KOA Renfro (KY) and Eagles Roost (GA)

[1700SunnyLn 3]

I have seen many posts on the Eagles Roost and the pictures Mouseketab has with the trees is just so pretty that I believe that will be our 2nd night stay on our way to the Fort.

So it's night 1 that has me stumped. The KOA Renfro (KY) has a K-9 Playground which sounds like it would be a nice place for the girls to work off some energy before beginning Day 2 of travel. Has anyone heard anything about this campground?

Or any recommendations between Michigan and the KY/TN border for a night stop with dogs?

Thanks!!!!!

Diane

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

Hi, Diane!! I'm from Michigan too!

We have stayed at Renfro Valley RV Park several times but never the KOA. It's been a couple of years but I think the rate was about $25 a night. The sites were level and the comfort stations were clean.

We have also stayed at The Fox INN which is about 10-15 miles north of Knoxville on I75. It is nothing to write home about but the owners are friendly and the price was in the same range. They also have a large field that the dogs could get some exercise.

If you want to go a little further we also like Harvest Moon Campground in Adairsville, GA.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Hi Diane!!

I can't help you with Renfro, as we don't pass that way, but I will add another recommendation for Eagles Roost.

I hope you have a great trip!!!

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

We usually stay at Renfro Valley since it is closer to the X-way and less money, as well as nice level sites. We checked out the KOA and it is up on the hill and many of the sites have a slope. It is also further off the X-way.(been to better and been to worse). We also give a "thumbs up" to Eagles Roost.

[1700SunnyLn 3]

Thanks for the suggestions. Tonight went a little faster than I had planned and left me with no "fun time to plan the trip" time . Grumpy&Grandma, thanks for pointing out the sloping aspect of the sites at the KOA. I had read about a hill going in and out of it but the review didn't mention anything about the sites and I had visions of playing doggies :) Cherie, I read last night a post where you had mentioned the Harvest Moon and it wouldn't open for me last night and I meant to try again but I guess that will be tomorrow now :) I'll check those others out.

I'm so glad I read about the Eagles Roost and keep seeing/hearing good things about it :) Sounds like it will be a nice place to stop.

I don't want to go to bed (whaaa) but I am being reminded it's a school night and I'm not at the Fort yet! LOL

Thanks!!!

Diane

[1700SunnyLn 3]

I owe a review!   We are FINALLY getting ready to take the trip we planned a year ago.  That trip was suppose to be in Jan 2013.  That goes switched to Feb then March and again to April which that April dates lasted as long as it took DH to go to the grocery store and for me to come to the decision why go in April when we could go during Food and Wine?  LOL  Which is where we are now, the camper is partially packed still from last weekend's Halloween weekend.  We picked up a few things last night that we decided were needed for the trip south.  All we will have to pack next weekend is the clothes and food.  Oh and probably the dogs too  LOL

 

So back to the review.  We ended up taking as our long test drive/trip to Corbin, KY this June.  We stayed at the Corbin KOA after speaking to friends who have parents that stay there.  They have a off leash dog area that is actually spilt with 2 separate entrances. Nice option.  

 

We stayed from Wednesday night till Saturday morning.  Drove south a bit to meet up with family who drove up.  Went up and visited Berea proper instead of just hitting the visitor center like we normally do.  We walked the girls around for a short visit.  The SCOTS (student store next to the hotel) I believe that was the location allowed the girls to come indoors and gave the girls lots of attention.  We talked a bit with them.  Super nice.  We ended up getting a couple of brooms.   They make multi color brooms and I bought a small hand held whisk like one at the Visitor Center off of i-75 and what I think is really a fireplace sweep?  It's a short broom and has a curved handled.  Anything bigger than our tiny trailer and sweeping would be a bummer but it was cute and it reminds me of the Visitor Center and now our time in Berea.   

 

Ok that was a lot of topic but I thought they deserve some attention and a fun useful souvenir plus it benefits the college kids.  Back to the actual campground...  we took the "Deck" location.  Which is steps from the bathhouse and office.  The pool is just beyond that.  I think Wednesday and Thursday nights we didn't have much action at the pool.  But Friday night a few more people stopped over and more kids.  They eventually quieted down but they probably wouldn't be the norm as they were stopping for the night and were most likely wound p a bit for the travel day(s).   It sounded like someone told a ghost story and then after that silence.   LOL  I would say that was probably the most noise we had at the campground.  it was pretty quiet and relaxing. 

With staying in June we got the lighting bugs and the show was great.  We get them at home but very little.  The birds enjoyed the brush by the deck.   The deck has a firepit that is steps down and the slop around the pit maybe a bit uneven for chairs.  DH broke our rocking folding chair which in fairness was old and used and trouble so it was just waiting to happen.  But I'd recommend normal camp chairs or something similar down by the fire pit. 

 

Bathrooms were clean, they were not built yesterday but they were clean and I felt comfortable.  Years back when we camped we tented and one thing I hated about the state park we visited the most  was the spiders.  These bathrooms were clean and well light.  The showers stayed on unlike the local KOA which you have to keep pressing the button. 

 

We walked around a bit.  There appears to be some permanent sites for weekenders but we never saw any of them.   There were the Camp hosts and one other that I was unsure if he was staying at the KOA and working locally.  It was quiet and never an issue.  I seem to recall reading about permanent sites at other locations possibly more in GA (?) that reviewers on RV sites weren't too happy about.  But so far the permanent campers I have come across have been weekender types and even then they weren't around when we were.  

 

Oh getting on and off of i-75.  Fairly easily.  Going Southbound you will be making a right and I think it was 2 lanes.  Stay in the center because rather quickly after the gas stations you make a left.  And the left onto the street to the KOA is on a bend.  The road there is probably a normal 2 lane road but I have to say I did feel worried if we were to meet another coming the other way.  But didn't and i'm sure it would have been fine but we are still newbies so I get nervous if a leaf blows by  LOL  (just kidding, sorta LOL)    You will make a left again.  I can't imagine as most are pulling up that you will find another camper on their way out since most would have left earlier in the day but you might come upon cars or motorcycles leaving so be watchful for them.  It might have been the newness of it but I felt it was sharp and worried about other vehicles.  these are not roads to be moving fast on and someone needs to tell that to the turtle that past us.  He sure was going full neck out there.  The actual entrance and exit are 2 separate drives.  There are trees.  We have a smaller set up so not an issues.  The dog park is on your left as you are driving up the entrance/exit area. 

 

We saw large travel trailers up to the Motorcoachs.   I never spoke to any to see what they thought of the drives.  But from reviews I have read elsewhere people have thought it was tight.  

 

We totally would stay here again and are planning on this as our 1st night down to Disney.  It's a bit of a long haul for a normal long weekend but if we had plans to meet up with the relatives in GA again with splitting the difference, I'd totally stay here again for that.  I'd like to catch the Moon-bow yet as we missed the full moon both in June and the dates don't line up with our Disney trip.   There is a Super Walmart on the other side of i-75.  The entrance was a bit weird if I recall DH's remarks correctly.  He ended up passing it the first time, I think it had 1 entrance.  

 

Our coming trip the plan is Corbin,KY for night 1 and push on to Eagles Roost in Lake Park, GA for the 2nd night.  

 

The return stops are a mystery LOL