Canal Campground
Barkley Lake · Kentucky · 115 sites
Imagery: USGS The National Map
Overview
Canal Campground is a US Army Corps of Engineers campground in Barkley Lake, Kentucky, with 115 sites in 10 loops. Mostly shady: most sites have good shade. T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T report coverage at every site.
91 of 115 sites shaded
13 of 115 sites in full sun
24 of 115 sites with clear sky
Map of the campground
Every site from the Recreation.gov listing. Choose a layer to see it across the campground; tap a site to open it in Roam.
Layers
More in Roam Premium
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Questions
Which sites at Canal Campground are the shadiest?
Most of them. 91 of 115 sites have good shade, much of it from the afternoon sun; the other 24 are more open.
See the tree canopy in RoamWhich sites at Canal Campground get the most sun?
Only a few. 13 of 115 sites are truly sunny and 11 more get some sun; the rest are shaded.
See the tree canopy in RoamWill Starlink work at Canal Campground?
Only at a few. About 24 of 115 sites have a clear gap in the trees for Starlink and 9 a partial one; most sit under tall trees. Satellite texting on a phone needs less open sky, but still works best from the most open spot you can find. This is our estimate from tree heights — check with the Starlink app's obstruction check when you arrive.
See the tree canopy in RoamWhich sites at Canal Campground are the most level?
19 of 115 sites are flat, and 42 more have a gentle slope most RVs can level with blocks; 54 are steeper, better for tents. Sites that take RVs or trailers fit rigs up to 69 ft.
See the slope at each site in RoamDoes Canal Campground have cell service?
Yes. T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T all report coverage at every site at Canal Campground. That's the coverage each carrier reports to the FCC, not a measured signal, so under trees or below a ridge it can be weaker.
See the coverage map in RoamWhen is the best time to see fall color at Canal Campground?
October. In a typical year the leaves around Canal Campground are at their best in mid to late October, though any one fall can run a week or two early or late. Roam’s fall foliage map shows how far the color has come this week, free every September through November.
See this week’s fall color in RoamWhat’s the weather like at Canal Campground in October?
In October, expect highs around 71°F and lows around 48°F, with about 3.7 inches of rain over the month. Every month’s averages are in Roam Premium.
Open Canal in RoamCampground facts
- Sites
- 115 in 10 loops
- Kinds
- 112 for RVs or trailers · 1 tent-only · 1 group site
- Hookups
- 115 with electric
- Longest rig
- 69 ft
- Accessible
- 22 sites
- Elevation
- 364–402 ft
- Every site
- Pets allowed · Campfires allowed · Check-in 3 PM, check-out 12 PM
- Managed by
- US Army Corps of Engineers
- Booking
- Reserve on Recreation.gov
How we know Sources and limits
Shade, sun and Starlink are our estimates from Meta and the World Resources Institute’s canopy-height model (about 2 m pixels, from satellite imagery calibrated with space lidar; CC BY 4.0). From 2 m above each site we trace 72 lines out to 60 m and note the tallest tree in each direction. Shade counts trees overhead, the canopy within 30 m and how much of the afternoon sky is blocked. Sun counts how open the southern sky is. Starlink needs open sky above 35°, with the northern half counted twice because US dishes tilt north, and we keep the best spot within 8 m of the site’s post. The model sees tree heights only, not trunks, buildings or hills, so check with the Starlink app when you arrive.
Slope is the ground at each site’s post over about 4 m, from USGS 3DEP 1 m lidar: level under 2%, gentle to 4% (most rigs level on blocks), sloped to 8% (fine for a tent), steep beyond.
Cell coverage is from the FCC Broadband Data Collection (carrier filings as downloaded May 2026): each site is tested against each carrier’s modelled outdoor 4G/5G coverage. It is what the carriers report, not a measured signal.
Fall color is the typical peak from NASA’s MODIS satellite record of when leaves change (2001–2023), limited to deciduous and mixed forest with USGS land cover (NLCD), calibrated to the USA National Phenology Network’s ground reports of colored leaves (CC BY 4.0). It is an average of many autumns, so the page gives a window, not a date.
Weather is NOAA’s 1991–2020 climate normals for the campground. Sites and facts are from Recreation.gov’s open data (July 2026). Map imagery: USGS The National Map.
From the campground’s Recreation.gov listing: “A designated swimming beach and a boat ramp help campers enjoy the lake. Picnic pavilions and a playground create a perfect setting for a party or family get-together. For group camping, several sites surrounding the pavilion can be reserved, and a fishing float nearby allows groups to go out on the lake together. Electric hook-ups, showers and flush restrooms create a comfortable camping experience. Lake Barkley, as part of a dam project at the Cumberland River, spans 134 miles along the Kentucky landscape, offering countless recreational activities to visitors. The canal connects Lake Barley with Kentucky Lake, forming one of the greatest freshwater recreational complexes in the country.”
Page data as of October 15, 2026. Full source notes are in each layer’s info in the app.