Best Dispersed Camping near Rising Fawn, GA

Dispersed camping options near Rising Fawn, Georgia include several primitive sites with varying levels of accessibility and amenities. Blue Hole Dispersed in Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area offers free camping with established fire rings but no facilities. According to recent visitors, "the campsites are pretty good" with a "handicap access area for RVs." Prentice Cooper State Forest, just across the Tennessee border, provides additional dispersed camping opportunities with multiple campground areas and backcountry spots.

Vehicle clearance is an important consideration when accessing these sites. Hidden Creek Campground requires careful navigation as "GPS isn't perfect" and may direct visitors to private property; look for the wooden sign indicating public use. Several campers note "substantial potholes" on access roads, making high-clearance vehicles recommended. Most sites have rough gravel roads that become challenging in wet conditions.

These primitive camping areas require self-sufficiency. No drinking water, electricity, or sanitation facilities are available at most locations. Fires are permitted at designated rings in Blue Hole and Prentice Cooper sites, but visitors must bring their own firewood. Cell service ranges from intermittent to nonexistent. Wildlife Management Areas like Pigeon Mountain require land passes and prohibit alcohol. Campsites operate on a first-come, first-served basis with no reservations accepted. During hunting seasons, non-hunters should verify access as some areas close seasonally. Prentice Cooper State Forest is particularly noted for seasonal closures between December and March.

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Best Dispersed Sites Near Rising Fawn, Georgia (10)

    1. Blue Hole Dispersed- Crockford-Pigeon Mountain WMA

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

    "Road is pretty well maintained, spots are good size, some only large enough for tent/car camping. We were never bothered and it’s right down the road from blue hole and Ellison Cave trail."

    "If you like dispersed camping you'll probably enjoy it. If you prefer a campground, this is not for you."

    3. Prentice Cooper State Forest Dispersed

    14 Reviews
    Signal Mountain, TN
    28 miles
    Website
    +1 (423) 658-5551

    "Prentice Cooper is an amazing place and offers two campgrounds and several backcountry camping spots."

    "We loved exploring Prentice Cooper State Forest! What a gem! We actually stayed in one of the camping areas, but next time we'd like to backpack instead."

    4. Tennessee Wall Camp

    3 Reviews
    Lookout Mountain, TN
    22 miles

    "We really enjoyed our night tent camping here."

    5. Hidden Creek Campground

    3 Reviews
    Calhoun, GA
    31 miles

    "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."

    "GPS wants to take you to where the road dead ends but the actual turn off is before the end of the road on the right where the big wood sign is. The first road is pretty nice but then the road forks."

    6. Prentice Cooper State Forest Camp

    2 Reviews
    Signal Mountain, TN
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (423) 658-5551

    "This is a great FREE spot right outside the hunters entrance of prentice cooper state forest. There are about 12 spots and it wasn’t crowded when we came on a Saturday."

    7. Walls of Jericho - Trailhead Campsite

    6 Reviews
    Estillfork, AL
    35 miles
    Website

    "The trailhead campsite is a short walk from the parking lot, but makes for a great basecamp for exploring the area. The campsite is level and large enough to accommodate many tents."

    "The Walls of Jehrico trail offers a handful of first-come/first-serve primitive campsites set adjacent to two separate water sources (streams). "

    8. Ball Field Dispersed Camping Area

    5 Reviews
    Crandall, GA
    50 miles
    Website

    "This is a primitive group camping area close to Lake Conasauga. GPS is 34.86064073010609,-84.63659794105651. (Photos and this review are from my last stay here on 31 Oct- 02 Nov 2021.) "

    "This is a large field for dispersed camping along Conasauga Lake Road that is popular with both hikers (Emery Creek Trail and Tear Britches Trail both have trailheads here) and Overlanders (site is on"

    9. SongBird Trail Camp (Cohutta WMA)

    1 Review
    Crandall, GA
    50 miles
    Website
    +1 (706) 695-6736
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Dispersed Camping Reviews near Rising Fawn, GA

38 Reviews of 10 Rising Fawn Campgrounds


  • hThe Dyrt PRO User
    May. 4, 2024

    Hidden Creek Campground

    Pretty Decent Place to Stay

    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. Also GPS isn’t perfect. It will take u to someone’s private property next door. Look for the big wooden sign that indicates that it is for public use.

  • Cole T.
    May. 14, 2021

    Prentice Cooper State Forest Dispersed

    Great

    Prentice Cooper is an amazing place and offers two campgrounds and several backcountry camping spots. There is a campground not too far after pulling in the gravel road that has some really nice spots. The other campground requires you to drive down a gravel road for approximately 7 miles and then down some trails that require high clearance. This campground is nice and tooked into the woods with a pond nearby. There are several OHV trails in prentice Cooper and the place can get very crowded on the weekends. Definitely recommend going during the week.

  • Roy B.
    Nov. 6, 2021

    Ball Field Dispersed Camping Area

    Grassy Field in forested mountainous area.

    This is a primitive group camping area close to Lake Conasauga. GPS is 34.86064073010609,-84.63659794105651. (Photos and this review are from my last stay here on 31 Oct- 02 Nov 2021.) 

    The camping field is at the base of Bald Mountain, altitude 4005'. Nearby Tearbritches Trail will take you to the summit of Bald Mountain and then down to the Conasauga River. The Emery Creek Trail is at the back of the camping area. There are some fire pits in the open field. 

    The cell connection is intermittent and usually only one bar(or no cell). 

    This area is fairly remote and the rough gravel forest service roads are best traveled by a higher clearance vehicle. 2x2 usually works ok though. (It takes patience and a while to get here.) This is a popular mountain bike area and the cyclists can easily hit speeds of 30MPH on the sketchy downhills.

  • Steve V.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 19, 2022

    Ball Field Dispersed Camping Area

    Large Dispersed Camping Field

    This is a large field for dispersed camping along Conasauga Lake Road that is popular with both hikers (Emery Creek Trail and Tear Britches Trail both have trailheads here) and Overlanders (site is on the Big Frog Loop and Georgia Traverse). There are multiple fire rings established around the field and this field can handle many groups. No water or facilities here, but you can go down to the Lake Conasauga Campground about a mile away and use their facilities for a $5 fee. The field is fairly sloped, so you want to have some shoring if you are in a trailer, roof top tent, or van.

  • Asher K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 1, 2021

    Walls of Jericho - Trailhead Campsite

    Small boring site

    This site is 3 separate clearings near the trailhead and parking with small fire pits. They work in a pinch if you get here late and don’t want to hike in or if you want to car camp and hike to the falls without gear. Be aware that you will have to go a little ways down the trail to find water.

  • Roy B.
    Oct. 13, 2021

    Ball Field Dispersed Camping Area

    Remote. Field.

    34.860688452654024,-84.63670121000321

    Stayed here a number of times during each of the four seasons. Fairly remote for eastern U.S, (but I have watched, over the past 2 decades, Atlanta grow northward, and a lot of development in Ellijay and Blue Ridge areas, and it is a little depressing).  Access is by gravel roads. There are bears in the area and they love food. (A fed bear is a dead bear-please don't leave any food out and scare them away if they come around.)

    No amenities. Lake Conasauga is nearby which has some amenities. One can hike up to the top of nearby Bald Mountain and then hike down to the Conasauga River. One can look for butterflies, other insects, birds, flowers, etc. There are many trails in the Cohutta Wilderness, which is just to the north.

    I will post some photos of nearby Bald Mountain and the trail head for Tearbritches Trail. Other photos of the area here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rbinv/albums/72157634085883873

    (N34 51.670 W84 38.120) This leads over the highest western-most mountain in the eastern U.S., and then down to Bray Field at the junction of Tearbritches Creek and the Conasauga River(N34 53.897 W84 37.296)- It is a long steep grade down to the Conasauga(1-way distance is 3.4 miles)| 30 August 2013

    Here are some notes I took about the vegetation in the area:

    The north-northeasterly facing slope of Bald Mountain within a half-mile of the summit, elevation 4005'. Mostly New York Fern(Thelypteris noveboracensis) here, but also saw Hay-scented(Dennstaedtia punctilobula), Cinnamon(Osmundastrum cinnamomeum), and Interrupted Ferns(Osmunda claytoniana) in this immediate area. New York Ferns are common throughout the widerness| Tearbritches Trail, Cohutta Wilderness, N. Georgia Mountains| 30 August 2013

  • Steve V.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 20, 2019

    Walls of Jericho - Trailhead Campsite

    Convenient Trailhead Camping

    The trailhead campsite is a short walk from the parking lot, but makes for a great basecamp for exploring the area. The campsite is level and large enough to accommodate many tents. There are also trees that would be suitable for hammock camping. The site is on the edge of an overlook of the canyon and has multiple fire rings if there are multiple groups there. This site and trailhead serves both the Walls of Jericho trail and the Bear Den Point Loop Trail. 

    This is primitive camping so no bathhouse, but there is a porta-john in the trailhead parking lot. The site is a good distance from any convenient stores or grocery stores so plan accordingly. We found good cell phone service with Verizon at this site. Trash cans are located in the trailhead parking lot. Please pack out your trash from the campsite.

  • William Andrew C.
    May. 1, 2021

    Walls of Jericho - Trailhead Campsite

    Not a lot of options near the parking lot for hammocks

    The only decent spot for hammocks is the little campsite that is right in front of the parking lot. We went over to the clearing just north of the parking lot, but there were no good spots. The clearing was extremely overgrown, as was the tree line all around the clearing. At the site directly in front of the parking lot, you can really only get two hammocks, unless you want to stack your hammocks vertically. You'll have to tie both hammocks to the same tree at one end, and then use two trees on the other side. There is no water near this site. This site is OK if you need to be near the parking lot or don't want to hike your gear in and out. Otherwise, you're way better off going down to one of the other sites.

  • Michael M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 13, 2022

    Blue Hole Dispersed- Crockford-Pigeon Mountain WMA

    Good dispersed camping at the blue hole

    It has a blue hole an 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 ...no one to bother you!


Guide to Rising Fawn

Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Rising Fawn, Georgia, where nature enthusiasts can enjoy serene landscapes and a sense of adventure. With various options available, campers can find the perfect spot to unwind and connect with the great outdoors.

Blue Hole Dispersed Camping for Nature Lovers

  • The Blue Hole Dispersed- Crockford-Pigeon Mountain WMA offers a unique experience in a wildlife management area, perfect for those who appreciate a more rugged camping style.
  • This area allows for campfires, making it ideal for cozy evenings under the stars, though it's important to note that no firewood is provided.
  • With no reservations required, campers can enjoy a first-come, first-served experience, allowing for spontaneity in your outdoor plans.

Tips for Free and Dispersed Camping Near Rising Fawn, Georgia

  • When visiting the Little Farmie Farm Dispersed, be prepared for a lack of amenities such as drinking water and toilets, making it essential to bring your own supplies.
  • Keep in mind that many dispersed camping spots, like the Hidden Creek Campground, may have rough access roads, so a vehicle with good clearance is recommended.
  • Always practice Leave No Trace principles to maintain the natural beauty of these areas, especially in places like the Prentice Cooper State Forest Camp, where the environment is pristine and wildlife is abundant.

Exploring Activities While Free Camping Near Rising Fawn

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Rising Fawn, GA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Rising Fawn, GA is Blue Hole Dispersed- Crockford-Pigeon Mountain WMA with a 3.6-star rating from 5 reviews.

What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Rising Fawn, GA?

TheDyrt.com has all 10 dispersed camping locations near Rising Fawn, GA, with real photos and reviews from campers.