Start with the bad news: Sympson Lake, Bardstown’s own reservoir three miles west of town, is closed to all boating in 2026, and its ramp will likely stay shut until about August 2027 while the state repairs the dam. The good news is that you have better water within 45 minutes. Taylorsville Lake, a 3,050-acre Corps of Engineers lake to the north, has a marina, boat rentals and some of the most heavily stocked fishing in Kentucky, and Lake Nevin at Bernheim Forest gives you a quiet bass lake half an hour away. Bring a Kentucky fishing license to all of them.
Where to fish and paddle near Bardstown
| Water | Size | Drive from Court Square | What’s there | 2026 status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sympson Lake | 131 acres | About 3 miles west | Boat ramp, bank fishing (normal years) | Closed to boating; access banned near dam |
| Taylorsville Lake | 3,050 acres | About 45 minutes north | Marina, rentals, ramps, campground, trails | Open |
| Lake Nevin, Bernheim Forest | Small forest lake | About 30 minutes northwest | Bass, bluegill, crappie, sunfish | Open |
| Lincoln Homestead Lake | 7.6 acres | About 30 minutes east | Largemouth bass, channel catfish | Open |
| Log Still Distillery lake | 12 acres | About 20 minutes south | Fishing for overnight guests | Open to guests |
Sympson Lake: closed until about summer 2027
Sympson Lake is Bardstown’s drinking-water reservoir, and in a normal year it is the easy local choice for a morning of bass fishing or a paddle. Not this year. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet found minor seepage in the US 62 embankment that doubles as the dam, and the lake was lowered that spring. The city then suspended boat permits for all of 2026: the ramp closed March 11, 2026, and “all lake access is prohibited in the interest of public safety.”
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife adds that bank fishing near the dam is banned and that bank fishing along Ben Irvin Road is expected to close as the project moves along. The main repair contract began Aug. 5, 2026, and the Kentucky Standard reported completion was expected about a year later. Two practical tips: don’t bring a boat to Bardstown expecting to launch it here, and expect one-lane, signal-controlled traffic on US 62 west of town until the work is done.
When the lake reopens, the old rules will likely return. Every boat, including kayaks and canoes, needs an annual city permit ($100 for non-residents in past years). Boats are limited to 20 feet and 35 mph, with no jet skis, hydroplanes or racing boats, and no swimming except while water skiing. In normal years the lake is open daily from an hour before sunrise to an hour after sunset, permits expire Dec. 31 each year, and Nelson County residents pay $50 (seniors 65 and over get one free). Call City Hall at (502) 348-5947 before planning a 2027 trip.
Taylorsville Lake: the big water
Taylorsville Lake stretches about 18 miles along the Salt River, with 75 miles of wooded shoreline and coves. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began building it in 1974 and filled it in 1983, and Wikipedia calls it “the most heavily stocked lake in the Commonwealth.” Anglers come for largemouth bass, hybrid striped bass, white and black crappie, and channel and blue catfish.
The state park on the lake’s shore at Mt. Eden has the facilities you need:
- Taylorsville Lake Marina sells gas and bait, runs a deli and rents pontoon, deck and fishing boats.
- A wheelchair-accessible fishing pier gives everyone a place to drop a line.
- Swimming is allowed only at the dam, never from boat ramps or docks.
- Two bald eagle nesting sites sit near the Van Buren Boat Ramp, so keep binoculars in the truck.
No kayak or canoe rental near Bardstown turned up, so paddlers should bring their own. On a lake this size, stay in the coves on windy afternoons, when open water gets choppy, and watch for boat wakes on summer weekends.
The park also manages a 24-mile trail system for hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders, the closest public horse trails to Bardstown, plus a permanent orienteering course. Its campground is open through Nov. 15, 2026 and reopens March 15, 2027, with electric sites, tent sites and pull-through equestrian sites (book those by calling the park, ideally 10 days ahead). Call the park at (502) 477-8713 for current fees.
Getting there: drive northeast from Bardstown on US 62 to Bloomfield, then north on KY 55 toward Mt. Eden. Allow about 45 minutes. The farm roads through Bloomfield make a pretty drive in their own right; see scenic drives around Bardstown.
A day at Taylorsville Lake
Leave Bardstown early and be on the water by mid-morning, when the coves are calm. Rent a pontoon or fishing boat at the marina, or launch your own, and pick up lunch at the marina deli. In the afternoon, swap the boat for binoculars near the Van Buren Boat Ramp, where two bald eagle nests sit, or stretch your legs on the Lake View Trail. If you have brought a tent or a camper, stay the night at the park campground and fish again at first light before driving home through Bloomfield.
Lake Nevin at Bernheim Forest
For a half-day with a rod, drive 30 minutes northwest on KY 245 to Bernheim Forest in Clermont. Lake Nevin holds largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie and sunfish, and Bernheim reminds anglers that a Kentucky license is required. The forest asks a recommended $15 per car, and the grounds open at 7 a.m., so an early cast is possible. Fish for an hour, walk to the Forest Giants and grab lunch at Isaac’s Café. The Clermont day trip adds a Jim Beam tour to the plan.
Lincoln Homestead State Park
About 30 minutes east near Springfield, Lincoln Homestead State Park has a 7.6-acre lake stocked with largemouth bass and channel catfish. It is small and quiet, better for a relaxed afternoon than a trophy hunt, and it shares the park with an 18-hole golf course, disc golf and the Lincoln family cabins. Combine it with the rest of the Springfield and Lincoln Homestead day trip.
Fishing where you sleep
Two places to stay near Bardstown put water outside your door. Log Still Distillery’s 350-acre Dant Crossing campus near Gethsemane has a 12-acre fishing lake for its overnight guests; see staying at Log Still. Little Patch of Heaven Campground on Templin Avenue, a few minutes from downtown, has a catch-and-release pond and a walking trail for RV guests, covered in the camping and RV guide.
Licenses, rules and safety
Every lake on this page requires a Kentucky fishing license. Buy it online from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources before you leave home, and keep it on your phone. Wear a life jacket in any boat, kayak included, and keep an eye on summer storms, which build quickly over central Kentucky on hot afternoons. Leave the bourbon at the rental for after you are off the water.
Where to swim when the lakes won’t do
Bardstown has no public lake beach, and the old city pool is listed as closed. The city’s new Aquatic & Sports Center is under construction, with opening anticipated in late 2026 or early 2027. Until then, two hotels sell pool access. The Bardstown Swim Club at the Bardstown Motor Lodge offers $20 day passes to adults 21 and over from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a poolside bar and cabanas. The Swim Club Pool & Bar at The Trail Hotel sells daily passes to non-guests for its outdoor pool and hot tub. For more outdoor time closer to town, see parks and walking trails.
