Best Dispersed Camping near Kodak, TN
Want to go dispersed camping near Kodak? Find the best information on dispersed campgrounds near Kodak, including photos, reviews, and tips. Find the perfect dispersed campsite for your next adventure.
Best Dispersed Sites Near Kodak, TN (12)
1. Lake Santeetlah Dispersed
Croatan National Forest, North Carolina10 Reviews•51 Photos•585 SavesDispersed camping sites available
Dispersed campsites are primitive camping areas that don't have bathrooms or many of the other amenities you will find at developed campgrounds. Dispersed camping is only allowed at designated areas.
For site-specific information, call the local ranger station.
- Pets
- Fires
- Electric Hookups
- Reservable
- Dispersed
- Trash
2. Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites
Robbinsville, North Carolina12 Reviews•41 Photos•535 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Dispersed
- Picnic Table
- Firewood Available
3. Lake Santeelah Dispersed
Robbinsville, North Carolina9 Reviews•37 Photos•230 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Dispersed
- Trash
- Picnic Table
4. FS 289 Pull Off
Hartford, Tennessee2 Reviews•5 Photos•78 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- RVs
- Tents
- Standard (Tent/RV)
5. Calderwood Lake Primitive campground
Croatan National Forest, North Carolina3 Reviews•38 Photos•212 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Dispersed
- Picnic Table
- Alcohol
6. Citico Creek Area
Tallassee, Tennessee6 Reviews•12 Photos•135 SavesView of Citico Creek in Cherokee National Forest This area provides opportunities for solitude and backcountry experiences. You will find ample opportunities for fishing, horseback riding, camping, and hiking. With more than 20,000 acres of Wilderness in Citico Creek and Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock, this area provides ample opportunities for solitude and backcountry experiences. Catch both native and stocked trout in Citico Creek and its rugged tributaries, and fish for small-mouth bass and catfish in the creek’s lower reaches. Citico Creek Area Map Citico Creek Area Guide
- Pets
- Fires
- Reservable
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Toilets
7. Harold Parrish Lower Camp - Backcountry
Croatan National Forest, North Carolina1 Review•12 Photos•21 SavesFor hikers and backpackers, the Joyce Kilmer Slickrock Wilderness presents a variety of recreational hiking opportunities. There is a relatively easy two-mile long Memorial Loop Trail in the Memorial Forest, which annually greets more than 35,000 visitors, or there is a complex of hiking trails that cater to more experienced hikers, such as the 13.3 mile long Slickrock Creek Trail, considered as one of the ten toughest trails in the United States. With a 3,700 foot climb overall and 13 stream crossings, this trail is seldom completely traversed, but used in conjunction with the other trails in the Wilderness to provide excellent backpacking trips.
Other than at trailheads, camping is allowed anywhere within the Wilderness using Leave No Trace principles, but given the steepness of the topography, there are a few relatively heavily used back country camping areas. Many fishermen enter the Wilderness from the north using the Slickrock Creek Trail, Ike Branch Trail or hike down to the creek from Big Fat Gap, camping along the creek. Backpackers use the area at Naked Ground on the southern ridge, and there is an area near the Hangover that offers excellent views, but an unreliable water source. Nichols Cove area has good camping spots with abundant water, and some hikers camp near Wildcat Falls, but long sections of the various trails lack suitable spots for camping.
As a designated Wilderness, there are no trail blazes, just signs at trail junctions, so it is essential that hikers carry maps and compass, and know how to use them. It is not uncommon for very experienced hikers to get “confused” for a while in the creek area due to the multiplicity of real trails, unofficial trails, old logging trails, etc. Along the ridge, the trails are well-defined, but physically demanding.
- Pets
- Fires
- Dispersed
- Alcohol
8. Wesser Bald Fire Tower
Almond, North Carolina2 Reviews•28 Photos•95 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Dispersed
- Alcohol
Showing results 1-10 of 12 campgrounds
Recent Dispersed Reviews in Kodak
48 Reviews of 12 Kodak Campgrounds
- B
Bryson D.
Traveler
Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites
Great site, tricky to find
The sign at the road looks like it was either taken down or blew away. The pin drop doesn’t take you to the turn in on google pr Apple Maps. If you’re coming from Robbinsville it’s on your right after the pin about 1/4 mile. Then at the fork in the gravel road take a right. But all in all it’s a great place. I stayed at 7 in a van. It had level parking and I could walk down to the bank to fish and have a fire.
- AA D.
Scout
Palmers Junction Dispersed Camping - PERMANENTLY CLOSED
CLOSED.
I rode all the way over here from Greeneville to check out the area in order to bring a group of friends camping next weekend.
BUT the entire campground is closed. When I pulled up to the iron gate and saw the sign, it read "CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC DUE TO VANDALISM AND UNAUTHORIZED ACTIVITY"
Tripp A.ScoutPalmers Junction Dispersed Camping - PERMANENTLY CLOSED
Closed to Public
I drove over an hour to get here to find that it is “closed to public for vandalism”. I was very upset by this but obviously nothing I could do. Just wish I knew how to check before driving all the way. But the drive! Woah! So beautiful, I wish there was a way I could find out when it opens back up because I was very much looking forward to camping here.
- JJohn B.Traveler
FS 289 Pull Off
Good location
Another review recommended an off-road vehicle or a jeep to get here. In dry conditions, I got here just fine in an Outback Wilderness, and 5 minutes later a Prius drove up. There’s a bit of trash but I’ve seen worse. Definitely bring bug repellent. The creek is only a few feet away from the campsite.
Courtney R.ScoutMoon Hill Bridge
Moon Hill Bridge
It's a cute cozy spot that is on either side of the road. Every spot has an area for a fire and also your car and tent. The only downside is that sometimes it does get trashy and there are a few people who live here.
JC J.ScoutPalmers Junction Dispersed Camping - PERMANENTLY CLOSED
Pretty sweet
Great location. Not crowded. But could use a cleaning. PortaJons are nasty.
- hhannah P.
GuidePalmers Junction Dispersed Camping - PERMANENTLY CLOSED
Not too shabby for the south
Lots of lil cozy pull offs on an easy gravel road. Lots of longer term people staying it seemed like (or just really full send camping friends lol). Many fire rings and spots by the lake. Unfortunately the other reviews are right - A decent amount of trash. There are trash cans and porta potties. I’ve seen worse porta potties at festivals but there were a few stinky ones.
amanda R.GuideLong Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites
Great site!
This was such a nice quiet campground. We arrived around 8am and got the first campsite we saw. This is the most established dispersed campsite that I’ve stayed at as it has a fire circle, a grill and a picnic table. It’s very quiet and very few cars passed. There’s a walking/hiking trail across the lake where we saw some hikers and some people on horseback. The site was very clean minus a few pieces of trash that we later picked up. The dogs loved it because our site was right on the lake. We drove down the gravel road to check out the other campsites and they all seem great if you’re tent camping! We car camped and our campsite was perfect because it had a parking space right in front of it whereas the other sites had parking spaces across the road. Overall a great place. I can’t wait to go back!
Jim M.GuideFS 289 Pull Off
Great dispersed site in the Pisgah NF
Great Campsite along the Smoky Mountain 1000 Overland route. You need a good off road capable vehicle to access this site but it is very peaceful with a nice stream running by. Tent camping near the jeep or a high clearance overland teardrop should make it back here ok but not recommended for regular RV's.
- AAndrew S.Guide
Paint Creek Corridor
Paint Creek Dispersed Camping
The national forest service website says there are dispersed camping site throughout the corridor; however, I was only able to locate one and luckily it was vacant. There are several spots along the road that may have been for dispersed camping as some point but are now clearly marked with no camping signs. I did enjoy my stay here but I’m a little disappointed in the website saying there were multiple sites … i has to drive almost 4 hours to get there and would have been super disappointed if I arrived to no spots. Also a lot of trash in the area of the site sadly.
- Natalie R.Guide
Lake Santeelah Dispersed
Quiet, nice spaces, and clean!
Such a great find! I was hoping to car camp a little closer to NOC but not in a campground but this is the closest I could find in February. I would definitely stay here again! Very quiet and clean and the sites are very well laid out and maintained! No hook ups of any kind but it’s worth it! Highway Patrol and Park Rangers patrol pretty frequently so I felt really safe as a solo female. I still took all the safety precautions but didn’t feel as necessary as some.
WDRobersonTravelerLake Santeelah Dispersed
Well maintained free camping
We were fortunate to get a site that allowed us to pull the car right into the site for our roof top tent. Not very far to walk to reach the lake and the fishing wasn’t bad at all. Bass and Bluegills. Fairly quiet besides the rice burners heading to Tail of the Dragon. Very good overall.
- Robert W.Traveler
Lake Santeelah Dispersed
Stunning 😍
GPS coordinates got me exactly to where I wanted to go. Lots of twists and turns going up the dragon with beautiful scenery of the trees changing colors in late October. There are a handful of Lots located right along the lake with a beautiful view of the mountains in the distance. My dog absolutely loved how much space she had to roam around and how clear the water was excellent for swimming.
Some of the plots you can only fit one tent others you could fit up to three or four
Amin A.TravelerPalmers Junction Dispersed Camping - PERMANENTLY CLOSED
Better than I expected
So we weren't sure what we would end up finding here. I will say that there are a lot of places to camp, many many many options away from the porta potties. If you get within about 20-30 feet of those they are a bit stinky. The one camp site we chose was a great place, tons of space and well manicured. A lot of options for pull up to your campsite or park and walk to campsite spots.
My only complaints are about the campers that stay there. The litter isn't horrible, but it's not great. It is a leave no trace place. Apparently some people have difficulty with throwing away their trash.
When we stayed last night there was a person that kept peeling out up and down the gravel road (3/4 times) in a diesel truck at 10:00 at night. Not very courteous to all of us at the campground.
And I was awakened at 2:00 a.m. by our camping neighbors when they were playing loud music. Also not cool, thankfully they stopped shortly after
Overall we were very pleased with this campground, beautiful views, it was hard choosing one spot. We will be coming back, and hopefully we won't have loud campers next time.
- TTrevor S.Traveler
Wesser Bald Fire Tower
Great spot, beautiful views
Started out after dark and set up hammocks under the fire tower. Nice hike and good view in the morning
Karli P.TravelerPalmers Junction Dispersed Camping - PERMANENTLY CLOSED
So Much Potential!
We arrived at this dispersed campground at around 7:30 on a Saturday evening in July. It was pretty packed but since we were planning on leaving early the next morning, we took a family’s offer of taking over their spot as they left.
We use a roof top tent so unfortunately we weren’t able to camp at the actual site, instead we set up on an almost level gravel parking area that had a private trail to the actual camp site. There were garbage cans and a port-a-potty set up right there, which is why this site lost some stars. Even though these facilities were provided, people didn’t use the garbages and there was a lot of garbage on the ground, including broken glass that made us worry about our pup’s paws. Also, the port-a-potty was pretty yucky..neither my husband nor I were willing to use it.
Now, I want to reiterate that this is a geographically beautiful spot! Humans just need to take better care of it 💚
Steve K.TravelerLong Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites
Field test truck camping
First site(L1)was open so I took it. I spent two nights there. First time dispersed camping in National Forest and truck camping. Even though I've been camping my whole life, all my equipment was new so it was a learning experience. 😁 Parking was pretty level, but behind my rear wheels it declined toward the lake. The tent pad, picnic table and fire ring was on level ground. It was really quiet during the day, but there were some very loud frogs(?) during the night, enough to wake you up. 2nd night I played music and I slept good. Lol If your GPS says that you have reached your destination, you probably have passed the gravel road. Once on gravel road, veer to the right and you will pass the cemetery on your left, then you'll see kiosk. Sign shows you have to register there at the kiosk. I enjoyed my time there and hopefully can go back again this year. Hope y'all are enjoying the great outdoors. LIV'N!
- CColton F.Scout
Lake Santeelah Dispersed
Great spot
I will say there isn’t a lot of campsites but the ones they have are great. Fishing from the banks is possible and it was relatively clean and quiet. Definitely worth a visit
Ethan B.GuideLong Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites
Nice camping ground but closed
This is a good camping ground especially if you get the one right off the lake. When we arrived the campground was closed for vehicles. So we walk in a took around. Great spots right of the lake. They say it won't open till April. There is a another campsite less than 4 miles up the road you can camp at, but over all good area. Any vehicle can get to location its bumpy bit that's bc its half gravel half dirt. Keeeepp exploring the wilderness must be explored. Ps. Clean up after yourself
- EEvan D.Guide
Lake Santeelah Dispersed
Great free place with amazing views
This camp site is free to use and it is a great little place. The sites are huge like you could probably fit a few different set ups in each site. It’s a little confusing if you get here in the dark while it’s pouring rain but I just took the first right onto the gravel road where the bathrooms are and there is 3 sites down there with greats views of the lake.
Andy K.
Legend
Lake Santeetlah Dispersed
Lakeside site with good view
Nice lakeside side with good lake views. Park next to site. Toilet facility available, site next to marina on north side. Cellphone service with Verizon ok 1or 2 bars.
- Andy K.Legend
Lake Santeetlah Dispersed
Nice sites with good views of the lake
Stayed at the site next to the marina on the North side. Lake sudd access and can park next to the site. Also has a toilet facility. Cell phone service with Verizon was 1 to 2 bars. Sometimes good others not so.
- KarenGuide
Lake Santeelah Dispersed
Nice serene lakeside spots
It's an absolutely beautiful lake in the forest. The trees are turning and the sky is blue. Only drawback is the Pine Ridge Rd dispersed camping is along the roadside. Not really private. You have to walk to your site if you want to set up a tent. No room for a large RV. But the scenery is beautiful. AT&T works just fine!
Tyler T.TravelerLake Santeelah Dispersed
Lake view all around
There are several camps all just off the road. They all get right up to the lake with area for tent and fire pit
RachelTravelerLake Santeelah Dispersed
Solitude
We were the only ones there and it was quiet
Claire K.Guide
Calderwood Lake Primitive campground
I haven’t seen anything like it!
It was beautiful everything about it. We put our boat in at the magazine branch boat dock and only had to canoe maybe 30 minutes to the first camp spot (which on a friday afternoon we were very fortunate to get). Unlike the other camp sites we’ve seen there camp site one doesn’t have any picnic tables, which is the only downside to it. You are right in the little slickrock cover with waterfalls as white noise. unlike the other sites this one is also very flat which is best for walking. if you enjoy hiking campsite one is right on the slickrock trail and if you take it about 1.5 miles you’ll reach wolfcat falls which has a big swimming hole at the bottom. lots of fun! slickrock trial also has about 7 more sites that we pasted on that 1.5 mile hike. lots to do here and absolutely beautiful and for the middle of june an amazing temperature.
Happy Camping!🏕
- CCharlesGuide
Lake Santeelah Dispersed
Fantastic free campsites along the lake!
Beautiful campsites along the lake. Parking spots above near road and then some stairs down to a campfire ring, picnic table, and flat surface for a tent by the lake. We camped in the truck and had no issues with traffic since the sites are on a side-road off the main road.
Address from Google Maps: 1209-473 Pine Ridge Rd, Robbinsville, NC 28771
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Kodak, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Kodak, TN is Lake Santeetlah Dispersed with a 4.8-star rating from 10 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Kodak, TN?
TheDyrt.com has all 12 dispersed camping locations near Kodak, TN, with real photos and reviews from campers.