David Crockett State Park - Camping

Review

Intro

Home to a museum dedicated to early American pioneer Davy Crockett’s life, this 1,100-acre park holds more than 100 campsites and seven LEED-certified cabins to choose from, as well as a scout camp that can (and in the warmer months, often does) host up to 30 tents. Summer is the most popular time of year for visitors to descend on the Lawrenceburg-area greenspace. Complete with a lake for fishing and a small series of hike and bike trails, it’s an idyllic all-American oasis in south central Tennessee.

What Makes It Great

Beginning campers who don’t have a lot of experience in the wilderness, but who are curious to learn will enjoy this place in the world, which embodies the phrase “What’s simple is true.” Walk along the shoals and imagine what the lake must have looked and felt like a couple of centuries ago—chances are, not that different from today, as the area’s remained largely untouched save for the addition of a swimming pool and bike path, as well as the small museum and eco-conscious cabins where visitors can timehop in comfort and relax in the place where Crockett launched a small industry with a powder mill, gristmill and distillery along the banks.

The park has two campgrounds, one of which is open all year and one of which is only open from April through mid-November. Many, but not all, of the sites include hookups, a table, a grill and a fire ring. The park also offers bathhouses with hot showers and commodes, plus a dump station onsite. Seven picnic pavilions and a 1,000-person amphitheater round out the park’s year-round offerings for campers. A hiking trail wanders past Crockett Falls, the swimming pool is a popular mecca for those wishing to beat the heat in the summer, and wild turkey and white-tailed deer are known to roam the area freely, delighting those who encounter them in their natural habitat.

Who is Going to Love It

Families, groups of young children and adults with an appreciation for American history will enjoy camping in this culturally enriching park, which comes with an added dose of education in the summer, when the museum is staffed during the day.

Directions, Parking, & Regulations

From Highway 64 or 43, take West Gaines Street to the park’s entrance at Davy Crockett Park Road. The first campground is just inside the park, while the second is about a mile in.

Only certified heat-treated firewood (available for purchase onsite) and wood collected within the park is allowed; untreated wood is prohibited from being brought into the park.