Campng in East Tennessee (Knoxville, Chattanooga: hotels, camping, to live)

[menglin]

Any suggestions or camping areas in East Tennessee? WE will be up there the 7th trough the 17th of April looking and driving all around, we have 5 hotel night and we were thinking of camping the rest. Will weather allow it? We have a 4 and 2 year old, both have camped before. We are staying in hotels in Townsend, Strawberry Plains and West KNoxville, I was thinking Chattanoga area? Or should we go up to the northeast and lakes? Tell me some good camp grounds. Oh yeah its tent camping not RV. Thanks

[AppalachianAngler]

If you are going to be near the Knoxville area, I would not stay in Chattanooga. If you are going to stay that far away you may as well go to Northeast TN and camp at Old Forge in Greene County, TN. One of my favorites. It has a beautiful waterfall, and is usually not too busy. It is also actually up the mountain a bit.

I am not totally sure on the ones around Knoxville, but here is a list I found:
http://www.tennesseehosts.com/lists/...ampgrounds.htm

[menglin]

How far is chattanooga from Knoxville? Would it be a good place to stop over night to let the kids out since we will be driving up from orlando and then continue up to the north of Knoxville and work our way down? I have to confess I want to see Rock city, I know how touristy is that.LOL I found a camp ground called Raccoon mountain campgrounds its suppose to have cool caverns?

[futureVol]

My family has held family reunions for the past 20 years at Roan Mountain State Park. They have both camp sites for tents and rvs as well as cabins. Beautiful facility with tennis and pool plus the top of Roan Mountain at 5900 feet!! Awesome. Easy trip from Elizabethton to the park and being on the TN/NC state line quick access to Boone area as well.

[Jon F Moss]

the ride from Knoxville to Chattanooga is about 70-90 minutes depending on how you drive. We took the scenic route along Route 11 and drove through a number of little towns.

I highly recommend Chattanooga. take the kids to Coolidge Park downtown before heading up to Ruby Falls & Rock City.

Originally Posted by menglin

How far is chattanooga from Knoxville? Would it be a good place to stop over night to let the kids out since we will be driving up from orlando and then continue up to the north of Knoxville and work our way down? I have to confess I want to see Rock city, I know how touristy is that.LOL I found a camp ground called Raccoon mountain campgrounds its suppose to have cool caverns?

[Dd714]

I know exactly what you want. Tent camping - you want those sites that don't have those noisy smelly RV's running generators at 10 PM. You want a gravel road that will scare the New Yorker from driving down with his 60 foot RV. And it will be great for kids. Tennesse is loaded with these, usually in the national forest lands, avoid the state parks...

I have a book that lists Best tent campsites in TN and when I used to live on that side of TN I used it religously.
Barring that, check out this site:
http://www.trails.com/toptrails.asp?area=14892

Has some good ideas of good tent campsites.

Edit: Be advised some campsites may still be closed for the season, or have limited facilities.

[menglin]

Exactly DT7I4 we camped up in Maine last summer and we drove back roads and saw moose right in the road. It was cool the kids loved it. No smelly gas fumes from RV's. Only sound og the creek running. Sun coming up over the mountains. Did you know birds wake up and sing at 4 in the morning there. LOL They could of waited an hour. LOL But it was amazing. Thanks for the web sites I will check them out. Thanks everybody. One week to wait. Maybe the easter Bunny will have to visit us in the car?hmmmmm LOL

[SPLIT]

MG..: Most of the week we had 85 degrees,(Record) nows today about 66 degrees, so changes every 3 days. Whatever direction you go, please Phone ahead, I do not see any parks OPEN, but maybe on April 1st.
We are on West side of lake and if really need quiet, can always use our back-yard,hilltop. Already have the fire-pit and stack of firewood. Dead end street. Just off lake cove, maybe even use the kayaks if it does turn warm.
We were prior Brevard co, just East of you. Rest of our kids now in Maine. Saw our deer again on Monday.
Our county park CHESTER FROST may be open by then......[/IMG]

[menglin]

Thank you for the kind offer. I can't believe how nice everyone is on this board. The pic is wonderful. I assume you do not regret your move. LOL

[Ridgerunner]

Hi, Menglin. The April weather is very unpredictable here in Tennessee. Weather.com says we could see some snow showers on April 8. Good luck.