Best Cabin Camping near Cumberland Gap, TN

Clean, friendly, reasonable staff with lots of good options for all levels of cabins, camp sites, RV spots, etc. We went with a large group and had people staying in each of these and all were happy. We recommend the Eagle Falls Trail to view the Cumberland Falls and Eagle Falls without the crowds.

Easy to find, well marked. It’s has many (12) trails and many falls. Would definitely recommend shopping before camping, it’s several miles, and mountains, to get to stores. There are several lodging options…cottages, The Lodge, (which is beautiful) tent and RV camping. There are 2 small campgrounds ~ 1) Ridgeline which accommodates RVs up to 26”, water and 10/30/50 amp hook ups. Sites have a fire ring and picnic table. WiFi is available, and there is a dump station. A small playground, office/campstore, and a bathhouse and laundry next to it. 3 sites are walk-in. Big rigs would have to stay elsewhere. 2) Clifty Campground is tent camping only 7 sites offer electric and water. WiFi is also offered. There is a bathhouse and a playground, and these CG’s are pet friendly. (Falls Creek is a few miles up the road…they have pull through and back ins. For bigger Rvs. They also have tents, wagons, cabin rentals, and primitive sites) We had no T-Mobile service, or satellite service in our vehicle. The trails and Cumberland falls were awesome. The horse rides looked amazing, and the Pool was big, with a diving board, and a small fee for campers to use it.

Approximately 4 miles off of exit 144, from I~75. Easy to locate, and a well maintained RV campground! Website has all the info on the different types of sites, cabins and ATV’s. Resources for permits, pricing, and other requirements are also listed. The trails are accessible from the CG. FHUs on Back in and Pull-throughs,bathhouses, on site fishing pond, playground, and Ohhh yes….the ATV wash station! General store is on the right from the entrance, which is awesome! They sell firewood and ice, as well as extreme OHV sporting equipment/gear, snacks, souvenirs….to list a few. Rental cabins are available nearby, for larger families or groups. I believe they thought of almost everything! I would love to come camp here in the fall, as I can imagine that the views are spectacular! They provide WiFi, but my T-Mobile reception was good, at 3 bars.

I love coming back to this area - there’s always so much to see! We got a cabin and cooked outside w/marinated chicken breast and charcoal that I brought w/us. Beautiful area!

We went here with family - the cabins have all the comforts of home. Lots of hiking nearby, including the chance to walk along the river to see the moon bow (very developed trails/ infrastructure).

A quiet little campground on the river with anything you need, whether you are looking for a place to stay in a cabin, a tent, a car, or RV. Great amenities, including a clean bathroom and shower, water, and vending machines with emergency supplies and snacks. The host was beyond kind and went out of her way to greet us and give us some information. We stayed twice during our week long trip to the Smoky Mountains (it was our first and last stays).

Newport KOA is conveniently located near I-40 North East of Knoxville, TN.

This campground hosts standard RV Sites and Cabin Sites. They have bathrooms, a pool, WiFi, a dog park, firewood for sale, propane, and more. They have lots of travelers coming through from races and for motorcycle clubs, and RV rallies.

We found this location because we had difficulty finding camping locations in the area and we were pleasantly surprised to see this pretty park!

We had decent AT&T cellular service but TMobile was not as good. We were able to stream and work efficiently.

There are caverns nearby to go explore and of course it’s in the Smokies!

This is a pretty popular park since it’s so beautiful and there are a lot of trails to explore, plus some nice campground resort extras like sports fields and a pool. That all means you need to make reservations in the summer. The campground is simple and clean with fairly basic facilities, though they have showers and a playground. They also have cabins and a lodge to stay in, so everyone in the family can find a place comfortable for them. Campsite wasn’t extremely memorable, but the park itself is great. They have some neat seasonal events like a haunted hike, spring birding hikes, tours of a historic fire tower, etc. Great park for a day visit or a weekend of camping!

Weekend getaway!

This campground is conveniently located near Corbin, KY. It sits right off the main road on the way to Cumberland Falls. There are plenty of signs and it is well marked, easy to find. When you pull in the gravel road, the main building and check in area is easily recognized and there are plenty of places to park. Check in was easy and fast. The store has a pretty big selection of camping items, clothes, food, accessories, shoes and snacks. There are also souvenirs. Just outside is the White Dog snack bar. A pretty nice menu with burgers, hot dogs, ice cream and fries. There is also an 8 unit restroom between the snack bar and main building. The restrooms are air conditioned and were always very clean and well stocked. Directly behind the snack bar is the circle of covered wagons with a fire pit in the middle of them. These were really cool looking and seemed like a fun way to camp. We stayed in the cozy cabins which are directly behind the wagons. Cozy cabin 2 had air conditioning, a full size bed and and bunk bed. There was a counter, microwave and mini fridge. 3 stools, a broom, clock, lamp, garbage can, ceiling fan and an electric fire place. Really quaint but a perfect way to camp without being too expensive. Electricity but no running water. There is also a small porch with 2 chairs and side table. A ceiling fan on the front porch is nice. There is a fire pit and a separate raised grill for cooking. The cabin was very clean and bug free. It’s walking distance to the restrooms but the wagons are closer. We walked around the RV and other camping sites as well. The RV sites we saw, were pull through sites and seemed very roomy and easy to get in and out of. The entire campground runs slightly downhill but overall offers flat sites. There are nice, shaded tent sites and an open, sunny area for group camping. The zip line runs from the entrance of the campground and runs over the group camp area, ending just beyond it. There are 2 zip lines available for different age groups. They offer many different activities through their company, such as electric bikes, white water rafting, zip lines, and tubing. We did the rafting and tubing. The rafting was fun and a great way to introduce beginners to the sport. The rapids were not too wild and none of us fell out of the raft. There were several areas to jump out and swim and that was fun. At the end of the rafting, a boat picks you up and you eat lunch and take a boat ride back to the bus. To get to the tubing, you have to drive yourself and it’s an hour drive to get there. The tubing trip lasted about 2 hours and was not very fun. The water was very still and basically we just barely floated down the river in the hot sun. There were 2 areas with small rapids but they didn’t make up for the rest of the still water being boring. We also got separated from our group. By the time we made it to the take out spot, everyone else had gotten out of the river and the shuttle left us behind. We waited for about 10 minutes and decided to start walking back to where we got in the water. After a while, the shuttle came back and saw us. He stopped and picked us up but ultimately felt this was dangerous as we were in the middle Daniel Boone Forest, alone, walking on the road. I would NOT recommend the tubing. It was not worth the money or the drive. If I was reviewing just the tubing experience, I would give 1 star. Everyone at Sheltowee were nice and professional. Our guide, Free (yep, that’s his name), was nice and funny and knowledgeable about the river. If we go again, we would request him again. We would definitely camp here again and recommend it to friends. The only reason I can’t give 5 stars is because of the tubing experience and the fact that it was not clear, when the reservation was made, that the tubing was 1 hour away.

Great getaway. You can fish off the banks of the Cumberland river or take a swim. Close to trails and a waterpark too. Love the peace and tranquility. We will be going back again.

Alum Ford Big South Fork Recreation Area is in my top 10 favorite areas.

I try to participate in the Yamacraw Trail Run every year because it is just AWESOME, and this area is part of their route due to the excellent scenery of the area.

If you like trees, hills, streams, falls, historical markers, old cabins and history , plus not much use of modern technology when you camp then you will thoroughly enjoy Big South Bend! If you are a bring the kitchen sink kinda camper you might wanna find a nearby KOA or other type campground.

The campground has no signal, no electricity, no showers, no host. Just you, a tent pad, picnic table and fire ring. Oh, and there is one pit toilet. Bring 5$ cash for the honor pay station and your hiking shoes and watercraft. There is a Trailhead at the back of the 6 site campground and a boat ramp down the hill.

The sites are well maintained and old , probably CCC built with wood steps leading up or down to your site. There is no direct access to the boatramp but there is a short trail that connects the sites to the boatramp that runs along the cliff face down to the ramp.

The trailhead is part of the Sheltowee Trace Trail and connects to the Yamacraw Bridge. You could easily stage a multi day backpacking trip from Alum Ford to take in the local sights.

Not far up the road is the Yahoo Picnic Area. I think it used to be a campground just by the way it’s set up. Picnic tables on pads and a nice old pavilion for groups with a grill. Past that Yahoo Falls. This is a technical, moderate trail down to the tallest falls in Kentucky. Also a very old area but maintained with newer restroom facilities. The loop trail was approximately 1.5 miles long with a metal staircase on one side and trail on the far side. This is also part of a thru trail. Get you an old fashion paper map before coming cause your fancy electronic gear may or may not work here.

This is one of many areas through the Kentucky/Tennessee Big South Fork if you are able plan for an extended stay to check the whole place out;)

What a nice surprise! We aren’t the type that typically makes reservations; and we were simply looking for a place to stay the night when we saw this state park on our trusty Nat Geo road atlas. Well, we found it…and stayed for nearly a week. Filled with waterfalls (the main falls are the largest south of Niagara Falls), numerous hiking trails, and the home of the only regular moonbow (lunar rainbow) in the northern hemisphere, we just couldn’t get enough of this place. The lunar rainbow appears every month during the full moon – 2 days before and 2 days after, when the night skies are clear. Check the calendar at the park for details about dates and times.

The best viewing spot for the moonbow is down the first set of stairs, which winds you down and around the rock outcropping that forms the waterfall. Bring some headlamps, as the stairs are wet and dark. What you will see with the naked eye may not be as impressive as what you can see with a tripod and DSLR camera with a wide aperture and slow shutter speed, but it’s still worth seeing. Don’t expect to get anything with a cell phone camera or point and shoot camera, though many people try. Since I have a DSLR and am an environmental educator, I was thrilled to show kids of all ages what I could see with my camera. I even had people taking pictures of my images so that they could show their friends and family! Also, be patient…as the night progresses and the moon rises higher, the rainbow gets higher and brighter, making for better viewing and photography.

With all this said, when we landed at this state park in early December, the weather was absolutely amazing, there were no bugs, and it was practically empty. The campground is tiny and the sites compact, with almost no room in between, but it is perched on top of a rock outcropping, so you are surrounded by views of trees. Admittingly, had it been busy, we may have only stayed a night or two as it would have been cramped. Each site has a picnic table, fire pit, and lantern pole. Don’t expect to bring your 30’ RV here, I can’t imagine something bigger than 20’ would fit. We squeezed our 15-footer into a spot though. Plenty of tent spots, though, and the campground was clean and well-kept.

In addition to a campground, there is a lodge, cabins, visitor’s center, pool, and a whole host of affordable/free programs for families during the main season. A night camping at the fire tower with astronomical interpretation (complete with dinner)…wow, sign me up!

The winter rates were $20 per night, which provided us with a campsite and a clean pit toilet, and surprisingly strong wifi. Normally, there are additional amenities such as drinking water, showers, and flush toilets, but those we are closed for the season. We did, however find that the drinking water in the picnic area near the falls was running, so we just filled up water and took it back to our campsite.

We camped here over the weekend with our dogs. The campground is actually not in Tennessee. It's located on the Kentucky side of Big South Fork. The campsites have a picnic table and a firepit. Our campsite was very nice and private with a big grassy area. The bathhouse was nice and clean. There are hiking trails nearby and access to a small mining village. We would definitely camp here again.

Big South Fork NRRA is definitely one of my favorite places in Tennessee. It stretches into Kentucky’s too. So much to do and see, and the hiking and camping is equal to the Smokies in my opinion, except there’s no crowds, no traffic, not many people! It’s great! There’s a few campgrounds in BSF, like Bandy Creek and Station Camp,and they are excellent spots, but the backcountry is where it’s at n the BSF! I have found so many excellent camp sites along the river and in the forest, and I’ve always been able to find one with plenty of privacy on any given weekend. There’s lots of hiking, 4-wheeling, fishing, swimming, mountain biking, horse riding, kayaking, rock climbing, etc here. The possibilities are endless! The sounds at night are so peaceful and relaxing, and the lightning bugs put on quite a show in the summer! I tried to make a video, I don’t think you can see them, but you can hear the woods at night!