Top Free Dispersed Camping near Cosby, TN
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Best Dispersed Sites Near Cosby, TN (27)
1. FS 289 Pull Off
2 Reviews•5 Photos•76 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- RVs
- Tents
- Standard (Tent/RV)
2. Paint Creek Corridor
1 Review•2 Photos•15 Saves- Fires
- Tents
- Dispersed
3. Pisgah National Forest Dispersed
12 Reviews•29 Photos•506 SavesThe Pisgah National Forest is a land of mile-high peaks, cascading waterfalls, and heavily forested slopes. Comprised of over 500,000 acres, the Pisgah is primarily a hardwood forest with whitewater rivers, waterfalls and hundreds of miles of trails. This national forest is home of the first tract of land purchased under the Weeks Act of 1911 which led to the creation of the national forests in the eastern United States. It is also home of the first school of forestry in the United States, now preserved at the Cradle of Forestry in America historic site, and boasts two of the first designated wilderness areas in the east. The Pisgah, Grandfather and Appalachian Ranger Districts are scattered along the eastern edge of the mountains of western North Carolina and offer visitors a variety of opportunities for outdoor recreation and enjoying the natural beauty of the mountains. Camping and Day-use Information Enjoy camping or a picnic at one of the many day-use areas. A list of camping and day-use areas in the Pisgah National Forest can be found here Recreation Maps Nantahala & Pisgah National Forest Maps Directions to Frequently Requested Places NC Arobretum and Bent Creek Area Blue Ridge Parkway South Blue Ridge Parkway North Pisgah Ranger District Cradle of Forestry Cradle of Forestry (Scenic Route) The Biltmore House Mt. Mitchell Be Safe The national forests in North Carolina offer a wide variety of outdoor recreation opportunities. From the mountains to the sea, there are many exciting adventures awaiting your visit to these national forests. Please keep in mind that all outdoor recreational activities on the Croatan, Pisgah, Nantahala and Uwharrie national forests, including activities at recreation sites, have inherent risks due to the natural setting in which they occur. Always remember, your safety is your responsibility. Waterfall Safety for the Summer.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- ADA Access
- Tents
- Group
5. Upper Cove Creek - UCC1 Dispersed
3 Reviews•2 Photos•145 SavesWithin the Pisgah Ranger District there are 65 disbursed roadside camping sites that are available on a first come - first serve basis. These campsites are located alongside gravel roads throughout the district and include a parking area, tent pad, and fire ring. Toilet facilities and drinking water are not available. Trash pick-up is not provided. Trash must be collected and disposed of properly. Failure to remove or properly dispose of trash is a crime and law enforcement officers will issue citations for littering if trash is strewn about or not properly disposed of. The following regulations must be adhered to and are strictly enforced by Law Enforcement Officers. • Roadside camping is allowed at designated campsites only. Signs designating a legal campsite show a camping_ symbol and a site number (for example "AC-3" for Avery Creek site 3). • The National Forests in North Carolina have a policy which allows for campers to occupy a roadside campsite for a maximum of 14 days out of a 30 day period. If a camper changes locations or moves to another campsite, it cannot be within 10 miles of previous site, the maximum stay limit of 14 days applies to all sites occupied. • All vehicles must be parked along road shoulders without blocking traffic. • Campfires are allowed only within the metal fire ring provided on the site, Building of additional fire rings is not allowed. AJJ camping equipment and tents must remain on the designated tent pad. • Collecting 'dead and downed' :firewood in the forest is permitted for camp fires. It is illegal to cut, chop, or saw live or standing trees or other live growth. Do not chop into or drive nails into live trees. • It is illegal to establish and set up a campsite for the purpose of reserving a camping place. The campsite must be occupied on the night it is set up by a minimum of one person. • It is illegal to leave a camp unattended for period of more than 24 hours. • It is illegal to fail to remove all camping equipment, personal property, trash, and refuse from a campsite when vacating or leaving that area or site. • It is mandatory that all human waste be buried at least 6 _inches deep and a minimum or 200 feet from a stream. trail, or campsite. • Alcoholic beverages are prohibited on Avery Creek Road (FSR 477) and Lickstone Road (FSR 97). Prohibition is 1000 feet to either side of the road, campsites, trails or roads leading off of either of the aforementioned. Warning: Unattended property and equipment in these areas can be an easy target for criminal activity. Protect your property by locking valuables out of site. Access to these campsites is easy by any vehicle. If you see anyone stealing anything from a roadside campsite or parking area near a public trailhead, picnic, or recreation area please call 911 to report it or call USPS Law Enforcement at the Pisgah District Ranger Station at 828-877-3265
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- ADA Access
- RVs
- Tents
6. Wash Creek Dispersed Pull-Off
2 Reviews•5 Photos•28 Saves- Fires
- RVs
- Tents
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Dispersed
7. Wash Creek Dispersed Campsites #4 and #5
3 Reviews•3 Photos•268 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Group
- Dispersed
- Tent Cabin
- Alcohol
8. Wesser Bald Fire Tower
2 Reviews•28 Photos•93 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Dispersed
- Alcohol
10. 475b
2 Reviews•8 Photos•32 SavesWithin the Pisgah Ranger District there are 65 disbursed roadside camping sites that are available on a first come - first serve basis.
Toilet facilities and drinking water are not available. Trash pick-up is not provided. Trash must be collected and disposed of properly. Failure to remove or properly dispose of trash is a crime and law enforcement officers will issue citations for littering if trash is strewn about or not properly disposed of.
- Pets
- Fires
- RVs
- Tents
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Dispersed
Showing results 1-10 of 27 campgrounds
Recent Dispersed Reviews In Cosby
91 Reviews of 27 Cosby Campgrounds
- AA D.
Scout
Palmers Junction Dispersed Camping - PERMANENTLY CLOSED
CLOSED.
I rode all the way over here from Greeneville to check out the area in order to bring a group of friends camping next weekend.
BUT the entire campground is closed. When I pulled up to the iron gate and saw the sign, it read "CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC DUE TO VANDALISM AND UNAUTHORIZED ACTIVITY"
Tripp A.ScoutPalmers Junction Dispersed Camping - PERMANENTLY CLOSED
Closed to Public
I drove over an hour to get here to find that it is “closed to public for vandalism”. I was very upset by this but obviously nothing I could do. Just wish I knew how to check before driving all the way. But the drive! Woah! So beautiful, I wish there was a way I could find out when it opens back up because I was very much looking forward to camping here.
- mmike R.
Traveler
Pisgah National Forest Dispersed
Stunning
It's beautiful up there although there's not many campsites. I stayed at the second one up the dirt road. It wasn't officially designated but it was used as a campsite. You'll need four wheel drive to get in and out of it though. The road is long but you'll see a bunch of cool waterfalls and at the end of the road there is a great hiking trail with a beautiful waterfall. The dirt road goes on for a long time but it's in good condition so keep driving and you'll find a spot. There's really only 4 viable spots on that road but man is it gorgeous. Go to ranger road and keep going up. Do not follow google maps it will take you to a private driveway where there's a sign saying "no camping, your app is wrong, turn around now".
- CCeline T.Traveler
Black Balsam Knob - Dispersed Camping
10/10
I actually cannot stop thinking about my weekend camp here. So beautiful and lots of places to camp. Not a hard hike in either. A lot of day hikers through out the day. Lots of flies bc of dog poop but it’s worth it.
Betsy W.
Guide
Henderson Reservoir Dispersed Site #1
Clean
Clean and large. Creek below
Adam B.TravelerPisgah National Forest Dispersed
Love Big Ivy
Easy access to water. Not a lot of theft. People with aggressive dogs do come here and think it's okay to have them off a leash. But that's everywhere anymore. The area is beautiful and one of the better places I've stayed.
- JJoel S.Scout
Wash Creek Dispersed Pull-Off
Wash Creek, NC
Beautiful, quiet campsites
- JJohn B.Traveler
FS 289 Pull Off
Good location
Another review recommended an off-road vehicle or a jeep to get here. In dry conditions, I got here just fine in an Outback Wilderness, and 5 minutes later a Prius drove up. There’s a bit of trash but I’ve seen worse. Definitely bring bug repellent. The creek is only a few feet away from the campsite.
Courtney R.ScoutMoon Hill Bridge
Moon Hill Bridge
It's a cute cozy spot that is on either side of the road. Every spot has an area for a fire and also your car and tent. The only downside is that sometimes it does get trashy and there are a few people who live here.
Dylan S.Traveler
475b
Isolated spot for car camping or tent camping
Road is a little rough but not terrible. 3-4 spots to park around this hairpin with 3 camping spots lotuses in the middle. Little runoff creates a creek that is nice to listen to but only deep enough to get feet in.
Forrest S.Scout475b
Several walk up sites with easy access
This is a great first-come-first-serve location with several sites.
JC J.ScoutPalmers Junction Dispersed Camping - PERMANENTLY CLOSED
Pretty sweet
Great location. Not crowded. But could use a cleaning. PortaJons are nasty.
- hhannah P.Guide
Palmers Junction Dispersed Camping - PERMANENTLY CLOSED
Not too shabby for the south
Lots of lil cozy pull offs on an easy gravel road. Lots of longer term people staying it seemed like (or just really full send camping friends lol). Many fire rings and spots by the lake. Unfortunately the other reviews are right - A decent amount of trash. There are trash cans and porta potties. I’ve seen worse porta potties at festivals but there were a few stinky ones.
- Adam B.Traveler
Mills River Dispersed
Theft
They have a long term camper they refuse to run off and he will steal from you. Camp at your own risk, watch your stuff like a hawk. I'd really recommend Sunburst or Big Ivy instead of North Mills really.
Jake C.
LegendWash Creek Dispersed Pull-Off
Great overnight stay near Blue Ridge Parkway
Although this is not an official camp site, I arrived later than intended and with no other campsites open, I stayed the night here. There’s a stream that runs along the clearing, making some great natural white noise for sleeping. The forest road is very bumpy and narrow, but high clearance is not needed. Very low light pollution and the bare trees allowed for some great star gazing.
amanda R.Guide
Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites
Great site!
This was such a nice quiet campground. We arrived around 8am and got the first campsite we saw. This is the most established dispersed campsite that I’ve stayed at as it has a fire circle, a grill and a picnic table. It’s very quiet and very few cars passed. There’s a walking/hiking trail across the lake where we saw some hikers and some people on horseback. The site was very clean minus a few pieces of trash that we later picked up. The dogs loved it because our site was right on the lake. We drove down the gravel road to check out the other campsites and they all seem great if you’re tent camping! We car camped and our campsite was perfect because it had a parking space right in front of it whereas the other sites had parking spaces across the road. Overall a great place. I can’t wait to go back!
Jim M.GuideFS 289 Pull Off
Great dispersed site in the Pisgah NF
Great Campsite along the Smoky Mountain 1000 Overland route. You need a good off road capable vehicle to access this site but it is very peaceful with a nice stream running by. Tent camping near the jeep or a high clearance overland teardrop should make it back here ok but not recommended for regular RV's.
- HHeather C.Traveler
Wash Creek Dispersed Site #2
Roomy spot in middle of nowhere
It is a roomy site immediately off the road, a surprisingly well maintained gravel road. My class C had no problems making its way along and fitting in the roomy semicircle next to the tent and fire pit pad. There is a babbling brook next to the site for great ambience. We were able to fit our 30ft motorhome and car into the site with no problem. But avoid blocking the emergency access road to the side. Also, be prepared to completely disconnect from civilization since you can't even make calls here. Beautiful site to relax!
- AAndrew S.Guide
Paint Creek Corridor
Paint Creek Dispersed Camping
The national forest service website says there are dispersed camping site throughout the corridor; however, I was only able to locate one and luckily it was vacant. There are several spots along the road that may have been for dispersed camping as some point but are now clearly marked with no camping signs. I did enjoy my stay here but I’m a little disappointed in the website saying there were multiple sites … i has to drive almost 4 hours to get there and would have been super disappointed if I arrived to no spots. Also a lot of trash in the area of the site sadly.
- Natalie R.Guide
Lake Santeelah
Quiet, nice spaces, and clean!
Such a great find! I was hoping to car camp a little closer to NOC but not in a campground but this is the closest I could find in February. I would definitely stay here again! Very quiet and clean and the sites are very well laid out and maintained! No hook ups of any kind but it’s worth it! Highway Patrol and Park Rangers patrol pretty frequently so I felt really safe as a solo female. I still took all the safety precautions but didn’t feel as necessary as some.
WDRobersonTravelerLake Santeelah
Well maintained free camping
We were fortunate to get a site that allowed us to pull the car right into the site for our roof top tent. Not very far to walk to reach the lake and the fishing wasn’t bad at all. Bass and Bluegills. Fairly quiet besides the rice burners heading to Tail of the Dragon. Very good overall.
- Robert W.Traveler
Lake Santeelah
Stunning 😍
GPS coordinates got me exactly to where I wanted to go. Lots of twists and turns going up the dragon with beautiful scenery of the trees changing colors in late October. There are a handful of Lots located right along the lake with a beautiful view of the mountains in the distance. My dog absolutely loved how much space she had to roam around and how clear the water was excellent for swimming.
Some of the plots you can only fit one tent others you could fit up to three or four
- IIsabel B.Scout
Pisgah National Forest Dispersed
Beautiful but impossible to find
We drove for what felt like forever at the Big Ivy Trailhead and only ever found one labeled campsite. We gave up and camped in an unofficial spot.
It was gorgeous! But there’s not much there and the drive is long.
Amin A.TravelerPalmers Junction Dispersed Camping - PERMANENTLY CLOSED
Better than I expected
So we weren't sure what we would end up finding here. I will say that there are a lot of places to camp, many many many options away from the porta potties. If you get within about 20-30 feet of those they are a bit stinky. The one camp site we chose was a great place, tons of space and well manicured. A lot of options for pull up to your campsite or park and walk to campsite spots.
My only complaints are about the campers that stay there. The litter isn't horrible, but it's not great. It is a leave no trace place. Apparently some people have difficulty with throwing away their trash.
When we stayed last night there was a person that kept peeling out up and down the gravel road (3/4 times) in a diesel truck at 10:00 at night. Not very courteous to all of us at the campground.
And I was awakened at 2:00 a.m. by our camping neighbors when they were playing loud music. Also not cool, thankfully they stopped shortly after
Overall we were very pleased with this campground, beautiful views, it was hard choosing one spot. We will be coming back, and hopefully we won't have loud campers next time.
- TTrevor S.Traveler
Wesser Bald Fire Tower
Great spot, beautiful views
Started out after dark and set up hammocks under the fire tower. Nice hike and good view in the morning
- DDavid P.Traveler
Wash Creek Dispersed Campsites #4 and #5
Great camping spot
First the sight is beautiful and most have a beautiful trout stream close by when navigating if using Apple Maps pay attention to where it is routing you mine wanted me to walk through the woods for an hour to get here it’s easier to find if you navigate to north mill’s campground first second there are signs about being a high crime area and they are not kidding while I was out picking up a few things at ingles someone came by and took my tent and sleeping bag that was inside I wouldn’t leave anything valuable to mark it as your sight and I have T mobile and I lost service about 10 mins from the campground and had no signal while staying there
Karli P.TravelerPalmers Junction Dispersed Camping - PERMANENTLY CLOSED
So Much Potential!
We arrived at this dispersed campground at around 7:30 on a Saturday evening in July. It was pretty packed but since we were planning on leaving early the next morning, we took a family’s offer of taking over their spot as they left.
We use a roof top tent so unfortunately we weren’t able to camp at the actual site, instead we set up on an almost level gravel parking area that had a private trail to the actual camp site. There were garbage cans and a port-a-potty set up right there, which is why this site lost some stars. Even though these facilities were provided, people didn’t use the garbages and there was a lot of garbage on the ground, including broken glass that made us worry about our pup’s paws. Also, the port-a-potty was pretty yucky..neither my husband nor I were willing to use it.
Now, I want to reiterate that this is a geographically beautiful spot! Humans just need to take better care of it 💚
Guide to Cosby
Camping near Cosby, Tennessee, offers a fantastic escape into nature with beautiful scenery and plenty of outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled getaway, there are several campgrounds to choose from.
What to do:
- Hiking: Explore the trails around the area, including the Hen Wallow Falls and Mount Cammerer. One camper mentioned, "Cosby Campground offers a serene and less crowded camping experience. Surrounded by lush forests and scenic trails, it provides access to popular hikes."
- Wildlife Watching: Keep an eye out for elk and bears. A visitor at Cataloochee Campground shared, "We saw a mama bear and two cubs, a few elk and a lot of turkey."
- River Activities: Enjoy tubing or fishing in the nearby rivers. A review for Hot Springs Campground noted, "The French Broad River is good for tubing, kayaking, or floating/wading."
What campers like:
- Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate well-maintained restrooms and showers. One happy camper at Greenbrier Campground said, "Super clean campground and showers. Lots for the kids to do."
- Friendly Atmosphere: Many visitors enjoy the welcoming vibe. A reviewer at Anchor Down RV Resort mentioned, "This is an exceptional campground with great flat, concrete pads, fireplaces, super clean bathrooms/showers, and plenty of room for your dog to have an equally good time."
- Scenic Views: Campgrounds like Cades Cove Campground offer beautiful surroundings. A camper noted, "Had numerous sightings of wildlife even in the campground."
What you should know:
- Privacy Concerns: Some campgrounds have sites that are close together. A visitor at Elkmont Campground pointed out, "All of the campsites are extremely close together, and there is no brush to divide them."
- Limited Amenities: Not all campgrounds have showers or electric hookups. A reviewer at Cosby Campground mentioned, "It was a clean and decent campground, but there’s no drinking water or electric hookups."
- Wildlife Precautions: Bears are common in the area, so be cautious with food storage. A camper at Cades Cove Campground advised, "Do not forget to remove the drip pan on the Blackstone!!!! Doing so just irritates the bears."
Tips for camping with families:
- Activities for Kids: Look for campgrounds with playgrounds and organized activities. A family at Greenbrier Campground enjoyed, "Bounce houses, multiple playgrounds, a gagaball court, volleyball court, basketball court, game room."
- Plan for Limited Cell Service: Many campgrounds have poor cell reception. A visitor at Smokemont Campground noted, "No cell or TV service here. Have a good book or downloaded shows."
- Safety First: Teach kids about wildlife safety. A camper at Cataloochee Campground shared, "It’s a crap shoot, but you can improve your chances of a nice experience by booking midweek."
Tips from RVers:
- Check Site Sizes: Make sure your RV fits the site. A reviewer at Anchor Down RV Resort mentioned, "Super tight for our 45 ft bus. Never again!!"
- Look for Amenities: Choose campgrounds with full hookups for convenience. A visitor at Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg KOA Campground said, "The campground is very close to everything, and it has all the amenities you'd need."
- Consider Off-Season Visits: Campgrounds can get crowded during peak times. A camper at Townsend-Great Smokies KOA noted, "It was perfectly quiet at night which was great."
Camping near Cosby, Tennessee, is a great way to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends. With a variety of campgrounds to choose from, you can find the perfect spot for your next adventure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Cosby, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Cosby, TN is FS 289 Pull Off with a 5-star rating from 2 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Cosby, TN?
TheDyrt.com has all 27 dispersed camping locations near Cosby, TN, with real photos and reviews from campers.