South Cheap or Free in Tennessee

[Bob Thompson]

here is my list for Tennessee. Most info is reasonably current but things do change. Be sure to check out the COE site. Enjoy.

TENNESSEE
For COE Campgrounds and Fees in the Nashville District, goto: http://www.lrn.usace.army.mil/pao/la.../campgrnd.html

Andersonville - Big Ridge -$ 50 regular sites & 3 backcountry sites, 14 day limit. Big Ridge has 50 campsites equipped w/ grills, picnic tables, electrical hookups & bathhouse facilities. Backcountry is allowed (3 sites) & pets on leash are allowed. Directions: From Andersonville, on I-75 take exit 122, and take Hwy 61 E for about 12 miles. park entrance is on the left. The park is located between Andersonville & Maynardsville.

Clarksville - Allen's Aero Service Cost: $10 Max days allowed: 3 , Dirt Road, Scenery Rating: 4 out of 5 Noise Level: 1 out of 5 Open: Spring – Fall. Description: This camp has NO hookups, just water, but owner is an old timer rough camper. He charges only $10.00 per day for a maximum 3 days. Very near Ft.Campbell: 1610 Clyde Court, Clarksville,

Cleveland - Quality Inn Chalet $15 12 sites, Scenery Rating: 4 out of 5
Noise Level: 1 out of 5, Amenities: Electric Open yearround Description: This is actually a motel, w/ 10 or 12 pull-thru spots on the grass behind and down a little hill from the motel. The sign on the road right beside the Quality Inn logo says "E-ZPark". They each had a picnic table and electricity and they'll let you use the outdoor pool at the top of the hill beside the motel. It was nice and quiet, a gem!

DANDRIDGE - Mtn LakeRanch Christian Retreat, $8.50 2865 Mountain Lake Ranch Drive. I-40 15 mi E of Knoxville, take exit 407 (HWY-66) S 2 mi to flashing yellow light at HWY-139, then left for 3.25 mi.

Great Smoky MtnNatPark - Balsam Mountain CG Near the Oconalufteevisitor center at Cherokee, NC. $14, but $7 for seniors with GA Passports.

Great Smoky Mtn NP - Look Rock CG, , 67 mi N of Chilhowee on Hwy 129, $14 but $7 for seniors. Can handle 35-ft RVs.

Greenville - Houston Valley CG -$7 8 sites, 14 day limit. Camp is located about 10 miles S of Greenville and has 8 sites w/ trailer space. Camp has potable water & toilets. From Greenville, go S on Hwy 107 for about 10 miles and the CG will be on the left, just after Forest Route 209.

Greenville - Horse Creek CG -$7 15 sites, 14 day limit. CG is about 5 miles E of Greenville and has 15 sites w/ trailer space, potable water & toilets. Directions: From Greenville, Go E on Hwy 107 for about 5.5 miles and turn right onto Hwy 2519. Go about 3 miles and the road will turn into Forest Route 94. Camp is on the left.

Greenville - Paint Creek CG -$7 39 sites w/ 19 single sites & 20 double, 14 day limit. CG is about 8 miles S of Greenville and has 39 sites w/ trailer space. Water & toilets are available. Directions: From Greenville, go SE on Hwy 107 for about 6 miles and turn left. Almost immediately, turn R onto Forest Route 31. CG is just down the road.

Greenville - Round Mountain CG -$7 14 sites, 14 day limit. CG is located about 18 miles from Greenville and has 14 campsites w/ trailer space. The CG has potable water & toilets. Directions: From Greenville, go S about 18 miles on Hwy 107 and turn left onto County Hwy 107. Continue for 3 miles and camp will be on left.

Jackson - Burton Branch Recreational Area CGr -$ 100+ sites primtive CG, 14 day limit. CG is a primitive CG w/ bathhouse, picnic area, playground, & boat ramp. There are more than 100 tent sites in this area. From Jackson, go U.S. 45 S to State Route 57 east. it is located on the north shore of PickwickLake & is accessible from State Road 128.

JELLICO: Indian Mountain State Park $10.

LYNCHBURG: Large parking lot below the square has several RV spots w/elec at no charge.

NASHVILLE: On the E side of I-240 at Nashville exit, on Old Summer Rd, is Jack's Bar-B-Q Rib Shack. Jack will give permission to stay O/N behind his bldg. in a large, well-lit parking lot. Don't miss the Bar-B-Q.

NASHVILLE: Natchez Trace Parkway has 1 free CG in TN, Meriwether Lewis, located at Milepost 385.9, about 70 mi S of Nashville. Water, hiking, picnic tables, toilets. Any size RV.

TAZEWELL: A great overnight spot is a huge parking lot on the west side of US 25E about 20 miles south of Tazewell, TN. This highway parallels I-75 and is little used. The parking area overlooks a large valley. Great misty sunrises!

Tellico Plains - Holly Flats CG -$6 17 sites, 14 day limit. Camp is located about 5.5 miles southeast of Tellico Plains and has 17 sites w/ trailer space, potable water & toilets. Directions: From Tellico Plains, go E on hwy 165 for about 4 miles and turn right onto Forest Route 384and proceed for 3.5 miles. Turn left on Forest Route 126 and go about 2 miles to CG.

Tellico plains - North River CG -$8 10 sites, 14 day limit. CG is located about 8 miles E of Tellico Plains and has 10 sites w/ trailer space. Water & toilets available. Directons: From Tellico Plains, go W on State Hwy 165 for about 5 miles and turn right onto Forest Route 35. Go .25 mile and turn left on Forest Route 210. Go 4.5 miles and turn left onto Forest Route 216. CG is .5 miles down the road.

Tellico Plains - State Line CGs -$8 9 campsites, 14 day limit. Located about 12 miles SE of Tellico Plains. Water & toilets are available. Directions: From Tellico Plains, go W on state Hwy 165 about 5 miles, turn right onto Forest Route 35. Go about .25 miles and turn left onto Forest Route 210. Go 7.1 miles and the CG will be on the left.

Tellico Plains - Spivey Cove CG -$6 17 sites, 14 day limit. CG is located about 11.5 miles E of Tellico Plains and has 17 sites w/ trailer space, potable water & toilets. Directions: From Tellico Plains, go west on State Hwy 165 about 5 miles and turn right onto Forest Route 35. Go .25 miles and turn left onto Forest Route 210. Go 4.5 miles and the CG is on the left.

Tellico plains - Jake Best CG -$6 8 sites, 14 day limit. CG is located about 11 miles NE of Tellico Plains and has 8 sites w/ trailer space. Toilets available. Directions: From Tellico Plains, go N on State Hwy 360 for about 6 miles and turn right onto County Route 504. Go about 3.5 miles and turn right onto Forest Route 35-1. The CG is about 2 miles down the road on the left.

Tellico Plains - Davis Branch CG -$8 4 sites, 14 day limit. CG is located about 13 miles SE of Tellico Plains and has 4 sites w/ trailer space, potable water & toilets. Directions: From Tellico Plains, go west on Hwy 165 for about 5 miles, turn right onto Forest Route 35. Go .25 miles and turn left on Forest Route 210. Go 6.5 miles to CG which will be on the left.

Tellico Plains - Big Oak Cove CG -$8 6 sites, 14 day limit. CG is located about 12 miles SE of Tellico Plains and has 6 sites w/ trailer space, water & toilets. Directions: From Tellico Plains, goW on State hwy 165 for about 5 miles, turn right onto Forest Route 35 and go .25 miles and turn left on Forest Route 210. Go 7 miles and the CG will be on the left.

[Chaplain Kent]

Great list, thanks. I love Tennessee and will bookmark this page.

[kposey]

Tellico is one of my favorites places to go, especially in August when the temps are cooler there than most places. However, the roads are not wide enough for the bigger rigs. I would hesitate taking a 23 footer there.

[Bob Thompson]

KNOXVILLE: Raccoon Valley I-75 exit 117, 9 miles North of Knoxville $2.50 to dry camp $12.00 for hook-ups. People who have used it say it is a pretty nice campground.

Enjoy!

[dmreilly10000]

Originally Posted by kposey

Tellico is one of my favorites places to go, especially in August when the temps are cooler there than most places. However, the roads are not wide enough for the bigger rigs. I would hesitate taking a 23 footer there.

Haven't they re-built the road and extended it into North Carolina? I used to camp there (in a tent) in the early 1980's and the road was very treacherous. The last time I was there was in 1990, and it looked like they were doing a lot of work on the road.

I always liked State Line campground.

[Boondocker]

Does anybody have a feel for the quality of cell service in the national forest south of Smokey Mt NP? Im thinking about the area around the Occoee (sp) Hiwassee, and Tellico?

[kposey]

Cell service is spotty. You are between mountains in all three of those locations. I love to visit there! Great rafting and kayaking on the Ocoee River, tubing on the Hiawassee River and trout fishing on the Tellico River. Of course, swimming is cool too! Love all three areas!

[dscluchfc]

Don't forget there is an Airstream Park near Crossville, TN.
And, then there is the State Park System including Fall Creek Falls State Park, 50 miles North of Chattanooga that has wonderful waterfalls and also a championship golf course.

[HP9K]

If you want to go to the Tellico Plains area and bring a big trailer, the CG at Indian Boundary is easily accessable.

http://www.byways.org/browse/byways/2282/description/CG

It's right off the paved Cherhola Skyway and the 1st (of three) loops in the CG offers water and 30A electric. The other two loops are better suited for tents and pop-ups, but some of the better views of the lake are on those loops. There is a beach there for swimming, with a bathhouse at the swim area and nice bathhouses in the CG.

[Bob Thompson]

While planning our fall trip thru Tennessee I found these COE campgrounds to add to the big list. You may want to copy and paste them to your listing: The prices shown can be reduced by half if you have a Golden Age Pass.

AshlandCity –about 20 mi. WNW of Nashville –$19 to $23 per night, Lock A COE CG Located about 11 mi. NW of Ashland City. Take Cheatham Dam Rd off State Route 12 in the Cheap Hill Community. Lock A is on right bank of lake, just upstream from Cheatham Lock & Dam. The CG has 45 sites w/ water & elec hookups; however, 7 sites are for tent only. Amenities include hot showers, washer / dryer, dump station, boat ramp, playground, and picnic shelter. A beach and playgrounds are in the Cheatham Dam Right Bank Rec Area. Ph. (615) 792-3715

AshlandCity –about 20 mi. WNW of Nashville- Harpeth RiverBridge COE CG Located where State Route 49 crosses the scenic HarpethRiver, about 10 mi. NW of Ashland City. The 15 campsites are suitable for RV or tent campers, but no hookups. There is Potable water in the CG. Chemical toilets, launching ramp, and playground. Base fee $7 / night. (615) 792-4195.

[davidz71]

Bob,
I've camped at Cheatham Dam Lock A three times now and been out there two other times for gatherings. I usually stay on campsite 27 which is no more than 20 feet from the water's edge. The boat ramp and parking lot is no more than 100 yards away. There is a large wooden pavillion and further down is a beach with sand that has been brought in. The water around the beach is roped off with floats so that swimmers can swim out to them. I go there at least once a year with two other families who bring their jetskis and boats. We fish for catfish usually Fri. night, have a fishfry Sat. evening and then bass fish Sun. morning before heading out Sun. afternoon.

Reservations can be made by going to www.reserveusa.com and to see what the campground layout is like as well as to see what sites are available. Some are reserved as much as 5 months out.

[Bob Thompson]

Hi Craig, we usually travel after Labor Day Weekend to avoid the crowds. Any idea what kind of crowds we can expect along northern Tennessee in mid-September? Would we need reservations? We plan to stay mostly @ COE cg's.

[davidz71]

Bob,
Deer season Archery opens the 4th Sat. in September and many deer hunters take their trailers to nearby campgrounds. I'm not sure how much Lock A is affected since many hunters stay on the Cheatham Game Preserve itself. You might access the reserveusa site now to see what availability is for the areas you are looking for. If it looks open then check it at least every week. I'm sure they will have sites open but they had the 4 sites I like to stay on booked 2 months in advance of when another family and I wanted to go and that was this past June.

[davidz71]

Bob,
I just looked at the reserveusa site and site 27 is not avail. Fri. & Sat. Sept. 15 & 16 but is open from Sun. 17 through Thurs. Sept. 21. This is indicitive of the waterfront sites which are in high demand for Fri. & Sat. then leaving by 1 p.m. on Sunday. Other sites I looked at seem to be open. There are other COE campgrounds around Celina, TN. if you were looking at going NE of Nashville aways. There are also plenty of COE campgrounds all around Nashville. The opening page of reserveusa allows you to select TN. and you go to a map showing the different campgrounds across the state. Click on the area you are interested in staying and you can check availability at this time. I've been pleased with their service and like the way the site works.

[Bob Thompson]

Our next stop after Cheatham was going to be either Defeated Creek CG or Dale Hollow Dam CG. Looks like I need to make reservations and play it safe. Thanks for the heads up.

[davidz71]

Bob,
I haven't been to either one but they are on my list to spend time in within the next year. I've had several friends say they stayed at Defeated Creek and liked it.

I stayed last Fri. night at Harrison Bay State Park in Harrison, TN. just NE of Chattanooga. It has 4 camping areas of which one is tent only, no electricity. Section D had sites close together which I did not like but they were under a full canope of shade trees. My truck is covered in some kind of sap. Water pressure was over 54 psi and no problems with 30 amp power. I saw one Argosy trailer and two other Airstreams while there but did not get to visit the owners. I wanted to rent a canoe but there were no places renting them. I'm going to try out Barton Springs CG withing the next 4 weeks and do a little trout fishing.

[kposey]

Craig, you should have let me know. I could have brought my canoe over for you to use. I was at Harrison Bay the week before. All the sites are close together. It's not one of my favorites, but it is a great place to take kids.

[davidz71]

Hi Kathy,
Thanks for the offer. I though I had read somewhere that boats/canoes could be rented but I guess I was mistaken. You are right, my only complaint was that the sites were rather close together. I was less than 15' from the Coleman popup camper to the left of my site #14 section C. Their picnic table was about 9' from the side of my trailer and we shared the same water faucet. Nice folk though, from Chattanooga and transplanted from Ft. Worth, TX. Since I was born and raised in TX. we chatted and I found that his uncle may be someone I know in my hometown of Corpus Christi. Funny how the world can be so small sometimes.

How are you, Renetta & her husband, Ruth and the dogs doing?

[greg_n_]

Originally Posted by Gen Disarray

Does anybody have a feel for the quality of cell service in the national forest south of Smokey Mt NP? Im thinking about the area around the Occoee (sp) Hiwassee, and Tellico?

Verizon cell service works pretty good here - it seems to be the only one though...

We live in Gatlinburg and when we did have a cell we used their service and never had any problems until we got up to the Chiminys (hiking and picinic grounds on the river at 6,200 elevation)

hope this helps!

P.S. If you all are looking for a GREAT Rally, come join us in Gatlinburg Aug 12 through August 17th....

Click here to view the Rally: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f288...way-40186.html

[Sovereign86]

Any chance of a list of cheap places in Georgia?

If any Georgia folks know of any good places, we can start a list!