A
Alisha K.
Traveler
TravelerRiley Creek
Great views
Gorgeous views of the lake, convenient hiking trail on property for our pups, sandy beach.
Best Campgrounds near Lenoir City, TN
Lenoir City, Tennessee serves as a gateway to diverse camping experiences along the Tennessee River and its reservoirs. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) manages several campgrounds in the area, including Melton Hill Dam Campground, which offers year-round camping with full hookup sites for RVs and tent camping areas. Yarberry Campground, situated on a peninsula with lake views from nearly every site, provides both RV and tent options with excellent water access. The Crosseyed Cricket and Soaring Eagle campgrounds round out the local options, all within a short drive of town. These established campgrounds primarily cater to RV campers seeking amenities like electric hookups, water, and sewer connections, though tent campers will find designated areas at most facilities.
Reservations are essential during summer months when waterfront sites fill quickly, particularly at Yarberry Campground where the gated entrance requires access codes for late arrivals. Most campgrounds in the area operate year-round, though services may be limited in winter. Cell service is generally reliable near Lenoir City proper but can be spotty at more remote water access points. According to one camper at Melton Hill Dam, "We really enjoyed Milton Hill dam, very friendly people, well stocked store, easy access to swimming and fishing and full hook up sites if you want them." The proximity to Knoxville, approximately 30 minutes away, makes these campgrounds convenient weekend destinations for city residents seeking outdoor recreation.
Water recreation dominates the camping experience in this region, with swimming areas, boat launches, and fishing opportunities available at most campgrounds. Yarberry Campground receives particularly high marks for its sandy beach, boat slips, and equipment rentals. As one visitor noted, "All the sites have good spacing and are extremely well maintained. The entire campground is immaculate." Sites at TVA campgrounds typically include fire rings, picnic tables, and access to bathhouses with showers. For those seeking more rustic experiences, Frozen Head State Park lies about an hour northwest, offering primitive camping with access to hiking trails in the Cumberland Mountains. Wildlife viewing opportunities include deer, turkey, and occasionally black bears, particularly in the more mountainous areas surrounding the Tennessee Valley.
Best Camping Sites Near Lenoir City, Tennessee (362)
1. Melton Hill Dam Campground — Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
29 ReviewsLenoir City, TN4 milesWebsite+1 (865) 361-0436$18 - $31 / night
"We really enjoyed Milton Hill dam, very friendly people , well stocked store, easy access to swimming and fishing and full hook up sites if you want them."
"We made a last minute trip to Melton Hill that was very conveniently located just outside of Knoxville. The campsite offers several options for camping along the water or in the woods."
2. Yarberry Campground
15 ReviewsLenoir City, TN5 milesWebsite+1 (865) 986-3993"We were in site 48, it’s at the top of the campground, and like pretty much all sites in the campground, has lake views. We even had a fireworks show going on one night across the lake."
"Yarberry Campground is a gated lakefront campground and day use area located on Tellico Lake, not far from the Fort Loudon Dam."
3. Soaring Eagle Campground
10 ReviewsKingston, TN6 milesWebsite+1 (865) 376-9017"We were in a pop-up camper and had a lakefront site, which was awesome, except for the highway noise."
"The primitive tent sites are amazing, I didn’t give it 5 stars only because you can hear a little bit of road noise, as the campground is near the interstate."
4. The Crosseyed Cricket
6 ReviewsLenoir City, TN4 milesWebsite+1 (865) 986-5435"It's a great way to stay active and enjoy the outdoors, especially in beautiful locations like The Crosseyed Cricket Campground in Tennessee."
5. Cades Cove Campground
98 ReviewsTownsend, TN32 milesWebsite+1 (865) 448-4103$30 / night
"You can easily bike through the loop, or drive. Nice spot to see wildlife as well. Cades Cove is well known for spotting bears, deer and turkey."
"We camped in the middle of a hot sticky Tennessee summer and felt just fine in all of the shade."
6. Frozen Head State Park Campground
32 ReviewsPetros, TN24 milesWebsite+1 (423) 346-3318"The campground is in close proximity to many of the trailheads. There is a nice bathhouse, but all the sites are rustic (non electric)."
"It may be the loveliest campground in Tennessee. There’s only 20 spots, and they all seem to be shady and have trees between neighbors."
7. Lotterdale Cove Campground
6 ReviewsGreenback, TN11 milesWebsite+1 (865) 776-0720$26 - $48 / night
"Would have been nice to have, but the view being right next to the lake made up for it four-fold. "
"Great family location with dry camping for tents, travel trailors and places for RVs. Some are on the Tellico Lake Reservoir. Many of the sites are occupied by seasonal residents."
8. Poland Creek
5 ReviewsLouisville, TN10 milesWebsite"This campsite is perfect for anyone looking to get away from it all for a bit. With gorgeous lake views and a selection of sites that is impressive you will love it here!"
"The location wasn't far from Louisville which made it a great escape from the city yet close enough to get back easily."
9. Sweetwater KOA
14 ReviewsMadisonville, TN19 milesWebsite+1 (865) 213-3900"For amenities there is a bouncy blob (dry), small pond with fountain and memorial bench, large playground for the kids, volleyball, basketball, I’m not sure what the game is next to the blob."
"Very nice area, close to a historic area and site seeing underground lake."
10. Southlake RV Park
14 ReviewsRockford, TN19 milesWebsite+1 (865) 573-1837$28 - $38 / night
"The tent sights are located right on a great fishing cove on Fort Loudon reserve. We booked tent site 7 but when we got there someone was fishing off the point where our campsite was supposed to be."
"Our site us overlooking the lake and the view is beautiful. Close to downtown and the mountains. Only downfall is very spotty wifi in some areas."
Recent Camping Photos near Lenoir City, TN
596 Photos of 362 Lenoir City Campgrounds
Lori H.
Melton Hill Dam Campground — Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Lori H.
Yarberry Campground
Lori H.
Soaring Eagle Campground
Kelly R.
Windrock Campground
Laura H.
Sweetwater KOA
Lori H.
Southlake RV Park
Mary D.
Notchy Creek Campground
Lenore O.
Camp Birdsong
Shel F.
Fox Den Meadow
Sarah E.
Frozen Head State Park Campground
Paul R.
Volunteer Park Family Campground
Mary D.
Abrams Creek Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Recent Reviews near Lenoir City, TN
1802 Reviews of 362 Lenoir City Campgrounds
- HHope H.
GuideCades Cove Group Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Scenic Campground
Beautiful drive to get to this place once you get through the traffic jam of Sevierville. Enjoy the scenic and winding river road! dOnly loop C is open in the off season. Generators are allowed at this time of year, but must be off by 8pm.
The women's restroom was revoltingly smelly (some animal had sprayed in there, smelled like male cat x100). The sites have nice new pads (not perfectly level though) and the tent pads are spacious and flat.
Cade's Cove loop was definitely worth taking, and I would do it again and stop at every stop. Take your time, take the pull outs and let the people pass you. Make sure to get a parking pass and a brochure explaining the sites along the loop at the beginning of the drive. I saw many turkeys showing off their fan tails. And a large black bear chowing down on the sweet, fattening, tender spring grass. Also there were quite a few deer out. The scenery was magnificent!
- Nick M.Traveler
USFS - Campsite J11 - Joyce Kilmer Road
Great Spot next to a running stream
Came to camp at a different campsite, but it was already taken. The first couple of designated spots are excellent with lakeside views. We chose this spot as it was the next available spot. It’s comfortable and allows you to enjoy the tranquility of a running stream.
Sami G.TravelerLong Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites
Gorgeous Views on the Lake
The campground was easy to find & it’s just close enough to town if you need to make a store run. There is lush forest with incredible views. plus, our site has lake access. The wildlife life is thriving and we could hear barred owls hooting at dusk. Perfect area for fishing. We are happy to have found this little gem!
- EEileen D.Guide
Dandridge Point RV Resort On The Lake
Not good for overnighters
Nice park for seasonal and full-timers, but not for overnighters. There are a lot of spacious sites, but the overnight space (#32), was narrow and between a large class A and a large 5th wheel. The ground drops off steeply behind the parking pad. Water connection is in a hole. I had to get down on the ground to hook up the water, and I had to remove the pressure regulator for the hookup to fit. No grass or space on either side, we were not even able to put chairs out. The RVs on both sides of us were unoccupied, but a man was doing something outside our place at midnight. Very long walk to the lake, and no view
Will P.GuideLost Creek - Cherokee NF
Beautiful and remote
Very nice campground. So hard to believe it is free!! All sites clearly marked. Trash bins and vault toilet 🚻
The road in was twisty, and some spots had ruts. I came through when the road in was not muddy. A 2 wheel drive with decent clearance will be fine. Even a Jeep can make it in. ;) I was close enough to the stream that I could hear it babbling all night long. It was wonderful. Some spots were right on the water, but they were taken. Saw mostly car/truck camping with tents. There was one van camper and also two enclosed trailers (trailers were than 18 ft in length). I could easily see this place filling up.
- Sami G.Traveler
Simple Life Mountain Retreat & Campground
Seeking Solace After Tail of The Dragon
As we are not locals to the Smokey Mountain Area, we found ourselves on what we NOW know is The Tail of the Dragon… a high speed, seemingly endless curvy beast of a road with sports cars and motorcycles. We thankfully stumbled upon Simple Life Camping and Cabins. Alan greeted us right away and was able to fit us in last minute and accommodated our 21ft motorhome before dusk. He is basically a walking directory for the area and has all of the amenities. Highly recommend taking a different route than HW 129 if you are wanting to cruise or if you have a large vehicle/motorhome.
Great place to camp & find solace!
- ZZach D.Traveler
Lake Santeelah Dispersed
Lake access
Very nice lake sites on the lake. Close to the road so can be a little noisy. There are also only three sites that will fit a vehicle based camper. Most are park and walk down a hill (less than 100 ft) to a tent pad
Andrew W.TravelerLost Creek - Cherokee NF
Well-maintained campground ina quiet area
A very well-kept campground given how off the beaten path it is. Most sites had tent pads and a concrete picnic table and were very clean. The garbage bins had been emptied so weren't overfowing. The bathroom was as clean as an outhouse-style bathroom can be (there was even toilet paper!). The drive to the site is unpaved for the 5.5 miles from the road, but is taken care of and passable without 4wd. There are 5 sites that are adjacent to the creek, whereas the rest are inside the traffic loop, with a few abutting the hillside. The sites are spaced fairly well apart from each other so you don't feel that you are all on top of each other. I camped on a Monday-Wednesday in mid-March, so I can't speak for what it's like on a weekend during peak season, but there were four other campers along with me, and everyone was very quiet, which I appreciated (except for the guy with the barking dog - you know who you are) (okay, only half joking about the dog - it did bark a lot, but it wasn't exceptionally annoying).
Guide to Lenoir City
Camping near Lenoir City, Tennessee encompasses more than just the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) sites. The region sits at approximately 820 feet elevation where the Tennessee River meets the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Winter camping remains viable at many locations with temperatures rarely dropping below 25°F, though several primitive sites close seasonally from November to March.
What to do
Fishing from shore access points: Melton Hill Dam Campground provides multiple fishing spots along the reservoir. "Short stay, hoping to return. We arrived at nearly dark but the site manager was super helpful, even allowing us to swap sites to one that accommodated our hookups better," notes Sara M., who appreciated the terraced lakefront sites.
Biking the nearby trails: Located about 30 miles from Lenoir City, Cades Cove Campground offers special biking days. "On certain days they close off the loop of Cades Cove for bicycles to be able to ride. At the store near the campground they rent bikes for a reasonable rate," explains Jeremy H.
Kayaking protected coves: Tent campers at Southlake RV Park can launch directly from their sites. "You can see in my pics how close you are to the water, you could easily launch a kayak, swim, fish, etc. and the frogs and crickets sing so loud at night," writes Lori H., noting the prime waterfront tent areas.
What campers like
Privacy between sites: Yarberry Campground receives high marks for spacious layouts. "All the sites have good spacing and are extremely well maintained," says Lori H. Another camper, Shawn, notes, "Even the non-lake site spots have lake views. Lots of nice amenities, but still rustic."
Clean facilities year-round: The bathhouses at many Lenoir City area campgrounds remain open throughout winter. "The bathhouse we went to is clean and warm. All hosts are very nice and friendly," reports Regina R. from Yarberry Campground, who extended their stay from one week to ten days.
Easy Interstate access: For travelers passing through, Sweetwater KOA provides convenient overnight sites. "We stayed for the night in 28ft travel trailer without unhooking on a wonderfully level site," notes ShelleyCooksey, who appreciated the direct access from I-75.
What you should know
Noise considerations: Highway proximity affects some campgrounds. At Soaring Eagle Campground, one camper observed, "We were very close to I-40 and the road noise was extremely loud... all day and all night. I probably wouldn't stay again only because of the road noise."
Reservation timing: Summer holidays fill quickly at most waterfront sites. "I highly recommend booking your spots very early, as it can be difficult to get a spot during the warmer months," advises a Yarberry camper.
Cell service variation: Signal strength varies significantly across the region. One camper at Southlake RV Park reported, "Cell Data signal isn't great here. I have a dual LTE router that I was only getting ATT 3G signal with normal antennas but once I connected the exterior antenna I had been waiting to install I got 4 bars ATT LTE."
Tent-specific areas: Soaring Eagle Campground has dedicated primitive tent sites. "We took our rooftop tent and had a perfect corner spot next to the creek. Plenty of room on each site for tent camping," says Lori H., though noting "the bath house is pretty far away."
Tips for camping with families
Water recreation options: Yarberry offers multiple water entry points. "The swimming area is in a great spot with a sandy beach. There are also other areas around the campground where you could enter the water with floats, kayaks, paddle boards, etc. They also rent all of those things," explains a camper.
Kid-friendly amenities: "Plenty for the kids to do - arcade room, jump pad, and playgrounds," notes Jovee S. about Sweetwater KOA, adding that organized activities often occur on weekends.
Nature education opportunities: Frozen Head State Park Campground provides wilderness experiences about an hour from Lenoir City. "My daughter (9 yrs) brought her bike and was able to ride all around the camp site & have a blast. I even had time to get in a hike up to Castle Rocks," reports Liz A., who stayed at a primitive site.
Tips from RVers
Site leveling requirements: At Melton Hill Dam Campground, "The parking area is an asphalt slab and many have a slant to them and will require leveling. The picnic tables and grills for our area were up a set of stairs above the RV," notes Sara M.
Dual sewer connections: Multiple campgrounds feature specialized RV hookups. At Sweetwater KOA, "Most sites have dual sewer connects, makes it easier," according to Gary G., who found the campground good for overnight stays.
Gate access codes: "Note - it is a gated campground, so be sure to get the code if you are arriving late," warns a camper about Yarberry Campground, emphasizing the importance of checking in procedures before arrival.
Frequently Asked Questions
What campgrounds are available in Lenoir City, TN?
What campgrounds are available in Lenoir City, TN?
Lenoir City and its surrounding area offer several camping options for outdoor enthusiasts. Yarberry Campground provides both tent and RV sites with amenities suitable for family camping. Another popular option near Lenoir City is Melton Hill Dam Campground, which offers full hookup sites, easy access to swimming and fishing, and a well-stocked store. Additional options in the wider area include Soaring Eagle Campground and Lotterdale Cove Campground, both offering various access options and amenities for campers looking to explore this beautiful part of Tennessee.
Can I rent an RV in Lenoir City, Tennessee?
Can I rent an RV in Lenoir City, Tennessee?
While specific RV rental services in Lenoir City aren't mentioned in the review data, the area's proximity to popular camping destinations suggests RV rentals may be available. The presence of RV-friendly campgrounds like Anchor Down RV Resort (just outside Sevierville and near Pigeon Forge) indicates a strong RV culture in the broader region. Many visitors to East Tennessee opt to rent RVs from larger nearby cities like Knoxville, where rental agencies are more common. If you're planning an RV trip to the area, consider checking rental availability in advance, especially during peak camping seasons.
Where is Crosseyed Cricket Campground located in Lenoir City?
Where is Crosseyed Cricket Campground located in Lenoir City?
Crosseyed Cricket Campground is not found in the available review data for Lenoir City. For camping options actually in the Lenoir City area, consider Soaring Eagle Campground, which offers amenities like water and toilet facilities with boat-in and drive-in access. Alternatively, Lotterdale Cove Campground near Greenback is another option not far from Lenoir City. It's always recommended to call ahead to verify location details and availability before planning your trip.
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