There are a few campgrounds that have been on my target list for years, but for various reasons I have yet to check out. The Kentucky Horse Park campground is right off Interstate 75 and I have passed by it dozens of times. But my desire to camp in places with hiking trails meant it never made it to the top of the list. When a Mini-lite/Micro-lite rally was scheduled there on a weekend I was free, I jumped right on the reservation site.

The Kentucky Horse Park Campground is 260 sites arranged in concentric ovals, 2 on either side of the main road. The rolling bluegrass hills and white rail fences from the surrounding horse farms continue in the campground. All sites have water and electric and are spacious, especially for a private campground. Inside each of the loops is a public area. One side hosts the pool and the other the tennis courts. Showers and laundry are available in both. The campground store and check-in is located in the center of the park. It is a relatively well-stocked store with a nice selection of beers including some local microbrews.

The main reason to camp in the area is, of course, the Kentucky Horse Park. This is the world’s only park dedicated to man’s relationship with the horse. It is an outdoor compound of several barns and museums. Those staying at the campground should buy tickets at the camp store to save $2 per admission and the $5 parking fee. Of course, the area is also very pedestrian, bike, and golf cart friendly, so on a nice day it would be very doable to leave the car at the campsite. As the temps were well into the 90s, I decided to save energy for walking around the park rather than to it.

One of the best features of the park is it’s dog-friendliness. Dogs are allowed in all of the open-air areas, including the barns and shows. They are not permitted in the museums or restaurants. Blue really enjoyed meeting the horses. There is a schedule of shows throughout the day that are not much more than educational demonstrations, but they are pretty interesting. It would be doable to see most of the shows in a few hours.

After a couple hours in the heat, Blue was ready for air conditioning and I was ready for lunch. It was a short drive back to the campground. The intention had been to leave Blue and the trailer and return for the museums, but a nap just sounded too tempting.

We wrapped the day spending time with new rally friends. Overall the campground is beautiful and I can see it being a great destination for families or those really interested in horses. It would also be a great base from which to explore Lexington. In fact, a bike trail travels from the campground into town. But I will probably stick to places with more hiking and nature.