Campgrounds and RV parks near Henning, TN

Fort Pillow State Historic Park is the main draw. The park sits on the Chickasaw Bluffs overlooking the Mississippi, preserves Civil War earthworks and a reconstructed fort, and holds a 15-acre lake stocked with bass, bream, crappie, and catfish. A valid Tennessee fishing license is required, and only electric trolling motors or no-wake gas motors are permitted on the lake. The park is also a designated Wildlife Observation Area, with deer, turkey, herons, egrets, hawks, and migratory songbirds regularly seen. In town, the Alex Haley House Museum and Interpretive Center preserves the 1919 bungalow where the author of Roots spent childhood years with his grandparents. The site is generally open Tuesday through Saturday and includes exhibits, a documentary, and the author's grave on the grounds. Memphis is about an hour south for barbecue, Beale Street, and river attractions.

West Tennessee has a humid subtropical climate. Spring and fall are the most comfortable stretches for RV camping, with mild days, cool nights, and generally reliable access at Fort Pillow. Spring brings the wettest weeks of the year and frequent thunderstorms, so campers should watch for flash-flood warnings along the Mississippi bottoms and expect soft ground at rustic sites. Summers are hot and muggy, with afternoon highs regularly in the 90s Fahrenheit and only a handful of 100-degree days in a typical year. Full-hookup private parks with 50-amp service are the practical choice in July and August because air conditioning runs nearly around the clock. Biting insects peak from June through early September. Winter is cool rather than harsh. Freezing nights are common, hard freezes occur a few times each winter, and light snow or ice storms happen a handful of days each year. Some private parks stay open year-round, but shoulder amenities such as pools and camp stores are often closed from late fall through early spring.

Expect rural, tree-shaded settings once off the interstate. Fort Pillow's family campground is trashcan-free and provides a dumpster, recycling bins, and a gray and black water station at the entrance; campers register at the office or with roving staff, and two bathhouses serve the loop. ADA sites are limited and should be requested specifically at booking. Firewood rules are strict statewide. Tennessee State Parks asks that all campfires use certified heat-treated wood or downed wood collected inside the park; untreated wood from outside the park is not allowed, to protect forests from invasive pests. Certified wood is sold by park concessioners and nearby vendors. Cell coverage is generally usable near Henning and along I-40 but can drop out on the bluffs and backcountry trails, so downloading maps in advance is wise. A backcountry site on the Blue Chickasaw Bluff Trail requires a hike of just under a mile from the family campground, with a fire ring, benches, and an outhouse.