Vacation rentals in Green River Lake

In south-central Kentucky, the 8,200-acre Green River Lake is nestled amid the rolling bluegrass, rocky bluffs, and trickling streams. What started out as the Green River became a reservoir in 1969 when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built a dam to keep flooding at bay. Today, the sinuous lake attracts visitors year-round for fishing, water skiing, and boating.

Green River Lake is situated within a state park, and you’ll be able to spend days happily hiking or riding horses along the 28 miles of wooded trails that meander around its shores. If you decide you need a break from all that natural beauty, you can visit nearby towns such as Campbellsville to check out the local boutiques, historical sites, and museums.

This region of Kentucky experiences four distinct seasons. Summer tends to be long and very hot and humid — getting yourself to the banks of the lake may be the easiest way to cool off. Spring and fall are less humid than summer and range from moderate to perfectly warm temperatures, ideal for leisurely trail walks or bird-watching in Green River Lake Park. Winter in this part of the world is seasonably cold, but it's also one of the best times of the year for fishing in Kentucky lakes, especially for bass and crappie.

Green River Lake State Park

This Kentucky state park, which stretches along the shores of Green River Lake, offers visitors sandy beaches for lounging, ample muskie and bass for fishing, and short and long hiking trails that twist around the lake. A plus: there are no fees to enter the park, and public wifi is available, so you can immediately share pictures of your trip online. Dogs are permitted to accompany you on your visit. During the warmer months, you may encounter white-tailed deer as they stroll by, or pass a duck or two in the Green River Marina.

Campbellsville

If you need to stock up on supplies or creature comforts, you can head to Campbellsville, just a 10-minute drive from the lake. This quaint small town is home to a university as well as a bustling main street lined with a bowling alley, antique shops, and cafes that serve creamy pies and sausage biscuits. Check out the custom-made jewelry or pick out a new outfit at one of the boutiques before an evening meal along downtown Campbellsville’s restaurant strip.

Tebbs Bend

Along the Old Campbellsville-Columbia Turnpike sits a three-mile loop that will take you to Tebbs Bend-Green River Bridge, a historical site where Union forces defeated the Confederates in a decisive battle in the early 1860s. The turnpike itself has 12 stops, nearly all with their own interactive exhibits, and best of all, it can all be traveled on foot. The bridge is nowadays situated among grassy terrain and offers opportune views of the Green River Lake below.