Camping in Kentucky: Best Months, Booking and Fire Rules
Across Kentucky's 3 NOAA reference stations, camping weather is mild from April to May and from September to October, with average highs of 69 to 82 F and lows of 47 to 60 F. Nights at or below freezing show up from October to April, most often in January, when they average 22.1 a month. State park sites are booked through Kentucky State Parks reservations.
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The best months for camping in Kentucky
By NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals, camping weather in Kentucky is mild April to May and September to October. Pick the station nearest your campground below; high ground runs colder than any station.
- Jan44° / 27°Freezing nights
- Feb48° / 30°Freezing nights
- Mar58° / 38°Freezing nights
- Apr69° / 47°Freezing nights
- May78° / 57°Mild
- Jun86° / 65°Hot
- Jul89° / 69°Hot
- Aug88° / 67°Hot
- Sep82° / 60°Mild
- Oct71° / 48°Freezing nights
- Nov58° / 38°Freezing nights
- Dec47° / 31°Freezing nights
Each month shows the average high and low across the state’s reference stations, in F. Mild means an average high of 60 to 85 F with lows of 40 F or more. Freezing nights means the stations average one or more nights a month at or below 32 F.
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| Month | Average high | Average low | Nights at or below 32 F |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 42 F | 25 F | 22.7 |
| February | 47 F | 28 F | 19.2 |
| March | 56 F | 36 F | 13.1 |
| April (mild) | 67 F | 45 F | 2.9 |
| May (mild) | 76 F | 55 F | 0.1 |
| June (mild) | 84 F | 63 F | 0 |
| July | 87 F | 67 F | 0 |
| August | 86 F | 65 F | 0 |
| September (mild) | 80 F | 58 F | 0 |
| October (mild) | 69 F | 47 F | 1.6 |
| November | 56 F | 36 F | 11 |
| December | 46 F | 30 F | 19.3 |
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| Month | Average high | Average low | Nights at or below 32 F |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44 F | 28 F | 21.3 |
| February | 48 F | 31 F | 16.7 |
| March | 58 F | 39 F | 9.5 |
| April (mild) | 70 F | 49 F | 1.2 |
| May (mild) | 78 F | 59 F | 0 |
| June | 86 F | 67 F | 0 |
| July | 89 F | 71 F | 0 |
| August | 88 F | 70 F | 0 |
| September (mild) | 82 F | 62 F | 0 |
| October (mild) | 71 F | 50 F | 0.5 |
| November | 58 F | 39 F | 8.1 |
| December | 47 F | 32 F | 16.8 |
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| Month | Average high | Average low | Nights at or below 32 F |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 45 F | 27 F | 22.2 |
| February | 50 F | 31 F | 17.1 |
| March | 60 F | 38 F | 10.2 |
| April (mild) | 70 F | 48 F | 2 |
| May (mild) | 79 F | 58 F | 0 |
| June | 87 F | 66 F | 0 |
| July | 90 F | 69 F | 0 |
| August | 90 F | 67 F | 0 |
| September (mild) | 83 F | 59 F | 0 |
| October (mild) | 72 F | 48 F | 1.7 |
| November | 59 F | 38 F | 10.9 |
| December | 48 F | 31 F | 18.7 |
How to book a state park campsite in Kentucky
Kentucky State Parks takes reservations through Kentucky State Parks reservations.
How far ahead you can book
Lodge rooms, cottages, and campsites can be reserved up to one year in advance online or by phone.Kentucky State Parks, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source
First come, first served sites
Reservations are highly recommended, especially during peak times. Walk-ins are accepted based on availability.Kentucky State Parks, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source
When the campgrounds are open
Kentucky State Parks have year-round campgrounds.Kentucky State Parks, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source
How many sites
Enjoy the beauty of nature in one of the 31 tent and RV campgrounds in Kentucky State Parks.Kentucky State Parks, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source
Quoted from Kentucky State Parks pages read October 18, 2026. Windows and fees change, so confirm on the booking site.
Campfires when you camp in Kentucky
Campfires in state parks and forests
Fires shall be restricted to fire rings in designated areas only and shall be attended at all times.Kentucky State Parks, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source
Where fire restrictions are posted
The following is a list of counties and/or cities with a burn ban in effect. These are the counties and/or cities known to the division.Kentucky Division of Forestry, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source
Current restrictions: Kentucky Division of Forestry.
Kentucky camping questions
Camping in other states
Where this page’s facts come from
- State park, forestry and federal land pages (read October 18, 2026). Booking windows, reservation systems, campfire rules, fire restriction sources and rules for camping outside a campground, each quoted word for word with a link to the page it came from.
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991 to 2020 (read October 18, 2026). Average monthly high, low and nights at or below 32 F at 150 reference stations, the same stations the heat season and heating season pages use.
- National Weather Service alerts (live, read in your browser when the page loads). Red Flag Warnings, Fire Weather Watches, Fire Warnings, Freeze Warnings and High Wind Warnings, read live from api.weather.gov.
- National Weather Service 7 day forecast (live, read in your browser when the page loads). The weekend forecast for the ZIP code a visitor enters, read live from api.weather.gov.
Climate figures are NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals at 3 reference stations in Kentucky. Rules are quoted from agency pages and can change.