Best Tent Camping near Nashville, TN

A decent campground a short drive outside of Nashville. Most of the space was taking up by RV's but there was a small area for tent camping as well. The tent campsites did have grills which was nice a touch to make dinner. There was a sandlot playground as well which I did not use but would be nice for families camping with children.

We tent camp here at least 3 times a year. There are plenty of Ranger lead activities for the kids, fishing, swimming, good hiking trails.

A fantastic family-friendly state campground. Mostly quiet after dark. Neighbors are friendly and welcoming (you’ll find that many visit in groups).

Amenities: Trails are pleasant. Playground is great. Bathrooms are clean but need an update. Not much in terms of wifi or tv if you are looking for that but att and verizon were usable.

Roads feel narrow but we had no problem maneuvering in our 36’ 5er. River sites look great but we booked last minute. Wound up with a corner interior spot (107) that backs to a tent camping area so was fantastic for views, too and this spot was quite spacious.

Location is lovely but is not that close to Nashville if that’s your goal.

Tent camped for 2 nights. Terrific time in late September. Not too crowded. Camp hosts were very nice. Shower/bath facilities need reconfiguring and updating as the stalls leave you very exposed, water not hot. That said looking to visit once more this autumn.

There are free hot showers, laundry facilities in the summer, and it's clean and well kept. It's not too far from Nashville. White Bluff, the closest town, is only a few miles away and is a cute little town. Would highly recommend.

My favorite thing about this campground was it’s proximity to Narrows of the Harper, which I wanted to hike. Tent site, a little close in the campground, but not so bad it affected the experience negatively. Facilities well-maintained.

We tent camped for two consecutive weekends at Cedars of Lebanon. We are local novice campers. The campsites were well maintained with electric and water hookups. The bathhouse at Campground 2 is quite clean and is newer than Campground 1. Both of our stays were in Campground 2 near the bath house. Our first visit was with our dog, second was without. The fire ring in our second stay was weirdly located. Firewood is for sale inside the park and late afternoons the campground host drives thru on a gator like vehicle and offers bundles for sale at $6 each. The place is busy and active but very chill.

We hiked a little on Saturday midday. When I say “hike” I mean we strolled on a trail. Very nice time.

Any critiques by us would be unwarranted. Folks who work there were quite nice. We are very early on the learning curve. That we were able to go and tent camp and have a good time at our age proves that COL is a great place for newer campers to enjoy. We plan to go back a lot.

The park is amazing! The campground is ok, the spaces are good sized with plenty of space between, If tent camping, I would try to get one along the wooded sides, you’ll have more privacy that way. We stayed on site 99, across from a small creek, but right in the middle of the campground. The bathrooms are just ok, there’s no changing room in the shower stalls, so be prepared.

We camped here in January. It was very quiet because the other campers were all RVers who spent most of their time inside. The bathrooms were very clean and we basically had them to ourselves, since the RVers used their RVs. This park was really nice and we got some great sunrises over the water. Loved having a water spigot onsite. Only an hour away from Nashville if you want to visit!

I first visited Montgomery Bell State Park as part of a large group outing with my church. We had a huge space just for our community for the big BBQ we had, but it was the rest of the park that really impressed me. There were tons of nice walking trails and a beautiful lake. I enjoyed renting paddle boats for the first time ever and cruising around the lake.

High recommendation particularly for large groups looking to get away from Nashville without traveling too far.

This is a pretty decent sized campground with plenty of electric hookups and also has a few tent sites. However there are no primitive, backcountry sites, so skip this one if you are wanting a backcountry experience. But, it is a very nice area with so many old, old hardwood cedars. It smells wonderful. There are also a few trials that take you through most of the park and is relatively easy so they are great for kids too.

Montgomery Bell (MB) is a very well kept State Park and campground. The campground is well planned with RVs and tent sites somewhat segregated, yet close enough to utilize the spaces well. Old shower point is Old, and needs modernizing, but the new shower house is very clean, has wash sinks, vending, and is worth the walk to for showering. The state park as a whole offers well kept trails, dispersed camping (by permit) and many amenities

Lovely park with somewhat unique cedar glades and tons of rare plant life. If you can snag a serious gardener or botanist to visit with you you’re in for a treat. Trails are easy, lots of wildlife, lots of cedars. Lots of horses on site too. And weddings in the lodge all summer. Modern state park setup, clean and well cared for with some extra activities. Tent sites were more private and woody. Cabins seemed popular given what neighbors said. Very nice state park, would return.

We’ve been tent camping for years and try to find places somewhat close to home because we bring our bulldogs with us. This campground is absolutely one of our favorites.

It is relatively small, but the bathhouses are super clean, and the staff are amazing. I’m hesitant to let our secret out, but we just bought a camper so we won’t be using this campsite anymore. Campsite 78 is the best! One of the scout troops built a platform there years ago, and its perfect to pitch your tent off the ground. In addition, the site is in the back corner, so it’s private and huge! We’ve camped there for their big Halloween shindig for the past three years.

I hope someone else will enjoy it as much as we have!

For several months while living in TN, we spent almost every weekend at Henry Horton State Park. It’s not quite an hour from Nashville. We always got a primitive site, shady site. I was never disappointed by any of our sites and never felt cramped or too close to other campers.

HH has RV sites, cabins, “hammock sites,” and a large group site. They also have a camp store, firewood, and restrooms. Rates are pretty standard. Backcountry primitive hike-in sites are $8.

Interactive heritage festivals and other activities frequently came to the center across the street. I don’t really recall if this is part of the park or not.

Bledsoe is great for little kids (which is now my primary criteria when judging a park). There is a flat trail next to the lake that my two year old loves to run up and down, playgrounds, and a story trail. There are also some nice hiking trails with beautiful views of the lake (for me) and lots of bugs and turtles (for the toddler).

While most of the campsites have RV hookups, there are several primitive sites next to the lake that are away from all the generator noise. These sites have ample room and a nice view of the lake.

Great camping for families that is a short drive from Nashville.