Nolin River Lake – usually just called Nolin Lake – is a 5,800-acre reservoir in the cave country of south-central Kentucky, right next door to Mammoth Cave National Park. Clean, quiet and ringed by woods, it’s a relaxed lake for swimming, paddling and fishing, with a state park, a good swimming beach, and stocked muskie among its draws – and it pairs perfectly with a trip to the world’s longest cave system.
This guide covers Nolin Lake: the fishing, the state park and beach, and the Mammoth Cave connection. It’s part of our growing Kentucky Lakes Database.
Nolin Lake at a glance
- Surface area: ~5,800 acres; ~172 miles of shoreline
- Location: Edmonson, Grayson & Hart counties, south-central Kentucky (near Mammoth Cave)
- Built: Nolin Dam on the Nolin River, completed 1963 (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)
- Top fish: largemouth bass, white bass, crappie, bluegill, catfish, muskie (stocked)
Fishing Nolin Lake
Nolin is a solid, all-around fishery:
- Largemouth bass in the timber, coves and creek arms.
- White bass and crappie – strong populations, with the spring white-bass run a highlight.
- Bluegill and catfish for steady action, and stocked muskie for the trophy hunters.
A Kentucky fishing license is required; check the muskie regulations. The lake’s many quiet embayments make it a pleasant place to fish from a small boat or kayak.
Nolin Lake State Park and the beach
Nolin Lake State Park offers a campground, a sandy swimming beach, picnic areas, a boat ramp and trails, and the Corps of Engineers adds more campgrounds and day-use areas around the shoreline. The clean water and gentle setting make it a favorite for families. Just south, Mammoth Cave National Park – the longest cave system in the world – is minutes away, so you can pair a lake day with a cave tour or a paddle on the Green and Nolin rivers inside the park.
Getting there and what’s nearby
Nolin Lake is about 1 hour north of Bowling Green and 1.5 hours from Louisville, off the Western Kentucky Parkway and I-65. Mammoth Cave National Park is right next door, making this one of the best lake-and-park combinations in the state.
Know before you go
- Fishing license: a Kentucky license is required; note the muskie regulations.
- Combine with Mammoth Cave: the national park is minutes away – plan a cave tour.
- Reserve camping: the state-park campground and beach are popular in summer.
- Best seasons: spring for white bass and crappie, summer for swimming and camping, fall for bass and muskie.
Frequently asked questions
What fish are in Nolin Lake?
Largemouth bass, white bass, crappie, bluegill, catfish and stocked muskie.
Is Nolin Lake near Mammoth Cave?
Yes – Mammoth Cave National Park is just south of the lake, making it easy to combine a lake day with a cave tour.
Can you swim and camp at Nolin Lake?
Yes – Nolin Lake State Park has a sandy swimming beach and a campground, plus Corps campgrounds around the lake.
Where is Nolin Lake?
In south-central Kentucky near Mammoth Cave, about an hour north of Bowling Green.
Related: explore more of the largest lakes in Kentucky, or head back to the Kentucky Lakes Database.
Explore more Kentucky lakes: the largest lakes in Kentucky and the deepest lakes in Kentucky.
