Otter Creek Outdoor Recreation Area

OTTER CREEK PERMITS
PURCHASE PERMITS ONLINE

Hours of Operation

Area Hours:

Open year-round from dawn to dusk.

Contact Info

For all Campground Inquiries:

Phone: 270-750-4257 (Meade County)

Email: ottercreekcamp@meadeky.gov

Campground Info and Reservations: FIREFLY RESERVATIONS

Otter Creek Campground operated by Meade County Fiscal Court.

Additional Info

Please call KDFWR's Information Center at 800-858-1549 for permit fee questions only.

Scenic view of Otter Creek Outdoor Recreation Area

ABOUT OTTER CREEK OUTDOOR RECREATION AREA

The Otter Creek Outdoor Recreation Area, located in Meade County just 30 minutes from downtown Louisville, offers spectacular vistas of the Ohio River as well as opportunities for hunting, fishing, and numerous other outdoor recreational opportunities.

Founded by the National Park Service in 1934 as a recreational area for residents of Louisville and neighboring towns, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife has operated the 2,261-acre property since 2011. In 2024, Meade County formed a partnership with KDFWR to assume the operation of the campground.

Entrance or facility view at Otter Creek Outdoor Recreation Area

Recreational Area Fees

Open year-round, dawn to dusk. All permits must be purchased online through the permit system.

Admission Fees

Free admission for children aged 12 and under.
$3 per person for a daily entry permit, available online.
$30 per person for an annual entry permit, available online.
Fees are subject to change without notice.

Special Activity Fees

An additional charge applies to all visitors, including children under 12, for horse trails, mountain bike trails, and shooting ranges.
$7 per person for a daily permit (including an additional $3 entry fee), available online.
$70 per person for an annual special activity permit, available online.
Fees are subject to change without notice.

Camping

OTTER CREEK CAMPGROUND FIREFLY RESERVATIONS
CAMPGROUND MAP

Otter Creek Campground operated by
Meade County Fiscal Court.

Directions to Otter Creek Outdoor Recreation Area from:

Owensboro, KY

Travel east on US-60 to KY-144, turn left onto KY-144 and travel approximately 30 miles. At the intersection of KY-144 and KY-79, turn left and follow KY-79 for 2.4 miles. At the intersection of KY-79 and KY-1051, turn right onto KY-1051. Follow KY-1051 and then merge to the right onto KY-448. From KY-448, travel approximately 2 miles to the intersection of KY-448 and KY-1638. Turn left onto KY-1638 and follow it 5 miles to the entrance of the area on the left.

Elizabethtown, KY

Travel north on US-31W to the intersection of US-31W and HWY 1638. Turn left onto HWY 1638 and follow it approximately 4 miles to the entrance of the area on the right.

Lexington, KY

Take I-64W to Exit 19A to KY-841 South, Gene Snyder Freeway. Take the US-31W/US-60 exit, Exit 1, toward Fort Knox/Louisville. Turn left onto Dixie Hwy/US-31W S/US-60 W. Continue to follow US-31W S/US-60 W. Turn right onto KY-1638 and follow it approximately 4 miles to the entrance of the area on the right.

Louisville, KY

Follow Dixie Hwy/US-31W S/US-60 W to the intersection of US-31W S and KY-1638. Turn right onto KY-1638 and follow it approximately 4 miles to the entrance of the area on the right.

Maps

Campground Map

Topographic Map

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