After a very long drive we arrived at Davy Crockett Campground, our home for then next couple nights as we visited to take in the eclipse. Located in Crossville, Tennessee, this campground is about halfway between Nashville and Knoxville.
The campground was very crowded that weekend and they had people packed in where they could.
Site:
We were in site B10.5. That is right… .5. It was about half a normal site tucked in beside the laundry house. Yes, it wasn’t what you would expect, but this wasn’t a typical camping trip and the sites in rural Tennessee were seeing usually high volumes of visitors. The staff was very accommodating, helping everyone make the best of the crowds. Given we were right beside the laundry house and didn’t have an RV with a bathroom, they allowed us to use the bath facilities in the laundry house. That made the situation much better, as the closest facilities were fairly far from our site.
They had a four night minimum stay because of the eclipse, but I don’t think this is normal. We checked in Friday night and left Monday after the eclipse, foregoing our last night to make progress home.
Grounds:
This campground is nicely wooded and has lots to do! While we didn’t use either, it had a nice pool and a fully stocked lake for fishing. People seemed to really love the fishing. It also had a restaurant which seemed to be serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. We headed over for breakfast one morning and it was good. After two mornings eating at Cracker Barrel in town, it was a welcome change. The owners also arranged for family entertainment in one of the pavilions including a luau and movie nights. The cabins looked very nice from the outside and all of the buildings looks well kept.
For the eclipse, we debated on where to position ourselves for the actual event. The campground had spread the word that they received permission for guests to watch it from a field owned by a neighbor. They offered rides in wagons to the field, although it was an easy walk, and also set up a stand to serve sandwiches and drinks. It proved to be a great spot free of congestion and traffic. After the eclipse, we just walked down the hill, packed up our camper and rolled out.
Location:
We milled around the area on Saturday and Sunday searching the small towns nearby. Two things we enjoyed were Cumberland Caverns in McMinnville, Tennessee and relaxing at Red Silo Brewing in Cookeville, Tennessee. While the caverns were more than an hour’s drive, they were worth it — great tour and amazing formations.
While I don’t think we’ll be heading back to central Tennessee anytime soon, I would return to Davy Crockett Campground. Nice sites and nice people.
Our take:
While we don’t usually do private campgrounds, this one was exceptional. It has all of the features of the best KOAs without being a KOA. The sites aren’t big and many are close together, but for a brief stay it was very nice. If you have lots of kids or a group, this place would be worth a look for a longer vacation.
Get Out Camping & Hiking 
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