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Best Tent Camping near Greeneville, TN

1,516 Reviews

Tent campsites in the Greeneville, Tennessee region range from established sites to dispersed camping areas in Cherokee National Forest. Paint Creek Corridor offers primitive tent camping opportunities with limited facilities, while Bald Mountains provides more remote backcountry camping experiences. The Round Knob Campground serves as a basic tent site located near the Appalachian Trail, providing simple amenities for overnight hikers.

Most primitive tent campgrounds near Greeneville require campers to be self-sufficient. Paint Creek Corridor features dispersed camping with limited designated sites and has "no camping" signs in some areas that were previously open. Sites are typically situated on natural, ungraded surfaces requiring careful tent placement. Vault toilets exist at some locations but are sparse throughout the area. Fire restrictions vary seasonally, with some areas prohibiting fires entirely. One visitor noted, "There are dispersed camping sites throughout the corridor; however, I was only able to locate one and luckily it was vacant."

The tent camping experience around Greeneville offers natural settings with varying levels of seclusion. The Appalachian Trail passes through the region, providing backpackers with multiple access points to backcountry tent sites. Rocky Fork State Park provides primitive walk-in tent sites accessible via trails of various difficulty levels. Campers seeking more isolation should arrive on weekdays, as weekend traffic increases substantially at most sites. A camper reported finding "a lot of trash in the area" at Paint Creek, indicating that practicing Leave No Trace principles is especially important. Sites along waterways like Paint Creek offer the soothing sounds of running water but may attract more visitors during peak seasons.

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Best Tent Sites Near Greeneville, Tennessee (70)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Greeneville, TN

129 Photos of 70 Greeneville Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Greeneville, TN

1516 Reviews of 70 Greeneville Campgrounds

  • Dave V.
    Aug. 29, 2017

    Mount Mitchell State Park Campground

    Lofty Blue Ridge Experience

    Mount Mitchell State Park, highest peak east of the Mississippi...6,684ft elevation... is located on The Blue Ridge Parkway, but it is still a bit of a climb (for foot or vehicle traffic) to get to the summit. https://www.ncparks.gov/mount-mitchell-state-park

    Getting here the day after the solar eclipse, it was still pretty busy...and if you are traveling the Blue Ridge Parkway...speed is only 45 mph, so do your calculations. There are only nine, yes, count them...nine tent camping sites. So reservations are a must if you want a site! The campground is open from May 1 to Oct 31...but if you walk-in to the sites, as in via the trails, you can rent a site amost all year.

    Tent sites are small, but nice. You get a timber lined tent pad, a crushed limestone area with picnic table, wooden lantern post, and a fire ring with flip grate...and a bear secure food storage bin. There are flush toilets between sites 3 and 7... and two water spigots nearby.

    If campsites are full and you desire to hike the trails, you can register your vehicle with office, leave it there in the parking lot and locate a place to make camp along the trails. There are also several free roadside sites marked with a brown plastic post with a small tent emblem on them. Ordinarily these are along a stream where you can gather water (filter it!)...but it is primitive (LNT!).

    The park has a restaurant, a museum, gift shop and an observation tower at the summit. Pretty cool that the observation tower is ADA...but steep.

    Check weather reports. These mountains make their own weather. And remember, for every 1,000 feet of elevation gain, temperature decreases by 3 degrees (roughly...there is constant debate). So pack wisely. Surprisingly, though reports called for rain...we saw none.

    Great hiking and long mountain views are one of the draws. The walk up the Observation trail is paved but steep, so give yourself some time if you are wanting to capture the sunset. If hiking, there are a myriad of sites that offer maps, levels of difficulty and recommendations. Did I mention that if you are planning to hike for the day...plan and pack for weather?

    A worthwhile place to pitch your tent, but there are also several other campgrounds at lower elevations that also have great trails and more amenities.

  • Shari G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 30, 2020

    Little Stony Creek Road Dispersed Area

    Beautiful & Free but Lots of Road Noise

    Just on the edge of Watauga Lake sits this free dispersed camping area that is perfect for tent camping only. This is a park outside the gate and walk your gear in type of place, some bring your IKEA bags or a wagon. Opportunities for fishing and boating are abundant. 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. 

    There is no drinking water, picnic tables, or even pit toilet, so come prepared. The only major problem is that folks tend to leave a ton of trash around, so we spent about an hour cleaning the entire campground. Please Leave No Trace! Also, we would not recommend camping here on a busy weekend because the road is very close and the trucks are very loud! 

    The nearest town is Butler, which is small but offers the basics such as groceries and gas.

  • Myron C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 30, 2019

    Balsam Mountain Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park

    National Park Campground with Roadside RV Parking

     I camped at this campground about fifteen to twenty years ago, and I loved the coolness of the high altitude. That has not changed. When I camped at Balsam Mountain last night, there were things I didn’t remember from my first visit long ago. Now there are tent pads, and some of them are within spitting distance of each other. Fortunately, I got a site that was a good distance away from the next site. However, the site was small and sloped. If you have a large tent, just know that you might have to stake guy lines outside of the tent pad. The picnic table was not level, and the fire pit was very close to the picnic table. That wasn’t too bad, but almost every site was such that you had to park on the campground road, except for sites 26-31. Those were tent sites in which you had to park in a designated parking area and walk in a short distance. There are no hookups at this campground, which is okay with me since I am in a tent and carry my own water, and the restrooms have no showers. The worst part about the restrooms, however, is that you have to remember to take a towel/paper towel with you, and at night, make sure to take a lantern/headlamp/flashlight to the restroom. This may be TMI, but I am glad I had tissue in my pocket. Both rolls of toilet paper were empty. The men’s urinals are placed fairly high, so if you have small children, you will definitely want to let them use the toilet in the stall. There is no electricity at the restrooms, which means there is no light—not even outside. I enjoyed the campground for it being away from towns, but it was a little crowded anyway. Beware. If you are in an RV, you will have to park it on the campground road. There are no back-in sites, nor are there any pull-through sites. The RV sites are literally on wide sections of the paved campground road. Each site does have a picnic table and a fire pit, but there are no lantern poles. I did like it that there was a separate building for washing dishes. Also be aware that the campground is in a bear habitat, and you have to take precautions. I actually saw a huge pile of bear scat(poop) on the nature trail fewer than 100 yards away from the campground. Make sure when you go that you take everything you need, including ice, kiln-dried firewood, etc. The nearest town is fifteen miles away. Finding downed wood is hard to come by. I found just enough to have about a twenty-minute fire, and bringing wood from outside the park is not allowed unless it is sealed and certified. There is one nature trail that is about a half mile long, and it takes you to Heintooga Overlook, which is at the picnic area. To me, this is the best part about the campground, although it’s not really part of the campground. There is another trail not accessible directly from the campground, and years ago, you could hike to a waterfall. That is no longer the case. The trail has been re-routed, and several people have tried to find the waterfall without any luck. I came upon a small amphitheater while I was looking for wood, not that it would interest the camping overnighter, but it is interesting. Overall, I was disappointed in the campground. I was hoping to give it at least three stars, but the fact that you have to park in the road, there are not real RV sites, the restrooms are disappointing, and the site I was on was really small, I cannot give it three stars. Some of the campers I talked to loved the campground and come back every year. For me, there are better national park campgrounds in the Smokies.

  • Stephanie J.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 30, 2018

    Balsam Mountain Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park

    Foggy, Quiet, and Away From the Crowds

    We chose this campground specifically for the elevation, knowing we would be camping in late August and wanting an escape from the heat. It definitely delivered--at over 5300' elevation, it is much, much cooler at the campground than many of the trails lower in the Smokies. It is also extremely foggy--we did not spend much time here during the day as we were hiking, but both morning and nights we were there, clouds settled in over the entire campground, creating a very cool effect. (It also rained on us both nights, so make sure your tent is properly sealed against water!) 

    We stayed in sites 38 and 39, which had been booked in advance by the friends we went with. These are very close to the entrance, to other sites, to the bathrooms, the campground hosts, and the dishwashing station, and they are right on the road. It made these sites very convenient, but not the best for us as we had 5 small children with us. The tent pad at site 38 was also a little too small for our 6 person Coleman Evanston—one corner was hanging off the wooden platform.

    While our campsite was not as private as we normally would choose for ourselves, the campground itself was very quiet and very peaceful, and nowhere near full occupancy, despite the crowds on the trails below us. It is very wet, so if you want a campfire be sure to buy some of the heat-treated wood available for purchase down the mountain, and be prepared to secure anything you don't want to get wet in your cars overnight. 

    My only complaint here was the interaction the campground hosts had with our children--a bear had been seen at the entrance to the campground our first night there, and one of the hosts attempted to scare one of our toddlers into staying close to her mom, which is a decision I found highly inappropriate, and the hosts in general acted annoyed anytime our children wanted to play more than a few feet away from the adults. However that is not a fault of the campground itself, and I think if we had not been so close to the host site that would not have been an issue, and would have made this a very family-friendly place to go--provided you prepare for temperatures 10-20 degrees cooler than it is at lower elevations!

    **Other things of note with this campground: **

    -For privacy, sites 32-37 looked to be the best, although they require a couple of steps down from the car so are not ADA compliant. These sites are very grassy, with a lot of room for kids and dogs to run around without being right on the road. Site 23 was also very private compared to the others, although small; I don’t think anything larger than a 4 person tent would fit here.

    -The tent-only sites, 26-31, are clustered together and very open to each other, but offer privacy from the road and the other sites in the campground, and are considered the "walk-in" sites. The walk is very short, and I did see bear boxes to store food, as proper food storage is extremely important in the Smokies--within a few miles of the campsite we saw elk, bears, wild turkey, and deer. 

    -There is a dishwashing station behind site 38, with two sinks. There was some dish soap in there on our trip, but as always, be prepared with your own, and the water was cold water only. 

    -Site 38 is next to an open field rolling down the mountain; the hosts told us there is a bear family that likes to cross the campsite between sites 7 and 38, so be prepared to see one if you choose a site near this crossing!

    -There is a trail along the edge of this campground that is supposed to have wonderful sunset views, although we did not get to take advantage of this due to the fog.

    -Because of the high elevation, Balsam Mountain has a shorter operating season that the other GSMNP campgrounds; plan your trip accordingly. 

    -There are no electric or water hook-ups here, although RVs and campers may park at the sites. 

    -The bathrooms have solar-powered lights for nighttime, but they are very dim, so flashlights/headlamps are encouraged.

  • Katrin M.
    Aug. 14, 2023

    Mount Mitchell State Park Campground

    Absolutely stunning

    First of all... it is very hard to reserve a campsite for the weekend. And I completely understand why. It is simply beautiful. The campground has just 9 walk in sites. We stayed at site number 1 which is the closest to the parking lot. It was very private ( I think the most private of all) but number 5 and 6 have the best views. All campsites come with a firepit, picnic table, and a lantern pole.
    The bathhouse is very clean but had no showers or hot water. A very nice ranger sold us some firewood which was available in the parking lot. There are several ways to go up to the summit. You can hike 0.6 miles, which starts on top of the campground, or you drive up. On top of the mountain is a observation tower, a gift shop, a little museum, and a drink and snack bar. The fact I loved the most, was the the nice cool temperature. It was in the lower 70's during the day and about 50 at night. Be careful with the weather. It can change very quickly. A ranger came by and warned us about a coming thunderstorm. We found shelter on the porch of the bathhouse. It was very nice to watch the rain and the wind. We would camp here anytime again. It is really worth it.

  • S
    Aug. 28, 2018

    Lake Powhatan — National Forests In North Carolina

    Great, quiet campground with clean restrooms and hot showers

    We took our 5 and 3 year old sons camping here this past weekend and had a great time.

    Site: Our site was on the Hard Times loop which offered huge, flat gravel pads (our site was an RV site but also perfect for tent camping since it's pea gravel and not paved). If you have a 6-person or larger tent, opt for a gravel RV site, as you'll get tons more room than the "tent-only" sites which have the tent pad surrounded with railroad ties.

    Facilities: Powhatan really takes care of their facilities. Restrooms were cleaned multiple times per day and the showers are clean and the water was actually hot - awesome after a day of hiking before jumping in the sleeping bag. Gate house sells ice and firewood too.

    Activities: Tons of trails within Bent Creek but are mainly geared towards mountain bikers. Had to be on constant alert with my kids and dog, as the bikers absolutely bomb down these trails. Similar to hiking in Dupont but with a heavier concentration of mountain bikers. This was the only downside of camping here but there are some great hiking-only trails off the BRP just 30 min away. I wish the trail system worked its way through the campgrounds, as we had to walk a ways down the main paved road to access any trailheads.

  • Myron C.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 31, 2021

    Appalachian Pond Campground

    Back to Nature Campground to Get Away from it All

    For tent campers, I would rate this campground with five stars. For RV campers, I would rate it with one star. There are no hookups for RV campers, but there is a place to park a small RV camper that is self-contained. I loved this campground. It is everything you need for tent camping. It is remote in the mountains of western North Carolina and has lots of shade. It has a small pond, it is quiet, and the owners are very nice. One of the owners apologized for the grass being so high, but I assured him it was all right(and it wasn’t really that high). 

    There are several tent sites back in the woods, but they are spacious and not on top of each other. Some of them have access to running water, and at least one has electricity.  There is also a small cottage by the pond, and a camper that can be rented.   At night, all you will hear are crickets, the wind through the trees, birds, and frogs—just the way I like it. This campground truly is off the beaten path. 

    As far as facilities, it has a shower. There is a portable toilet across the path. Although it sounds primitive, which it is, the quaintness of the shower house and the fact that it has both a shower and a portable toilet is good enough unless you are looking for luxury accommodations. This campground may be remote, but it is not far from many hiking trails and sites, including but not limited to Purchase Knob, Hemphill Bald, the old Ferguson Cabin, Cataloochee Valley, the Great Smoky Mountains, and much more. 

    An additional feature is the old barn owned by the same people, which can accommodate special events, such as weddings and other venues in a beautiful rural setting. Would I recommend this campground? Absolutely!!!!… especially for tent campers.

  • K
    Jun. 24, 2022

    Balsam Mountain Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park

    Quite and Serene Sites on the side of a Mountain

    After researching sites, this one peaked my interest for the serenity it offered within a busy park and boy did it deliver! It is a long drive from the Oconaluftee Visitors Center inside the park but it is a really beautiful one! We even saw some elk on the side of the road about a mile from the campground on the drive in! Once we got there though, it was full but everyone was very quiet and pretty much kept to themselves. The tent sites are very close together as others have said. We had awesome neighbors the whole time so it didn't bother us much. Everything was super clean, and well kept. 

    There was no place up there to buy wood, so make sure to grab some before you go. The toilets are kept very clean and there are dish washing stations and bear proof trash bins within a short distance as well as bear vaults at each walk in tent site. 

    At night, the whole campground was quiet and dark, so if you want seclusion and great stargazing this is the place! I'm also glad that I read some reviews because we came from 100 degree temps and enjoyed the cool 50 degree nights. I took our sleeping bags worried that we would get too hot but it was chilly at nights. 

    There were just a few things I noted, at the walk in tent sites, there was really no great place to set up the hammock. This trip was just my husband and I so the limited space wasn't an issue. If we take the kids we will stay in one of the other sites that has more room to spare. The only other thing was that it is so far away from everything. Its a minimum of 20 min drive down to Cherokee or the visitors center so if you are planning on seeing a lot of stuff you might want to find a more centrally located campsite.

  • Napunani
    Jun. 23, 2022

    Lake Powhatan — National Forests In North Carolina

    Shade, Shade and more Shade!

    PROS 

    Discounted camp fee with senior pass 

    Reserved 169 days prior to arriving 

    Friendly and helpful gate attendant 

    Nearly 100% shade at each site 

    Excellent dark sky viewing 

    Private sites with large space along with vegetation between sites 

    Very quiet 

    Asphalt parking pad surrounded with bean size gravel 

    Concrete picnic table 

    Metal fire pit with cooking grate 

    2 hook lantern pole 

    Electric at water connection for heated water hose connection 

    Recycle bins in campground loop 

    Trash dumpsters immediately out of campground loop 

    Firewood for sale but gate attendant told us to buy at Ingles (grocery store) where it is $3 bundle cheaper and we did! 

    Next to North Carolina Arboretum 

    Close to Asheville Outlet Mall and Camping World 

    CONS 

    3 bear sitings a day prior to our arrival in campground, according to gate attendant 

    No overnight gate closure even tho RULES proved at check-in stated gates closed at 10pm, but no open hours in RULES

     Lakeview site 38 not level 

    Up hill sewer connection at Lakeview site 38 

    Fire ring not cleared of ash upon our arrival 

    Non-moveable concrete picnic table and beyond camper awning 

    2 toilets and 2 showers for entire Lakeview Loop (21 campsites). There were lines! 

    Low hanging tree branches over roadways and roadside tree branches over roadways so it was a maneuvering obstacle challenge to not scrape camper roof and sides Campground roads narrow with tight curves along with roadway asphalt dropped off to steep shoulders; could be challenging to novice rig drivers (as we witnessed that more than once) 

    Two-and- a-half-mile drive on a twisty hilly road through residential neighborhood to get to the campground 

    No WiFi 

    1 bar Verizon

Guide to Greeneville

Tent camping options near Greeneville, Tennessee concentrate in the Cherokee National Forest at elevations between 1,500-4,000 feet. The region experiences distinct seasons with warm, humid summers reaching 80-85°F and winter temperatures often dropping below freezing. Most dispersed camping areas require self-contained waste management as facilities are limited to vault toilets at designated areas.

What to do

Hike the Appalachian Trail sections: The AT passes directly through Hot Springs Campground, allowing easy day access to this iconic trail. "A bucket list trip to step foot on the APP and spend time wandering Hot Springs NC," notes camper Kate M.

Soak in mineral springs: After hiking or camping, rejuvenate at nearby hot springs. "Can play on the French broad river and then take a soak in the hot mineral tubs," shares Grant D. about the natural springs located just across from camping areas.

Explore local waterways: The French Broad River offers opportunities for paddling and fishing. At Creek Ridge Camping, "We had a bit of a climb down the mountain on a well kept path to the river. There was a nice shelter to put our tent and a fire pit on a small front. The river was calm and swimmable," reports Jennifer Z.

What campers like

Secluded forest settings: For the best tent camping near Greeneville, Tennessee, many campers prefer Cosby Campground for its privacy. "Very large campsites, great privacy, beautiful area, well cared for, lots of dishwashing stations. Local friends say that this campground is never full," according to Lynn G.

Access to small mountain towns: The proximity to walkable towns appeals to many visitors. "Walk into town for restaurants and brews! Walk to spa for soak in hot tub!!" mentions Roxanne R. about Hot Springs Campground.

Riverside camping spots: Prime locations along waterways rank highly among campers. "Stayed 20 feet from the water on a holiday weekend! Staff was great!" reports Mickey L. about Creek Ridge Camping. These riverside sites provide natural white noise and cooling during summer months.

What you should know

Limited facilities at dispersed sites: Paint Creek Corridor offers primitive camping, but facilities are minimal. "There is a paid campground in the area which is $10 and offers vault toilets and nice sites. If you drive past that there are parking and picnic areas along the road that have 'no camping' signs," explains Rachel D.

Site availability concerns: Some areas have fewer sites than indicated online. One camper noted about Paint Creek: "The national forest service website says there are dispersed camping sites throughout the corridor; however, I was only able to locate one and luckily it was vacant."

Seasonal considerations: Most forest service campgrounds close during winter months. Cosby Campground operates from "mid April - mid October," while some private campgrounds like Creek Ridge Camping run from "April 1st - November 1st."

Tips for camping with families

Choose established campgrounds: For tent camping near Greeneville with children, established sites offer more amenities. "There is ample parking nearby and trailheads. I was there when it was a little cooler and there was hardly anyone there, which was nice!" shares Jessica L. about Cosby Campground.

Look for ranger programs: Educational opportunities enhance family trips. "On Fridays they have special Ranger programs. We were lucky enough to learn about moon-shining from guys on the moonshiner TV show," reports Janine B.

Consider noise factors: Train tracks run near some campgrounds. "Literally the only downfall for me was the train that goes by across the river in the middle of the night and lays in the horn," warns Olivia R. about camping along the French Broad River Area.

Tips from RVers

Limited hookup availability: Few tent campgrounds near Greeneville offer full RV amenities. "Only 3 fifty amp full hook up sites. Lots of 30 amp and tent camping. Right on the river," notes Sonya A. about Hot Springs Campground.

Site selection concerns: Many RV spots are not level or require preparation. "Dirt site by the River all hook ups. They also have small cabins and tent sites," reports Karen P. about the variable terrain at Hot Springs.

Arrival timing matters: Weekday arrivals provide better site selection. "Most sites are walk up, so you don't need a reservation, and there are probably 100+ sites, so even during the busiest of times you can find a good site," explains Lori H.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Greeneville, TN?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Greeneville, TN is Hot Springs Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 29 reviews.

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