Best Cabin Camping near Etowah, TN

Battlefield Campground is an extremely convenient RV park located right of I-75 about 20 minutes south of Chattanooga. It is very easy to get to, but part of that convenience comes with an absence of quiet; the interstate runs directly beside the campground, and is visible from the storage sites across from sites 11-24.

This is an excellent place for long-term campers, and it includes a nice playground, a pool, and a camp store/clubhouse. We could not get close to the pool or playground as they were closed due to COVID-19, which was comforting that they are taking public safety seriously. Sites include 50 and 30 amp full service, and seven tent sites in the middle of the campground that also include electric. There are seven camping cabins spaced throughout the campground that have outside picnic tables and grills, and beds inside as well as electricity.

Most of the sites here are nicely wooded, and as the area is slightly hilly there are elevation changes between several rows of sites which allows for a little more privacy than many RV parks offer. 

Downsides to this park are the highway noise, and the campground roads are paved but in need of maintenance; the road is eroded in a lot of places. 

Upsides are the sites are shady and well landscaped, and there are great amenities for families looking to stay here for extended periods of time, as well as the proximity to Chattanooga, Chickamauga Battlefield, and Ringold/Ft. Oglethorpe.

Located just barely on the Georgia side of the GA/TN border, Holiday Travel Park has a community feel with its many full hook-up sites, most of which are extremely close together. 

We are tent campers and there is not much here if you are not in an RV--they are nestled into the back of the campground, and have the benefit of a large grassy area so kids can run and stretch their legs, but quiet and privacy are still lacking. There is also a dog park located at the campground entrance so the four legged kids can run freely, and a playground next to the dog park, however it is in full sun so will be hot during the summer months--which is the perfect time to use the pool! Unfortunately due to COVID-19 both the pool and playground are closed at the time of this review, but it is good to know they are there once public spaces can open again.

This campground has two sides; to the right of the main entrance is decidedly more shady while the side to the left gets more sun, and it seemed as though the shady side hosted many campers who were there long term. We even saw one set-up where it looked like someone had a couple of tomato plants growing in containers! These sites are all very close together but still had a peaceful vibe under the shady trees. The sunnier side (sites in the 100s) is where the playground, tent sites, and large grassy field are, so while the sites are still very close together there is a little bit more public space for larger groups or families. 

There are three camping cabins that rent to groups of 2 people, and two camping cottages; a loft for groups of 4, or a one bedroom for groups of 6. Cabins and cottages have beds (you must bring your own linens), electricity, running water, grills, picnic tables, and the loft has a small kitchen. 

This is a great stop for campers who want to see the Chattanooga/Chicakmauga area, and it has great amenities for families. However this is not a campground for those looking for a relaxing experience in nature due to proximity to the interstate and surrounding neighborhoods, and the small sites and lack of privacy from fellow campers.

Cumberland Mountain state park was a great place to visit. Located in. Crossville, not too far from I40, and really close to town so if you need to get anything, it’s an easy trip. The park was larger than I expected. I brought my bike and I was glad, as it made exploring the park easier. There’s several playground throughout, plus the lake has kayak, paddle boat, canoe, and paddle board rentals, so there’s a lot to do! There’s also a small aviary, and most of the birds were visible when I stopped by. My site was in loop 3, #86, and it was perfect! Plenty of space, and we didn’t feel like we were on top of each other. We had water and electric, but no sewer hookups. I noticed the sites in loop 1 had sewer hookups, but loop 3 did not. They have really nice looking cabins for rent also. The section for cabins is near the lake. They had multiple sizes too. The campground was full, but surprisingly quiet, except for the cicadas at night! Very peaceful. We really enjoyed our time at Cumberland mountain, and will definitely return!

The campground offers cabins and the cabin was pretty nice. It slept ten people. However, there is only one bathroom in the cabin. The toilet wasn’t working well. Aside from that the cabin was nice and fully stocked. It had a front porch with rocking chairs and a swing. It also came with a grill and fire ring. We had a group there for the white water rafting. 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. Then, there is also a super cool bar & grill in the campground. The Bus Bar offered live music on the weekends which was a ton of fun. We could walk back to the cabin after a few drinks. They also offer tent camping and RV hookups. The white water rafting trip was a blast.

This is a larger state park that includes a restaurant, golf course, pool, etc. but also some nice trails to enjoy the natural beauty of the area. The Cumberland State Scenic Trail is the local long trail, which can be access from the park. This park is close to town, the highway, and some other natural areas. The campground includes a number of similar loops, all wooded, nice and modern with the typical state park amenities. Cabins are available too They also have a moderate backpacking trail that we didn’t try, but would be perfect for first-time backpackers (since you can shower and eat at a buffet afterwards).

Yay: kayak and boat rentals. Something for everyone. Love the bridge over the water.

Nay: parts can be a little crowded, a little expensive.

Surprise: the on site restaurant is quite fancy---we went to an elegant wedding here and stayed for camping. They have a weekend buffet with rather fancy food and great quality. Also check out nearby Rock Island State Park for surreal waterfall swimming.