Camp Out: Tennessee state park campgrounds see record overnight stays in 2020

Camping at Tennessee’s state parks is reaching historic highs during the coronavirus pandemic.

State parks saw more than 62,000 camping nights sold in October, a one-month record for camping stays in the parks system, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation said in a news release. That number eclipses the mark of more than 57,000 camping nights set in June of this year, the department said.

November had more than 36,000 camping nights sold, the highest total ever for the month, the department said.

Four of the top 10 camping months ever have occurred this year “driven by visitors seeking the outdoors during the coronavirus pandemic,” the news release said.

“The appeal of louder, busier, and crowded entertainment venues has given way to the space, freedom, and connection the outdoors provide,” said Jim Bryson, deputy commissioner of the department.

Tennessee State Parks operates more than 3,000 campsites.

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