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Brigid K.
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TravelerFlag Rock Recreation Area Campground
Easy to get to, cheap, good bathrooms.
Tent Camping near Elizabethton, TN
10 campgrounds with availability this weekend
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Tent campers near Elizabethton, Tennessee can choose from free dispersed tent campsites and developed campgrounds with full facilities. Little Stony Creek Road Dispersed Area offers free tent camping sites with access to Watauga Lake, while Blackberry Blossom Farm & Campground provides a more developed experience with clean facilities and maintained tent sites. Other nearby options include primitive tent sites at Limestone Cove Campground and walk-in tent sites at The Laurels Picnic Area.
Most tent sites near Elizabethton feature basic amenities, with significant differences between established and dispersed camping areas. Blackberry Blossom Farm provides clean bathhouse facilities, fire rings, and picnic tables, making it suitable for campers seeking more comfort. In contrast, the dispersed sites at Little Stony Creek Road lack drinking water, toilets, and picnic tables, requiring campers to pack in all necessities and practice Leave No Trace principles. Access to dispersed areas often involves parking and walking gear to sites, with some locations requiring planning for water filtration from nearby streams or lakes.
Tent sites in this region offer varied camping experiences based on proximity to water and forest features. Many sites at Little Stony Creek provide shade and direct water access, though road noise can be a factor during busy weekends. A visitor to Little Stony Creek noted, "Most of campsites are large, very shaded, and have at least one fire ring. A handful of sites have direct water access, and are more private." For those seeking a more maintained experience, Blackberry Blossom Farm features tent sites near small creeks with ambient background sounds. The campground's cleanliness and well-maintained facilities make it particularly appealing to families and those who prefer camping with basic amenities. According to one visitor, "Each site has a picnic table and a clearly designated firepit. The sites have nice flat spaces for tents, and many are near little creeks which provide a nice background ambiance."
Best Tent Campgrounds near Elizabethton (67)
1. Blackberry Blossom Farm & Campground
"There’s a covered outdoor space for small events, too. For me however, the huge draw is the natural beauty of the place."
"to get away to some quiet (NO traffic noises!) and decompress. Janice and Ed are the kindest, most considerate hosts you could imagine. "
Check Availabilityfrom $24 - $55 / night
2. Little Stony Creek Road Dispersed Area
"Stayed a night out here while traveling, scary narrow rocky trails, but beautiful streams and mountains"
3. Moody Bluff Campground — Warriors' Path State Park
"Quiet neighbors. All around wonderful place to camp"
"updated bathhouses lots of shady sites sits on Patrick Henry Lake - no boat that’s ok rent paddle boats and kayaks at the Marina or just have lunch and watch the ducks on the water!"
4. The Laurels Picnic Area Pavilions
Check Availabilityfrom $30 / night
5. Dark Ridge HideOut (Adults Only)
"Excellent parking spot with plenty of room to set up a 3-person tent. Also, delivery of homemade pizza. I recommend the Jalapeno & Cheese."
"Very attentive and has some great stories to share. The property is well kept and the provided toilet & shower were a very welcome after a couple days in the tent."
Check Availabilityfrom $20 - $45 / night
6. Watauga Point Recreation Area
Check Availabilityfrom $30 / night
7. 3 Day Nature Effect in the Smoky Mountains
"I love how close the Appalachian Trail is to this property. This is the perfect place to unplug and relax."
Check Availabilityfrom $39 - $74 / night
8. Bellebrook Acres
Check Availabilityfrom $50 - $70 / night
9. Blue Bear Mountain Camp
"It offers RV, drive in and hike in tent sites and also teepee camping."
"We had a neighbor nice enough to give us his site because he was leaving early and I would have stayed another night there. It was C3 backed into the woods on level ground. It made for a cozy morning."
Check Availabilityfrom $25 - $136 / night
10. Beauty Spot Gap on Unaka Mountain
"Its more of a trail head parking lot. Good tent camping if you hike down the trail"
Drive Time
- 11 min from Johnson City, TN
- 28 min from Kingsport, TN
- 1 hr 4 min from Morristown, TN
- 1 hr 5 min from Asheville, NC
Recent Tent Camping Photos near Elizabethton, TN
90 Photos of 67 Elizabethton Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
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Tent Camping Reviews near Elizabethton, TN
1172 Reviews of 67 Elizabethton Campgrounds
Windy W.
ScoutDoe River Landing
Beautiful Place, Ugly host, Oct 2026
Let me first start by saying that this campground is absolutely beautiful. I have lived in this area my entire life and the Doe is one of my favorites. I am a avid camper and have camped all over this area. I decided to give this place a try, I own a small pop-up camper and knew it was going to get cold 10/20/2026-10/22/2026, so me and my sister rented the RV at Doe River. #1 check in is not until 3pm, I always order a load of wood from a local guy who delivers to camp sites, I do all my cooking in a Dutch oven over the fire or burgers and dogs in the fire, what is a camping trip without a nice warm fire. The owner came over to my campsite and asked if I had ordered this wood and I replied yes, she then asked what I was going to do with it all, I replied I am going to burn it. So, I told Carl (the wood guy) where to stack it, the owner then said that I need to leave it in my truck bc if I didn't use it all I would have to put it back on my truck and take it home with me, I said really? It's just a unspoken rule that if you don't use all your wood that you pay it forward and leave it for the next camper?? She said absolutely not, So we moved the wood from his truck and into mine. She then asked again why I needed so much wood and that most ppl just buy small bundles from her. And just like that I understood! Carl the wood man and his wife also made a comment about how rude she was about the wood. It does not end there, Not only does she have camaras on some of the out blds which I get, but I don't get why they are pointing directly at camp sites, We felt like we were in a fish bowl the entire time. Every single time we went to the bathroom she showed up abt 5 mins later, There is a camara right above the bathroom door, One on the pavilion, and one on each side of the bathhouse, at the entrances and who know where else. So much for privacy in the great outdoors. I didn't even feel comfortable hiking, we felt like we were being watched constantly. She was constantly there, walking her dog which was not friendly and so big she could hardly control him on the leash which was really scary, she also was driving through several times throughout the day. Then came the kicker, about 1 o'clock in the morning we were freezing, I had turned the heat on in the camper before going to bed and heard it come on, Well the propane ran out between 11pm and 1am, I called her at least 10 times we had every blanket and was still freezing, We decided we would go to the bath house bc it had a mini split hanging on the wall, Out of luck there, it was set on air conditioning with no way to change it, so we found a blow dryer trying to get warm, still the entire time trying to call the owners, We finally ended up in our car until the husband arrived. He acted so annoyed at us and said all u have to do is fip the switch on the propane tanks outside! We had never stayed in a travel trailer before and according to them all we had to do was show up and start glamping!! So, I was supposed to know to go outside at 1 am and switch over propane tanks?? No, It should have been FULL when I got there!!! With attitude he said,"Its Basic Camping" No sir it's not, what I do is basic camping, I was told on the phone that I was glamping, She, the owner also said we should have called 911 when we could not get hold of them so that Carter County police officers could come and wake them up!!! Not sure if that is putting our tax dollars to good use?? Like I said it is truly a beautiful place and has great potential, we left that second night at 11pm because again the heat was not working, we have not asked for any refund we just took the loss. it would be to much of a hassle. We just know better next time. With owners like that they can keep it. Windy Wells/Debra Price
Bonnie H.ScoutDoe River Landing
Kylie T & Andrew W. Review not accurate
My husband and I arrived at Doe River Landing for 3 nights and enjoyed everything the resort offered. While there we read the 2 reviews posted by Kylie T, and by Andrew W, who gave the resort a 1 star rating. Not knowing the facts that caused the rating by them, and occurred prior to us, we approach the owner and asked.
The owner showed us videos from their security cameras. These adults has stated in Kylie T review and confirm by Andrew W review that they were a group of 20 adults and "every single one of us is over 21 and family". So why are these adults playing "hide and seek" under the pavilion as they stated? Andrew W stated, "It was not blocked off", yet they had to crawl on the ground and around bushes to get under the pavilion. When the owner yelled at them approximately 10 adults that were under the pavilion crawled out which was captured on the security cameras. Andrew W stated in his review the owner called them hooligans, which is rowdy, destructive persons and from the security cameras, that description is correct. There was no mention of damages in their reviews such as the Adirondack chair they broke or possible damage to the water pipes and electric wires under the pavilion, which the owner was currently checking.
Once we read these two reviews by Kylie T and Andrew W and saw the owners security videos, we felt future customers deserved to know another opinion based on our findings.
These entitled adults justified their review of a 1 star by stating they paid money to use the campground.
I would ask these adults "why do you think it is OK to treat someone else's property in this destructive way?"
- SSherri B.
GuideSpacious Skies Bear Den
Seems to be a well established campground in an off the beaten path location. Roads alternately paved and gravel. The campsite is gravel in a wooded setting. Fair amount of space between sites. The bathhouse is clean but dated.
Kyle T.ScoutDoe River Landing
Unprofessional hosts that ruins a place with good potential
We brought our whole family out and rented almost every cabin on the property, plus the event center, for the weekend— we gave this place a lot of business. And honestly, the stay itself was great— nice place, no complaints about the cabins. The owner is the problem. He came flying in in his blue F-150 doing 20–30 mph where the posted speed limit is 5, and started screaming at us over something that could've been handled with a simple conversation. His exact words:"Where are your parents? This is a family establishment. I will not have hooligans running around here." Every single one of us is over 21 and family. All we were doing was playing hide and seek— which isn't against any of the property's rules— and there were no other guests to disturb, since we had the entire area rented. He still threatened to call the police, even though it wasn't even quiet hours. Before anyone could get a word in, he peeled out so fast the gravel sprayed up at us and our cars. Then on his way out he drove the wrong way down the property's one-way road, so apparently the rules only apply to guests. It's sad, because the property itself is great, and we were never anything but nice to the owners the whole weekend. To be treated in such an unprofessional manner— screamed at, threatened, and never given so much as an apology afterward— put a real dent in the weekend. We won't be back
- AAndrew W.Scout
Doe River Landing
Beautiful place ruined by unprofessional ownership
Our group of about 20 rented nearly every cabin at Doe River Landing for my friend's wedding weekend, with the reception held on site. The cabins were nice and well-equipped, and the only other guests were in a cabin half a mile away through the woods. Unfortunately, the hosts ruined the stay. One night, some of us were playing hide and seek in an area that wasn't blocked off or against any rule. The host's husband came speeding in at roughly 30 mph(the posted limit is 5), jumped out of his truck screaming that he"will not have child hooligans running around the campground," told us to"go back to the motel we crawled out of," and demanded to see our parents— despite all of us being adults in our twenties. He then peeled out so aggressively he sprayed gravel at us and our cars. It wasn't even quiet hours, and we weren't disturbing anyone. Afterward, the host called us again, passive-aggressive, and questioned our ages— even though you have to be 21 just to rent a cabin there. The property is lovely, but the hosts' behavior put a real damper on what should have been a joyful wedding celebration. It's a shame they treat people paying good money this way. We won't be back.
Juliana J.
RangerWashington & Jefferson National Forest Dispersed Sites
Epic Spot Near Iron Mountain and Rush Trails
I wandered a bit and took a left up a gravel road near where the sites indicated were located and just drove for a few miles. Found an awesome spot with a fire pit and lush surroundings. The road was unpaved (but as are all to the best spots) and there were definitely some large rocks and potholes to navigate. Would suggest higher raised vehicle. Saw nobody else and felt like I had my own slice of paradise.
- April V.Guide
Lakeview RV Resort
Nice little campground
Clean nice little campground for the weekend.
Lisa & Patrick R.TravelerBuck Creek
Buck Creek Campground review
Nice spot right on the river..Camp store & staff seem friendly & helpful-especially Sonny & Joshua.
Guide to Elizabethton
Tent camping near Elizabethton, Tennessee offers unique Appalachian mountain experiences at elevations between 1,500-3,000 feet. Summer temperatures typically range from 50-85°F with cooler mountain nights requiring appropriate sleeping gear. The region features diverse camping options within the Cherokee National Forest and along Watauga Lake's 106 miles of shoreline.
What to do
Fishing access: At Dark Ridge HideOut, campers can enjoy mountain stream fishing within walking distance of their sites. "The view of our site named Crooked Tree #5 was wonderful. Beautiful night sky with an opening view to the mountains," notes Raul G.
Water activities: USA Raft Adventure Resort offers direct river access for rafting expeditions. "Launch your raft or theirs and enjoy the outdoors," shares one camper. The Nolichucky River provides both calm sections for beginners and challenging rapids for experienced paddlers.
Hiking trails: Tent campers near Elizabethton can access portions of the Appalachian Trail within short driving distance. Several campsites connect to trail networks, with one visitor noting, "The AT meanders along the River and is easily accessible from the campground."
What campers like
Temperature relief: Blue Bear Mountain Camp offers cooler summer temperatures than lower elevation sites. "The elevation is high so weather is nice for those trying to escape the summer heat. The weather is so much cooler in the summer there (70-80 in July!)," reports Mandy R.
Creek sounds: Many tent sites in the Elizabethton area feature natural water features that enhance the camping experience. "We stayed at one of the drive up spots that are near the bathhouse and a small babbling creek. Woke up to the awesome sounds of nature!" writes Angie A. about her stay at Blackberry Blossom Farm & Campground.
Mountain views: The region's topography provides scenic camping with mountain panoramas. "From the fields there is a framed view of the gorgeous local mountain range, perfect for photo opportunities," notes one visitor about Blackberry Blossom Farm.
What you should know
Access challenges: Some dispersed camping areas require careful navigation. At Little Stony Creek Road Dispersed Area, one camper reported "scary narrow rocky trails, but beautiful streams and mountains."
Reservation requirements: Most established campgrounds near Elizabethton require advance bookings, especially during summer months. Weekends at Blackberry Blossom Farm often fill 2-3 weeks in advance during peak season.
Site spacing considerations: Campground density varies significantly. "The campsites are far enough apart that I don't feel like I'm on top of other campers," notes one visitor about Blackberry Blossom Farm, while another camper at USA Raft Adventure Resort cautions, "The only downside is that the campsites are on top of each other. If your looking for privacy, this isn't the place."
Tips for camping with families
Bathhouse access: When tent camping with children near Elizabethton, sites with clean facilities reduce stress. "I have never been to a cleaner, more beautiful campground in my life. The facilities are up to date, the bathhouse is spotless, and the campsites themselves are clear and well-maintained," writes Bird H. about Blackberry Blossom Farm.
Activity options: Families should consider campgrounds with on-site attractions. One visitor to Bellebrook Acres noted the combination of tent sites with nearby activity options provides convenience for families with varied interests.
Camp store availability: Some Elizabethton area campgrounds offer supplies for forgotten items. "The camp store is also a lifesaver in case of the inevitable last-minute needs for items left at home," reports one camper about Blackberry Blossom Farm.
Tips from RVers
Water fill locations: Since many tent sites near Elizabethton lack hookups, campers need water strategies. At Blue Bear Mountain Camp, "They do not have water hookups - you fill your camper tank with water at the office area," explains a regular visitor.
Generator restrictions: Most campgrounds in the Elizabethton region prohibit generators to maintain natural quiet. Pack sufficient battery power for essential devices when tent camping in dispersed areas.
Road condition awareness: Mountain roads to camping areas can challenge larger vehicles. One camper at Blue Bear Mountain Camp noted, "The state maintained gravel road used to access campground was narrow and would be difficult to get a large camper up there, although there were lots of large ones there."
Frequently Asked Questions
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campsite near Elizabethton, TN?
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Elizabethton, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Elizabethton, TN is Blackberry Blossom Farm & Campground with a 5-star rating from 4 reviews.
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What is the best site to find tent camping near Elizabethton, TN?
TheDyrt.com has all 67 tent camping locations near Elizabethton, TN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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