B
Brigid K.
Traveler
TravelerFlag Rock Recreation Area Campground
Easy to get to, cheap, good bathrooms.
Tent Camping near Limestone, TN
74 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
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National forests and state parks surrounding Limestone, Tennessee offer diverse tent camping options within the Appalachian Mountains, ranging from developed tent campsites with picnic tables and fire rings to remote backcountry sites with no facilities. Big Creek Campground in Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers a dedicated tent-only experience with 12 walk-in sites situated along a creek. Cosby Campground, located about 30 miles from Limestone, features over 100 tent campsites with most available on a first-come, first-served basis. Rocky Fork State Park provides primitive backcountry tent camping with trail access but no developed facilities. For those seeking more seclusion, dispersed tent camping can be found in Cherokee National Forest, where established sites often include basic fire rings.
Tent sites throughout the region vary considerably in terrain and amenities. Most established campgrounds provide level tent pads, picnic tables, and fire rings, while primitive areas require self-sufficiency. At Big Creek, campers must carry gear approximately 100 feet from the parking area to reach the tent sites. Cosby Campground features tent pads positioned on sloped terrain, often accessed by stairs from parking areas. Vault toilets are available at most developed sites, but showers are notably absent from national park campgrounds. Bear activity is common throughout the region, requiring proper food storage in all tent camping areas. The camping season typically runs from mid-April through October, with limited winter access due to park closures and weather conditions.
In early fall, tent campers experience cooler temperatures and fewer crowds at most sites. According to reviews, Cosby Campground "stays fairly quiet so you can really enjoy being in nature," with sites spaced to provide reasonable privacy despite being visible to neighbors. One visitor noted that Big Creek's tent-only designation creates a more peaceful atmosphere than mixed-use campgrounds. The proximity to hiking trails is a significant advantage, with many tent campsites offering direct access to trailheads. Tent campers frequently use these areas as bases for day hikes to waterfalls and mountain summits. Most sites feature dense tree cover, providing ample shade during summer months and opportunities for hammock camping alongside traditional tent setups.
Best Tent Campgrounds near Limestone (74)
1. Hot Springs Campground
"Situated along the beautiful French Broad River."
"Beautiful campground with great campstore right at the entrance that sells everything. Large campsites with great privacy foliage, picnic tables, & fire rings."
2. Bald Mountains
3. USA Raft Adventure Resort
4. Moody Bluff Campground — Warriors' Path State Park
"Quiet neighbors. All around wonderful place to camp"
"updated bathhouses lots of shady sites sits on Patrick Henry Lake - no boat that’s ok rent paddle boats and kayaks at the Marina or just have lunch and watch the ducks on the water!"
5. Round Knob Campground
6. Blackberry Blossom Farm & Campground
"There’s a covered outdoor space for small events, too. For me however, the huge draw is the natural beauty of the place."
"to get away to some quiet (NO traffic noises!) and decompress. Janice and Ed are the kindest, most considerate hosts you could imagine. "
from $24 - $55 / night
Check Availability7. 3 Day Nature Effect in the Smoky Mountains
"I love how close the Appalachian Trail is to this property. This is the perfect place to unplug and relax."
from $39 - $74 / night
Check Availability8. Cosby Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park
"Cosby is a small town about a 45 minute easy drive from Gatlinburg. Heavily wooded, lends itself nicely to hammock camping."
"Most of the sites are better suited to tent campers, though a few of them are designated RV sites offering a back-in parking pad."
from $50 / night
Check Availability9. Rocky Fork State Park Campground
10. Beauty Spot Gap on Unaka Mountain
"Its more of a trail head parking lot. Good tent camping if you hike down the trail"
Drive Time
- 20 min from Johnson City, TN
- 33 min from Kingsport, TN
- 43 min from Morristown, TN
- 1 hr 23 min from Asheville, NC
Recent Tent Camping Photos near Limestone, TN
105 Photos of 74 Limestone Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Sunny Hills Farm & CampG
Bald Mountains
Gnome Hollow at Dixon Hill Farms, LLC
Blackberry Blossom Farm & Campgroundg
Paint Creek CorridorA
Rusty's Roost River Camp
Hot Springs Campground
French Broad River Area
Celtic CampJ
Little Stony Creek Road Dispersed Area
Mila's Bunny Farm
Creekside Stayz Glamping and camping in the Smokiess
Tent Camping Reviews near Limestone, TN
1245 Reviews of 74 Limestone Campgrounds
Windy W.
ScoutDoe River Landing
Beautiful Place, Ugly host, Oct 2026
Let me first start by saying that this campground is absolutely beautiful. I have lived in this area my entire life and the Doe is one of my favorites. I am a avid camper and have camped all over this area. I decided to give this place a try, I own a small pop-up camper and knew it was going to get cold 10/20/2026-10/22/2026, so me and my sister rented the RV at Doe River. #1 check in is not until 3pm, I always order a load of wood from a local guy who delivers to camp sites, I do all my cooking in a Dutch oven over the fire or burgers and dogs in the fire, what is a camping trip without a nice warm fire. The owner came over to my campsite and asked if I had ordered this wood and I replied yes, she then asked what I was going to do with it all, I replied I am going to burn it. So, I told Carl (the wood guy) where to stack it, the owner then said that I need to leave it in my truck bc if I didn't use it all I would have to put it back on my truck and take it home with me, I said really? It's just a unspoken rule that if you don't use all your wood that you pay it forward and leave it for the next camper?? She said absolutely not, So we moved the wood from his truck and into mine. She then asked again why I needed so much wood and that most ppl just buy small bundles from her. And just like that I understood! Carl the wood man and his wife also made a comment about how rude she was about the wood. It does not end there, Not only does she have camaras on some of the out blds which I get, but I don't get why they are pointing directly at camp sites, We felt like we were in a fish bowl the entire time. Every single time we went to the bathroom she showed up abt 5 mins later, There is a camara right above the bathroom door, One on the pavilion, and one on each side of the bathhouse, at the entrances and who know where else. So much for privacy in the great outdoors. I didn't even feel comfortable hiking, we felt like we were being watched constantly. She was constantly there, walking her dog which was not friendly and so big she could hardly control him on the leash which was really scary, she also was driving through several times throughout the day. Then came the kicker, about 1 o'clock in the morning we were freezing, I had turned the heat on in the camper before going to bed and heard it come on, Well the propane ran out between 11pm and 1am, I called her at least 10 times we had every blanket and was still freezing, We decided we would go to the bath house bc it had a mini split hanging on the wall, Out of luck there, it was set on air conditioning with no way to change it, so we found a blow dryer trying to get warm, still the entire time trying to call the owners, We finally ended up in our car until the husband arrived. He acted so annoyed at us and said all u have to do is fip the switch on the propane tanks outside! We had never stayed in a travel trailer before and according to them all we had to do was show up and start glamping!! So, I was supposed to know to go outside at 1 am and switch over propane tanks?? No, It should have been FULL when I got there!!! With attitude he said,"Its Basic Camping" No sir it's not, what I do is basic camping, I was told on the phone that I was glamping, She, the owner also said we should have called 911 when we could not get hold of them so that Carter County police officers could come and wake them up!!! Not sure if that is putting our tax dollars to good use?? Like I said it is truly a beautiful place and has great potential, we left that second night at 11pm because again the heat was not working, we have not asked for any refund we just took the loss. it would be to much of a hassle. We just know better next time. With owners like that they can keep it. Windy Wells/Debra Price
- CCharles K.Scout
Wilson's Riverfront RV Park
Lovely spot on the river. Freeway was loud but not too bad.
Bonnie H.ScoutDoe River Landing
Kylie T & Andrew W. Review not accurate
My husband and I arrived at Doe River Landing for 3 nights and enjoyed everything the resort offered. While there we read the 2 reviews posted by Kylie T, and by Andrew W, who gave the resort a 1 star rating. Not knowing the facts that caused the rating by them, and occurred prior to us, we approach the owner and asked.
The owner showed us videos from their security cameras. These adults has stated in Kylie T review and confirm by Andrew W review that they were a group of 20 adults and "every single one of us is over 21 and family". So why are these adults playing "hide and seek" under the pavilion as they stated? Andrew W stated, "It was not blocked off", yet they had to crawl on the ground and around bushes to get under the pavilion. When the owner yelled at them approximately 10 adults that were under the pavilion crawled out which was captured on the security cameras. Andrew W stated in his review the owner called them hooligans, which is rowdy, destructive persons and from the security cameras, that description is correct. There was no mention of damages in their reviews such as the Adirondack chair they broke or possible damage to the water pipes and electric wires under the pavilion, which the owner was currently checking.
Once we read these two reviews by Kylie T and Andrew W and saw the owners security videos, we felt future customers deserved to know another opinion based on our findings.
These entitled adults justified their review of a 1 star by stating they paid money to use the campground.
I would ask these adults "why do you think it is OK to treat someone else's property in this destructive way?"
- SSherri B.
GuideSpacious Skies Bear Den
Seems to be a well established campground in an off the beaten path location. Roads alternately paved and gravel. The campsite is gravel in a wooded setting. Fair amount of space between sites. The bathhouse is clean but dated.
Kyle T.ScoutDoe River Landing
Unprofessional hosts that ruins a place with good potential
We brought our whole family out and rented almost every cabin on the property, plus the event center, for the weekend— we gave this place a lot of business. And honestly, the stay itself was great— nice place, no complaints about the cabins. The owner is the problem. He came flying in in his blue F-150 doing 20–30 mph where the posted speed limit is 5, and started screaming at us over something that could've been handled with a simple conversation. His exact words:"Where are your parents? This is a family establishment. I will not have hooligans running around here." Every single one of us is over 21 and family. All we were doing was playing hide and seek— which isn't against any of the property's rules— and there were no other guests to disturb, since we had the entire area rented. He still threatened to call the police, even though it wasn't even quiet hours. Before anyone could get a word in, he peeled out so fast the gravel sprayed up at us and our cars. Then on his way out he drove the wrong way down the property's one-way road, so apparently the rules only apply to guests. It's sad, because the property itself is great, and we were never anything but nice to the owners the whole weekend. To be treated in such an unprofessional manner— screamed at, threatened, and never given so much as an apology afterward— put a real dent in the weekend. We won't be back
- AAndrew W.Scout
Doe River Landing
Beautiful place ruined by unprofessional ownership
Our group of about 20 rented nearly every cabin at Doe River Landing for my friend's wedding weekend, with the reception held on site. The cabins were nice and well-equipped, and the only other guests were in a cabin half a mile away through the woods. Unfortunately, the hosts ruined the stay. One night, some of us were playing hide and seek in an area that wasn't blocked off or against any rule. The host's husband came speeding in at roughly 30 mph(the posted limit is 5), jumped out of his truck screaming that he"will not have child hooligans running around the campground," told us to"go back to the motel we crawled out of," and demanded to see our parents— despite all of us being adults in our twenties. He then peeled out so aggressively he sprayed gravel at us and our cars. It wasn't even quiet hours, and we weren't disturbing anyone. Afterward, the host called us again, passive-aggressive, and questioned our ages— even though you have to be 21 just to rent a cabin there. The property is lovely, but the hosts' behavior put a real damper on what should have been a joyful wedding celebration. It's a shame they treat people paying good money this way. We won't be back.
- April V.Guide
Lakeview RV Resort
Nice little campground
Clean nice little campground for the weekend.
Lisa & Patrick R.TravelerBuck Creek
Buck Creek Campground review
Nice spot right on the river..Camp store & staff seem friendly & helpful-especially Sonny & Joshua.
Guide to Limestone
Cherokee National Forest offers multiple dispersed camping options near Limestone, Tennessee at elevations between 1,600-4,600 feet. Sites have varied terrain with some requiring high-clearance vehicles to access primitive areas. Winter camping is possible at lower elevations when higher campgrounds close from November through March.
What to do
Hike the Appalachian Trail: The AT passes near several campgrounds in the region, making tent camping a convenient basecamp for day hikes. At Hot Springs Campground, one camper noted it was "Walking distance to trails and town. Spa with hot spring hot tubs across the street," while another mentioned it was "A bucket list trip to step foot on the APP and spend time wandering Hot Springs NC."
River activities: The Nolichucky River offers paddling opportunities for various skill levels near tent campsites. At USA Raft Adventure Resort, "We whitewater rafted, the guides were excellent and it was an awesome trip. The AT meanders along the River and is easily accessible from the campground." Another visitor mentioned, "Launch your raft or theirs and enjoy the outdoors."
Soak in hot mineral springs: After hiking or paddling, visit the nearby hot springs in Hot Springs, NC. Campers consistently mention this as a highlight: "We have spent many great times at Hot Springs camp grounds! Can play on the French broad river and then take a soak in the hot mineral tubs!" Another reviewer noted, "the hot springs spa was the best. Can't wait for my next visit."
What campers like
Privacy and seclusion: Many campers appreciate finding quieter alternatives to the busier Smoky Mountain campgrounds. At Cosby Campground, "This location is a great choice for anyone who wants to visit GSMNP while avoiding some of the crowds. This campground rarely fills up, allowing for the opportunity to pick your site when you get there." Another visitor confirmed, "Much quieter than the other campgrounds in the park."
Trailhead access: Tent campsites near Limestone often provide direct trail access. A Cosby camper mentioned, "Several wonderful hikes right out of the campground," while another stated, "Trailheads conveniently located inside the campground. Peaceful trails." This direct access eliminates driving to trailheads.
Waterfront sites: Camping along waterways ranks high for tent campers. One review of USA Raft noted, "Great sites right by the river for tents," while another mentioned, "The tents sites along the river were great, once all of the travel trailers loaded up Sunday morning and pulled out it revealed beautiful grounds."
What you should know
Bathroom facilities vary: Toilet facilities differ significantly between established and primitive sites. At Blackberry Blossom Farm & Campground, "The bathhouse is spotless, and the campsites themselves are clear and well-maintained. I found the dishwashing station (with hot water!) to be especially convenient." Meanwhile, at Rocky Fork State Park, facilities are minimal with only "Portable toilet is maintained at the parking lot."
Reservation requirements: While some campgrounds require advance booking, others operate on first-come systems. At Cosby, "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."
Cell service limitations: Many tent campsites near Limestone have limited or no cell coverage, particularly in forest and mountain locations. Some campgrounds like USA Raft offer "a great bar (beer, food, music) by the river with WIFI," but primitive sites typically have no connectivity.
Tips for camping with families
Water features for kids: Creeks and rivers provide natural entertainment for children. At Rocky Fork State Park, "There are connecting trails into Cherokee National Forest as well as excellent trout fishing in streams that are stocked weekly during summer," making it ideal for family fishing activities.
Accessible trails: Some areas offer trails suitable for families with young children. Rocky Fork features "The Fork River Trail offers one of the most picturesque locations in the Blue Ridge and is accessible (with assistance) for some jogging strollers and some wheelchairs."
Educational opportunities: Ranger programs provide learning experiences during summer months. One visitor noted, "The rangers have programs regularly," and at Rocky Fork, "There is an interpretive area where guides offer presentations in the summer."
Tips from RVers
Limited hookup availability: Full-service RV sites are scarce near Limestone. At Hot Springs Campground, one RVer noted, "Only 3 fifty amp full hook up sites. Lots of 30 amp and tent camping. Right on the river," indicating the need to book early for full-hookup sites.
Site leveling challenges: Many campgrounds in this mountainous region have uneven terrain. One camper mentioned, "Nice and quite and right by the river," but others note that leveling equipment is essential on sloped sites throughout the area.
Campground access roads: Some roads leading to tent campsites near Limestone are narrow with tight turns. RVers should research road conditions before arrival, as many forest roads are unpaved and may have clearance issues for larger rigs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent
campsite near Limestone, TN?
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Limestone, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Limestone, TN is Hot Springs Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 29 reviews.
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Limestone, TN?
What is the best site to find tent camping near Limestone, TN?
TheDyrt.com has all 74 tent camping locations near Limestone, TN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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