Campgrounds near East Tennessee lakes & parks

Big Ridge State Park

Tent and RV sites on or near Norris Lake with water and electric hookups, plus three hike-in backcountry campsites. ⓘ

Norris Dam State Park

East and West tent & RV campgrounds with water and electric, 10 primitive tent-only sites at the east campground, and two hike-in backcountry sites. ⓘ

Check first: Park notice: East and West campgrounds closed for renovation, intended reopening in 2026.

Cove Lake State Park

One campground with water and electric hookups; tents are allowed on all sites. ⓘ

Check first: Park notice: campground closed through 2026 for renovation.

Panther Creek State Park

On Cherokee Reservoir: 50 campsites with water and electric (eight with sewer), plus a group camp field with no restrooms, electricity or water. ⓘ

Frozen Head State Park

Primitive Big Cove and Flat Fork camping (no electric, water hookups or dump station) and nine designated backcountry sites. ⓘ

Check first: Park notice: all Big Cove and Flat Fork campsites closed during renovations.

Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park

Camping is limited to designated hike-in backcountry sites that require registration, such as Richland Creek, 1.9 miles from the Laurel Snow Trailhead. ⓘ

Pickett CCC Memorial State Park

26 campsites, all with water hookups; 16 also have electric. ⓘ

Check first: Park notice: campground closed for bathhouse and campground renovations.

Cumberland Mountain State Park

Tent and RV sites with water and electric, plus a hike-in backcountry site on the Overnight Trail. Tents are not allowed on the grass in main areas 2, 3 and 5. ⓘ

Harrison Bay State Park

On Chickamauga Lake: tent and RV sites with water and electric in Areas A–C, and primitive sites with no hookups in Area D. ⓘ

Warriors’ Path State Park

On Patrick Henry Reservoir: a main tent & RV campground, Moody Bluff full-hookup sites, and the primitive Cedar Ridge Hammock Campground. ⓘ

Roan Mountain State Park

Tent and RV sites (no sewer hookups), four group sites, and three backcountry sites on the Rosebay Ridge Trail reserved by calling the park. ⓘ

Check first: Park notice: upper campground closed — bridge damaged by Hurricane Helene.

Cherokee Dam Campground

44 sites; all but 5 primitive sites have water and electric, and the operator says nearly every site has a lake view. ⓘ

Check first: TVA season: March 15 – November 15.

Douglas Dam Headwater Campground

60 sites (54 with water and electric, 4 primitive tent sites), a boat ramp and a swimming beach. ⓘ

Check first: TVA season: March 15 – November 15.

Douglas Dam Tailwater Campground

61 sites along the French Broad River below the dam; 58 have water and electric and 3 are primitive tent sites. ⓘ

Check first: TVA season: March 15 – November 15.

Melton Hill Dam Campground

61 sites: 15 waterfront tent-only sites with no hookups, 35 with water and electric, and 9 with full hookups. ⓘ

Check first: TVA season: March 15 – November 15.

Watauga Dam Campground

The operator lists no tent sites here: 29 RV sites with water and electric, many on the Watauga River. ⓘ

Check first: TVA season: March 15 – November 15.

Little Oak Campground

On a South Holston Lake peninsula; most of the 68 sites have lake views and many have direct water access. ⓘ

Check first: Forest Service: Hemlock and Poplar loops closed for the season; Big Oak and Lone Pine loops open until the first Monday in November.

Jacobs Creek Recreation Area

27 single-unit campsites on a South Holston Lake peninsula, with a lakeside trail. ⓘ

Check first: Forest Service: campground and day-use area closed — Hurricane Helene damage.

Cardens Bluff Campground

More than 40 sites, mainly for tents, on a bluff above Watauga Lake; bathhouse with showers, no electric hookups. ⓘ

Check first: Forest Service: closed for the season.

Dennis Cove Recreation Area

A remote developed campground beside Laurel Fork Creek in Carter County. ⓘ

Check first: Forest Service: closed for the season.

Indian Boundary Recreation Area

Off the Cherohala Skyway: more than 87 sites with electric hookups, beside a 96-acre lake with a swim beach and a 3.6-mile trail around it. ⓘ

Chilhowee Recreation Area

More than 70 sites with electric, RV and tent-only options, by 7-acre McKamy Lake; usually open early April to late October. ⓘ

Rock Creek Recreation Area

Electric hookups, RV sites, double sites and walk-in tent sites beside Rock Creek, with a creek-fed swimming hole. ⓘ

Backbone Rock Recreation Area

Campground along Beaverdam Creek in northern Johnson County, by the Backbone Rock tunnel on TN 133. ⓘ

Check first: Forest Service: campground closed for the season.

Bandy Creek Campground — Big South Fork

181 sites: 96 with water and electric, 49 tent sites and two group loops; open year-round on the reservation system. ⓘ

Station Camp Campground — Big South Fork

24 sites with water and electric for campers with or without horses; open year-round. ⓘ

Great Smoky Mountains — frontcountry campgrounds

Developed campgrounds at 10 locations; Cades Cove and Smokemont are open year-round, the rest seasonally. No showers in the park. ⓘ