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Montgomery Bell State Park has added two Blink Electric Vehicle charging stations near to the Inn and Restaurant. The units are located just past the Inn’s main entrance. The State Park has been chosen as the first in Tennessee to create a greener footprint on the world. Adding EV charging stations is congruent to that goal.

Blink Network Map showing Montgomery Bell State Park – Click to Enlarge

The installation looks very new and the charging stations were not identified by Blink Networks Map, nor some of the 3rd party EV mapping tools such as Plugshare or Recargo. I was not expecting any charging infrastructure at the state park other than outlets suitable for RV’s, I was pleasantly surprised to come across the units as we parked on the way in to the restaurant for dinner. The units do attract a  fee for use as do all the Blink charging stations in Tennessee. I pay $1 per hour as a Blink Plus Member. I hadn’t expected to see a charging unit on this trip. Once one gets past the Loveless Cafe there are no Blink charging units indicated this far west from Nashville (until you reach Jackson TN on I-40). Presumably Blink Networks will add the new charging station to their map in due course. I added the charging stations to PlugShare and Recargo to help others locate them and plan trips around them.

A word of warning to Inn guests using these charging stations. You are charged for the amount of time your vehicle is plugged into the charging station, not just the time it takes to charge your vehicle. So don’t connect your car and head off to bed, you’ll have a $10+ bill the next morning. This charging scheme works well in busy downtown parking locations, encouraging drivers to move on as soon as their charge is complete. But at hotels the scheme make little sense.

Green Features of Villas available for rent at Montgomery Bell State Park