Best Campgrounds near Jefferson City, TN

Cherokee Lake serves as the centerpiece for camping in Jefferson City, Tennessee, with most developed campgrounds situated along its shoreline. Cherokee Dam Campground, operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), provides water and electric hookups for both tent and RV campers with lakefront views. Panther Creek State Park Campground, located approximately 15 miles northeast of Jefferson City, offers additional camping options with a mix of basic and premium sites, including some with full sewer hookups for RVs. The area primarily features established campgrounds rather than dispersed camping, with amenities ranging from basic tent sites to RV-friendly areas with full utility connections.

Access to most camping areas remains open year-round, though TVA campgrounds like Cherokee Dam typically operate seasonally from March through early November. "The campground is near town, so you can grab some bbq or hit the local hardware store for anything you need," noted one visitor about Cherokee Dam Campground. Road access is generally well-maintained, with paved surfaces leading to most established sites. Weather conditions vary seasonally, with humid summers reaching into the 90s and mild winters occasionally dropping below freezing. Cell service is generally reliable throughout the region, though coverage may vary in some areas around Panther Creek State Park due to terrain variations.

Waterfront camping constitutes the primary draw for visitors to the Jefferson City area, with Cherokee Lake providing opportunities for fishing, boating, and water recreation. According to one camper, "Cherokee Dam campground is literally one of the most beautiful campgrounds in the area! The grounds are so well-kept, and the lake is just breathtaking." Panther Creek State Park offers additional recreational opportunities with extensive trail systems for hiking and mountain biking. A visitor mentioned, "Panther Creek has great hiking trails, pool, playground fire pits and so much more!" Many campgrounds in the area feature clean facilities, with several reviews highlighting well-maintained bathhouses and showers. Family-friendly amenities such as playgrounds, swimming areas, and picnic facilities appear consistently across the mixed-use campgrounds in the region, making them suitable for various camping styles.

Best Camping Sites Near Jefferson City, Tennessee (405)

    1. Anchor Down RV Resort

    48 Reviews
    Sevierville, TN
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (877) 784-4446

    $49 - $139 / night

    "Anchors Down is just outside Severville Tennessee and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Located on Douglas Lake with the Smokie Mountains in the back ground."

    "This campground is one of the best you will find in Tennessee.  "

    2. Panther Creek State Park Campground

    19 Reviews
    Talbott, TN
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (423) 587-7046

    $26 - $42 / night

    "Panther Creek SP

    Panther Creek State Park was an unexpected find outside of Knoxville, TN , in Morristown. I’ve driven by the sign but no need to camp so close to home."

    "The hiking trails ranged from difficult to short and easy. The ’Trout’ hiking trail was very nice. One of the longer hikes was the Knob trail and it was very nice as well."

    3. Douglas Tailwater Campground — Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

    19 Reviews
    Sevierville, TN
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (865) 361-1522

    "I was very lucky to find this spot near the Great Smoky Mountains. It was October, cool and fine, when I backed up to the French Broad River in this immaculate campsite with super friendly hosts."

    "Driving distance to locations for exploring."

    4. Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg KOA Campground

    55 Reviews
    Pigeon Forge, TN
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (865) 453-7903

    "Had we been in a site away from the river, we’d have been packed in like sardines."

    "Close to everything, right in the heart of pigeon forge. Best bath houses we’ve ever been too, all other reviews were spot on!"

    5. Greenbrier Campground

    70 Reviews
    Gatlinburg, TN
    25 miles
    Website

    $35 - $258 / night

    "Had a blast at The Greenbrier Campground in Gatlinburg Tennessee. We had a view of the river which was right next to.our campsite."

    "The campground is surrounded by a little river so many sites have river views. Most are relatively spacious. There are also a few spots on the road side of the island.

    The amenities were spotless."

    6. Douglas Dam Headwater Campground — Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

    13 Reviews
    Sevierville, TN
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (800) 882-5263

    "We decided to give this place a try and it turned out to be a great location! We stayed in lot 7, which is next to a hill and the kids loved running up and down the hill."

    "close to the city, but beautiful nonetheless. wake up early for a beautiful sunrise over the lake"

    7. Dumplin Valley Farm RV Park

    11 Reviews
    Kodak, TN
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (865) 397-7942

    $33 - $38 / night

    "We can be flexible with parking situations for those of you traveling with larger rigs pulling trailers, etc."

    "We planned an overnight stop at Dumplin as it was close to the interstate. It is very nice! Sites were part gravel and easy to pull through. We were in a pull through with full hook ups."

    8. Elkmont Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park

    124 Reviews
    Gatlinburg, TN
    31 miles
    Website
    +1 (865) 430-5560

    $30 / night

    "I had the most fantastic campsite right next to the river in Elkmont."

    "We stayed 3 nights so we could hike the surrounding trails! Loved learning about the history of the area while checking out the old cabins."

    9. Cherokee Dam Campground — Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

    6 Reviews
    Jefferson City, TN
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (800) 882-5263

    "Sites along the lake. Clean campground. They need to clean up around edge of sites along the lake to make it easier access."

    "There are some really great lakefront sites here, and the tent spots are great, note- they are walk in sites, and you can get in the water from these sites."

    10. Buddy Bear In The Smokies Campground

    18 Reviews
    Sevierville, TN
    17 miles
    Website

    $40 - $50 / night

    "Being in this area the traffic is awful but this place is away from that traffic but still close enough to enjoy everything. The back way into Gatlinburg is a direct shot from the entrance."

    "Very clean and beautifully decorated campground located on the backside of Sevierville away from all those crowds on the main strip."

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Recent Reviews near Jefferson City, TN

2077 Reviews of 405 Jefferson City Campgrounds


  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 5, 2025

    Yarberry Campground

    Beautiful views

    Even the non-lake site spots have lake views. Lots of nice amenities, but still rustic. My site was a little tough to back into, but worth it.

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 2, 2025

    Around Pond RV Park

    Nice stop

    nice stop off interstate, about 1 mile easy pull thru, during week stop, was quiet, peaceful, little traffic noise through nite. pond area, chickens, ducks, swans.

  • Mary D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 28, 2025

    Anderson County Park

    Amazing Site!

    This is one of my new absolute favorite sites yet! While a majority of the campground is long-term, the sites along water are not. This specific spot was huge and next to a wooded area and nature walk and, in my opinion, the best site in the whole campground! The bathhouse was small, but functional and clean. The campground host was exceptionally friendly. No wifi. I have US Cellular and had limited service. Enough to maybe look something up and receive texts.

  • Allissa F.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 19, 2025

    Elkmont Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park

    One night stay

    Right on Little River. The view and sound was so enjoyable. The restroom is a couple minute walk away, very convenient. Zero signal for Att (for signal, take a right out of the campground heading toward Gatlinburg. There’ll be a Pulloff with a view on the left, pull in and use your phone if needed).

  • Isabelle C.
    Sep. 19, 2025

    Indian Creek Campground

    Excellent Campground

    Indian Creek Campground in Cherokee, NC is a hidden gem. Nice hosts, clean facilities in the woods. We have a 25 ft pull behind camper and sites are big enough for slide-outs. Picknick table and campfire ring was on site. We had a 30 amp full hook-up site. Campground has tent sites, RV sites, cabins, clean bathhouse and is dog friendly.

  • Gary D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 19, 2025

    Douglas Tailwater Campground — Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

    Great Location

    Nice campground near river and dam. Had three pup tents for overnight motorcycle stay. Bridge nearby is a bit noisy if that bothers you. Decent rest rooms. Camp host was very friendly! Half hour to Gatlinburg and Dolly Wood.

  • Gary D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 19, 2025

    Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg KOA Campground

    Way overpriced for tent camping

    Three of us on motorcycles with pup tents were going to be charged for three tent sites at $141 each per night . We laughed and left. Hotels were charging less than that. Being a KOA member didn’t make a difference.

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 9, 2025

    Camp Margaritaville RV Resort & Lodge

    Beautiful grounds if you feel like splurging

    It is an absolutely beautiful campground with an awesome club house and a ton to do. The pool and lazy river are heated. Honestly though you really need to want to splurge to justify staying here because you are still camping if that makes sense.

    Also the trolley “system” is super confusing and the front desk knows nothing about it lol

    Our site is great. It is right across the road from the playground without having to pay for a family site.

  • Lisa M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 8, 2025

    East Campground - Norris Dam State Park

    Nice park but road is not that friendly

    Google maps and the website will tell you to take the 441 to get here but I recommend going down to the 61 and coming up that way as the road is quite a bit wider and not so steep and windy. The last mile or so into the campground is a pretty narrow road that when we were here was in bad shape with potholes. Note that some of the campsites have only 30 amp and some of the campsites have only 50 amp so when making a reservation don’t assume that a 50 amp campsite will also have 30 amp. They all did appear to 20 amp. There is a dump station available and a fairly nice bathroom and showers. Most of the spaces are fairly level and fairly easy to get into. 1-3 were quite short. Recommend popping down to the Clinch River Brewery for a beverage and possibly dinner. Also the Appalachian museum in Norris was pretty fascinating.


Guide to Jefferson City

Cherokee Lake and Douglas Lake form the centerpiece of camping near Jefferson City, Tennessee, with elevations ranging from 1,000 to 1,400 feet. The region receives approximately 48 inches of rainfall annually with humid conditions in summer months when temperatures regularly exceed 85°F. Most camping areas maintain open status from March through November, though winter camping options exist at select year-round facilities with temperatures occasionally dropping below freezing.

What to do

Kayaking at Cherokee Dam Campground: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) campground offers excellent water access with kayak rentals available on-site. "There's a playground and a swimming area, lots of picnic spots, kayak rentals, etc. Several people were walking/running across the dam," notes a camper at Cherokee Dam Campground.

Mountain biking near Morristown: Located about 15 miles from Jefferson City, Panther Creek State Park offers extensive trail systems specifically designed for mountain bikers. "Very nice bathrooms. The sites aren't the most private we've ever stayed at, but the mountain biking was so much fun we didn't care! Hiking and biking was an A+," shares one visitor at Panther Creek State Park Campground.

Dam overlook views: The Douglas Dam area provides impressive views from multiple vantage points. "Woke up early enough to watch them release water from Douglas Dam," mentions a camper who stayed at Douglas Tailwater Campground. The spectacle of water releases draws photographers and sightseers throughout the operating season.

What campers like

Fishing opportunities: Both Cherokee and Douglas Lakes provide excellent fishing conditions with multiple species available. "This is a great place to fish! We took in the hot air balloon show," writes a reviewer about Cherokee Dam Campground. The shoreline access makes it convenient for anglers of all skill levels.

Clean facilities: Campers consistently mention the maintenance standards at area campgrounds. "We were very lucky to find this spot near the Great Smoky Mountains. It was October, cool and fine, when I backed up to the French Broad River in this immaculate campsite with super friendly hosts," notes a visitor at Douglas Tailwater Campground.

Accessibility to town: The proximity to Jefferson City provides convenience without sacrificing natural settings. "The campground is near town, so you can grab some bbq or hit the local hardware store for anything you need," explains a camper about Cherokee Dam Campground. This balance of natural setting with nearby services appeals to many visitors seeking the best places to camp near Jefferson City.

What you should know

Seasonal operations: Most TVA campgrounds operate on limited schedules. Cherokee Dam Campground runs from "Mar 18 to Nov 7" according to their listing information. Plan accordingly if visiting during shoulder seasons.

Limited shower facilities: Some campgrounds have restricted shower availability. "Great place to camp and be right on the water. Only downfall was only 1 shower in the bathhouse but bathrooms were clean and never too long of a wait for the shower," mentions a visitor to Douglas Dam Headwater Campground.

Varying site sizes: Camp areas offer different dimensions and layouts. "The sites arnt very large so check the internet under TN State Parks for available sites," advises a camper about Panther Creek State Park Campground. Research specific site dimensions before booking, especially for larger RVs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Jefferson City, TN?

According to TheDyrt.com, Jefferson City, TN offers a wide range of camping options, with 405 campgrounds and RV parks near Jefferson City, TN and 3 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Jefferson City, TN?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Jefferson City, TN is Anchor Down RV Resort with a 4.8-star rating from 48 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Jefferson City, TN?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 3 free dispersed camping spots near Jefferson City, TN.

What parks are near Jefferson City, TN?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 33 parks near Jefferson City, TN that allow camping, notably Cumberland Gap National Historic Park and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.