Best Glamping near Gray, TN

Open May-September, this property is located on Cherokee Lake. There are four glamping tents (two with king beds and two with queen beds) and the newest addition is a Micro A-Frame with a king bed. This used to be a dedicated campsite and can still be used as one as the A-Frame is on wheels and can be moved. We stayed in the A-Frame which has a private fire pit and picnic table.

The A-Frame is cozy with the bed taking up 95% of the space. There is also a small beanbag-type chair, dorm fridge, coffee maker, and two charging pads. There is electricity and light, but it is not bright enough to read in the evening. One of the nicest features is the window side that faces the lake can be opened, making it an open-air accommodation. However, despite it being on the lake, you will also hear almost constant road noise. The glamping tents are located further away from the lake in the woods so I imagine the road noise would be less or non-existent here. 

Ben and Kim, the owners, are still working on this property and they recently completed a very nice bathhouse with two toilets, two sinks, and two outdoor showers. Towels are provided. They are currently working on a boat dock. 

We chose the SUP n Stay package (middle price option); included in our reservation was the rental of either a SUP or kayak. The Stay package includes accommodations plus a floating lake mat. The Stay n Play reservation includes the SUP or kayak rental plus a two-hour lake excursion. Unfortunately, it started to rain after we had been out on the lake for about a half hour. The rain resulted in a very muddy area around the A-Frame and Tennessee mud is no joke. We accumulated about an inch of the thick gooey mud on our shoes. 

Ben and Kim were very welcoming and gracious hosts. Communication was great and they made sure we had no questions. The Micro A-Frame was a unique way to spend the night. The only reason for four stars and not five was the mud and road noise.

Open May-September, this property is located on Cherokee Lake. There are four glamping tents (two with king beds and two with queen beds) and the newest addition is a Micro A-Frame with a king bed. This used to be a dedicated campsite and can still be used as one as the A-Frame is on wheels and can be moved. We stayed in the A-Frame which has a private fire pit and picnic table. 

The A-Frame is cozy with the bed taking up 95% of the space. There is also a small beanbag-type chair, dorm fridge, coffee maker, and two charging pads. There is electricity and light, but it is not bright enough to read in the evening. One of the nicest features is the window side that faces the lake can be opened, making it an open-air accommodation. However, despite it being on the lake, you will also hear almost constant road noise. 

The glamping tents are located further away from the lake in the woods so I imagine the road noise would be less or non-existent here. 

Ben and Kim, the owners, are still working on this property and they recently completed a very nice bathhouse with two toilets, two sinks, and two outdoor showers. Towels are provided. They are currently working on a boat dock. 

We chose the SUP n Stay package (middle price option); included in our reservation was the rental of either a SUP or kayak. The Stay package includes accommodations plus a floating lake mat. The Stay n Play reservation includes the SUP or kayak rental plus a two-hour lake excursion. Unfortunately, it started to rain after we had been out on the lake for about a half hour. The rain resulted in a very muddy area around the A-Frame and Tennessee mud is no joke. We accumulated about an inch of the thick gooey mud on our shoes. 

Ben and Kim were very welcoming and gracious hosts. Communication was great and they made sure we had no questions. Our stay in the micro A-Frame was a very unique stay. The only reason for four stars and not five was the mud and road noise.

Creekside Stayz is a clean, well maintained facility.  There is a porta-potty available, or you can use the bathroom/shower across the road at the owner's house for a fee.  Water and electricity are available for a fee.  (If you park on the grass, also a fee...)

The general area is on the edge of town, so there are buildings around you.  You are on a narrow strip of land between a road and the creek.  There are four named camp sites.  "Del Linnea" has a glamping setup, "Happy Camper" has a permanent travel trailer, and the one between them "Rio Relaxing" is large enough for an RV or a travel trailer.  From what I could see, any of these would be good.  

The fourth camp site, "Rio Rustic" is where I pitched my tent.  It is the closest to the road.  My vehicle was 10 paces off the road.  It was 40 paces or less from the road to the creek. So on one hand, I was camping next to a creek.  On the other, I was camping on the edge of town next to a road that had traffic somewhat late and then again early in the morning. So I really can't recommend "Rio Rustic".

This is the first time I have stayed in a yurt, and it was definitely a learning experience. First of all, it is a cross between a tent and a cabin, and it has no electricity, bathroom, or running water. This was not so bad since the campground bath house was only a couple of hundred feet away. However, the temperatures were in the lower 90s outside, and once we walked inside the yurt, it was like walking into an oven. The temperature had to be somewhere around 110 degrees inside. Immediately after opening the door, opening the window and opening the canvas window coverings, we could feel the heat pouring out of the yurt. Fortunately, I had two 100-foot extension cords and a fan in our car. I plugged into the closest campsite and ran the cord to the yurt. There is no way we could have stayed in the yurt without the fan, so if you decide to stay in a yurt at this park during the summer, make sure to take extension cords and at least one fan. One thing that my wife and I found strange was that there were handrails along the three steps to the deck around the yurt, but there were no handrails beside the rougher steps leading to the yurt. Once we got the yurt cooled off to a decent temperature(high 70s), it wasn’t too bad. It had a queen bed and a trundle bed, which our grandson stayed on. A couch, side tables, and a dining table was also inside. The overall appearance inside the yurt was pleasant, and there was a picnic table and rocking chairs on the outside on the deck. There was also a fire pit, another picnic table, and a lantern hanger included with this yurt on the ground outside of the deck area. You will have to take your own linens for the beds—a queen and a single. There are two campgrounds in this state park, and each one is quite different. The Lover’s Leap campground has space for larger RVs and appears to be the newer of the two campgrounds. Although there are playgrounds, a swimming complex, an amphitheater, and much more, some of these venues are closed for the season due to the pandemic. The one thing I was really looking forward to(the chairlift) is only open on weekends. However, we were able to hike a couple of trails and see the natural tunnel. There are also cabins in the campground and they have a variety of sleeping arrangements of up to sixteen people in one cabin. The historical background of the state park is varied and extensive, so there are a lot of things to see within the park and surrounding the park. My wife and I decided we really want to come back and camp here again when we have more time. Overall, the campground has a lot of opportunities for different types of camping, and a lot to do, but if you stay in a yurt, be prepared.

As far as yurts go, I think the price was reasonable and is a little bit more separated from the rest of the sites which is a plus! Yurt itself was clean, comfortable and super spacious for just 3 people. Bear box available outside.

Bathhouse is very clean and an easy walk to. People can be a little loud. Easy to walk to trails and a nice little gift shop available + helpful rangers!

My stay in the yurt was an amazing experience! Waking up to the Blue Ridge Mountains in the morning over a nice cup of Juan Valdez is unmatched!! The trail to the waterfall and peacefulness in the air is something I will come back to visit for years!

This park has so many things to do and is fun for all ages. They have campgrounds,cabins and Yurts. There are nice hiking trails,chairlift to view the tunnel,picnic areas,swimming pool and so much more. People are friendly and helpful too. They have concerts and lots of outdoor activities during different times of the year. Great place for family fun!

This place is absolutely breathtaking. A must go. Cabins, yurts, RV camping, primitive camping. Excellently maintained. The are so many activities for everyone of all ages. Pool, picnicking, canoeing, hiking, fishing. There's a trail to the tunnel or you can take a chairlift. There's a museum, several gift shops, camp store, visitor centers. The staff is helpful and friendly. Many educational activities. The cabins are very clean and relatively new. But, I haven't run into 1 bad Virginia state park.

Its a steep climb into the campground (CG) area but doable. At the main park entrance keep going straight and veer to the right up the hill to cabins/CGs to get to Lover's Leap and Cove View CG areas. The office was closed so we grabbed a park map and headed to back-in site 10 with 50 AMP and water. Our tags were already on our site post so we did not have to check in. The water pressure was 60+ so I used my pressure reducer. I also had to use Teflon tape to get a good seal on my pressure reducer. I noticed that other campers had similar problems evident by the water spray coming off the spigot. Site 10 is a great site with plenty of distance between adjacent sites and a huge yard area, probably the best site in the two loops (Lover's Leap& Cove View). Site 9 would also be one of the better sites. The adjacent Cove View CG is older and the sites are closer together. The yurts are also there. Cove View does have a few sites that will take larger rigs. I would definitely suggest staying in the Lover's Leap loop regardless of what size of rig you have because the sites are more spacious. We got a few OTA channels, but only one major channel. AT&T and Verizon were 2 bars. The bath house was newer, clean, and there’s a laundry with 2 washers & dryers at a $1.00 a piece. Most of the Lover's Leap sites have a clear shot to the southern sky for satellite. The trails out of and around the campground are worth the hikes. The most aggressive was to Lover's Leap Overlook and then down to the Natural Tunnel via Lover's Leap Trail. I wouldn't recommend Lover's Leap Trail if you are very afraid of heights. It goes along the rim and while it does have a fence to protect you from falling, it can still be quite scary. You can drive down to the Natural Tunnel where there’s a parking lot and chair lift down/up (seasonal) to the Tunnel. The Purchase Ridge Trail also goes out of the CG and is a moderate hike through the valley forest but without the stunning views of the Lover's Leap Trail and Natural Tunnel areas. There are other hiking trails and historical sites in the area. Duffield is about 15 minutes away and has gas stations with diesel, a medium sized grocery store, Dollar General, and a few restaurants. This was a quiet campground and we enjoyed our stay.

This is an enjoyable State Park with a lot to offer. The rangers and staff may be the nicest we’ve encountered. They have a full docket of activities, ranger-led hikes, games, crafts and wildlife lectures offered throughout the day. In addition to camping they have a full marina with canoe, kayak and paddle board rentals. It houses an acclaimed mountain bike trail area. Nearby you can golf and ride horses. Cell coverage varies from LTE to 5G all over the park.

 The main camping section was laid out long ago, with older style short sites and water/electric only. Many of the sites are narrow and some have challenging access. Be sure to read site descriptions and check the suggested trailer size- they seriously mean the max size!! Each site has a fire ring, and small grate grill and a picnic table. The sites up on the ridge are probably sized only for tents and Class B units; many are sloped. The newly updated section, Moody Bluff, has FHU and a number of pull-through sites. It only has trees around the edge of one side giving it an open field feeling. 

The main campground has its own boat ramp for access to the reservoir. The camp store has a small offering of RV accessories and ice for$2.00. The main campground shower units are individual and separate from the bathrooms. There are ADA shower stalls, bathrooms, and ramps. While the bath house is older and could use fresh paint it was meticulously clean all week. 

We spent a long weekend with several other RV couples. Nearby Bays Mountain Park and Planetarium provides engaging planetarium shows, a herpetarium, wildlife sections with bobcats, foxes, gray wolves, and raptors, as well as hiking trails. Restaurants, grocery stores and big box retail stores are 10 minutes away in Kingsport. 

Our site(62) was narrow and a little short for our 23’ trailer. We had to park the truck sideways at the entrance. Our stairs opened right on the concrete pad for the table and we had very little room for our chairs. Our group host had enough room on their site(58) that they could erect two shelters for our meals. The forest was right up to our sides and we had lovely birdsong to awaken us every morning. I would definitely return, especially if the larger sites were available.

Lots of pull through spaces for larger campers and small ones as well. Beautiful view of Nolichucky River. Large swimming pool, TONS of historical events around, hiking & river walks. Super clean and new bath houses as well. Honors Tennessee state discounts. If possible make reservations online.

This beautiful 970 acre Tennessee State Park is located on the shores of the 900 acre Patrick Henry Reservoir on the Holston River in Sullivan County. Hiking, golf, fishing and more makes this a 5 star camping property.

I visited for one chilly night but plan to return again as soon as possible. A true treasure.

Park Office

490 Hemlock Road 

Kingsport, TN 37663 

423-239-8531

Campground

423-239-7141

36.4986, -82.4869

CLOSED Christmas Day

The hammock campground is super nice with its setup. However, the shrubbery/trees aren’t trimmed well so you’re going to fight through branches in some cases to hang your stuff. That’s fine. It’s the fact it is setup directly next to the overflow parking and pool along with the main thoroughfare into the park that’s a bummer. It is so LOUD. There’s also a freight rain that goes by every couple hours. It’s a cool experience but much like most state parks, it’s not necessarily peace and quiet.

There are 2 main campgrounds here for rvs and tents. Is it a nice safe place for families. Pets welcome. 30 and up a night with a good security faculty.

This amazing campground has spots for tent and rv camping, hiking trails, a beautiful lake for kayaking and fishing, and a Marina where rentals are available! Park also has a Boundless Playground!

I am much more of a hiker than a biker but during my last stay here while visiting family I took the chance to explore some of the mountain biking trails. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would although some of the trails were a little to difficult for my current ability, I had fun none the less. The park is also dog friendly which I always appreciate.

This park is located about 15 minutes off I-81 just south of the VA/TN border, making it extremely convenient, and a great place to stop for anyone traveling that stretch of the country.

There are a total of 134 campsites. 94 are available year round and have electric/water hookups, and the remaining 40 sites are in an overflow section that is only open from Memorial Day-Labor Day. The overflow sites do not have electric or water hookups, and accommodate trailers up to 60 feet (site 106 only; all others sites can only fit smaller RVs). The sites open year round are primarily used for RV camping, accommodating trailers up to 40'. Sites have asphalt driveways and are otherwise gravel, with picnic tables, grills, and fire rings. Sites 94, 73, 57, and 28 are ADA accessible, and site 90 has a pull-off parking spot with the campsite set down from the road (this is an excellent tent site!). Most sites are very shady, and sites on the northern side have a view of the lake from late fall to early spring. The bathrooms have electricity and running water, are single stall and include a shower, and are some of the cleanest campground bathrooms I have ever experienced. And since we were there in late March and it was still fairly chilly, we appreciated the space heaters!

Amenities at this campground include hiking, fishing, boat rental, golf, disc golf, a swimming pool, and the best playground I have ever seen--this campground is worth it for the playground! It is huge, has an interactive story trail based on "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe," a creek that runs through it, and the best part is that it is universally accessible, so children of all abilities can enjoy the park (sensory-friendly areas, and all signs include brail!). There is also a concession stand at the boat house, and two miles of trails are horse-friendly.

My only complaint about this campground is, given the proximity to the town of Kingsport and I-81, there are still a lot of civilization noises at night. This should not be an issue if you are in an RV, but for tent-campers you will still be able to hear distant traffic while falling asleep, instead of just the sounds of nature. But while we may not choose this as a place to "get away from it all," as frequent travelers between eastern TN and central VA, this campground is a perfect place to stop, and beats a hotel any day!

Campground is very clean especially the bathrooms. The lake is near the sites and a boundless playground is also nearby. The only issues we had were several of the sites were too small for even our pop up camper, no way an RV can fit. You really need to scout the sites beforehand.

If you’re looking to get into the woods and hear nature sounds this is not the place to go. We had to get a refund because the site was so small we couldn’t even fit our tent, a four person tent on it. I saw very few tents, mostly RVs and they were shoved right up next to each other. There were kids running everywhere. The place was packed. No green spaces between campsites at all. So if you’re looking for a place to park your RV and let your kids run wild with other kids it’s perfect. But if you’re a couple trying to get out into the woods and fall asleep to the sounds of nature in a tent, go somewhere else. All that being said the park is amazing with a lot of amenities. So I would considering going there for the day. We’re mountain bikers and wanted to try out the trails but had to leave because of how crowded it was and the campsite being impossible to put up a tent. The lady working at the campsite told us we could just put it on the cement pad which was literally right next to the road so I said no thank you. They were very kind though and they gave us a refund so the staff is very nice.