Campgrounds near Apison, Tennessee provide camping experiences from RV-friendly parks to more secluded sites, with several options located along the Tennessee River. Harrison Bay State Park Campground, situated about 15 miles north of Apison, features four camping loops including three for RVs and one for tents, many with views of Chickamauga Lake. Other developed facilities in the region include Chester Frost Park, which accommodates tents, RVs, cabins, and glamping setups, and Cloudland Canyon State Park Campground across the Georgia border, offering walk-in tent sites, RV camping, backcountry sites, cabins, and yurts.
Most mixed-use campgrounds in the area operate year-round, though some like Chester Frost Park maintain seasonal schedules from April through October. Reservations are strongly recommended, especially for waterfront sites during summer months when locals and travelers alike seek water access. "Harrison Bay is a huge park, with four camping loops located on the Chickamauga Reservoir of the Tennessee River. It is about thirty minutes from downtown Chattanooga, making it a great place to stay for awhile if you want to check out the area's numerous hiking opportunities," noted one visitor. Cell phone coverage varies by location, with better service typically available at developed campgrounds and more limited connectivity in remote areas.
Waterfront camping represents a significant draw throughout the region, with several visitors highlighting the appeal of sites along Chickamauga Lake and other water bodies. Campers report that Loop C at Harrison Bay offers sites "right on the water, almost with their own private beaches," while the tent-only Loop D provides "clear waterfront views" from sites on the northern end. Wildlife viewing opportunities abound, with deer commonly spotted in the camping areas. According to one review, "Fall Creek Falls is one of the best recreational areas in Tennessee. The park is very large and has so much to do. The deer were everywhere, and they are not afraid of humans. They will walk directly through your campsite." Camping areas with both shade and privacy can be found throughout the region, though some developed campgrounds have more open, sunny sites with less separation between neighbors.
$22 - $28 / night
"Harrison Bay is a huge park, with four camping loops (3 for RVs, 1 for tents), and a large marina, located on the Chickamauga Reservoir of the Tennessee River."
"This is a great family campground and Tennessee State Park located on Chickamauga Lake of the Tennessee River. Good playground for the Grandkids and bicycle paths."
$21 - $30 / night
"Tons of room to walk and play. Great swimming and fishing. Boating is huge here Bc there are docks all around the campground to pull up to. Playgrounds everywhere."
"They have a frisbee golf course, playgrounds, walking trails, beach, easy access to the water and fields to start up any activity you desire. We read about uneven campsite but ours was pretty flat."
$10 - $270 / night
"Campground Review:East Rim Campground Pro’s: 1-Handicap Accessible, there is a cabin which is also HDA. 2- If your visiting for a get together your right next to the day use area and there is a picnic"
"We stopped in for a few hours on our drive home from Tennessee. We drove through the campgrounds to scout out our site."
$55 / night
"I should have gotten one of their little cabins...they look cozy and they are right next to the primitive camping."
"The sites are very close together so there is not much room to move around or have pets outside. The rates are higher than I would like to pay but you more amenities for the price."
$36 - $105 / night
"There were pros and cons, so I’ll start with the cons- the campground is surrounded by what looked to be a mobile home community."
"The gravel site was very level and the utilities were positioned well. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The location is easy to get to from I75/24."
$55 - $56 / night
"This place is Close to everything you’ll want to do in Chattanooga Tennessee"
"My family and I went a few years ago on a trip to Tennessee. It was a decent place to stay. We RV camped on this trip, but the campground had tent sites too."
$14 - $55 / night
"The platform sites are a short walk from a parking area near the lake so you can make multiple trips to the car if necessary, while the backcountry sites are up to a 3 mile hike in, so all gear, food,"
"There are steps leading down to the trail around the lake."
"Battlefield Campground is an extremely convenient RV park located right of I-75 about 20 minutes south of Chattanooga."
"Convenient access to the winery at the entrance!"
$60 - $63 / night
"Close to everything. Racing just down the street. That’s a positive or negative. On the nights they are racing you hear I’m the cars at the track."
"Does have very nice place to walk, dog park/wash,corn hole, fire pit with two chairs to use. We loved it there. Check the price. Pull thru sites with picnic table."
$12 - $30 / night
"My partner and I headed to nearby Chilhowie Campground in the Cherokee National Forest last year to try out our new teardrop camper. We chose site 1 in the A Loop as it had shore power."
"It has clean bathrooms with showers, fire rings with grill grates, lots of hiking, hike to a beautiful waterfall, huge lake to swim or float on a raft, and the lightning bugs were breath taking!!"
ScoutCamp Towhee is the perfect peaceful getaway near Fall Creek Falls! Spacious RV sites with full hookups, plenty of room to relax, and a quiet, well-maintained property make it ideal for a stress-free stay. Highly recommend!
GuideSmall gravel parking area off of what appears to be a drive. Nice open field to possibly setup in. Didn’t drive truck on grass. It was cut and well maintained. Large burn pile and old rv on site. Good place to over night. I visited during the day and was not disturbed.
GuideYou take a sometimes single lane road to get there. Very windy at points. There is a parking lot to hold 4+ cars. You walk 20’ on trail to first campsite. Nice wooded area with a trail to the water. There are 5 sites with fire pits. There is one private site past the marked site if you keep going you will find a large level gravel lot with a single fire pit that would be much better for van or truck camping. Past this point it turns back into residential.
GuideCampground is primitive with a clean vault toilet. There are approx 12 campsites with fire pits. Across the main gravel road is a large spot for off-roading / side by side parking. Main gravel road to campground is smooth no ruts. Campground should accommodate 24’ class b or so. My 18’ truck had lots of room and space for awning.
TravelerI’m giving this place a 5/5 starts for my first experience primitive camping on my own with some friends. We were the first ones there so we had the leisure of picking which site we wanted. The designated camping area was recently scorched, so ground critters/excessive shrubbage was minimal. Was easy to find and collect firewood.
The site we chose has trash/metal in the fire pit and a hallow tree stump was used for a trash can. Don’t be those people. We cleaned up the campsite and made it our own. We had neighbors show up round 9pm, but they were friendly, quiet, and kept to themselves. The area was peaceful and I got some pretty stunning pics. It was truly a great camping experience. I did see a non-venomous rat snake a little ways away from the main camp area, so just watch your step.
We hiked at Cloudland the next day and it was so packed (we went camping literally the first day of Spring), so if you want a more relaxed, secluded camping vibe close to Cloudland, this is your spot. Highly recommend getting a Georgia land pass before camping here ($30 and easy to get online).
TravelerStayed at a standard electric site and it was great. We tent camped with our pup and the site was plenty spacious enough to have all of our gear out plus room for the pup to run. All trails are very well maintained and have beautiful views. Only thing I would suggest is if you want some peace and quiet choose the west rim for camping. East rim in directly on the main road and sites are super close together.
Scoutthis cam ground grat for tents only ,you can drive up with your vehicle but when it rains you might need to have 4x4, otherwise spacious wooded 10 acres land with like 16 Camp sites,, Super easy to book on site, scan QR code at the entrance and choose your site #
GuideVery nice campground. So hard to believe it is free!! All sites clearly marked. Trash bins and vault toilet 🚻
The road in was twisty, and some spots had ruts. I came through when the road in was not muddy. A 2 wheel drive with decent clearance will be fine. Even a Jeep can make it in. ;) I was close enough to the stream that I could hear it babbling all night long. It was wonderful. Some spots were right on the water, but they were taken. Saw mostly car/truck camping with tents. There was one van camper and also two enclosed trailers (trailers were than 18 ft in length). I could easily see this place filling up.
TravelerThis is not a negative review, but a bit of warning/advice. The walk up to the campsite is fairly treacherous. You will need to clamber up some rocks and hop over some flowing water to get to the site. It is a beautiful spot, but just be prepared for a less than gentle saunter up to the site. The site is also a little closer to a main, well-traveled road than I prefer, so if you want more solitude then you should hike up to the campsites farther up the creek.
Camping sites near Apison, Tennessee sit at elevations ranging from 750 to 1,200 feet above sea level, creating varied camping microclimates throughout the region. Located in the eastern part of Hamilton County, the area experiences temperate weather with average summer highs around 90°F and winter lows rarely dropping below 30°F. Most campgrounds remain accessible year-round with electrical hookups available at developed sites.
Explore limestone caves: At Raccoon Mountain Caverns and Campground, visitors can tour Crystal Cave with its impressive formations. "The caverns were pretty cool. Having the dog park close by was a bonus," notes one camper who appreciated the combination of underground exploration and pet-friendly amenities.
Boat at Chickamauga Lake: Harrison Bay State Park Campground offers direct lake access with multiple fishing spots. "I saw some campers in fishing kayaks come right up to the shore and hop out at their campsite," reports one visitor who enjoyed the seamless transition from water to campsite.
Hike to waterfalls: Cloudland Canyon State Park Campground features multiple waterfall trails with varying difficulty levels. "The Cave tour is a must, but prepare to get dirty," advises one experienced camper who recommends waterproof footwear during rainy seasons.
Private camping platforms: Fort Mountain State Park offers unique raised camping platforms for a different overnight experience. "The site itself was in a beautiful location, had a hand pump on site, and also had a shared bear proof storage box," explains a first-time platform camper who encountered active wildlife during their stay.
Individual bathrooms: Harrison Bay State Park features air-conditioned private bathroom/shower combos in camping loop D. "Spacious sites in D. AC bath houses!" exclaims one camper who appreciated the comfort during hot summer months.
Dog-friendly amenities: Multiple campgrounds offer designated dog parks and pet-friendly policies. "We loved that Raccoon Mountain had a dog park. The staff are so attentive, they are very accessible and are present all day into the evening without being intrusive," notes a camper who traveled with pets.
Site privacy varies significantly: At Fort Mountain State Park Campground, the West Rim campground offers better separation between sites. "The West Rim campground is VASTLY superior with tons of privacy, tree cover, great terraces at most sites, with the ones outside ones being the best," advises a camper who has explored multiple Georgia state parks.
Seasonal pest issues: Some waterfront sites experience insect activity, particularly during warm months. "Sites 9, 18, 22, and 25 are next to an area with poor drainage so bugs may be an issue here in the summer," warns a Harrison Bay visitor who recommends bringing insect repellent.
Cell service limitations: Most campgrounds have spotty coverage depending on carrier and location. "We had inconsistent cell coverage even with a Winegard booster with AT&T and Verizon. Mornings were best reception and evening were not so good," reports a Fort Mountain camper who found signal strength varied throughout the day.
Look for dedicated swimming areas: Chester Frost Park offers a man-made beach with adjacent playground. "This place is definitely somewhere you wanna bring your kids they would love it! There is a man made beach with a playground and loads of camping lots next to the river!" recommends a parent who found the setup ideal for children.
Consider cabin options: Several campgrounds offer furnished cabins as alternatives to tent camping. "The cabins are ok. They have three beds. One double and a set of bunk beds. They have ac as well. They are small but do the job," explains a Chattanooga North-Cleveland KOA visitor who found cabin camping more comfortable with children.
Book waterfront sites early: Prime lakefront sites fill quickly, especially during summer months. "We love staying on the lake front and watching the sun set," shares a Chester Frost Park camper who recommends reserving sites 46-50 at Harrison Bay for the best water views.
Check site leveling before booking: Some campgrounds have significant grading issues. "The site had about a 5 inch difference sloping towards the road. I used rocker blocks maxed out (about 4 inches in height) and still was not level," cautions a Fort Mountain camper who struggled with an uneven site.
Consider campground road layouts: Chilhowee Recreation Area has challenging access for larger rigs. "The roads in the campground are narrow and again, some of the turns are sharp when pulling a trailer. There is only one dump station and it's on the other side of the campground. From the B loop, you have to traverse about a 120 degree switchback to get to it," warns an RV owner who navigated the tight turns with a 25-foot travel trailer.
Research hookup availability: Not all sites offer full hookups. "Coming up the mountain has some steep grades and a few switch backs that you can't see around. There are no water hookups at the sites, only power (30A). You'll need to fill your fresh water tanks before you set up," advises a Chilhowee camper who planned accordingly for limited utilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Apison, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, Apison, TN offers a wide range of camping options, with 408 campgrounds and RV parks near Apison, TN and 26 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Apison, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Apison, TN is Harrison Bay State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 57 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Apison, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 26 free dispersed camping spots near Apison, TN.
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