I camped at Hammock Sway on Friday night, August 9, 2019. According to the camp owner and host Chris, the camp was one year and ten days old the night I visited. This is a primitive camping experience in the pristine woods of Van Buren County, TN about 20 miles(30 minutes) outside of McMinnville, Tennessee. The campground borders the beautiful Rocky River. The camp is a work in progress, but I’m so glad that I was one of those who found it in its infancy. The campsite I chose is buried in a pine forest. Though I was only 30 minutes away from a large town, I felt like I was a million miles away. I enjoyed watching the moon rise through the pines and catching glimpses of the stars through the treetops. This place is beautiful! Chris is a welcoming and helpful host. When I arrived he greeted me with a smile and handshake. I asked him to hop in my SUV, and he gave me the driving tour of Hammock Sway. He showed me each campsite, described why he had chosen it, and then invited me to choose the one in which I felt most comfortable. The site I chose already has a tent setup and is available for campers to use if needed. The site had a rock fire ring and there was plenty of wood to be gathered and used for a campfire. At the moment, all the sites are primitive, which for me, is exactly how I like to camp. Even if every campsite was filled, I doubt you would be able to hear or see anyone else. This is definitely the place to get away from it all. There’s very little cell service, so you will need to make your phone calls before arriving. You will also want to grab all of your supplies before arriving too(this place is out there.) I did struggle to find the campsite since Rocky River Road wasn’t marked with a road sign, but I use paper maps(Lewis and Clark style), so this might not be an issue for someone with GPS in their car or on their phone. Chris responded promptly to text messages, and he helped me find my way in. At the moment, I would only drive a truck or SUV to this camp. You will need the clearance on some of the roads if you want to drive right up to the campsite, and a car might not work at the moment. You could always park your car and carry your supplies to the campsite if you're okay with that. There’s room for RVs too if that’s your thing. Overall, this is one of those places that I would go back to over and over again. The price is right and the place is perfect. I look forward to watching this camp grow.
