Looking for the best options for tent camping near Lebanon? You can find tent campsites by type, including drive-in, walk-in, and even hike-in for a backpacking adventure. You're sure to find the perfect tent campsite for your Tennessee camping adventure.
Backcountry Camping- Reservation Required
Long Hunter has 2 primitive campsites for tent camping only, each site has a designated fire ring. Both sites are wooded, offering shade, they are located on the shoreline of J.Percy Priest Lake.
A 6-mile hike is required to reach the sites, beginning at the parking lot, using the Day Loop/Volunteer Trailhead. Backpacking equipment is strongly suggested. There is no running water, electricity, restrooms or heated showers available. Water must be filtered from natural sources or carried in. The campsites are open year-round. Campsite capacity ranges from 8-10 persons. What to Know Before You Go
Reservations are required for ALL backcountry camping.
Your reservation receipt is your permit.
A copy of the camping receipt MUST on your person, during your overnight stay.
A copy of the camping receipt or a piece of paper with the name associated with the reservation MUST be placed in the dash of each vehicle that is to be parked overnight at the trail head.
No hiking on trails after dark. Please allow enough time to reach your destination in daylight.
The last permit issued will be 2-3 hours before sunset
Pet Policy
Leashed pets are allowed on this site.
Not far from Nashville, Laguardo is a great day-trip destination for kids and families. It offers a playground, boat ramp, and sandy beach to keep both the kids and adults entertained. Visitors looking for a little more action will find this area is also ideal for bank fishing.
Laguardo is a popular spot for picnicking, swimming, bank fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and other water sports with a convenient boat ramp located within the facility.
The group picnic shelter holds up to 50 guests and parking may be available for up to 50 vehicles. A restroom facility, family friendly playground, swimming area with sandy beach, and picnic tables located throughout the park are also available.
Old Hickory Lake is a 22,500 acre reservoir created by the Old Hickory Lock and Dam on the Cumberland River. The lake is surrounded by wooded areas and grassy flatlands in addition to 440 miles of scenic shoreline.
Just across the Old Hickory Lake to the North, hikers and cyclist can enjoy the trails at Lock 4 Park. Mountain bikers may also try the Shutes Branch Mountain Biking Trail. In Hendersonville, located at the dam, Archers and bow hunters can sharpen their skills using the Old Hickory Lake Archery Range and trail.
$85 - $120 / night
The park offers thirteen designated backcountry campsites that are accessible only by hiking or horseback. Backcounty sites are primitive, with only a fire ring and horse hitching posts available. All sites except McCoy Hollow have a nearby water source, but campers should boil and treat water before drinking, or plan to carry in drinking water. Campsites are limited to one party up to eight people in size. Pickup a Backcountry map at the Mammoth Cave Campground information kiosk, or the Visitor Information desk. Permit Required - $10 per trip. Reservations through Recreation.gov. Overnight camping is permitted along floodplains and on islands along the Green and Nolin Rivers. Camping in these areas is only accessible by boat. When camping on floodplains, campers must camp at least ½ mile away from Green River Ferry, Houchin Ferry and Dennison Ferry Day Use Area. Know where you are. Riverside camping on private lands outside the park may not be permitted. Sudden rainstorms can cause rapid flooding along riverways and river levels and currents fluctuate dramatically, particularly during winter months. Always check the river level and weather forecast before launching or camping along the rivers. Pickup a Backcountry map at the Mammoth Cave Campground information kiosk, or the Visitor Information desk. Permit Required - $10 per trip. Permits available online, up to a week in advance. Permits are subject to cancelation due to river levels. River levels must remain below 20 feet.
Smith Springs Recreation Area is a lakeside oasis in the hills of middle Tennessee, providing visitors with countless recreational activities on the lake and in the surrounding woods and grasslands.
The lake provides a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities for millions of visitors each year. Because of the temperate climate and relatively long recreation season, visitors have numerous activities to choose from, including fishing, hunting, picnicking, boating, canoeing, hiking, horseback riding and wildlife viewing. Fishing opportunities abound at J. Percy Priest Lake, with a wide variety of species available, including largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie, striped bass, Cherokee bass, and white bass. Other species such as catfish, bluegill, bream and trout provide excellent opportunities for younger anglers. Nearby Anderson Road Fitness Trail is a paved trail winding a little over a mile through the cedar glade area beside the lake.
Smith Springs Recreation Area offers a large group shelter for day use and can accommodate up to 50 guests. There is limited parking suitable only for 12 vehicles.
J. Percy Priest Dam and Lake was one of the first Corps of Engineers lakes to have recreation as part of its justification. The dam, completed in 1968, impounds 42 miles, with 14,200 surface acres of water. In soothing contrast to the sparkling waters of the lake are the adjacent 19,087 acres of grasslands and woodlands. A highlight of the region, the Cedar Glades Natural Area, is home to countless wildlife and plant species, including the Tennessee coneflower.
J. Percy Priest Lake is conveniently located about 10 miles east of downtown Nashville, offering visitors countless cultural activities and the conveniences of a metro area.
$45 / night
Our beautiful setting overlooks the West Fork of the Stones River. With walk-in access to the water, the camp is perfect for exploring a thriving river system (2, 6, and 8 mile floats are easy since take-out points are just up the road a piece or just paddle up and down the river, depending on the rains). The river is wadable most of the year. Smallmouth and seasonal trout make for easy fishing. The river is home to an abundance of birds, turtles, and fur-bearing friends.
The tent is equipped with a queen bed, sheets and blankets, a heater for the colder nights and fans for the warmer ones. We have an additional pop up tent that can accommodate 2 people, however you will need to bring a sleeping bag. We also have space for more pop-up tents, so if you have a bigger group there will be plenty of space to spread out. The tent is off-grid but we provide battery operated lights, a charging power bank and the ability to use electric plugs outside our house if there is a real need.
Two rock beaches on our property are across from a river island! Beyond that is a small creek and 190 acres of vacant land.
In case you run out of Lunchables, we have several methods for camp cooking with fire or our dual-fuel Coleman stove. Keep your refreshments fresh all weekend with our big Coleman cooler.
If you don't feel like cooking, Downtown Nashville (40 minutes) and Murfreesboro (15 minutes) are close for campers needing an escape from nature. Last minute supplies are just minutes away.
We provide board games, outdoor games, kayaks for rent, tubes for rent, fishing gear for rent and other seasonal amenities!
Because the location is very convenient, it also comes with passing cars and the hum of I-840 in the distance mingling harmoniously with the babbling brook. The groundhogs and kingfishers don't seem to mind it too much.
Please let us know if you need an earlier check in or later check out. We will always try to accommodate if we can.
$112 - $160 / night
Lone Branch offers all the amenities visitors need for a peaceful Tennessee getaway. Plenty of trees to provide shade, grassy open areas to run around, grills for barbequing and a boat ramp.
Boating and fishing are generally the main attractions for lake-goers, with anglers often catching black bass, crappie and catfish.
Both group picnic shelters have electric hookups and grills, and each holds up to 50 guests; however, parking may be limited. A boat ramp is also available for use.
Old Hickory Lake is a reservoir in north-central Tennessee created by the Old Hickory Lock and Dam. The lake spans 22,500 acres and receives its primary inflow from the Cumberland River.
Lone Branch is just beyond the Nashville metropolitan area. Head to the "Music City" to tour the Country Music Hall of Fame or explore former President, Andrew Jackson's early 19th century home, The Hermitage-- a National Historic Landmark.
If a customer cancels a group day use facility (shelter) reservation within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date, they will forfeit the total day use fee with no service fee charge.
$50 / night
Old Hickory Beach sits along the lengthy shoreline of Old Hickory Lake. The day-use area is perfect for visitors looking to spend a day on the lake or lounging on the beach. Entertaining is easy with a large group picnic shelter accommodating up to 100 guests and grills for cooking out. Birders can find a mix of waterfowl, wading birds, migratory songbirds and the occasional Blue heron or Snowy egret. Other wildlife in the area includes wild turkey, rabbits and white-tailed deer.
Swimming and sailing are popular activities on the lake, while anglers will find an abundant population of catfish, crappie and bass for exceptional bank and boat fishing. Hikers can explore the 1.1-mile Old Hickory Lake Nature Trail, featuring three loops (the Woodland Loop, Willow Swamp Loop and the Wildlife Loop), covering varying terrain. The trail is located below Old Hickory Dam near the tailwater parking lot.
A sandy swimming beach, a playground for the kids, small shelter near the beach and water, large reserveable shelter, and boat ramps.
Old Hickory Lake is a 22,500 acre reservoir created by the Old Hickory Lock and Dam on the Cumberland River. The lake is named after former president Andrew Jackson, a Tennessee-native nicknamed "Old Hickory" for his tough and aggressive personality.
Take in the nightlife of downtown Nashville if city entertainment beckons or stick with the great outdoors and sit on the fishing piers at Rockland, Sanders Ferry, Shutes Branch, and Bledsoe Creek State Park. The lake is also near the Hermitage, the plantation where U.S. President Andrew Jackson lived in the early 1800s.
If a customer cancels a group day use facility (shelter) reservation within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date, they will forfeit the total day use fee with no service charge.
$75 / night
Nat Caldwell Park is located right off of US-31E/Nashville Pike. This park is an ideal place for a day of picnicking and other outdoor activities.
Nat Caldwell is smaller and not as busy as some of the other parks in the area making it a great place to relax and enjoy your day. It offers a reserveable group picnic shelter, grill, open grassy areas, and shoreline for fishing. It also serves as a great place to launch kayaks and canoes from the shoreline due to the fact is is in the headwaters of Station Camp Creek on Old Hickory Lake. If you need to launch a larger boat, Station Camp Creek is located straight across Nashville Pike just off of Douglas Bend Road.
The group picnic shelter holds up to 50 guests with parking available for approximately 25 vehicles.
Old Hickory Lake is a 22,500 acre reservoir created by the Old Hickory Lock and Dam on the Cumberland River. The lake is named after former president Andrew Jackson, a Tennessee-native nicknamed "Old Hickory" for his tough and aggressive personality. The lake features 440 miles of scenic shoreline, surrounded by wooded flatlands and plenty of access points.
Hikers may be interested in the nearby Lock 4 Park. It offers hiking trails as well as mountain bike trails.
If a customer cancels a group day use facility (shelter) reservation within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date, they will forfeit the total day use fee with no service fee charge.
$50 / night
Legend
A decent campground a short drive outside of Nashville. Most of the space was taking up by RV's but there was a small area for tent camping as well. The tent campsites did have grills which was nice a touch to make dinner. There was a sandlot playground as well which I did not use but would be nice for families camping with children.
Guide
Beautiful state park! Unbelievable waterfalls with many of hiking trails! There is a lot of history in the park! Tent campground was nice and level! Each tent site had a tent pad, lantern pole, fire ring and sturdy table! The bathhouses was clean and warm water! Wood is sold in the near by town or at the park visitor center!
Legend
We are RTT campers and chose this place on a whim as the rest of the local tent camping spots closed on October 1st. We were lucky to find they had space available. However, it should be noted that this is more of an RV campground, the traditional tent sites are right by the gate and not very private. The RV slot we were given backed up to a green space that has grazing deer from time to time. The site did not have a fire ring or a picnic table and was a little far from the bathrooms, but it did have power and water available. That being said the bathrooms were extremely tidy, well heated, and the water pressure in the showers was amazing! The other RV’ers were super friendly and the staff was very helpful in our stay and responsive to our request for availability.
Scout
We tent camped for two consecutive weekends at Cedars of Lebanon. We are local novice campers. The campsites were well maintained with electric and water hookups. The bathhouse at Campground 2 is quite clean and is newer than Campground 1. Both of our stays were in Campground 2 near the bath house. Our first visit was with our dog, second was without. The fire ring in our second stay was weirdly located. Firewood is for sale inside the park and late afternoons the campground host drives thru on a gator like vehicle and offers bundles for sale at $6 each. The place is busy and active but very chill.
We hiked a little on Saturday midday. When I say “hike” I mean we strolled on a trail. Very nice time.
Any critiques by us would be unwarranted. Folks who work there were quite nice. We are very early on the learning curve. That we were able to go and tent camp and have a good time at our age proves that COL is a great place for newer campers to enjoy. We plan to go back a lot.
Guide
This area has around 100 sites, both RV and tent sites both with and without electricity, so you can camp any way you'd like. All of the tent sites here are facing the lake so it feels a little more private. The RV sites are more grouped together (but I don't have an RV so I can't speak for these as much) There is some great hiking in the area and you can find some quiet and restful spots. There is the Lost Springs Trail that is right near the campground if you like hiking and hikes above the nearby Marina and this campground.
Scout
Tent camped for 2 nights. Terrific time in late September. Not too crowded. Camp hosts were very nice. Shower/bath facilities need reconfiguring and updating as the stalls leave you very exposed, water not hot. That said looking to visit once more this autumn.
Traveler
Pretty campground on water. Even though it's a mostly RV type place there are some good tent sites and it's a pretty remote quiet place. Very good bathrooms and showers.
Guide
Nice quiet campground where I highly recommend getting a spot by the water. A bit un-level in most spots for tent camping. Bathroom and showers are a bit old, but it’s cleaned often and the shower water is hot. Not wowed by this place but it’s close and affordable.
GuideAlmost all of their sites have a view of the lake. Tent sites give just enough space for seclusion and everyone sites are on elevated platforms. Plenty of bathhouse access and if you like to paddle the candy is close by too.
GuideWe loved this primitive tent camping spot. All sites were nestled in the woods along the edge of the lake. Each site had a fire ring & tent landing. It was near parking, but all gear had to be carried into the woods. These were not pull in campsites. Shower house was a decent walk. Maybe at 1/4 mile? Water spigots were dotted throughout the woods, but not at every site.
Guide
We went to camp here with our AHG group. We tent camped to complete one of their badges. We camp often and we enjoy it. The place is clean and organized well. The tent sights are elevated slightly which allows a nice “overlook” of the camp ground. Some tent spots were kind of sloped so be mindful of finding a good flat spot. Bath houses were clean and functioning. Good water front locations. We had a great time and recommend for a short stay.
TravelerThe tent sites were really nice. I love how close you are to the water. It also includes two swim areas which is nice. Bathrooms are good in campground standards! The hiking trail is ok. Canoe the Caney is a few minute drive from the campground which is great if you like canoeing. We really enjoyed it!
ScoutPoole knobs was not a terrible place to camp but it appeared to have better sites for RV’s then tents. The tent sites had minimal space to pitch a tent unless you have a single person tent or you pitched the tent on a slope. We only stayed one night because a bad storm came through And a tree fell on our tent ending our trip early. The campground lost power but without expecting or asking for it(because they can not control the weather) they refunded the $$ we spent to stay there.
Traveler
A variety of large sites. From full hooks ups to group tent sites. The trash at the swimming beach was never taken out while we were there, and the dumpsters were all full. The bathrooms were cleaned regularly though, and the views were breathtaking. Dog friendly, but not at the swimming area. Overall it was a great place to go. Out of the way quiet and the lake was beautiful.
Scout
I hate leaving bad reviews, but I have to this time. This campground advertised tent camping and that is clearly not true. Spent 3 nights (mostly because we couldn't go anywhere else) with our tent in a literal runoff ditch. Other sites had tents squished in the trees and there was absolutely no flat spot to even pretend is a tent pad. Also, there was broken glass all over the site and only 1 drinkable water pump (which was right next to the rv dump station pump. Gross). The camp attendants were super nice though and it's close to Nashville. So if you have an rv, great! If you have a tent, I strongly recommend somewhere else.
GuideThis is a pretty decent sized campground with plenty of electric hookups and also has a few tent sites. However there are no primitive, backcountry sites, so skip this one if you are wanting a backcountry experience. But, it is a very nice area with so many old, old hardwood cedars. It smells wonderful. There are also a few trials that take you through most of the park and is relatively easy so they are great for kids too.
RangerLovely park with somewhat unique cedar glades and tons of rare plant life. If you can snag a serious gardener or botanist to visit with you you’re in for a treat. Trails are easy, lots of wildlife, lots of cedars. Lots of horses on site too. And weddings in the lodge all summer. Modern state park setup, clean and well cared for with some extra activities. Tent sites were more private and woody. Cabins seemed popular given what neighbors said. Very nice state park, would return.
TravelerAwesome sites right on the water, we brought our kayaks and were able to launch directly from the campsite. Nice firepits with grill grates attached. Site had pretty good shade. If tent camping,the electric pole is a bit far, so be sure to bring extra long extension cords. Lake is extermely quiet and calm. Campground was nice and quiet. There is a decent swimming beach with sand. Bathhouses with shower are close and pretty clean. Campstore with friendly staff and was well stocked including ice cream. We went over the 4th of July and were able to view fireworks from another campground across the lake.
Traveler
Listen to the warnings in the reviews of this campsite. If you are tenting don’t expect to sleep well. I didn’t listen to the cautions and regretted it all night. We picked this campground because the website said they offered a shuttle service to the DT. When I asked the women at the counter (who were very nice) it appeared they had forgotten the website said that quickly said they weren’t offering it that day (it was a Friday). We were then charged 42 dollars for our tent site, we should have just turned around and got an Air B&B at that point. The showers were nice and the wifi connection was good however.
TravelerWe had a great time at this campground. It was me and my 2 year old son in our pop up camper. The site we had had a nice square picnic table and fire ring. We also had some friends tent camp on our site and there was plenty of space. Our friends that camped in the tent section wished they had picked the RV section since there was no playground by them. We were very close to the playground and bathhouse which was great. There was also a volleyball court full of sand. The site and bathhouse were great the only bad thing IMO is that you have to drive to get almost anywhere. If you are in a motor home and don't tow a car this could be annoying. Also the roads to the hiking are very narrow.
TravelerDespite the fact that we were tent camping, we booked in a premium site, on the water with power and water. The sites are on platforms over the lake bank. We loved this campground! It is very clean. The bathrooms and showers were immaculate as well, despite the fact that the campground is at capacity. Good WiFi signal. Camp store is on site. Marina is a one mile hike, or accessible by car. Sites on the lake have water, electric, fire ring and second water spigot. One downfall is that there is poison oak EVERYWHERE. The boardwalk to the bath house is lined with it. Choose which walkway you use, because the one from the cove can’t be walked without poison oak brushing your feet and legs. Checkout is noon. We had a great stay.
Legend
Ragland Bottoms is such a fun place to camp! The campground is right on Center Hill lake, and the lake is really nice and clean! We stayed on site 10, and had the perfect lake front spot! I know that sites 1-15 are all lakefront sites with electricity and water, and they book up fast, so if you want one of those you need to plan to book well in advance. They have walk in tent sites, as well as lake view electric sites.
There is a playground and sand volleyball court, boat ramp, and a hiking trail. Fishing is allowed in the lake, as well as swimming, kayaking, boating. Really great spot to spend a few days!
ScoutThe campsites are wooden platforms, which is kind of unique. Great if you like camping but aren’t a fan of setting up in dirt/mud with bugs. It’s a pretty steep turn up and into the tent sites, so I wouldn’t advise a lower sitting vehicle. The grill and campfire area was set up kind of awkwardly at our site. It’s sitting far away from everything. That isn’t probably because it’s not a good idea to make a fire on top of a wooden platform, but it still makes things weird if you have a group that wants to sit around the fire together. Overall, we really enjoyed ourselves. It’s an absolutely beautiful park, right on the water. There’s a great restaurant on the marina and and trails for hikers of all levels.
LegendRagland Bottom Campground is a nice place hid-away between Sparta and Smithville, Tn. Luckily The Dyrt has added a “directions” button that gets you there or you might miss it because there is no sign that I saw.
As with all US Army Corps of Engineers areas it has some rules that a little more strict than most state parks.(one is only 2 dogs allowed in day use/campground) The day use area has a fee which is included in you campground fee if your staying for a few days. There is also an annual fee for the day use area that applies to all the Corps sites. (In TN at least)
The retirees at the front gate are friendly and very informative. The couple I spoke to know the area pretty well too because they let me know where several attractions are. This campground is pretty cool in the way the sites are set up. RV’s are at lake edge, there are several walk in tent sites near the lake too. If you have your watercraft along direct put in is possible but it’s rocky. I didn’t walk the shore so I’m not sure how easy the out in would be. There are RV sites up the hill and then a long loop along the hill top where you can park next to your tent site and have a nice view if the area and excellent shade.
Site 48 and 51 would be the least private they are right on the road near the front gate. Site 55 is very private but the farthest from the showerhouse.
Things to do in the area aside from watersports, Burgess Falls State Park. A little busy but worth the visit. If you don’t mind a technical hike Windows Falls Natural Area is part of Burgess excellent hike with some awesome natural features. No dogs in the natural area.
Scout
I stayed here with my husband and two friends and we loved it. We planned to hike at Cummins Falls State Park so the campground was in a great location. Only having to drive a minute was fantastic. The bathhouse was clean and the showers were the nicest I've ever used. Single walk in showers with plenty of room. Only slight negative is at the tent campground, many of the sites were very close together. The weekend we stayed they were fully booked and we had site 31. Once everyone got in, it was a little noisy but nothing horrible. The campground is very nice though and would definitely stay again.
Traveler
The nicest tent site we have ever camped on. Sits on a peninsula with the Cumberland River on one side and a small cove on the other. Great for fishing for those who can catch fish (no luck for me). Campground was well maintained. Bath and shower facilities were clean. We would have given it 5 Stars had it not been for these god awful sounds outside of the tent waking us up at 2:00AM every morning (no fault of the campground). I asked the host Cheryl (great host) what made the sounds and she said it was frogs. I've been camping, fishing and frog gigging for over 50 years, and have never heard any frogs that sound like these. All in all, it was a GREAT campground! In fact, We liked it so much we we booked it again in June and July. We're hoping our new froggie friends that kept waking us up will be gone. If not, we're bringing ear plugs!
GuideRock Island has some great spots. There's a few waterfalls, a swimming area, and some picnic areas. However, the camping is just ok, especially the tent camping. It's small, right off the road and not super close to the trails. The RV camping parts looked a little better when I drove by. There's a pavilion, a better bathhouse, and it just looked nicer. I'm all for rustic camping, but it felt like it was trying to be a better campground.
Anyways, Rock Island has a few hiking trails and a pretty awesome swimming hole beneath Twin Falls. I hiked the Blue Hole trial, which basically descends to the river via a waterfall. It's pretty difficult and you are ensured to get wet feet, but it's great!
In my opinion, there are better places to camp in the area and I would just make a day trip here to see some of the waterfalls and the huge dam that creates Center Hill Lake.
Tent camping near Lebanon, Tennessee offers a variety of scenic spots where nature lovers can unwind and enjoy the great outdoors. With options ranging from lakeside sites to well-maintained parks, there’s something for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Lebanon, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Lebanon, TN is Long Hunter State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 7 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Lebanon, TN?
TheDyrt.com has all 21 tent camping locations near Lebanon, TN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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