Windrock Park Campground

The Great Outdoors

You only need to set your sights on the nearby Cumberland Mountains, just half an hour's drive away from Windrock Park Campground, to see the 3,324-foot peak Frozen Head, so named because it's often clad in ice or snow in winter months. Almost 50 miles of trails beckon hikers to the Frozen Head State Park, where chances of spotting cerulean warblers are high. Spring and summer bring Acadian flycatchers, blue-gray gnatcatchers, and northern parula. While most trails are limited to hiking, the Lookout Tower Trail leading to the summit can be accessed on a mountain bike. With an observation deck towering above the tree line, those who venture up the peak are rewarded with round-the-compass views of the Great Smoky Mountains, the Tennessee Valley, and the ridge where the valley meets the Cumberland Plateau.The glassy, scenic waterway of Watts Bar Lake, one of the largest in the state, lies only an hour away by campervan rental from Oliver Springs. At full pool, the lake spans an area close to 40,000 acres, with over 700 miles of shoreline to explore. Take in the lake views from Kingston and bring a picnic. Plan your visit around fishing season between April through June when largemouth and smallmouth bass bite.Learn history lessons and admire the outdoors at the Cumberland Mountain State Park. Carved out from the Cumberland Homesteads Project, the 1,720-acre park surrounds the human-made Byrd Lake where swimming is popular. Explore the nearby trails for sightings of varied bird species. The Lake Trail Loop offers views over the lake and encounters with Canada geese, American goldfinches, and northern cardinals. The Byrd Creek Trail winds 2.5 miles along the east side of Byrd Creek and provides opportunities to spot vireos, woodpeckers, and barred owls.

Exploring the Area

Mark your calendar in October and rent a camper near Windrock Park Campground to experience Oliver Springs October Sky Festival. Inspired by the film of the same name, the event pays tribute to the film (shot on location in Oliver Springs and nearby counties) with rocket launches and coal miner displays, bluegrass and folk music, bus tours, and classic car drives. Other times of the year, visit the 1897 train depot, which houses historical artifacts and the town library. A restored Southern Railway caboose and horse-drawn fire wagon can be found next door.The not-so-secret Manhattan Project operated out of many locations, one of which is in nearby Oak Ridge. Housing more than 75,000 people, the Oak Ridge Reservation of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park was the project's administrative and military headquarters. Here, uranium was processed, and plutonium was produced to support the production of nuclear weapons during WWII. Leave your RV rental at the campsite for a day, and join a bus tour to see a graphite reactor, or visit the American Museum of Science and Energy.For a trip to the Upper Cumberland Plateau and the Appalachian foothills, take your Oliver Springs camper rental for a drive down the Top Secret Trail. The drive takes off from Knoxville, where you'll have your fill of sports, arts, and history. Browse contemporary 20th and 21st-century art at the Knoxville Museum of Art, or catch a game of football at the University of Tennessee. For a walk back in time, visit the Mabry-Hazen House Museum, which served as the Civil War headquarters for both the Union and Confederate forces.The Top Secret Trail (which will also take you to some of the area’s wineries) is just one of the few trails that lead you into the heart of East Tennessee. If you wish to scratch the surface deeper, book an RV rental in Morgan County and find an RV Park in Oliver Springs for the start of a truly unforgettable journey.