Paddlers, anglers, and hikers all have reasons to base camp at Indian Boundary, a Forest Service campground in the Cherokee National Forest outside Tellico Plains, Tennessee. The campground wraps around a small lake with a sandy beach, a fishing pier, a boat launch for electric-motor boats, and a 3-mile loop trail that stays flat enough for young children to complete. Canoes and kayaks are available to rent on-site, and Jill W. recommends making time for nearby Citico Creek: "Take a ride to Citico creek, its worth it." Wildlife sightings, including black bears, deer, and bald eagles, come up regularly in reviews.
The campground is organized into four loops, most of which have electric hookups, picnic tables, firepits, and lantern poles. Sites are level and well-maintained, with reviewers consistently noting above-average privacy given how close the sites sit to each other. The bathrooms and shower facilities draw repeated praise for cleanliness. A camp store on-site stocks food, ice, firewood, gear, and fishing supplies, though it does not sell fishing licenses, so pick one up before arriving. Cell service is essentially unavailable within the campground; reviewers report needing to drive about 10 minutes to reach a reliable signal.
Crowds are a real factor here, particularly on weekends. Multiple reviewers recommend weekday visits to avoid a packed campground. Loop A sites are closest to the water and tend to fill first. The campground runs from mid-April through early November, and the Indian Boundary Overflow Campground sits just down the road for when the main loops are full. Double Camp/Citico Creek and Jake Best Campground are other nearby options in the same forest corridor. The access road has a rough reputation, so lower-clearance vehicles should check conditions before heading in, and RVs are limited to 26 feet.
Keith A. sums up the facilities well: "The campsites are level, spacious, and well maintained." Reservations are available and strongly recommended for weekend and holiday stays during peak season.
Description
Overview
Indian Boundary Recreation Area is the crown jewel of the South Zone of the Cherokee National Forest on the Tellico Ranger District. This family-oriented campground offers a swim beach and picnic area with grills and an accessible picnic pavilion, as well as a fantastic, 3.2-mile hiking and biking trail around the lake. Spectacular mountain views, glimpses of wildlife, and a peaceful setting await visitors who come to Indian Boundary.
Recreation
Opportunities abound for fishing, swimming, boating, wildlife viewing and scenic driving. Other popular activities include hiking and biking the trail around Indian Boundary Lake. The recreation area contains a swim beach, boat ramp, fishing pier, picnic area and volleyball court.
Facilities
The 87-site campground has electric hookups, water faucets throughout the campground, grills, picnic tables and lantern posts. Modern restrooms add to the comfort of visitors in this natural setting. An on-site campground store sells bread, ice, milk, ice cream and other camping supplies. Indian Boundary Recreation Area Map
Natural Features
Indian Boundary Lake covers 96 acres at an elevation of 1,560 feet, and sits among hardwoods and pines. At the lake, visitors enjoy watching beaver that inhabit an adjacent pond, identifying several species of ducks and other waterfowl and trying their luck at catching bass, sunfish and catfish. The Cherokee National Forest is located in eastern Tennessee and stretches from Chattanooga to Bristol along the North Carolina border. The 650,000-acre swath of land is Tennessee's only national forest. It lies in the heart of the Southern Appalachians and is home to more than 20,000 species of plants and animals, as well as many rivers, creeks and lakes. Elevations range from 750 to 5,500 feet.
Nearby Attractions
The campground is two miles off the Cherohala Skyway, a 43-mile National Scenic Byway that stretches from Tellico Plains, Tennessee, to Robbinsville, North Carolina. Bald River Falls on Tellico River Road 210 is a popular destination. The Pheasant Fields Fish Hatchery also on Tellico River is operated by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and is the rearing pools for the fish stocking program on Tellico River, Citico Creek, and the Green Cove Pond.
RV Road Trip Guides
Map & DirectionsIndian Boundary is located in Tennessee near Tallassee
Directions
From I-75 at Sweetwater, Tennessee, take State Route 68 to Tellico Plains. From Highway 68 in Tellico Plains, take Highway 165 (Cherohala Skyway) east for 16 miles. Turn left onto Forest Development Road 345 and travel 2 miles to the entrance.
Address
205 Ranger Station Rd
Tellico plains, TN 37385
Coordinates
35.4016667 N
84.1072222 W
Connectivity
T-MobileNo Coverage- VerizonNo Coverage
- AT&TNo Coverage
Connectivity
- T-MobileNo Coverage
- VerizonNo Coverage
- AT&TNo Coverage
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
- Hike-InBackcountry sites.
- Boat-InSites accessible by watercraft.
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Group
- Tent Cabin
Features
For Campers
- Market
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Firewood Available
- Reservable
- Drinking Water
- Electric Hookups
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Sanitary Dump
- Pull-Through Sites
- 50 Amp Hookups
Drive Time
- 1 hr 13 min from Cleveland, TN
- 1 hr 24 min from Knoxville, TN
- 1 hr 39 min from Chattanooga, TN
- 2 hrs 4 min from Morristown, TN
