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wanderingaimles's avatar
wanderingaimles
Explorer
Oct 05, 2021

A tale of two campgrounds

Due to my wifes death, I recently had to spend extended time in Tennessee. On our way west, we decided to stop at Natchez Trace State park. We only expected W&E, but ended up with a FHU site. The park was relatively spacious and had nice open areas around all of the camping loops. Then we moved to our destination park, Meeman Shelby Forest state park. W&E sites, which we expected, but they were so old that the soil next to the asphalt pad was eroded away about 14 inches around the parking pad. No cell service, (which I understand is not their fault, but being only 20 miles from a large city it was a shock) narrow roads entering and a lot of new scratches because trees had not been trimmed.
The rangers and staff at Shelby forest were great, we needed to extend our stay and they worked with us, to accomadate us.
But the conditions at the two parks were starkly different. Being close to the state capitol, and in full public view of the politicians made for a wonderful park at Natchez Trace, being hidden in north Shelby county landed that park with little to no upgrades since the CCC workers built it 60+ years ago.
  • ken56's avatar
    ken56
    Explorer
    Oct 07, 2021
    My sincere condolences on your loss. My wife and I went to Natchez for the first time back in August and we loved the park. The spacious sites and full hookups at most sites is a luxury in state parks. We spent 2 weeks there and we were one of 2 to 3 trailers in our loop until the weekend then it filled up and then were gone on Sunday. Cell service sucks there and there is no WiFi in the CG but the lodge has it.....and a buffet restaurant too. I would love to see them upgrade the CG to have WiFi.

    I am originally from Michigan and while their state parks are nice they don't hold a candle to Tennessee state parks. I love them and I have found most to be very nice. I've never been to Shelby Forest SP but I'm not so sure I would attribute the difference in conditions to the proximity to Nashville, 100 miles East. I've been to several others here in Middle and East Tennessee that I think are very nice also and Warriors Path was quite nice when we went there, tight but nice. They need to put in more full hookup sites though in all the state parks. The state keeps improving the parks every year but can't do all of them all at once.

    The beauty of RVing is having wheels to go see other places. Some states value their state parks and others don't so much. It shows their priorities I think.
  • pitch's avatar
    pitch
    Explorer II
    Oct 07, 2021
    K Charles wrote:
    One was a forest, are you upset because there was too many trees in the forest or it wasn't all paved.


    That is not at all what the OP said or meant. But if it makes you feel better about yourself.....

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