The best DISPERSED camping near
Byington , TENNESSEE

Campsites are perfectly spread apart. They do a fantastic job on keeping everything neat and orderly. Plenty of places to hike and if you want to have a picnic there is a picnic area right next to the creek where the kids can play. The loop around Cades cove just takes you back in time to much simpler time. You can rent bikes if want to take it slow.

Have been camping here for years even before current owners. Many different size sites and some are just too small for even a small camper. Price has gotten too high.

Yarberry Peninsula is such a great place to spend time, no matter what time of year you visit. This trip was in January, and it was chilly, especially on the lake front site I stayed on, but it is just so beautiful, you can handle a little cold to stay at such a nice place. I booked site 19, and it is waterfront, with so much space right on the shoreline. I highly recommend booking your spots very early, as it cam be difficult to get a spot during the warmer months. There is a campground store, it was not open when I was there this time, but usually is during warmer months. They have essentials, and rental kayaks and such. The campground is gated, so there’s not really any traffic passing through. The sites are all mostly level, and I think most have a lake view even if you’re not lakefront. They have boat slips for rent also. I’m really looking forward to staying here this summer!

I had the opportunity to tour this facility before it was open to the public. This is going to be a phenomenal RV Resort. Big-rig friendly, a HUGE pool with a hot tub, fishing, kayaking, and hiking trails. Inside the lodge, there will be meeting spaces, a retail store, and an on-site concierge. If you have been to Catherine's Landing, this resort is going to be even more magnificent (If that is even possible)!

Note that there are multiple campsites on this lake, some are drive up, some you have to walk to. There is also a campground called "Lake Santeetlah" that is not free. The site by the boat launch was quiet, free, and had beautiful views of the lake. I arrived right before sunset on a week day and found it unoccupied. There was a picnic table, and established flat area to set up a tent. No bathrooms or running water available.

Warning: the road to get to Lake Santeetlah has endless sharp turns & drop-offs, would not recommend driving this in the dark.

Beautiful park to pass through for Christmas night on the Lake with snow!! Beautiful site with lots of trees. They communicated with me because we were getting in on Christmas night & can’t wait to return to stay a few nights next time.

Glampknox is located in Knoxville, close to downtown and The Smoky Mountains. The area is rural and beautiful, and the views from the site are wonderful, and the location is very convenient!

The property has a beautiful cabin that is also available to rent, as well as a wedding/event barn venue. There are horses on the property too. It is some of the most picturesque property you’ll find!

The site has a really nice tent cabin, with a covered porch, rocking chairs, and a wood burning stove. The tent has two twin beds, and they were super comfy. It has battery powered lanterns inside for light.

The site does have restrooms and an outdoor shower, both of which are just a short walk down to the barn. There is a large fire pit in front of the tent, and plenty of space for extra tents and great trees for hammocks. There is also a hiking trail around the property. The host also had firewood stacked for us at the tent.

Highly recommend GlampKnox for the perfect getaway!

We stayed at the main area but not much space or privacy so we put up a tent out side our door, but then moved to the tent camping site area the second night which was more secluded and private, but still close to the showers/bath house. So much hiking and a cool view of the dam is all within walking distance. Nice bath rooms and showers too.

Rhea Springs is a wonderful free campsite in central Tennessee which permits stay up to 14 days. As a part of the TVA the property as a whole is well maintained despite some obvious wear and tear on the restroom facilities. 

I pulled into Rhea Springs later in the afternoon on a Wednesday and found a waterside site with ease. Though there were several other campers there it did not seem crowded at all as spacing of sites is well thought. I camped in my van near the waters edge in a semi flat area, though I will say some sites are much more uneven than others. I was on the main entry area as opposed to the peninsula are for camping as that seemed to be attracting more group camps and louder crowd at the time of my visit. 

All sites are equipped with a fire ring and picnic table, but additionally they have a trash can which is picked up every few days by the TVA maintenance. Additionally you can find trash and recycling near the restrooms. 

The restrooms were large enough for a couple of stalls and a very large kind of dingy looking shower. The shower had no curtain so a bathing suit or a buddy would be needed to use this and have privacy. The water in the showers does get very warm, so that is a bonus. There are also no mirrors in the restroom so if you are counting on one to get ready for the day pack one in with you.

 When I visited my initial goal was to stay a single night but I really enjoyed the waterfront positioning of my campsite during the rains, it was very peaceful and coaxed me into a second night’s stay. I would definitely return to this campsite again in the future!

If you’re looking for quiet, at least during the winter months, this is a beautiful resort with plenty of space between neighbors and it seems that all sites have solid views. There are some permanent residents living there and they are all nice with well kept and cool homes. Each site has its own dump which was great. Water was clean with great pressure. Electric was solid. Aerial photos courtesy of SweetDroneChicago on Instagram.