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R&D Campground in Mountain City offers tent sites with water and electric hookups for pet owners looking to camp with their dogs. The campground provides direct access to Doe Mountain trails where pets can explore alongside their owners. Pets are welcome at full-hookup RV sites as well as primitive camping areas along the cascading creek. Mountain City Campground, operated by the city visitors center, also accommodates pets at its affordable campsites with 30 amp and 50 amp service. Both campgrounds maintain clean facilities with R&D featuring what campers describe as the cleanest bathrooms seen at a campground. Backbone Rock Recreation Area Pavilions and Campground near Damascus is another pet-friendly option with large campsites offering ample privacy along Beaver Dam Creek. Camping photos and user guides for Mountain City, Tennessee are available on The Dyrt.
Several miles of dog-friendly hiking trails surround the Mountain City camping areas with access directly from some campgrounds. The creek at R&D Campground provides a peaceful natural soundtrack with running water sounds that create a relaxing atmosphere for campers and their pets. Doe Mountain has a fire tower that makes for a worthwhile hike with dogs, though campers should be aware of ATV traffic on multi-use trails. Pet owners appreciate that riders are typically respectful and give plenty of room while hiking with dogs. For longer stays, monthly rates are available at some locations, with Mountain City Campground offering $300/month for full hookups. The area remains relatively undiscovered with most residents unaware of the campground's existence, making it ideal for those seeking a quieter experience with their pets.
"It offers RV, drive in and hike in tent sites and also teepee camping."
"There is a place to wash dishes outside as well. Fantastic walking trails - some parts quite steep but we got a good workout through the woods on the property."
from $25 - $136 / night
Check Availability"Please respect the distance advice and don't feed them. We witnessed a lady attempting to pet the stallion of the herd, not respecting his signs to make her back off."
"I was car camping with my cat and found a great flat area to park at site #9. Hiking was very close by and the wild ponies were so cool! Camp hosts offered ice and firewood."
from $27 - $98 / night
Check Availability"This campground is located about an hour or so from our home but it feels like a million miles away — in a good way!"
"**Holston Lake is absolutely beautiful. The campground is deep in the national forest, out on a series of peninsulas, making all the campsites quite close to the water."
from $10 / night
Check Availability"Some RV sites are on the edge of the road. Clean restrooms and showers. Great hiking trails nearby beginning in the campground. Dog friendly. If you have a National park pass you get a discount."
"This campground is on a beautiful lake. There is no swimming on the lake(its pretty shallow) but awesome for kayaking and paddleboarding."
from $30 / night
Check Availability"Campground Review: R&D Campground in Mountain City, TN is located in the far north east corner of the state almost directly in between Boone, NC and Demascus, VA."
"There is access to the Doe Mountain trails directly from the campground, they are multi-use with ATVs and dirt bikes using them but the riders were respectful and gave my dog and I plenty of room while"
"Stayed in Campsite #1 Even though it is within view of the road, the running water sound of the creek behind us lulled us to sleep."
"Beaver Dam Creek runs behind the campsite and is absolutely gorgeous with clear water, fish, and beautiful rhododendrons and trees that keep the area shaded."
from $10 - $20 / night
Check Availability"I camped here over the weekend with a friend and our dogs. We were in campsite 62. Our loop was very private and shaded. The only negative point was the street light right across from us."
"It is located in Roan Mountain Tennessee. The campground has clean bathhouses with hot showers."
"Check-in was easy at the office at the entrance of the campground."
"The campground is tucked away outside of Boone, but not so far that if you really need something you cant get it."
"I enjoyed the drive out to this site, it is far enough off of the beaten path but still close to town. The site is a very easy drive to Boone and Tweetsie Railroad."
"The only down side is that the tent sites are road side…so when the campers pull in and out you hear them hitting the gas."
"It’s a short walk to the bath house, which was well maintained. The dog walking area was spacious and also very clean. They also have a washer and dryer on site for laundry."
"When I checked in, the host was very nice, and when I returned later to look at the camp store, another host was behind the desk, and he was friendly. "
from $31 - $63 / night
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ScoutNobody was here on Sat. Had gard time finding site. Site reserved did not have 30 amp and could not reach staff. Moved to other site hoping it would not be a problem. We were able to finally reach staff on Mon. Also no pcknick tables or fire rings.
ScoutNice camp and staff friendly. We drive the Blue Ridge Pkwy which was a bit of drive but the ride up to Mt Mitchell was beautiful. Only negative was the laundry rooms were small for a large camp like this but I made it work. Probably a bit more challenging during busy season but all that said this is a nice campground
ScoutGreat camping spot! Road isn’t horrible going up but there are some rougher areas toward the end of the road. Gorgeous sunset and sunrise spot! Fire rings seemed fairly abundant at the pull offs.
TravelerAbsolutely one of the most beautiful campgrounds that we have visited, and super clean. Such a great location for hiking and viewing the Blue Ridge Pkwy!
ScoutLet 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
Traveler3 stars only because it says water hookups but they are far and few between communal. No spigot at individual sites. Need long hose(s)to reach the connection. Good T-Mobile 5G but too wooded for StarLink. Quiet, shady, somewhat level sites were available. $20/night.
TravelerThe road was very bumpy but I got up on my 2WD Honda Odyssey. A couple people came during the day to take photos, but the night was peaceful. A couple campsites on the drive up, less secluded though. View was gorgeous and the sunset was amazing. Amazing spot for stargazing.
ScoutMy 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?"
GuideSeems 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.
Mountain City sits at an elevation of 2,418 feet in the scenic Appalachian Mountains of northeastern Tennessee. The area experiences mild summers with temperatures averaging 10-15 degrees cooler than surrounding lowlands, making it a popular destination for dog owners seeking comfortable camping conditions during hot months. The region's mixed hardwood forests create natural shade for campsites throughout the summer.
Hike to fire towers: Access Doe Mountain trails directly from R&D Campground for rewarding summit views. "Doe Mountain has a great fire tower that is well worth the hike and the trail to it is close to camp," notes Lynn G., who recommends being mindful of shared trails.
Wade in mountain creeks: Natural swimming spots are plentiful in the cool mountain waters. At Backbone Rock Recreation Area, "There are stairs from the campsite down to the creek so I took a cold plunge and swam around in the creek before we packed up camp," shares Emerald M., highlighting the accessible water features.
Fly fishing expeditions: The nearby streams offer excellent trout fishing opportunities. Tracy D. from Roan Mountain State Park reports success: "Doe River runs through so fly fishing is available. Husband did catch a rainbow trout near group tent sites. Several small brookies near the history center."
Natural soundscapes: The rushing water of mountain streams creates peaceful background noise at many campsites. Scott D. from Blue Bear Mountain Camp described his stay as a "Welcome respite" and noted that after "a string of rough camps and brutal temps this mountain spot was so welcome."
Clean facilities: Bathhouses in the Mountain City area are consistently well-maintained. Mandy R. shares that Blue Bear Mountain Camp has "by far the cleanest bathhouse I have ever seen. They show great attention to this campground and make sure all their campers are happy."
Temperature relief: The higher elevation provides natural air conditioning during summer months. Joe B. from Boone KOA noted, "Temperature was very comfortable, didn't need the A/C in June!"—a significant advantage for camping with heat-sensitive pets.
Limited cell coverage: Many campgrounds in the area have spotty service. Nathan F. at Little Oak Campground reports, "Note the Verizon cell service is spotty at best, but sometimes this is welcomed."
Seasonal operation: Most campgrounds in the region operate April through October. According to Hank M., "Most sites have a view of South Holston Lake and trail access to the water. Shower house were clean. All sites are primitive."
Road access considerations: Mountain roads can be challenging for larger vehicles. Kristen J. from Blue Bear Mountain Camp warned, "The state maintained gravel road used to access campground was narrow and would be difficult to get a large camper up there, although there were lots of large ones there."
Creek exploration: Children enjoy playing in the shallow creek waters. "The creek at R&D Campground provides a perfect natural playground for kids," with Sadie S. noting, "There is access to the Doe Mountain trails directly from the campground, they are multi-use with ATVs and dirt bikes using them but the riders were respectful and gave my dog and I plenty of room while hiking."
Space between campsites: Look for locations with room for kids to play safely. Sabrina M. says Backbone Rock "sits on a small creek that runs behind most of the sites. It's perfect for small children to swim and play in! The sites are all gracious in size, with plenty of trees in between."
Family-friendly activities: Many campgrounds offer organized events. Rebekah G. shares, "We have small children and enjoyed that this was a quiet site that felt very safe," referring to the Backbone Rock area.
Site leveling requirements: Be prepared with leveling blocks for sloped sites. Leo S. at Flintlock Campground recommends their "Level parking, reliable wifi, friendly hosts and community, dog friendly" setup, mentioning a two-week comfortable stay.
Hookup availability: Water and electric connections are available at select sites. debe K. notes that R&D Campground "now has added sewer to more sites. Has tent sites with water and electric (30&50) too!"
Dump station access: Plan ahead for waste disposal. Susan B. shares that R&D Campground has "the cleanest bathrooms ever seen in a campground. If you like a chill campground that's off the beaten path, this is it!"
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Mountain City, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Mountain City, TN is Blue Bear Mountain Camp with a 4.8-star rating from 27 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Mountain City, TN?
TheDyrt.com has all 204 dog-friendly camping locations near Mountain City, TN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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