One of our favorite places near Memphis to sneak away and spend a weekend is Big Hill Pond State Park.
Recommended time to visit: Late October into early November when fall colors are around their peak.
Estimated campsite cost: About $18 per night. (Note, there are no water electric hook ups).
Mileage cost for van rental: About 150 miles round trip (Est – $43.50)
Click here to select a van or camper and to check pricing.
Why do we like it?
Well, first and foremost, it’s only 75 minutes from Memphis and a really easy drive to get there. This place is awesome for day trips and even cooler if you stay the night to give you extra time for exploring.
There are miles of awesome trails to hike and run. So many that there’s actually a 50K trail race that happens each October – The Walking Tall 50/25K.
There’s also this super pretty lake where you can take your kayak or canoe out on the water. Don’t have a canoe or kayak? Well you can rent a paddle board from us or you can rent canoes and kayaks by the hour through the park. Click HERE for details on rentals through BHP.
Speaking of the fire tower, we highly recommend you take the hike and go to the top. If you park near the levee on the south east side of the lake, it’s only a couple miles to the tower. We were able to manage it with young kids in tow…we only had to pack them for some of it :).
This place really is a hidden gem – unlike many campgrounds, we’ve found there to be plenty of campsites available so you can keep your space from other campers if you prefer.
What campsites do we recommend?
Well, if you have kids and want to be close to the playground, then we’d recommend Campsite #3. You’ll feel like the playground is a part of your campsite.
If you’re needing lots of space or are afraid of backing into a campsite, then Campsite #13 (it’s lucky, isn’t it?) has a great pull through option. Only downside is you are right on top of site #15…so if there’s someone in that spot you may be sharing campfire stories with them.
We also love the fact that the campsites are kept in great condition and bathrooms have always been clean and in great working order.
Here’s a pics from 2019 (right after we got the vans) from campsite 13.
Peak Fall Colors should be hitting the last part of October into early November.