Memphis-Graceland RV Park & Campground

Place to stay if you are visiting Graceland

We decided to do the Natchez Trace and it took us back through Memphis on the way back to Texas. No way could we go through Memphis w/o visiting Graceland. We chose to stay at the Memphis - Graceland RV Park because of it's proximity to Graceland and the fact we had dogs, that we wanted to be able to check on during the tour. You couldn't ask for a more convenient park...it's right across the parking lot from Graceland, so no need to get a car or unhook your tow vehicle. One thing that concerned me/us (2 women) was most reviews for Memphis area RV parks talk about how unsafe the areas are. I have pretty good "spidey senses" and inside the park, neither of us felt the least unsafe. We didn't get that feeling one gets when there is something "off". That may have been a different story had we left the park to walk around, but we had no reason to. We just walked to Graceland and back a couple of times across the parking lot.

We called ahead that morning (early June) and had no trouble getting a site for 2 nights. We were lucky, because there had been storms a week or two before that knocked out the phones in the area, and they had just come back online the day we called. Other than the staff being understandably frantic and busy trying to catch up returning a gazillion calls and emails, they were professional. The camp store was well appointed with drinks, snacks and Elvis souvenirs. We had a concrete pull through site with full hook-ups, bounded by a little bit of grass. It was level enough that we didn't use our leveling blocks. Our neighbors were pretty close, enough that our dogs, on 15' leads, had to be managed to stay off their utility side. Other than that, it wasn't an issue. The interior streets were easy to navigate so big rigs shouldn't have a problem. There is a nice pool and the restrooms were clean. We did not use the showers, so I can't comment on them.

At one end of the property, there is a large, grassy field (easily an acre and a half) with fences on the perimeter. We let our dogs off leash to run and wrestle so they could burn off some energy after being inside our RV for so many hours. It was really nice to have that option for us and for them.

We had a clear view to the south (smallish trees), so our satellite dish was able to connect. We did not use the wifi as we have a hotspot and our Verizon and AT&T cell phones worked just fine.

We spend big bucks to take the (new) Ultimate VIP Tour at Graceland (~$159/person, no AAA discount allowed). It was WELL worth it because we had a private tour guide who took us on our own shuttle bus and we never had to wait in lines. They limit the # of people at once to 6 (I think), but we were the only 2 with our own guide. We selected the Ultimate VIP tour more for the no lines and private tour guide than the free meal or special VIP experience (which was taking us into a small room and letting us see a few of his personal items as well as hold his gold microphone). I highly recommend that if your budget allows. We didn't do much spending on this trip, as it was mostly enjoying the scenery along the Trace, so we were able to justify the expense. It was really nice and I'd do it again. Neither of us were/are big Elvis fans, but appreciate what he meant to the music industry and history in general. Seeing Graceland, taking the tour and learning more about him was something we are glad we didn't miss.

Our bill for 2 days was about $84. We have all the discounts, but can't remember if they accepted them...our stay was during the first week of June 2017.

Montgomery Bell State Park

Wonderful state park! One of our favs!

Date of Stay: June, 2017 - $38.00
Overall Rating: 4.5 stars
RV: 25' motorhome

We loved this park! We went to the website ahead of time as a stop-over while driving the Natchez Trace and chose our spot based on the website map, site dimensions/description and photos. Loved that they had photos...really helped us select the perfect site. We reserved ahead and paid just under $41, including taxes and day use fees.

The campground has lots of trees/shade (not satellite friendly), a river, is easy to navigate, beautiful scenery, clean restrooms, and the campsites were incredibly wide/large with plenty of space cushion around so we weren't on top of our neighbors. Our site had hookups and was hard packed gravel/dirt. The park was fairly crowded for a Thursday, and the ranger came along that morning around checkout time to make sure we were vacating our space so they could ensure the next person wouldn't find us still there. Fair enough. We had a premium spot on the river, but it was more for ambiance as the flow was practically nil, so the river was a bit sketchy looking. Our site had a picnic table and fire-ring.

We had our dogs on 15 - 20 foot leads and they enjoyed plenty of room on our site without encroaching on neighbors sites. The other campers we met were friendly. Lots of kiddos riding bikes and having fun, and we didn't encounter loud, obnoxious campers at night. I would definitely recommend this beautiful park and would not hesitate to stay here again...only wish we'd had more time here to chill and enjoy the nice weather (June 1). We camped at Montgomery Bell State Park in a Motorhome.

Raton Pass Camp & Cafe

New name, New ownership - Raton Pass Camp and Cafe...great place to stay!

Date of Stay: July, 2017 - $38.00
Overall Rating: 5 stars
RV: 25' Motorhome with toad (42' overall). Didn't have to unhook the tow vehicle in space #2

3 week trip and this was our #1 favorite! It's not a big, ol' resort, but that didn't matter. I give this 5 stars in context with other spots in the region and for the obvious attention to detail and wonderful food. The owner was fantastic - she clearly puts forth a lot of effort and pride into her campground. It has that "personal touch". Not sure when she took it over and changed the name to Raton Pass Camp and Cafe (from Cedar Rail RV Park), but the rock gravel was in perfect condition and there were so many "personal touches", so I imagine she's made numerous improvements since she took over ownership sometime after the last review before mine was written.

We intended to stay elsewhere and had put a deposit on another campground in the area, but after driving through it...we high-tailed it out of there. We cancelled that reservation and went online and found Raton Pass RV Park (formerly Cedar Rail). Luckily for us, we got the last pull-thru site! We arrived a bit past their hours, but the owner and her staff stayed to get us settled in. We were starving and tired and asked if the restaurant was open. It had just closed, but she offered to make us dinner and bring it to our site! She started reeling off her menu...lots of slow smoked meats, etc (definitely not for Vegans). The offerings were numerous, and it was hard to decide what to order. We had fantastic homemade lasagna, marinated chicken, white beans to die for, cole slaw, potato salad, rolls, tea, etc. I enjoy cooking and she is quite a cook. Nothing like a home cooked meal cooked and served by someone else! What service! They escorted us to our site (#2), which was not next to anyone, but rather alongside the wide driveway area. Worked just great.

The campground is up on a hill with beautiful views and the sunset was stunning. The air crisp and clean. There is wifi, but we were strongly warned not to stream Netflix or download a bunch of stuff because she would know and cut us off. Fair enough. That was her only "thing". The campground is clearly a labor of her love...incredibly clean, spotless and level. The hookups were in great shape and well positioned. We intended to eat our meal outside and enjoy the sunset, but it was a bit chilly and windy, so we didn't take advantage of the picnic table. The gravel was firm and well-maintained. The bathrooms were spotless and so cute! I took advantage of the facilities, something I rarely do, and enjoyed a nice, long shower. Our dogs appreciated the lack of "stickers". We didn't walk them down to the tent camping area, but it looked to be a great little place to explore with the dogs. The other campers were quiet and friendly. We walked around and enjoyed the views and cool air after driving through excessive heat the previous 3 days. This was "just an overnight", but it was such an oasis, we would have loved to stay longer. We would definitely stay at Raton Pass Camp again...for the ambiance, views, services, cleanliness, friendly owner/staff and amazing, homemade food. We spent $60 for our site and dinner for 2.

Tyler State Park

Wonderful state park in the piney woods of East Texas

Date of Stay: February, 2017 - $28.00
Overall Rating: 4 stars
RV: 25' motorhome

Beautiful East TX park. It was a nice, close getaway from Dallas. We stayed in the Lakeview area, which I recommend. There are several areas in the park, so you might want to check out the website. The pretty park is kept up nicely & isn't in the middle of a bunch of meth labs. We found it spotless, including the bathrooms. The camp host and her cat on a leash, "Luigi", were super friendly and was walking around picking up tiny pieces of trash when we ran into her. They did a fantastic job keeping the restrooms clean...among the best we've encountered. We have a 25' motorhome and chose a back-in site with full hookups. There are pull-throughs if you require that. The campsites are spacious with plenty of area around them should you want to set up a tent. We set up 2 ENO Hammocks, left our bikes out, had a lantern pole, picnic table and fire ring with a grill grate. Firewood can be purchased via the honor system by the camp host's site.

We had full hookups and concrete pad, which required leveling blocks. Our site was shaded and on the water. Because of the tall trees, satellite didn't work. No biggie. I didn't pay attention to whether or not there were spots with a clear view to the sky. You can rent boats & fishing equipment. There is a swimming area. If you enjoy biking, birding, hiking or geocaching, there are plenty of options/trails. We took a nice hike around the perimeter of the lake...maybe a couple of miles? The camp store is well appointed. The only issue we ran into were the thieving raccoons who have a taste for prime rib-eye. One of the fearless little buggers managed to steal half of a steak right off the grill when we walked a few feet away! (so much for leftovers!). Our neighbors, who frequent this park, say they are a big problem at this park, so keep your coolers and everything food related inside your car/camper!

Sites at TX State Parks are first come first served, although you can reserve a "space" beforehand. The ranger said starting Dec 2017, you will be able to book "site specific" spots online. Day use fee is $3/day per person. We got a TX State Park pass for $40, which negates the day use fee and if you stay more than one night, you get half off the 2nd night. Well worth it if you plan on camping/using TX state parks more than a couple times. Book early; this is a popular park, close to Dallas & fills up during the season.

Activities: Biking, hiking, geocaching, birding, fishing, paddle-boats, swimming in the lake, campfire