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byrdr1's avatar
byrdr1
Explorer
Aug 15, 2016

Positive review! Rippling Waters RV park, Sevierville, TN

I usually don't post much here on review side.
I use rvreviews for that but after reading some reviews of the campground I am going to give my take on this one.
I have had the opportunity to travel to Oklahoma twice this summer. Once on Memorial day weekend and I just returned last weekend again.
The reason for these trips was for my youngest daughter to attend or work at a summer internship in Lawton, OK. She needed a place to stay and my 5er was the best of both worlds.
So she had to be there Tuesday May31st. we left central NC on that Friday a holiday weekend with plans to get a few hours under our belts of pulling and driving her car which she needed for her summer job. I had made plans to stop in Bristol, TN after 3 or so hours of driving but was feeling fine so we decided to go to Sevierville, TN. about 5-6 hours from home.
remember this is a Holilday weekend with no reservations; Stopped at 2 campgrounds nothing open, stopped at the 3rd and they had a site, a pull thru and cheap. So we stayed the night and rolled the next day. Skip ahead 10 weeks later, we have driven back to OK and picked up my daughter and my camper which I had been missing for these weeks. Started home again with no reservations. Made it to Sevierville, TN again and pulled into the same campground, They earned my business the 10 weeks before. Not crowded this time so it was easy to find a spot, pay for the night and finished our trip next day.
This campground has mixed reviews on RVreviews.
So I wanted to give it a better review here.
Rippling Waters RV park is the place and I can honestly say it was above average in my opinion.
Clean campground, Clean bathhouse even if it's older. it was very clean and roomy. The campground was mostly grass with gravel parking pads. some river view sites had concrete pads.adn the water a the rivers edge was rippling. The office staff was helpful and not rude to me or anyone from what I could see. Yes, there are some full-time spots but the overall campground had lots of sites for us that travel regularly.
We hear all the bad most times so I wanted to say this campground has earned my business maybe next time I want a campground away from the hustle of Pigeon Forge area.
So if you want a plain jane kinda place this would be it. it serves its purpose of a nice overnight or few nights stay.
One thing negative would be it is hard to get back to the interstate highway as you have to cross over the busy road to turn around at the next intersection. But that would be it for me. The traffic can be a mess but it is a tourist town and if you don't want that, you need to find a better destination.
thanks
randy
  • TxGearhead's avatar
    TxGearhead
    Explorer II
    Aug 16, 2016
    Byrdr1: I think we've met somewhere, that story sounds familiar. LOL
    This may sound familiar to you. I think I wrote it on that other forum too. We first went to Smokey Mtn Nat Park in the late 1970's maybe early 80's. Gatlinburg was a small town. We went back 3 years ago with the Cougar 5th and stayed at "Camping in the Smokeys" CG. It changed and I hated it. Went back 2 years ago in the Montana and stayed at Cove Mountain RV in Wears Valley. Much quieter and close to Cades Cove. Went back this year and stayed at Cove Creek RV. Just OK. It's just too crowded for me. I want to stay in the park but there aren't many sites big enough. So I bought the used Bigfoot cabover. I stayed in the park at Smokemont on my way back from Maryland buying the cabover. Yes sir, I like that!!
    I can't stay long in the knife shop or Buds Guns. I did get out with just buying a box of 22 ammo.
    edit...yes Hwy66/Dunn Parkway was still under construction in July.
  • popeyemth's avatar
    popeyemth
    Explorer
    Aug 15, 2016
    We have stayed at Rippling Waters several times in either our truck camper or pull camper and agree it's nice and the owners are nicer.
    Recommended to everyone here.
  • ken56's avatar
    ken56
    Explorer
    Aug 15, 2016
    We stayed at this CG for two weeks when we came down here to look for a house. End of March and there were plenty of sites open so we actually had the whole CG to ourselves, enough to wander around the place and explore it pretty good. I agree with the poster here, its not extremely fancy but its clean, the owners are nice folks, location is fair, the only thing I can say negative is that there is a helicopter sight seeing operation right across the road for them and you hear it all day long when they are operating. The point is that you don't generally stay at your trailer all day if you are there to see the area. Between looking at homes we were at our trailer quite a lot so that's how I found this out. Its quiet enough at night as you can't really hear the road noise when in the CG. As far as turning back north all you have to do is go a little way south and pull into the flea market which has a huge parking lot and you can make the turnaround that way. There is still road construction going on from I-40 to just before Ripplin' Waters. There are also 2 other CG's that are right by the Knife Works that are nice too. Lots of room for everyone, c'mon down.
  • byrdr1's avatar
    byrdr1
    Explorer
    Aug 15, 2016
    quote=from RoyB
    We always stop at the Smoky Mtn Knife Works when we are in this area. Have seen the signs for this park but never pulled in to see it.....
    I spend too much money in there. I skipped on this return trip but spent the better part of 4 hours when the wife and I first came back from OK. we stopped in Pigeon forge for the two nights on the first trip out and back.

    Like any Park that has creekside camping spots...
    You have a little hill(knoll) to climb over from the campsites to get to the water but you can access it

    We always stay in the Townsend area or inside the Natl Park at ELKMONT Camp when we visit the area.....
    Stayed Townsend several years back, we needed to be close to the highway going to OK and coming back home.

    I see what you mean about the getting back on the big road to go North.. Probably not easy making the big U-Turn with a long trailer at the first stop sign going south on TN66 Parkway.....
    You have to pull out of the campground then cross the new 4 lanes to the next intersection and do a big "U" turn. if the traffic is heavy you will be waiting a while. Lucky both times we did it we only waited maybe a few minutes.

    thanks randy
  • RoyB's avatar
    RoyB
    Explorer II
    Aug 15, 2016
    We always stop at the Smoky Mtn Knife Works when we are in this area. Have seen the signs for this park but never pulled in to see it...

    Like any Park that has creekside camping spots...

    We always stay in the Townsend area or inside the Natl Park at ELKMONT Camp when we visit the area.

    I see what you mean about the getting back on the big road to go North.. Probably not easy making the big U-Turn with a long trailer at the first stop sign going south on TN66 Parkway.

    Roy Ken

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