We stumbled upon Blanchard Springs Campgrounds while traveling west through Tennessee. It was a bit out of the way, but looked really nice and the nearby caverns interested us. We intended to only stay one night, see the caverns the next day, and then continue our travels. We ended up staying for three nights because we were so impressed with the people we met and the beauty of the area. Sites are $10 and allow up to 8 people in two tents. RVs are also allowed. Cell service wasn’t available there, but could be found by going to a nearby town, if needed. The sites are all in great locations and bathrooms and showers are available in central locations. There are lots of hiking trails and a couple places to swim (at your own risk). The rangers there were very welcoming and accommodating.

The caverns are spectacular and I highly suggest visiting them! They’re only about five minutes away from the campground. There are 8 miles of caves and three different tour options. One tour is available year-round and is only $10.50. The others are more difficult and are only open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, but look awesome! Some bats in this cave have had the white nose fungus, but it hasn’t had a large impact on the bats there. They require you to walk through soapy water at the end to lessen the likelihood of taking it other places, but suggest that if you plan to enter a cave without the fungus to wear clothes that haven’t been in a cave with the fungus before.