Best Glamping near Athens, TN

Fun and relaxing creekside Glamping treehouse, there's plenty of space for a few tents as well. The creek is cool and refreshing to enjoy rock hunting. Large fire pit and grill to make our dinner. We stargazed on one if the clear nights, looked like the planetarium! When we went to sleep we we're comfortable in the Air-conditioned beautifully decorated treehouse. Lots of fun places to go within 20 minutes in any direction... really centrally located in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains!

The Tiny House is one of several rental options on this property. (Others include a huge glamping tent and a farmhouse). This review focuses on the tiny house where we stayed for two nights but I have included a few photos of the glamping tent, which was not open when we were there (opens in April). 

A lot is packed into a small space with so many creative touches. There is a full-size loft bed and a pull-out couch so while you could sleep four people, it would be a bit crowded inside. There is also a screened-in porch with two swing seats, and a table so you could eat outside. 

Lyn (the owner)’s hospitality is second to none. The tiny house is stocked with a microwave, toaster oven, electric kettle, Keurig, and an induction burner plus dishes, flatware, and just about everything else you would expect in a fully stocked kitchen. There is also a table grill that can be set up on the table on the screened porch. There is a great selection of tea and hot chocolate plus pancake mix, and syrup. 

There is a full bath with a flush toilet, sink, and shower with fluffy towels. 

There is a fire pit available to use. 

This would make a wonderful couples retreat, a mother-daughter getaway, or a place for solo reflection. Chattanooga is located just 25 minutes away and there is a fully stocked gourmet grocery store just down the road.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here. Go to the website for more information on this and other options at this property.

We recently visited Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tn while enroute to Georgia. The Tennessee countryside is an enjoyable backdrop to this meandering road trip and you are very close to several other excellent Tennessee SPs.

I noticed a sign on the way in to Fall Creek Falls advertising a yearly festival, the “Mountaineer Folk Festival” the weekend after Labor Day. http://www.mountainglenonline.com/thingstodo/events/mountaineer-folk-festival-at-fall-creek-falls-state-park.html

The park also has a nice looking golf course, the Tree Top Canopy Challenge and an extensive facility area including the visitors center, gift shop, general store, swimming pool, laundromat and grill.

When I visited last year it was extremely busy and the attractions were crowded. This year I visited on a week day after school was back in session so it was mostly retirees who haven’t started their migration south yet ;) at the campground. Fall Creek has a large spread out campground with several choices , primitive walk-ins, glamping or something in between. There are gravel sites and paved. A picnic table, fire ring and grill as well as electric and water hookups. The facilities are centrally located in each area.

We stopped at Fall Creek Falls first and made the trek down to the base of the falls after first visiting the overlook. Moderate, technical,( rocky, slippery, wear hiking shoes, carry your flip flops for the wade in the pool below) 1.6ish mile round trip hike. When you leave the Fall Creek area there is a one way road you can take to Piney Falls it has some picturesque views of the area.

Piney Falls is worth a look too. I love suspension bridges, my dogs not so much. Piney has a .4ish mile round trip hike that includes a long suspension bridge with a short scramble down to the river.

I also noticed some bike trail trailheads within the park, something else to enjoy while visiting.

Fall Creek Falls is definitely a place you can spend a week or more at and do something different everyday.

I went to visit this campground today. So I called the number and this campground is actually in tellico plains Tennessee. There is no campground at this location. So please please do not make the trip out there.

Fall Creek Falls is one of my favorite places to camp & hike in the Middle/East Tennessee area. Beautiful scenery, an awesome waterfall hike, and a lovely SHADED camping loop contribute to some of my favorite family camping weekend memories.

Fall Creek Falls is a very nice state park in middle Tennessee.  It’s also very popular so plan on getting reservations early.  Lots of activities - hiking, biking, golf, lake....  One item of note is that the Inn is being rebuilt and is not open.  The restaurant was in the Inn, but I don’t think many campers ate there anyway.

We stayed Memorial Weekend of 2021 for a total of 4 nights. Tons to do at one of Tennessee’s top state parks. We hiked Fall Creek Falls trail, visited the nature center, walked the suspension bridge, went to the Cane Creek Falls overlook, swam in the Cascades, ate pizza at the snack bar, watched people catch stocked trout at George Hole, and played on the playground. The weather was a little damp, but we didn’t let that stop us!

Stayed in the developed camp area. (There is a primitive tent area along a creek branch and there are some primitive hike-in areas) Tennessee seems to have a thing for larger rock pieces in their gravel on tent platforms... otherwise no complaints. Fire ring, grill and table. Plenty of shade and trees to hang the hammock. Bathhouse was clean. 2 nice showers. Lovely hot water. One trail head at the camp area. Beautiful trails. Would definitely come back.

Frozen Head is lovely. It may be the loveliest campground in Tennessee.

There’s only 20 spots, and they all seem to be shady and have trees between neighbors. There’s a free book swap hut, like those mailboxes, but a whole building worth of take-one/leave-one books. There showers and bathroom are unusually clean for a campground. There’s a place to wash dishes.

There’s a great playground and creek at the bottom of the hill. Easy walking distance, but not so close that you have to hear screaming kids.

The park has a lovely waterfall hike that we did and many others that we didn’t make it to.

Frozen Head is a wonderful place. For starters, the ranger that was on duty at the Visitor's Center was so helpful and kind. The campground is in close proximity to many of the trailheads. There is a nice bathhouse, but all the sites are rustic (non electric). There are also many well kept backcountry sites with fire pits if you are backpacking. The surroundings are gorgeous: the foothills of the Appalachians and the hiking is superb and challenging. If you are able, make sure to hike to the Lookout Tower! This is a great park and campground if you want to experience the beauty of East Tennessee without the crowds of the Smoky Mountains.

...well, at least up to two weeks, because that's the park limit.

Fall Creek Falls is the largest park in Tennessee, and it is, well, big! There's a ton to do and it's in such a beautiful spot. I like to think of this state park as a beginner South Cumberland (in hiking at least!). There's a few hiking trails with plenty of overlooks and waterfalls and a suspension bridge to a nature center. There's also a trail down to the bottom of Fall Creek Falls where you can swim.

The campsites are nice with a bath house and firepits and there is a whole complex and general store not too far from the campsites. There's even a mini laundry mat and a snack bar! Just a ton to do especially if you have kids.

I would recommend this state park as a family vacation!

Fall creek falls is one of the best recreational areas in Tennessee. The park is very large and has so much to do. The falls are amazing, and it’s a moderate hike down to the base. Sometimes the falls are just a small trickle and sometimes they are flowing, depending on rainfall amounts. There are also smaller falls with pools that you can swim in, and those are next to the parking area. There’s a great amount of wildlife in the park, the deer were everywhere, and they are not afraid of humans. They will walk directly through your campsite. The park also has a lake, golf course, pool, playground, great biking, so much to do. The campground is large and has walk-in tent sites and RV sites with hookups. The sites are well spaced and wooded, so even if the campground is full, you don’t feel overcrowded. I always enjoy camping here and I highly recommend Fall Creek Falls.

We have camped here in our tent and my only complaint is that the tent pads are slightly elevated and we have a huge two room tent that would not fit on any of the tent pads. We found a site that didn't have a tent pads and that's where we set up. So of you have a large or abnormally shaped tent you'll need to do some research first to find a tent site that will accommodate your tent. We love how wooded and shaded the sites are. We camped in the middle of a hot sticky Tennessee summer and felt just fine in all of the shade. Right around the corner from the loop of historic Cade's Cove, we were able to explore the loop and all that it offers. We were also close to the gift shop and camp store so the kids could go grab an ice cream cone in the afternoon. We had a a great time here.

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.

Full Time Travelers

Our stay here: November 7-10, 2021. 

The staff, very friendly and helpful. 

The grounds, well kept. 

The facilities, what you'd expect of a KOA. 

The sites, cramped and close together. 

We mostly ran errands during this stay, so we didn't get to use too much of the facilities. 

The staff were helpful, directed us to our site and even offered to help us unhook. 

The front office/store was neat. Had plenty of souvenir items to purchase. 

The laundry room was clean and tidy, open 24 hours which was very appreciated. 

The bathrooms were nice, kept clean, and the showers were great. 

There was plenty of room for our dogs to walk/potty. 

Plenty for the kids to do-- arcade room, jump pad, and playgrounds. 

There was a downside that we noticed the first night. It was an unpleasant odor that circulated in the air all around the area. I assume its due to the farmland and paper plant nearby. It presented itself mores so in the mornings than evenings.  Still yet, it was unpleasant. 

The firepit on our site was awkwardly placed and made it impossible to have a fire while the canopy was out. 

One cool feature -- there was a gazebo that had an outdoor stove and sink.  

Some guests appear to be full time residents, however, people kept to themselves. 

Overall, this is a good place to stay for a couple days. I don't know that I would stay any longer.