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Melton Hill Dam Campground accommodates pets in both tent and RV camping areas with water and electric hookups at most sites. The TVA-operated facility features lakeside sites with concrete picnic tables, fire pits, and grills where campers can bring their dogs. Both primitive tent sites and full hookup RV spaces welcome pets throughout the wooded property. Other pet-friendly options include Yarberry Campground, Cades Cove Campground, and Elkmont Campground, all offering varied amenities from sanitary dump stations to showers while allowing pets. The campground area remains clean and well-maintained, with friendly staff who enforce quiet hours to prevent excessive barking disturbances.
Paved walking trails throughout Melton Hill provide excellent dog walking opportunities with lake views. Dogs must remain leashed in all camping areas and public spaces, though the swimming area requires pets to stay outside the designated human swimming zone. Camping sites higher on the hill offer more separation between neighbors, beneficial for reactive dogs or those needing more privacy. The nearby lake provides water access for dogs to cool off during summer months, though no dedicated dog beach exists. Several visitors note bringing their pets to the waterfront sites where they could supervise their dogs while relaxing in the shade. Wildlife encounters require keeping dogs secured at all times, as deer, turkey and other animals frequent the campground areas.
"Pet friendly. Good fishing. & Close to stores."
"We really enjoyed Milton Hill dam, very friendly people , well stocked store, easy access to swimming and fishing and full hook up sites if you want them."
from $18 - $31 / night
Check Availability"Yarberry Campground is a gated lakefront campground and day use area located on Tellico Lake, not far from the Fort Loudon Dam."
"We rented a pontoon boat for four hours and had a great time exploring the lake. Highly recommend this campground if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the larger campgrounds."
"There is a beautiful drive to get to this campground once you get through the traffic jam of Sevierville. Enjoy the scenic and winding river road! Only loop C is open in the off season."
"You can easily bike through the loop, or drive. Nice spot to see wildlife as well. Cades Cove is well known for spotting bears, deer and turkey."
from $30 / night
Check Availability"We were in a pop-up camper and had a lakefront site, which was awesome, except for the highway noise."
"First time campers with 5 kids and 3 dogs .... had no problems everyone was very helpful , grounds were clean ... the lower bathhouse is Adequate but the bathhouse by the office is great the cove offers"
"The tent sights are located right on a great fishing cove on Fort Loudon reserve. We booked tent site 7 but when we got there someone was fishing off the point where our campsite was supposed to be."
"Our site us overlooking the lake and the view is beautiful. Close to downtown and the mountains. Only downfall is very spotty wifi in some areas."
from $28 - $38 / night
Check Availability"Pets are allowed in the campground, but not on the trails. This campground has great access to hiking and fishing, as well as wildlife viewing."
"I had the most fantastic campsite right next to the river in Elkmont."
from $30 / night
Check Availability"The campground is in close proximity to many of the trailheads. There is a nice bathhouse, but all the sites are rustic (non electric)."
"It may be the loveliest campground in Tennessee. There’s only 20 spots, and they all seem to be shady and have trees between neighbors."
"Very nice and beautiful quiet place Beautiful lake. And sunsets too and pet are welcome Just a little bit of heaven ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️"
"Pet friendly! Staff was very nice and helpful! Only complaint was some of their quiet hours were confusing."
from $26 - $48 / night
Check Availability"We were in site 11, nice but next to a group site so a little louder than I like. There are trails near by but I was unable to experience. Bear boxes and trash bins. Centrally located water."
"Sites are close to one another, but arranged great. My family of 5 had plenty of room for two tents, chairs, picnic tables, etc."
from $30 / night
Check Availability"Off roading, shooting range, mountain bike trails, atv rentals. Very close to town if needed. The serenity and peace we feel staying there makes us never want to leave."
"Great sites, cute cabins great location."
from $18 - $300 / night
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TravelerBeautiful spot in the smoky mountains. State park style amenities, no showers. No hookups. Very busy very open campground. Nice that some trails are walking distance from campground. I would not camp here again as I prefer more separation and privacy. No cell service. STARLINK is usable but obstructed with tree canopy
GuideDrove 5 hrs from our last campground to here for event Campground was very well maintained and liked the site. Wasn’t overly crazy about the event not a lot of vendors mainly jeeps went to a few local shops in town had a great lunch at the cookie dough monster.
TravelerFantastic National Park! Elkmont is really nice but lacking in hookups and there are no showers. Hard to stay too long without power, water, sewer and showers. Still, an amazing site along the river!
GuideThis is one of several USFS campgrounds that are within a few miles of each other. The cost is only $8/night, first come first served. The sites are fairly large with about half of them on a wide, clear creek. There is no running water, but there are bear proof trash cans and vault toilets that were fairly clean, but didn't smell great.
There is free potable water and an RV dump station about a mile away at the North River Game Checking Station on River Road near the Spivey Cove campground..
The campsite was clean with picnic table, fire ring, and a lantern post. The fire ring was almost full of ashes and it appears that campers have to clean them out themselves.
The Green Cove Angler store is a couple miles away and has ice, firewood and other camper things.
Unfortunately, while we were there, it was bear hunting season and another camper had multiple barking and baying dogs that went on and on for hours.
ScoutBeautiful view on the water. Not very full, which was nice. I came for some quiet and privacy and while it worked, there were just some that were very social. Haha
TravelerThis worked well for us while we were visiting Dollywood in our trailer, but we wouldn't stay here if we had been in a different type of site. Cons: Unless you have a site up against the river or on patriot park, you are packed in VERY TIGHT with other people, sometimes with your sliders only a foot or two away from your neighbor's sliders. We were in a site that was "on patriot park", but the few first sites of that type are really just behind the trolley parking lot and pick up with a path behind you (including ours). People are on the other side of the fence walking about two feet behind you all day and pretty late in to the night. Pros: There are lot of trees and campground is very pretty. Super close to Dollywood and other Pigeon Forge points of interest.
ScoutBeautiful Campground, but Absolutely NOT Family-Friendly! I rarely leave negative reviews this strongly, but our experience at Turkey Creek Campground was so disappointing that I feel compelled to warn other families. First, I’ll give credit where it’s due. The campground is beautifully maintained, and the creekside sites are incredibly peaceful and serene. It’s a lovely setting, and during the day, the owner is friendly enough and seemingly hospitable. Unfortunately, the hospitality comes to a screeching halt the moment the clock strikes 10 PM.
We were two families camping together with six well-behaved kids who absolutely love the outdoors. We understand and respect campground quiet hours. We weren’t looking to throw parties, blast music, or disturb anyone. But apparently, at Turkey Creek,“quiet hours” doesn’t mean keeping noise to a respectful minimum. It means absolute silence, complete darkness, and seemingly no normal human activity whatsoever.
I’m not exaggerating.
* We were told to turn off ALL our lights at 10 PM.
* We were confronted for opening our vehicle’s trunk because it made a brief beeping sound.
* Our children were startled by a large spider near the bathhouse, and the owner actually yelled at them to be quiet.
* One evening around 11 PM, we were talking quietly INSIDE OUR OWN TENT, barely above a whisper, when the owner approached our tent door to reprimand us for talking.
* On another occasion, he approached us to complain that our children had left TWO STICKS on the ground near the bathrooms. Two sticks! At a campground surrounded by woods, where the kids had just walked down a wooded trail to reach the bathhouse!
And don’t even think about enjoying a little background music while sitting around your campsite. Music of any kind played through a speaker is prohibited, regardless of volume. Apparently, even a little John Denver played quietly while enjoying the mountains is too much to ask. I fully appreciate that some people camp specifically for peace and quiet. We respect that, too. But there is a massive difference between enforcing reasonable quiet hours and making paying guests feel like they’re constantly being watched, monitored, and reprimanded for simply existing. The owner’s enforcement of these rules felt excessive, confrontational, and completely out of proportion to what was actually happening.
Instead of relaxing and enjoying our family vacation, we found ourselves walking on eggshells, worried that the smallest sound, light, or ordinary childhood behavior would result in another confrontation. What makes this particularly frustrating is that our kids were doing exactly what we’d hope children would do on a camping trip: spending time outside, exploring nature, enjoying each other’s company, and making memories away from screens. Yet somehow, even that seemed unwelcome. If we hadn’t already paid for five nights, we would have packed up and left after the very first night. That’s how uncomfortable the experience became.
If you are someone who wants a meticulously maintained campground where everyone retires to complete silence and darkness by 10 PM, Turkey Creek might be perfect for you. But if you’re a family hoping to enjoy a campfire, share some laughs, quietly socialize in the evening, and let your children experience the simple joys of camping, I cannot recommend this place strongly enough AGAINST it.
There are so many beautiful campgrounds in this area, and I cannot imagine choosing to return somewhere that made our families feel so unwelcome. Beautiful property. Extremely disappointing hospitality. Absolutely terrible experience for families. We will never return.
ScoutCalled the day of to ask if we could camp and set up after hours for that day and the next the lady told me yes i could pay in the morning i got here set up that night woke up around 8 am to go pay and reserve my campsite for the day and she told me they were booked even though she had told me the day before she had plenty of campsites. Then tried to tell me the only one she had was a $75 site for 4 people which is absolutely insane. She made snarky remarks and was overall incompetent in making sure the guests receive the right information the first time. Absolutely zero care that we set up not even 12 hours before to make us take it down and leave.
GuideThis is a really nice place, my only issue is that I think $110 with Good Sam is too expensive. I needed a place to stay, so I did. They have laundry and restrooms but I didn't use them.
Melton Hill Dam Campground sits just 10 miles southwest of Farragut, Tennessee on the shore of a TVA-controlled reservoir at 795 feet elevation. The terraced campground design features sites built on a sloping hillside that maximizes lake views while providing natural buffers between camping areas. Water levels fluctuate seasonally, with summer maintaining higher pool levels ideal for water recreation.
Biking on closed loops: Cades Cove offers special vehicle-free days for cyclists. "What a great campground!! This is away from the craziness of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. On certain days they close off the loop of Cades Cove for bicycles to be able to ride. At the store near the campground they rent bikes for a reasonable rate," notes Jeremy H.
Hiking to waterfalls: Frozen Head State Park Campground features multiple waterfall trails within easy reach of campsites. "Lots to do with the hiking. Waterfalls were beautiful and everyone we talked to was super helpful and nice. Grounds are well maintained without taking away from the natural beauty," reports Brittni F.
Fishing from shore: Southlake RV Park offers dedicated fishing spots right from the tent camping area. "If you are wanting to fish the bank or even put in kayaks this spot is money. The tent sights are located right on a great fishing cove on Fort Loudon reserve," explains Nate H.
Historic structures: Cades Cove Campground provides access to preserved buildings. "This is a very unique spot in the smokies. Make your reservations far in advance this is a destination!" advises Ashley Y. The area features multiple historical cabins and churches accessible via the main loop road.
Quiet spaces: Campers appreciate the relative seclusion at Abrams Creek Campground. "Very quiet area to camp by the water," notes Jennifer L. The small size creates an intimate setting where "it's cozy enough you want to go meet your camping neighbors," according to John H.
Clean facilities: Yarberry Campground maintains well-kept shower facilities. "Clean bathrooms and showers," confirms Sherry. Another camper notes that "Bath house we went to is clean and warm. All hosts are very nice and friendly."
Seasonal changes: Soaring Eagle Campground tent sites vary with water levels. "We were in a pop-up camper and had a lakefront site, which was awesome, except for the highway noise... Will plan to return in spring. The main bathhouse was one of the best I've seen, but we had to drive to it, as it was the end of season and the lake side bathhouse was closed," explains Lori H.
Road noise: Some campgrounds near highways experience traffic sounds. "Super nice employees. Campsites very close together. We were very close to I 40 and the road noise was extremely loud...all day and all night," reports one camper at Soaring Eagle.
Reservation requirements: Abrams Creek requires advance planning. "Make sure you make reservations BEFORE stunning out there. Way if they beaten path and reservations can ONLY be made online. No cell service no internet for at least ten miles away from camp," warns Jay A.
Wildlife viewing spots: Elkmont Campground offers excellent wildlife observation. "On a visit to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you quickly learn that you'll enjoy your visit a lot more if you are located close to what you want to see and do," shares Jean C. The campground sits near prime observation areas.
Water activities: Children enjoy the swimming areas at many lake campgrounds. "Yarberry Campground is a gated lakefront campground and day use area located on Tellico Lake. The day use area is nice, with a roped off swimming area, kayak rentals, picnic tables, a basketball court, etc," notes Lori H.
Off-road adventures: Windrock Campground offers specialized activities for active families. "Lots to do... Off roading, shooting range, mountain bike trails, atv rentals. Very close to town if needed," says Kacie B.
Site selection: Choose upper sites for more privacy at Melton Hill. "Some sites do not have sewer but there is a dump station at the pull-out. The signage for the main dam road which also leads into the campground looks new and does not indicate the campground is on the road. Just 'Melville Dam, Shipping/Receiving'," advises Sara M.
Leveling needs: Many RV sites require adjustment. "The parking area is an asphalt slab and many have a slant to them and will require leveling. There are a mix of short-stay and longer stay sites. The picnic tables and grills for our area were up a set of stairs above the RV, the pads opposite were down steps from the RV," explains a Melton Hill visitor.
Dog-friendly campgrounds near Farragut: Beyond Melton Hill Dam, Southlake RV Park offers pet-friendly camping with shore access. "Nice place to camp!" reports Kelly R., while another camper mentions being able to bring pets to the waterfront for supervised water access.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Farragut, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Farragut, TN is Melton Hill Dam Campground — Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) with a 4.2-star rating from 31 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Farragut, TN?
TheDyrt.com has all 231 dog-friendly camping locations near Farragut, TN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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