Best Tent Camping near Mentone, AL

Tent campgrounds near Mentone, Alabama range from primitive sites to established facilities, with several options positioned along the Little River and nearby mountain areas. Little River Adventure Company offers 30 tent sites with varying levels of seclusion and river access, while Hurricane Creek Campground provides primitive tent camping with just two sites for those seeking greater solitude. Blue Hole Dispersed in the Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area offers free tent camping approximately 30 miles from Mentone.

The tent camping areas around Mentone feature varying levels of development and accessibility. Some sites require high-clearance vehicles to navigate rough, potholed access roads, particularly at Hidden Creek Campground and Sawmill Lake Campsite. Most tent sites are primitive with basic fire rings but limited amenities. Little River Adventure Company provides drinking water, showers, and toilets, though one camper noted the bathhouse is located a quarter-mile from the campsites. Many campgrounds allow pets and fires, but some primitive locations like Blue Hole Dispersed require land use permits. Trash disposal is available at some locations, but most dispersed camping areas require pack-in, pack-out practices.

Geographic distribution of tent camping areas offers options for different preferences. Sites closer to Little River Canyon provide convenient access to hiking trails and water features but may experience road noise. A review from Little River Adventure Company noted that "sites at the back were closer to the road and would be louder than the sites in the front of the property." More remote tent sites on Pigeon Mountain provide greater seclusion but require better preparation as they lack facilities. Tent campers frequently mention the spacious, private nature of sites at Little River Adventure Company compared to more densely arranged campgrounds. Sites are described as "flat, spacious, and easy to unload and set up on" in a recent review, with many offering adequate space between neighbors for privacy even when the campground has multiple occupants.

Best Tent Sites Near Mentone, Alabama (27)

    1. Little River Adventure Company

    9 Reviews
    Fort Payne, AL
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (866) 729-1148

    $25 - $30 / night

    "I tent camped on a drive-in deluxe site in September with my dog. The host, Giorgio, was pleasant and helpful. He had firewood for sale on the property at a reasonable price."

    "This is a great little campground super close to Little River Canyon! Although there is nowhere to camp inside of the park this is my preference for the closest you can get."

    2. Sawmill Lake Campsite

    6 Reviews
    Rising Fawn, GA
    13 miles
    Website

    "It is, however, a free, primitive camping site just a short 5 min drive (or walk) from the Rocktown trailhead. The close proximity to the many wonders of Rocktown is a dream for climbers."

    "Nice spot, well defined with burn pits and picnic tables. Not too much seclusion with the way the sites are setup as you can see all of you neighbors, but still worth coming to."

    3. Hurricane Creek Campground

    1 Review
    Alpine, AL
    7 miles
    +1 (334) 300-7474

    4. Blue Hole Dispersed- Crockford-Pigeon Mountain WMA

    5 Reviews
    Rising Fawn, GA
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (865) 210-2914

    "Land pass required. No alcohol is permitted. This is a wildlife management area. The camp sites are first come, first serve. They are free. Only 2 sites with tables."

    "A couple of other people there and a little bit of trash, but I picked it up. Leave it better than you found it right? It rained, so no bugs, but that’s prob not true for the dry days…"

    5. Cunningham Lookout Serenity

    Be the first to review!
    Fort Payne, AL
    13 miles
    +1 (256) 996-7496

    $45 - $55 / night

    6. Foster Falls Campground — South Cumberland State Park

    31 Reviews
    Tracy City, TN
    49 miles
    Website
    +1 (931) 924-2980

    $18 - $21 / night

    "Things to know: $5 reservation fee, $8-45 per site

    Amenities: picnic table, fire ring, restrooms, heated shower

    Drawbacks: no electric or water hook-ups. No gas generators allowed"

    "The campground is great for climbers looking to get an early start on all the routes nearby."

    7. Back Achers Farm

    1 Review
    Chickamauga, GA
    23 miles
    Website

    $30 / night

    8. Yellow Creek Falls Fish Camp

    1 Review
    Leesburg, AL
    25 miles
    +1 (256) 526-8427

    $10 - $20 / night

    9. Michelia's Forest

    Be the first to review!
    Lyerly, GA
    17 miles
    +1 (404) 425-9471

    $30 / night

    10. Hidden Creek Campground

    3 Reviews
    Calhoun, GA
    30 miles

    "We went out and found this place and setup our campsite very nice secluded and away from people very few people out here and there are a few big potholes in the road to watch out for but there is also"

    "A little farther off the highway than I wanted to go, but definitely a solid free campsite. There are a few substantial pot holes, so wouldn’t recommend for someone driving a super low vehicle."

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Tent Camping Reviews near Mentone, AL

916 Reviews of 27 Mentone Campgrounds


  • Melissa K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 3, 2017

    Cloudland Canyon State Park Campground

    Beautiful

    This park was really nice. We stopped while passing through. The only sites available were walk in tent sites. This isn't a huge big deal but it wasn't ideal for us at that particular time. We had a hard time identifying our site number as they really weren't marked but it wasn't far from the parking lot. There was a tent pad and fire ring but no picnic table. Not the end of the world as we arrived late and were really just sleeping there for the night. The sounds were amazing, owls for a good part of the night. We did have an issue with noise, there was a large group somewhere that was very loud well in to quiet hours and without a camp hose or attendant in the walk in sites, nothing was done about it and the noise started back up first thing in the morning as well. The park did acknowledge other complaints but without knowing which site they were in, it was hard to correct the situation. We did decide to explore the park before driving on and hiked to two waterfalls. Both hikes contained many stairs which is a good workout. The falls were really pretty and well worth the walk with a toddler.

  • Katrin M.
    Mar. 7, 2021

    Foster Falls Campground — South Cumberland State Park

    Nice rustic getaway

    We camped here over the weekend with our dogs. The campground has 26 rustic campsites that need to be reserved in advance. Each site has a firepit and a picnic table. It is probably better for tent camping since there are no electrical hook ups. There are also no generators allowed. Some of the sites are very close together like mostly the ones on the entrance. We camped at #19 and it was very private and spacious. The bathrooms were ok. Unfortunately they were never cleaned over the weekend. It was pretty noisy on Friday night and there is nobody to enforce a quiet time. Be aware... roosters are nearby and they start crowing at 4am. Some of the sites are very well shaded. There is no firewood sale in the campground or the visitor center (which is about 17 min away) but locals have it available near by. The landscape is absolutely gorgeous and breathtaking. Foster Falls is just a short walking distance away and so beautiful. In the summertime it's a popular swimming hole. It is also a paradise for rock climbers. South Cumberland has many spread out entrances. We visited Stone Door and Denny Cove. It was so beautiful. We would camp here again but probably not in the summertime because it can get very crowded.

  • A
    Sep. 5, 2016

    Cloudland Canyon State Park Campground

    Walk-in sites

    Love the tent-only serenity of the walk-in sites. There is a separate parking lot at the back of the park for the walk-in sites, which are a short distance away (easy to haul your gear). The sites have a tent pad, picnic table and fire ring, and lots of privacy as the sites are very far from each other. The bath house has showers and running hot water. the long hike around the canyon and down into it provided amazing views! I'm always thrilled to find camping areas where I can have the convenience of my car-but can avoid the noise of RVs - and you definitely get that here!

  • WThe Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 8, 2020

    Pocket Campground — Chattahoochee Oconee National Forest

    Nice overnight

    The Pocket in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Another beautiful place we've never been before! Nice tent camp spot, not sure I would stay several days but we really enjoyed the weekend. This was our last chance since the camp closes on Nov. 9 this year. The sites along the creek are nice but the rest is well laid out with fire rings, lantern poles and tables. No showers but the restrooms were clean and in good order. Cell service is totally nonexistent in the whole area.

  • Stephanie J.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 28, 2018

    Foster Falls Campground — South Cumberland State Park

    Loud and dirty but spacious with great hiking

    Foster Falls Campground has 26 sites, most of which are very large and spacious. As is common in loop campgrounds, the sites in the center of the loop--especially sites 1-13--are very open, with little privacy between sites, although they are still shady due to the extremely tall trees. The outer loop sites have more underbrush between them providing a buffer. Sites 17-26 all have relative privacy from each other, but are smaller sites in general, although many of them have specified tent pads. The sites closest to the bathrooms all had more bugs while we were there in August, and site 16, while very large, has power lines that run into the site itself.

    This is a very beautiful campground. The towering trees give most sites ample shade, and there is a lot of firewood that is easy to collect from felled trees, particularly on the back half of the loop. The front half of the loop is closest to the trail to the falls, and site 8 has a trail running directly behind it that takes you to the falls overlook, and to the trailhead to walk down to the falls themselves. Our 2 and 5 year old walked from our campsite down to the falls and back up easily, and enjoyed having a trail that led to the falls overlook for nightly post-dinner walks, and it would make a great camping base for anyone looking to hike the Fiery Gizzard Trail. The picnic tables are also very large and made it easy to prepare food and for 5 people to sit comfortably, even with our stove at one end, and the tables are on concrete slabs, which helps keep bugs crawling around your feet down a little, and makes it easier to clean up any food that falls while eating. The bathrooms were also cleaned each morning, with the trash taken out and the floor swept clean of bugs and detritus.

    My biggest complaints about this site are the noise, and how much trash we saw. There is a farm nearby with a rooster that spent the better part of the day crowing, which can be distracting when you have a toddler you are trying to get to sleep, and got very repetitive for the adults as well. We could also hear 18 wheelers both nights we were there during the night. We were there on weeknights so there were very few other campers, but there was a lot of trash still evident from the weekend littered across most of the campsites, and a group that stayed our first night there left their fire ring full of paper towels and banana peels. After reporting it to a ranger, he cleaned up the paper but left the banana peels which made me wonder how strictly the campground enforces proper food storage, and the ranger said that the campers had not paid or registered--despite the fact that park vehicles drove past at least twice since that group set up camp. If kept clean, I would easily give this a 4 or 5 star rating despite the noise, but I was very disappointed in the visibility of human impact--a shame, because it is otherwise a great place, and great for families with small children.

  • G F.
    Jun. 9, 2025

    Pocket Campground — Chattahoochee Oconee National Forest

    Great boondocking area

    Fantastic, recently renovated area for camping. Right next to a spring-fed creek, with a camp host and ranger keeping people in check and safe. Toilets only and no hookups. No generators at night (yeay!) Great to test dry camping for newbies.

  • Stefan A.
    May. 21, 2018

    Foster Falls Campground — South Cumberland State Park

    Above average campsites, exceptional proximity to natural beauty

    There are very average campsites for RV’s, car camping, backcountry and your average camping spots. HOWEVER, the beautiful hike down to the waterfall is 100 meters from most of the campsites. The views made it an amazing trip.

    Things to know: $5 reservation fee, $8-45 per site

    Amenities: picnic table, fire ring, restrooms, heated shower

    Drawbacks: no electric or water hook-ups. No gas generators allowed

  • Steve V.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 30, 2019

    DeSoto State Park Campground

    Relaxing Fall Weekend

    This was our first time staying at Desoto after being here previously to hike. Desoto State Park Campground is a large campground with 94 full hookup sites, 16 primitive tent sites, and 2 primitive backcountry sites. All sites with hook ups also included cable hook ups. All the sites are gravel and most sites are wooded with lots of shade. The sites are a little sloped, so have leveling equipment ready. The sites vary from small and close together in the pull through area, to medium size with plenty of separation for some privacy. All style sites include a picnic table and fire ring. 

    Check-in is at the camp store if you arrive during store hours or at the lodge if you arrive after hours. We stayed on site 15, which had a little sun in the morning and complete shade in the afternoon. This site does have a little slope in it, which was no problem for leveling our trailer, but our friends that were with us and in a tent had to deal with setting up on a little slope. 

    The bathhouse is centrally located, newer, and cleaned daily. There are also laundry machines available between the men’s and women’s area.. 

    Firewood, ice, limited grocery items, and lots of souvenirs were available at the camp store. There is a full grocery store less than 15 minutes away. 

    We found ok to limited cell phone service with Verizon throughout the property. The state park did have wi-fi near the camp store. 

    The park has lots of hiking to enjoy the outdoors, a few smaller waterfalls along some of the trails, a zipline and sky bridge course(for a fee), and a large waterfall a short 5 minute drive from the campground. The river above the large waterfall is also available for kayaking and canoeing, and a small outfitter rents boats if you need one. 

    The state park is located in a very outdoorsy area with various activities to take inn. We look forward to visiting here again.

  • Aly E.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 23, 2025

    Woodybrooke Farm

    Hipcamp near cloudland canyon

    This place is perfect. Small outhouse and far away from everyone. Long gravel road you can drive or walk to three separate ponds to fish(they keep them stocked) and you can also kayak or canoe on the ponds. They have a great little community kitchen and the Hipcamp owner is so sweet! Lots of tent sites and a couple rv electric sites but no water or sewer hookup for the fancier campers needing more accommodations. No shower area besides an outdoor shower near the community kitchen area and good cell signal! And a store is ten minutes from camp so grab some food to cook over the fire! This is a perfect get in touch with nature spot. They have fire rings and tables everywhere and also have firewood! And dog friendly!


Guide to Mentone

Tent campsites near Mentone, Alabama offer varying terrain and camping experiences based on elevation and seasonal conditions. Positioned at approximately 1,700 feet above sea level on Lookout Mountain, the area's temperature often runs 5-10 degrees cooler than surrounding lowlands. Most campsites require advance planning as the primitive locations have limited amenities and water sources can be seasonal.

What to do

Swimming at natural pools: Blue Hole in Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area provides a natural swimming spot 30 miles from Mentone. One visitor noted, "It has a blue hole and caves, no electricity or running water but the camp sites are pretty good. An the do have a handicap access area for rvs to do disperse camping also an parking for the bluehole" according to Michael M.

Rock climbing access: Sawmill Lake Campsite serves as a base for climbers heading to Rocktown. A camper explained, "If you're looking for amazing scenery, this is not the place. It is, however, a free, primitive camping site just a short 5 min drive (or walk) from the Rocktown trailhead. The close proximity to the many wonders of Rocktown is a dream for climbers."

Waterfall exploration: Camping near Foster Falls Campground lets you access multiple waterfalls within South Cumberland State Park. "Foster Falls is right around the corner and you can even take a dip in the little waterfall pool when it isn't too hot out!" according to Jessica L., who camped there.

What campers like

Secluded camping spots: Campers appreciate the privacy at Little River Adventure Company, where Dakota F. reports, "It's completely different than any other campground we've been to in the sense that the campsites are secluded and private."

Spacious sites: Many campsites offer substantial room between neighbors. "Our site was flat, spacious, and easy to unload and set up on. The rest of the sites also looked very spacious and fairly flat," noted John S. at Little River Adventure Company.

Wilderness camping feel: At Hurricane Creek Campground with only two primitive sites, campers enjoy true disconnection from crowds. Jake C. describes it as "a great spot for those looking to disconnect and enjoy some time in the southeast."

What you should know

Road conditions: Many access roads to primitive sites near Mentone require high-clearance vehicles. At Hidden Creek Campground, one reviewer warned, "We went right which goes up, passed an open gate followed the road LOTS OF DEEP POTHOLES... Our truck is pretty high and 4x4 so wasn't too bad for us but a low car may not fair as well."

Permit requirements: Land permits are needed at some camping areas. For Blue Hole Dispersed camping, Sarah H. advises, "Land pass required. No alcohol is permitted. This is a wildlife management area. The camp sites are first come, first serve."

Bathroom facilities: Bathroom access varies dramatically between sites. A reviewer at Little River Adventure Company noted the "'Bathhouse' advertised was a freezing shed with a horse trough as a shower that was a quarter mile from all of the sites."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Mentone, AL?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Mentone, AL is Little River Adventure Company with a 4.7-star rating from 9 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Mentone, AL?

TheDyrt.com has all 27 tent camping locations near Mentone, AL, with real photos and reviews from campers.