Laura H.

The Dyrt Pro

Joined April 2020

I am a a fulltime RVer and she half of Hebard’s Travels. We began our journey in 2016, with a 41ft 5th wheel and dually. We travel with pets and we’re always looking for campgrounds close to everywhere we want to travel to. We’re a solar rig and love boondocking as well.

The RV park itself is awesome!

This park was awesome, beautiful views, rolling green grass, full hook up and partial hook ups for a decent fare. There is a lot to do nearby, it’s easy to get to the park and they have good cellular connection.

This park has 1 issue. Communication.

There are 3 reasons/experiences we will never return. There is a couple who camphost (fulltime RVers), and another couple who are the owners who live in a house on property. Pretty standard setup. Generally speaking- if you obtain permission for something from the camp host, you can reasonably expect that you have obtained the proper permission.

  1. Arriving Early. Again- working, we called to ask permission to show up at 12:00pm instead of 2pm, communicated: if we could, we would like to not miss a full day of work moving the rig. Female who answered their only phone, said no problem, come on in, your site is open. Fantastic! We show up and the female owner of the park (we didn’t know who we talked to we just called their phone line)- was mad as hell that we were there early. We explained the screw up and apologized because it was a legitimate mistake. We thought that’s the end of it. Moving on.

  2. We were there for 17 days, and needed to get a couple of boxes, one being our ballots to vote, one small package, and one medium size package. We again called the phone number, a female answered, gave us permission and told us the address. The first two arrive without issue. The third was apparently a problem with the female owner once again, even though the previous two packages- she never indicated there was a problem.

  3. Booking- we originally booked 7 or so days and had to book more because of rain. We moved sites as they requested. Again - spoke to a female on the phone, no problem, y’all can stay until the 24th, this time she said “I wrote myself a note to tell the owner”. Cool, as a guest my work is done, all set. On the 23rd the female owner of the park came and beat on the door. My husband was at work. She was very angry, I was very confused. She asked when we were leaving and why we haven’t left, still confused I replied we paid until the 24th which is tomorrow and we will be leaving early in the morning. This made things epically more hostile. She said I was inconveniencing her other patrons because they expected full hook ups. I didn’t know what my husband had done or who he spoken to, all I knew was that we were leaving on the 24th. So I offered to call him and get to the bottom of it. I had him call her to simplify things. She screamed at him on the phone which goes through his hearing aids. He asked her to speak more quietly so he could understand her. Apparently she has the camp host approve things or doesn’t communicate with the camphost well. Each of these 3 things had sent her over the edge. She wouldn’t calm down so he hung up, so she called back and left a scathing voicemail about how rude he is…

We will never return, the last thing we need right now when everything is chaos for 2020- is to deal with that.

Camping on the River

This is one heck of a family getaway spot. The River is flowing behind the park, open to Tubers (Rental from the office), great outdoor playground and pool.

The park offers guests bike rentals, tube rentals, outdoor movie nights, ice cream and fudge, and a convenient store in the main building. Firewood is available for a fee. They have a snack bar too. They have a Hay Ride that currently cannot be accommodated but hopefully will again soon (Covid).

Many of the RV Sites have water views or are located on the water. They offer cabins for rental as well.

This location had poor TMobile service but better AT&T. Streaming was limited during our stay.

They do have cable tv, 50amp power, honey wagon service, and a dog park.

Smaller KOA Nestled in The Smokies

Newport KOA is conveniently located near I-40 North East of Knoxville, TN.

This campground hosts standard RV Sites and Cabin Sites. They have bathrooms, a pool, WiFi, a dog park, firewood for sale, propane, and more. They have lots of travelers coming through from races and for motorcycle clubs, and RV rallies.

We found this location because we had difficulty finding camping locations in the area and we were pleasantly surprised to see this pretty park!

We had decent AT&T cellular service but TMobile was not as good. We were able to stream and work efficiently.

There are caverns nearby to go explore and of course it’s in the Smokies!

Great Way to Explore Nashville

Nashville North KOA is a well developed park with large level sites. It has conveinient access to I65 and Highway 31W.

They have 30/50amp full service hookups and Cabins.

One of the coolest deals is the local winery deals while staying there. They have a laundry center, store, new playground, pool, dog play area (Kamp K9), checkers, ladderball, and shuffleboard. Restrooms are available, ice and firewood for sale.

Cellular signals were good for AT&T and TMobile, we were able to work and stream.

Fun events and dinner/music festivals every weekend April-October! They have long-term rates for $600/month.

Glamping in Pigeon Forge

This is not exactly the camping in the woods without hookups atmosphere. This is more of a every want/need met glamping RV Resort. And it’s awesome!

The RV sites are large and level, full hookup. There are gorgeous cabins that look more like tiny homes, and the atmosphere at this park is a great way to retreat. 100 ft max for RVs.

Very kid friendly, pet friendly (Kamp K9), lots in the area to go do and see. Pools, hot tub, kitchen, firewood for sale, fishing access, snack bar, cable tv, and WiFi.

The staff here is awesome, very helpful and knowledgeable. The park is very clean and well kept.

Cellular service for TMobile was not very strong but AT&T provided plenty for streaming and working.

Convenient and Clean

Kingsport/Bristol has easy access from Interstate 81 and the campground is easily navigated with a large 5th wheel.

They have cabins, a nice pool, a blob, lots of outdoor activities, playground area, horse shoes, even with it being a smaller KOA Campground there is a lot to do. The park is also near Warriors Path State Park, which is fun to go hike and see.

They have several large pull through sites, as well as back in smaller sites. They have 50amp service and full hookup sites.

Cellular reception is decent for TMobile and AT&T.

This park is frequented by travelers and NASCAR fans.

Great Access to Mammoth Caves NP

This park is located on the entrance road to Mammoth Caves NP, and it is a spectacular way to stay and enjoy the hiking in the caves!

The park was smaller than many Encore and Thousand Trails parks but offers all of the normal amenities including the pool, playground, clubhouses, putt putt and more. They have sites that are easy to get into, some pull through and some back in. They have full hookup and some partial hookups. There are many seasonal or permanent campers.

Cellular service was ok with TMobile and AT&T. Once you come away from the hills it is much better.

There are many local restaurants within 20 minutes and several other cave systems to see here as well.

Very Pretty, Very Remote

We enjoyed our time here but there are some things to know about this park. Most importantly, there is a special way to get into this park. They have a low bridge right outside of their park that prevents you from getting here the easy way. The bridge is at 12ft if I remember correctly, it is too low for most 5th wheels and many class As.

The park is located along the Natchez Trace and it is a great spot to stay if you’re wanting to explore the history, hikes, and waterfalls.

The campground has a pool, lots of activities, campfire rings, and it is a great way to just enjoy being at a campground.

The park does not have good TMobile or AT&T and other campers stated that Verizon is ok but not streamable.

The park has a variety of types of sites, some are full hookup, some are not. The park looks like it is in the middle of expansion but not actively being worked on (2019).

They have a pool, lots of activities, great clubhouses, and large sites. There are many seasonal or more permanent RVs, that have occupied the sites with the best views. Large mature trees in this campground make many of the sites really pretty and shaded.

The roads throughout the park need some work, there are large pot holes that are difficult to avoid.

Travelers Oasis

We stopped at this park in 2019 when my husband needed to take a couple of down days on a long haul across the country. It was a site for tired eyes. The park is very clean, and even though they were full, they were more than willing to park us in their overflow. We still had full hookups and they were so nice about everything.

This park is very conveniently located North of Chattanooga and South of Knoxville. They have easy proximity to the interstate and a park that is easy to get into and back out of.

They have less amenities since it is built more for those traveling through, but they have done an amazing job with landscaping and keeping it relaxing.

Cellular service was good, we were able to stream and work.

I believe this is owned by a couple who live on the property and everyone we met here was very nice.

Awesome Holiday Campground

This is a very lively, well traveled RV Park and Campground. Sweetwater is a Holiday KOA meaning it’s has more amenities than their Journey parks (meant for traveling through).

The park has quite a few large sites for big rigs that are about 80-100ft long. The maximum rig size is 60ft. Some sites are paved, most are gravel. There are two sites that are very long with amazing decks.

The park offers full hook up RV Sites, Cabins, Tent sites. For amenities there is a bouncy blob (dry), small pond with fountain and memorial bench, large playground for the kids, volleyball, basketball, I’m not sure what the game is next to the blob. They have two dog parks, one for tiny pups and one for larger pups. There is a nice pavillion near the pond with a large fire pit. They have trash bins distributed throughout the park making trash disposal convenient.

This park goes all out for the holidays. We are a month out from Halloween and they have done a spectacular job with decorating. They have lots of kids events. On Saturday there is a train that takes kids and adults on a ride around the park.

Everyone who works here has been super friendly and helpful. They really seem to go above and beyond making sure everyone has a great stay.

Cellular signals for AT&T and TMobile we’re both pretty good. We were able to stream and work. There were a couple of brief moments that getting signal was a challenge, but overall it was easy to work.

Excellent Journey Park

This is a KOA that is top of the line. Although it is a “Journey” Park, meaning usually it’s meant for short stays and traveling through, it is a park many would want to stay longer. They have great signage and it was easy to find the park.

We used the KOA app to sign up for a reservation.

They have RV Sites - full and partial hook ups, Cabins, Tent Sites, and lots of activities. The park is clean and well kept. It is quiet at night even being near an interstate. RV Sites are mostly level, there were a few that were not as level.

You are led to your site by staff at the park. The staff is very friendly and helpful.

Each RV site has a table and fire ring, some do not have sewer hookups but they use a waitlist system to get full hookups. This was a bummer since we paid for full hookups and we’re currently working, no one called to let us know- we were notified upon checking in. Fortunately we were only visiting the area for 6 days for work, and we know how to boondock well.

They are very pro-pet walking, with very convenient waste disposal and frequent pet waste stations.

Cellular service for AT&T and TMobile we’re both excellent.

The park is full every night and has lots of people in and out daily.

RV Park and RV Repair!

Parker’s Crossroads is located very conveniently off of I-40 and the park is gorgeous! They have some long term campers, storage, and an RV Repair Center on site. The shop inside has more parts then we have ever seen at an RV Park. While here we needed a switch for a water heater, they had it!

The campground had some narrow roads and some less than level sites but they were all doable. They have a nice pool area, spaces for dogs to be walked (on leash), pet waste disposal, cabins, and full hook ups.

The park was very quiet and clean, well kept. They have large mature trees, and great landscaping.

The cellular service for TMobile and AT&T we’re both decent and streaming video was possible each night.

Great location, easy access!

This park is an older KOA that is now a private campground. There are many long term residents but also a lot of RVers stopping through. This is a true RV Park with full services, propane, a pool, nice dog walking area, and long pull throughs. The park is kept very clean and has great landscaping.

While normally we prefer to be in the country away from the cities, we were here for work and we were very impressed by the care they take for this park. The staff was all very helpful and spent a lot of time making sure campers have a great experience. We will definitely return!

Cellular signals were great for AT&T and TMobile.

There is a busy road outside of the park, but that also means great restaurants and quick drives to things we wanted to go do!

Standard KOA/Awesome stay!

This is a typical KOA park but in an awesome area. The only downside is the traffic noise from the highway. It was not audible inside the RV so it wasn’t enough to disturb sleep.

The park has nice long pull through spaces, and quite a few long term residents of the park. They have a very nice dog park with obstacles for them in a central location to be accessed by everyone.

The sites were level and clear of obstacles. They left plenty of space for vehicles and rigs. We had a pull through patio and the space had a giant beautiful tree that was very helpful in the heat.

Equipment is well maintained at this location! Cell service for AT&T and TMobile we’re both excellent.

Awesome Stop

We stayed 4 nights on our way through Kentucky and really enjoyed this park. It is very close with easy access to Interstate 69 and Highway 68. It is right next door to the Land Between Lakes and Benton, KY.

This is more of a travelers park, although there were quite a few long term residents in RVs. The park is built on hills but they did a great job leveling the sites. Gravel roads take you to your spot. There is water and electric. They have a dump station and pump out services. They do have showers available, they were the push button showers so it wasn’t a long relaxing hot shower (had to warm up each time).

Cellular service for AT&T and TMobile were both great.

Owners were very friendly, and made the check in process easy.

Beautiful Park near Louisville

Louisville South KOA is a beautiful park, well maintained, with lots of green grass. It upholds more than the standard quality of a KOA and is a KOA Holiday property which means it has more to do than the journey parks. They have a nice community area in the middle with things for dogs and kids to do. They have a centrally located bath house and several cabins on the property. There are several longer term campers, lots of overnighters, and during the weekday it wasn’t difficult to get a space. On the weekends the park fills up so if you’re here for work call ahead of schedule to maximize potential of getting a spot here for longer.

The staff is very friendly, and accommodating. They take great care of the park and they are seen cleaning and working frequently all over the park.

Cellular signal is really good for AT&T and TMobile so streaming and working was easy.

There are lots of food delivery places, and small restaurants to go to as well.

Clean, Quiet, Well Maintained

We would stay here again especially for the price. The RV Park standard spots are basic with a table, 15ft between you and your neighbor, and a fire pit. Very crowded on the weekends but about 70% full during the week. They have good AT&T and TMobile signal.

Staff is very nice and helpful. They do collect packages in the office, answer phones, communicate well.

Leveling of the spots is decent, there are clearly some spots where RVers struggle and hang wheels off the ground.

The property has a fishing pond, swimming pool, dog waste station, inflatable playground, blob, community area, basketball, shower houses, restrooms, and laundry.

The standard lots are gravel and basic, the premium spots are much longer with smaller yards and have pull through access.

The biggest downside we saw with this park is that there aren’t very many standard sites available to big RVs. We have to park our truck sideways and not on the grass - this is an issue because as we witnessed the second day an incoming rig hit one of the trucks parked in the street. They have a few spaces but these are occupied by people with tiny vehicles that think they need to park their tiny vehicle in the middle of the space for a dually.

There are a lot of people staying here longer term for work and such. Many have more than one vehicle which takes up the parking for others.

The grass not being touched is a hot topic here. We were told the soil is clay so once it dies they have difficulty getting it to grow again- so no mats and no parking in the grass.

Party Central

We enjoyed our stay at Huntington/Fox Fire KOA! This is a holiday KOA that offers more amenities for vacationers. It has very close proximity to I-64 in West Virginia, and you can hear the traffic pretty clearly.

The staff is wonderful, they obviously care very much about their jobs and we enjoyed talking to them. They keep the property very clean which is saying a lot because it’s a very busy park. Each day we watched the park nearly empty and by sundown it was mostly full again. On the weekends it was full to capacity, and it’s occupants were out enjoying their time!

There is: great cellular for TMobile and AT&T, laundry, dog walk area, storage, cabins, a store, a swimming pond, small beach area, and some sites have fire pits. The picnic tables were pretty dated.

The hookups are a little strange. You share pedestals in many of the sites. And the arrangement is a little strange but it works.

Very pretty, very busy

We stopped in for an overnight and we were blown away by how pretty this park is. It was somewhat easy to get to off the highway. There were some unfriendly signs saying it wasn’t the correct route- it was.

The campground is situated on a golf course. There didn’t seem to be standardized check in/check out times. The roads were narrow but doable. We got into our campsite fairly easily. It was quiet and they have a lot to do at the campground.

They had decent AT&T service, I’m not sure about Campground WiFi. We didn’t see any campground restrooms near our site (there may have been some in other loops). They had lots of playground equipment and activity centers.

Quiet, Enjoyable

We visited this park for the 4th of July, which made it very busy, but it was still very quiet. Be ready to tow up steep hills throughout this park. You enter the park through a Chevrolet dealership lot and then check in at the Days Inn Hotel. We had never been to an RV Park run by a hotel before but there were some nice features to this as well- discussed later.

Once you get checked in you head to your spot. Make sure you run the water lines to clear them out before hooking up. The water quality is very poor. We filled up a jug of water for travel day without the filters- when leaving and it was completely contaminated. We have a 4 filter system and this was after the 4 filters - they had been changed at the previous park about 10 days prior too.

The grounds are clean and the view is excellent. The staff was very responsive. One of the nights our neighbor decided to play super loud music between our rigs, loud like you can’t hear your tv on max, at 11pm. The staff was very responsive in asking them to turn it down or off so we could sleep.

All in all this was a nice park. They had decent cellular for AT&T and TMobile/US Cellular. The campground also has WiFi for a fee. They pick up your trash several times a day most days. You leave it on the hook at your site. The sites were decent spacing and plenty long enough. Our site was flat but pretty unlevel, wasn’t a huge concern. They had a nice play ground for kids and a large amphitheater. We didn’t see any KOA employees while we were there but this could have been because of COVID19. I didn’t see a pool or bathrooms/showers for guests.