Fireside Camp + Lodge

Great place to camp with easy access to a variety of hiking trails.

Beautiful location with an overlook to watch the sunset. Location is excellent for day hikes with plenty of options. Also this site provides a variety of options for your stay. Great place for tent camping.

Over Labor Day weekend, we had the pleasure of staying at Fireside Camp+ Lodge, which served as our ideal base camp for exploring the countless waterfalls and trails in the area. This unique campground caters primarily to rock climbers, thanks to its prime location just across the road from Foster Falls, a renowned climbing destination. However, it's equally appealing for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. The campsites are set up in a circle around the edge of a spacious field along the tree line. While they are relatively basic, they offer everything you need for a comfortable stay. We particularly enjoyed the open field, which allowed us to stargaze at night under the clear skies. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and plenty of space to accommodate one or two tents. 

One standout feature is the creative use of an old barn, which has been transformed into a hangout space. Inside, you'll find comfortable couches, hang boards for climbing enthusiasts, a vintage fridge, and even a Pac-Man game for some retro fun. During our visit, they were in the process of building a new bathroom facility. At the time, they had a port-a-potty in place, which was surprisingly well-maintained and exceeded our expectations. We hope that in the future, they expand their bathroom facility options to enhance the overall camping experience. 

Throughout our three-night stay, we found fellow campers to be considerate and friendly neighbors. Many of them were rock climbers here to conquer the area's renowned routes, and we had enjoyable conversations about their adventures. On both our first and last nights, we practically had the place to ourselves. It appeared that most visitors came from afar and couldn't extend their stay. The campground is well-maintained and has a relaxed, low-key atmosphere that we truly appreciated. The camp hosts were incredibly responsive and accommodating when we were planning our trip, making the booking process seamless. We would unquestionably choose to stay here again on our next visit to the area. 

Fireside Camp+ Lodge offers a fantastic base camp for explorers, whether you're a rock climber or a hiker. With its unique barn hangout space, open field for stargazing, and proximity to Foster Falls, it provides a memorable and enjoyable camping experience. We look forward to returning on our future adventures in the area.

Great communication with the people running the site. Plenty of picnic tables and fire rings. Worth it just for the real shower and toilet! Plus microwave and fridge for communal use. They were renovating their “hostel” area and it looks like it’s going to be super cool.

Wide open spaces and access to amenities. The Verizon service here is great and the hosts have Wi-Fi. Close to town for your needs and 30 minutes away from Lookout mountain and those attractions.

Nick and Sydney were very welcoming and responsive when we were looking for a place to camp the night of. They greeted us in the morning and also brought us fresh eggs. They’ve set up fire rings and picnic tables throughout their grass field and there are some shady sites with tree coverage near the back of the property. Thanks for the stay!!