PICKWICK LANDING STATE PARK

Pickwick Landing is located in Hardin County, TN. We stayed at the primitive campground in the Bruton Branch Recreation Area for Spring Break this year. We love this campground. It is small with maybe only twenty sites, but it is right on the Pickwick Lake area of the Tennessee River and very calm. We arrived on Thursday evening and unfortunately cut it pretty close to sunset. On our drive down, we checked the weather one last time to make sure it wouldn’t be raining, which is when I discovered that there was a flood warning for the Tennessee River in Harding County (ha!). Once we arrived and found out spot, we got of the car, and it was FREEZING! Freezing and windy. The waves in the river looked and sounded like the ocean. It was crazy. So we fought the wind to set up our NEW REI KINGDOM 6 TENT (which we were really pumped about). I may have been kind of mean to Vinay a couple of times while setting up the tent… maybe. Anyways, we pretty much set up our tent and went straight to bed.

Friday morning, we stayed in the tent for a bit, as it was cold, windy, and rainy outside. We made a plan to go on a hunt for some firewood because the host site was empty, and the firewood cabinet was locked. To get to the main state park area, you have to drive about twenty minutes from the Bruton Branch area, across the dam, and to the main property. At the main property, you’ll find the main campground, the lodge, and a golf course. We first went to the main campground, but there wasn’t a ranger on site, so we called, and the ranger told us to go to the lodge. At the lodge, we were able to purchase bundles of firewood for $10/bundle (they did take card). Apparently, you are also allowed to just call the office while at your campsite, and they will deliver it to you.

Once we found some firewood, we spent Friday afternoon cooking hot dogs on the fire and relaxing, although I have to admit - I was freezing. Other campers started to show up for the weekend that afternoon as well, so we were no longer the only ones at the campground. We also set up the mud room addition to the Kingdom tent. Rookie mistake - we didn’t really leave enough room for it when setting up the main foot print, but we made do.

When we woke up Saturday morning, the sun was shining, boats were on the lake, and it was BEAUTIFUL outside. We were so excited. We set up the hammock and spent the morning reading the amazing - Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, It is a must-read.

We will definitely go back to camp at Pickwick Landing State Park. It was a blast, and I think it will be even more fun in the late spring / early autumn when the trees are green and the sun is shining.