What a little gem of a park! The staff was GREAT, campsite roomy and almost level, and the bathhouse was super clean. It was really quiet as well. We only stopped for the night on our journey but I regret not having a full day there to explore. It looks like there's good trails and a nearby Native American site as well. To address other reviews about how bad the area is: yes, it's industrial and yes you drive through an impoverished area, but if you're more upset about how that offends your sensibilities and not upset about the fact that industrial areas are polluting vulnerable neighborhoods and a park that has significant black history then I would sit with that for a while. We also had no issues with any waste water treatment or factory smells - I would imagine that all depends on weather and wind. read more

This was our first time here and to be honest it seems like it could be a really nice state park but it is not taken care of. The grounds are kept up to a certain point and then not, and there is poison ivy everywhere, and the camp host... what camp host. There is someone there with a tarp over their rv, water dripping out the backside of it, and when you do see them they do not acknowledge you at all. Why are they even there? It was just a disappointment really. And you know it was if I didn't take pics of our stay. What a shame really to see it being let go. The rangers can only do so much and they were very friendly and helpful. read more

Great for a night. Needed a last minute spot for trip west to West Arkansas. It had a pull through spot for a 45 ft RV and truck. We stayed in spot 29, although 31 was the best spot said the park staff, but it wasn't empty. The water pressure is just a stream, not a wave of rushing water. We chose to not shower in our RV due to the lack of pressure and do it at next campground. Can't say what the bath house conditions were, didn't use them; however, people were using them. Lots for the most part are tree covered. Starlink satellite couldn't get a signal but our AT&T cell phones did. If we ever needed a quick spot this would be the one. read more

I had a great experience here! Hookups if needed. Have own showers that look fairly new, ice machine, laundry as well. The state park troopers are very welcoming and friendly. This is an overall great experience. If I could give them more than 5 stars I would read more

My husband and I stayed at the campground at this park for two nights in late April, 2024. There is much to like about the campground -- large sites in a variety of sizes to fit RVs (or tents) of various sizes. A large and clean restroom that also serves as a tornado shelter. There are laundry facilities. (A bathhouse and laundry lock code is provided that changes monthly). The price was reasonable for a site with electricity and water, and a 25% discount is given to seniors). Etc. We, however, had primarily selected this campground for its close proximity to Memphis -- a city that we had not yet visited. We decided to leave our RV at the campground &, despite being a bit off the beaten path, we easily got Uber rides for about $25 each way (before tip) to/from the city. (We didn't try in the late evening). We would've liked for there to have been a camp host or state park ranger on-site as we did drive through some unsettling neighborhoods before reaching the private oasis of the campground. But, that said, we didn't encounter any SECURITY issues while on-site, nor (to our knowledge) did any of the many other RVs occupying sites in the campground. Multiple people did, however, have an overnight MAINTENANCE issue with individual at-site water faucets. Our neighbor's faucet started spewing water and he (and many others) was unable to shut it off. It flooded his and an occupied tent site. He informed us that our water had also turned on in the middle of the night; he was able to shut ours off. Other campers also reported having had similar issues overnight. Some reported that (but I can't verify that) they called the emergency telephone numbers on a sheet near the bathroom but no one answered. Other Yelp reviews also mentioned a strong odor from a nearby waste water treatment plant but we did not encounter that problem.t read more

I camped here for 2 nights. The campground is clean with nice bathrooms and showers. Pets are allowed if leashed. It is conveniently located to Graceland- about 15 minutes away and is definitely nicer than the other nearby Graceland RV camping- when we saw the other ones we were soooo glad with our choice! read more

The park is next to a wastewater treatment facility (see photo). Guess what it smells like? Hint: it rhymes with "spit". It is not possible to sit outside nor run your camper fans. This cannot be over stated. The smell permeates everything. It is absolutely awful. The facilities are new and there are washer/dryers on site. It is clear that the campground is understaffed. Bathrooms are not clean. Internet is poor. The campground is located in a high crime area (the ranger is armed) and the first night we saw cars driving thru looking around which made us nervous. But on the second night more campers arrived which increased our sense of security. So much potential in this campground. So much ruined by the placement of the sewage plant. It speaks to poor urban planning and the lack of respect for sacred places with important history. read more

To Fuller State Park - Campsite and wastewater treatment plant. - Parks Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

This park was originally the designated Shelby County Negro State Park. It opened in 1938 as the second state park in the nation for African Americans. It was renamed to T. O. Fuller State Park in 1942, after Dr. Thomas O. Fuller, a local African-American educator, pastor, politician, civic leader and author. The park has over 1,100 acres, 45 RV camping sites, a primitive camping site, a swimming pool, three hiking trails, an interpretive center, four pavilions, and is adjacent to Chucalissa Indian Village, a Mississippi Mound complex that was designated a national landmark in 1994. We were surprised to arrive and find that the visitor's center was closed. I did wave down a park ranger, who stamped our passport and told us that the visitor's center "is closed on weekends," which surprised us. When I expressed that at 2pm, on a Sunday, I'd expected it to be open, per the website, the ranger quipped: "Well, the website isn't always correct." And that was the end of the conversation. The interpretative center was also closed, as was the Chucalissa Indian Village. And, it was over 90 degrees with insane humidity so we didn't explore too much. We did drive the perimeter, and enjoyed seeing the ducks in the marshes. So, hopefully, when we come back out, we'll enjoy it more and get to see more. read more

See all

Terribly run down and dated! 1star for the electricity hookup. Bathrooms are nasty and the area smells awful! We will not be back! read more

To Fuller State Park - Parks Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Came here to hike on a Saturday afternoon, was fine. Everything's dead, slightly muddy in some spots, strong smell of manure or something, not sure. Trail had trail markers, wasn't too long of a loop, took about 1.5 hours, good ups and downs. read more

Walkin' in Memphis! This is such a cool old park located on the south side of Memphis, not too far from the banks of the Mississippi River. I'd heard that this is an historic park, since it was one of the first integrated parks in the nation. I made reservations a few weeks in advance on their website, which was easy and convenient. I like that you can look through the map and check out the location of all the campsites. Many of the RV sites are pull through, which makes it super easy. The place does have a certain smell to it. Yea, it's next to a sewage treatment plant, and you do get a good whiff of it occasionally. I don't know what to do about that. When we arrived, we soon heard a quick succession of five gunshots in the distance. We supposed those must be hunters enjoying Tennessee's great outdoors. However, the park felt safe, as we got checked out multiple, multiple times with a park ranger driving by and making sure that things are peaceful. The facilities were nice, I got a long hot shower, and the place was clean and well lit. The restrooms worked perfectly and they also had laundry facilities. It's a beautiful park, with lots of open land and trees to hang out on. Things here just look like this park has been around forever! It was a great stay in Memphis, and a wonderful way to get acquainted with Tennessee! read more

No reservations and showed up after visiting Graceland and thanks to Park Ranger Michael Champagne we had a great visit, he not only was very courteous but took the time to let us know about the museum and gave us tickets to visit, a very educational experience next morning after breakfast. Some of the Chucalissa pottery was incredible similar to some found in South American cultures Very peaceful and relaxing night in pretty much a city but with a country setting, not always easy to find a State Park within the City limits. Would definitely come back if in the area read more

Very nice! It was a little concerning coming into the park. Seemed like a bad area of town. But once you get into the park it was very nice. Everything was mowed and pretty. Bathroom showers were recently updated and pretty. Even has washer and dryer. Also an ice machine with the washer and dryer. read more

Absolutely the nicest park in the tri-state area. It had rained earlier today, so it was damp, but the Tennessee humidity had a way of raising up so much flowery fragrance. Between that and the thick, moist vegetation and moss on the trees it was a treat for the eyes as well. My dogs couldn't get enough of the beautiful trails and I'd recommend this one over all other Memphis parks. read more

See all

We stayed here for two nights and really enjoyed our time here . The laundry facility and the bathrooms were clean and easily accessible. The trees provided great shade and the location was within 15 minutes of the places we wanted to go for site seeing . We would definitely stay here again. We were also comforted by the fact that the park ranger regularly patrolled the area. read more

Nice small campgrounds. Decent camp spots. I recommend #20 & discourage #29. Playground for noisy kids. Amenities were surprising. Free ice from a machine! Cant beat that if you're in a tent for your cooler. They sell "firewood" for $6/bundle. Its pressed sawdust bricks which i had never heard of but burned nicely actually. I only needed less than one bundle for an evening. STINKS! Those were the pros but the smell so outweighs the positive. Raw sewage smell actually kept me up at night & made my partner ill. Apparently there is a plant nearby And bring bug spray, an ez up, nose plug, & mothballs!!! read more

This a surprisingly nice park for where it's located. Some reviews talk about bad neighborhoods, but if you follow the highway signs and not your GPS you avoid all that and drive through an industrial park to get here. The bathrooms and showers were clean. There is free ice for your coolers. Even free laundry and a kitchen to wash dishes. The camp host pointed all this out so we knew. There is electric and water campsites or roughing it sites. The biggest negative was the proximity to the airport. We were woken up a few times by planes at night. Don't forget to visit Gizmo (an outrageously cute screech owl that was injured) in the visitors center and get your free tickets to the Indian mound museum next door as well. This is definitely a place we would visit again. read more

To Fuller State Park - Campground - Parks Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Beautiful accommodations. Perfect place for a cozy winter camping outing. Woods are thick and keep it quiet (with the exception of the sounds of nature!) Loved being able to hear woodpeckers and the local birds chirping instead of city noises. So thrilled we found this little gem for camping. Well equipped sites with firepit, grill, picnic table, water, electric, and post! Large spacious camping sites, perfect for RVs. Well maintained grounds, clean facilities and bathrooms, reasonably priced. Will definitely be back. Highly recommend. read more

See all

This park is beautiful and affordable, but we've been infested with Stink Bugs since our stay for Two weeks in late October 2018. I wish I could give more stars, because the staff is great, the facilities are great. But the stink bugs stink. And it's still a daily issue. read more

Best part: giant shade trees. Not much privacy between sites, but feels ok because of the trees. Bathrooms are clean with modern faucets. Good stay. There is a laundry near the bathrooms. Makes it handy. Close-ish to the airport. read more

A surprisingly nice park just off 55. Driving through some neighborhoods to get there, we were thinking this was not such a great choice. But, much like the Tom Sawyer Park, all of a sudden its lush and green and PRIVATE. Low key, reservations if you want to spend the $5. They told me not to bother. Just come by. I did and I enjoyed my stay. read more

My family reserved a sight at this park while traveling thru the Memphis area. If you're looking to camp at a park and never leave your RV, this might be ok. The park ranger seems like a nice gentleman. The surroundings don't seem too bad and the access is relatively easy. However, the bathrooms are dang nasty!!! They stink. They're filthy. There is mold on the walls. I wouldn't dream of taking a shower in those stalls. They're just plain disgusting. The location is relatively close to Beale Street etc. However, you have to drive thru the ghetto to get to this place AND there are no stores, gas stations etc. nearby. We would never go back to this park. read more

My experience is based on a day visit with my dog. Honestly it was an interesting drive to get to the park. The industrial area surrounding the park is a bit unsettling and made me a little concerned about what strange things we might find in the woods (thankfully no nuclear enhanced two headed squirrels were spotted). Finding a good spot to explore with my pup was a challenge. As you turn into the park, what you don't know is that the road into the park runs through the park - so if you aren't careful you'll end up in a strange rural neighborhood. It's also a little difficult to find a good spot to hike or walk because things were not well marked, but once we found an area we really enjoyed the park. The big perk for us was that there was a tennis court that was well secured where my pup could run around! I might come again, just to use the tennis court as our private dog park. Not much else here for me. read more

The smell is beyond bad. Nice park laundry facilities and close to downtown. We stayed our 2 days but would not camp here again.

We met up with family from Texas at this campground. Our camp site #40 was a perfect spot. Camp host Robert was very friendly and helpful, met with us as soon as we pulled in. I have read very negative comments about this campground and those are all far from the truth. It was a quiet campground. We were there for a week and 2 times did we get a whiff the smell people complained about. Thst happened when the wind blew a different way, it was like 2 minutes of the smell and that was it. Dump station was clean, they have washer and dryers as well as free ice and showers. I would totally stay at this park again, the one down fall was the mosquitoes, but we have those at home too so you cant really hide from them unless you stay inside your home. We didnt drive through any neighborhood that scared us and would keep us from going back. I did see some houses that need some TLC on the way to a Walmart but again nothing to complain about or give this park negative ratings. read more

T.O. Fuller state park was great! I rated it 4 stars instead of five for the reason Tgat it catches you off guard when driving in because it's kind of a rough neighborhood right outside, but I'd say minus that, it is a great location! 10 minutes from Graceland, Beale street and Gibson studio! Clean showers and bathrooms, friendly caretaker that informed us of bad weather coming, free ice and washer and dryer on site! Optional sites with water and electrical outlets, decent hiking trail. Also had a pool that we never made it too, but looked nice. read more

Other than being on the south side of Memphis, this park was exceptional. We spent 2 nights camping there and loved it. The park is pretty secluded and if you take the interstate, you avoid the rougher neighborhoods. Thats the only reason the site loses a star; not much to do in the area. Pink Palace and the Zoo are only 15-20 minutes away though. The check in was smooth with the camp host coming around to greet us. Park rangers drove around probably every hour or two, even at night. The camp had a great, well maintained playground for the kids. The bathrooms were spotless. Cleaned several times a day. I never saw trash on the floor or even stuff on the mirrors. Hot water and separate dressing area. Overall just a really good experience. Apple Maps doesn't have the correct location. If you get to the end of your route, just follow the signs. read more

Very nice park. Older and small but well maintained. Lots of hot water in showers. Beautiful hiking trail circling the campground. Great location. Ten miles from Beale St. Friendly and helpful camp host. read more

This is truly a hidden gem right next to downtown Memphis, and the rates are extremely reasonable for a facility this close to downtown. Getting to midtown took less than 10 minutes. We researched reviews on a number of websites and had some concerns about the rough neighborhood comments. However, we also found information about an alternative route that bypassed those neighborhoods. From I-55 take the W. Mallory St. exit, then go East about a block and turn right (South) on Paul Lowery Road. This is a good wide road that will take you through a non-threatening industrial area for 3.26 miles. Turn Left on Plant road and you are "in the woods". Go less than a mile to dead-end at Mitchell. Turn right and the Visitor's Center is less than .5 mile on the left. The RV Park is surprisingly nice and was patrolled on a regular basis. We had no concerns about our personal safety or about the security of our rig. Hookups were easy and the restroom & shower facilities were on a par with many state parks. Not great but not horrible. We didn't need to use them so it wasn't a problem For full disclosure, however, be aware that when the wind is just right it is evident that a sewage treatment plant is not too far away. During a two-day stay we experienced that situation for a couple of hours....otherwise no problem. We were there in October when it was relatively cool. I can imagine that on a hot & humid August night it might be formidable. So, select the right route and the right season and you should have an enjoyable stay. read more

Stinks, BAD. sewer plant blows in you can't go outside. Rain and mosquitos. Not my favorite place. Never coming back here.

Nice quite campground in a natural setting, close to Memphis attractions. We spent 3 night here in April 2018. The Chucalissa Indian Village is a short walk from the campground, it was interesting and the admission is free for campers. read more