Base Crashpads

Base guide · Clarksville, Kentucky

The Fort Campbell guide

Gate 4 versus Gate 7, the Turner Guesthouse, Clarksville versus Oak Grove rentals, KY106 BAH and where to spend a Sunday off.

Updated August 2026 · 10 min read

Now at Fort CampbellChecking local conditions…

Photo: FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. – Soldiers with the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and Airmen assigned to the 68th Airlift Squadron, 433rd Airlift Wing pre. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Roberts, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain). Source

Base essentials
Command
U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM); garrison under Installation Management Command
Host unit
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), with 160th SOAR and 5th SFG(A) as major tenants
Nearest airport
BNA (Nashville International) · ~60 min, about 52 miles via I-24
Time zone
Central (CT); Clarksville, Oak Grove and Hopkinsville are all Central
Active-duty population
About 30,100 soldiers, plus 6,400 civilians and 51,000 family members
24/7 gates
Gate 4 (TC Freeman), Gate 7 and Gate 10, plus Sabre I and Sabre II
01

Overview

Fort Campbell is the home of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), the Army's only air assault division, and it shares the post with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Night Stalkers), 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), the 52nd Ordnance Group (EOD) and Blanchfield Army Community Hospital. Military OneSource puts the population at about 30,100 active-duty soldiers, 6,400 civilians and 51,000 family members, with a total supported population over 240,000 including retirees. On top of the permanent party, the Sabalauski Air Assault School, 160th assessment and training, 5th Group courses and Campbell Army Airfield aviation units generate a constant stream of TDY travelers from every branch.

The post office says Kentucky, but the city outside the gate is Clarksville, Tennessee, a fast-growing town of about 180,000 on the Cumberland River, roughly 50 miles northwest of Nashville on I-24. Oak Grove and Hopkinsville are the Kentucky-side markets. Summers are hot and humid, winters are mild with occasional ice, and spring brings real severe-weather season. For a TDY traveler the things that matter are which gate you will use, how far your lodging is from Fort Campbell Boulevard, and whether you can cook for yourself after long training days.

Weather

Clarksville averages a July high near 90°F with lows around 69°F and plenty of humidity; January averages a high of about 46°F and a low around 27°F. The area gets roughly 51 inches of rain a year, spread across every month, and only about 3 inches of snow, although ice storms are the real winter hazard. Spring and fall run in the low 70s, which is prime Air Assault weather.

Best months

April–May and September–October

Tough months

July–August for heat and humidity on the obstacle course and rappel tower; March–May for severe thunderstorms and tornado watches; January–February for occasional ice that closes roads and gates

02

Getting there

  • Fly into Nashville International (BNA). Rental car is essentially mandatory; take I-24 West about 50 miles to Exit 4 (Clarksville) for Gate 4 and Gate 7 via Fort Campbell Boulevard (US 41A), or continue to the Kentucky exits for Gate 10 and Oak Grove. Plan on 60 minutes without traffic, more at rush hour in Nashville.
  • Gate 4 (TC Freeman) and Gate 7 on Fort Campbell Boulevard are open 24/7 and are the gates most TDY travelers use; Gate 10 is also 24/7. Gate 1 runs 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and Gates 3, 6 and Mabry run 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays only. Gates 2 and 5 are closed. Confirm on the official gate hours page before you drive.
  • Visitor passes: the Gate 4 visitor control center has been temporarily closed since April 2026, so unsponsored visitors and anyone needing a pass go to the Gate 7 VCC (Building 7199, Glider Road), which is open 24/7 (270-956-4488). The commercial vehicle lane at Gate 7 runs 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Bring a REAL ID or CAC, registration and proof of insurance.
  • If you are TDY with a CAC you can drive through any open gate; rental cars are fine. Contractors without a CAC should have their sponsor set up access in advance rather than counting on a same-day pass.
  • Traffic: Fort Campbell Boulevard and Tiny Town Road back up hard at 0600 and 1630 formation times, and I-24 in Clarksville is under near-constant construction. Living on the north or west side of Clarksville, or in Oak Grove, keeps you clear of the worst of it.
  • Bus service is minimal for base access; Clarksville Transit runs in town but it will not get you to a 0500 PT formation. Rideshare works from Clarksville to the gates but is thin at early hours.
03

TDY lodging

On base

On-post lodging is the Holiday Inn Express Turner Guesthouse, an IHG Army Hotel at 82 Texas Avenue, about two minutes inside Gate 4 on the right.

Phone
877-711-8326
Phone 2
270-439-2229
Pets
Pet-friendly units
  • On-post lodging is the Holiday Inn Express Turner Guesthouse, an IHG Army Hotel at 82 Texas Avenue, about two minutes inside Gate 4 on the right.
  • Rooms have a mini fridge, microwave and coffee maker, with free hot breakfast, guest laundry, a fitness center and pet-friendly rooms available.
  • Book through ihgarmyhotels.com or IHG Army Hotels central reservations at 1-877-711-8326; the hotel front desk is listed at 270-439-2229.
  • If the hotel cannot house you for your dates, the desk issues a certificate of non-availability that authorizes off-post lodging at the per diem rate.
  • Expect it to fill around Air Assault graduations, division exercises, deployments and redeployments, so book the day your orders are cut.

Off-base per diem

  • Confirm the current lodging allowance for your duty location and travel dates with the official rate lookup and your travel office.
  • No current rate is quoted here.
  • Alaska and Hawaii use DoD OCONUS rates.
  • A published ceiling is not proof of reimbursement eligibility.
Total your trip → per diem calculator

The crashpad option

At the $110 standard rate, a furnished crashpad with a kitchen and parking near Gate 4 or Gate 7 fits Fort Campbell's typical TDY, whether that is a ten-day Air Assault class, a multi-week aviation course or a months-long SOF assignment. Base Crashpads does not yet have a listed property at Fort Campbell; we are expanding here and welcome inquiries from travelers who need a place and from owners with furnished rentals in Clarksville, Oak Grove or Hopkinsville.

Fort Campbell crashpads
04

Housing & BAH

Housing

  • On-post family housing is privatized through Campbell Crossing LLC (a Lendlease community), reachable at 931-431-9003 and located at 2702 Michigan Avenue.
  • Wait lists are ordered by rank and date of rank, applications can be submitted before you arrive, and Lendlease has been renovating Stryker Village and Drennan Park with the current phase targeted for completion in early 2026.
  • Off post, Clarksville is one of the fastest-growing cities in Tennessee, so new subdivisions and apartment complexes keep opening along Highway 41A, Tiny Town Road, Trenton Road and Sango, with Oak Grove and Hopkinsville as cheaper Kentucky-side options.
  • Tennessee has no state income tax on wages, which factors into whether you choose a Tennessee or Kentucky address.

BAH 2026

  • Fort Campbell falls in the Fort Campbell, KY military housing area (KY106), and that single MHA covers both the Kentucky and Tennessee sides of the post.
  • For 2026, fortcampbellhousing.com and MyBaseGuide both list E-5 at $1,815 with dependents and $1,593 without, and O-3 at $2,496 with dependents and $1,995 without.
  • Confirm your own grade on the DTMO BAH calculator, since these third-party tables are only as good as their last update.
Every grade → BAH calculator·2026 pay chart
NeighborhoodCommute

Clarksville north side (Tiny Town Road, Trenton Road, Highway 41A)

The apartment and starter-home belt closest to post: newer complexes, chain restaurants and the Wings of Liberty Museum right at Tiny Town and Fort Campbell Boulevard. Convenient, busy, very military.

Commute: 10–15 min to Gate 4 or Gate 7

Sango and east Clarksville (Exit 11)

Larger newer homes, better-rated CMCSS schools and quicker access toward Nashville on I-24. Popular with families and dual-income households who commute both directions.

Commute: 25–35 min to Gate 4 via I-24 and Fort Campbell Boulevard

Oak Grove, Kentucky

Small town right outside Gate 4 and Gate 7 with a Candlewood Suites, a city park and lower rents. Kentucky address, Christian County schools, minimal nightlife.

Commute: 5–10 min to Gate 4 or Gate 7

Hopkinsville, Kentucky

Country-seat town 15 miles north with an older housing stock, farmland and a slower pace. Cheapest of the four and popular with soldiers who want acreage.

Commute: 20–30 min to Gate 10 or Gate 7 via US 41A
05

Schools & childcare

  • Families living on post attend DoDEA's Fort Campbell Schools, six schools covering pre-K through 12th grade including Fort Campbell High School and a middle school; registration runs through the DoDEA Fort Campbell district office rather than the county.
  • Off post on the Tennessee side, Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (cmcss.net) is the seventh-largest district in Tennessee; Military OneSource notes roughly a quarter of the students in the schools nearest post are military dependents, so the district is used to mid-year PCS enrollments.
  • Kentucky-side families in Oak Grove and Hopkinsville fall under Christian County Public Schools.
  • Fort Campbell MWR Child and Youth Services runs child development centers, school-age care and youth sports; register through MilitaryChildCare.com early, because CDC waits here are long during summer PCS season.
  • The Fort Campbell School Liaison Office under MWR CYS School Support Services helps with transfers, Interstate Compact issues and choosing between DoDEA, CMCSS and Christian County options.
06

Healthcare

  • Blanchfield Army Community Hospital (BACH), 650 Joel Drive, 270-798-8400, is a full inpatient hospital with a 24/7 emergency center, surgery, behavioral health, women's health and TBI care serving more than 100,000 beneficiaries within 40 miles.
  • Fort Campbell is in the TRICARE East Region administered by Humana Military; non-active-duty Prime beneficiaries are assigned to one of BACH's five Army medical homes.
  • TDY travelers should use the BACH emergency center for true emergencies and the MHS Nurse Advice Line or urgent care for the rest; carry a copy of your orders if you are not enrolled at BACH.
  • Civilian backup is Tennova Healthcare Clarksville off Highway 41A and the Level I trauma center at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, about an hour down I-24.
  • BACH's outpatient pharmacy handles new and refill prescriptions; TRICARE network retail pharmacies in Clarksville cover after-hours needs.
07

On base

Commissary & Exchange

Full commissary on post with a deli, bakery, produce and sushi bar; the Fort Campbell Exchange main store and mall sit near the center of post, with Express gas stations and shoppettes scattered across the cantonment.

Fitness

Four 24/7 physical fitness centers: Shaw (Bldg 7979, California Road), Sabo (Bldg 7037, Toccoa Road), Lozada (Bldg 6992, Desert Storm Avenue) and Gertsch (Bldg 3610, Indiana Avenue), plus Fryar Stadium and its 24/7 running track.

Outdoor recreation

MWR Outdoor Recreation rents boats, campers and gear and runs weekly Teach 'em Thursday clinics; Land Between the Lakes and Kentucky Lake are about an hour west.

Dining

Warrior Restaurants (dining facilities) are open to visitors and are cash only; MWR clubs and the Exchange food court fill in the gaps, and Fort Campbell Boulevard has every chain you can name.

Legal & finance

The Office of the Staff Judge Advocate legal assistance office handles wills, powers of attorney and leases; Army Community Service (270-798-9322) runs financial readiness, relocation and lending-closet programs.

Chapel & pets

Multiple garrison chapels with Protestant, Catholic and other services; the on-post veterinary treatment facility handles routine care, and the Turner Guesthouse offers pet-friendly rooms.

08

Off duty

A velocity image of the Clarksville tornado in 2023 after it moved into Kentucky
A velocity image of the Clarksville tornado in 2023 after it moved into Kentucky. Photo: Photo by National Weather Service (NWS), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and United States A, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain). Source

Tennessee Wings of Liberty Museum

Opened in May 2026 just outside the gate at Tiny Town Road and Fort Campbell Boulevard, this 51,000-square-foot museum replaced the old Don F. Pratt Museum and tells the story of the 101st, the 160th SOAR and 5th Group. Open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; no post pass required.

Official site ↗

Dunbar Cave State Park

A 140-acre state park inside Clarksville with prehistoric Native American cave art, easy hiking loops and ranger-guided cave tours from May through September. Ten minutes from the Tiny Town corridor and free to walk.

Official site ↗
Kentucky and Barkley lakes offer beautiful sunsets located in the Land Between the Lakes

Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area

More than 170,000 acres of forest between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, about an hour west, with a bison and elk prairie, a planetarium, backcountry camping and some of the best bass fishing in the region.

Official site ↗

Photo by US Forest Service - Southern Region, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · source

Clarksville Riverwalk and downtown

The McGregor Park Riverwalk runs along the Cumberland River to the RiverCenter and connects to the Red River Trail, with downtown's restaurants, breweries and the Roxy Regional Theatre a short walk uphill.

Official site ↗

Customs House Museum and Cultural Center

Tennessee's second-largest general museum, housed in an 1898 post office and customs house at 200 South 2nd Street, with rotating art exhibits, a model train gallery and a kids' hands-on floor.

Official site ↗

Beachaven Vineyards and Winery

Tennessee's oldest single-family winery, right off I-24 at Exit 4 on the way to post, with tastings, a lawn for summer Jazz on the Lawn concerts and an easy Friday-evening stop.

Official site ↗

Nashville

Broadway honky-tonks, the Grand Ole Opry, Titans and Predators games and BNA are all about an hour down I-24; go in on a weekend but leave before the Sunday-evening return traffic hits Clarksville.

Official site ↗
09

Insider tips

  1. 01Book the Turner Guesthouse the day your orders are cut, and if it is full get the non-availability certificate in writing before you book off post.
  2. 02Use Gate 7 for visitor passes while the Gate 4 VCC is closed; if you have a CAC, Gate 4 is still the fastest way to the guesthouse and the hospital.
  3. 03Choose lodging on the north or west side of Clarksville or in Oak Grove; anything south of I-24 adds 15 to 20 minutes at formation time.
  4. 04Air Assault School students: pack broken-in boots, a second pair of PT shoes and a way to dry gear, because the humidity here does not let anything dry overnight.
  5. 05The Warrior Restaurants are cash only for visitors, so keep small bills if you plan to eat on post.
  6. 06Fort Campbell has one MHA (KY106) for both states, but Tennessee has no wage income tax and Kentucky does; talk to legal or finance before picking a state of residence.
  7. 07Spring severe-weather season is real; know where the shelter is at your lodging and keep weather alerts on, especially March through May.
  8. 08Nashville per diem is more than double Clarksville's, so make sure your orders name the right locality if any part of your TDY is in Davidson County.
10

FAQ

What is the FY2026 per diem for Fort Campbell?
Confirm the current lodging allowance for your duty location and travel dates with the official rate lookup and your travel office. No current rate is quoted here. Alaska and Hawaii use DoD OCONUS rates. A published ceiling is not proof of reimbursement eligibility.
Where is the on-post lodging and how do I book it?
The Holiday Inn Express Turner Guesthouse, an IHG Army Hotel, is at 82 Texas Avenue about two minutes inside Gate 4. Book at ihgarmyhotels.com or through IHG Army Hotels central reservations at 1-877-711-8326.
How far is the airport?
Nashville International (BNA) is about 52 miles away, roughly an hour on I-24 outside rush hour. There is no commercial service closer, so plan on a rental car.
Where do most TDY travelers stay off post?
The Fort Campbell Boulevard and Wilma Rudolph Boulevard hotel corridors in Clarksville, the Candlewood Suites in Oak Grove and a handful of hotels in Hopkinsville. Furnished rentals near Tiny Town Road and in Oak Grove are the closest crashpad-style options to Gate 4 and Gate 7.
11

Helpful resources

Official

Things to do

Community & local

List your resource

Run a business, park, church, gym, or service that helps Fort Campbell travelers and families? Have a correction? Email basecrashpads@gmail.com with the link and a sentence on why it's useful. We review every submission and list the ones that earn it.

Sources & disclaimer

Photos: Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Roberts, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain); Photo by National Weather Service (NWS), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and United States A, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain). Full attribution on the photo credits page.

Rates, hours, and policies change — BAH resets every January and per diem every October. Confirm specifics with the official sources above and your orders. This guide is written by Base Crashpads and is not an official Air Force or DoD resource.

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