Caves, Waterfalls, and More Interesting Spots to Camp Near Nashville

Nature calls.

Middle Tennessee offers a treasure trove of tenting opportunities for just about every style of outdoor enthusiast . Whether you ’re a veteran camping bus or just starting your adventure , this area has it all . you may camp out under the stars or near the cool mist of a falls . Take advantage of arena lakes with primitive campsites or luxury RV park to spoil in all sorts of water sports ranging from boating , sportfishing , and skiing to just hanging out on a raft in a secret cove . No matter which adventure you choose , you ’re trusted to take home some howling memory of prison term in the Great Outdoors of Tennessee .

Bumpus Mills State Campground

length from Nashville : 87 miles , one minute and forty minutesBumpus Mills State Campground is an splendid locale to get out into the wild with family or friends . The camping ground has 15 web site , all of which have picnic tables and grills . Some sites also have galvanizing and weewee hookup , and there is also a dump post and a bathhouse on site . The campground is locate on Lake Barkley , which offers plenty of opportunities for fishing , swimming , and boat . There are also several hiking trail in the region that offer stunning views of the surround countryside . The camping area is open from April to October and arriere pensee are need . The cost per night is $ 20 for a introductory site and $ 25 for a situation with electric and water hookups .

Paris Landing State Park

Distance from Nashville : 95 knot , one 60 minutes and forty minutesParis Landing State Park offers a picturesque and unagitated setting for encampment enthusiasts . Nestled along the shore of the Kentucky Lake , this park allow for a host of camping opportunity for nature lover . With 125 campsites , both RV and tent campers can regain their ideal spot amidst the park ’s lush greenery . The campground amenities include electrical and water system hookups , piece of cake table , and grill . hike trails weave through the park , allowing visitor to search the surrounding woodlands and fascinate glimpses of local wildlife . Additionally , the Mungo Park offers modern bathhouses , a marina , a golf track , and a restaurant for added convenience and leisure time .

Meriwether Lewis Campground

Distance from Nashville : 78 miles , one hour and twenty minutesMeriwether Lewis Campground is a obscure gem for bivouacking enthusiasts in the heart of Middle Tennessee . Situated near Hohenwald , this campground proffer a tranquil and scenic circumstance for nature lovers . With 125 well - keep camping area , both RV and tent camping bus can find their perfect spot amidst the beautiful surroundings . The campground provide essential amenities such as electric and water assemblage , picnic tables , fervor ring , and grill . Nature enthusiast can indulge in activities like hiking , bird watching , and wildlife catching , as the campground is nestled within the picturesque Natchez Trace Parkway . The nearby Meriwether Lewis Monument and Interpretive Center offer a coup d’oeil into the historic signification of the sphere and the personal history of the famous explorer of “ Lewis and Clark ” acclaim .

Cedars of Lebanon

length from Nashville : 33 miles , 41 minutesCedar glade State Park is a 900 - Akko parking lot near Nashville that takes its name from its unparalleled rock gardens . These garden are abode to true cedar trees that produce seemingly out of limestone bed , creating a desert - like look . The glades also defend a assortment of other rarified flora mintage . The park is home to more than 100 camping site , all of which have picnic mesa and grills . Some campsites also have electric and weewee assemblage . The park is also known for its wide equestrian trails , so keep an eye out for ponies while you ’re hiking .

Montgomery Bell State Park

Distance from Nashville : 34 mi , 44 minutesWhether you ’re look for a spot to park a 60 - foot recreational vehicle or you ’ve got a yen to stay in cabins build in the 1930 ’s as part of a Civilian Conservation Corps projection , Montgomery Bell State Park has options . Available outdoor activities also start the gamut from hike up and biking to golfing and fishing . Or , you jazz , just kick back in a shut down chair , break through open a beer , and tell yourself no less than 20 time that you could get used to this .

David Crockett State Park

space from Nashville : 83 statute mile , one 60 minutes and 27 minutesYou may know this park ’s namesake as “ Davy , ” but he was a lot more than just a coonskin cap - wearing mountain man . This parkland is located on his former homestead where he operated a powdermill , a grist pulverization , and a distillery before a deluge washed all his businesses away in 1821 . A museum displays artifacts and draw the history of the former congressman and martyr of the Battle of the Alamo . Two campgrounds in the park pop the question RV hookups and primitive camping site with centralised bathhouses offering hot showers and restroom facilities .

Henry Horton State Park

space from Nashville : 51 miles , 52 minutesNamed after a former governor of Tennessee — on whose country the park was prove in the 1960’s — Henry Horton State Park offers access to the Duck River , which swarm with Pisces masochistically wait to be your food later . bivouacking options range from an lodge or cabin to tent , archaic , and backcountry bivouac . In gain to an 18 - maw golf grade , there ’s also a maw and skeet range where you could spud for a different sort of birdies : clay pigeons .

Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park

Distance from Nashville : 63 mi , one hr and two minutesEuropean settler , most of which never took AP history , often miscalled former structures “ forts . ” They were wrong . And archeologist have date the mysterious stone formation that gives the park its name at between 1,500 and 2,000 years sure-enough . The independent tramp trail skirts the walls of this splendid building , now thought to be a ceremonial gather pip for ancient aboriginal American tribes . Although the campsites are fairly luxurious with water and electrical hookup , grille , picnic tabular array , and paved pad , they are tuck deep into the wood to offer plenty of privacy . You ’ll feel like you ’re miles aside from civilisation , and when that ineluctably scares you , you may take a short hike to the bath house or a 10 minute parkway to get some fast food .

Edgar Evins State Park

Distance from Nashville : 65 miles , one hour and three minutesCenter Hill Lake may be one of the most beautiful bodies of body of water in Tennessee , with usurious bluffs and drop run away straight into the deep lake — the upshot of designed TVA implosion therapy decades ago to create a reservoir for mogul product and flood control . The result is a combination of forest , verdant hillsides , and a postcard - worthy lake with excellent opportunities for fishing and waterskiing . The campground at Edgar Evins consists of 60 tent and trailer campsites , complete with electrical and water supply access . Each was make on wooden political platform reinforced with concrete and sword , and it ’s like bivouacking on a individual deck over Center Hill .

Cumberland Caverns

Distance from Nashville : 85 miles , one hr and 39 minutesHave you ever dreamed of camping underground ? Well , now you may ! This historic cave complex offers what they call " troglodyte campouts " for groups of 10 or more . When you book an excursion , you ’ll get an easy walk turn of the cave , plus the more strenuous " Rocky Topper " spelunking experience . After an evening sleeping in the massive 10 - Accho Room , you ’ll enjoy a catered breakfast in the magnificent Volcano Room . And while you ’re eating , you could look up to the colorful cave formations skirt you . take your dormancy bag and a pillow , comfy shoes and a pillow , and a sense of adventure .

Rock Island State Park

Distance from Nashville : 85 miles , one hr and 40 minutesJohnny Cash sang that “ The Rock Island Line she ’s a powerful expert route , ” but she ’s also a tremendous state parkland that covers almost 900 demesne of the Caney Fork River Gorge where the Caney , Collins , and Rocky river hail together at the head of Center Hill Lake . The surrounding gorge features sweeping scenic overlook , falls with swimming holes below , hiking trail , fishing , and even the opportunity for whitewater kayaking . Two campsite carry 60 campsites with a third of them available twelvemonth round . For campers who just ca n’t bear to entirely unplug , there ’s even free Wi - Fi handiness at the main campground . But c’m on . Do n’t bethatguy .

South Cumberland State Park

space from Nashville : 92 mile , one 60 minutes and 30 minuteSouth Cumberland State Park is a monumental wilderness area that encompasses nine recreational areas cross four county in Tennessee . With over 30,000 Acre of land to explore , there ’s something for everyone in this outdoor resort area . Whether you ’re a fan of hiking , tenting , fishing , rock climbing , or birdwatching , you ’ll find plenty to keep you meddlesome in South Cumberland . The park is base to stunning waterfalls , towering cliffs , and lush woodland . There are also naut mi of hike trails to search , vagabond from easy walks to challenging treks . If you ’re looking to camp in the backcountry , South Cumberland offer primitive camping ground scattered throughout the park . reservation are command , so be sure to book your spot in overture .

Virgin Falls State Natural Area

Distance from Nashville : 113 miles , one hour and 58 minutesVirgin Falls is a strenuous nine - nautical mile roundtrip hike that requires a tier of fitness and planning that draws serious backwoods experts into the woodwind , but the rewards are worth it . Along the way , you ’ll play several cave , cross a cable bridge circuit over Big Laurel Creek , and see some awe - urge on scenery , foreground by the 110 - foot tall Virgin Falls that menstruate out of a cave , over a drop , and into another cave . There are five dedicated campsites along the route to the falls , but you ’ll need to register in the book at the trailhead kiosk to ensure there will be room to consist your weary headway . So if you ’re looking for an risky venture , Virgin Falls is the blank space for you . Just be prepared for a challenge .

Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area

length from Nashville : 151 land mile , two hour and 39 minutesEncompassing more than 125,000 acres in both Tennessee and Kentucky , Big South Fork bear five developed encampment with amenities like RV green , some campsites dedicated to campers move around with horse lagger to take advantage of the many equestrian lead , and a few naive campsites for those looking to rough out it . A bonus is that much of the recreation area is located just across the dividing furrow between the fundamental and Eastern time zones , so if you ’re on the east side of the ballpark , it can stay tripping enough to register until almost 10 at night during the summer .

Tims Ford State Park

Distance from Nashville : 89 miles , one hr and 30 minutesTims Ford State Park is a great place to get aside from it all . The park is make after the shallow area where early colonist forded the Elk River near Winchester , and in 1970 , the river was dammed to create a lovely lake that offers all kind of fishing , boat , and camping opportunities . The main campground is well - appoint with pads for campers or tents , plus a stock up refugee camp depot to break up up whatever supplies you draw a blank to pack . Even more intriguing are seven boat paddle - in camping site on islands around the lake . You ’ll have to bring everything you call for with you across the body of water and sway out all your trash , but the chance to camp in the secluded wild is worth the surplus effort . The campsites are first - come , first - serve , so it ’s good to arrive early .

Tims Ford State Park