Best Dispersed Camping near Jellico, TN
Dispersed camping options near Jellico, Tennessee include several primitive sites across the Kentucky-Tennessee border. Jellico Creek Rd Dispersed #1 offers free camping with three sites along the road, with the first site accommodating two groups and featuring a small swimming hole with a rope swing. Trace Branch Dispersed on Rock Creek Road provides creek-side camping with designated tent pads. Bi-Color Campground in Catoosa WMA features approximately 10-15 spacious sites suitable for both tents and RVs. Swain Ridge and Redbird Boat Ramp round out the available options in this region.
These primitive sites require self-sufficiency as no drinking water, electricity, or sanitation facilities are available. Campers must pack in all necessary supplies and adhere to Leave No Trace principles. According to reviews, litter can be problematic at some sites, with one camper noting they "had to pick up trash before letting my dog out." Fire rings are present at most locations, and fires are permitted except at Swain Ridge. Ground conditions can become muddy during wet weather, so heavy-duty tent stakes are recommended.
The area experiences typical Appalachian seasonal variations. Summer brings warm days and cool nights, while winter can bring freezing conditions. One visitor to Trace Branch reported camping in January when "the entire river was frozen over." Wildlife is abundant throughout the region, with Bi-Color Campground described as "beautiful almost all times of year with plenty of wildlife and lots of shady areas." Hunters frequently use these areas, particularly Bi-Color Campground, which becomes busy during hunting seasons. Campers should be aware of ticks and poison ivy, especially at Swain Ridge where visitors have reported finding "ticks EVERYWHERE and poison ivy along the edges of the pasture."
