Percy Priest Lake provides the backdrop for pet friendly camping near Smyrna, Tennessee, with water temperatures reaching the mid-80s during summer months. The lake spans 14,200 acres with 213 miles of shoreline, creating numerous waterfront camping opportunities within a 15-minute drive of Smyrna. Winter temperatures can drop below freezing at night, making early spring and fall the most comfortable camping seasons for pets and owners.
What to do
Kayaking at Percy Priest Lake: Launch directly from Seven Points Campground where sites are positioned near the water. "Perfect for people who like to be surrounded with nature. Very clean and well maintained spots. Great price. Water and electric but no sewer. There is a dump station in the campground," notes Sarah F. at Seven Points.
Hiking with dogs: Long Hunter State Park offers primitive campsites with trails ranging from easy to moderate difficulty. "If you enjoy carrying all your essentials on your back and sucking your water through a filtered straw then this is the camping/backpacking park for you! Actually though excellent practice run on your primitive skills," writes Shelly S. about Long Hunter State Park Campground.
Boat rentals: Four Corners RV Resort offers watercraft rentals right at their marina. "We spent a week on a Lakefront site with breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. Additionally, we were right next to one of the courtesy docks where our family members picked us up on their boat, enjoying the lake coves and scenery," shares Erich H.
What campers like
Concrete pads at waterfront sites: Nashville Shores provides stable foundations that keep pets clean during wet weather. "Nice clean paved spots facing the lake. Full hookup with playgrounds and a general store. The water park is amazing," mentions Jared B. about Nashville Shores Lakeside Resort.
Private lake access from campsites: Anderson Road Campground offers sites with direct paths to the water. "We picked an awesome site- number 8 is a huge pull through with water and electric, a grill, prep table, picnic table, and fire ring with grill. The site has its own path and private lake access," reports Greg S. about Anderson Road Campground.
Dog washing stations: Four Corners RV Resort provides a specialized area for cleaning pets after lake activities. "There is a swimming beach (see pic) as well as several relaxing spots, a playground, a bark park and a dog washing station. There is a bath house, laundry, a gym and a small store," explains Susan & Kevin W. at Four Corners RV Resort.
What you should know
Mosquito preparation is essential: Lakefront sites can have severe insect issues, particularly in summer. "The mosquitos. It's camping on a lake in the south but our neighbors staying in the lakeside lots could hardly even be outside. They would swarm you on the docks, too," warns Josh K.
Canadian geese are prevalent: Expect to encounter waterfowl throughout lakeside camping areas. "Spent two nights here for Labor Day 2020. We stayed on the center strip in the primitive area. The facilities were well maintained and clean. Each site has a concrete picnic table, fire ring, and a moveable lantern hook," reports Dan R.
Water access varies by campground: Some locations have beaches while others have rocky shorelines. "The lake is rocky here but we had no trouble walking in and swimming with our Crocs on. All sites in this small loop campground are great and very large," notes Greg S.
Tips for camping with families
Bathroom accessibility: Consider campsite location relative to facilities. "Poole Knobs has all of that, but the bathrooms were ridiculously hard to get to. If you get a site along the lake, expect a long walk and then an arduous climb to the bathroom and showers or hop in your vehicle and drive there," explains Larry R.
Halloween events: Cedars of Lebanon State Park hosts special themed weekends for children. "Their halloween weekend is a great time of fun for the kids!" shares Justin L. about Cedars of Lebanon State Park Campground.
Pet-friendly playground areas: Many campgrounds feature designated areas for both children and dogs to play. "We had a nice clean site, number 62. It had a fire pit, grill and picnic table. The site location was great for us because we had our 5 dogs with us and there was room at this site to let them out with ease and we were right next to a hiking trail for their walks," reports Ashley U.
Tips from RVers
Level site selection: Choose carefully at Anderson Road Campground. "I did notice, however, some the sites had seriously sloping drives so lots of leveling would have been required. The area is heavily wooded. My site had no view of the lake but some do," advises T K.
Nashville I-24 sewer connections: The design makes tank emptying particularly easy. "My site was pretty small and a back in site but that was no problem since I have a small camper. The site was full hookup and probably the easiest sewer connection I've had at any campground, very low and easy to drain and flush my tanks," reports River R. about Nashville I-24 Campground.
RV site spacing considerations: Nashville KOA Resort sites can feel crowded during peak seasons. "Sites are very compact. You lack any privacy. They do have a lot of trees to make it feel less like a parking lot," notes Missy R.
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