Tenn. State parks

We decide on a last minute trip up to Roan Mt. the last couple of days. We were very suprised when we got up to the park that there was only one other camper in the park. There wasn't anyone at the other camper so the first night we were up in the mountains all by ourselves, kinda spooky, don't tell anyone but we had to leave a night light on

. We didn't even see a park ranger all day, we tried to call someone to let them know we were up there but couldn't reach anyone. We finally had to go the next day up to the park office to pay, even though there were signs up everywhere saying a park ranger would be by to collect the park fees.

According to the park ranger, all TN park prices have gone up this year. It also has changed to a rate for 4 people instead of two. The changes at Roan Mt are: $25 a night in the lower loop for 4 people (up from $20.50 for two people). The upper two loops are $20 a night for 4 people (up from $17.50 for two people). Also you can only place a "reserve tent" on a site for ONE night to hold a spot. I think that is a good change, now people can't go up on Wed. and save a spot for the weekend.

I'm guessing that since Warriors and Roan Mt use to charge $17.50, Warriors has probably gone up to $20 as well.
If your going to a state park be prepared for the changes.

still cheaper then a KOA though that's for sure!!!

Boy thats the truth!. I have been checking around here lately the costs of campgrounds. I called the closest KOA to me and it was 40 a night. Plus there is a lot more to do at many of the state parks I have been to. I asked at another place last weekend. All it had was a stocked fishing pond, gravel parking lot and few scattered trees and they still was about 10 bucks higher than the state stuff. They did have a dumping station and electric but so do the state parks for the most part. I think in the last 10 years the parks may have really went down compared to the way they was in the 80s. I grew up close to Rock Island SP and stayed there all the time when I started driving. They had all kinds of stuff. They use to have "shows" where the park rangers would sing,tell stories and such. A great way to spend a night. They would always come buy at least every 2-3 hours. You could really get even better service from them if you offered a burger when you were cooking. They had their friends that they would eat at but they would remember that. They would go the extra mile to help you out.

I swore off KOA campgrounds many years ago. I never stay at one. They are just too expensive. They can charge what they want but I am not going to stay there. Some campground prices are really getting out of reason.

Isn;t it bad that Koa's are the most expensive places to stay now?? If ours was about 30 I might stay there but for 20 bucks less I can stay at warriors.

We noticed that the prices were very high on spring break this year we stayed in a hotel in Pigeon Forge cheaper per night than the KOA in Townsend, BUT somehow its just not the same as camping.

The only good thing i can say about KOA and why i do go back to them is that for the most part you know they are gonna be decent. Especially if your going to an area that you've never been and have no idea what your getting into by staying at some off the wall campground. Some of the ones that i've seen going down thru townsend and pigeon Forge are pretty nasty. I think if i showed up at someplace like that i'd just go stay in the wal-mart parking lot!!