TENNESSEE STATE PARKS and ROUTES

[SLOtowngirl]

We have the month of September to spend in Tennessee and are interested in staying at state parks. We would love any suggestions of favorite parks and any routes that keep us off the interstate if possible. We are leaving from Asheville with plans to see Knoxville, Nashville, Memphis and Chattanooga returning to NC.

Thanks for you help!

[Merrykalia]

If you are heading toward East TN, check out Cumberland Gap NP, just across the line into Ky/Va. It is worth an hours drive from Knoxville.

We have also stayed at Panther Creek SP in Morristown (about 30 min from Knoxville). Much nicer than Warriors Path, which has REALLY small sites that are right beside the road.

[KID2TEXAS]

What EDM3RD said, we love pin oak at natches trace state park.

[Johno02]

JaredWPhillips, has the campground at Henry Horton been upgraded?? Haven't been there in a number of years, although it is close to us and a good location to visit. When we were there last, there were not but two or three sites that would fit even a small Motorhome, the roads were terrible, and there was not a level site in the place. I had heard that it was being improved, hope to hear that it has been done. For the OP, there are a number of really great State Parks here in Tennessee, and many have been updated or recreated. I recomment both Natchez Trace (very close), and Montgomery Bell over at Dixon, X2 on all the others.

[TNRIVERSIDE]

I would add Cumberland Moutain State Park to your list. It is just south of Crossville Tn. Near I40 and highway 70. Newly updated electrical service with a few full hook up sites. If you can be there on the weekend the all you can eat buffet at the state park restaurant is wonderful.

[edm3rd]

6 state parks in West Tennessee, in no particular order :

Pickwick Landing near the point where TN,AL,MS converge.
Chickasaw SP about 20 miles south of Jackson just off US 45
Reelfoot Lake SP extreme northwest corner near KY,MO,TN converge.
Natchez Trace SP on I-40 between Jackson and the Tennessee River.
Paris Landing SP just south of KY on the Tennessee River.
N.B. Forest SP near Camden,TN also on the Tennessee River.

There are 5 other SP's in West Tennessee - but I have not visited them.

[coolmom42]

FIND A TENNESSEE STATE PARK


There are pics of the sites, plus you can make no-fee reservations.

Montgomery Bell SP about 40 miles west of Nashville is my personal favorite. Part of the land belonged to my grandparents. If you go up the trail past the CP church, the "Lowe Gravesite" is marked on the left. It's one of my father's siblings, who died when she was 2 years old.

Aside from the personal association, it is a lovely area.

Warrior's Path, Edgar Evins, Cedars of Lebanon, Old Stone Fort, Tims Ford, David Crockett, Henry Horton, Meeman-Shelby, Reelfoot---Just start in the east and pick you way through to the west. You will see the diverse beauty of Tennessee, for sure.

You can take US 70 from one end of the state to the other, but you do want to bypass around Nashville. I recommend SR 840 for an easy trip avoiding traffic headaches. It's also a beautiful drive.

Get a road map instead of depending on a GPS if you want to avoid interstates. Much easier.

Enjoy your trip!

[JaredWPhillips]

Tennessee has some great state parks for camping. We stayed at two of them in May.
Near Nashville, we stayed at Henry Horton State Park, and Cedars of Lebanon State Park. Both were great! We are going to plan another Tennessee trip next year just to explore more of their parks.

Here's a list of all the TN State Parks with Camping:
http://tnstateparks.com/activities/camping

[is_it_friday_ye]

Fall Creek Falls State Park.