Best Glamping near Allons, TN

I think it was the best weekend my husband and I had in a long time. It was only him and I on the property. (Except the owners, and they kept to themselves but to check In every now and then at the pool to make sure we were enjoying our stay! The pool and the views, I could stay here all day and just float. It's so peaceful. They have nice new outdoor furniture for sunbathing and even tables and even enough umbrellas to keep my husband shaded. The Canvas yurt glamping tents, the beds were so comfy. The had welcome waters, and a few snacks for our arrival. The best was sitting in the hot tub at night looking up at the sky filled with stars. We brought wine- they even had wine glasses, an opener and mini frig and a cooler for our use. After being in the tub we rinsed off in the shower house. Amazing hot water and pressure. The bathroom was very clean and it even had ac/heat unit in each bathroom. My husband and I will definitely definitely will return. If your looking for an escape into nature but still want great comforts and only have to pack and overnight bag, this will definitely check that box.

The campground has all of the glamping necessities. Water hook-up, electrical, dumping station, clean hot water showers, etc. It's pet friendly and the campground is very clean. The location is excellent for those who love rock climbing (sport and trad), easy and moderate level hiking, white water kayaking, or maybe want to spend a day or two also doing some backcountry camping. There are bears and other curious wildlife so make sure to keep your stuff in the provided bear boxes!

This is a small State Park and campground area in the lower part of middle Tennessee, but if you like to see some great waterfalls and a some history on this part of Tennessee you will not be disappointed. 

Just make sure you have all your supplies before you get there, it is a remote area with no big cities with 50 miles.

We camped here over the weekend with our dogs. The campground is actually not in Tennessee. It's located on the Kentucky side of Big South Fork. The campsites have a picnic table and a firepit. Our campsite was very nice and private with a big grassy area. The bathhouse was nice and clean. There are hiking trails nearby and access to a small mining village. We would definitely camp here again.

Rock Island State Park is situated in the middle of Tennessee. The park itself is surrounded by beautiful forest and some pretty great and easy hiking trails. The falls themselves are a sight to see. The main waterfall is beautiful and looks dramatic against the rocks and fauna.

When we went, the trail to the falls was closed. So I advise being ready to do other activities - the park offers a lot of sights to see other than the falls. There is a great sandy beach which you could spend time skipping stones into the water.

All around, the staff is nice and helpful!

A beautiful and unique campground built I. The side of a rolling hill. All of the sites are cantilevered platforms on the hill. The platforms are heavily engineered so no worries about collapse! The platforms make for very level camping and amazing views. You feel like you are in a tree house. The park is a gorgeous property with a lake and hiking trails. There are ADA sights. The hills are steep and some of the sights have angle ramps. Each one is well detailed on the reservation sight so make sure you read the site info. There is a bathhouse, laundry, camp store and Park office. This is the only campground in the US like this and it is all nestled in the Tennessee hills.

Just got back from an AWESOME, WET, weekend at Rock Island State Park. I stayed at the RV camping area and participated in the Tennessee State Park Rock and Row Triathlon. (Which ended up being a duathlon due to the rain) The campgrounds were recently (w/i a few years) renovated, are well landscaped and easyisly accessed. The bathrooms are in good shape, and clean. The falls are the thing to see and depending on the season you go you can get reasonably close or see them from above. Several moderate trails , water sports and cycling. The town of Rock Island sports several antique shops with good deals if that's your thing and other local small businesses which keep it interesting .

Big South Fork NRRA is definitely one of my favorite places in Tennessee. It stretches into Kentucky’s too. So much to do and see, and the hiking and camping is equal to the Smokies in my opinion, except there’s no crowds, no traffic, not many people! It’s great! There’s a few campgrounds in BSF, like Bandy Creek and Station Camp,and they are excellent spots, but the backcountry is where it’s at n the BSF! I have found so many excellent camp sites along the river and in the forest, and I’ve always been able to find one with plenty of privacy on any given weekend. There’s lots of hiking, 4-wheeling, fishing, swimming, mountain biking, horse riding, kayaking, rock climbing, etc here. The possibilities are endless! The sounds at night are so peaceful and relaxing, and the lightning bugs put on quite a show in the summer! I tried to make a video, I don’t think you can see them, but you can hear the woods at night!

 Rock Island State park is a great place to camp. The campground is large and the campsites are spacious and far enough apart that you feel secluded, even when it’s full. It’s heavily wooded, so you don’t feel like your neighbors on right on top of you. The sites are paved and have water and electric, no septic where I was, however and they have a dump station that was large enough for two people to use at the same time. There are so many things to do at the campground, or the park, you will not be bored. Rock Island has some of the best waterfalls in Tennessee, and you can get right up to some them, if you are brave enough to kayak close to them. They also have a swimming area, and sand volleyball. Great biking in the park also. The area has lots of little shops and antique stores, if you’re into that, and Calf Killer Brewery is a short drive, and I highly recommend visiting there. Overall, this is a great park to visit, and a great place to camp.

I'm from New England and relocated to Tennessee in 2016. The first time I went camping at Edgar Evans, I had no idea what was going on! All I saw was platforms, and what I considered 'normal' camping sites were labeled 'primitive' sites. I was in total awe. I didn't know how it was going to work with a tent, but my boyfriend showed me that all you need to do is bring nails to hammer down and secure your tent to the wooden platform. Where as I was at first turned off by the platform, there are a few pluses:

-It rains A LOT in Tennessee. When I used to camp up north, we got flooded out during heavy rains, as we were camping directly on the ground. The platform keeps you elevated, so digging a trench around your tent is a non-issue.

-If you get a waterfront site (HIGHLY recommended), the views are gorgeous. I'd say go for the sites in the lower 40s - they're super close to a bathhouse and a few paths that will bring you down to the edge of some gorgeous cliffs, giving you the best view in the site. If you go in the other direction, you'll be looking at a community of house boats, which kinda blew my mind, as clusters of houseboats aren't really a thing up north, either.

-You can comfortably fit two tents on a platform; three is pushing it, but we've seen people pack around four in (which I don't think you're actually supposed to do).

-Something else I've noticed in TN - virtually all camping takes place at State Parks, and Edgar Evans is one of the few that actually offers wooden platforms and primitive sites. Most of them offer concrete platforms for RVs and smaller trailers, making it difficult to camp with a tent.

The sites in the lower 40s also offer more level ground for the fire pits. Some sites have a really steep drop off, which make it difficult to place chairs and sit and relax without being a little wobbly.

There's also a pretty big trail system to explore, and it seems like you might need to set aside an entire day to do the loop in its entirety - we're still planning on doing that! I find that I get more immersed in relaxation mode when I'm there instead of active hiking mode - taking a chair down to the cliffs and sitting by the water with a book makes for some beautiful downtime!

All of this being said, this is our favorite spot! We've come here at least twice, if not three times a year since I've moved down here. The staff is friendly and helpful, the campers are friendly, and there's usually lots of adorable dogs around to pet lol! Definitely love this place!

Off I24 near Murfreesboro, Tn and a leisurely drive through the Tennessee countryside. Small towns, pickups and cows. Watch for stop signs, I almost missed one while looking at the scenery.

I camped in the tent/not so primitive campsite this time. Paved parking spots with electric ( don’t know if it was on, had nothing to plug in;) boxes and large areas with picnic tables, fire rings and gravel squares for your tent. You could easily fit a group in each site. That being said the sites are very open to each other.

Small shower house with a shower and two latrines. Clean and maintained. I would avoid the very first site next to the shower house, noisy and foot traffic would be constant. I decided to sleep in the truck due to inclement weather, threw a tarp over the top and left the windows down.

Something to be aware of is the park is split by the river , dam and falls so make sure you get a map, there are good trails on both sides.

The falls are the main attraction at the park and are pretty awesome to hike down around and through. Pay attention to the weather and warnings. The Trails are technical and rocky on the far side of the dam but worth the trip. On the Park office side is the historical stuff and another long walk down to the foot of the falls.

There is kayaking too but I haven’t had the opportunity to try it yet. Things in the area to check out are the antique stores and “Foglight Foodhouse”.

Cumberland Mountain has a total of 145 campsites, spread across 5 loops, plus a backcountry site on an 8 mile backpacking trail.

We have not stayed overnight here as we are tent-campers only, and while tent camping is permitted, after visiting we felt that this campground was much better suited for RV campers. However we have come here for the day to hike and enjoy the playground by the picnic area, and it is a beautiful park, with a large lake, a restaurant, and a bridge that is iconic to the Cumberland region of Tennessee.

Of the five camping loops, loop 4 offers the most shade (particularly sites 102-109, which are shaded by evergreens and some of the prettiest campsites I have seen in a state park!), although is not ADA accessible. Loop 2 offers the least amount of shade. Loops 1, 3, and 5 have mostly hardwood trees, thus offering more shade in the warmer months and mostly sun in the winter. All sites have picnic tables and fire rings, and most can accommodate trailers up to 60 feet, with a few going higher (site 145 can fit over 100'!). Tent camping is permitted, although in most sites the only space to put a tent is very close to the fire pits or on a gravel/concrete surface, and in loops 2, 3, and 5 the park prohibits tents on the grass within each site.

Amenities at this park include hiking, fishing, paddling/boat rental, biking, a swimming pool, golf, and birding. Cabins are also available to rent, many with a view of the lake. Day use includes picnic tables, picnic pavilions, and multiple playground areas for kids. This park is also further away from urban areas and is a good place for wildlife viewing--we have seen black snakes, and what looked like a raccoon!

This is a much less crowded park than Fall Creek Falls to the south, particularly if you can make it early in the season, and is convenient to I-40, premium golfing, and historical sites on the Cumberland Plateau. While there are better options in this region for someone looking to pitch a tent, if you have an RV, Cumberland Mountain is very peaceful, offering a lot of ways to spend your day and a quiet and relaxing spot to watch the stars and enjoy the sounds of nature at night.

Alum Ford Big South Fork Recreation Area is in my top 10 favorite areas.

I try to participate in the Yamacraw Trail Run every year because it is just AWESOME, and this area is part of their route due to the excellent scenery of the area.

If you like trees, hills, streams, falls, historical markers, old cabins and history , plus not much use of modern technology when you camp then you will thoroughly enjoy Big South Bend! If you are a bring the kitchen sink kinda camper you might wanna find a nearby KOA or other type campground.

The campground has no signal, no electricity, no showers, no host. Just you, a tent pad, picnic table and fire ring. Oh, and there is one pit toilet. Bring 5$ cash for the honor pay station and your hiking shoes and watercraft. There is a Trailhead at the back of the 6 site campground and a boat ramp down the hill.

The sites are well maintained and old , probably CCC built with wood steps leading up or down to your site. There is no direct access to the boatramp but there is a short trail that connects the sites to the boatramp that runs along the cliff face down to the ramp.

The trailhead is part of the Sheltowee Trace Trail and connects to the Yamacraw Bridge. You could easily stage a multi day backpacking trip from Alum Ford to take in the local sights.

Not far up the road is the Yahoo Picnic Area. I think it used to be a campground just by the way it’s set up. Picnic tables on pads and a nice old pavilion for groups with a grill. Past that Yahoo Falls. This is a technical, moderate trail down to the tallest falls in Kentucky. Also a very old area but maintained with newer restroom facilities. The loop trail was approximately 1.5 miles long with a metal staircase on one side and trail on the far side. This is also part of a thru trail. Get you an old fashion paper map before coming cause your fancy electronic gear may or may not work here.

This is one of many areas through the Kentucky/Tennessee Big South Fork if you are able plan for an extended stay to check the whole place out;)

Near a fish hatchery so you should be able to catch rainbow trout, four of us fished for an hour and a half and never got a nibble. Some sites are shaded but others are completely sun. Very nice camp hosts.

Quite. Clean. Nice water view from our site and a short walk to shower facility. Location of campground: a car ride away from activities. Not a bicycle friendly area.(hills and roadways).

family friendly

Lillydale sits on Dale Hollow Lake, which -- for some delightful reason -- has serious limits on development. This makes for green hillsides, clean water, minimal power boats, and very, very few houses or businesses along the shores. 

The campground itself is clean and quiet. Hosts were very kind and helpful. Many of the sites back up to the lake; we were fortunate enough to find one of the lakeside sites, and just dropped our kayaks and paddleboards right into the water. 

The lake has dozens of little "fingers" and "tendrils," making for great little coves to paddle, explore, or just find some peace and quiet.

We'll definitely be back!

Our family just returned from a 4-day stay at Lillydale and we couldn't have been more pleased.  We stayed at site #61 - the lake was literally steps away from our door, and it was a no wake zone (the lake comes to a dead-end back by this row of campsites, so there isn't a lot of boat traffic). I felt completely comfortable with my kids swimming just off-shore next to our site.  The campground was pristine - we saw staff members come around periodically cleaning out fire rings and blowing stray gravels back into the sites. There weren't many extra amenities - we noticed a playground and a few bathhouses with laundry available. There was no wifi or cable/TV connection and we had zero cell phone coverage (our carrier is T-Mobile). However, lack of television or ability to surf the web/social media really didn't bother us much. Our family of 4 (two adults, a teen and a tween) spent most of our time kayaking, biking, fishing, and swimming and were just fine with that.

I will note that the lack of connectivity, although refreshing, was a little terrifying for me simply for lack of text and calling ability - we left several animals back home and were nervous about problems with them or family not being able to get in touch with us, which is why I'm rating 4/5 stars. Other than that, this campground was perfection for us.

Our lot was gravel and almost perfectly level - we didn't have to do anything other than back in and connect our water and power. We loved the picnic table, and also the added grill and grate/grill over the fire ring! We used that a lot for cooking.

We have a rather unconventional RV (a converted school bus - @thesouthernskoolie on Instagram ), and had no problems with anyone in the campground - lots of positive curiosity from staff and other campers! With a school bus, sometimes you get weird reactions, but everyone here at Lillydale was wonderful.  :)

If I could do anything different, I would have stayed at one of the paved sites (I believe they were 66-70, 72, and 73, as the gravels from our site certainly got tracked all through the bus. 

We will definitely be back!