I would like to take a moment and thank you for considering a stay at our campground while in the Chattanooga area. You will find that we are the closest campground to downtown Chattanooga, Erlanger Medical Center, Lookout Mountain, the Tennessee Aquarium, and virtually all area attractions. An added plus is that we are located on “the scenic side of town” so you can take in the beautiful mountain views. I am certain that you will appreciate the fact that we are just 1.3 miles off of I-24 at the uncongested Lookout Valley exit, #174. I have had numerous campers comment that it is rare to find a campground located so close to a city center but yet with the feeling of being out in the country.

My staff and I know that you have a choice in where you stay and we strive to offer you clean, well maintained facilities at reasonable rates. I hope that you will enjoy your visit and stay with us again when your travels bring you to the Chattanooga area. I was very proud that our campground was selected as “Tennessee Camground of the Year: 2008-2009” by the Tennessee Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds. We are constantly making improvements and it is rewarding to see the effort recognized by our peers. 

Camping clubs will be delighted to know that we are building a dedicated rally center with a large meeting room, outside patio, and full handicap accessible bathrooms. Please sure to call if you would like additional information as to the benefits of letting Raccoon Mountain host your rally. We hope to have this center finished by late spring, as we have already installed the septic system and we hope to start construction of the building within the month, 

Civil War buffs will be delighted to know that Raccoon Mountain was added to the Tennessee Civil War Trail. The State of Tennessee erected a memorial plaque on our property to mark the role that Raccoon Mountain played in the Civil War. The famed “Cummings Gap” through Raccoon Mountain is less than one-half mile from our campground and was crucial to the establishment of the Cracker Line and subsequent resupply of besieged Union troops in Chattanooga. It is also interesting to note that the resurgence of the stream passage that flows within our vast cave system was the only source of year round water for both Union and Southern troops.

I am currently working on a new web site exclusively for the campground. I invite you to visit us at campinchatt.com and explore the pages. Please feel free to give me a call with any comments or suggestions, as many have already been incorporated into the site. 

I would like to remind everyone that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is asking that you do not bring any firewood into Tennessee or transport it within Tennessee. We value our trees, the shade they provide on hot summer days, and their display of vivid colors when the season begins to change. Please leave your firewood at home and help stop the spread of the emerald ash borer and the thousand cankers disease. 

The U.S. government is not alone in trying to stop the spread of tree destroying pests, as I received a notice from the State of Missouri, Department of Agriculture in the mail notifying us that they have enacted a quarantine of all firewood coming into Missouri from Tennessee. They are trying to stop the spread of thousand cankers disease which is being spread by the movement of firewood. This disease has been found near Knoxville and targets black walnut trees. We have several beautiful black walnut trees on the property and want to do whatever we can to protect them. The easiest (and best) thing to do is to leave firewood at home to stop the spread of disease and pests. 

The winter season is upon us and, while the days may be a bit shorter, there is still so much to do in the Chattanooga area. In addition to the numerous area attractions, I strongly encourage campers to visit the TVA facility that is located just one miles from our campground. You will find a public boat ramp, picnic tables along the river, a fishing pier (Tennessee fishing license is required), a drive to the summit along a well maintained government road with probably the best scenic views in the Chattanooga area, hiking trails, and more. All of this is provided for your use at no charge by the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority).

A couple of months ago. a camper who mentioned their concerns because the back of our camp map has twenty-two camp rules listed. They felt that this made them feel more in a prison than in a campground. We do have posted rules and I have seen campgrounds with many more and some with fewer. Our rules have been developed for the comfort, convenience and safety of our guests. Some of our rules are actually state regulations (sewer donuts must be used, no smoking in any building, no dumping of any fluid onto the ground, disposal of pet waste, leash laws, etc) and some (no cutting of standing timber, no late night visitors, etc) are due to the excesses of past guests. My staff and I want each and every camper to have an enjoyable stay, and I believe that our posted rules go a long way towards achieving that goal. Please feel free to provide me with your comments at eb@raccoonmountain.com. 

I would also like to urge you to come to the office and ask for either myself or the on-duty manager if you should have any issues that you would like to bring to our attention. Guest comments are the very best feedback to let us know what we are doing well and if there are any improvements that are needed. Thanks for taking the time to read my message and I hope that you will camp with us in 2012.

Sincerely,

Eric T. Bosley, C.P.O.

Eric T. Bosley, C.P.O.

Park Manager

February 1, 2012