Best Campgrounds near Apison, TN

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.

Best Camping Sites Near Apison, Tennessee (399)

    1. Harrison Bay State Park Campground

    56 Reviews
    Harrison, TN
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (423) 344-6214

    $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."

    2. Chester Frost Park

    35 Reviews
    Harrison, TN
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (423) 842-0177

    $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."

    3. Cloudland Canyon State Park Campground

    183 Reviews
    Trenton, GA
    31 miles
    Website
    +1 (706) 657-4050

    $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."

    4. Chattanooga North-Cleveland KOA

    16 Reviews
    Mcdonald, TN
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (423) 472-8928

    $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."

    5. Holiday Travel Park

    20 Reviews
    Fort Oglethorpe, TN
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (706) 891-9766

    $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."

    6. Raccoon Mountain Caverns and Campground

    43 Reviews
    Lookout Mountain, TN
    22 miles
    +1 (423) 821-9403

    $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."

    7. Fort Mountain State Park Campground

    59 Reviews
    Chatsworth, GA
    26 miles
    Website
    +1 (706) 422-1932

    $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."

    8. Battlefield Campground & RV Park

    8 Reviews
    Ringgold, GA
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (706) 937-4166

    "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!"

    9. Hawkins Pointe RV Park

    5 Reviews
    Fort Oglethorpe, GA
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (706) 820-6757

    $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."

    10. Chilhowee Recreation Area

    30 Reviews
    Benton, TN
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (423) 338-3300

    $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!!"

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Recent Reviews near Apison, TN

1473 Reviews of 399 Apison Campgrounds


  • William  Y.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 11, 2025

    Marion county park Tennessee

    Hospitable spot to overnight with great fishing

    Spent the evening of the 9th Sept at Marion County Park near Chattanooga, right on the water, along Hwy 41. Fantastic hosts…Lots of fishing going on all around us. Good camping spot…level, water and electricity for $38.00. Bathhouse was older but clean with lots of hot water. Downside, only one shower stall had a bench for changing and there was no counter at the bathroom sink. The other downside was the traffic noise across the beautiful water from I-24. Very welcoming spot just off of I-24

  • Katrin M.
    Sep. 8, 2025

    Harrison Bay State Park Campground

    Campground on the lake

    We camped here over the weekend, bc we participated in a dog event near by. At first we booked site B31. The tent pad was super small, there was no way for 2 bigger tents to fit. It's definitely better, if you have a camper. We changed to site A9 and that was much better. We had to set up the tents on concrete, which was awesome, because it rained all Saturday. The bathhouses were kinda outdated, but always clean. The park itself is ok. It's nothing spectacular there. The campsites directly on the water were very nice. All the staff was extremely friendly and helpful. I don't think, I would camp here again. The park was very clean, it has just not really anything nature wise that would catch my interest.

  • Joel R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 8, 2025

    Cloudland Canyon State Park Campground

    Beautiful park, great hiking

    Cloudland Canyon is one of Georgia’s prettiest parks. There are 2 campgrounds. West Rim campground has more privacy, with the sites in the trees. Sites in The East Rim campground are closer together, and is noisier.. There are also backcountry campsites. The West Rim Loop Trail, considered one of the top 10 hikes in the United States, according to Backpacker Magazine starts in the West Rim Campground. There is also a strenuous waterfall trail into the canyon. The campground was water and electric sites. There are no full hookup sites, but there is a dump station. Modern showers and bathrooms.

  • b
    Sep. 7, 2025

    Campville LLC

    Great stay

    Super clean campground with great amenities!! Only a mile from 75 but doesn't feel like it's located by the interstate. Highly recommend checking the place out!

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 4, 2025

    Calhoun A-OK Campground

    Now called CedarBreak…

    Not KOA anymore - the campground has been renamed CedarBreak. New owners and they are very nice and helpful. Nicely Renovated office and store. Upgraded our site when they knew our plans. Minor sound from adjacent road, other than that very quiet, clean, nice layout with trees, good site spacing, I’ll be back.

  • Suzanne-Will C.
    Sep. 2, 2025

    Woodring Branch Primitive Campground — Carters Lake

    Great Tent Camping

    I love that this was a tent only camping site (no RVs). The sites were a bit smaller than I would have liked but as it was just the 10 sites on the road, the kids could safely play in the road. The water was by the toilets at the entrance but easily walkable from the sites.

  • Doug S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 1, 2025

    Persimmon Creek RV Park

    Beautiful Little Camp Ground

    Persimmon Creek is a beautiful and peaceful place. The owner is very friendly and helpful. It is centrally located to some great attractions.

  • Peyton P.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 31, 2025

    Prentice Cooper State Forest Dispersed

    A few pull offs

    You can stay at either Hunter’s check campground or Davis Pond. If you want to stay at davis pond you have to get there before dark, and there is not access for vehicles to get into the campground so it’s just tents (no overlanding, unless you’re comfortable in the parking lot). I pulled off just off one of the trails and set up. It was quiet and private. Not buggy

  • Kc K.
    Aug. 30, 2025

    Fooshee Pass Campground

    Amazing site! See note on hook-ups

    This campground is great. The hosts/camp store workers are so nice. This site is big and has easy walk-in access to water for swimming or fishing. **Only weird thing is the hookups are on the opposite side of the site. Take a 50 ft water hose and a 30 amp extension - ours was 50 ft but I think a 30 ft would work. **


Guide to Apison

Camping near Apison, Tennessee, offers a mix of beautiful landscapes and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking for a family-friendly spot or a peaceful retreat, there are plenty of campgrounds to explore.

What to do:

What campers like:

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate well-maintained restrooms and showers. A visitor at DeSoto State Park Campground said, "Bath house was clean," which is always a plus when camping.
  • Family-Friendly Atmosphere: Many families enjoy the activities available for kids. One reviewer at Cloudland Canyon State Park Campground mentioned, "Beautiful park with lots of activities for kids."
  • Privacy: Campers often seek out sites that offer a bit of space. A guest at Fort Mountain State Park Campground said, "The sites are nicely spaced and private," making it a good choice for those wanting a quieter experience.

What you should know:

  • Crowded Campgrounds: Some campgrounds can get busy, especially on weekends. A visitor at Cloudland Canyon State Park Campground noted, "The sites are very close together here and you can expect it to usually be booked up."
  • Limited Amenities: Not all campgrounds have full hookups. For instance, Foster Falls Campground has no electric hookups, which might not suit everyone.
  • Check-in Confusion: Some campers have experienced issues with check-in procedures. A reviewer at Cloudland Canyon State Park Campground mentioned, "Checking in is confusing because they don’t send you any info on what to do."

Tips for camping with families:

Tips from RVers:

Camping near Apison, Tennessee, has something for everyone, from stunning views to family-friendly activities. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the great outdoors!

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Apison, TN?

According to TheDyrt.com, Apison, TN offers a wide range of camping options, with 399 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 4.1-star rating from 56 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.