Best Cabin Camping near Henning, TN

My family and I live about 25 min from the campground at Meeman-Shelby State Park. We have been several times and have camped with tents, pop-ups, and now with our Geo-Pro. We love this campground.

Pros: -49 available sites -all sites with water, 30A, fire ring, grill and picnic table -a variety of hiking/biking trails -update playground -lake with rental kayaks, canoes, boats (in season) -fully functioning bathhouse that is dated but clean

Cons: -no sewer at any sites -some sites on the back sides of the camp ground are subject to erosion and can be unlevel and not ideal for kids -large park so many of the activities outside the campground require driving -1 bathhouse which can be an issue on certain weekends -MOSQUITOS. If you go after the weather warms up, be forewarned that the mosquitos will eat you alive. We mostly camp at Meeman-Shelby in the fall/winter. We do not camp Spring/Summer.

There is a disc golf course that is very popular. There is a nature center that is under renovation that has snakes, spiders and owls to see. There are cabins to rent but we have never stayed in one. They look nice from the outside.

I’ve included several pictures of camp sites and the grounds. All in all, Meeman-Shelby is a great park and is perfect for families. Make sure to schedule a friday night dinner at the General Store. Steak and live music that sets the tone for a great camping weekend!

This was one of the first state parks in Tennessee I visited on my trip through the state. Despite being an older feeling camp it offered many unique features and options for keeping myself entertained. (Check Out Their Website)

When it came to camping not only were there tent sites but also cabins which had a very rustic feel. I opted for a tent site which ran $25 and had full electrical hookups (site 40), a big perk for charging my devices at the end of a busy day. My site had a bbq grill and fire ring in addition to a picnic table and was well shaded. I felt like the sites along this side of the road were a little more spacious than the other side of the road which were a little more close together.

I was about half way down the loop and a short distance from the restroom and showers which were in decent shape but nothing super special. The water pressure here was good for showering.

My favorite thing about this camp was the outdoor activities which seemed to be everywhere. I hiked both the Woodland and Pioneer Springs trails (MAP), each about 4 miles and along the way enjoyed just taking in the outdoors. I will say that if you do any trails in late summer here you will need mosquito spray because they come in droves.

You can travel to the boat ramp and marina and rent boats there or bring your own to take advantage of the lake which winds through various types of vegetation and allows you to see the lake in a way you cannot from the shore line. I most enjoyed taking out a kayak and exploring the swampy feeling area, though I will say being so close to the Mississippi River I was afraid of what I might find lurking in the water.

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TIPS:

• Bring citronella candles for your table when camping and try to put a dryer sheet in your pocket to ward off mosquitoes. In addition to spray these will make your trip here a bit more comfortable.
• Bring your own firewood if you want to have a campground. There were signs around camp saying not to move wood.

Camp site (Teardrop camping)

We briefly stayed at this camp site overnight. There is an electric/water hook up on the site + picnic table and a fire ring.

We were there during the off season but there were still lots of people but it still was a pleasant stay. Tells that this CG is popular.
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Facilities/ Amenities

Bathroom / showers were clean and well maintained. Dumpster is a bit of a walk.
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Surrounding area

The CG is in the woods so you'd definitely feel connected to nature. Haven't explored the surrounding area enough to leave a review.
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We love this state park. We frequent it regularly. The sites are all mostly level (front to back and side to side), the facilities are well maintained and the rangers patrol regularly. 

This is a very wooded campground, offering lots of privacy. There's a nice playground that my youngest is a big fan of. The campground is also a short drive from Poplar Tree Lake which offers boating and fishing (kayak rentals are available, or you can bring your own); no swimming area though.

Some of our favorite sites are 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 25, and 26. These are in all in the two smaller loops, though the main loop sites are quite nice as well, they just don't feel quite as secluded. 

Also, make sure to check out the Shelby Forest General Store. They sell little bit of everything, including great food if you don't feel like cooking at the campsite!

Took our brand new RV here for its shakedown trip the very day I picked up as it is so close to home. Was pleasantly surprised by the overall atmosphere of the campground. The entire place is completely shaded, as it seems they too the effort to not cut down many trees when putting the sites in. There is a playground for the kids. Bath houses are passable but need to be remodeled badly.

Sites are all over the place on size, so pay attention to site length on the website as you are booking if you are an RV camper. Tent campers will be happy with almost any site in the place. Another thing to prepare for is picnic are location on your site. While a lot of COE and private campgrounds tend to have the picnic are directly beside the parking spot for RV’s, only a few seem set up this way at Meeman-Shelby. Many sites have their picnic area and fire ring directly behind or even on the off-side of any RV that would use the site. I wish they would post pictures of the site for those wishing to book.

Outside of the campground is a great state park for those looking for a good hike. Tons of good trails. There is also a bike trail with another really nice playground at its trail head. Even if all you want is a scenic drive, there are some pretty good ones inside the park, and just along the parks northern edge is a road that will take you all the way down to the banks of the Mississippi River.

One more thing to prepare for is mosquitoes. This campground is immediately adjacent to low wetlands along the River. This means that mosquitoes are terrible in the summer around dusk. Some bug spray, citronella, and a campfire seemed to ward them off.