One of my most favorite places! We come down every year for the KY derby and our entire crew stays at the lodge. We've been coming for over 50 years. Most recently, we've started staying in the executive cabins. We have around 40+ plus friends and family that come down and the General Butler Resort is a wonderful place to stay. They have grills and fire pit areas for each cabin or you can stay at the mountain lodge. Whatever you decide, this place is amazing from camping to hiking trails. The historical significance of the Butler mansion is so interesting, if you're into history. I've been here during Halloween for their paranormal event they have every year. They have the most impressive outdoor pool and host a variety of festivals over the summer, too! read more

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We went here to hike one of the 'eazy' trails 1.6 miles long with older parents. I did find it hard to assess online what the trail would be like. There are very few pictures online and the trail description on the park website just explains the location of the trail, but nothing about the terrain. The park could also do a better job of posting directions on trails. I like that all cottages are connected to the trails, will try booking a cottage/cabin sometime in summer to experience it. There is a little lake and you can rent kayaks/canoes for a very nominal price. read more

General Butler State Resort Park - Parks Near Me - Carrollton, Kentucky

Room was dirty ! Urine left all over toilet , used soap left in shower , dirty was cloth left in shower ! Tv was unplugged with cord stuck under cabinet ! Front desk not very nice I don't want to give any stars but it won't allow any read more

General Butler State Resort Park - Used bar of soap left from previous guest - Parks Near Me - Carrollton, Kentucky

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I was told that General Butler used to be one of the best state parks in Kentucky but my last visit proved otherwise. My friends and I came her to hike and check off another state park on our list. They do have some nice trails but there wasn't anything interesting to look at. They have a mini golf course but it was sad looking. Pieces were torn off, leaves all over the place and the padding they use for "grass" was peeling and loosing color. They do have lodging but the restaurant attached to it is closed and probably will not reopen. I hate that some of our state parks have been neglected. I hope that something good happens for General Butler that will bring in more visitor so we don't potentially see it close read more

Restaurant and lounge closed for renovations. Not ideal but ok. Did not know this ahead of time. We are pool people. So the pool was really nice. The problem I had was service/housekeeping. Workers were kind, just scarce! We were there 4 days. Never checked room! No trash pick up. Even when I laid outside our door. It laid there for 4 days!!!!! Put our dirty towels outside door, picked those up but did not bring clean towels. Called twice for towels and toilet paper then told I had to go to front desk to pick up. (I would have done that after the first call if they would have told me) Again, all the workers were kind just really didn't see much of them! read more

Bad housekeeping and pee stain in the couch would not recommend for any family and the bathroom walls had unidentifiable stains

I stayed in the cottages and they were super nice but could use some house keeping. Had a great time swimming at the lodge as well!

On our adventure to visit every state park in Kentucky, General Butler was high on our list because it was one of the closest to where we live. Roughly a 45 minute drive from Louisville and tucked into the town of Carrollton. It's easily accessible off of the highway. I think I expected this park to have a bit more to it. It's definitely not a bad park, but just OK compared to the other state parks in Kentucky. Facilities: Probably one of the best perks about this park. The resort itself is pretty nice and has a large pool. The park is also right in town so I never had an issue with cell-service, plus everything outside of the park is super close. They also had some picnic areas you can rent out, and a small mini golf course. Scenery: The main trail to hike at General Butler is Fossil Trail, which is a 4.5 mile loop around the park. It's up on a hill, so you do get some cool views of town, but besides that there isn't a whole lot to see. A majority of the trail is forest. It's definitely still a nice place to visit. Just not one of my favorites. read more

General Butler State Resort Park - Parks Near Me - Carrollton, Kentucky

We have an annual tradition of visiting Clifty Falls State Park at Thanksgiving. Back in 2016, I waited too long to secure our room at the inn, so we needed to find somwhere else to stay over the holiday. After a web search we stumbled across this park, right across the Ohio River, that offered camping, lodge, and cottage accommodations. It has since become its own annual tradition and we've been back at least once a year since! While we normally visit in November, things are pretty quiet, and there aren't many planned or outdoor activities. The leaves are beautiful, hiking trails are all around, and the view from the lookout point is a can't miss. On our most recent trip over Labor Day weekend, park staff were around and there was something going on at all times, from crafts in the rec center to children's activities at the campgroup. We took a guided hike, played mini golf, and paddleboated around Butler Lake for only $10. While they have a campground and lodge/hotel, we have only stayed in the cottages, which are cozy and well equipped. A variety of sizes are available, for single travelers to large families. Each has a fridge and cooktop/oven so you can stock up at the local Kroger and cook your own meals. The park recently began providing a free breakfast buffet in the lodge for cottage and hotel guests, as well as a grab and go breakfast on the last day- great to enjoy on the ride home. Definitely worth the trip from central or southern Indiana. read more

General Butler State Resort Park - View from out cottage kitchen window. - Parks Near Me - Carrollton, Kentucky

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Boo Bash Trick or treating at General Butler Lets start off this was my first time camping at butler, first time being part of boo bash trick or treating and first time doing this with my family! This weekend was wonderful and building new memories and an addiction at the least. We got to rent a camper from General Butler which was amazing! I didn't have to do anything but bring my family, clothes and some food. They did all the rest. They had it hooked up, they had the camper spotless clean, they have the camper stocked with pans, glasses, silverware, blankets and towels. The employees and volunteers who work at the camp ground were very pleasant, helpful and worked their butts off to help Boo Bash become what I observed and heard from other campers a family tradition. We have already said we've got to do this next year. Guess we'll see about renting a camper again and who knows maybe invest into a small camper as well to keep this new tradition going in our family. Thank you to General Butler, the staff/volunteers and the campers who made this first time memorable. read more

On a beautiful day, we hiked Fossil Trail at General Butler State Resort Park Resort. The trailhead was easy to find and there was plenty of parking (which was also right next to the event center). The trail was about a 4 mile trail, but we must have added on another trail to the hike because we ended up hiking about 7 miles during the day. The trail was super well-marked and we were always able to see the next marker. The trail was pretty moderate in terms of difficulty, if it's rained recently, prepare to slide around on the trail a bit. We ultimately made it to lookout point that was pretty cool. Overall, the trail is well-kept and I would definitely recommend it. You'll definitely feel it in your legs when you're done! read more

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A friend and I went to hike Fossil trail for a birthday celebration. I had never been to the park before, but it looks well taken care of and full of activities! I am excited to come back in the summer to enjoy more--the restaurant, pool, etc. The trail started off a bit disappointing since it was so close to roads and traffic, not many sounds of nature! Once you get past the beginning it's a gorgeous, well-marked trail and has a few spots/trails you can add onto. We lunched at the "overlook" which was equally peaceful and relaxing and spotted a few other hikers who were all respectful of social distancing. I would definitely come back. read more

General Butler State Resort Park - Parks Near Me - Carrollton, Kentucky

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My wife and I are staying at our first Kentucky State Park Lodge. School is in session so there is no crowd. Hannah is working the front desk. She is cordial and helpful. Some activities are not available at this time, but Hannah is seeing that we get to do them anyways, namely mini golf. Frisbee golf and perhaps boating. We have ridden around the park and noticed some folks making use of the nice wooded campgrounds with new playgrounds. There are lots of deer on the property. Besides the lodge and campground, there are many cabins of various size to stay in. This park is one of the smallest in Kentucky, but it has plenty to do. I'm sorry I didn't bring my archery gear as that is also available in the park. There is a restaurant and bar at the lodge and several restaurants nearby in Carrolton. There is also a Kroger and Walmart close to the park. It is always helpful having a fridge and coffee pot provided in the room and that is the case here also. read more

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We rented a 3 BR cottage. Upon arrival the cottage wreaked of some sort of ammonia smell (pet urine) and mildew. The floors were filthy and there was trash left on the back patio from the last occupant. I spent the better part of our first evening mopping the floors so my kids didn't have dirt covered feet (went to the store to get cleaning supplies because there weren't any in the cottage). We never found where the smell was coming from. It got a little better after I cleaned and sprayed air freshener but not much. It was extremely damp everywhere in the cottage. I understand we are in the Midwest in July and there's humidity but we had the AC running constantly and it didn't really help. Yuck. read more

My family and I have been coming to General Butler for as long as I can remember. We've had Christmas holidays here with the entire extended family, birthday gatherings, girls weekends and more. It's a convenient location for our family to meet, which is why we continue to visit. I met my mom here a few weeks ago since I hadn't seen her for a bit. I was shocked to see that the golf course had been completely let go. There are some nice trails but they aren't always very well marked. We took the time to tour the Butler house, which is a $5 charge but well worth it. Our guide was very passionate about the house and the family. It was nice to see that a lot of the family's possessions had been donated back to the house. The house is currently being run by the state but it's been leased to outside groups before. The outside group chose to make some questionable renovations. I would have like to see that they renovated the house to what it would have looked like when the family lived there. There were multiple groups using the picnic areas and the putt-putt course while we were there. The mini-railroad area seemed to be completely gone and no longer running. There are also paddle boats you can rent. Overall, this park isn't bad but it could definitely use some improvements. It seems like a huge revenue loss to lose the golf course. As stated previously, this is a great halfway meeting point for my extended family - so we will continue to visit this park. read more

Stayed here so I that could eat dinner and drink a cocktail at their bar / restaurant, and not worry about driving, after 5 days of a long family road trip. Arrived to find the bar / restaurant closed because they were short-staffed. And then I was sad. The Mexican restaurant in town was awesome though, and the swimming pool / rooms / nature trials were lotsa fun for the family. Hope the closed bar was a Covid thing. Guess it couldn't have been too disappointing if I want to go back? read more

I love this place! Disclaimer- there is nothing fancy about it. The views are beautiful and lots of nature to explore. The pool is huge. This is a great place to have a retreat, family reunion, etc. They also have team building options. It's so convenient to have a restaurant onsite but the food is really heavy and fried. read more

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Glamping!!! Read on if you abhor real camping. I've loved this word ever since the first time I saw it. This kinda "camping" suits me perfectly. General Butler does it perfectly for me with his air conditioned/heated cottages. We get to be in the great outdoors while not having to: sleep on hard ground; wonder if it will be too cold/hot or rainy; or use scary toilets/bathrooms. The kitchen set up is basic but has everything you'll need plus a microwave. There is a fire ring outside so I was still able to build a fire and cook bacon and eggs over wood fire in the morning. What else can one ask for??? I did feel a bit gratuitous when I saw there was not one, but two flat screen TVs in the one bedroom cottage...plus a gas fireplace! Besides the towels and sheets, they even provide soap and shampoo! And there is an iron and board in the closet?? Well, it is glamping! We did see a deer and a raccoon on the camp grounds...so it is camping. One note: do bring seasonings if you plan on cooking. I was glad I brought some salt and seasoning since I did not find any in the cabinets. read more

General Butler State Resort Park - From the park overlook. - Parks Near Me - Carrollton, Kentucky

Used to work at the front desk many moons ago. I came back for a visit and it's so different. Absolutely ruined the entrance when they took out the staircase. read more

We needed 30 amp service and was 60 feet away . Water was 50 feet away. The site has a picnic table and fire ring. Plenty of space for family and pets. Bath house was near and the dump station can handle 2 at a time. Campers appear to have been there many times. Quiet at night and kid friendly. read more

General Butler State Resort Park - Site 3 is a pull through site. - Parks Near Me - Carrollton, Kentucky

If you enjoy camping but don't want to give up showers, toilets, water faucets or paved roads, this is the park for you. The fire pits even have built-in grills for cooking. Camp fees are a bit pricey, about $20 a site, and no alcohol is allowed (not that park security checks). The park isn't far from town, where you can get groceries, fast food, booze and more. read more

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I have been coming to General butler for 30 years as a state employee with convention and I have never been treated with such disrespect. They said on the web and when checking in they had WiFI with all of the passwords and when we entered the cabin no WiFi. Called front desk and then the story changed. They lied about the WiFi that only part of cabins had WiFi were connected. We drove around and all campground and 3/4 of cabins had it. They desk called the park manager and they told us to check out. We had business meetings and did not want to change. First of all, why did these state employees lie? And why they discriminate us. I want a full refund. Please do not stay at this park. read more

The park isn't as big as some of the other parks in the state and it isn't as small as they come either, but this park is still pretty good as far as Kentucky state parks go. I recommend coming to this park, if you're looking for a "small town getaway" feel and a nice, safe place for a smaller sized family reunion or meeting of employees. The lodge rooms now have nice, wooden floors, which are better than carpeted floors and I'm sure are a lot easier for housekeeping to clean every day. I got an adjoining room to my parents' room, which is what I requested to be near them for their anniversary, but this set up was even better, owing to my dad needing extra help on occasion with moving around. The cafeteria is nice and has buffets for breakfast, lunches and dinners and is pretty good. You can also order off a menu, if you don't want to eat off the buffet during a meal. read more

General Butler State Resort Park - My husband with a toad display outside the restaurant. - Parks Near Me - Carrollton, Kentucky

We checked in and the people were very nice, once we got to the room, we were a bit surprised on the way it looked. Photos have been attached. Holes in walls, the outside balcony is in dire need of repair, and an ashtray that had not been moved in a long time. We went to the front to ask for a upgrade. The woman that were so nice now become upset that we asked for a better room. They did not seem to understand the situation. The room was not at all what the web site pictures showed, as this is how we booked the room. When we asked about this they stated that they do not have any pictures on any web site. The pictures can stand and let them speak for themselves. Please save your income and find a better place to stay. read more

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We pass through the area once in a while and have made it a habit to pull into the General Butler Inn to partake of the buffet at the restaurant. Nice chicken and other foods. Nothing fancy, but nice food, decent price and a nice view while eating. read more

A quiet escape and a sea full of pillows...what more could a girl ask for!! The lodge was lovely with tall inviting windows and beautiful wood floors. The room I stayed in was comfortable and had a nice view from the balcony. And did I mention pillows? There were 8 pillows in my room!! The beds and linens were nice (not Courtyard by Mariott nice...but good quality for a lodge experience). I loved not having carpet in the room! The attached restaurant included a buffet as well as menu offerings. The salad bar was good. The rest of the food was average. The wait staff was prompt and friendly. Check in was easy and effortless. Oh..I almost forgot, I was there for a conference (lol) and the Conference Center was everything it needed to be..large, quiet rooms with great hospitality staff and clean bathrooms! The only negatives I found were the room was dimly lit (although there were 6 lights in the room...I'm not sure why it appeared so dim). And there were epic cobwebs in the focal point display in the restaurant! Not sure if that area hasn't been cleaned in a year or if they have fast building spiders...either way, something needs to be done with that! read more

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Overall, this is a nice medium sized park that isn't too far from Louisville or Lexington for a little getaway. My work had a training session here in the conference center with a one-night stay between the two days of training. The lodge rooms are large and have all the typical amenities of a midrange hotel. Comfortable beds, flat screen TV, table and chairs inside and balconies in most (all?) the rooms. Mine overlooked the pool and had outdoor chairs and a small table. The pool appeared to be very clean and the deck had plenty of seating. The cottages seem to be in various stages of getting updated. The one my coworkers stayed in had new pergo style floors, 3 small bedrooms with a double bed in each, 1 bathroom, a small but functional kitchen with a dining table and living room seating for about 5 people. A small porch with a couple chairs, a fire pit and a picnic table competed the set-up. Some of the cottages and rooms are dog-friendly. The lodge WiFi had fast connection (on my phone at least) in the lobby and in the room. There is a brand new full service bar in the lodge which was well received by my coworkers at the end of the day. Reasonable prices, flat screen Tvs, tables and bar stools available. The restaurant can now serve alcohol also. Food is standard American fare and service was friendly and prompt. Activity options include an 18 hole golf course, mini-golf (nothing fancy but cheap), fishing, paddleboats and canoes on the small lake, a small rec center with a pool table and board games and such, the lodge pool and a few hiking trails. There were a few minor negatives . The cottage had no hot water even after a repair was attempted. The lodge room had some used towels that hadn't been cleared away which were promptly picked up by housekeeping when I told them. Some of the light switches were hard to figure out- like turn one switch before another will work kind of thing. The conference center is large but had an unfortunate sewage smell, apparently from a drain that wasn't working properly. This is probably something that will be corrected soon. There is no safe way to walk between the lodge and the cottages/camping area. Or between the lodge and the historic house or the lookout point. The paved road is curvy, steep and has no shoulder. Especially after dusk, this is NOT a safe place for a pedestrian or even a bicyclist. read more

We were excited to reserve the last remaining campsite at the park's campground for Labor Day Weekend. I was able to book it over the phone, where the reservationist asked what were camping in, and I told her a tent. We drove over an hour to get to the park, and found that the reserved spot (#88, for reference ) was merely a driveway and a fire pit. There was a narrow, sloped 5ft x 5ft uneven section of grass that we wouldn't be able to fit our 6x6 tent in. Furthermore, an adjacent camping site had chosen to use this one as a parking spot for their SUV. There was no way we could stay. I drove around the park to see other similar sites, all of which are perfect for RV camping, but impossible for tents. We were so disappointed, and with no other options, drove the hour back home. As a tent camper, I can't say I'll be back. I'm so bummed. On a happier note, we did stop at the little vintage 1952 railroad at the park near the entrance. We took a ride ($1.50 per person ) and my 2 year old son loved it. The owner/engineer was very nice, and told us about the history of the miniature engine and cars. read more

This is simply my favorite get-away. It's an inexpensive, fun way to rent a cabin for a few days without busting the bank. The cabins are nice, but minimal. And I've come to expect that not everything is going to work perfectly (although everything always works). There's a nice kitchen area, complete with a set of dishes for 4 folks. You'll have a little microwave, 4 burners and oven. For two people (and depending on the layout), you'll either have a bedroom AND a living room area or a single bedroom/living room. There's no WiFi in the cabins, but you can head to the Lodge for plugs (bring a 3-prong adapter as most of the plugs are 2-prongs) and the Internets. There's a small television in every cabin (and some have indoor fireplaces; all have a tiny outdoor coal-fired grill). But seriously, don't come down and ruin my writing spot. That's rude. read more

Beautiful state park! The food at the lodge is affordable and the portions are huge. The park itself is lovely. Carrollton is a cute small town and Madison, IN is thirty minutes and a wonderful day trip. The cottage we stayed in is very tidy, stocked with basic kitchen supplies, and well-cared for. All the staff we have encountered have been friendly and helpful. We will be back for sure! read more

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What a beautiful setting. We love going to GB. They have a wonderful campground and you can reserve a spot if you do it early. It's just a short drive from our home so we try to go as often as possible. We enjoy going in the spring before school gets out and the summer vacation season starts. There are lots of activities and a very nice golf course. There is a nice pool and a lodge and cabins available if you choose. Even if you don't stay in the lodge you should go there and have a meal. The food is outstanding and the prices are very reasonable. read more

While traveling for my husbands job to Carrollton Ky, researching all of the hotels etc; We thought state park.... Hmmm We were not disappointed. Our first month we rented the executive 3 br. cabin. Well worth the money. Beautiful on the inside and the park setting simply amazing. Every luxury of home, Due to cabin reservations being booked we moved into the lodge for the remainder of our stay. Beautiful rooms comfortable beds and reasonable pricing. There is a restaurant with good variety on its menu plus a buffet and amazing salad bar to choose from daily.Friday night is seafood night and serves all you can eat snow crab as an option with their buffet .The main lobby features a classy sports lounge called The Generals quarters. Happy hour is from 430 to 6;00 pm and is not to be missed.Half priced drafts well drinks and appetizers that are as large as dinner meals. Tell Jeff and Lisa We sent you ; ) The up stairs lobby has a beautiful seating /TV area that over looks the mountains and show cases breath taking views. There is an Olympic size swimming pool that they are very proud of and it shows. Also a wading pool for the small travelers. Towels are supplied poolside like the good old days. There is also ping pong and basket ball, not only poolside but in other various places in the park. As for the park there is a small lake for fishing paddle boating and canoeing. The boat rentals are $10.00 an hr.There is a small put put golf coarse also along with a miniature train ride in the picnic area surrounding the lake. Don't forget your snow cone money. For those of you that enjoy real Golf there is a beautiful coarse right across from the lodge. You may see a dear or two while making that hole in one as the coarse winds thru the state parks scenic hills. If you are a camper then this is by far one of the cleanest camp grounds we have ever seen. Showers,fire pits,laundry facility.Every site seemed to be shaded. There are play grounds in numerous areas and all campers have access to the lodge swimming pool after 4:00 pm If you hike or mountain bike there are two trails. Very scenic rural trails. Along with the convention center there is a recreation center with billiards and activities for the kids.The general Butler museum tour of coarse and at last the tennis courts if your'e froggy. My favorite is the observation point. I'm not going to spoil it just trust me and make sure you see a sunset with someone you love from there before you go. A special thanks to Della Raisor who juggled reservations and dates and kept us comfortable for May June and July 2015. Very professional.,She goes over and above her job requirements. She deserves a raise. If you are planning a trip to Carrollton KY this is the place and these are the people.They know what service means, and deliver. Best Kentucky has to offer. read more

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I've never camped here, because, well... I don't camp. But I can report that the grounds are beautiful. The up side of taking an absurdly long time to finish the Mudathlon is that I got to look around and enjoy the scenery a bit. I suspect it is even prettier when some asshole isn't making you climb over a hay bale or crawl through a mud puddle every 20 yards. I've also been to their conference center a couple of times. This is my primary reason for not giving them 4 stars. The conference center and the recreation center are tucked back off the main road just past the lodge. So when your session breaks and you need to go over to the lodge for dinner or to your room or whatever, there is no sidewalk, or trail or otherwise safe place to walk. So most people drive the 1/10 mile or whatever it is. Dude... we came here to be in nature and walk and be outside and all that crap. Give me a way to navigate your property without getting in my car. read more

I would give it a zero if I could. This place is a complete dump. They got rid of golf course and ping pong table. It takes 2 hours to check in and you never get the room your are promised. There is bird crap all over back stairwell. There are no cameras. I also got 6 expensive shirts stolen out of room by maid staff. I sent in claim and worked with KY state parks for 6 months as directed by general manager of the park and claim was denied. So if you are thinking of staying here you better bring a camera for inside the room while you are not in it. Not only are the rooms overpriced they also steal your stuff. Shirts they stole were worth $600. I will never stay here again and I will warn everyone I can not to either. Absolute joke of a place. read more

Would've been four starts except for the awful shower in our room. We were in room 304 (luckily only one night!) and the shower head put out a fine/thin stream of spray which was not soothing at all and was very inadequate for washing shoulder length hair. Not having an hour to saturate my hair I had to hold my head under the water coming out of the spigot to wet and rinse my hair. Not a comfortable place to be especially since the drain was grossly plugged with who knows what and drained so slow that I was taking a bath in my soapy water and who knows who else's crud that collected in the drain. DISGUSTING! The good things were the beds, quiet, loved that there was no carpet, nicely air conditioned, convenient to pool. And room was ready by 11:30 AM for checkin rather than the mid afternoon as posted. read more

They have a wonderful campground. The cottages look so cute. The lodge has been redone and the rooms are absolutely gorgeous. The restaurant is the best around. The putt putt course is very challenging and 9 of the holes are officially handicapped accessible but there are no steps anywhere, just some dips and rises, so depending on your level of disability you may be able to do the whole course! The trails are great. Marked well. All levels. I just can't say enough good stuff about this place. We love it and come here often. read more

General Butler State Resort Park - Playing putt putt - Parks Near Me - Carrollton, Kentucky

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Beautiful surroundings even on a cold winter day, however the rooms are in need of some updates and work. The bathroom sink had little pressure, wallpaper peeling off wall in room, toilet difficult to flush and shower was pretty weak flow. Could use a deeper clean as well. Overpriced for this time of year for sure. read more

This is a great state park. Power and water hookups - even sewer if you want. Hot showers. Nice wooded location. Cute cabins. A restaurant if you want to be lazy. Very inexpensive. Several very nice play areas for children. read more

If your looking for a Great time to spend away for a day, overnight , weekend or week this is the place to go !!! With or without the kiddos! I took a group of kiddo there and had a Fantastic time !! My Husband and I will be back on a trip together!!! read more

We were so excited to get here...the pictures on the website made it look so nice. We are so very disappointed. The room is not good. The screen door us full of holes. The corner of our deck is falling off the side of the building. No frig or microwave. No TV. Apparently they dont have servicemen??? Been out for 8 hours. Will not be back. read more