Category Archives: Campground Reviews

Reviews of RV campgrounds, state/national parks, etc.

Campground Review: Old Stone Fort State Park, Manchester TN

IMG_1116
More than just a river nymph…she’s my soulmate

Dates: June 13-25, 2015

Campsite: 30

Overall Score: 3.7 (out of 5)

Summary: We chose this state park because it’s just a 20-minute drive from my parents’ home in Tullahoma. We’re spending a significant amount of time with them this summer as my mom has advanced bile duct/liver cancer and is under hospice care. Our typical morning was spent hiking/jogging/exploring the park and then we headed to Tullahoma to have lunch with my parents and spent the rest of the afternoon and evening with them. The park has excellent hiking trails, waterfalls and swimming holes, along with some Native American history.  We definitely plan to return.

Recreation/Amenities: 4.5 – The 7+ miles of hiking trails feature some waterfalls, swimming and fishing holes, and elevation changes. To reach the best swimming hole, take the Old Stone Fort Enclosure Trail clockwise from the museum ¼ mile, and then descend the second set of steps and follow the path to the river. The best hiking trail is the Little Duck River Loop Trail which features a beautiful river, a moderate climb, and a ridge. I caught (and released) 4 bass and 11 blue gill where the Duck River meets the Little Duck River along the Forks of the River Trail.  Lil Jan sat near me on the cooler, reading her Christian fiction and occasionally looking up and calling my attention to a large fish that should be caught.

IMG_1101

Hookups & Connectivity: 3.5 – electric, water, and dump station (partial hookups). No Wi-Fi, cable TV, or sewer connection at site.  (We managed to go all 13 days on a single black tank…which ultimately resulted in what could only be described as a massive dump upon exiting the park.)

Local Vicinity Things to Do: 3 – aside from the huge annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, there’s not much happening within 15 miles of the park…aside from small town festivals, antique stores, etc. In fact, the “9th best” thing to do in Manchester according to TripAdvisor is the movie theater…and there isn’t one!  However, the park is built on/around the “Old Stone Fort” which was built (by Brian Williams) 1500-2000 years ago during the Middle Woodland Period. Native Americans used it as a ceremonial gathering place and eventually abandoned it. When the European settlers arrived, they didn’t know what the area was used for and mistakenly named it a fort. According to the park brochure, it is considered the “most spectacularly sited sacred area of its period in the United States and the largest and most complex hilltop enclosure in the south.” (narrowly edging out Graceland, I presume)  The park museum contains photos, dioramas, an orientation film in the theater, displays of prehistoric Native American replicas, and a gift shop.

IMG_1098

Cleanliness: 3 – while the campsites are well-maintained and the bathhouse showers had hot water, the bathhouses themselves were fairly rustic and showed signs of wear (to include some moldy shower curtains).

Intangibles: 4.5 –

Pros – proximity to Steve’s parents and Arnold Air Force Base. We got to spend an awesome father’s day with them and Steve’s sisters and some of their families. Quiet campsite. Museum on grounds. Saw several deer, possums, rabbits, and squirrels while hiking. Good spacing between campsites, which are fully shaded. Golf course next door. The staff offers guided nature/historical tours on the weekends. . $22.20/night.

Cons – rustic bathhouses are adequate but could use some sprucing up.  Couldn’t pick up any local tv channels with the antenna, but then we’ve pretty much weaned ourselves off of tv.  Didn’t catch any of the fish Lil Jan pointed to.

IMG_1100

For more information… http://tnstateparks.com/assets/pdf/additional-content/park-brochures/old-stone-fort_brochure.pdf

Big Steve

 

 

Loading

Campground Review: Alafia River State Park, Lithia FL

We plan to do reviews on the various campgrounds and state/national parks where we stay. We hope these posts are as useful to future visitors to these locations as existing reviews have been to us. The reviews will also constitute our personal note taking of things to do or avoid doing when we visit again. We will update the ratings as appropriate as our travels give us a better basis for scoring and making comparisons.

IMG_1053

Caveat: The things that matter to us heavily influence our scores. So, for example, we won’t be deducting much if a campground lacks a playground or doesn’t allow pets since that currently doesn’t matter to us. (Mandy, our dog, is dead.) We will, however, deduct if the location lacked good hiking trails, as that is a priority.

IMG_1054

Our Categories:

Recreation/Amenities – hiking, gym, rec room, marina, pool, beach, etc.

Hookups & Connectivity – electric, water, sewer, Wi-Fi, cable, etc.

Local Vicinity Things to Do – cultural, historical, or otherwise fun things to do within 15 miles

Cleanliness – of bathrooms, showers, and grounds in general

Intangibles – friendliness, cost, wildlife, noise, things that really stand out, etc.

Overall Score – the average of the above 5 scores

IMG_1057

So then, here we go…

Campground: Alafia River State Park, Lithia FL

Dates: June 9-12, 2015

Campsite: 30

Overall Score: 3.8 (out of 5)

Summary: We had a great time at this state park and would definitely return. I had been here a couple years earlier to run a half-marathon with my friend, Clare DeBoef, and had high expectations. The campground definitely lived up to those expectations.

Recreation/Amenities: 4.5 – Fairly high score based on 20+ miles of outstanding hiking/biking/equestrian trails. In fact, the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA, of which I am not a member) gave it an “epic” designation. To see a sampling of what makes it epic, check out this link… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbDVzLemjmQ

To see why I will not be riding a mountain bike at high speeds through this park, see this link… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MVVTEmFHI8

We did, however, hike two long hikes and enjoyed the views and exercise. There is also a nice fishing pond (with alligator), pavilions, and horse stables for boarding campers’ horses.

Hookups & Connectivity: 3.5 out of 5 – electric, water, and dump station (partial hookups). No Wi-Fi, cable TV, or sewer connection at site.

Local Vicinity Things to Do: 2 out of 5 – not much happening within 15 miles. Nearest restaurants are at Fishhawk. Awarding 2 points for the abundance of things to do within fairly easy driving distance (Tampa, Ybor City, Orlando, beaches, etc.)

Cleanliness: 4.5 out of 5

Intangibles: 4.5 out of 5 –

Pros – quiet, especially during the summer. Saw several deer every morning and evening throughout the campground. Good spacing between campsites. Friendly staff – a ranger spent several minutes explaining the various trails to me. Cool bat house by the lake. Our friends, John and Laurie, joined us for Chinese take-out and a final round of cards before leaving the state. $24.64/night.

Cons – several campsites were partially submerged following a heavy rain—we saw a couple of tent campers having to relocate to higher ground. Each campsite has a few trees providing shade, but only a few. Water had a bit of a rotten egg smell (hydrogen sulfide, maybe?)…I first noticed it while in the camp shower and thought, “Was that a frog?”

Big Steve

IMG_1051 IMG_1055

Loading