Montgomery Bell State Park Campground

We've stayed 6 times at MB, it's my partners fave place to go. 

FAMILIES +++
With a great pavilion, Vb court, ball diamond, and playground, the far side of the camp is perfect for families, groups, and events. Our fave sites are 1-8, with #1+2 right next to the creek and the most updated bathrooms. If you don't want kiddos walking through your campsite to get to the playground, you may want to choose a higher number. 

BATHROOMS
there's three bathroom facilities; two newer ones and an older one. Ironically, the older one has a washer and dryer, bring quarters. Far side of the camp has tents and creekside spots, but a lot.of folks with big RVs tend to do the middle spots, they're more easily accessible. 

ICE AND FIREWOOD
Are for sale, $5 a bag/bundle. Super helpful staff. Unlike most camps that have gates, you can pull in, and simply stop with enough room for others to go around. 

THINGS TO DO
There's some historic hiking trail, historic old church/cabins, as well as the welcome center, the Inn, lake to swim, and a golf course nearby. 

DRIVE AROUND
With such an expansive park, aside from the camping area, you'll want to drive around to see everything, and bring your walking shoes if you prefer to hike. 

Check out the creekside campsites and book early if you want to accommodate your group OR get a spot. Sites are able to booked 6 months ahead, so think ahead. 

GREAT FOR GROUPS/FAMILIES

At only 35-40 minutes away from downtown Nashville, it is a great weekend or even one night getaway. There are both primitive and RV hookup sites. The hosts that were there when I went were very friendly and helpful. It's not backcountry camping but it is a great campground. There are also a few nice trails that connect right to the back of the campground. 

Easy Getaway from Nashville

we took our 3 young kids during monsoon season and the staff where amazing and getting the kids out and into nature!

Montgomery Bell is wonderful for families

**Campground Review**: _Montgomery Bell State Park_ The Four Mile Campground is nestled in a hollow offering shade and creekage on one side plus several of the trailheads start nearby and you are close to the lakes.

Our sites were on the edge of the woods and near the restroom. Large sites, room for multiple tents and people. The only **Con** I had was we were on the entry road so a little busy with vehicles and foot traffic. There was a trailhead right next to our sites.

Awesome hike, rolling trail with just enough challenge. Very cool natural spring right by one of the primitive campsite. Also historical area to discover. Will be back soon!

On other visits we have explored several of the connector trails. They offer more challenging single track. There is also an extensive mountain bike trail system.

Product Review: As a _Dyrt Ranger_ I get to review outdoor products. I had the opportunity to review the **Saris SuperClamp EX** bike rack. Which was good because I usually stuff my bike in the back of my truck.

The **Saris** was super easy to assemble and attach to the back of my truck. The tools needed came with the rack. Once on my truck I could easily fold it down out of the way or tilt it out for rear hatch access.

Loading and securing the bikes was a simple process. There are two “J” shaped arms that tilt out of the way for loading/unloading that tilt in to stabilize the bikes. Cables which are part of the assembly pull out , are run through the frame and then locked in the frame with key included.

We were at the park for a Triathlon and I was able to load my bike and my friends on the Saris and yaks on the top of my truck. This left plenty of room in my truck for my other gear and dogs.

The only **Con** I saw was that with my friends Jeep the rear door swings out so even with the tilt feature the assembly still had to be removed for access to the rear of the vehicle. Even with that though it was one easy step to remove the **Saris EasyClamp EX** . She then used the cable lock to secure the **Saris** to a tree.

Ranger Review: Montgomery Bell State Park and SARIS SuperClamp EX bike rack

Our impromptu visit helped us escape nashvegas. Creek front camping. Clean bath houses. Nice trails. Family friendly. Cute quirks.

Lovely and affordable 

Montgomery Bell (MB) is a very well kept State Park and campground. The campground is well planned with RVs and tent sites somewhat segregated, yet close enough to utilize the spaces well. Old shower point is Old, and needs modernizing, but the new shower house is very clean, has wash sinks, vending, and is worth the walk to for showering. The state park as a whole offers well kept trails, dispersed camping (by permit) and many amenities

Bell ringer of a State Park

it has been excruciatingly hot, however it is a very nice campsite.

July 4th visit

Campsites and bath houses were great and kept clean. Laundry facilities also on site. Would give five stars however some sites, including ours, were very rocky and unlevel. Swim area was very natural, as in Alger and such floating around. Worked great for our kayaks though! Some sites are smaller than anticipated. We watched the deer in the woods right from our site over coffee in the mornings. Overall, we will visit again! We will just be more careful on the site we book! ♥️

Lots of trees and wildlife! 

Campsites were fairly close to each other. Our campsite backed up to a creek and did not have anyone to one side. During the day, kids would wonder through the creek behind our campsite so if you’re looking for privacy, the Montgomery Bell State Park campgrounds is not the place. However, campsite 100 has the most privacy.

Great place to get away right outside of Nashville!

Enjoyed biking in this fairly level campground. Has sites with sewer hook up, cable, and of course water. Great State Park! Enjoyed visiting the birthplace of Cumberland Presbyterian church.

Shaded, quiet campground with a creek. 

Great place for a pit stop and the greenery is beautiful. Its always refreshing to get away and this park is safe and quiet.

Relaxing 

This park is great for family activity, and has nearly 20 miles of trails. All trails are marked very well and the park provides maps in the information office. It wasn’t too crowded when we went, but we did go early on a weekday.

Picnic tables, trash cans and grills are available at campsites. There are over 100 campsites available with a variety of electric, water, and sewer accommodations. They do get picky on how many people/tents are at each site so keep this in mind and review their rules on the website.

Great trails

this place was the most beautiful place especially in the fall. there park staff was great and super helpful!

beautiful fall location 

 Beautiful park. Lots of hiking  trails. Lakes, fishing, golf course, villas, conference center with nice restaurant that has both buffet and menu items. Biking is doable in the campground  area and over to the chapel. Biking to the lake, I don't  recommend.  Road has a lot of large hills and no bike lane on narrow  road.
Bathhouses very nice and clean. Most campsites  gravel, spacious  and level. Sites 71 and others nearby steep uphill  grade. Firepit and table. Variety  of primitive, electric w/ water and some FHU. Lots of trees. Small camp store with wood.

Great park, okay campground 

The park is amazing! The campground is ok, the spaces are good sized with plenty of space between, If tent camping, I would try to get one along the wooded sides, you’ll have more privacy that way. We stayed on site 99, across from a small creek, but right in the middle of the campground. The bathrooms are just ok, there’s no changing room in the shower stalls, so be prepared. 

Beautiful Park!

Clean and well kept campground. Sites are decent size but not very secluded. Bathrooms, including showers were clean. Draw to this campground would certainly be the state park. My wife ran a tri-athalon on a Sat so we stayed Fri and Sat. Great places to hike, bike and fish! 

Amazing State Park

I've grown up going to Montgomery Bell State Park and have been camping there for 23 years. The campground has water and electric hookups, space for RVs, and bathrooms with showers.

The campground is adjacent to a creek and a baseball diamond. In addition to these features, the park offers a lake for boating as well as a roped off swimming area and man-made beach. Next to the lake is the park lodge which includes a restaurant, meeting rooms, and a swimming pool. The lake also has a picnic pavilion with restrooms.

The park was built on an historic home site so there is an old chapel (which still has services) and an old log home as well as a small family cemetery. There are also a number of hiking trails, a suspension bridge, and very nice, modern cabins available to rent.

Great Facilities and Lots of Fun

The creek is perfect for little ones and dogs to walk in.  Nice and shady, restrooms were clean.  Quiet to just relax and sit back.  Great getaway.

Quiet, clean, fun

Great RV sites with full hookups. Creek behind most.  Will be back for sure. 

Super close and quiet 

The park was beautiful. We enjoyed all the little things - the lake beach, kayaking, the chapel, hiking, and beautiful scenery. Camping was really good...just wish we could have gotten a site with sewer. Our site #89 was near the back and was spacious and quiet, close to a wading creek and hiking trails. The sites nearest the front and the camp store were smaller and less shaded and had busy traffic. If staying near a holiday, plan on booking at least 2-3 months out.

Our biggest disappointment was the mountain biking. The hiking trails were in such good shape, we were disappointed to find the biking trails required a truck drive outside the actual park and were not as well maintained, especially with summer foliage. Trails were not enjoyable for our teenagers who race on school teams. Probably more advanced riders would enjoy the technical aspects - lots of uphill, roots, and rocks. No true family trail or flow anywhere on the trails, even those marked easy/beginner. 

Just shy of awesome

Not very happy with this campground the campsite was hard for us to place out tent on not much room and unlevel ground. the campsite was overcrowded too close together no privacy. WiFi was horrible. not very many activities to do for family or kids walking trails  not clear enough that we almost stepped on snakes the swimming Beach area was very small and only went to an adults waste the fishing spots were not the greatest really hard for kids to fish.

Not very happy with this park

Decent campground ⛺️ we were on site 67 which I would recommend. It’s on a hill with rocks, roots poison ivy as well as poison oak. So stay away from the side of site 67!

Other than that there is 3 lakes, and harpeth rive you can play in or fish.

Hiking, biking, camping, kayaking, paddle boarding

Very green and relaxing.  Sites are a good size and the bathrooms are decent.

Nature

The park is well kept, clean and lots of trees for shade. Good bike riding and walking trails. 

The sites are back in and range from full hook up to primitive. Most sites are level. The water, power and septic all worked w no issues and were in decent shape. The roads are asphalt but aging. Bathrooms and showers were aging but clean and well placed throughout the campground.
Some sites backed up to a slow creek, I would recommend 80 &amp; 81 they have fabulous creek access.

Peaceful, shady, clean

The title says it all   Nice well kept camp
Grounds   Restaurant in the park  site are level and large 

The Queen of Tennessee Parks 

A fantastic family-friendly state campground. Mostly quiet after dark. Neighbors are friendly and welcoming (you’ll find that many visit in groups). 

Amenities: Trails are pleasant. Playground is great. Bathrooms are clean but need an update. Not much in terms of wifi or tv if you are looking for that but att and verizon were usable. 

Roads feel narrow but we had no problem maneuvering in our 36’ 5er. River sites look great but we booked last minute. Wound up with a corner interior spot (107) that backs to a tent camping area so was fantastic for views, too and this spot was quite spacious. 

Location is lovely but is not that close to Nashville if that’s your goal. 

Quiet and Friendly

We’ve been tent camping for years and try to find places somewhat close to home because we bring our bulldogs with us. This campground is absolutely one of our favorites. 

It is relatively small, but the bathhouses are super clean, and the staff are amazing. I’m hesitant to let our secret out, but we just bought a camper so we won’t be using this campsite anymore. Campsite 78 is the best! One of the scout troops built a platform there years ago, and its perfect to pitch your tent off the ground. In addition, the site is in the back corner, so it’s private and huge! We’ve camped there for their big Halloween shindig for the past three years. 

I hope someone else will enjoy it as much as we have!

One of our favorites!

We like state parks because they offer lots to do and sites are usually a little spread out. That is not the case there! These sites are packed in like sardines!! We were lucky to have a site that backed up to the creek, so that made the stay a little more enjoyable. We are at the lodge for dinner one night and it was very nice with the renovations that have taken place. The park did have lots of trails and the old church was beautiful to explore in and around that area. Unfortunately, this will be a one time visit for us. 

Packed in like sardines

My favorite thing about this campground was it’s proximity to Narrows of the Harper, which I wanted to hike. Tent site, a little close in the campground, but not so bad it affected the experience negatively. Facilities well-maintained.

Good spot

No issues with t-mobile or at&amp;t service. Park is super shady and has a little river running through the back which is nice. Spaces are pretty close and the entrance looks a bit uninviting for a big class A but was totally manageable. The park beyond the campground is really beautiful and well taken care of. It rained for almost the whole week we were there but never had issues with power. Park does flood pretty significantly but not a lot of mud.

Shady and quiet

Great camping. The park is very well taken care of. Sites and we'll sized and level. Very clean bathrooms and they are heated as well. The staff we talked to were all very friendly and nice. 

Alot of hiking in the area. You can drive down the road and visit the lodge and lake as well. 

10/10! Great place 

Such a big park with lots to do. Really cool villas that you can rent out too. Golf course on the property too. We really enjoyed our stay here.

Large Park

Loved the area, the campground and the local hikes available 
I gave it 4 stars because our site was soooo close to the one next to us. We stayed in. 118. 
I would definitely go back….to a different site 

Nice getaway 

PROS 

Beautiful park

Site backed right up to small creek 

Super friendly squirrels who ate from our hand 

Clean toilet/shower facility with ample supply of TP 

Gravel site with wooden picnic table and small metal campfire ring with cooking grate Campfire wood for sale by camp host 

Nice restaurant at Park Lodge

2 bar signal T-MOBILE Free 200 MB or 3 days( whichever comes first) WIFI with login from park visitor center 

Dickson is closest Kroger, Lowe’s, Tractor Supply, Walmart  

  

CONS

$5 fee assessed to make my own on-line reservation 

NO senior discount 

Campsites are Extremely packed together. Some sites have the neighbor's trailer slide out against their picnic table.  Just doesn't make sense that the campground is slammed together when there are acres and acres of land here

Very narrow roadway through campground. 

Very tight maneuvering to back into site. 

No privacy from any other campsite 

Not dark sky friendly due to huge street lights at all 3 toilet/shower facilities 

Site 116 not level side to side 

Most campsite trees bare by Halloween

Campsites Extremely Close with Narrow Campground Roadway

The park’s website says to use Google Maps, which we did with no issues getting to the state park area. We had never been here before, and the signage coming into the park concerning the campground(CG) was a little confusing, but we made it to the check-in office. Check-in was quick and the narrow passage into the CG where we were directed to go looked more like a wide walking path, but we were assured:“people drive big rigs in every day.” We made it on the narrow road through the trees, through the tent area, and around a somewhat sharp curve to get to back-in site 93 with 50/30/20 AMP and water. The back-in was a little interesting as we had to pull forward on the road to the left that goes to the bathhouse to get straight on our site and then back in. We tried the traditional back-in, but because of the immediate curve to the right after site 93, there was no way to pull forward on the main road and back-in. Plus there were too many trees, etc., to swing, and there was a tent site in the way. As with other State Parks we’ve stayed in, the pad length was a little shorter than advertised, but we got our 39’ 5th wheel and F450 on the site. A creek runs through the backside of the CG which made for a nice view off the back of our site. We were at the transition point to the mix of electric/water and FHU sites that also back up to the creek. We got 3 bars on Verizon and 2 bars on T-mobile. Satellite would not be a viable option with all the trees in this CG. There were three bathhouses with one having laundry. We decided to stay here as this state park has a golf course. Montgomery Bell is a large state park, and we did not make it to the golf course due to the weather plus we were only staying one night. With this CG being on the edge of big rig-friendly and windy roads to get here, it would be questionable whether we’d stay here again.

Large State Park

Site is level and by the creek. My GSD loved cooling off in the creek. I liked that our site had the fire pit in the gravel area of our site, some are outside. I wanted to touch on the to close reviews that had me worried. The sites are close but I didn’t feel that was an issue really. We didn’t feel cramped or like our neighbors were in our business. We will definitely come back. 