Think you can’t find a good campground in Memphis, TN? Think again. The T.O. Fuller State Park is a quiet and peaceful location to set up camp that’s not far from all of the tourist hot spots in Memphis. If you’re looking for one night or one week, this campground is one you should consider.
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After a couple of days at a few amazing campgrounds in the Smoky Mountains, we had to start making our way back to Texas. Brent works for a company located in Memphis, so we decided to stop here and stay at T.O. Fuller State Park for a few days so he can go into the office.
T.O. Fuller State Park: Location
This campground is located southwest of downtown Memphis and just 10 minutes due west of Graceland. While not located in the nicest looking area of town, we have felt completely safe since arriving here.
T.O. Fuller State Park: Fees and Campsites
This campground has 45 RV campsites some with a maximum length of 85′. Most of the campsites are paved and have both 50 and 30-amp electric as well as water hookups. Each site also has a fire ring, picnic table, and grill. A dumping station is located at the entrance to the campground.
We definitely feel like there is enough space between the RVs. It’s possible we feel this way because we are only one of a handful of people staying here. I hear there’s a pretty stinky smell in this campground much of the time which may be why there are not many people staying here despite it being prime camping season. I will say that we have only smelled something out of the ordinary for a couple of hours one morning. And the smell was only outside; not strong enough to linger into the camper.
The tree cover in this campground is great and it provides tons of shade. The first picture below is a picture of campsite #18 where we stayed, and then I’ve included a few pictures of the other campsites in the state park.
For those that want to know about cell/internet reception, we have had no problem getting signal. Both AT&T and Verizon signals are good. Not strong, but acceptable.
T.O. Fuller State Park: Bathhouse
The bathhouse here is very much run down and could use a good remodeling job. But despite it looking dated, it is clean, has showers with great water temperature and pressure, has minimal bugs, and does not have the automatic shut off feature in the showers. The shower stalls also have heavy locking doors with separate showering and dressing areas.
Around the corner from the bathhouse is the laundry room. While I didn’t check out the insides of the washers and dryers to see how well kept they are (or aren’t), many people appear to be utilizing this amenity. At only $1 per load, I can appreciate their eagerness to do so. The laundry room has 2 washers, 2 dryers, a counter, sink, and ice machine. Ice is free!
T.O. Fuller State Park: Things To Do
If you have kids, I’d recommend choosing a campsite on the inside of the large loop. This makes for easy access to the playground. Peyton has loved having the playground right behind our camper, and I have loved knowing that I can do things inside and still keep my eyes on him while he has fun.
This state park also has three hiking trails: the 1-mile Wildlife Trail, the almost 2-mile Pond Trail, and the 3-mile Discovery Trail. The Discovery Trail is the one closest to the campground. We haven’t had enough time to check out these trails, but with all of the rain lately, I’m sure there would be quite a few mud puddles along the routes. Not to mention the mosquitos are out like crazy right now. It’s probably best for my sanity that we don’t attempt these trails on this trip.
There is also a swimming pool located outside of the campground area. We haven’t been able to check the pool out because it has been closed while we’re here, but it would be another fun activity for kids. Campers get 1/2 price admission into the swimming pool.
Want to learn about the American Indians that lived in this area 500-1000 years ago? The University of Memphis operates the C.H. Nash Museum at Chucalissa located within the state park. Museum entry may be free if the camp host has complimentary tickets at the time.
Kids will have a blast visiting this museum. Mine did!
We started our visit by heading into the theater to watch a short video about the Chucalissa archeological site. You can also watch the same video on the University of Memphis website before you go. This room also housed an area with instruments of all types that children are allowed to touch and play.
Next, we participated in a scavenger hunt. We were given laminated cards with questions about the life of the American Indians here. We learned about their pottery, how they dress, their village, and more. A perfect history lesson!
The highlight of our visit was all of the hands-on activities that were available. We matched rocks to their types, touched animal skins, fur, and bones, and painted a wooden snake. Then we were escorted outside to take part in spear throwing. Finally, we were allowed to walk up one of the mounds which highlighted a replica mud house that we got to go inside.
There’s not a lack of activities at the T.O. Fuller State Park. We’ve had fun in the short amount of time that we’ve been here.
While this campground isn’t one that would be on our list to frequent time and time again, we would definitely consider a repeat stay if we visit the area again in the future. If you’re wanting to come camping in Memphis, this state park should be on your list to check out.
$1 for a load of laundry?? Wow! We’re paying $2.50 for a small load in California; our state park doesn’t have any w/d accommodations here. Enjoy!