National Park Service

Tent camper set up in the Blue Heron Campground.

Blue Heron Campground is located in the Kentucky portion of Big South Fork, 9 miles west of Stearns off Highway 742. The campground offers a total of 45 sites all with water and electric hook-ups, picnic tables, fire-rings, access to restrooms and showers and a dump station. A map of the Blue Heron Campground may be downloaded as a 190kb PDF file.

Blue Heron Campground is open from April through November and operates on a reservation system from April 1 through October 31. Campsites are also available on a first-come/first-served basis throughout the season.

Campground reservations for sites within Big South Fork can now be made through National Recreation Reservation Service by calling 1-877-444-6777 or online at the National Recreation Reservation Service web site. Reservations may be made up to 240 days in advance.

Black bears now reside within Big South Fork. When staying at Blue Heron Campground, please use proper food storage techniques.

The Blue Heron Mining Community is located just a few miles from the campground and is open year-round for visitors who wish to learn about life in a company owned coal mining town. The Stearns Depot Visitor Center is located 9 miles away in the Big South Fork Scenic Railway Depot in Stearns, Kentucky. The visitor center is open daily from April through mid-to-late December each year.

Fees for the Blue Heron Campground are;
Sites with hook-ups $17.00