Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park, near Millington, Tennessee, is a great place for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. With a mix of wooded areas and open spaces, it offers a nice balance for campers who enjoy both privacy and a sense of community.

The campground features spacious sites that are mostly level, making it easier to set up your tent or RV. Many visitors appreciate the ample shade, especially during the hot summer months, and the availability of drinking water and electric hookups adds to the convenience. As one camper noted, “This is a very wooded campground, offering lots of privacy.”

For outdoor enthusiasts, the park boasts a variety of trails perfect for hiking and biking, with well-marked paths that cater to different skill levels. The nearby Poplar Tree Lake is a highlight, offering opportunities for fishing and kayaking, though swimming isn't allowed. Campers have enjoyed the quiet atmosphere, with one stating, “Quiet and clean spot for a weekend away.”

While the facilities may show some wear, the friendly staff and the natural beauty of the area make it a worthwhile destination. Whether you're looking to unwind in nature or explore the local trails, Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park has plenty to offer for a memorable camping experience.

Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park

Are you in need of a campground near Millington, TN? There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Find the best campgrounds near Millington, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.

Millington

The Best Camping Near Millington, Tennessee

We were fortunate to get a very shaded site that was very private.  It is a nice park to bike around as the scenery is spectacular! Truly a 'back to nature experience' as our cell phones didn't get service, but it was somewhat refreshing.

site is important

Unless you are in love with mosquitos you may want to stay away from here in the summer, other than that it's a pretty nice place to escape for the weekend.  We spent most of our time hiking around on the trail system within the park and fishing a little bit.  I'm from the south so mosquitos are pretty much the norm for summer, so they didn't deter us.

Bring Mosquito Spray

The campground was beautiful and a very friendly staff. The bugs  were bad.

campground was clean, quiet, with playground. Bathrooms were clean.  15 minute drive to the Mississippi R. boat ramp was cool to see! we changed sites because of close neighbors and were accommodated helpfully. the best part was the blue grass music at the Shelby General Store. so much local, authentic fun:)

Visit Shelby Forest General Store!

The cabins are nice, and there are great hiking trails 

Great for groups 

Campground is very rustic, shaded and sites are kinda small. Cell service is spotty. Some sites are really close together and some are decent size. The day area around Poplar Tree Lake is nice with kayak, flat bottom fishing boats and paddle boats for rent. Cabins seem very nice from the outside. Lots of nice playgrounds and a disc golf course. 

Huge State Park

This was one of the first state parks in Tennessee I visited on my trip through the state. Despite being an older feeling camp it offered many unique features and options for keeping myself entertained. [(Check Out Their Website)](https://tnstateparks.com/parks/meeman-shelby)

When it came to camping not only were there tent sites but also cabins which had a very rustic feel. I opted for a tent site which ran $25 and had full electrical hookups (site 40), a big perk for charging my devices at the end of a busy day. My site had a bbq grill and fire ring in addition to a picnic table and was well shaded. I felt like the sites along this side of the road were a little more spacious than the other side of the road which were a little more close together.

I was about half way down the loop and a short distance from the restroom and showers which were in decent shape but nothing super special. The water pressure here was good for showering.

My favorite thing about this camp was the outdoor activities which seemed to be everywhere. I hiked both the Woodland and Pioneer Springs trails [(MAP)](https://tnstateparks.com/assets/pdf/additional-content/park-maps/37-meeman-shelby-sm.jpg), each about 4 miles and along the way enjoyed just taking in the outdoors. I will say that if you do any trails in late summer here you will need mosquito spray because they come in droves.

You can travel to the boat ramp and marina and rent boats there or bring your own to take advantage of the lake which winds through various types of vegetation and allows you to see the lake in a way you cannot from the shore line. I most enjoyed taking out a kayak and exploring the swampy feeling area, though I will say being so close to the Mississippi River I was afraid of what I might find lurking in the water.

[Book Your Site Here](https://reserve.tnstateparks.com/meeman-shelby-forest)

TIPS:

*   Bring citronella candles for your table when camping and try to put a dryer sheet in your pocket to ward off mosquitoes. In addition to spray these will make your trip here a bit more comfortable.
*   Bring your own firewood if you want to have a campground. There were signs around camp saying not to move wood.

Older Feeling Park With Nice Features

This campground has well spaced sites, plenty of nature and several trails. The bathrooms are dated. Staff is nearly non existent. The campground is at least 30 minutes from any town so plan ahead! The playground is small and the place is never busy. It’s great if you want to have a quiet nature loving vacation. Their website says there is a pool and this is NOT TRUE. 

Nice for nature lovers

My family and I live about 25 min from the campground at Meeman-Shelby State Park. We have been several times and have camped with tents, pop-ups, and now with our Geo-Pro. We love this campground.

Pros:
-49 available sites
-all sites with water, 30A, fire ring, grill and picnic table
-a variety of hiking/biking trails
-update playground
-lake with rental kayaks, canoes, boats (in season)
-fully functioning bathhouse that is dated but clean

Cons:
-no sewer at any sites
-some sites on the back sides of the camp ground are subject to erosion and can be unlevel and not ideal for kids
-large park so many of the activities outside the campground require driving
-1 bathhouse which can be an issue on certain weekends
-MOSQUITOS. If you go after the weather warms up, be forewarned that the mosquitos will eat you alive. We mostly camp at Meeman-Shelby in the fall/winter. We do not camp Spring/Summer.

There is a disc golf course that is very popular. There is a nature center that is under renovation that has snakes, spiders and owls to see. There are cabins to rent but we have never stayed in one. They look nice from the outside.

I’ve included several pictures of camp sites and the grounds. All in all, Meeman-Shelby is a great park and is perfect for families. Make sure to schedule a friday night dinner at the General Store. Steak and live music that sets the tone for a great camping weekend!

Perfect weekend campground in the Mid-South

We had a great time at this campsite.  Large camping areas with fire ring, grill and picnic table.

This campsite is right by a hiking trail so it was pretty easy to get firewood. The bathrooms/ showers area are well maintained and easy to get too. All in all a great trip and will be going again real soon.

Nice campground

The campground is generally more expensive than the other surrounding camping spots in the area. However, the camp is very nice. It didn’t feel crowded, the restrooms are clean, and the views are nice, especially camps 36-45. There is also good amount of hiking around. There is a longer 12 mile hike close by, and other shorter more challenging and less challenging trails. There is also a lake near by. 

Nice hiking and camping 

Meeman-Shelby, north of Memphis, is a nice addition for your camping travels.  Very quiet with decent, if old, shower and toilet facilities. Lots of mosquitoes due to the forest surrounds so be prepared.  Some sites have dual levels so be prepared there, too.  Not much privacy between sites.

Out of the Way Serene Forest

This is my neighborhood campground, so i might be a little biased. A great spot to spend the weekend with lots of good trails, a big lake for paddling and fishing, and quaint camp sites. The bathrooms are clean but have strong serial killer vibes. There used to be a pool here. I’d love to see that open again! 

Plenty to see and do

You really can't go wrong with Meeman-Shelby. It is so damn close to Memphis that while you won't feel like you are near an urban center, you benefit from its proximity. I very much appreciated being able to site see and camp during our brief overnight here. 

  

The campground itself is tucked away deep into the Meeman Shelby State Forest and offers a pleasant amount solitude even though the sites are fairly close together. We watched an super long RV struggle to back into their site, so I wouldn't recommend this campground to RVs that require pull through sites.

  
Not all sites are suitable for tent campers. I would call ahead to ask what sites to consider if booking online, or just show up. There are a lot of sites here and you'll find something.

  

The campground is not terrible even, so be prepared for that.

Forest Campground 20mins from Downtown Memphis

Reading through the reviews, they are all spot on. We stayed here in a 40' class A for 28 days. There are few spots that we would fit, but it worked out. The staff is great and the camp host is very knowledgeable. Under "new management", they are trying to clean the deadwood and control the mosquitos. Will stay here again!

Great Stay!

It’s good, not great. Proximity to Memphis was a plus, however, we had 0 service anywhere near our campsite. Nice to disconnect for a night, but plan accordingly. The park was nice, the staff were very kind, but the bathrooms needed some attention. Paid $28 for a tent spot, so for that price I would probably try somewhere else next time. 

Good for a night 

We were in RV site 25, which had a huge amount of space to roam. Weather wasn’t great for our 5 night visit in late January but we really enjoyed our stay. Windy roads, hills and GPS took us the “scenic” route into the campground. It’s just a few miles from the Mississippi River which this time of year had huge beach front to explore and watch the barges go back and forth. The bath houses need some work, there is NO cell service (which I kind of enjoyed) but other than that a beautiful park with plenty to do. 

Quite and Rustic

The campground is located in an old hardwood forest.  The park goes to the Mississippi River but no camping there.  There are also some nice fishing lakes on the ridge and interesting swamp hiking below.  Facilities are outdated and could use some improvements.   I haven't been in a couple of years but probably will.   Not all sites will accommodate a large RV so plan ahead.

Old Forest 

This park has tons of trees. Every site feels like it was cut right out of the trees. They are all RV sites with electric and water but I pitched a tent with no problem. I wasn’t able to stay and explore but if you’re looking for somewhere quite this is the place. 

Straight up in the forest 

Took our brand new RV here for its shakedown trip the very day I picked up as it is so close to home.  Was pleasantly surprised by the overall atmosphere of the campground.  The entire place is completely shaded, as it seems they too the effort to not cut down many trees when putting the sites in.  There is a playground for the kids.  Bath houses are passable but need to be remodeled badly.

Sites are all over the place on size, so pay attention to site length on the website as you are booking if you are an RV camper.  Tent campers will be happy with almost any site in the place.  Another thing to prepare for is picnic are location on your site.  While a lot of COE and private campgrounds tend to have the picnic are directly beside the parking spot for RV’s, only a few seem set up this way at Meeman-Shelby.  Many sites have their picnic area and fire ring directly behind or even on the off-side of any RV that would use the site.  I wish they would post pictures of the site for those wishing to book.  

Outside of the campground is a great state park for those looking for a good hike.  Tons of good trails.  There is also a bike trail with another really nice playground at its trail head.  Even if all you want is a scenic drive, there are some pretty good ones inside the park, and just along the parks northern edge is a road that will take you all the way down to the banks of the Mississippi River.

One more thing to prepare for is mosquitoes.  This campground is immediately adjacent to low wetlands along the River.  This means that mosquitoes are terrible in the summer around dusk.  Some bug spray, citronella, and a campfire seemed to ward them off.

Decent older campground

We stayed here Easter weekend.  It was full but the sites are far enough apart that you have plenty of privacy and quiet.  There’s great hiking near the campground.  The playground is centrally located.  If you have smaller kids, you may want to supervise as the equipment is more for the older elementary aged kids.  Bring plenty of bug spray.  

Easter Weekend

My friend and I camped for the weekend and it was great. Nice grounds. Showers, bathrooms were clean. 

Nice Family oriented 

Stayed for one night on the way through. Sites are pretty level. Water and electric fine.  Bathroom clean but dated.

Merman-Shelby

The road into the campground is a little narrow when meeting someone so keep that in mind. Zero and I mean zero cell signal lol. Not a deal breaker for us but may be for some. Roads inside the campground are adequate. We stayed in site #2 which in the description says it's 46 ft but our 38 ft 5th wheel filled it up completely. Had to pull my truck to the side. No biggie. Unfortunately we couldn't tell from the picture of the website there was a large oak tree to the left of the site so close we couldn't even use our awning. Plugged into the 50 amp and thankfully had a surge protector because it faulted. Finally got that squared away. Once we started setting everything up we noticed them...mosquitoes swarming everywhere. Literally hundreds. Almost to where it wasn't enjoyable to be outside. All in all we enjoyed our stay even with the issues but our next time will be cooler weather and a different site. Park ranger did tell us before we left the park has received a grant to make major renovations to the campground starting 2022 and finishing in 2023.

Beautiful park but...

The primitive sites (there are three) are on a separate and I maintained road off of the campsite loop. Spacious sites, but if the weather is wet, it can be a bit iffy getting to them in a low clearance vehicle. That said, facilities and staff were nice.

Primitive sites available

Decent spot. Lots of sites with water and power hookups. Water at site 9 where we were was very cloudy. Atleast 3 drive into primitive sites. Decent bathrooms with showers. A bit pricey $28 per night. Very friendly staff. The ranger mentioned that they will be closing for renovations soon, including trying to get a "portajohn" out by the primitive sites and developing sites on the water. Very helpful on the phone. Call if you have any questions. 

Meeman Shelby campground

Place was beautiful but the mold in the bathroom was worse then expected for a state park.

Peaceful and eerie…

I recently just stayed for a Friday-Sunday stay, we had 11 children and 6 adults. It was very accommodating for all three families. We have two tents and a camper. The workers were very friendly. Overall it was a great stay with lots of things to do. 

Great family campsite 

This is a great place to check out. Staff and Rangers are great! Come in the Fall when the humidity and mosquitoes are at bay!

Great Fall spot!

Some nice shady spots and quiet.  Was there in October and it was nice and quiet. Dogs are allowed. I did not have wifi or cell service (TMobile). But visitors with another service had wifi. There is wifi at the camp store/check in building. 

Nice quiet campground 

Ok - so this campground is a few things.  Will detail the good/bad below as we saw it:

  

Good

  

1\. This campground is super remote.  Like 20 minutes from downtown Memphis, but 0 bars of cell service.  Really nice for an escape, but hard if trying to work out of here.

2\. This campground is part of a HUUUUUUGE state park.  Like 10000 acres.  

3\. Tons of outdoors activities in this state park.

  

Bad

  

1\. No cell service.  Or Internet.  Or anything.  There is very small service for WIFI available at the visitor center, which is a 5min drive from the park.

2\. Bugs from April - October are pretty bad.  This is in a forest, so they are constantly around.

3\. Bath areas are old.  And full of mosquitos.  Would make sure you understand this before camping.

4\. No Full Hookups (state park).

Hot, Remote, Bugs

Good enough campground for one night stay. A bit of a walk to the bathrooms, but they were clean—flushing toilets and showers. At least 20 minutes to nearest grocery store.

Really big state park

I found merman Shelby Forrest on the Dyrt app stayed there a week really enjoyed it there the bathrooms and showers were clean the park workers were helpful and friendly I would highly recommend camping here

Love this app

Campsites are mostly spacious and hosts are friendly and helpful.  We really enjoyed the trails and roads for walking/biking. 

Not crowded and pretty quiet.
August in Tennessee is hot and muggy!

Great location for walking, hiking, biking 

Ample spaces in some campgrounds while some have small area, still larger than most of other camping locations. It can still be better if they can make camp bed with gravel for tent camping

Nice Campground

We love this state park. We frequent it regularly. The sites are all mostly level (front to back and side to side), the facilities are well maintained and the rangers patrol regularly. 

  

This is a very wooded campground, offering lots of privacy. There's a nice playground that my youngest is a big fan of. The campground is also a short drive from Poplar Tree Lake which offers boating and fishing (kayak rentals are available, or you can bring your own); no swimming area though.

  

Some of our favorite sites are 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 25, and 26. These are in all in the two smaller loops, though the main loop sites are quite nice as well, they just don't feel quite as secluded. 

  

Also, make sure to check out the Shelby Forest General Store. They sell little bit of everything, including great food if you don't feel like cooking at the campsite!

Love this State park

We live close and love being able to break away and isolate ourselves from the world. There is no cell reception really at campsites and that just makes it better. Quiet and clean spot for a weekend away. 

Perfect for a weekend hideout ♥️

Stayed a couple nights here. Ranger at the office was very friendly and when asked recommended places to go and see in Memphis. Bathrooms are dated. WiFi available at the headquarters office with pw. Site had some debris (old wet rugs).

Meeman Shelby state park 

Just so beautiful. Trails were well marked but not for faint of heart. Campsites were pretty close together and bathrooms not too great. Little black bugs swarmed on warm nights right a dusk for an hour. There’s an airport nearby and planes were constantly flying over one of the nights. We were the only tent there. Tent pads aren’t clearly marked but plenty of level ground to set up. Lake was gorgeous too, I was literally the only one out there. 

Loved it here!

Enjoyable 

Some of the park is beautiful and well-kept. The campground, however, is not. While we appreciated the ample shade during our hot July stay, the sites are quite short and were not mowed when we arrived or any time during our four night stay. The last day we were there, part of the campground was finally being mowed, but they stopped before reaching the two loops off of the main one. One site next to ours had a water leak and large puddle. If you have Verizon, there is zero service for miles, making it difficult to research directions or activities. It might be a nice respite for locals, but it does not make for a good base to use when traveling. The dump station has a fixed nozzle and no threaded connection to utilize for flushing or rinsing your tank. It can only be used to rinse the sewer hose.

Decent park, poor campground 

I was a first time camper and didn’t know what to expect. I can say that it was very serene and relaxing. Areas are very clean kid friendly playgrounds. Each space was far enough but not but also in proximity to each other for those who afraid to camp out somewhere totally alone. Bathrooms are nice and easily accessible near campsites. 

Photos of Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park

Real photos from real campers