Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
True West is THE Premier Campground of Big South Fork. An award winning campground, named the BEST Small Campground in the US and Green Campground of the Year by the National ARVC Association as well as Best Campground in the US by Horsetraildirectory.com. We are #1 in Horsepitality® and know how to treat our guests to the best in customer service. We have sites, lodging, stalls, a gift store and more. If you want to visit Big South Fork and have the best vacation, then you need to stay with us! We look forward to seeing you. You won't be disappointed!
They made you feel like part of the family. They can give you any information you need about the Big South Fork area. The camping was great, the bathhouse was warm and clean.
I camped solo. Heather conducted a Christmas craft. They had food and drinks set up for the event. Had several people helping you with your craft. It was a lovely time. Met new people and made new friends.
You can bring your horse or camp without a horse. If you want to ride, there are several riding outfits that will take you out for a beautiful ride.
Thank you for having me, Heather. I’lI Be Back….Betty
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Date of stay: November 2023
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Â They have a variety of accommodations..
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Heather Sutton, General Manager at True West Campground, Stables and Mercantile
Responded Dec 18, 2023
Thank you Betty for your sweet words!! I am so glad you joined us for the Christmas Horse Wreath! It was soo much fun! We look forward to having you back soon!!
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True West Campground (Donna, Shawn and Brittany) are absolutely awesome! Upon arrival, you stop at the top of the barn and your horse is unloaded and all your tack, hay, etc. is unloaded and place right outside your stall. Stalls are great! And they always do nightly checks to make sure all horses are tucked in and secured (there were a couple of roamers that were promptly tucked back in :). The campground is very well maintained, they’ve now added camp wide Wi-Fi, which makes phone signal work now, they have a great common room for get togethers, which we took advantage of nearly every night, grill on the porch, and trail access is outstanding (literally right across the road). The trails are well marked and awesome as well. You can go out for 3 hours or for 8 hours - plenty to see. The staff is soooooo friendly and goes above and beyond (and now they’re training new recruits, grandsons Weston and Maverick who are precious BTW). They’ve made so many great additions with the teepees, the RV that those without living quarters can rent, the cabin that’s also available, etc. You won’t be disappointed! We’ve been 4-5 times and will be going back!
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Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donna Martin, Owner at True West Campground, Stables and Mercantile
Responded Nov 13, 2020
We love to see all of you each year when you return! At a point in time, it doesn't take long for our 'campers' to become friends and 'reservations' become 'reunions'. Thank you for the glowing review - we will always strive to do better, add more, and be there for our guests. We look forward to seeing all of you again in 2021! Shawn, Donna & Brittany
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Very well maintained campground. All the facilities were clean to include the showers and the bathrooms. The campsites were grass and had a very nice fire pit along with a picnic bench.
The staff was very friendly and knew the area. They would deliver firewood to the camp site and pick up our trash in the mornings
I will camp there again
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Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donna Martin, Owner at True West Campground, Stables and Mercantile
Responded Nov 13, 2020
We love those words "again"! We look forward to seeing our guests over and over 'again'. That means we are doing our job and making your stay memorable and pleasing. We appreciate you taking the time to leave us a review and we look forward to seeing you 'again'. Shawn, Donna & Brittany
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Our boys were dying to stay in the covered wagon, but I admit that I was skeptical about cleanliness and comfort. We arrived a little later than planned and Brittany was extremely hospitable, got us set up, and even gave her cell number even though she was off the next day. The wagon was spotlessly clean, extremely warm with the propane heat, and the memory foam mattresses were so comfortable they didn’t bother my pregnant back! The Big South Fork Hiking was beautiful and trails were well maintained. My only concern was the proximity of the wagon to the road. We can’t wait to come back. Thanks for a great stay.
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Date of stay: November 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donna Martin, Owner at True West Campground, Stables and Mercantile
Responded Nov 27, 2020
Thank you so much for your review! You'll have to reserve the Unicoi wagon next time as it's set back bit further and close to the recreational area that we are working on - and should be done next year. We're glad you enjoyed your stay and we look forward to seeing you again in the future!
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The campground and host/owners are all terrific!! Hospitality of the camp hosts Donna, Shawn and Brittany are untouchable. The barns where nice and clean with a large center isle and plenty of room to tack up, the help unloading your horses and gear upon arrival was welcomed. We had a very large campsite overlooking the pond where we could sit and watch the fish jump. All of the restrooms and grounds are kept immaculate. The second day of our stay we had an unfortunate horse accident with a horse falling upside down into a ditch becoming trapped. Donna and Shawn came to our rescue (walking in over a mile with a shovel to find us) and were by our.side the entire time! With their help and the aid of 3 phenomenal Park rangers with an ATV and UTV after 6+ hours of shoveling and pulling, the horse was finally freed and walked out well after dark with Donna leading him. Exhausted but relieved my husband and I were safely taken out by the rangers. Thanks so much to all! We can never repay you for your diligence and compassion. Most would have given up. True West can’t be beat!! We most definitely will be back!
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Date of stay: June 2020Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donna M, Owner at True West Campground, Stables and Mercantile
Responded Jun 28, 2020
Awww... You guys are so kind. We are so happy with the outcome of Deacon's accident. He was such a good boy throughout the whole experience. Glad he is ok and no lasting effects from being down for so long. It was just a freaky thing to have happened. We love our customers - and your horses are included. They are our guest as much as you are. We do hope that you will be able to come stay with us again and have a carefree stay next time. There are so many more pretty trails to ride in Big South Fork! And of course, we are always adding amenities each year so there's always something new to see and do! Looking forward to your next stay! Sincerely, Shawn, Donna and Brittany.
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I have stayed here on 4 separate occasions in the past 6 months. I usually stay about a week, riding trails daily. There are so many other places to stay in the area, but I choose True West each time due to the fabulously friendly hospitality, the sensible rules, the fastidiously clean campgrounds, the beauty of the setting, the fishing ponds, the access to trails, and the availability of hay, ice, horse equipment, and propane if needed. Even in the midst of extremely heartbreaking circumstances for the Martin family this trip, they maintained professionalism, warmth and the excellent service for which they are known. They are horse people who understand the needs of equestrians and successfully provide a safe, friendly environment for all who visit. They also have wonderful conflict resolution skills, and what could have been an uncomfortable situation for me created by another camper was resolved with their support and assistance. Truly they go above and beyond what is expected at most facilities and this is why they have my loyalty each time I come to the area.
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Date of stay: September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donna Martin, Owner at True West Campground, Stables and Mercantile
Responded Nov 5, 2021
Thank you for making us your #1 choice when staying in Big South Fork. We're glad you enjoyed your stay even through the difficulties. Yes - Shawn will be greatly missed and was a HUGE part of who we are but we will continue to put our customers first and offer the best in customer service and Horsepitality ® that this industry has to offer. We look forward to seeing you again in your next visit! Donna & Brittany
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We stayed in the Miner's Shack and we really liked it. It has a nice shady porch and the ponds are very close. it is so serene to wake up in the morning with the fish jumping, a heron settling in a tree, and a rooster up the hill saying time to get up! Although it is a one room miner's shack there is a divider so you can sit at the table and not disturb those sleeping. The store is nice and so is the family. The cabin doesn't have hot water or a stove, but it does have a nice toilet, kitchen sink and microwave plus a box type grill next to the porch and a real propane grill at the main camp deck. The camp showers were nice and the whole camp bathroom setup was clean. Don't forget to plug in the air conditioner before you take a shower if it isn't plugged in already, The dog park area is nice, If you have a flatlander dog be sure to take them to the bottom of the fenced in area and let them gradually get used to running on a Tennessee Hill before they run on the steep part. It's nice to have a place for the dogs to run, they really got excited.
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Date of stay: August 2021
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Â If you have bad knees do your strengthening exercises so that you are ready for Tennessee.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donna Martin, Owner at True West Campground, Stables and Mercantile
Responded Sep 21, 2021
So glad you enjoyed your stay in the Miner's Shack! We appreciate you taking the time to leave us such a nice review. The great thing about the hilly dog park is that your pooch gets tired and works of all their energy - LOL. We're happy you got to take advantage of it as it was one of our newly added amenities this year. We hope you'll come back and stay with us again in the future. Shawn, Donna & Brittany
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We have stayed at True West multiple times and have always had a great experience! Lots of good, flat campsites for large trailers with room to maneuver. Stalls are good and horses are checked on each night by the owners to make sure all stall doors are locked and secured. Nice courtesy! Multiple horse trails are available from the campground or you can trailer out to other trailheads. Highly recommend True West!
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Date of stay: October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donna Martin, Owner at True West Campground, Stables and Mercantile
Responded Nov 5, 2021
Thank you for your review and we're so glad you had a good time! We check the barns every night because your horses are a guest of ours just as much as you are - and we want to make sure they are comfortable too! We hope you'll be back to see us again soon! Sincerely, Donna & Brittany.
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We arrived to camp in one of the two covered wagons only a few weeks after the death of one of the owners of the campground. We couldn’t have found a nicer hostess than the recently widowed Donna. She was kind and friendly despite being in grief. She made sure to tell us all about the area as we were not horse owners and just wanted to view the area. We hiked to Twin Arches in Big South Fork on her advise and it was spectacular! We rode horses on a guided ride, we visited the historic town of Rugby, rented boats in Pickett State Park and fished in the lake. We saw Alvin C York’s home at the state park. The kids earned some Junior Ranger badges. We had nightly campfires and the kids had a large play area at our campsite to throw a baseball and play outdoors. On our way home we even visited Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary and that was an eye opener. The covered wagons were clean and comfortable. It was a bit of a walk to the wash houses so the close by port a john up on the hill came in handy during the night too. We had a bit of trouble keeping our heater lit on the one night we used it, but I think that was just because it was the heaters first use of the year. It was beautiful in the parks and we had a marvelous family vacation playing board games in the evening and roasting hot dogs. I loved the campground overall and was worried because I knew most everyone there would be horse riders and out riding the trails. This worry was just wasted time as we couldn’t have packed in more fun if we tried. Thank you Donna, and I am so sorry for your loss.
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Date of stay: October 2021Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donna Martin, Owner at True West Campground, Stables and Mercantile
Responded Nov 5, 2021
Thank you for your kind words and we are glad you enjoyed your stay. We welcome ALL campers, with or without horses, as there is so many great things for families to do in this area! Thank you for choosing us and we hope you'll come again. There are so many more great things to do that you have not seen yet! Slave Falls, Colditz Cove, Charit Creek - and so much more! We would love to see you again. Sincerely, Donna & Brittany
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Our experience was top notch!!! We were planning a last minute anniversary trip on a super busy weekend and in True West "horsepitality" fashion they worked hard to accommodate us. We were so thankful! The campground was in excellent condition with many nice touches- help unloading/ loading, advice on trails (miles and miles available from camp), onsite shop, super clean bathrooms. We will be back for sure!
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Date of stay: May 2020
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Donna M, Owner at True West Campground, Stables and Mercantile
Responded Jun 28, 2020
Beth, thank you so much for your review! We were happy to be able to get you a spot at such a busy time! We enjoyed your company as much as you enjoyed your stay here - we look forward to when you can return again and know you will love the new amenities we are working on. Thank you again for choosing True West! Sincerely, Shawn, Donna and Brittany.
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Hello Banchansk - your review was entered in as a question. Was there something else you needed? Or did you just put your review in the wrong place by accident?
Sincerely,
Donna
There are more places to choose from in the Jamestown area.
LOCATION
United StatesTennesseeJamestown
NUMBER OF ROOMS
4
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TRUE WEST CAMPGROUND, STABLES AND MERCANTILE - Updated 2024
Frequently Asked Questions about True West Campground, Stables and Mercantile
Which popular attractions are close to True West Campground, Stables and Mercantile?
Nearby attractions include Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area (4.9 miles), Pickett CCC Memorial State Park (4.7 miles), and Twin Arches (4.9 miles).
