Carter Caves State Resort Park will soon undergo a $3.8 million renovation. The goal of the revamp is to upgrade many of the campground facilities.
Paul Tierney, Park Manager of Carter Caves State Resort Park, said many of the park’s utilities haven’t been updated in over 70 years.
“Lot of this was the existing infrastructure from the 1960s when it was first, you know, placed here on the park. So, this is the most substantial upgrade that it's that it's seen since it got installed in the 1960s,” said Tierney.
The renovations will include a complete overhaul of plumbing and electrical systems. Several structures will be updated, including a new campground store, offices, laundry facilities and bathhouse.
The project is part of the New Kentucky Home Initiative, which is designed to revitalize many state parks. In the 2024 legislative session, the Kentucky General Assembly approved over $40 million for campground improvements statewide.
Tierney added the renovations are expected to be time-consuming.
“In a perfect world, the scope of the project perhaps could have been done in an offseason, but with a scope this large, with a complete total upgrade of infrastructure, it just the time frame was going to take longer than then it was foreseen,” said Tierney.
The renovations will close facilities for 2025 camping season. Updates are expected to be completed by late 2025. More information about the Carter Caves’ campgrounds can be found by calling 606-286-4411.