Best Tent Camping near Smyrna, TN

Edgar Evins State Park is a large park with lots of activities for young and old. However, if you want to stay in the campground, make sure to take a freestanding tent unless you have creative ways to keep your tent up. Most of the sites have wooden platforms, and the fire pits are beside the road. Perhaps most people like that sense of permanence, but I personally prefer solid ground or even gravel pads. Fortunately, the one I used was a free-standing tent. There is another option, and that is to stay in the primitive camping area. Of course, they are walk-in sites, but they are not far from where you park. I would normally choose the primitive camping area for a couple of reasons. There is a little more privacy, and you have soft ground on which to pitch your tent. Obviously, if you are an RV camper, staying in the primitive area does not apply. Unfortunately, it was better this time to choose a site that you don’t have to walk to. Out of all the state park campgrounds I have visited, the bath rooms in this state park are the best. They are modern with tiled floors, and the showers resemble ones you would find at privately owned campgrounds. There are several different activity options—volleyball, horseshoes, playgrounds, hiking trails, etc. There is also an aviary, a marina, a restaurant, and a couple of boat ramps. For the children, there is the“Storybook Trail.” For other overnight options, there are also cabins that you can rent. In retrospect, the primitive area would have been a better choice. It definitely would have been more quiet. No matter whether you stay in the primitive area or the regular camping area, you will encounter hilly terrain. The camp store is fully stocked with most of your camping needs, and there is also a laundry. Overall, Edgar Evins State Park was a good place to spend time, but again, I have my doubts about the wooden platforms.

Edgar Evins SP is unique in that the campground sites are decks, which is actually pretty cool. Now the one down side is that certain sites can be a challenge to back into. If you are a talented backer upper shouldn’t be an issue. However if your backing up could use some practice, and/or causes fights with your spouse you may want to call and ask the easier sites to set up in...just saying, less stress. The bottom sites are along the lake and you are across from the marina. Another thing is your cooking area is off the side of your deck with your picnic table. The primitive sites are walk in and have some pretty sweet views of the lake. Downside your walking up and down a slope with your gear. Speaking of slopes, the whole campground is on a slope so your pretty much either going up or down. Cool stairways to use and strategically placed facilities. The store and trash are located wheee you park for the primitive sites at the entrance. There’s a trail in the campground that gives you a quick route to the beach area.

We are RTT campers and chose this place on a whim as the rest of the local tent camping spots closed on October 1st. We were lucky to find they had space available. However, it should be noted that this is more of an RV campground, the traditional tent sites are right by the gate and not very private. The RV slot we were given backed up to a green space that has grazing deer from time to time. The site did not have a fire ring or a picnic table and was a little far from the bathrooms, but it did have power and water available. That being said the bathrooms were extremely tidy, well heated, and the water pressure in the showers was amazing! The other RV’ers were super friendly and the staff was very helpful in our stay and responsive to our request for availability.

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. The primitive area has several water spigots to use (near each restroom and a few in between).

The outer loop sites all have electric and water hookups, but the restrooms are all on the upper level where the primitive sites are. If you don’t have your own bathroom, it’s a bit of a hill to climb and there’s only a couple spots to do it.

Overall, we loved it and we’ll be back for sure.

Another backside primitive campsite at Mammoth Cave National Forest, Ky.

A lot of people don’t realize the extensive trail system of Mammoth Cave. They come for the Cave and never take the time to enjoy the natural beauty of the area.

Before using this campsite you are supposed to check in at the visitors center. Unfortunately the ferry is closed so it’s a long drive around to the backside.

Turnhole Campsite is a short or long hike from the Maple Springs parking area. Sal Hollow Trail would be the long trail, twisty , turny and moderately challenging. Buffalo Trail is a straight hike in , take a left at the intersection and straight on to the campsite. Difference of about 3 miles-ish.

The trails are used by hikers and horseback riders, are well marked and lotsa fauna to see. No major vistas here, just woods.

The campsite has poles to tie your horses, a fire ring, tent pad and lantern hooks. Pretty easy to find seasoned wood to burn. DARK at night, lots of animal noises ;) not much of a night sky except in the winter months.

The cool thing about this campsite is your sorta on a peninsula of the river. Very private and it’s not on a loop trail so no foot traffic passing by.

We really enjoyed our text stay at Ragland Bottom campground. Even with it being a holiday weekend, the bathrooms were incredibly clean and the site did not feel crowded. We stayed at tent only site 22 and it had power and water. The gravel was on the coarser side and the pad was a bit rocky, but I was able to stale our tent out with a 2lb mini sledge. I did not like that the fire rings were located outside the tent pads, but they did have rock surrounds and a grill. The site also had a charcoal grill and wood railing along one side which came in handy for hanging towels and such to dry. Plenty of shade and the views were very nice.

The area is clearly designed for RVs, not tents, which was fine since I had my campervan. I did notice, however, some the the sites had seriously sloping drives so lots of leveling would have been required. The area is heavily wooded.y site had no view of the lake but some do. Most that have beach access also have electric. There are 10-12 of those sites. The remainder are primitive. The only water is near the dump station. To access the lake if you don't have a lake site requires driving to a separate area. The bathhouse is fine. Most sites seem to be large enough for a couple of tents and vehicles. Verizon service was adequate. No wifi.

Guns shots in the surrounding area in the overnight periods. I don't think they were originating from inside the campground. Also, campground is near the Nashville airport so air traffic can be heard. Generators are allowed in the campground.