Best Glamping near Rock Island, TN

We are here on our Honeymoon. It was a last minute lets roll the dice and see where God leads us. It was late And we called at 9:30pm to see if we could book a reservation and pay with cash. It was a 2 hour drive from where we got married. Got here close to midnight and they had a yurt ready for us. They where more than happy to accommodate us! The Yurt was so nice had 2 foam pads for us to sleep on with sleeping bags. A lantern and charger for the lantern. And a fan. And chairs to sit on. Fire pit, picnic table.electricity and wifi. Its so peaceful here. Nice bath houses. Beautiful Property. It is newly built . Just a short distance to Greeter Waterfall.. A Real 💎 for rvs, tents, or glamping in a yurt. They have a small store on sight. Offer ice for 3$ a bag and small wood bundles for the fire pit for 5$ and they will deliver to your site! How cool is that! Im sold on this place. Definitely coming back.

Just got back from an AWESOME, WET, weekend at Rock Island State Park. I stayed at the RV camping area and participated in the Tennessee State Park Rock and Row Triathlon. (Which ended up being a duathlon due to the rain) The campgrounds were recently (w/i a few years) renovated, are well landscaped and easyisly accessed. The bathrooms are in good shape, and clean. The falls are the thing to see and depending on the season you go you can get reasonably close or see them from above. Several moderate trails , water sports and cycling. The town of Rock Island sports several antique shops with good deals if that's your thing and other local small businesses which keep it interesting .

I think it was the best weekend my husband and I had in a long time. It was only him and I on the property. (Except the owners, and they kept to themselves but to check In every now and then at the pool to make sure we were enjoying our stay! The pool and the views, I could stay here all day and just float. It's so peaceful. They have nice new outdoor furniture for sunbathing and even tables and even enough umbrellas to keep my husband shaded. The Canvas yurt glamping tents, the beds were so comfy. The had welcome waters, and a few snacks for our arrival. The best was sitting in the hot tub at night looking up at the sky filled with stars. We brought wine- they even had wine glasses, an opener and mini frig and a cooler for our use. After being in the tub we rinsed off in the shower house. Amazing hot water and pressure. The bathroom was very clean and it even had ac/heat unit in each bathroom. My husband and I will definitely definitely will return. If your looking for an escape into nature but still want great comforts and only have to pack and overnight bag, this will definitely check that box.

 Rock Island State park is a great place to camp. The campground is large and the campsites are spacious and far enough apart that you feel secluded, even when it’s full. It’s heavily wooded, so you don’t feel like your neighbors on right on top of you. The sites are paved and have water and electric, no septic where I was, however and they have a dump station that was large enough for two people to use at the same time. There are so many things to do at the campground, or the park, you will not be bored. Rock Island has some of the best waterfalls in Tennessee, and you can get right up to some them, if you are brave enough to kayak close to them. They also have a swimming area, and sand volleyball. Great biking in the park also. The area has lots of little shops and antique stores, if you’re into that, and Calf Killer Brewery is a short drive, and I highly recommend visiting there. Overall, this is a great park to visit, and a great place to camp.

Rock Island State Park is situated in the middle of Tennessee. The park itself is surrounded by beautiful forest and some pretty great and easy hiking trails. The falls themselves are a sight to see. The main waterfall is beautiful and looks dramatic against the rocks and fauna.

When we went, the trail to the falls was closed. So I advise being ready to do other activities - the park offers a lot of sights to see other than the falls. There is a great sandy beach which you could spend time skipping stones into the water.

All around, the staff is nice and helpful!

The Tiny House is one of several rental options on this property. (Others include a huge glamping tent and a farmhouse). This review focuses on the tiny house where we stayed for two nights but I have included a few photos of the glamping tent, which was not open when we were there (opens in April). 

A lot is packed into a small space with so many creative touches. There is a full-size loft bed and a pull-out couch so while you could sleep four people, it would be a bit crowded inside. There is also a screened-in porch with two swing seats, and a table so you could eat outside. 

Lyn (the owner)’s hospitality is second to none. The tiny house is stocked with a microwave, toaster oven, electric kettle, Keurig, and an induction burner plus dishes, flatware, and just about everything else you would expect in a fully stocked kitchen. There is also a table grill that can be set up on the table on the screened porch. There is a great selection of tea and hot chocolate plus pancake mix, and syrup. 

There is a full bath with a flush toilet, sink, and shower with fluffy towels. 

There is a fire pit available to use. 

This would make a wonderful couples retreat, a mother-daughter getaway, or a place for solo reflection. Chattanooga is located just 25 minutes away and there is a fully stocked gourmet grocery store just down the road.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here. Go to the website for more information on this and other options at this property.

Rock Island has some great spots. There's a few waterfalls, a swimming area, and some picnic areas. However, the camping is just ok, especially the tent camping. It's small, right off the road and not super close to the trails. The RV camping parts looked a little better when I drove by. There's a pavilion, a better bathhouse, and it just looked nicer. I'm all for rustic camping, but it felt like it was trying to be a better campground.

Anyways, Rock Island has a few hiking trails and a pretty awesome swimming hole beneath Twin Falls. I hiked the Blue Hole trial, which basically descends to the river via a waterfall. It's pretty difficult and you are ensured to get wet feet, but it's great!

In my opinion, there are better places to camp in the area and I would just make a day trip here to see some of the waterfalls and the huge dam that creates Center Hill Lake.

We enjoyed our trip to Rock Island St Park Campground. We stayed on site 50. The park was clean and probably the quietest ewe’ve ever been to. The bath house was nice and clean. We hiked all the trails at the park. The waterfalls are a short drive. We loved getting ice cream at the train cars after leaving the waterfalls.

We camped here over the weekend. Our campsite was perfect. Very private and enough space for 2 tents. Not all campsites are made for tents, some have just a concrete driveway. We had the usual amenities, like a picnic table with a bench, fire pit, and a lantern pole. The bathhouse was clean and well stocked. Rock Island offers a lot hiking trails and stunning waterfalls. There is a little coffee/icecream shop just outside the park, which was awesome. We would camp here anytime again.

We really enjoyed Rock Island State Park. The campgrounds are easily accessible and roomy. We were there only couple days but would love to go back and visit some of the cute shops and ice cream trailer at the entrance later. It is probably lots of fun in the summer with the huge beach. We plan to visit again soon. FYI there are some sites with sewer. I didn’t realize this when I reserved. They have great dump station but prefer to have that taken care of before we pull out.

This is our first trip (it won’t be our last) to Rock Island State Park. We are very fortunate to have a campsite with full shade. From what I can tell most of the sites are partial shade. It’s 90• and muggy but we haven’t needed our AC at all. We’ve actually gotten a little cool during the night. The park is very quiet. I love that the sites have a good amount of space between them. They all appear to be fairly level too. Some of the sites have a step down to get to the grill, fire pit & picnic table. Because of that it limits the space you have to sit under your awning. So I would look @ the pictures of the individual sites carefully before picking one, if that’s important to you. The bathhouse is very clean & the showers have plenty of hot water. McMinnvile is only a 15 drive if you want groceries or If you’d like to go out to eat. Although there is a nice store with a good little restaurant just outside the park. My husband & I ate there once & it was very good. They have a menu with the usual stuff on it as well as a meat & 3. There is a lot to see here. And old textile mill, waterfalls & an old pump house that was used for the small town of Rock Island as well as for the textile mill in case of fire. My husband & I highly recommend this park.....just don’t get our spot ;)

We totally just stumbled upon this park, and we are so glad we did. We came to the area to visit Rock Island SP, but their campground was full, so we looked for the next closest option. The park itself is beautiful, and the campground was really nice. They have multiple campgrounds. We stayed in B at site 78 and loved that it was on the backside with no one behind us. The sites were large with nice fire rings and picnic tables. The bathrooms and showers were clean and well-maintained. We would definitely camp here again.

Our family just took a 3 night trip to Rock Island State Park. As a mama, I felt totally safe and comfortable at this park with 10 year old twin girls. The playground and restrooms were a short bike ride so they were never too far from camp. We were also VERY impressed with the cleanliness of the camp. Park rangers could be seen cleaning the restrooms and grounds every hour. With all the craziness going on, it was really comforting to see them going above and beyond to keep everyone safe. We took time to hike a few of the trails in the park. The trail that goes by the bluff was nice and easy. Our favorite was the Eagle trail. The views and trail itself were stunning! We will definitely be back!

Gorgeous waterfalls (pictures don’t do it justice) close by and hiking. Campsites are very small and on top of each other. Gravel pad. The trees provide partial shade. Glad we anchored our tents well, as their was a tornado warning on our first night with down limbs. Rangers were friendly and came by to check on everyone just before the storm hit, as well as after.

Bathhouse was pretty standard, nothing special, but at least it was clean.

Hiking trails are not well marked, and due to the terrain; I would not recommend taking small children. I mean, it IS named Rock Island after all.

The swimming area had very stagnant water and it was not appealing whatsoever.

Nice play area and some really cool things to look at on your way in. Dollar general 10 mins away.

This is a larger state park that includes a restaurant, golf course, pool, etc. but also some nice trails to enjoy the natural beauty of the area. The Cumberland State Scenic Trail is the local long trail, which can be access from the park. This park is close to town, the highway, and some other natural areas. The campground includes a number of similar loops, all wooded, nice and modern with the typical state park amenities. Cabins are available too They also have a moderate backpacking trail that we didn’t try, but would be perfect for first-time backpackers (since you can shower and eat at a buffet afterwards).

Yay: kayak and boat rentals. Something for everyone. Love the bridge over the water.

Nay: parts can be a little crowded, a little expensive.

Surprise: the on site restaurant is quite fancy---we went to an elegant wedding here and stayed for camping. They have a weekend buffet with rather fancy food and great quality. Also check out nearby Rock Island State Park for surreal waterfall swimming.

We recently visited Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tn while enroute to Georgia. The Tennessee countryside is an enjoyable backdrop to this meandering road trip and you are very close to several other excellent Tennessee SPs.

I noticed a sign on the way in to Fall Creek Falls advertising a yearly festival, the “Mountaineer Folk Festival” the weekend after Labor Day. http://www.mountainglenonline.com/thingstodo/events/mountaineer-folk-festival-at-fall-creek-falls-state-park.html

The park also has a nice looking golf course, the Tree Top Canopy Challenge and an extensive facility area including the visitors center, gift shop, general store, swimming pool, laundromat and grill.

When I visited last year it was extremely busy and the attractions were crowded. This year I visited on a week day after school was back in session so it was mostly retirees who haven’t started their migration south yet ;) at the campground. Fall Creek has a large spread out campground with several choices , primitive walk-ins, glamping or something in between. There are gravel sites and paved. A picnic table, fire ring and grill as well as electric and water hookups. The facilities are centrally located in each area.

We stopped at Fall Creek Falls first and made the trek down to the base of the falls after first visiting the overlook. Moderate, technical,( rocky, slippery, wear hiking shoes, carry your flip flops for the wade in the pool below) 1.6ish mile round trip hike. When you leave the Fall Creek area there is a one way road you can take to Piney Falls it has some picturesque views of the area.

Piney Falls is worth a look too. I love suspension bridges, my dogs not so much. Piney has a .4ish mile round trip hike that includes a long suspension bridge with a short scramble down to the river.

I also noticed some bike trail trailheads within the park, something else to enjoy while visiting.

Fall Creek Falls is definitely a place you can spend a week or more at and do something different everyday.

We followed our RV GPS right to the campground (CG) that is located right off I-24. Check in was quick and easy. We were then escorted to one of their“long” pull through sites with FHUs, site 27. What we first noticed was the large cement patio with table, chairs, bench, stand up barbecue, and fire pit. The utilities are located smartly in the middle of the pad to include an extra sewer connection near the pad’s front. Water pressure was okay at around 45 psi. They have cable but we did not use it. Their Wifi was about average for a CG this size. We got 3 bars on Verizon and used our MiFi on this overnighter. Satellite could be iffy due to the amount of mature trees. We did see Starlink antennas at some of the sites. The sites are decently spaced and site 27 was the easiest pull through we’ve ever had as its angled straight in from the street, no turns or maneuvering to center the rig. They have glamping cabins, teepees, and a covered wagon with nice patio decor. There’s also a swimming pool, pickleball court, catch& release pond plus other amenities. There’s also laundry and propane. The staff was very nice and helpful. We were impressed with this CG with the only caveat that there’s quite a bit of highway noise from the interstate. However, the noise did not overweigh our satisfaction and we will definitely mark this CG for another overnighter or longer stay in the future.

This is a small State Park and campground area in the lower part of middle Tennessee, but if you like to see some great waterfalls and a some history on this part of Tennessee you will not be disappointed. 

Just make sure you have all your supplies before you get there, it is a remote area with no big cities with 50 miles.

Fall Creek Falls is one of my favorite places to camp & hike in the Middle/East Tennessee area. Beautiful scenery, an awesome waterfall hike, and a lovely SHADED camping loop contribute to some of my favorite family camping weekend memories.

Fall Creek Falls is a very nice state park in middle Tennessee.  It’s also very popular so plan on getting reservations early.  Lots of activities - hiking, biking, golf, lake....  One item of note is that the Inn is being rebuilt and is not open.  The restaurant was in the Inn, but I don’t think many campers ate there anyway.

We stayed Memorial Weekend of 2021 for a total of 4 nights. Tons to do at one of Tennessee’s top state parks. We hiked Fall Creek Falls trail, visited the nature center, walked the suspension bridge, went to the Cane Creek Falls overlook, swam in the Cascades, ate pizza at the snack bar, watched people catch stocked trout at George Hole, and played on the playground. The weather was a little damp, but we didn’t let that stop us!

A beautiful and unique campground built I. The side of a rolling hill. All of the sites are cantilevered platforms on the hill. The platforms are heavily engineered so no worries about collapse! The platforms make for very level camping and amazing views. You feel like you are in a tree house. The park is a gorgeous property with a lake and hiking trails. There are ADA sights. The hills are steep and some of the sights have angle ramps. Each one is well detailed on the reservation sight so make sure you read the site info. There is a bathhouse, laundry, camp store and Park office. This is the only campground in the US like this and it is all nestled in the Tennessee hills.

...well, at least up to two weeks, because that's the park limit.

Fall Creek Falls is the largest park in Tennessee, and it is, well, big! There's a ton to do and it's in such a beautiful spot. I like to think of this state park as a beginner South Cumberland (in hiking at least!). There's a few hiking trails with plenty of overlooks and waterfalls and a suspension bridge to a nature center. There's also a trail down to the bottom of Fall Creek Falls where you can swim.

The campsites are nice with a bath house and firepits and there is a whole complex and general store not too far from the campsites. There's even a mini laundry mat and a snack bar! Just a ton to do especially if you have kids.

I would recommend this state park as a family vacation!

Alum Gap campground, situated in the backcountry of Tennessee, is not only a hidden gem but also a perfect choice for those new to backpacking. Accessible via a straightforward hike of just a little over one mile from the Greeter Falls parking area, this primitive camping site offers an inviting introduction to the world of wilderness adventures. Each campsite provides a generously sized designated area, offering ample space for multiple tents and featuring an established fire ring. However, be prepared for a rustic experience, as there are no bathroom facilities or other man-made structures in sight. 

During my visit over Labor Day weekend, I found the campground to be remarkably uncrowded, indicating that it is less frequented by campers. Most of the campsites are surrounded by trees and offer a serene woodland setting. However, a mere half-mile down the trail, the landscape opens up to reveal a breathtaking viewpoint that offers a stunning look out at the canyon. On my hike there, I encountered a small creek, which served as a sufficient water source. Depending on recent rainfall, you might need to collect water back at the Greeter Falls area. One noteworthy aspect is that there aren't any clear distinctions between the different available sites; they all offer a satisfying camping experience. 

Exploring the waterfalls in the area is an absolute must. These natural wonders, especially on a scorching hot day, offer the perfect opportunity to cool off with a refreshing dip in the crystal-clear pools at their base. Furthermore, you'll be pleased to know that cell phone service is excellent, thanks to the location atop the plateau. To ensure a smooth camping experience, make sure to reserve a site in advance. 

In summary, Alum Gap campground provides a remote and tranquil wilderness camping experience in Tennessee, with an easy access trail that makes it an ideal introductory backpacking option. While amenities are minimal, the campground's seclusion, beautiful surroundings, and nearby attractions, including scenic viewpoints and waterfalls, make it a remarkable destination for nature enthusiasts. Don't forget to plan ahead and secure your reservation for an unforgettable backcountry adventure.

Fall creek falls is one of the best recreational areas in Tennessee. The park is very large and has so much to do. The falls are amazing, and it’s a moderate hike down to the base. Sometimes the falls are just a small trickle and sometimes they are flowing, depending on rainfall amounts. There are also smaller falls with pools that you can swim in, and those are next to the parking area. There’s a great amount of wildlife in the park, the deer were everywhere, and they are not afraid of humans. They will walk directly through your campsite. The park also has a lake, golf course, pool, playground, great biking, so much to do. The campground is large and has walk-in tent sites and RV sites with hookups. The sites are well spaced and wooded, so even if the campground is full, you don’t feel overcrowded. I always enjoy camping here and I highly recommend Fall Creek Falls.