10821 Park Road, Spencer TN 38585

423-881-5298 – State Park

1-800-250-8611 – Reservations

 http://tnstateparks.com/parks/contact/fall-creek-falls

This state park is located in central Tennessee between Knoxville and Nashville.   There is a camp store that is abundantly stocked with RV supplies and food items. We were surprised to find items such as fresh produce local jams/jellies. There is a decent selection of snack foods and soft drinks. Firewood was available for $4.00 per bundle. The wood was not good burning wood and a small bundle for the price.  Some of the wood was actually still green and nearly impossible to start. (You are better off buying firewood from the Indian Village Trading Post just outside the park.  You get twice as much for the price and it is kiln dried and burns well).

 

There is a laundry facility and gift shop located adjacent to the general store.

The campground has 220 campsites in five different areas and six bath houses. Sites include 30 amp water/elec. sites, 92 sites have full hookup with sewer connection, back in and pull-throughs, 16 primitive tent sites, and cabins.  There are also designated handicap sites. Additionally, there are overnight backpacking trails with back-country campsites. Open year round. Rates range from $8-$25 per night.

There are a total of 30 cabins that sleep 8-10 people. Plates, utensils and linens are included. Cabins have cable TV and a fireplace with firewood provided.Rates between $110-150 per night.

Appearance:

We visited for several days in the spring and liked the fact that most sites had mature trees and well-maintained paved interior roads. We stayed at site #B66 which was a nice wooded lot with generous space and nice scenic view. The deer also seemed to like it as we saw several in the campgrounds most evenings. There are several trash cans provided throughout the park, our site had one right at the end of our driveway. All sites have a firepit in addition to a charcoal grill. Many have a flat gravel pad.

The park has 2600 acres in the Cumberland Plateau that includes cascades, waterfalls, gorges, streams and forest. Fall Creek Falls is the highest waterfall east of the Mississippi at 256 feet.  It rained the day we arrived which, although discouraging, made for beautifully running falls the next day. There are a number of trails in the park that offer a variety of challenge options.  There are 34 miles of hiking trails.

Rating: (1-5 lanterns with 5 being the highest)

 

Pet/Family Friendly:

The campground is pet-friendly – all dogs must be on a 6ft or less leash. There is only one pet-friendly cabin. There was not an off-leash dog park. Dogs were allowed on the trails, but check the trails before taking your pets.  Some have steep inclines, narrow passages, and rope bridges.

The Olympic sized pool looked nice (although it was not open during our visit :Memorial Day-Labor Day). There is horseback riding with 2 miles of trail $25 per person, cash only, a 13.5 mile bike trail,Fall Creek Lake 385 acres good for fishing (Large Mouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Bluegill), and a nature center with several naturalist programs. There are also four playgrounds located throughout the park.

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Area Attractions:

If visiting this state park, you primarily do so to enjoy the park itself.  There is not a ton to do nearby. There is an 18 hole golf course located within the park.  There are a few restaurants if you want to venture out but not much to speak of.  We did enjoy the BBQ at Firehouse Grill located less than a mile outside of the park.  The owner, David, was very friendly and helpful – offering us the best route to take to our next destination and even gave us his card to call if we needed anything.  The BBQ was good and decently priced.

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(Only because there is not much to do outside the park.  If you love to hike, golf, fish, swim, you will be happy!)

Restrooms:

There is one main bath and shower house per section and one additional shower house in the campground. Men and women each have separate buildings.  Our shower house had 3 showers per side, with a shower curtain, small dressing area, and ample hooks provided. The dressing area was not separate from the shower, however, so there was not a ton of room. The water pressure was good and water was fairly hot although I have had hotter. There were 3 sinks with decent lighting and plugs for hairdryers, etc. The shower house was heated (very nice for being open in the winter) and kept clean and maintained. For a state park, the bathrooms were decent.

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Overall Rating: We look forward to returning to the area during the summer or fall. We would certainly stay here again.