Collinwood, TN is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Collinwood, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.
Pickwick Dam Campground — Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
51 min away
Mulberry Creek Camp
51 min away
"Multiple spots to set up camp with concrete tables at each."
"Good location and easy to get to. We have been camping here for years good spot for fishing kayaking and just good family time. They have on site porta potties and picnic tables."
$10 / night
"Southport Saltpeter Cave is a historic cave located 12 miles south of Columbia TN. We offer cave tours, primitive camping, hiking, and exploring."
LegendPROS
We were able to reserve 368 days prior to arrival
Very friendly and helpful check-in clerk
Fantastic view of the lake from site 45
Mostly quiet except for campground party animals until 3am!
Concrete parking pad
BBQ grill
Fire ring constructed of concrete pavers
Coin-operated washers/dryers in shower/toilet facility
Small playground, pool and mini-golf course
Good jumping off point for Shiloh Battlefield
CONS
Campsite 45 was full of litter…cigarettes butts, bones, bottle caps, pieces of chalk, straws, melted soda bottles…just nasty
Fire ring made of concrete pavers full of ash and trash upon arrival…again nasty Pedestal BBQ grill full of trash and ash upon arrival…more nastiness
Campers ignored basic rules/courtesy/respect such as keeping dogs on leash and walking through occupied campsites at anytime. One camper walking through our site complained to us our chairs on our site were in THEIR way.
No senior discount
Narrow site
Site 45 not level
Site 45 mostly fun sun
Basically we didn't experience any of the campground rules being enforced so obviously there is no management oversight at this State Park
Never saw a park ranger drive through the campground (Saturday-Monday)
Never saw a camp host or a campsite for a camp host
Campground quiet hours not enforced
Posted "No Swimming” from campsites along lake, but that didn’t stop a sole and no one enforced it
Concrete picnic table at end of parking pad, so at the bumper of the camper
Sites very close to each other with no vegetation between sites, so no privacy what so ever
Street lights throughout campground, so not dark sky friendly
Small playground, pool and mini-golf course not walkable from campground
Trash dumpsters outside of campground…not walkable
Twisty, steep and narrow roadway into campsite...not for novice rig drivers
Due to short campsites, tow vehicles had to be creative with parking, sometimes blocking most of the campground road, again no enforcement efforts
No WiFi
1 bar Verizon
ScoutThis is our first visit here. First impressions are that it is a small, quiet park. It turned out to be less than we expected but not total a let down. The drive in and area in and around the park are beautiful scenic areas. We have encountered several trails, a lake, basketball area, pool, and other typical campground facilities. The sites themselves are mostly spacious with rather small camper pads. The green areas around the pads are spacious but mostly in even. We had a hard time finding an area flat enough to put up out tent on level ground. There is a grill, fire ring, and picnic table on each site.
LegendFor My FULL VIDEO Of My Experience At This Campground CLICK HERE
Following the winding a scenic Natchez Trace you begin to climb higher and higher into the beauty of the mountains. When I was making this trip in late August, I could already see the shifting of the leave in its most early stages and I could only imagine what it would be like only a month later.
As I entered the park and followed the signs toward the campground I was very eager to see what this FREE site had to offer. I had discovered this site when searching youtube for things to do and someone suggested camping here because of the historic landmark in the park. After further research I discovered it was a pretty decently sized campground with semi primitive camping.
I arrived at the camping loops and discovered two loops of camping each with differing sizes of spaces, some designed for pull through style RV parking and some for back in car parking. Spaces were large and while there were several people staying here it did not seem overly crowded.
The first loop was much further from the restroom than the second, which also housed the campground host in his RV just as you entered the loop. He was welcoming with a smile and wave and I just felt like this was going to be a nice place to stay for the night.
You can stay for up to 14 days at this location and I could easily see this being one of those stops you wouldn’t necessarily want to leave in a hurry because it was so peaceful. There were numerous hiking trails and a well landscaped creek area which made for a great place to come for day use as well.
My site was pretty typical in that it had a fire ring and picnic table. The ground was semi level and very rough so camping in a tent I was happy to have brought a little padding. The restrooms were very nice and had both flush toilets and drinking water. They were well lit and for a minute when I walked in I wondered how on earth this was a free site because they were so nice.
All was great until about 8 p.m. when some people pulled in after dark and weren’t quite sure how to set up their tent and were pretty loudly disagreeing with one another in debate of how to do so. But after they finally figured that out about an hour later the night was again left to the sounds of the cicadas and frogs.
TIPS
TravelerThis place is a gem! You can stay for 14 days each year because, let's face it, it's too nice for them to let people hog it. Free water in various places, garbage cans by your site, numbered sites, paved driveways and parking spaces, manicured and litter-controlled park, and a bathroom building with multiple flush toilets for each sex and sinks with running water! These are in at least two places. Picnic tables and fire rings with lift-off on a hinge grates.
GuideI was really looking forward to this place on my way to Arkansas. However, as soon as I turned into the camping area I was “greeted” by not one but TWO off leash dogs barking and running toward my van (they were not together). Fortunately, I took vinegar spray with me when I took my dog for a walk. It was a useful deterrent when one of the loose dogs ran at us. I yelled to put the dog on leash but of course nobody emerged from the van. On the return trip I made sure to have my spray and body pointed straight toward the dog who was just waiting for me to turn around so he could attack again. If you want a flat spot, a pull through spot, or one that you can’t smell the toilets, get there early! I got there around noon and maybe 15 people were there. By sundown most spots were taken…on a Tuesday. Restrooms toward the entrance were nice with running water and flush toilets.
ScoutWe took our three kids tent camping overnight and we had a great time! All roads and campsites are paved so the kids all road bikes easily! No electric at sites but there are water spigots periodically placed through the campground. Bathrooms were very clean. No showers. Overall we were very happy!
TravelerShaded, private showers, water and electric hookups, tent friendly, and wildlife-fanatic friendly. Though it is his and gets sweaty at night so bring a fan and appropriate sleeping gear if you'll be tent camping. The grounds are well shaded and comfortable so you don't cook during the day. At night you can indulge in the rich atmosphere of southern cicadas and crickets backdropping owls and coyotes (don't worry! Coyotes are scared of people, they just sound a little jarring when you first hear them yipping). Really nice playground next to the bathrooms.
GuideWhat a hidden treasure! We had so much fun! It really is in the woods, complete with songbirds to wake you up and crickets to sing you to sleep. The creek makes a relaxing backdrop to your campfire time at night. The creek is deep enough to sit in, but not swim. It’s very reasonably priced, pretty, and SO worth the drive!
The campground owners are friendly and take great care of the place and campers, but they don’t hang around all the time. They obviously love their place because it was tidy and neat.
The “outhouse” is a four stall building - very clean and private. The owners make sure to think of everything you would need (and a few little extras) We took showers with our solar bags in a outdoor little stall built on a hill. It was so cool to shower “outside”! There is plenty of firewood around the campground, and each site has a fire ring, and a picnic table. There are plenty of trash cans throughout.
Heartstone is a primitive campground, with no hook-ups or electricity. They only allow dry camping for trailer campers. I’m pretty sure the limit for a Camper is 25’. Cell phone signals are spotty depending on your carrier, but they have a land line for emergencies. Welcome to off grid camping!
Although it feels like you’re in the middle of nowhere there are actually stores and restaurants about 15 minutes away in the towns of Hohenwald, or Linden, or Waynesboro. The Buffalo River is only about 5 minutes away where you can go canoeing or floating, and the Tennessee River is about 30 minutes drive. It’s also near Amish communities where you can buy locally made and grown items. Nashville and Huntsville are both about an hour and a half away, depending which way on Hwy 65 you go.
We really loved it there, and will definitely make it a regular stop this year. Hope this helped!
ScoutThe tent sites back onto I40 and are very loud. The ground is clay so, there are standing puddles in the rain around the camp. The tent pad does have drainage.
Tent camping near Collinwood, Tennessee, offers a variety of scenic spots where nature lovers can unwind and enjoy the great outdoors. With options ranging from rustic settings to more developed sites, there's something for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Collinwood, TN is Second Creek Rec Area with a 3.8-star rating from 4 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 5 tent camping locations near Collinwood, TN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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