We landed this afternoon at Ely KOA Journey, pretty much right in the middle of Nevada, elevation, 6500 ft. This is just a stop-over for a night, but it really is a nice campground. We plan to drive around this after and check out the town.
From here we're heading north to Idaho. Our first stop is a place called Anderson Camp. We plan to spend a couple of days there so we can check out Shoshone Falls and what's left of Twin Falls
Click on "Top Panel" to see where are and where to next
Our original thought on choosing Natchez Trace to camp at was to visit Nashville, but we never made it there. We had planned on staying for six days and moving on toward Memphis, but the couple (Bud and Melanie) next to us at Diamond Caverns were heading there the day after us so we added four more days to spend more time visiting with them. (Also, Melanie was sewing us new curtains.)
Another couple (Ron & Glenda) that we had met at Diamond Caverns also joined us a week later. On our first day there we checked out the store/cafe and met some of the local people who invited us to join them at their table for breakfast. That wound up being a daily thing. We also met three other couples there, one park ranger and his wife (Thomas & Pam), the other two (Bob & Debi) & (Rick & Kim) had also been at Diamond Caverns while we were there but we hadn't met them yet. With all the truly great people there, we added another four days to our stay.
When we arrived at the campground we went off in search of a full hook-up with 50 amps, but the only one available was in a bad location in the sun and at the time our AC wasn't working. So we then looked for a 30 amp full hookup site and found only a few of them, but they were also in full sun. So we found a great spot under the trees (I had to trim some branches while standing on the motorhome for us to back in) It was 30 amps and no septic hookup, but it was a great spot and there was a full hookup 30 amp spot that Bud and Melanie could use when they came the following day. Our park ranger friend (Thomas) set us up with a pumping service, so after five days we ponied up $10 bucks and got pumped out. When Ron & Glenda showed up, there were a few full hookup sites at the beach and we all moved over there. We occupied four of the seven beach sites for the Labor Day weekend. It was camping at its best. Thomas offered up his pontoon boat to use while he was working and once we took him up on his generous offer, we drove it back to the beach and picked up the rest of the clan and enjoyed a couple of hours out on the lake.
The weekend before Labor Day the campground hosted a charity auto show which featured mostly "Rat Rods". It was an interesting take on restoring old cars. The campground is also located right next to the Natchez Trace. The Natchez Trace is a 444-mile long national park. It's a road starting from Natchez, Mississippi extending north almost to Nashville. No commercial vehicles are allowed on the road and it has a 50 mph speed limit throughout. It followed a trail that pioneers used as they traveled north through the area. The site where Meriwether Lewis is buried is pretty close to the campground. That, and the Amish community nearby are just about the only thing to see near the campground as Nashville is about an hour and a half drive.
From what we understand about the campground is that the previous owners were going bankrupt when Thousand Trails picked it up. There are over 500 sites and it's very spread out. Because of the park's age, most of the sites are 30 amp without septic. Most of the facilities are run down and are in need of a lot of work. There are only seven sites at the beach that are near the lake that are available for "transients", the rest of the lakefront sites are annual sites. Hopefully, with enough annual sites, the park will be able to make the improvements that it desperately needs. The campground also has a lot of cabins, which we didn't learn much about. I think the number one draw to the campground is the people who live there, work there, and live nearby. Everyone we met was so nice. The other nice feature is the cafe that serves three meals a day with the best prices. Jackie and I both ate breakfast there every day for around six dollars together. I'm sure that the campground will continue making improvements and we're looking forward to our next visit.
Natchez Trace RV Camping is a beautifully wooded RV camp in Tennessee that offers camera-worthy lookouts and a relaxing getaway environment. Located right off the scenic Natchez Trace Parkway, Natchez Trace makes RV camping an adventure. Its position within an 830-acre forested preserve means fewer crowds and more privacy. This nature-focused RV camp features some of the best outdoor resources and recreation in Tennessee: a large 3 mile long lake, pontoon tours, and excellent fishing for bass, shellcracker, crappie and more.
Getting outside of Natchez Trace RV Camping can be just as exciting. Nashville offers many sports and entertainment attractions including music, theme parks, and interesting museums. Other noteworthy day trips include Loretta Lynn's Dude Ranch in Hurricane Mills and the home of President James Polk in Columbia, both of which can be easily accomplished from your home base at Natchez Trace RV camp in Tennessee.
General Policies:
Reservation & Payment Policies:
Helpful Information:
We do not allow pets in some accommodation types; however, we do allow service animals and a service animal may have stayed in a non-pet rental.
The Alabama cabin is the perfect getaway for the Crimson Tide fan. This newly remodeled cabin has everything for you to completely unwind. This cabin has 2 full beds and a nice size bathroom with a shower and is nicely decorated in Alabama colors. Be sure to enjoy the wildlife here while sitting on your deck.
The deluxe cabin sleeps 4 people and is located near the beach. These rentals include two full size beds. The back porch has a ceiling fan and patio table and chairs overlooking the lake. No pets.
The deluxe cabin sleeps 4 people and is located near the beach. These pet-friendly rentals include two full-size beds. The back porch has a ceiling fan and patio table and chairs overlooking the lake.
Welcome to the Fishing Cabin! Your perfect getaway for making memories. Screened in deck overlooking Chief Creek Lake right next to Natchez Trace Parkway. Fully stocked cabin: Towels, linens, pots, pans, stove, refrigerator, and a flat-screen TV. Sleeps 6 and 1 1/2 bathrooms
The newly remodeled Hunting Cabin is a perfect place for the family. It sleeps 6 and has 2 full bathrooms and the deck on the cabin overlooks Chief Creek Lake. Pack up the kids and food. The rest of your supplies is furnished in this cabin. A fully stocked kitchen, linens and towels, stove, refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, toaster, and a flat-screen TV are here waiting on you. You and kids will make lifetime memories here.
Gather up the family and friends for a one of a kind experience at our lodge. Overlooking Chief Creek lake, this huge lodge has five bedrooms and three baths. With eight full-size beds, you can sleep 16+ people. Be sure to spend time out on the large gazebo right on the lake. With the gazebo's gorgeous, wrap-around deck, the lodge is the perfect place for outdoor weddings, family reunions or just making memories.
Phone Reservations Only - Please Call 888-551-9102 to Reserve Today .
The Nashville Cabin is the perfect place to get away and just relax. It has all the amenities of a home decorated in the music industries motif. Fully stocked kitchen, stove, refrigerator, towels, linens, microwave, and a flat-screen TV. Screened in the deck for you to enjoy the scenery and wildlife surrounding Chief Creek Lake located next to the famous Natchez Trace Parkway. Sleeps 4 with a large handicap bathroom.
The Pavilion has tables and chairs to seat 75. With a kitchen area, sink, refrigerator and more, it is an ideal location to host your wedding, reunions or party.
These three-bedroom cabins sleep 8 people and include two queen beds, two full-size beds in each room as well as one twin bunk. The large screened back porch has a patio table and chairs. Linens included. No pets.
Steps away from the lake and near a large grassy expanse, the big red barn is a great option for your wedding, reunions or party. This unique barn comfortably holds 75 and has a bonus loft space.
Venture back to the days of Route 66. This newly remodeled cabin takes you back to when times were more relaxed but has all the modern amenities. Lay back and relax on the 2 full-size beds that sleep 4 people, while watching your favorite movie on the flat-screen TV. After your shower in our spacious bathroom, go out on the screened-in deck and enjoy your favorite beverage.
These rental cabins sleep 4 people and are complete with linens and kitchens. Numbers are limited, so reserve one today. Call for availability.
These rental cabins sleep 4 people and are complete with linens and kitchens. Numbers are limited, so reserve one today. Call for availability.
Escape to the newly remodeled Tennessee cabin next to Natchez Trace Parkway. Perfect for the dedicated Vols fan!! Decorated with official orange and white Vols furnishings. The Tennessee cabin has 2 bedrooms with queen beds and sleeps, 4 people. The extra-large bathroom includes a full-size closet and a large handicap walk-in shower. This beautiful cabin features, AC/Heat, full kitchen, w/refrigerator, stove, microwave, toaster, coffeemaker and all necessary utensils to cook up a meal. After watching the game on the flatscreen TV, gather on the screened-in deck overlooking Chief Creek Lake. Memories made here will lure you back again and again.
As with most of our KOA visits, it is just for a night stay-over while driving through because there were none of our membership parks nearby. The Lordsburg KOA was no exception, it appeared that 90% of the RV’s in the park were just there for a night as well. We hit some bad weather driving down from Mesa and pulled into the park at one in the afternoon and it was lightly snowing. By the time we were in our site and set up the sun was out and it warmed slightly. The park has full hookups with both 30 and 50 amps sites. There was an extra $3 for a 50 amp pull-through. I can’t say anything bad about the park but plan to spend forty to fifty dollars for a place to park overnight. The whole campground is a large gravel parking lot. It does have all the standard amenities like most all KOA campgrounds do and a few more niceties that we missed because of the weather and the shortness of our visit, like “kamper kitchen,” the activity building, the pool, and the general store. It is also easy to get to from the freeway. We would return to the park again if we were traveling I-10 through New Mexico.
You'll feel an away-from-it-all serenity at Lordsburg KOA, despite its easy-access location off I-10 halfway between Tucson and El Paso. Desert beauty surrounds you with scenic views of the Pyramid Mountains and big-sky sunsets. Tour ghost towns, search for opals and agates at Rockhound State Park, see the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, hike in the Gila National Forest or climb the dunes at White Sands National Monument. At this KOA, you'll find a swimming pool in season, game room, free cable TV, free wireless internet, special holiday treats and a Camping Kitchen ready for group events. An activity center is available for groups as well as food service on certain days. This is the place for relaxation in the Western desert. Pool: May 15 - September 15. Max pull thru 80 feet.
After a very long drive from Oklahoma, we finally reached Hidden Valley Park. We were assigned a site (after a $6.45 charge per night for 50 amps) and pulled forward to disconnect only to find the car battery was dead. So I drove the motorhome up to our site and got the AC running for the Yahoos (the dogs) while Jackie found someone to jump the car, only then did I remember that I had the car keys. In short time, we got the car going and set up camp. The park was just that, a place to park with utilities, it had neither the feel of a resort or a campground. The roads are all dirt and gravel while the sites are tight and not well maintained. There was hardly room to walk down the right side of the coach, so forget about setting up chairs or the barbecue. We walked around the park and found the pool drained and the pet area to be a small space alongside the road behind a sign.
We did have the good fortune to meet some nice folks that invited us to sit and chat. They had an end site so they were able to set out chairs. However, it was located on a busy corner with clouds of dust everytime someone came around the corner faster than 5mp (which was pretty much everyone) Again, good company made up for the dust issue. We also made a trip down into Albuquerque to run some errands, visit the National Museum of Nuclear History and Science, and have lunch at Whataburger (our new favorite fast food burger place since we discovered them in South Texas). Albuquerque is a beautiful city and we would enjoy spending more time here.
Back in the park, the staff and the people we met while there were very nice, but I think that in the future, we'll probably pass on a second visit.
Address:
844B State Hwy 333
Tijeras, NM 87059
Phone: (505) 281-3363
Fax: (505) 281-2026
Reservations Phone: (505) 281-3363
Reservations Fax: (505) 281-2026
Resort Information: Resort is 10 miles east of Albuquerque, a short distance from the Sandia Crest Ski and Recreation Area. Nearby: national forest, ghost towns, Indian pueblos, Rio Grande Zoo, Coronado Ruins, and Monument. Albuquerque's western edge reveals a history page of petroglyphs, volcano cliffs, and the Folsom Man Site.
Web Site: hiddenvalley-rvpark.com
EMail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Full Sites: 104
Partial Sites: 2
Pull-through Sites: 59
Check-In/Check-Out Times: 1 p.m.-4 p.m./ 11:00 a.m.
Open: Jan 1 to Dec 31
Peak: May 1 to Oct 15
Maximum Electrical Service: 50 amps
WiFi Available: Yes
Maximum RV Length: 45 feet
Elevation: 6607.0000
Amenities: Recreation Hall, outdoor pool (seasonal), playground, nature hiking trails, basketball court, fitness room, tenting, gift shop, hot showers, picnic tables, dump station, mountain setting, terraced sites, laundry, TV room, full kitchen for groups, library, tourist attractions nearby. Nearby: National forest, ghost towns, Indian pueblos, Rio Grande Zoo, Coronado Ruins, and Monument.
RV Notes: Coast rate not honored in Oct during Balloon Fest. June is in high demand, make a reservation as early as possible. Rate includes 2 people. Additional charges: 30 amp $3.23/night, 50 amp $6.45/night. After hours check-in box. Internet access in clubhouse, Wi-Fi access in lower level sites only.
Accepts Pets: Yes
Visitor Mail Accepted: Yes
Coronado Campground is located a few miles northeast of Albuquerque in a town called Bernalillo. It is within walking distance of an archeology site and a casino. The first thing that I noticed about the campground was how much pride the owner had in it. Each sited had an adobe shelter built over its picnic shelter and each shelter had hand-painted walls. The campground was laid out nice and was set up with the customer in mind. Our site had 50 amps and water, but the campground has a one airconditioner rule. We walked around and found that there was a good view of the Rio Grande river and away from the RV section of the campground was a tent campground with facilities and some sheltered picnic tables. There was a group tent camping area with groomed laid-out out spots for tents. Overall, I was very pleased with our visit and it was also pretty inexpensive as well. I will make an effort to return for a longer visit one day.
Coronado Campground doesn't have a website, but here is a link to reviews of the campground.
Below is a link to the Thousand Trails Campgrounds that we have visited.
- Indicates Trails Collection Resort