Halloween is the time of year where you get an excuse to dress up, eat as much candy as you want, and decorate your house with spooky and creepy things for a while. For me, Halloween means Rock Island weekend.
Rock Island State Park is nestled in east Tennessee 35 minutes south of Cookeville, near Sparta. It’s home to Twin Falls, along with some of the best hiking trails in Tennessee. Ever since I was about 5 years old, it has been my favorite place on Earth. Pretty much as long as I can remember, every year the weekend before Halloween we have gone to Rock Island for their “Halloweekend”.
People decorate their campsites and campers get to go trick or treating around the campgrounds.
There's also costume contests, bobbing for apples, t-shirt tie-dying, and Haunted Hayrides!
While most of this sounds almost "too family friendly" for some college students, it's honestly one of the highlights of my year, every year. To me, it's more than trick-or-treating and childish Halloween games. It's a weekend full of campfires and s'mores and chili with friends and family. It's the annual hike down to the Twin Falls that I love so much. It's a childhood of memories that I cherish every time I go back to this beloved place. It means the world to me, and it warms my heart to share it with others.
If you are interested in attending next year, you can call Rock Island State Park at (931) 686-2471 to reserve your campsite/cabin; or visit their website at http://tnstateparks.com/parks/about/rock-island.
