Living in the Mid-West, the winters tend to be long! By the time March rolled around we were aching for a few warmer days. Driven purely by the search for warm weather, we discovered Reelfoot Lake State park.
Aching for Warmer Temperatures
After several months of winter, we were ready to hit the road! Luckily our daughter M had a loooong 4 day weekend and we decided to head out in search of (at least a little bit of) warmth. We decided that 300 miles would be the maximum we wanted to travel for a 4 day weekend. Armed with that knowledge we poured over weather maps looking for the warmest area within 300 miles.
Normally when we set off on an rv trip we have a destination in mind. This time our journey was driven by the search for temps in the mid-60’s. After studying the weather simulations for the coming weekend, we landed on west Tennessee. Having never traveled to that neck of the woods we relied on Google and Campendium to give us some ideas within the “target area”.
Discovering Reelfoot Lake State Park
We quickly discovered Reelfoot Lake State Park in Tiptonville, IN. Reelfoot Lake State Park looked promising, not just for its milder temperatures but also for its unique natural beauty. Known as the “Earthquake Lake,” since it was formed during the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811-1812, when the Mississippi River flowed backward to fill the newly formed basin. This origin story alone piqued our curiosity, promising a landscape unlike any other we had encountered in our travels.
The park is renowned for its rich biodiversity and the cypress trees that stand tall, their knotted roots submerged in the water, creating an almost surreal vista that photographers and nature lovers dream of. In early spring, the area transforms with vibrant wildlife activity. Migratory birds begin to populate the skies, making it a prime spot for birdwatching. In fact, the area is know for its abundance of bald eagles.
Most people travel to Reelfoot Lake State Park for its fishing and hunting. While we carry some fishing tackle in the RV, we didn’t plan on doing any fishing. Thankfully the park offers plenty of walking trails. The boardwalk trail is particularly accessible, offering close-up views of the lake’s unique water-bound cypress groves and the diverse bird species nesting in their branches.
Overnight in Indiana
When the weekend arrived, we left town and headed south. Since work and school caused us to have a late start we decided to break the drive into 2 days. We made the easy drive to Elberfeld, Indiana to spend the night at Miles Landing Campground. The campground is conveniently located just a few minutes off I-69.
Since it had gotten late, things were cold and very dark by the time we pulled up to the campground – and promptly missed the entrance. After a long, but easy turn around, we quickly checked ourselves in and pulled into our spot. The pull through site was level and very spacious. After quickly de-winterizing our rig, we called it a night. The next morning we spent a bit of time walking the dog. The campground is in a very quiet area bordering a nature reserve. So it was easy to forget that the highway was just a few minutes away. S is a light sleeper, so he is always thankful for quiet campgrounds. This one is a winner as far as overnight spots go!
The first night at Reelfoot Lake
When we arrived at Reelfoot Lake State Park we made our way to the assigned campsite. There was NO WAY we could ever fit our rig into that space (Site 20 – on the lake). We tried visiting the campground office, which was already closed. We tried calling the numbers posted on the door – sadly we only received “mailbox is full” notifications. So, we found an unoccupied spot, and hoped nobody would show up until we could talk to the site manager. Site 3, which is right on the lake was beautiful and had a nice patio area.
Thankfully nobody had reserved that spot, and we woke up relaxed and happy. Except: What happened to the warm temperatures? The warm 60’s we had hoped for didn’t materialize, and temperatures hovered in the mid-40’s. With a light misting rain. But that couldn’t dampen our spirits. We were camping for the first time this season and it was glorious.
A new Spot and RV Troubles
Our spirits were dampened, however after we were assigned our new “permanent” camp site for the next 3 nights. We packed up our gear and moved the rig to another site. When we tried to extend the slide, nothing happened. Our trailer had just spent some time at Camping World (almost THREE months to be exact) to fix exactly this problem. The slide had stopped working during our Fall Texas Trip because of a broken ground wire. We are usually pretty handy when it comes to fixing things, but haven’t had time to REALLY learn about our new RV, so we called in the reinforcements.
T found a mobile mechanic who was able to come out to the campground that afternoon. After diagnosing a variety of problems he had one final idea. Something was wrong with the fuse connection. We made a quick fix and a few minutes later we were in business.
Remote Working in the RV
Following the fix to the RV it was time to get some work done. We are lucky, and our jobs can be performed virtually anywhere. As long as there is a decent internet connection.
S had a VERY important call scheduled for that afternoon. The call required both, webcam and screenshare, and would take a lot of bandwith. When we were first making our way through the backroads to Reelfoot Lake, the internet connection was virtually non-existent. He was definitely starting to get a bit antsy and already started to form a Plan B for the call during the drive to Reelfoot. Thankfully, the mobile phone reception at the state park was surprisingly good. Our trusty Verizon 4G hotspot had no problem during the zoom screenshare!
Never the less, we knew – in due course we’d need to take a look at getting Starlink for the RV. Worrying about the ability to hook up to the web really puts a damper on enjoying the RV to its fullest extent. Sometimes spending a bit extra is worth the peace of mind.
Visiting the Sites
With work out of the way, we could finally spend some time exploring the park. We started off by visiting the small bird sanctuary and lake museum. The sanctuary holds a few eagles, falcons and owls. The museum is also quite small, but we enjoyed learning about the area’s history . The real highlight of the visitor center is the boardwalk leading into the lake. The scenery really is a dream for photographers.
Other than the state park with its trails and fishing fun, there is not much to do. The nearby town of Tiptonville offers a small grocery store, a liquor store and gas stations, but not much else. It is located very close to the Mississippi River though – which S loves. When continuing through town, just follow the signs for the Mississippi River and you’ll reach a very pretty location to take in the sight of the mighty river.
Hidden Dining Gem – Boyette’s Dining Room
It’s no secret that we love to explore local restaurants when we travel. One gem in particular is Boyette’s Dining Room just a few minutes drive from the campground. This place is the real deal with southern fare. Catfish as far as the stomach can reach.
When we pulled up to the restaurant we were worried about seating. There were A LOT of cars outside. As it turns out this place, even though it’s off the beaten path, is a favorite in the region. Thankfully the inside is HUGE and we didn’t have to wait for a seat. We enjoyed it so much, we returned the next day for more southern goodness.
A Successful Start to the Season
While the primary reason we headed to Reelfoot, warm weather, didn’t pan out, we had a great long weekend. We really enjoyed the quiet of the campground and the sights of the nature. Even though we had some technical difficulties we had a great time!
