This is a good spot for backpacking if you want a short hike to your first site. It’s about a mile and a half (uphill) hike from the trailhead. It’s a gentle grade that my husband and I hiked carrying our gear and two year old. There are some nice trails you can access from this point, including a 6.5 mile loop that doesn’t have a ton of elevation gain.

The site itself is used by horses and so shows the typical signs of wear (and bits of trash). There are only a few flat spots that are good for pitching a tent. There is a large creek near by which means easy access to water.

Also, we found a toad, snake, crawdad, and loads of millipedes so our toddler gives it her stamp of approval.

Bledsoe is great for little kids (which is now my primary criteria when judging a park). There is a flat trail next to the lake that my two year old loves to run up and down, playgrounds, and a story trail. There are also some nice hiking trails with beautiful views of the lake (for me) and lots of bugs and turtles (for the toddler).

While most of the campsites have RV hookups, there are several primitive sites next to the lake that are away from all the generator noise. These sites have ample room and a nice view of the lake.

Great camping for families that is a short drive from Nashville.

Campsite #1 is an easily accessible backcountry campsite that is only a mile hike from the Abrams Creek campground. My husband and I were able to hike this carrying our 26 pound toddler and all our gear. The site is next to a small creek that is a great water source (at least in May) and spot for playing. There is lots of room for tents and the ground is level and soft because of the pine. Our daughter had a fantastic time exploring and poking around and because it’s not next to a river or cliffs we didn’t have to be hyper vigilant. We hiked to Abrams Falls the next day (about 8 miles round trip).

Should go without saying, but if you’re planning to take a small child camping, be super careful, prepared, and alert.