In Campground

Morehead, KY

From $20/night

Cave Run Dam Tailwater

MOREHEAD, KY

From $65/night

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$31–105 /nightNo booking fees
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