Campgrounds Kentucky & Montana (looking for)

[Sherri_Jo]

We are planning a trip from Wisconsin to Kentucky then another from Wisconsin to Montana this summer. Any ideas for good campgrounds? Would be best to be in the northern or western part of Kentucky since we are coming down from Wisconsin. We travel with our 2 doggies so it has to be pet friendly. Prefer a waterfront site and has to have some space!! Don't enjoy campgrounds where you are right on top of each other..We travel in a big rig so it has to fit our 39' motorhome. We have been to Kentucky in the past but never with the motorhome and it will be our first trip ever to Montana. We prefer the eastern side of Montana as again we are coming from Wisconsin. If anyone is traveling to Wisconsin or the U.P. of Michigan we can give you campground tips. Thanks for any tips or advice..

[docj]

Sherri Jo wrote:
Ok Jim.. I trust campers more then I trust family or friends posting reviews that are not true for someone who owns a campground and I know that happens often.

As one of the administrators for RV Park Reviews, I can assure you that we devote a lot of effort to rooting out reviews by owners and their friends and family. No doubt, despite our efforts, some do get through but we don't think this happens frequently. But if you are certain that a particular review was submitted by someone related to an RV park, please let us know.

[padredw]

OK, here is my route: Head straight west for the Black Hills of South Dakota in the area of Custer State Park, Mt. Rushmore, etc. Spend at least 4 days there. If you've never been to Yellowstone head on over there for another 4 days. If you don't want to go to Yellowstone, drop on down to Estes Park, CO. September is the ideal time to be there. The Elk will be on the move all around you. Weather is usually good. If you do go to Yellowstone, still drop back down to Estes Park, another 4 days. Spend another day or two at either Colorado Springs or Buena Vista, CO. Now drive down to Santa Fe, NM for 3 or 4 day stay.

Now back across Oklahoma to Russellville, AR and Dardanelle State Park for a couple of days just to rest up from the driving. Spend a night somewhere around Memphis/Nashville before going on up to Lexington, KY and the Kentucky Horse Park for the last 3 or 4 nights before heading toward home.

Without Yellowstone I figure this to be a 27-28 day trip. The only part of the trip I do not have towing experience with is the first leg to get out west to South Dakota, and the trip home from Lexington. Other than that we have camped in all the stops I have mentioned.

There are countless variations, but you asked a straight question, "Where would you go in September? My short answer would be: to the Rocky Mountain West. Above is just one possibility.

[Sherri_Jo]

Karen, Yes we tow a car along with. We didnt do that with our first motorhome and quickly learned that tearing down your site to run to town was not a good option. ;-)Then did the dolly and soon went to the blue ox.. Its live and learn.. We have decided to take the whole month of Sept off and go somewhere. We were thinking Kentucky but after reading Sue's post that might not be the best idea. She says it gets very humid and hot BUT we have been having up to 40 below zero for the past month so right now that sounds good. We met an awesome couple last summer from Florida and they want us to meet up in May for the Nascar races in Talladega so thats an option. We have not explored area's with the MH other then around the great lakes so this is going to be a new experience for us.The best trip we did take was to circle around Lake Michigan with no destination, we just drove and stopped when we felt like it.Im writing down everyones ideas in a folder so we can check them out when we go that direction. Have you heard much about the alarm system you can get for your camper/MH ? It works on your phone and if the temp gets to a certain level it calls your cell phone... We are thinking of getting one before this camping season. Our puppies are pretty important but sometimes we would like to be able to run a bit more, that would allow a bit more freedom without having to worry. Question>> for anyone reading this.. if you lived in Wisconsin and had the month of Sept to travel where would you go? We have 15 days to travel in May, June, July and Aug plus the whole month of Sept... We have the June one planned in the UP already, just trying to figure the rest out by doing places that we have not visited already..plus being more adventuresome by going farther away... Thanks so much for all the tips....We have traveled to Florida, Texas, Colorado and others by car but by MH is completely different...

[Sue_Bee]

In Ky, I also suggest Land Between Lakes, there are several campgrounds that have access to water, Hillman Ferry has some lakefront sights, if you like fishing (especially catfish and panfish), the lake is pretty good, there is a fair amount to do and see, but it can get very hot and very humid there late June to mid September, so the earlier you go in the spring, or late September can be a little more tolerable.

[KarenS144]

Sherri Jo,

The previous posters are right about eastern Montana. Once you get past TRNP in ND, there's not much till at least mid state.

Do you tow another vehicle? We travel with our 2 boxers and they go everywhere with us with very few exceptions. Maybe it's more like we go where they can go. LOL! We took the back seat out of our Jeep and throw in a couple of beds for them, a jug of water & bowl and off we go. They do limit what we can do but we know that and have made that choice. Like you, I can't imagine not taking our boxerkids. On the few occasions we have left them (like in Zion), we left the A/C on, cracked open a few windows and left a fan on. We try to find sites with shade too.

You say you want a waterfront campsite which is probably not going to happen in most places. Indiana does have some nice state parks but few have campsites on the water. Turkey Run is a nice park just west of Indianapolis that has some decent sites and plenty of hiking. Sugar Creek runs through the park and is a good fishing, canoeing, kayaking place.

Bozeman, MT has a nice museum and a fun downtown. Butte has a copper mine. Anaconda has a big stack left over from a copper smelting plant. You could drop south just west of Billings, pick up 72 & 120 and work your way to Cody. Buffalo Bill State Park does have a campground right on the lake. There is a lot to do in Cody and the Beartooth/Chief Joseph Highway loop is a must see. 120 is good road and I would imagine 72 would be too. I bet Red Lodge, MT would have a few private CGs to choose from and it's a cute town as well as being where the Beartooth starts (or ends). You could not take the MH on the Beartooth though.

It is a LONG way out there so if you go, go when you have the most time. We wandered around MT and WY for about 5 weeks last summer and feel like we barely skimmed the surface.

[Sherri_Jo]

I was afraid that Montana may just be open area's with not lots to do. Have done Colorado(without MH) and that was great. Andy we have never done Indiana but thats a thought since it's not that far for us.Since Wisconsin and Minn have so many lakes its hard to find waterfront campsites in other states that compare. We have been doing the MH thing for about 5 years (during summer as we are not retired) and we have pretty much exhausted Wisconsin and Michigan. So this year besides doing our favorite places we want to find some new areas to explore. We have every other week off plus a stretch of 12 or so days once a month. That leaves us lots of time to explore. Much of our time is spent in the campgrounds visiting and meeting other campers since we have dogs and wont leave them in the MH very long just in case the air would go out, you just cant be sure. ( I guess they have an alarm system now that you can buy that alerts you if the temp gets hot while your away from the MH) So while others venture out and about we do that but not any long amount of time with the dogs along if its HOT outside. Thats why it's important for us to find a comfortable spacious camp site. As for the trip up to the UP... You have to do Lake of the Clouds.. It is 300% beautiful!!! and as for Munising Tourist Park (our fav) they have a place you can rent 4 wheelers just down the road and run through the national forest. Thats absolutely awesome too..Glass bottom boat tours to see the cargo ship wrecks, dinner cruises, and the most beautiful scenery you can find..We also went up around Lk Superior past Duluth and up to the Canadian boarder in Minn. It was BEAUTIFUL there... We are open to any ideas anyone has for places we can go to and see in 11 or so days whole trip from Wisconsin. We just figured KY and Mt would be different. Not many who are not retired travel as much as we do during summer so we are mostly on our own.I am writing down everyones ideas. Thank you, Ray & Sherri Jo

[Jim_Shoe]

FWIW, over the years, I've done searches on "(state name) tourism" when I'm headed someplace. I finally created a "Tourism" tab on my favorites bar and added states' tourism sites to it. Now, there's a Tourism site created by the US Government with links to each state's tourist information. Looks pretty good.

[Islandman]

You should contact Montana tourism folks to get many ideas on places to visit, if I remember correctly they have divided the state into six or eight regions each with it unique characteristics. Any visit to Montana must include Glacier NP and all the country up there. On the way to MT, stop at Fort Mandan along the Missouri River, Teddy Roosevelt NP in ND and Fort Union at the confluence of the Yellowstone with the Missouri. If you have time, then you must include Yellowstone and the country south of Billings, but may be too far away from your route. Montana can take several weeks just to see the highlights, and then only a glimpse at that. KY and MT are two completely environments, don't try to do both of them in the same year unless you have several months!

[Veebyes]

Um, you might want to take a look at a topographic map of eastern Montana.

There is not a whole heckuva lot to see besides miles & miles of high prairie in the east. You need to get to the western half of the state before you run into real mountains & stuff to see.

[rockhillmanor]

padredw wrote:
Hard to beat Kentucky Horse Park RV just north of Lexington.....

Ditto X100! :B

I look forward to staying overnight there on my trip from Wisconsin to Florida every year......only thing is I always end up staying a week every time!!! There is so much to do and see there within walking distance of your camp site and it changes every week.

http://kyhorsepark.com/

http://kyhorsepark.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=571&Itemid=264

Check out their primitive camping section of the park too. They call it primitive but it is real nice spacious sites on the grass. Water and electric only. But the dump station is right at the end of that section. AND MUCH CHEAPER PRICE! And you still have access to all the amenities and activities on the grounds.

[atomlinson]

Slim pickings for waterfront sites in Northern Kentucky, but in nearby Southeastern Indiana is Little Farm on the River campground in Rising Sun, which has sites on the Ohio River, and very close to Rising Star Casino.

[Sherri_Jo]

Silver Lake was THE BEST... It really does not matter how many people are there.. Its so giant you wont even notice anyone. It goes right up to Lk Michigan so its also beautiful.You can take your own car/truck in there so you see everything and I mean everything.. Old rust buckets, souped up trucks, and amazing custom made cars/trucks that you cant even imagine.. Again its so large you really dont see a lot of people like its crowded. One of the fun parts was we pulled up on one of the "mountains" and just sat as we watched the crazy ones try to go up one of the GIANT "mountains" it was entertaining!! You have to back up if you cant make it but some dummies will try to turn and they will roll down the "mountain".. Yes I know they are really not mountains but they are VERY VERY large. Im not a dare devil!! and was thinking how can I get my group to all do jeeps not dune buggies... But we did the dune buggies and it was GREAT.. After you ride around a few miles you get wild too... All of us would do it again in a heart beat... Do it!!! You wont regret it... As for crowded, you will see lots of cars/trucks in the parking lot but not out in the hundreds of acres....

[buckeye_nut]

It's funny you mention Silver Lake I was looking at it before I read your post and thought it looked really amazing. The pictures looked like it was wall to wall people. Is it always like that or just on the weekends? I was looking at silver lake SP. The pictures I saw of people ridings the dunes like fun but also scarey.

[KarenS144]

I've found the rvparkreviews very helpful. I also use Google maps & the satellite view to scope out the campgrounds and surrounding area. Another source I use a lot is Trailer Life.

In Kentucky, we love Kendall CG which is probably out of your way. It has huge sites that are well spaced and is on the Cumberland River right below Wolf Creek Dam.

I agree with padredw. Spring Creek Campground near Big Timber, MT is very nice. We only planned a stop over on our way to Missoula and wished we could have stayed longer.

There is not a lot to choose from along I-94 in ND! We did an overnight at in Valley City, ND at the Wagon Wheel Inn. Certainly nothing special but an easy enough off/on. If you want to rough it, check out Theodore Roosevelt Nat. Park in ND. No hookups, no reservations but a wonderful park and there are some sites that can accommodate big rigs. There are private CGs in Medora with hook-ups though. TRNP is worth a stop.

Closer to Missoula is Bearmouth RV Park. Sites are vary large and some are under trees. Some are next to the Clark Fork but all are fairly close to the interstate hence the easy on/off. We stayed at Jim & Mary's in Missoula for a few nights and it was nice but the sites were close together. Of course, we pretty much only slept there so it didn't really matter how close the sites were.

We stayed at the Bozeman KOA. It's a KOA.. decent but pricey.

Have fun planning!