The Cherokee National Forest surrounds Delano, Tennessee, providing multiple camping options from primitive to developed sites. The Hiwassee/Ocoee Scenic River State Park's Gee Creek Campground serves as a central camping destination with tent and RV accommodations. Most of the established campgrounds in the area, including Chilhowee Recreation Area and Parksville Lake RV Campground, offer mixed-use sites accommodating both tent and vehicle camping. Lost Creek in Cherokee National Forest provides dispersed camping for those seeking a more rustic experience, while several privately operated campgrounds like Adventures Unlimited offer cabin options and glamping facilities.
Access to camping varies by season, with some campgrounds like Thunder Rock and Chilhowee operating only from April to November. Many sites offer developed amenities including drinking water, fire rings, and picnic tables, though electric hookups are limited at certain locations. "The campground is great! Most of the sites are spaced apart well, so you're not right up against your neighbors," noted one visitor about Gee Creek Campground. The Hiwassee River presents both recreational opportunities and safety considerations, with water levels changing rapidly due to dam releases. While most campgrounds maintain clean restroom facilities, the more remote dispersed sites typically offer minimal infrastructure, requiring visitors to pack in their own supplies.
Riverside camping experiences dominate the positive reviews for the area, particularly at Gee Creek Campground where campers appreciate proximity to water. One camper shared that "the lightning bugs and stars are perfect" when describing nighttime at Gee Creek, highlighting the natural ambiance. Family-friendly amenities appear at several campgrounds, with playgrounds and bicycle-friendly areas mentioned in reviews. Some visitors noted that sites can become crowded during summer months, particularly at water-adjacent locations. The terrain around most campgrounds provides access to hiking trails, including connections to the Gee Creek Wilderness with its waterfalls. Most reviewers appreciate the natural setting, though some mention that certain campgrounds lack privacy between sites, particularly in more developed areas.
$35 - $85 / night
"Bath house is relatively nice for a state park campground. 1 mile walking path surrounding the grounds is nice. Safe area for bicycle riding. Great proximity to many outdoor activities."
"This sweet state park campground is tucked into a spot along Gee Creek, which is great for boating, fishing, and swimming in the summertime heat of Tennessee. "
$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!!"
$20 - $40 / night
"Each site is a good distance away from the other and there is the constant sound of the creek flowing right next to it. The bathrooms are clean and right in the middle a perfect spot for a getaway"
"Easy to navigate around sites. Lots of shade. Close by Occoee White Water center where the Atlanta olympics took place. Plan your visit around the water release. There schedule is online. "
$12 - $20 / night
"Campsites are close to one another. If you camp at a site near the water, it is really nice, but everyone will walk by your campsite so they can go down the path to the river."
"Easy access off Hwy 64, so close to stores for food and firewood. Well maintained campsite with clean bathrooms and very clean, nice showers. Alcohol prohibited as think county is dry."
$12 - $20 / night
"Scenic views the whole drive up, followed by a safe, cozy campground with clean facilities and a great grouping of trails."
"The campsite was clean, and our site was a good distance from other campers. The campground has a nice hike to Benton Falls which is beautiful."
"A very well-kept campground given how off the beaten path it is. Most sites had tent pads and a concrete picnic table and were very clean. The garbage bins had been emptied so weren't overfowing."
"Some have direct access to the creek. Great hikes around and good place to fish and hunt."
$10 - $45 / night
"Adventures Unlimited is located in Ocoee, TN, just outside of Chattanooga, and is one of the coolest river towns I’ve been to. The Ocoee River was the site for the 1996 Olympics whitewater events."
"We could walk down from the cabin to check-in for white water rafting excursion. There is a campground store at the check-in, as well."
$50 - $60 / night
"This place is a true gem hidden in the Tennessee mountains."
"Close to grocery stores & TONS of mountain goodness."
"Great base camp for close to adventures in the national forest. Go do the hike by bald river falls 30 min away."
"Great location and great food! This is my go to spot when out riding."
"The trail isn’t really a trail but it’s so worth it. if you enter through gee creek rd it’s only about half a mile to the top. It is an off beat path and there are no markings."
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.
ScoutAs we are not locals to the Smokey Mountain Area, we found ourselves on what we NOW know is The Tail of the Dragon… a high speed, seemingly endless curvy beast of a road with sports cars and motorcycles. We thankfully stumbled upon Simple Life Camping and Cabins. Alan greeted us right away and was able to fit us in last minute and accommodated our 21ft motorhome before dusk. He is basically a walking directory for the area and has all of the amenities. Highly recommend taking a different route than HW 129 if you are wanting to cruise or if you have a large vehicle/motorhome.
Great place to camp & find solace!
TravelerVery nice lake sites on the lake. Close to the road so can be a little noisy. There are also only three sites that will fit a vehicle based camper. Most are park and walk down a hill (less than 100 ft) to a tent pad
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.
TravelerA very well-kept campground given how off the beaten path it is. Most sites had tent pads and a concrete picnic table and were very clean. The garbage bins had been emptied so weren't overfowing. The bathroom was as clean as an outhouse-style bathroom can be (there was even toilet paper!). The drive to the site is unpaved for the 5.5 miles from the road, but is taken care of and passable without 4wd. There are 5 sites that are adjacent to the creek, whereas the rest are inside the traffic loop, with a few abutting the hillside. The sites are spaced fairly well apart from each other so you don't feel that you are all on top of each other. I camped on a Monday-Wednesday in mid-March, so I can't speak for what it's like on a weekend during peak season, but there were four other campers along with me, and everyone was very quiet, which I appreciated (except for the guy with the barking dog - you know who you are) (okay, only half joking about the dog - it did bark a lot, but it wasn't exceptionally annoying).
ScoutI Come here at least twice a year stay is 14 days free the crew that keeps this campsite up are wonderful people its always clean when i am there has a nice stream and waterfall which is a small hike. U get phone service at the waterfall u sit on the rock the 1st spot is my favorite spot. I travel the state and this is one of my favorite sports to rest up. My stay is about a week M-Th
GuideWe stayed at the first campsite of your entering with west. Creek close by and river on the other side with additional campgrounds. Large open sites, fire pit and this site has a tree down next to it that’s multi purposed into a table/bench. And of course, the stars ⭐️
LegendWe arrived and had an easy check-in since this was our third stay at Talona Ridge, again to attend an RV rally. After check-in, we headed to pull-through buddy site H-25 with full hookups in the lower level of the campground, which had three levels total. The cement pad was plenty long enough to position the rig for the sewer connection at the back of the pad, while still allowing us to put the patio down and park our F450 fully on the site. Water pressure was solid at 55–60 psi. Since this was a newer RV park, there were not many mature trees yet, so satellite connectivity was not an issue. We had 3 bars on Verizon and 2 bars of 5G on T-Mobile, and we chose to use our T-Mobile Home Internet instead of Starlink, which delivered 70.1 Mbps download speeds. The campground WiFi was above average as well, testing at 64 Mbps download. There was a shower house with laundry near this site, equipped with two large washers and dryers, and the laundry app made the process convenient. We enjoyed the large dog park, along with plenty of additional areas to walk our pups. Talona Ridge had a lot to offer and remained one of our favorite campgrounds—it truly felt like a resort.
Camping sites near Delano, Tennessee range from primitive to full-service facilities within the Cherokee National Forest. With elevations between 700-1,500 feet, the region experiences moderate year-round temperatures but can see rapid weather changes during summer thunderstorms. Winter campers should note that several campgrounds in the area operate seasonally, with limited facilities available during colder months.
**Creek exploration: Walking trails along waterways wind through most campsites, offering opportunities for wading and photography. At Lost Creek - Cherokee NF, "the creek can be used for shallow water wading or fishing," according to one visitor. This remote site requires a 7-mile drive on gravel forest roads.
**Mountain biking: Trails ranging from beginner to advanced connect directly to several campgrounds. "There is wonderful mountain biking easily accessible from the camp and world class white water rapids within only a few miles drive," notes a camper at Chilhowee. The park also maintains a bike maintenance stand at the visitor center.
**Waterfall hiking: Most campgrounds connect to trail networks leading to cascades. The Benton Falls trail from Chilhowee Recreation Area creates a moderate 3-mile round trip experience. "For a more secluded waterfall experience head to the Rainbow falls," recommends one visitor, noting this alternative trail receives less traffic than the main falls.
**Winter solitude: Off-season camping provides a quieter experience with fewer neighbors. "During winter campground is very quiet, no power at sites, it does have hot showers," reports a visitor at Gee Creek Campground — Hiwassee/Ocoee Scenic River State Park. The park's heated bath house becomes particularly valuable during colder months.
**Wildlife viewing: Dawn and dusk offer prime animal spotting opportunities throughout the region. A camper at Gee Creek mentioned, "Whippoorwill called through the evening which was cool," highlighting the natural soundscape that develops after dark. Fireflies are particularly abundant during early summer.
**Site spacing: Unlike more developed campgrounds, many Cherokee Forest sites offer significant distance between neighbors. "The campground is operated and maintained by the USFS. A portion of campground adjoins a small creek," notes a review of Lost Creek Campground, where concrete picnic tables and lantern posts accompany each primitive site.
**Water access variations: Lake and river proximity differs significantly between campgrounds, affecting swimming options. At Thunder Rock Campground, "from the campground, you can actually walk to the river and can also access several other hiking trails," though one camper notes that "the neighboring road has heavy traffic" creating some noise.
**Elevation challenges: Accessing higher elevation sites requires navigating steep mountain roads. "To get to this campground you have to go up a steep narrow windy mountain road," warns one camper about Chilhowee Recreation Area, though they note "the entire campground is in the shade" once you arrive.
**Cell service limitations: Coverage varies dramatically across the region, with higher points generally offering better reception. A visitor to Chilhowee reported, "There is NO AT&T in spite of what this site says. You may get a weak signal on the other side, but it's spotty at best. There appeared to be a Verizon tower on the mountain, so that will probably work."
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Delano, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, Delano, TN offers a wide range of camping options, with 483 campgrounds and RV parks near Delano, TN and 37 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Delano, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Delano, TN is Gee Creek Campground — Hiwassee/Ocoee Scenic River State Park with a 4.1-star rating from 29 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Delano, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 37 free dispersed camping spots near Delano, TN.
What parks are near Delano, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 25 parks near Delano, TN that allow camping, notably Tusquitee National Forest and Croatan National Forest.
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