Laurel River Lake Picnic Area

Laurel River Lake Picnic Area is a day-use facility located on a peninsula along the shores of Laurel River Lake. No overnight camping is allowed in the area. The picnic area offers one small and one large reservable group picnic shelter, plus 19 individual picnic sites with tables and grills on a first-come, first-served basis. Port-a-potties, drinking water, a playground, a horseshoe pit, a fishing pier and a volleyball net are also provided. Laurel River Dam was completed in 1974, creating a 5,600-acre lake which provides hydroelectric power, safe drinking water and recreation opportunities for the public. Since its impoundment, the Forest Service and the Army Corps of Engineers have cooperated in developing public recreation facilities on and around the lake. With its cliff-lined shores and quiet coves, Laurel River Lake is a favorite destination for thousands of visitors each year, who come to boat, canoe, fish, hunt, hike, camp, swim, scuba dive, view wildlife and relax at one of the deepest and cleanest lakes in Kentucky. Less than a mile up the road is a 725-foot sandy beach area with a parking lot and chemically treated toilets. The beach is unguarded, so always wear a flotation device when you are on or in the water. While visiting the picnic area you can stay at one of the Forest Service drive-in campgrounds at Holly Bay and Grove Recreation Areas; the Whiteoak and Grove boat-in campgrounds are accessible only by boat or trail. Cumberland Falls, the second largest waterfall east of the Rockies, is about a 20-mile drive from the area, and Cumberland Falls State Park provides lodge and cabin accommodations for guests.