Live Simple Live Free: Boondocking in Tennessee and Kentucky 4 x 2 months

Start at the Natchez Trace in Tennessee and head up toward Kentucky to the Daniel Boone Forest. This trip will take you through the central part of Tennessee and into the southern end of Kentucky. In this series of free camping spots, I selected 4 places you can stay for 14 days each. After each 14 day stay, visit a low cost campground with full services to take that long hot shower and recharge your batteries. After your water tank is full, you can travel along to the next boondocking adventure. Two months and you only have to pay for for those 4 nights camping.

The Natchez Trace was a walking trail that people used to return back to the Tennessee area after delivering their goods down south to Natchez and New Orleans. Today, it is a nice drive between Natchez and Nashville. You can hike parts of the original trace and see the burial spot of Meriwether Lewis of Lewis and Clark fame. There are hiking trails in the area along with a monument. It is a quiet place to stay and just relax.

The campground is located at mile post 385 off the Natchez Trace Parkway in Tennessee

Cordell Hull Lake is just the place to go canoeing, biking, fishing, or hiking. Check out the Bearwaller Gap Hiking Trail for a nice hike or try the Bear Wheels Mountain Bike Trail if you like biking. You can canoe a long way in Cordell Hull Lake or just take a leisure paddling trip for an afternoon. Try historic Red Boiling Springs, it offers a retreat for weary travelers, revitalizing with the sulfur springs of the past. Abraham Lincoln’s grandparents are buried in the area if you want to do a little historical site seeing. Enjoy the water and relax for a couple of weeks.

From Nashville take I-40 (east) and Exit 258 to Carthage. Exit on Highway 53 and Highway 70 junction towards Cookeville. In Chestnut Mound turn left on Highway 53 N. Go 5 miles to Granville.Take the first right after the bridge north of town off Route 53 on to Hollemand Bend Road. Go to the end of the road about 2 miles. It's on the right and is right next to the lake.

See the Daniel Boone National Forest and stay on Rock Creek. Rock Creek is a beautiful stream, with magnificent boulders, riffles, glides, and pools. Flowing through southeastern Kentucky, it is both a Blue Ribbon trout fishery and a Kentucky Wild River. Don't forget to see the the Red River Gorge Geological Area. It has over 100 natural arches, the greatest concentration of arches east of the Rocky Mountains.

Take US 27 south for 4.7 miles to KY 92. Turn right and go 1.2 miles then turn right on KY 92 at the Fastway Store. Go 5.3 miles to KY 1363, turn left and go 11.4 miles to the end of blacktop. Turn right on Forest Road 564, go 1.2 miles then turn left on Forest Road 137 and go 4.4 miles. Great Meadows Campground is on both sides of the road, first area (Deer loop) is on the right; second area (Raccoon loop) is on the left.

Travel the Sheltowee Trace, a 269-mile multiple-use national recreation trail that traverses the length of the Daniel Boone National Forest. The trail is named in honor of Daniel Boone. Sheltowee (meaning Big Turtle) was the name given Boone when he was adopted into the Shawnee tribe as the son of the great war chief Blackfish. You can hike, go horse bike riding, or even ride your off road vehicle (ORV) in the Daniel Boone National Forest. There are lakes in the area for fishing or for a leisure trip in your canoe.

Take US 421 west from McKee for 0.5 mile, turn left (south) on KY 89 for 3 miles, turn right (west) on Forest Road 43. Go 1 mile, turn left (south) on Forest Road 20 and follow the signs to Stree campground.