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Rustic cabins in Tennessee

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TexasShadow

TexasShadow

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I know many folks here ride the Dragon and Smokies in TN/NC, so I thought I might fish here.

I'm looking for a rustic cabin to rent for a few days in the spring. Must be in Tennessee and about 700-800 miles from DFW area (trying to make this a one-day to/from ride). That puts the eastern boundary ~100 miles east of Nashville, Nashville being the western limit. I'd like to, but am not eager to attempt making the Smokies in one day ride. That would be a two-day ride and I have to be frugal on time and expenses.

I looked at the state parks. They are either too fancy (I don't want TV, VCR, telephone, yadda yadda) or too expensive (>$75 night). I started searching online for commercial cabins and they are pretty much the same as above, and a plethora of them.

What happened to rustic? <sigh>

If anyone can recommend places they've been to or have heard of, let me know.
Thanks in advance.
 
Might want to look for a cheap motel room at a mom & pop place away from the "nicer" areas if you're willing to accept the security/aesthetic risks. I've done that a few times when traveling solo.
 
LOL!

100miles west of Nashville??? That's where I grew up!

Could probably get you, oh, a couple hundred acres to camp on, if you want...near Camden, TN.

There are rustic cabins up at Land Between the Lakes, but that would put you a couple or 3 hours out of your way, each way.

Quite frankly, West TN isn't really the "rustic cabin" type of place. It's flat. It's swampy. And definately, DEFINATELY get north of Jackson before stopping. Lots of impoverished, seedy areas b/t Memphis and Jackson.

One idea is to possibly contact Birdsong Marina, which is on Kentucky lake and not far from the interstate. I haven't been there in years and not sure what they have to offer, but they used to have a decent campground.
 
bedlam said:
Could probably get you, oh, a couple hundred acres to camp on, if you want...near Camden, TN.

There are rustic cabins up at Land Between the Lakes, but that would put you a couple or 3 hours out of your way, each way.
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I'm tempted to make it a day and 1/2-ride both ways. Maybe get into LA and find a cheap motel for the night. Cheap, cheap :)

Then hit the road early and extend my range further east. That'll put him closer with less miles to ride in one day and we both like mountains.

Sending you a pm re: the place you mentioned.
 
TexasShadow said:
Standing Stone it is!

Rustic, no phone, not TV, no microwave; stone fireplace, quiet, forested, low mountains,........ :trust:

Cool.
:clap:
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Don't take more than a weeks worth of stuff... you probably won't come back if you do :rofl:

Make sure and give us a write up... let us know how it was ;-)
 
LOL!!! What happens in Standing Stone, stays in Standing Stone :trust:
 
I decided to not do the 820 miles in one day and instead ride to a campsite in the general vicinity of Memphis, TN. That will give me a day and 1/2 ride to my destination.

Anyone have a suggestion or recommendation for a camping spot around there?
 
:tab Call a local real estate office in the area. Find the nearest town. Google the name and state. Look for a town specific website or chamber of commerce listing. Call and explain what you are looking for. Local knowledge can lead to some awesome places to stay, eat, and things to see do. I have had great luck doing this when planning trips. They can turn you onto stuff you'd never find on the net. There are TONS of privately owned cabins in that area that are rented out via agencies. I have seen many that are the only cabin on a hundred acre site.
 
How are you getting to your destination? There is Chickasaw State Park outside of Whiteville/Jackson I-40... I really enjoyed the place when I went thru there... It's about 1.5 hours or so on the eastside of Memphis ;-)

http://www.state.tn.us/environment/parks/Chickasaw/#camping

You can hit Shiloh outside of Crump... so many cool Civil War sites around there :clap:
 
RUSTIC cabins....? Hmm, sounds like some of my kin folks' places up on Daisy Mountain ;-) . Southeast TN though.
I'd get as far away from Memphis as I could before I'd camp. Unless you're going to spend the night with your bike. Awake. And armed.
You'll love the Southern Appalacians. They are old and wise mountains.
 
you might want to look at Montgomery Bell state park off old hwy 70 between Nashville and Dickson.
 
bedlam said:
.

One idea is to possibly contact Birdsong Marina, which is on Kentucky lake and not far from the interstate. I haven't been there in years and not sure what they have to offer, but they used to have a decent campground.
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Birdsong is much improved over the years. Bobby has done a pretty good job of updating it.
 
Time for reflection on accomodations: Standing Stone State Park in Tennessee.

The park itself lies 36 miles north of I-40 and Cookeville, approx. 120 miles east of Nashville, ~12 miles west of Livingston, in the rolling hills. Signs to the park are relatively visible and clear.

The park itself surrounds a small reservoir which sits in a valley and bordered by forested hills. Hwy 136 actually intersects the park and offers some steep grades and turns, then rolling alongside the reservoir. I'm not sure about the other roads in the area, but from looking at the map, there are some tight hairpin turns and definitely steep changes in elevation.

The park has campground facilities, which I did not experience first hand; only passed by. The cabins are clustered in two groups on either side of Hwy 136. The park headquarters are located one side.

Most of the cabins are rough timber construction with one or two porches. A few have screened porches. Of various sizes, they also have varying capacities. One looked large enough to accommodate eight people, maybe more. Some have AC and heat, others have stone fireplaces.

Access is easy; the main road is rough paved and some have gravel parking places. All are clearly marked and numbered. The grounds are neatly maintained and hiking trails are marked, but not clearly.

The cabin I rented is the best: it's isolated, on the end of a ridge overlooking the reservoir below, has it's own private drive, quiet and......wonderful.

Views of the cabin and drive from above. The drive is a hidden steep decline.

cabin1-1.jpg


cabin2.jpg


View of the inside from my bed which is in front of the fireplace. Quite lovely. (this was taken at night with flash)

cabin_inside.jpg


View from outside the cabin over the reservoir. A ravine is on the other side.

cabin_view2.jpg


I discovered an unmarked trail behind the cabin that went down, down to another trail along the border of the water, into the ravine and to an old boat house (big boat house with space to sit and have lunch, read, or whatever).

No one around; it was great. :)

trail_cabin.jpg


I'd like to return sometime, under better circumstances, and stay longer to explore the area. I know the roads around there are sweet. And the Dragon area is 250-300 miles east from there.
 
Sweet... I'm glad you liked it... I'll have to run out there next time I'm in Selmer ;-) I love the backroads in TN... just gotta watch for logging trucks :eek2:
 
sherob said:
Sweet... I'm glad you liked it... I'll have to run out there next time I'm in Selmer ;-) I love the backroads in TN... just gotta watch for logging trucks :eek2:
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Or deer. I thought I was a gonner.......

I would like to go back sometime; again, under different circumstances. Maybe on the way to/from a trip to the Dragon. :)
 
TexasShadow said:
Or deer. I thought I was a gonner.......

I would like to go back sometime; again, under different circumstances. Maybe on the way to/from a trip to the Dragon. :)
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Do I have a place for you to stay :trust: It has just started up, run by fellow MC riders, ST1300 owners. This has been their life long dream to put together a place for riders in a great riding area with rider amenities :clap:

http://www.huntslodge.com/
 
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