Kentucky's Pennyrile Beach Overcrowded, Restrictions Coming

Do you know what my favorite thing about Kentucky is, perhaps? Our state parks. We have a lot of them and they are beautiful.

I love being outdoors, and I don't even need to be a guest to have a great time visiting any of them. Picnicking, swimming, just vegging out by the lake with a camp chair and some music or a book...it's all good.

This past week, we spent a few days at Barren River Lake State Resort Park. It's one of my favorites for a couple of reasons. First, it's enormous and the lakefronts are spectacular. Second, there's a lot of nostalgia packed into the park for me; my friends and I used to go hang out there when I was a student at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green.

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I am also a fan of nearby Pennyrile State Park in Dawson Springs. It's another of the Commonwealth's awesome parks and it has a terrific, albeit small beach. But here's the thing...I'm not the only fan of Pennyrile Beach.

It has LOTS of fans. And now that we've opened back up, people are flocking to everything to which they can flock.

And that has led to overcrowding at Pennyrile Beach. In fact, the beach's capacity has been exceeded a number of times, according to West Kentucky Star. Plus, the subsequent parking situation has amplified to a dilemma with visitors parking along the side of the drive when they can't find a parking place. Of course, that creates a hazard in the event of an emergency.

So, starting July 1st, restrictions will be in place at Pennyrile Beach with only registered campground and lodging guests permitted to use the beach on weekends. Guests who are not registered will still be able to access the beach on weekdays.

Summer is here and we couldn't be more excited. But if you're planning a quick jaunt to Pennyrile Beach for any weekend after July 1st, understand the restrictions. It might save you some time and give you ENOUGH time to make other plans.