The Cherokee National Forest surrounds Benton, Tennessee, with a mix of developed campgrounds and dispersed camping areas spread throughout the mountainous landscape. Chilhowee Recreation Area serves as the main campground in the region, offering electric hookups for RVs and tent camping sites with fire rings and picnic tables. Lost Creek provides primitive dispersed camping options for those seeking more solitude in a natural setting. The Hiwassee River corridor offers additional camping opportunities at Gee Creek Campground within the Hiwassee/Ocoee Scenic River State Park, where tent and RV sites are available with access to hiking trails and water recreation.
Road access varies significantly between campgrounds, with some requiring travel on winding mountain roads. Chilhowee Recreation Area sits at higher elevation, requiring a 7-mile drive up Oswald Road with multiple scenic overlooks along the way. Most campgrounds in the area operate seasonally, with Chilhowee and Thunder Rock typically open from April to November, while some facilities like Lost Creek remain accessible year-round. Cell service can be limited at most sites, particularly at more remote locations deep in the national forest. Water access points are limited at some campgrounds, with Chilhowee notably lacking water hookups at individual sites. A visitor commented, "The campground is well maintained with the park staff always driving around and friendly. Each campground has a fire pit, lantern pole and picnic table."
Several visitors highlight the numerous hiking opportunities as a major draw for camping in the Benton area. The trail to Benton Falls from Chilhowee Recreation Area receives consistent praise in reviews, with one camper noting, "The trails are what really makes this an all around great campground. Several hikes for all levels." The Lost Creek dispersed camping area, while more primitive, earns high marks for its creek access and proximity to the Benton MacKaye trail. Camping areas near water features tend to fill quickly during summer months, particularly on weekends. For those seeking more solitude, primitive camping options exist deeper in the Cherokee National Forest, though these lack amenities like showers or drinking water that are available at developed sites like Gee Creek Campground, which features heated bathhouses during winter.
$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."
"The campground is well maintained the park staff is always driving around and friendly. Each campground has a fire pit, lantern pole and picnic table!"
$35 - $85 / night
"The state park/campground adjoins the Cherokee National Forest and sits on the north bank of the Hiwassee River outside of Benton, TN."
"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."
$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
"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."
"There is definitely a long drive (7 Mile) uphill to the campground, but it is definitely worth the drive. The camp hosts (which have been there for 16+ years) were awesome and very friendly. "
$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."
$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."
"It's in the middle of nowhere (7 miles down a gravel forest road), surrounded by forest, with easy creek access (some sites are right beside the creek), and the Benton McKaye trail running directly beside"
"The lost cove campground can be found deep in the wilderness of the Cherokee National Forest outside of Benton, TN. The campground is operated and maintained by the USFS."
$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."
$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."
$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."
TravelerCame to camp at a different campsite, but it was already taken. The first couple of designated spots are excellent with lakeside views. We chose this spot as it was the next available spot. It’s comfortable and allows you to enjoy the tranquility of a running stream.
ScoutI was in a tent, not an RV. This spot is roomy and isn’t right on top of any other campers. Since no sites were to the east, I walked down to the creek with my chair to get away from people. It’s a very crowded campground, but quieter than expected, probably because the road to this site leads to a dead end. There’s a lot of road noise from Gainesville Hwy until dusk. The bathrooms are nearby and very clean.
TravelerThe campground was easy to find & it’s just close enough to town if you need to make a store run. There is lush forest with incredible views. plus, our site has lake access. The wildlife life is thriving and we could hear barred owls hooting at dusk. Perfect area for fishing. We are happy to have found this little gem!
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.
TravelerAs 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).
Dispersed camping near Benton, Tennessee offers opportunities for backcountry exploration at elevations ranging from 800 to 2,200 feet in the Cherokee National Forest. The area experiences four distinct seasons with winter temperatures frequently dropping below freezing, while summer daytime highs can reach into the 90s with significant humidity. Most primitive camping areas remain accessible year-round but lack water hookups during winter months when freezing temperatures can affect water systems.
Creek exploration: 3 miles from campsites. At Lost Creek Campground, the creek serves as a natural attraction for wading or cooling off. "This is a great spot in the river. Picnic tables, fire ring, pit toilet and all you hear is the river at night. No cell service and its first come first served for a spot," notes Charles H.
Mountain biking: Multiple trail networks. The area has dedicated mountain biking trails accessible from several campgrounds. "There is wonderful mountain biking easily accessible from the camp and world class white water rapids within only a few miles drive," mentions Tyler J. about the Chilhowee area. Some trails have challenging elevation changes requiring proper equipment.
Whitewater activities: Seasonal water releases. The Ocoee River offers water recreation with scheduled releases. A camper at Parksville Lake RV Campground advises, "Plan your visit around the water release. There schedule is online. Pretty cool to see the water trickle and then mass if water come at you."
Privacy in wilderness settings. Forest camping spots provide seclusion from neighboring sites. "This little site was a great get away... We chose a spot next to the creek. Was clear and flowing due to a lot of rain the few days before we arrived. Sites had concrete picnic tables and a pad," shares Scott E. about Lost Creek.
Heated facilities during winter. Some campgrounds maintain year-round operations with heated bathhouses. A visitor to Gee Creek Campground noted, "The park has a nice size bath house that is heated during the winter. The showers are push valve with no temperature control, so you will periodically have to push the valve for water."
Wildlife viewing opportunities. The area supports diverse wildlife including black bears. "We had a great family outing. Bathrooms were clean and site were nice too," reports Nathan B. about Gee Creek Campground, while other reviewers frequently mention encountering wildlife during their stays.
Remote locations affect cell service. Cell coverage varies dramatically across the region. A visitor to Chilhowee reported, "In the B loop 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."
Gravel road access to remote sites. Some campgrounds require driving on unpaved roads. "Lost cove campground can be found deep in the wilderness of the Cherokee National Forest outside of Benton, TN... Once leaving the pavement of the main road and traversing a well maintained gravel road for 7 miles you will reach the Lost Cove Campground," explains Gregg G.
Limited amenities at primitive sites. Dispersed camping areas have basic facilities. "Your classic primitive campground. No generators, water, or porta potties. How camping in the forest should be!" states Tyler J. about Lost Creek. Plan to bring all supplies including drinking water to these locations.
Swimming options: Lake and creek access. For families with children, Thunder Rock Campground offers water access. "This is a really great car camping campground along the Ocoee River. The space is divided up into a campground and a day-use area," shares Asher K. Many families bring water toys during summer months.
Playground availability: Limited in forest areas. Most primitive campgrounds lack dedicated play structures. "There's no approved place to wash dishes, the bath house and water pump both specifically say not to clean dishes in the area. My guess is this is due to the possibility of attracting black bears," notes Brittney W. about Thunder Rock.
Bear-proof storage: Required at all sites. Food must be properly stored in all camping areas. "We stayed at site #39. Next to the trail that leads to the lake. Next to rest room, trash bin, and water spout," mentions a camper about their experience with wildlife management facilities available at campgrounds.
Limited hookup options: Plan for boondocking. Most forest service campgrounds offer electric but not full hookups. At Adventures Unlimited Campground, "The rv sites have water and electric, and they have a dump station," according to Lori H. This pattern is consistent across the region.
Navigation challenges: Steep, narrow roads. RV access to some campgrounds requires careful driving. "To get to this campground you have to go up a steep narrow windy mountain road," warns Carissa D. about access to one camping area. Many reviews recommend smaller rigs for certain campgrounds.
Central dump stations: Not at all locations. Plan waste management accordingly. "From the B loop, you have to traverse about a 120 degree switchback to get to it. My friend who was there pulling a 5th wheel decided not to try it and opted to pay to dump somewhere else," advises a camper about navigating dump stations with larger rigs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Benton, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, Benton, TN offers a wide range of camping options, with 475 campgrounds and RV parks near Benton, TN and 39 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Benton, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Benton, TN is Chilhowee Recreation Area with a 4.6-star rating from 30 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Benton, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 39 free dispersed camping spots near Benton, TN.
What parks are near Benton, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 25 parks near Benton, TN that allow camping, notably Tusquitee National Forest and Carters Lake.
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