Green River Lake State Park in Campbellsville, Ky., won first place in the Camping Spot category in the Best in Kentucky awards presented by Kentucky Living magazine.
For park and resort owners across the commonwealth, the accolade underscores a simple equation: a waterfront setting paired with a deep amenity stack drives both demand and positive media coverage.
Every one of the park’s 227 campsites (167 water-electric pads and 60 primitive spots) hugs the shoreline of the 8,200-acre reservoir, giving guests unobstructed lake views.
Operators looking to mirror that success can segment inventory into premium waterfront, standard hookup and primitive tiers, then layer dynamic pricing to raise overall RevPAR without raising eyebrows.
The campground’s infrastructure includes modern restrooms, hot showers, laundry, a dump station, an on-site grocery, park-wide Wi-Fi, two playgrounds and a miniature-golf course, according to the park overview.
Treating Wi-Fi as a utility—via a mesh network—and situating a micro-grocery near the busiest trailhead or marina can convert complaints into compliments and impulse buys into incremental profit.
Land-based recreation is equally robust, with nearly 30 miles of multi-use trails plus free volleyball and basketball gear for guests, the park overview shows.
On the water, visitors boat, paddle, tube, jet or water ski, swim and fish for muskie, crappie and multiple bass species. A 200-slip marina rents pontoons and houseboats, and a sandy beach rounds out the lineup, according to the park overview.
Beyond recreation, the park houses the 1840 Atkinson-Griffin Civil War Cabin, open for self-guided tours via a visitor-center key, and sits roughly 90 minutes from Bowling Green, Lexington and Louisville and about an hour from Mammoth Cave National Park. There are no admission or day-use fees.
To keep wallets open after the boat ride or trail hike, consider installing low-overhead draws such as disc-golf baskets, cornhole boards or loaner yard games near activity hubs; Green River’s miniature-golf course and dual playgrounds show how small investments can stretch dwell time.
Taken together, Green River Lake State Park’s full-lake frontage, amenity depth and visible safety measures offer a blueprint for private campground and RV-resort owners seeking repeatable returns and word-of-mouth equity.