Cove View Campground

A very pretty location but I was very disappointed that you could only look at the outside of the tunnel. They only open it up once a year for tours. I would like to have been able to tour the tunnel, instead of just looking at it. You really can't see much.

I love Natural Tunnel State Park!! Friendly people, cozy cabins with Tempurpedic mattresses, as well as an amazing Interpretive staff. Be sure to check out the Wild Cave Tours and Kayak trips on the Clinch River. Also in response to the earlier comment, You can go in to the tunnel with a Park guide by way of Stock Creek, on a program called Stock Creek Passage.

What a neat place to visit! The area is so much larger in life than any pictures can portray. The chairlift only runs on Saturdays and Sundays, so plan to walk down/up the steep incline (all steps with a handrail) if you go on any other day. I am very out of shape and nearly 400lbs, and was able to do it just fine. Sure - I was winded, but it was sooooooo worth it. Such a gorgeous sight to see! The path is very well maintained and we never felt worried about our footing.

The restrooms were clean and there was a soda machine in case you needed a drink. The visitor’s center was closed when we got there. The sign said open from 10am - 4pm that day. I’m not sure if their hours are different every day?? You might want to call ahead and make sure they are open if you wish to visit the center while you are there.

This was a great place to take a break from our road trip, get some exercise, and take in some natural beauty.

Super easy to get to off of the highway and a perfect lunch stop! We walked the short paved trail to the overlook and then the super strap switchbacks down to the tunnel and it was a blast! Absolutely perfect pit stop to break a days drive!

Always love going here. Such a beautiful place!

Have waited six months into our RV life to start reviews for fair comparisons. Spent 2 nights. Sites were very close together and it was very crowded, but friendly and courteous folks. Hiking very good from the site. Great place for dog walks. Tunnel very cool.

Just what we needed for a few days rest on our travels. Finding the park and campground went smoothly, ample signage and prominent entrance made it easy to navigate. Beware the grades into the park are steep, but the views are worth it! We only had a 24’ Class C 350 diesel, but saw quite a few big rigs there. Sites are pull thru with water and electric. Shower house close by was ample, cleaned daily, and showers were warm. They take bear safety very seriously - are vigilant about not leaving food out. Yurts have food lockboxes. Staff said they haven’t seen bears, even though there are often bear alerts. My guess would be their diligence has paid off. We felt comfortable hiking the well marked trails with our dogs. The hike down to the natural tunnel is steep, with gorgeous views and lots of places to rest. There is a chair lift (that allowed our dogs to ride with us!) that will bring you part of the way back up - so the hiking accommodates different abilities. Chair lift staff were so helpful, and chair lift exits at a smooth level boardwalk along the train tracks where you can watch the train go by and enter the tunnel. The campground itself is accommodating with ramps everywhere, and handicap friendly playground (I am not speaking from experience - but seemed thoughtfully done to me). You don’t have to hike down to chair lift, there is a park entrance and parking lot there with a little shop. Restrooms, bottle filler, and snacks and drinks were welcoming after we hiked down. Camp hosts and park staff were so friendly. Sites are pretty close together - so if it were a busy weekend, it would feel cramped. But hardly anyone there when we camped. Each site had a nice picnic table and fire ring. Crushed stone unleveled pads, but not terrible. The yurts looked really nice from the outside.

We stayed at the campground and were very impressed. Nice level clean spots. Laundry was very close. We booked our site online so we had a reserved site. There are walking trails from the campground to the tunnel but it is definitely a hike.

It is disappointing that you aren’t allowed to walk through the tunnels, but the staff is laid back and friendly. They also have a chairlift, so you can get up and down the mountain in no time. It’s a nice little stretch your legs detour.