LIMESTONE DRIFT KENTUCKY WATER, TOLD STRAIGHT
FIELD CARD Pool & Access · No. 12-3
Corps lake · KY 70 east of Campbellsville · KY 372 and KY 76 spurs · the Robinson Creek arm · Taylor County

Green River Lake

The north-shore ridges between the two arms. KY 70 east is the trunk: KY 372 to Smith Ridge and Emerald Isle Marina, KY 76 to Pikes Ridge and the Wilson Creek carry-down, KY 70 itself 3.8 miles out to Elkhorn, farthest up the Robinson Creek arm. Two Corps campgrounds, two beaches, a marina, three multi-lane fee ramps.

KY 70 EAST · KY 372 · KY 76 Sites at KDFWR coordinates · arms and roads schematic
Walk-in accessElkhornCarry-down · no facilitiesBoat rampSmith RidgeFee · multi-lane · dock · campgroundWalk-in accessWilson CreekCarry-down · seasonalMarinaEmerald Isle MarinaFee · multi-lane · dock · marinaBoat rampPikes RidgeFee · multi-lane · seasonal, limited hoursKY 70KY 372County Park RdKY 76N02 miSchematic · launches at KDFWR coordinates · hollow discs are other corridors · dam drawn, not surveyed
Three numbers to get right
What you hearWhat the primary sources actually say
"The drawdown is one drop."Two stages. 675.0 to 674.5 from 15 Sep to 14 Oct, then 674.5 to 668.0 from 15 Oct to 1 Dec. Refill 15 Mar to 15 May (USACE Fill and Drawdown).
"Just read the gauge."Read the right parameter. USGS 03305990 offers 62614 (lake elevation, NGVD29 — compares to 675/668) and 00065 (gage height, local datum — does not). Only 120 days stay online.
"Walleye and muskie are statewide."Half right. Walleye is the statewide 14 in and 6. Muskellunge is not: "Must be 40 inches or over", statewide creel; crappie 9-inch minimum.
What coming down actually changes on this road
Smith Ridge and Emerald Isle are year-round, 24 hours; Pikes Ridge is the one multi-lane ramp KDFWR flags "Seasonal - Limited Hours". Off season, plan on the other two (reasoning from the flags). KDFWR's 2026 forecast: spring walleye in "headwater areas of Robinson Creek and Green River arms in late February through mid- to late March"; smallmouth "in the mid- to lower sections" of both arms.
Corps campgrounds are volunteer-run in 2026. Recreation.gov: "limited tollhouse hours and services offered." Smith Ridge 80 sites, staffed 8 May–13 Sep 2026, (270) 789-2743; Pikes Ridge 60 sites (Corps page), season status pending. WMA entrance: "Highway 70 East 4 miles" (KDFWR); small-game seasons from 1 November on the shoreline.
LIMESTONE DRIFT
GREEN RIVER LAKE · KY 70 EAST Access and limits
Five sites, three spurs off KY 70
LaunchFeeKDFWR record, in the agency's words
Smith RidgeYes"KY 372 E of Campbellsville (3 miles) to ramp". Any trailerable, paved multi-lane, paved parking 51+, courtesy dock, restrooms seasonal, camping year-round, accessible pier. Corps campground, beach, dump station.
Emerald Isle MarinaYes"KY 372 S of Campbellsville (2.5 miles); right on County Park Road". Paved multi-lane, paved parking 26–50, courtesy dock, restrooms seasonal, marina and retail limited hours. (270) 465-3412.
Pikes RidgeYes"KY 70 E of Campbellsville (2.5 miles); right on KY 76; right on Pikes Ridge Road". Paved multi-lane, unpaved parking ≤25, courtesy dock, restrooms and camping seasonal. Ramp "Seasonal - Limited Hours".
Wilson Creek · carry-downNo"KY 70 E of Campbellsville (2.5 miles); right on KY 76 to Wilson Creek Road". Carry-down only, unpaved parking ≤25, restrooms and camping flagged seasonal (no Corps page names a campground here — status pending).
Elkhorn · carry-downNo"From Campbellsville, southeast on KY-70 for 3.8 miles." Carry-down only, unpaved parking ≤25, no facilities, shoreline year-round.
Limits — two special rules, then statewide
SpeciesSizeDaily creel
Walleye14 in minimum (statewide)6 (statewide)
Muskellunge40 in minimumstatewide creel
White and black crappie9 in minimumstatewide creel
Black bass and white bassstatewidestatewide
Everything else is statewide. No gigging or snagging clause on this record. Below the dam is its own KDFWR water (wid 482): "rod in hand", single hook, "From Green River Lake Dam and extending downstream to the end of the concrete wall"; boats "are not permitted upstream of ramp". KDFWR 2026: summer oxygen "too low to support fish below 17-20 feet". Camping: Smith Ridge and Pikes Ridge (Corps, Recreation.gov 233633 / 233583). Marina: Emerald Isle. Beaches: Smith Ridge (day use), Pikes Ridge (registered campers only), no lifeguards.
Live level: USGS 03305990, parameter 62614 (NGVD29) · Corps line (270) 465-8824, press 2 · tailwater USGS 03306000 is stage and temperature only · pools 675.0 / 668.0, spillway 713, record 705.2 (Jan 1979) · Corps (270) 465-4463 · Smith Ridge gate (270) 789-2743.
Sources: USACE Louisville District Green River Lake, Fishing, Swimming and Fill and Drawdown pages, the LRD recreation page, DVIDS release of 5 Apr 2025, Corps Lakes Gateway; KDFWR waterbody records 73 and 482, the eighteen access-site records, the 2026 Fishing Forecast, the Muskellunge and Walleye pages, the Green River Lake WMA record; USGS 03305990 and 03306000; Recreation.gov; Kentucky State Parks reservation system.
Conditions change. Verify pool, access and regulations before you travel. Revised September 2026.
QR code: https://limestonedrift.com/waterways/green-river-lake/#ld-alertslimestonedrift.comAlerts and the water page
Water alerts. We email when the pool actually moves — including the day stage two starts. limestonedrift.com/alerts/?w=green-river-lake