Taylorsville Lake State Park

About Taylorsville Lake State Park

Taylorsville Lake State Park covers an area of 1.5 million square feet and offers a variety of activities from hiking, camping, horseback riding, fishing and hiking to fishing.

A centrally located landfill is available to the campers, reservations are allowed and not necessary.

The property also has washing facilities for tents and washing machines, as well as a picnic area and
picnic table.

For a state that prides itself on its natural beauty, Taylorsville Lake is a great example of how to behave in the most natural and scenic way.

Taylorsville Lake is 45 miles southeast of Louisville and covers 3,050 acres and has a 78-mile coastline. The lake was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers to protect the salt river from flooding. It opened to the public in January 1983, and in April 1985 Taylor's Lake State Park became a reality! The Commonwealth of Kentucky has leased the 1,650 acres that line the lake from the U.S. Corps of Engineers.

The resulting lake serves the state's environment and recreational landscape in two ways: The dam, which absorbs water from the salt river, protects the surface from uncontrolled flooding and preserves an important source of water. The lake is named after William Taylor, an early pioneer of barbecue and mill farming, who gave the town of Taylorsville 60 hectares of land.

The salt river that gave birth to the lake got its unusual name because of the amount of salt it contains, and it constitutes a large part of a river that was once lined by operations. Taylorsville Lake has four covered slides, each with a maximum depth of 1.50 meters, giving fish stocks time to establish themselves and engage in extensive fishing. The reason this lake is a fishing paradise is that biologists have set a size limit of 15 inches for all fish caught in its waters.

Perch, bluefish, catfish and other species are abundant, and the salt flow has been subjected to a variety of tests to determine which fish species live and thrive in its waters.

The town of Taylorsville was founded in 1790 and incorporated on January 22, 1829. During these pioneering days agriculture dominated Spencer County, but since then it has been dominated by agriculture.

Taylorsville Lake State Park is open year-round and 10,000 acres of the lake are reserved as a wildlife reserve. A boat ramp and picnic area make it a popular destination for recreational boating and fishing. Bring the necessary income for boating, fishing, and state park visitors to camp and relax.

Taylorsville Lake campsites offer 42 full-service RV parks, and horse lovers can stay with their horse friends at ten outdoor campsites designed specifically for camping on horseback.

There is no central service building or laundry, but ten pitches - in the tents are reserved for camping on horseback. Each pitch has water and electricity and uses the same sanitary building and laundry.

Pets are not allowed or kept in the park, but can be rented for up to three days on fishing boats for $10 a day. The marina has four covered slips, four launch pads to launch your own boat and a pontoon harbour from which you can plan your sailing time. Pets are not allowed and pets are not allowed on the boat during the day except for the owner's pets.

On 1 June 2008, we will launch a weather-limited programme to protect the recently modernised paths from deterioration. Signs are placed all over the trails, and campers riding horses and camping in the park are also informed. Bring a bike or horse, wear hiking boots and enjoy the fresh air outside, but keep the risk of rain, wind, snow, mud and other adverse weather conditions under control. We will also have signs around the trail informing you about the current conditions and informing campers who are on horseback about the conditions on the trails.

Two nesting sites for bald eagles are located in the area of the Van Buren boat ramp and two in a small area on the west side of the park. Birds that are common in Spencer County include the Great Blue Egret, Great White Shark, American Ram and Black-legged Duck.

In spring, warblers and thrushes are on the move, and a number of other bird species, such as the Great Blue Heron, can be seen in the area.

In summer, warblers also breed, and in summer, you can see red-tailed falcons and other birds such as the blue heron. The lake is home to a number of other bird species as well as a variety of mammals, reptiles and amphibians.