Watagua Tailwater Near Elizabethton

I did a drive through of this campground and we'll definately be going there this summer. No playground, but the kids are still excited. This is a beautiful campground with about 30 sites. About 20 have electric and water. I saw no sewage connections though. It's $20 a night, first come. Photos are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/29891611@N03/sets/72157623410787607

Looks like my kinda place.. very nice.

From TVA's website, they say there is 29 sites at Watauga. They don't have sewer connections at the sites. They do have a dump section. I would like to try this one out also.

Coolbreeze1

Oh, and they stock the lake with trout! We watched fish feeding at the surface. Not sure what they were eating. The water is pretty clear.

I'm betting this would be a hard campground to get in in the summer. In the thread over at ETNCC from a year ago, it was reported to be that way. It seems to be open now, but the only two humans there were fishing, not camping. My kids are out for spring break the last week of this month, rolling into the first week of April. If the weather breaks a bit, I may go either there or Warrior's Path. I'm leaning toward Watagua Tailwater because it's so nice and the kids can fish so easily.

I also took a drive a couple of miles on up and over Iron Mtn. to Watagua Dam lake access area and overlook. It is just too beautiful to describe with the dramatic view and the snow on the mountains. The temperature up there was considerably cooler than here in Johnson City, so I'll have to have a break in the weather. Still, with the kids out, I can go earlier in the week, instead of the weekend.

Deleted, irrelevant. New bridge makes it easy to get to with tall vehicle

To much for me, but it looks nice, but that bear got me

It really looks nice! Almost makes me wish we fished : ) Meg would probably enjoy learning.

My kids do not have Spring Break until the 3rd week of April and I plan on trying to get a spot at Roan Mountain for a couple of days.

We've got enough fishers in here that we'll just have to let her give it a try on one of these trips.

I've rented a cabin up there, and gone up for a picnic, but have yet to camp at Roan Mountain. I'm hoping that this is the year for the first camping trip there. I also plan to go up in June to see the flowers in bloom.

Richard wrote:

happycamper wrote:It really looks nice! Almost makes me wish we fished : ) Meg would probably enjoy learning.

My kids do not have Spring Break until the 3rd week of April and I plan on trying to get a spot at Roan Mountain for a couple of days.

We've got enough fishers in here that we'll just have to let her give it a try on one of these trips.

I will have to get her a fishing poll... I am sure she would love it. I haven't fished in years and I only "half fish".... I dont bait the hook and I dont remove the fish that I catch

My son likes to fish but doesn't do it often. Richard, you may have run into him at some point in time down at Steele Creek Park... he works there in the summer at either the boats or the train.....

Richard wrote:

happycamper wrote:It really looks nice! Almost makes me wish we fished : ) Meg would probably enjoy learning.

My kids do not have Spring Break until the 3rd week of April and I plan on trying to get a spot at Roan Mountain for a couple of days.

I've rented a cabin up there, and gone up for a picnic, but have yet to camp at Roan Mountain. I'm hoping that this is the year for the first camping trip there. I also plan to go up in June to see the flowers in bloom.

Richard, have you ever been to Roan when the Rhodies are in bloom? If not, it is so incredibly beautiful! I need to find my pictures. We go every year to see them in bloom, but have only been there once when they were having the Rhododendron Festival and it was neat as well.

I haven't seen them in bloom. for four years in a row I've missed it, and I'm seeing it one way or another this year. Even if I wind up just making a day trip out of it, I'm going in June. I've seen the Rhodenderons blooming on other mountains, but not in the quantity or quality they reportedly have on Roan Mountain.

Deleted, irrelevant.

Richard wrote:I haven't seen them in bloom. for four years in a row I've missed it, and I'm seeing it one way or another this year. Even if I wind up just making a day trip out of it, I'm going in June. I've seen the Rhodenderons blooming on other mountains, but not in the quantity or quality they reportedly have on Roan Mountain.

I have to dig up some pictures Richard. It is unbelievable. Now, I am not a big fan of bees but you walk paths that are carved through the rhododendrons. TALL rhododendrons.... and, if people are not talking loudly, it sounds like you are walking through a symphony of bees as they inhabit the bushes on either side of you. Normally I avoid bees, but they seem quite content to hang out in the rhododendrons making beautiful music
Then you come to the overlooks and for as far as your eyes can see you see pink flowers. It's really something to experience.

I'm ready! I love bee's. Maybe I can re-use the decorations from Smoky Bear's Bee Theme.

Richard, is very environmentally friendly. He recycles

Coolbreeze1