# Quilts, bison and two reservoirs – by camper from Paducah through Land Between the Lakes to Murray

> From the floodwall gallery in Paducah via Kentucky Dam and the wooded peninsula between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley to the Fort Donelson battlefield…

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-478-land-between-the-lakes-paducah/

**At a glance:** 6-day road trip of about 267 km (166 mi) with 14 stops, from Paducah to Murray. About 2 h 58 min of driving in total. Best time to go: April–May and September–October. No toll roads expected for a car. From the floodwall gallery in Paducah via Kentucky Dam and the wooded peninsula between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley to the Fort Donelson battlefield, Paris Landing and Murray: around 400 kilometres of water, forest and prairie in western Kentucky and Tennessee.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | approx. 267 km (166 mi) |
| Driving | 2 h 58 min |
| Suggested days | 6 |
| Stops | 14 |
| Route | Paducah → Murray |
| States | KY, TN |
| Best time to go | April–May and September–October |
| Tolls and vignettes | None expected |
| Updated | October 1, 2026 |

[Download GPX file](https://camping-spirit.com/gpx/rf-478-land-between-the-lakes-paducah.gpx)

Practical guides for this route: [Driving in the US: The Rules European Visitors Most Often Get Wrong at the Wheel](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/us-driving-rules-visitors/), [Fuel, Tolls and Distances: Practical US Driving Math for Motorhome and Camper Travelers](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/us-fuel-tolls-distances/), [US national parks: entry fees, passes and reservations in plain terms](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/us-national-park-passes/)

*From the floodwall gallery in Paducah via Kentucky Dam and the wooded peninsula between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley to the Fort Donelson battlefield, Paris Landing and Murray: around 400 kilometres of water, forest and prairie in western Kentucky and Tennessee.*

## The spirit of the route

Between the Tennessee River and the Cumberland River lies a long, narrow wooded ridge that two reservoirs have turned into a peninsula: Land Between the Lakes. Travelling here by camper, you drive The Trace through oak and hickory forest, see wild turkeys by the roadside and, in the evening, bison in the tall grass of the prairie. The campgrounds sit in coves, and in the morning mist hangs over the water when you open the sliding door; at night it is so dark that the Milky Way stands over the lake. At the start is Paducah, a river town that has turned its floodwall into a picture gallery and exhibits quilts as art. At the end are the earthworks of Fort Donelson above the Cumberland, a farm from the 1850s and the quiet lakeshore roads along Kentucky Lake. A route without passes and without hurry, whose pace is set by weather, water and dusk.

## Stage-by-stage plan

### Stage 1: Paducah to Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park (approx. 40 km)

- **The drive:** Paducah lies where the Tennessee River flows into the Ohio, right on I-24. The downtown is flat and laid out on a grid, and the streets are wide enough for motorhomes; on the riverfront below the floodwall there are larger parking areas – check the signs. After your visit, take I-24 east to Calvert City and US-62 to Gilbertsville and Kentucky Dam, or take the more leisurely US-62 through Reidland. Driving time around 40 minutes; fuel stations and large supermarkets in Paducah and along I-24.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - National Quilt Museum: contemporary and historical quilts in changing exhibitions – textile art of a high standard, even for visitors with no sewing ambitions. Paducah has been a UNESCO Creative City for crafts and folk art since 2013; in the Lowertown Arts District north of downtown, artists work in restored Victorian houses.
  - Wall to Wall – the Floodwall Murals: along Water Street, large-scale murals on the floodwall tell the town’s history, from river trade to the 1937 flood after which the wall was built. Easily done on foot in an hour; from the riverfront you look out over the Ohio and the towboats.
  - Kentucky Dam: the TVA dam from the 1940s impounds the Tennessee River to form Kentucky Lake. In winter, bald eagles gather below the dam at the fishing grounds in the tailwater; in summer, the anglers stand there.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park near Gilbertsville: large Kentucky State Parks campground near the dam, sites with electricity and water, shower blocks, dump station, plus a marina and beach. Book through the Kentucky State Parks system (parks.ky.gov); book early for summer weekends and fishing tournaments, and check site length when booking.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Overnight stays are not permitted in Paducah or at the parking areas by the dam. On this route, free camping is legal only in Land Between the Lakes with a backcountry permit (see stage 2). Some supermarkets tolerate overnight stays – only after asking in the store.
- **Insider tip for campers:** If you are coming from Southern Illinois, as described in the CampingSpirit travel guide to Southern Illinois and the Shawnee National Forest: the ferry across the Ohio at Cave-in-Rock has been suspended because of a contract dispute – check its status with the Kentucky transportation authority beforehand. The shortest way is via the I-24 bridge from Metropolis to Paducah. During the week of the big quilt show in spring, Paducah is fully booked – if that is not why you are coming, choose a different weekend.

### Stage 2: Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park to Hillman Ferry Campground (Land Between the Lakes) (approx. 70 km)

- **The drive:** Take US-62 and KY-453 to Grand Rivers, which sits on the narrow land bridge between the two lakes; cross the bridge over the Barkley Canal, which links the lakes, into Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area (USDA Forest Service). The Trace, the north–south axis through the area, begins at the North Welcome Station: two lanes, well built, gently hilly, with a moderate speed limit and plenty of wildlife on the road, especially at dusk. Detour east to Woodlands Nature Station on narrower paved roads. Driving time around 1.5 hours. Last reasonably priced fuel station in Grand Rivers.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - North Welcome Station: maps, permits and current information on closures, for example of forest areas with storm damage; buy your backcountry permit here if you want to camp free.
  - Woodlands Nature Station: nature centre with enclosures for native animals that cannot be released into the wild, including birds of prey, plus short educational trails at Honker Lake. Admission charged, open seasonally – check times in advance on landbetweenthelakes.us.
  - Honker Bay and Hematite Lake: small lakes in the north-east with loop trails, beaver signs and waterfowl in winter; quieter than the shores of the big lakes.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Hillman Ferry Campground: the largest campground in the north of LBL, right on Kentucky Lake, with electric and water sites, some with full hook-ups, shower blocks, dump station, shop and swimming beach. Quieter and smaller is Energy Lake Campground on the lake of the same name near the Nature Station, with electric sites. Both open roughly March to November; book through LBL’s own reservation system (online or by phone, 2 days to 6 months in advance).
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Land Between the Lakes is the exception in the region: with a backcountry camping permit (per person aged 18 and over, as a three-day or annual permit, online or at any LBL facility) you may camp free in large parts of the area, including with your vehicle at the lake access areas on the shore, such as Demumbers Bay or Birmingham Ferry. Excluded are, among others, the visitor facilities and the Elk & Bison Prairie; maps and rules at the Welcome Station. The basic self-service campgrounds charge a fee per night, and you do not need a permit there.
- **Insider tip for campers:** The access roads down to the lake access areas are partly gravel, steep and narrow – with large vehicles, check them on foot first and drive down only in dry weather; after rain the clay turns soft. Fill up with water beforehand, as there is none at the free camping spots. In Grand Rivers, the view from the dam over the Barkley Canal is worth it.

### Stage 3: Hillman Ferry Campground (Land Between the Lakes) to Lake Barkley State Resort Park (approx. 75 km)

- **The drive:** Follow The Trace around 35 kilometres south through forest and over ridges to the junction with US-68/KY-80 at Golden Pond. Then take US-68 east across the bridge over Lake Barkley and, just before Cadiz, head north to the state resort park. Wide roads with little traffic, driving time around one hour. Cadiz has a supermarket and fuel stations, but the town is hardly worth more than a quick shopping stop.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Golden Pond Visitor Center with planetarium: the planetarium shows sky shows, and the visitor centre explains the area. The name recalls the settlement of Golden Pond, known for its moonshine during Prohibition and cleared when the recreation area was established. Check show times and admission beforehand.
  - Elk & Bison Prairie: right next to the visitor centre, a loop road a few kilometres long runs through a fenced prairie with elk and bison. Admission per vehicle, stay in your vehicle; most activity in the early morning and late afternoon.
  - Lake Barkley State Resort Park: hiking trails through forest and along the shore of Lake Barkley, beach and marina; the impounded Cumberland River is wide here and full of coves.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Lake Barkley State Resort Park: Kentucky State Parks campground with electric and water sites, shower block, dump station. The lodge is closed for extensive construction work; according to the State Parks closure list the campground is not affected – still check parks.ky.gov before you arrive. Book through Kentucky State Parks.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Outside LBL there is no public land for free camping on Lake Barkley. If you would rather stay in LBL, you can use lakeshore spots on the Barkley side with a permit, or the self-service campground Cravens Bay on a cove of Lake Barkley.
- **Insider tip for campers:** The bison prairie fits well at the end of the day: planetarium in the afternoon, prairie loop before sunset, then around 25 kilometres more to the campground – but drive slowly on US-68 and The Trace at dusk, as deer cross constantly. There are practically no fuel stations inside LBL.

### Stage 4: Lake Barkley State Resort Park to Piney Campground (Land Between the Lakes) (approx. 80 km)

- **The drive:** Back on US-68 across Lake Barkley to Golden Pond and south on The Trace across the state line into Tennessee. South of the line the terrain becomes more open, with clearings and fields. Past the South Welcome Station, take US-79 and a short access road west to Piney Campground on Kentucky Lake. Driving time around 1.5 hours. The time zone stays the same: the whole route is in Central Time.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Elk & Bison Prairie in the early morning: if you skipped it the day before, be on the loop road at sunrise – mist often lies in the grass then and the herds move close to the road.
  - The Homeplace 1850s Working Farm: a farm in Tennessee where interpreters demonstrate the life of a farming family around 1850, with a log house, barns, tobacco field, garden and heritage livestock breeds. Admission charged, open seasonally – check times.
  - Fort Henry Trails: hiking trails near Piney Campground lead to the area of Fort Henry, which fell in February 1862 shortly before Fort Donelson; the fort itself now lies mostly under the reservoir.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Piney Campground: large LBL campground on Kentucky Lake in the Tennessee section, with electric and water sites, some with full hook-ups, shower blocks, dump station, shop and swimming beach; roughly March to November. Book through the LBL reservation system; lakeshore sites go early.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** With a backcountry permit, lakeshore spots are also possible in the Tennessee section of LBL; the self-service campground Gatlin Point on the Barkley side is a simple alternative without a permit, but with a fee per night.
- **Insider tip for campers:** The Homeplace lives from its interpreters: come in the morning, when there is work, cooking and feeding going on. In the meadow around the farm and in the prairie, ticks and chiggers wait in the grass – tuck your trousers into your socks and check yourself after the visit.

### Stage 5: Piney Campground (Land Between the Lakes) to Paris Landing State Park (approx. 70 km)

- **The drive:** Take US-79 east across Lake Barkley to Dover on the Cumberland River, around 20 kilometres. After the battlefield, head back west on US-79, through the southern tip of LBL and over the long bridge across Kentucky Lake to Paris Landing. Well-built highway, driving time around one hour. Fuel stations and supermarket in Dover.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Fort Donelson National Battlefield: on the slopes above the Cumberland River, a Confederate army surrendered in February 1862 to General Ulysses S. Grant, who demanded “unconditional surrender” – one of the Union’s first major victories. The tour road leads to the river batteries, earthworks and the national cemetery; it is passable for motorhomes, but the parking areas at the stops are small.
  - Dover Hotel (Surrender House): the riverside inn where the surrender was negotiated, a separate unit of the battlefield park in Dover; opening hours seasonal.
  - US-79 Kentucky Lake bridge: a wide view over the broad lake, with sunset over the water on clear evenings.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Paris Landing State Park: Tennessee State Parks campground on the west shore of Kentucky Lake, with electric and water sites, shower block, dump station, plus a marina and beach. Book through tnstateparks.com; entry to Tennessee’s state parks is free, you pay only for the site.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** In Tennessee outside LBL, no free camping on this route. Fort Donelson has no campground, and overnight stays in the park are prohibited.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Fort Donelson currently charges no admission. For visitors without US residency, surcharges apply at some heavily visited national parks – check current amounts on nps.gov if your trip continues. In the visitor centre, watch the film first, then do the tour: without context, the earthworks are hard to read.

### Stage 6: Paris Landing State Park to Murray (approx. 60 km)

- **The drive:** Take country roads via Buchanan north across the state line into Kentucky and through fields and copses to Murray. If you want to see the lake once more, swing east via New Concord and the lakeshore roads along Kentucky Lake. Two lanes, little traffic, driving time around one hour. From Murray it is around 75 kilometres back to Paducah via US-641, I-69 and finally I-24.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Murray: university town with a courthouse square, cafés and the campus of Murray State University; a good place for shopping and laundry.
  - Kenlake State Resort Park near Aurora: park on Kentucky Lake with lakeshore trails and a hotel; the campground is currently closed for renovation, with no reopening date set – check the status on parks.ky.gov.
  - Eggner’s Ferry Bridge: the arch bridge carrying US-68/KY-80 near Aurora replaced the old bridge that a cargo ship struck in 2012; a good photo subject from the shore.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** As the Kenlake campground is closed, there is no state campground in the Murray area. Practical options: a second night at Paris Landing State Park with Murray as a day trip, or back across Eggner’s Ferry Bridge into LBL to the basic self-service Fenton Campground on Kentucky Lake, just beyond the bridge. For the return to Paducah, Kentucky Dam Village is again a good choice.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** There is no public land for free camping around Murray; the nearest legal option is the lakeshore areas in LBL with a backcountry permit, around 30 kilometres east.
- **Insider tip for campers:** The TVA manages the water level of Kentucky Lake by season: in winter the lake is several feet lower, and boat ramps and beaches partly dry out; in late spring it is raised again. If you have a kayak or boat with you, check the current level with the TVA.

## Camping practice & local rules

### Wild camping & overnight parking

- Western Kentucky and Tennessee have hardly any public land for dispersed camping. The big exception is Land Between the Lakes: with a backcountry camping permit (every person aged 18 and over, three-day or annual permit, online or at any LBL facility), free camping is allowed in large parts of the area, including with your vehicle at the lake access areas; observe restricted zones and maximum stays on site. Checks are carried out by Forest Service staff.
- No permit is needed at the four developed LBL campgrounds (Hillman Ferry, Energy Lake, Piney, Wranglers) or at the self-service campgrounds; there you pay per site and night. Hillman Ferry, Energy Lake and Piney are open roughly March to November, Wranglers (horse campground) all year.
- In towns such as Paducah and Murray, sleeping in your vehicle on streets and in public car parks is not permitted. Supermarket car parks only with the store’s permission, rest areas only for breaks.
- Reservations: Kentucky State Parks via parks.ky.gov, Tennessee State Parks via tnstateparks.com, LBL via its own reservation system (online or by phone). Kentucky State Parks is currently renovating several lodges and campgrounds – check current closures on parks.ky.gov.
- In parts of LBL, tornadoes have damaged forest areas; loose branches and logging make some areas dangerous. Do not camp under dead trees, and observe closures.
- Apps: iOverlander, Campendium, The Dyrt and Recreation.gov; Park4Night is hardly used here. Mobile reception inside LBL is patchy – save maps and your permit offline.

### Waste disposal & supplies

- Dump stations at the campgrounds of Kentucky Dam Village, Lake Barkley, Paris Landing, Hillman Ferry, Energy Lake and Piney. The self-service campgrounds and free camping areas in LBL have no water or waste facilities.
- Drinking water at the taps of the developed campgrounds; fill up before a night on the shore. Do not drink lake water unfiltered.
- Empty grey water and chemical toilets only at dump stations; draining on the shore or into the forest is prohibited.
- Propane: fuel stations, hardware stores and camping suppliers in Paducah, Calvert City, Cadiz, Dover, Paris and Murray fill US cylinders; European cylinders are generally not filled.
- Fuel and shopping: Paducah, Calvert City, Grand Rivers, Cadiz, Dover, Paris, Murray. In LBL there are shops at the large campgrounds, but practically no fuel stations.
- Buy firewood locally and do not bring it from far away, so as not to spread pests such as the emerald ash borer; observe local rules at the campgrounds.

### Vehicle size & traffic rules

- Speed limits: interstates in Kentucky and Tennessee mostly 65–70 mph, country roads mostly 55 mph, considerably lower in LBL. No special speed limits for motorhomes, and vehicles towing trailers have the same limit; follow the signs.
- Phones at the wheel: Tennessee has a hands-free law; in Kentucky, writing and reading messages while driving is prohibited, but a hands-free law is not yet in force there – still use your phone only in a mount. No tolls on the entire route.
- Time zones: the whole route is in Central Time. Kentucky and Tennessee are both split – if you are coming from Louisville, Lexington or Knoxville, set your clock back one hour.
- Thunderstorms and tornadoes: from spring to summer, severe thunderstorms often form, and in western Kentucky and Tennessee tornadoes too, most recently devastating in December 2021. Follow National Weather Service warnings; in a tornado warning, go to the shower blocks or solid buildings and do not stay in your vehicle. Summers hot and humid.
- Ticks: LBL is notorious for ticks, especially the lone star tick (which can trigger an allergy to red meat), as well as the American dog tick and the deer tick; plus chiggers in the grass. Permethrin-treated clothing, repellent and daily checks. Copperheads occur on warm rocks and along the shore.
- Water sports: Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley are large, open lakes with cargo ships and towboats in the navigation channel and waves that build quickly in wind. Wear life jackets, avoid the channel, and get ashore immediately in a thunderstorm. Both states have age-dependent boater education requirements; check the fishing licence rules of the respective state. Authorities occasionally warn of blue-green algae – observe notices at the beaches.
- Emergency: 911. Plan for dead zones in LBL.

## CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist

- Permethrin-treated clothing, repellent with DEET or picaridin and tick tweezers: in LBL, ticks and chiggers are everywhere from spring to autumn.
- Weather radio or severe weather app with NWS warnings: thunderstorms and tornadoes develop quickly, and LBL often has no mobile signal.
- Levelling ramps and ground plates: the lakeshore spots in the lake access areas slope, and the clay ground turns soft in rain.
- Printed backcountry permit and offline map of LBL: without a signal you cannot show your permit on site or look up a route.
- Binoculars: for bison and elk on the prairie, bald eagles at Kentucky Dam and waterfowl in the coves.
- Water shoes and life jacket: the lakeshores are stony, and on the open water waves build quickly in wind.

_As of 2026-10. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go._

## Sources

- [Kentucky State Parks – Park Closures](https://parks.ky.gov/park-closures)
- [Modern Campground – Kentucky State Parks announce major lodge and campground closures for 2026 renovations](https://moderncampground.com/usa/kentucky/kentucky-state-parks-announce-major-lodge-and-campground-closures-for-2026-renovations)
- [Kentucky State Parks – Improvements](https://parks.ky.gov/improvements)
- [Kentucky General Assembly – Senate Bill 28 (2026 RS)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/sb28.html)
- [Kentucky Lantern – Kentucky Republican hopes to ban distracted driving with 2026 legislation](https://kentuckylantern.com/?p=35305)
- [National Park Service – Fort Donelson National Battlefield: Fees & Passes](https://www.nps.gov/fodo/planyourvisit/fees.htm)
- [Wikipedia – Cave-In-Rock Ferry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cave-In-Rock_Ferry)
- [Kentucky Transportation Cabinet – Negotiations Underway for Continuing Cave-In-Rock Ferry Service](https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/KYTC/bulletins/41b8b77)
- [Wikipedia – The Trace (Land Between the Lakes)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trace_(Land_Between_the_Lakes))
- [USDA Forest Service / Land Between the Lakes – All Attractions](https://landbetweenthelakes.us/allattractions)
- [EXARC – Land Between the Lakes Association, The Homeplace](https://exarc.net/venues/land-between-lakes-association-homeplace-us)

## Which stops are on the route from Paducah to Murray?

1. **Paducah** (KY)
2. **Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park** (KY)
3. **Grand Rivers** (KY)
4. **Woodlands Nature Station** (KY)
5. **Hillman Ferry Campground** (KY)
6. **Golden Pond Visitor Center** (KY)
7. **Elk & Bison Prairie** (KY)
8. **Lake Barkley State Resort Park** (KY)
9. **Cadiz** (KY)
10. **The Homeplace 1850s Working Farm** (TN)
11. **Piney Campground** (TN)
12. **Fort Donelson National Battlefield** (TN)
13. **Paris Landing State Park** (TN)
14. **Murray** (KY)

## When is the best time for the route from Paducah to Murray?

The most pleasant months are usually April–May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in June and November. Hot in July. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)

## FAQs

**How long is Quilts, bison and two reservoirs – by camper from Paducah through Land Between the Lakes to Murray?**
6-day road trip of about 267 km (166 mi) with 14 stops, from Paducah to Murray. About 2 h 58 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Quilts, bison and two reservoirs – by camper from Paducah through Land Between the Lakes to Murray?**
We suggest 6 days: about 2 h 58 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Quilts, bison and two reservoirs – by camper from Paducah through Land Between the Lakes to Murray start and end?**
It starts in Paducah and ends in Murray.

**Which states does Quilts, bison and two reservoirs – by camper from Paducah through Land Between the Lakes to Murray pass through?**
Kentucky and Tennessee.

**Where can you camp along Quilts, bison and two reservoirs – by camper from Paducah through Land Between the Lakes to Murray?**
OpenStreetMap lists 23 campsites and motorhome stopovers within 19 mi of the stops on this route. For example: Paris Landing / Kentucky Lake KOA, Hillman Ferry Campground at Land Between The Lakes and Paris Landing State Park Campground.