Best Glamping near Thompson's Station, TN

Most campgrounds in Tennessee are buried in the woods, but not this yurt campsite at Ray of Hope.  The yurt sets on the side of a beautiful Tennessee Hill offering almost a complete view of the nighttime sky.  We watched the moon rise over a hill directly in front of the campsite, and we even saw a brilliant shooting star blaze across the sky for what seems like an eternity.  The Ray of Hope campground is a private campground that went above and beyond our expectations.  The yurt was clean, included battery powered lights and a LED lantern, and a full sized bed that made the night pass with ease.  The campsite also offers free firewood and a large fire ring.  There are two deck chairs at the campsite which are perfect for stargazing.  The entrance of the yurt faces sunrise and the farm animals serenade you in the morning when the mist begins to burn off the valley.  There is a well stocked outside shower surrounded by sweet smelling herbs.  Water and a toilet are near the shower stall.   The campsite is near the small town of Petersburg, TN where you can find two gas stations and a Dollar Store.  If it's hot outside, you might want to bring a battery operated fan.  This place is a perfect glamping experience for an extended date or weekend in beautiful Tennessee.

Used to be a KOA park turned independent. The campground is introducing "Glamping sites" along with their cabin rentals and RV sites. The manager and staff have been great with accommodations. The campground is family-oriented, quiet at night, and offers activities on the weekends and holidays. Though stated in Goodlettsville, it is in Millersville proper. For restaurants and grocery runs, take I-65 South to exit 97. Of course, you have the Nashville scene, but check out Mansker’s Station for some rich history of true pioneer spirit. Opryland and Downtown Nashville are about 20 minutes away, respectively.

This park is not only absolutely beautiful, the high level customer service makes your stay even more enjoyable. Want a slice of Tennessee? This is it. All RV parks should take note. This is how it is done. Amazing views of the lake. Beautiful level concrete pads. Spacious sites for everyone. Totally impressed! We stayed in the winter. I can imagine the summer months are incredible Go Go Go

When I happened upon this campground I was pleasantly welcomed by a visitor center and hiking from the moment I entered the park.  But no matter how nice this area was I wasn’t able to even expect what was to come with the camping facility which by far was a surprise to say the least.   

I had seen great reviews for this place, like many in Tennessee, but the amenities never seemed to stop when I actually arrived.  From an Olympic sized swimming pool, horse stables, a historic chapel, butterfly garden, playgrounds, picnic areas, hiking trails, nature center and even outdoor recreation fields.  It seemed never ending! There was even a cave, that with special permit you can crawl into and explore!

The spaces were closer together than I might have have normally liked, but everyone was so friendly it didn’t seem to matter.  When I was there, there was an event going on that coming weekend so it was a bit more full than typical week day would have been.   

Still despite all the people, it wasn’t loud.  People did not blast music, talk loudly after hours or have generators humming throughout the night.  Instead it was like being in this nice isolated area just with a bunch of neighbors also enjoying the isolation.

I took full advantage of all the outdoor spaces, the only one I didn’t get a chance to enjoy was the pool which was at a point during the season where it was only open on weekends.   

I would stay at this site again if passing through.  Reservations are not required but could be helpful on busy weekends like the one I stayed just before.  I do suggest checking into the office also to get a Passport for the State of Tennessee (a small book you can stamp with each stop you make at a state facility).

TIPS:

• Bring your sense of adventure!  Lots of things to do from birdwatching to hiking and everything in between.
• Sit in the butterfly garden.  The area is so peaceful and beautiful because of the unique selection of plants selected to draw in the butterflies.  It is a perfect place to spend some time in quiet reflection.

We camped here for 2 full weeks.  The campground at Cedars of Lebanon State Park deserves 5 stars for their proximity to Nashville, the large paved pads for campers, the peaceful woods, and their overall cleanliness.

However, we were here when there was construction going on.  It was LOUD from 8am to 4, 5, and even 6pm somedays with working trucks and digging up the Tennessee Rock.  

The weekends were peaceful without the construction, and the trails are all easy and flat.  The showers worked well and were the typical campground showers.  

The wifi that is listed on the website is basically nonexistent, so don't count on that for anything important.  But Verizon had good service, while AT&T was fair.  

Only Campground 3 was open during our stay and you can see the work they are doing here is going to make a huge difference to be big rig friendly.  Enjoy!

This was our first stay here, and we had heard great things about it. It is a beautiful state park known as the"Queen of Tennessee's State Parks". There are 4,000 acres with mountain biking, fishing, hiking, picnic areas, kayaking/canoeing, and a golf course. Nashville is only 45 minutes away. The campground was nice. Our site was tight, and we didn't have a lot of room for our truck. We had to move to a different site for the 3rd night and the water connection was quite a reach. The sites were mostly level and some were shaded. The bathhouse was clean and there was a laundry area with 2 washers/dryers. We did have a picnic table and fire ring. We had 2-3 bars of Verizon 4G. There was a playground for the kids. There is a small creek that runs along the western edge of the campground. We did spot some snakes(copperheads maybe?) near the creek. There is a small camp store that had a few supplies, ice cream, ice& firewood. The employees were very nice. We would definitely stay here again.

My son Conner and I stayed at the Old Stone Fort Campground in Manchester, Tennessee on the night of Monday, July 8, 2019. We arrived at the park and were checked in at the museum entrance by the helpful and courteous staff. They really made us feel welcome. The campground setting is dense, lowland hardwood. The sites are very close together, so you will need to love your neighbor as yourself on holidays, or if you need solitude, you may need to go during the week or on non-holiday days. Each site had a water spigot, electrical hookups, an asphalt pad, a fire ring with grill, and a standalone grill. Some sites had a raised, gravel tent pad which would come in very handy on nights when rain’s in the forecast. The bathrooms were old, but they were clean, well stocked, and functioning. Recycling bins were also located near the well lit bathrooms. Trash was picked up in the morning from the campsite, and throughout the day and night rangers and park staff made their scheduled rounds for security. The campground is near the Old Stone Fort which is a stone wall constructed nearly 2,000 by the native people of the Tennessee Valley. Its sacredness is felt as you tour the many waterfalls that surround the campground and archaeological site. There are numerous swimming holes for kids and adults and a non-motorized boat launch near the campgrounds. There is a small museum on site and is free to the public. After the museum tour, you can walk the trails free of charge and see the ancient ruins. If you are going to the campground during the summer, you will need a good DEET based bug spray. For those traveling in RVs, you will need to call ahead and make sure your RV can make it across the one lane bridge that serves as the only entrance to the campground. In addition, it’s worth noting that the campground is near the small town of Manchester. You will hear an occasional siren, but other than that you will feel like you are a thousand miles away from town. I’d suggest driving through the campground and selecting a couple of possible campsites before registering. The three loops are well used, but we enjoyed staying on the main drive. Overall, this is a wonderful campground near a very fascinating archaeological site. The trails and waterfalls make this a great place to visit if only for a day.

Campground Review

Camping

Davy Crockett State Park is a Tennessee State Park. This is our go to park when we just need to get out in the woods for a few days. There are two separate campgrounds in the park, campground 1 and campground 2. All of the sites have water and electricity but no sewer. Campground 1 is next to the creek and many of the sites back up to the creek. Most of the sites next to the water are not very deep which means you are squeezed in between the road and the creek. They do seem to be plenty wide enough that you don’t feel you are on top of anyone. There also isn’t very much shade next to the water. The sites in campground 1 that are not next to the water are a little better. Deeper with more shade and privacy.  For various reasons, we always choose campground 2. The sites here are deeper and very shaded and private. We prefer site 71, 72 or 73. This trip we were at 74 and our friends were at 73. If you are camping with friends and have kids you can get sites 102 and 104 which are in the center of the campground loop and next to the playground and pavilion. Some of the sites here are elevated a bit and the fire ring and picnic table are down a small hill. We liked that because it keeps the campfire smoke out of the tent or camper. Another reason we choose campground 2 is the bath houses. They have been recently renovated and are super clean. There are two in this small campground so they are never crowded. 

Park Amenities

There are several different hiking trails to choose from, one leads down to Crockett Falls, which is a great place to play in the water during summer months. For those with children, there are two HUGE playgrounds your kids will love. There are also tennis courts and basketball courts near one of the playgrounds. Fishing and boating are available on the lake. You can rent both boats and fishing poles at the pier shop. There is a small museum that highlights details of Davy Crockett’s life. Near the museum are several rescued animals that the park rangers care for that you can see up close. On our visit there were hawks and owls. There is an Olympic sized swimming pool that is open Memorial Day to Labor Day. We didn’t try it our but it looked very nice. We did try the restaurant and it was great. They offer an all you can eat buffet with country style food but we ordered off the menu. Salads, sandwiches and chicken and fish plates are available. 

Product Review

As a Dyrt Ranger occasionally I am given products to try and review. This camping trip we are trying out a product from www.leatherman.com . The product is the Leatherman Signal. This is Leatherman’s gift to campers, hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. It has 19 different tools on it. My husband has been carrying this multi-tool for about 2 weeks prior to this camping trip so he could get a feel for its everyday usefulness. We also used it quite a bit on this trip while setting up camp and getting our fire going. There is a lot of usefulness in this tool but the ones that we found most handy were as follows:

·         hammer – we used it to secure the stakes for our camper awning

·         saw – we cut medium to small sized branches for fire wood

·        awl – a grommet on the canvas of our pop up broke and we punched a new hole

·        fire starter – we only did this because it was cool and it worked with my dryer lint starters

·        can opener – worked great

·        screw driver - has phillips and flat head

·        

My husband is a machinist so he knows quality metal products. He thinks this is a tool with longevity. It has a plethora of uses and can be used at work or at play. It comes with a belt pouch, but he liked the clip that allows it to clip on your pocket for ease of access. The different tools are well made and sturdy. They will stand up to heavy use and are a great option to replace numerous, more bulky tools in your pack or tool box.   Here is a link to his video review.

Myself and a group of friends all went camping here for my husband's birthday.

The campsite had enough trees for 3 of us to hammock camp and the trees provided plenty of shade, which is nice!! We also we're able to fit 2 tents in our site as well with plenty of space left for activities :) The site was near the Duck River so we were able to see it from our campsite and you could hear it, too!

This park has some good hiking trails that are not that hard. Easy enough to take your kids on if you have any.

The campground is basic. If you’re looking for a quiet weekend close to Nashville this is your place. However, it’s pretty basic. It’s well maintained but also dated.

Enjoyable stay. The campground is well maintained with plenty of shade at the sites. The bathrooms are nice and warm in the winter and clean.

Stayed one night at Backcountry Site 1, and had the whole place to myself. Really manageable (and pretty) hike for an amateur camper like me with a bad back. Once I set up, I explored the river which was very nearby, and then did a little hiking. Lots of shade and from what I could tell, the facilities were really nice. Best part was definitely all the greenery on the river trail.

Great December sleep in go as we headed south. Clean campground and beautiful scenery...will return outside winter season.

We stayed at this campground recently and because the wifi coverage and speed was so good was actually able to "work from home" here.  We were on site 18 and it was very level, paved and double wide. Parking was easy and it accommodated the 38' RV and a SUV. The sites all seem to be well shaded and spaced sufficiently apart. Travel to and from the park is on good roads.  Chapel Hill, just to the north, offers all you might need with a hardware store, Dollar General, walk in clinic and restaurants. The park also offers a golf course which I didn't play due to the heat, but is on my list now that I've seen it. 

The trails we hiked were well maintained and there is a quiet paved road suitable for bicycling. 

Because of the close proximity to home, this will become on of our go-to spots for a weekend camp

Nice campground located on the Duck River in a TN state park. Enjoyed walking along the river.  It is not secluded and is right off a local highway but has many conveniences.  Across the street is the main park area with nice amenities -- kids playground, pool, disc golf, camp store, golf course and newly renovated park restaurant & visitor's center.  Everyone that I came into contact with was friendly and helpful.  It is a great place to relax but you still have many things to do.

Great quiet place to camp. Secluded with great hiking trails. Loved the pool area with concessions.

Henry Horton boasts easy access, clean showers and sites. They offered many interesting programs for all ages. Staff and host friendly. Restaurant closed for updating.

this place was very beautiful but the staff was not very helpful for us.

Website said trail for primitive was good for beginners. It isn’t. That was a pretty difficult trail. Also for primitive don’t plan on bringing anything other than a backpack cause you will need your arms for support during certain climbs. They need photos of actual trail w/ site photos.

Very clean, well-maintained campsite. Stayed in March when weather was pretty cool...heated bathrooms! bathroom facilities are very clean, and there are showers. There’s a fun little playground for kids. Great trails!! Campsites are somewhat separated by trees...it felt private.

The primitive camping sites are directly across from three group sites, each of which accommodate up to FIFTY people. The problem with this is that most folks, like me,  book primitive campsites because they are looking to get away from the noise in the RV campground. There was no peace and quiet to be had, unfortunately, because there were several gigantic groups of kids camping in the group sites across from us.  The noise was truly constant up until quiet hours.  We were camping with another couple who was unable to get their young child to sleep until very late because of all the noise.  Speaking of kids, one of the parents in the jamboree across the street thought it was acceptable to bring her kids over to play in our campsite.

If you're looking for a Bonnaroo type camping experience with lots of cars, activity, and noise, you will enjoy the primitive sites here.  If not, I would actually suggest booking in the main RV campground or camping elsewhere.

On the plus side, the sites were well-maintained and site 15 was scenic and spacious.

Went well. Camp staff were friendly and provided dry firewood. It was December so everything was too damp. Only reason I don't give it a 5 star rating is because I feel that the 2 dispersed sites were still a little too close. They sit about a few hundred feet apart so I could still see and hear my neighbors. Great trip regardless

Campground was very neat (fall in TN with leaves everywhere is a huge feat but they did it!) Bathhouse was clean and general store was great to have onsite. Staff was very friendly, just like fellow campers, as usual.

Wide river and short trails

Stayed with our van in the primitive sites here and had a great time! Very affordable and not many other campers (but if the group camp sites are booked I’d go elsewhere, they’re very close). The bathroom is super far away, but there was a portable potty for a few days until they inexplicably took it away. If you have a camping bathroom setup and are comfy going to get water if needed, it’s a great value and gives you want more privacy.

Also the showers here are the best I’ve ever experienced at a campground. They have signs saying you can shower for $5 even if you don’t camp here.