Best Tent Camping near Memphis, TN

While the perks of this campground include the proximity to Memphis and spacious sites. The campground was pretty quiet and everything seemed clean and well kept. The downsides outweigh these positives though... The tent camping area was not private. There were some trees, but they were in the RV area of the park. The thing that turned us off the most though, was a terrible smell which we learned is from a sewage treatment plant very close to the park :(

Camp is surrounded by industrial area. Play road entrance closed making for a high stress night entry from Memphis. Use W UseMitchell St entrance. If seeing Graceland is on ur list, better to call at Graceland.

My husband and I chose this campground because it was in our “Best in Tent Camping Tennessee” guidebook. Not my favorite. The sites are extremely close together and there is absolutely no privacy. We chose an ADA site because my husband is a wheelchair user, but the grassy patch next to the cement was a hill (which made tent camping + wheelchair interesting). There was also zero shade and A LOT of bugs-we got eaten alive. I would only recommend this site for RV users who don’t plan to spend much time outside their rig (or, are camping in cooler months), and don’t care about privacy.

The bathhouse felt like a sauna-zero ventilation.

As a an aside the restroom at the visitor’s center is not wheelchair accessible.

Only an hour from Memphis, this campground is VERY nice - three camping areas, two lakes with boat rentals, 6 cabins, and a gorgeous 27 hole golf course. It is always well kept, the staff is pleasant and they have a small store at the visitor center.

Ample spaces in some campgrounds while some have small area, still larger than most of other camping locations. It can still be better if they can make camp bed with gravel for tent camping

Found this campsite on the Dyrt and was pleasantly surprised with the location and family friendly atmosphere. Right on the River but not swimable water. In an industrial park but felt very safe. Just a few minutes from the interstate.

The tent site is just a primitive grassy group area but had tons of shade from giant oak trees and is right next to the bathhouse.

Laundry is free on the second story of the bathhouse which was a wonderful treat.

The bathrooms weren’t awful but could use some TLC.

Tent sites do not get picnic tables. No fire rings.

Overall a decent night’s stay - whatever you do don’t forget your bug spray!

This was such a nice relaxing place to stay. We met a park interpreter who was very nice and informative.  We stayed in a small tent camping area beside one of the lakes.  The hiking trail was beautiful and we saw several woodpeckers!

Tom Sawyer's RV Park offers a unique camping experience on the Mississippi River with a mix of pros and cons suika game. Visitors praise the beautiful river views, spacious sites, and pet-friendly policies, as well as convenient amenities like free laundry facilities. However, recurring issues include basic or outdated bathroom facilities, limited tent camping options, and inconsistent site maintenance. Overall, it's a great choice for short stays, particularly for those with RVs, looking to enjoy scenic riverfront views and the charm of tugboat traffic.

We had reservations for another place further down the road but decided to leave a day early and see if we could find something on the road. This place fit the bill! It’s convenient to the highway and while we have our food, there are places to eat close by. The owner was polite and met us at the gate and showed us to our site. There are few big trees and it’s more suitable for RV camping than tent camping but this was exactly what we needed this trip. Thanks so much!

Mississippi River State Park is in Marianna, AR and was built in 2008 in the St. Francis National Forest. The park office and convention center are beautiful and have several learning stations and activities for kids and families. There is also a simple paved walking trail with identification points for local trees, birds, wildlife, etc.

The campground has only a few sites. I don’t remember exactly but I believe it’s only 18 but all have lake views. All sites are level with electricity, water, and tent pad. Some sites have tiered tent pads that might not be great for kids or “old knees”. If you bring your own kayak, canoe, or boat, you can launch directly from your camp site without any issue. Our kids just wanted to through rocks 😂. There aren’t many hikes but there is a 1.5 mile trail (video included) which was fun. We saw a few snakes but they were just king snakes.

MS River SP is a short drive from Memphis and is a great quick weekend getaway. There isn’t much for small kids to do when the swim beach and swim area are closed but most families will love the serenity and peace that MS River SP offers.

Oh yeah, it’s the lake. Apparently it was drained to repair the dam. Looks like and apocalyptic wasteland where the lake was. Walked out to the middle of it and some Perv was flying a drone over my head. Stayed at the tent campsite which was ok because no one else was there, but you can see the rv site and some dumb buildings and a big streetlight. With the amount of dogs barking it sounds like you are in a neighborhood. It was ok. I guess any state park is better than no state park.

This description really needs to be updated. They are not just an historic area but an Historic State Park. They have about a dozen RV sites plus another 20 tent sites. Facilities are very nice and include showers. They have really worked hard to improve the entire park in the last 3 years or so and have really turned this into a hidden gem. The historic site of Ft Pillow from the Civil war is on one of the hiking trails. The trails also go along the Mississippi river and provide some beautiful views. They also have a small lake and available canoes/kayaks for rent. The staff is very attentive and provide a variety of programs.

This was our 2nd time camping here. It’s the nicest campground close to home. All of the sites are large with full hookups. They really did an excellent job with this place. The bathrooms are the best of the best (private, suite style rooms). I like that it is not a large park (only 14 RV sites and 3 tent sites) l, so even when it is full, it does not feel overcrowded. I do wish they had more hiking trails, but the bear creek look is really nice. The park office is excellent with a museum area. Fire wood can be purchased at the office as well. Very popular lake for fishing!

We have been to many states and campgrounds. This is one of our favorites. It only has 14 Full Hookup sites but they are all beautiful. Well kept campgrounds, lake, and facilities. There is also a tent site area and a primitive camping area. The sites stayed booked, so if you want to give it a try, you need to book well in advance of your desired date of travel. We go here at least 4 or 5 times a year. It is only about 40 min drive from Forrest City and a 10 min. drive from Marianna, Arkansas. There is a boat dock where you can put your boat in the water. They also have fishing boats and kayaks for rent.

This place is still relatively new, but they have really done a great job with it! The park office is first class! The Trotting Fox Trail and Bear Creek Loop trail are very nice! The park office has a large room for exhibits. The Rangers also keep a very full schedule of activities to keep locals and campers busy. They rent out kayaks for those looking to explore the lake! The Beech Point Campground is a gorgeous RV/Tent Campground. I highly recommend it to those that love camping! There is also a really nice day use area.

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.

We’ve camped at Village Creek State Park a number of times and we love it! It’s a family friendly park with ball fields, tennis courts, and a first-class golf course. We have tent camped, pop-up camped and RV camped here. We normally stay in the lower campground area which is a great spot for families due to all the green space. The upper campground area is much better for RVs given the access to sewer. There is a renovated playground in the upper campground area as well.

All sites are mostly level. There are a few at the back of the lower campground with steep inclines near the trailhead entries. There is also a creek that runs behind some of the campsites on the lower campground which could be a mosquito haven in warmer months.

This is a great family park! You will enjoy your time for sure!

PROS 

Senior discount 

Reserved on-line 346 prior to arriving 

Good overnight stop for$25 

Very small park and campground 

Site#4 totally level 

Site#4 some shade 100% gravel site 

Metal picnic table that was moveable 

One hook lantern pole 

Metal fire pit with cooking grate 

Pedestal BBQ grill (looked brand new) 

CONS 

30amp electrical breaker bad. 

Tripped twice in 8 hours. 

Single lane campground road extremely tight. If campsites across from ours wasn’t empty, it would of been extremely difficult to get our 28ft backed-in 

Our reserved campsite#4 was occupied upon our arrival and campers tried to convince us to take another site that they were suppose to move to, but it was much smaller, so we declined 

Never saw any rangers patrolling campground 

Train noise from tracks in Harrisburg 

4 unisex toilets/showers for all 26 campsites PLUS 4 tent sites! 

One-lane dump station 

No TP in campground toilets 

No camp-host or even a full hook up site for one 

No security gate closure overnight 

No WIFI 

1 bar LTE

We ended up camping here after another campground didn't work out. We arrived without reservation and didn't know much about the park, so we needed a little help from the rangers when we were choosing a spot. The campground seems to have been renovated in the last few years. The sites are all mixed together. You have a handful of RV sites with 50 amp, a couple of 30 amp sites and then lots of tent sites that have 20 amp or no power at all. The problem for us was that the leaves have fallen, so we couldn't even see where the parking pads were and all of the different sites were mixed together. I think it would be easier to sort it out via the website that has info listed for each site. 

Ranger Tyson informed us that they were doing a night hike to the Fort and they would be serving Gumbo for dinner around the campfire at the Fort. Sign me up! It was one of the fee based activities, but for $5 per person, it was totally worth it! Tyson and Matt were awesome and the evening hike was surprisingly very cool!

As for the park itself, they don't have a huge "tourist attraction" like some parks, so it was very peaceful and not overcrowded. They work hard to offer great ranger lead programs. You can tell right away that the staff really does care about this park. 

The bathhouse was newer and clean. Each bathroom was private in that you had your own suite style bathroom with toilet, sink & shower. The only drawback is that the bath house building (2) only had (1) mens suite and (1) womens suite each. I could see a line forming during warmer months, especially if there were lots of tent campers.

The park had a really nice day use area with a new playground, pavilion area and picnic tables. There is also a basketball goal/court area near the day use area. The visitors center/museum was a bunker style building built into the side of the hill. Great exhibit and lots of info on the battle and fort at Fort Pillow. There is also a small fishing lake with a boat ramp and pier.