Park Your RV Near the Cherokee National Forest

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, USA -- Mini-vacations are in this year, so climb aboard your RV, put it in gear, and head to Southeast Tennessee's Cherokee National Forest. From mountains to lakes, to rolling hills and meandering streams, Southeast Tennessee has great campgrounds to relax in and exciting activities to do along the way.

If you get off the interstate and take the backroads, you'll find yourself traveling down Hwy 64 through the Cherokee National Forest. Chilhowee Recreation Area and Parksville Lake Campground are both located within the Cherokee National Forest and offer electric and water hookups, hiking and fishing.

Located between the two sites is the 220-acre Rock Creek Gorge Scenic Area, a rugged, backcountry area known for an amazing series of waterfalls and cascades. Also located nearby are 5,600 acres which make up the Little Frog Mountain Wilderness, a beautiful and scenic escape.

Nearby is the Ocoee River, site of the 1996 Olympic Whitewater Competitions. At Adventures Unlimited located in Ocoee, Tennessee, you can enjoy the privacy of a secluded, wooded campground featuring electricity and water. This 31-acre camp can accommodate vehicles of any size. And after you've parked, you can join the thousands of adventurers who go whitewater rafting down the Ocoee River each year (click for a FabulousTravel.com story about rafting on this mighty river).

Ten miles northeast is Benton, Tennessee, home of Ocoee River Rats, a beautiful campground nestled at the foot of Chilhowee Mountain featuring full RV hookups, bicycle trails, canoeing, fishing, hiking and nature trails, tubing, horseback riding trails, and more. Once you've chosen your campsite, stop by the Ocoee Whitewater Center, just 12 miles from Ocoee. Tackle a 30-mile mountain bike and hiking trail system, or enjoy an interpretive hike along the Historic Old Copper Road Trail or the Native American Medicinal Garden. You can even explore the beautiful Cherokee National Forest with a llama companion from Ocoee Mist Farm B&B as you view wildflowers, wildlife and scenic views.

In Delano, Tennessee, you can stay at the 2 Rivers RV Park & Campground, located at the junction of the Ocoee and Hiwassee Rivers. 2 Rivers offers full hookups, a dump station, boat ramp, canoeing, fishing, and swimming.

Creekside Campground in Delano offers weekend-only camping by reservation, and features electric hookups, canoeing, freshwater fishing, hiking trails, an herb garden and wildflowers on eight wooded acres.

Hiwassee State Scenic River & Ocoee River's Gee Creek Campground offers RV sites, fishing, hiking, horseback riding trials, kayaking, swimming, and boating. The U.S. Forest Service also operates a small campground called Quinn Springs nearby which offers a few RV sites.

Once you've set up at one of Delano's campgrounds, drop by the Savannah Oaks Winery to sample wines from their homegrown vineyards. The Delano Community Farm Market offers a taste of some of Southeast Tennessee's delicious homegrown products.

Adventurers should check out Starr Mountain on the Hiwassee River, a great place for mountain biking and rappelling.

If you're looking for more to do, just a little further down the road is Chattanooga, sparkling along the Tennessee River with its new salt-water Aquarium addition, Rock City, and Ruby Falls.

Practicalities

For more information on Tennessee's campgrounds and other lodging facilities, visit www.TNVacation.com.

For more information on Southeast Tennessee, visit www.SoutheastTennessee.com.

In the Nearby Area:

• The 10 Best Things to do In and Around Chattanooga
• Rafting the Ocoee
• A First Time Hang-Gliding Experience
• The Evolution of the Bailey House