Army Corp of Eng.

[doonoak]

Just got back from a cool jaunt down to Kentucky and Tennessee.  I have to say I do mainly dry camping but for the sake of my wife (6 mnths Preg.) We camped by accident I might add in the Us Army Corps of Eng. campground in Wax on the Nolin River just North of Mammoth Cave Kentucky.  We were looking for the Nolin River State Park but got to the Army Corps Campground instead.  WOW!! this is the BEST campground I have ever been too!!! the 3rd week in may before the crowds get there awesome only 3 campers out of 100 or so spots.  Catfish(flatheads) and Bass galore. give  it a try.  by the way this is a way cool website!!!!

[Johnowolf]

Just got back from a cool jaunt down to Kentucky and Tennessee. I have to say I do mainly dry camping but for the sake of my wife (6 mnths Preg.) We camped by accident I might add in the Us Army Corps of Eng. campground in Wax on the Nolin River just North of Mammoth Cave Kentucky. We were looking for the Nolin River State Park but got to the Army Corps Campground instead. WOW!! this is the BEST campground I have ever been too!!! the 3rd week in may before the crowds get there awesome only 3 campers out of 100 or so spots. Catfish(flatheads) and Bass galore. give it a try. by the way this is a way cool website!!!!

We stay regularly at the COE campground at Land Between The Lakes, Kentucky (just outside of Paducah, I think it's I-24 Exit 31). The Canal campground is just before you cross the canal between the lakes into "The Trace". It's a beautiful and well maintained campground ... many sites have easy access to the lake. We stayed at one in the "Fisherman's Loop" that was by the lake close enough to easily park a canoe. Another time we stayed in the "Hill Loop" in a spot overlooking the lake and canal. The only drawback to that one was the occassional sounds of tug boat horns, but the site was beautiful, and we could fish the canal easily. Caught the biggest channel cat I've ever landed there! So far we've had excellent luck with COE campgrounds almost anywhere we've gone.

[cyclone]

I'm a big fan of COE campgrounds - have stayed at 3 in TN.  All are among the nicest cg's I've seen and I certainly would recommend them to anyone.  Two are within a half hour of home which is really nice; only "problem" is they stay booked all summer so it's difficult to get reservations late.

[Old Goat]

We camped at a COE campground near Claremore, Oklahoma two years ago and it was great... I've never heard anything bad about COE campgrounds......

[SpeakEasy]

We'll be traveling without a definite itinerary southeastward from Shenandoah National Park in July. ARe there any COE campgrounds that we should visit in Virginia, North Carolina, or South Carolina? We're heading generally toward the Myrtle Beach area.

[slowpez]

There are 13 COE campgrounds on Lake Strom Thurmond and I don't know how many on Lake Hartwell (both in SC).  Modoc (near Edgefield SC) is one of our favorites.  Reservations always recommended especially on summer weekends.

Hope this helps, Susan

[GeneF]

I recently purchased the book, "Camping with the Corps of Engineers."

It lists all of the COE cgs in the US.

[homecrew]

Federal Recreation Areas, as well as Army Corp of Engineers campgrounds can be found and reserved at www.reserveusa.com
 
Additional sites are www.recreation.gov  
 
 and  
 
http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/

[hoppy]

I've found that the COE compounds are one of the best values in camping.

 They are typically right on the lakes that the core has built, sites right on the lake shore in most cases, large buffer areas between the sites, much larger than normal sites, concrete pads and drives, crushed gravel on the actual site, and individual utility posts right along the concrete pads. Only need to extend out 6 ' feet of water hose and power cord. Sites are typically outlined with railroad ties for a nice clean look.

  The campgrounds are kept up really nice, and the bath houses are not to bad either.

   Most here in GA go for $20.00 a night, and that includes all the utilities.

   There I go, giving away one of my best kept secrets for almost 15 years.

[SpeakEasy]

Thanks, slowpez, for the recommendation about Modoc. I've been looking into it, and you are not the only person who is recommending it. I even found a photo of one of the sites. It looks nice.

What's the lake like? Is it suitable for swimming? (Coming from up here in Yankee-land, I have to confess that some of the "southern" lakes look a little soupy to me. I mean, like, what's living in there?

[slowpez]

What's the lake like? Is it suitable for swimming? (Coming from up here in Yankee-land, I have to confess that some of the "southern" lakes look a little soupy to me. I mean, like, what's living in there?

Fish mostly.
Actually, I can't say about swimming as the last time I tried on a bathing suit at the age of 60 I discovered I looked better naked.  Ewwwh!

[Gone-Camping]

ARe there any COE campgrounds that we should visit in Virginia

Yes, down near Martinsville toward the southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway is a great COE campground called Goose Point Park, it's right next door to Fairy Stone State Park (entrance is about 1/2 mile east of the state park)...
 
Check the link below, follow the links to the parks interactive map, and then click on a few of the lake front sites in Loop-C...that will bring up a picture of each campsite. Want a recommendation, site's 17 or 18 are my favorite two!
http://www.saw.usace.army.mil/philpott/goosepoint.htm

[SpeakEasy]

Thanks so much, Gone-Camping! It's beginning to look like an intinerary is developing.

Now, I just have to make sure I time my arrival at Goose Point when you aren't there and aren't planning to go there! I wouldn't want to abuse your generous advice by being in your site when you get there! We'd probably be arriving July 4, or 5. Does that work for you?

[Starcraft Dad]

We've camped at Beech Bend Campground several time in Parsens TN. It is in Decatur County. Very nice. Right on the Tennessee River. It has a boat ramp. Probably the best campground we have ever stayed at.
 
http://www.decaturcountytn.org/beech_bend_park.asp
 
You have to remember though that this campground is in the Tennessee River flood plain.  During heavy rains the river will come up and the campground will have to be evacuated.  The last time we stayed here we had 14 inches of rain. (the after effect of a hurricaine). The river was coming up a foot an hour.  We got out just fine but by the time we left, part of the campground was already flooded and around two MH.  The MH owners were gone for the day.

[Gone-Camping]

Unfortunately I won't be able to go to Goose Point this year, just too far out and not enough funds or time. I'm going to try another COE a little closer to home, it's on Kerr Lake (AKA Buggs Island Lake) right next to the Kerr Dam, it's called North Bend Park, and from the pictures looks very much like Goose Point...run by the same COE branch that runs Goose Point so guess it should be very much like it. You might put this one on your radar scope too, it's located not far off if I-81 on the Va-NC state line...