Letter To The Editor: Disappointed Nolin Camping Trip, Non-Family Friendly Atmosphere

​I wanted to bring to your attention the disappointment I felt for a weekend of camping at Nolin Lake State Park this past weekend of June 10th. 

I grew up in Edmonson County in the eighties. Every weekend we would hook up our old Run About boat, throw a tent in the back of our station wagon, and head to Brier Creek for some camping and lake time fun. The lake then was a beautiful place. There were people out everywhere camping, spending their day water skiing and tubing on the lake and their evenings grilling burgers and enjoying their time with family friends and fellow camp site neighbors. At night everyone settled in and quietly enjoyed a camp fire and a peaceful night of star gazing and stretching out in their tents. I always felt safe there. Water patrol and park security kept trouble off the water and out of the camp. 

This past weekend I brought my family down to enjoy the park I remembered, unfortunately, time has not been a friend to Brier Creek. 
​
By 8 pm on Friday night the public bathrooms were out of toilet paper. I had prepared for this by bringing our own supply, but what I didn't expect was that it would be after 10 am on Saturday before anyone put a new roll in the stalls. Changing an empty roll for a new one is a 30 second job and there is no reason that any place offering a toilet service should allow that place to be neglected for so long. 

The beach is supposed to close at dark, but on Friday a few campers decided there was no reason to follow the rules because apparently there is no security patrols in the camp ground. Some very drunk young men stayed up until 4:30 in the morning laughing, yelling, drinking, cussing, and lighting firecrackers. There was no sleep for me that night.

As Saturday finally dawned I noticed quite a bit of trash left on the beach from the Friday night party boys. Around 10 am I saw one lady on a golf cart drive out to the beach and hang up a back board and life saver. She drove around the parking lot and used a stick with handles on the end to reach out of the golf cart and pick up a few pieces of trash, leaving all the debris on the beach.

Shortly after that, locals started rolling in to enjoy a day on the water. As I sat up on the hill watching the crowd, I noticed a lot of underage drinking and drug dealing going on. Several groups of rowdy kids coming and going, constantly riding on the running boards of SUVS, and on the hood and roof of the cars. Boats flying up and down the lake not paying any particular attention to what side of the water ways there were cruising on.

Not once did I see a single water patrol boat nor did I see any kind of park attendant patrol  anywhere. There is no one out there to keep an eye on this massive crowd of people to prevent any of the illegal activities or intervene in the chance of a fight breaking out. 

I was so far beyond disappointed that we packed up our camp and came home early. 

I moved away from Edmonson County several years ago but I still keep up with the local news through the Edmonson Voice. I have read all the great things that Shane Doyle has done since becoming Sheriff and I think he really has helped the community there. I don't know what his jurisdiction is with the lake being state property, but if he can not patrol it, he and anyone else that has any sway with the local state park department needs to push for some action to be taken there.

With no one keeping an eye on that campground it will only get worse and worse until it's so covered up in illegal activity that local law enforcement will not be able to handle it on their own. 

Sincerely, 
A very disappointed
Edmonson County native,
Annie Davis,
​Taylorsville, KY