The Dyrt is here to help plan your best camping near Johnson City. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Johnson City is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Get the dirt on all the best camping near Johnson City. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.
"We had a change of plans and made reservations at Warrior Path State Park on a whim - and are VERY glad we did."
"This beautiful 970 acre Tennessee State Park is located on the shores of the 900 acre Patrick Henry Reservoir on the Holston River in Sullivan County."
$14 - $54 / night
"It is located in Roan Mountain Tennessee. The campground has clean bathhouses with hot showers."
"Fire pits you had to walk up to but were away from tents, which I liked. Bathhouse was clean, well lit, pretty warm showers. Campground was very clean and has a lot of amenities."
$14 - $32 / night
"Large swimming pool, TONS of historical events around, hiking & river walks. Super clean and new bath houses as well. Honors Tennessee state discounts. If possible make reservations online."
"The drive in follows the TN “Sunnyside Early Country Trail” through picturesque farmland with mountains in the near distance. Do your shopping before arrival, there’s nothing close to the park."
$12 / night
"Situated on a peninsula, Cardens Bluff has great views and access to the lake for the outer campsites."
"Booked site 13 online for the last weekend before the season ended in October 2021, but the hosts caught us at check-in and moved us to site 32, which was right next to the water."
"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!"
"Perfect distance to Johnson City. We had a beer at Yee Haw and even brought back tasty Mediterranean dinner from Red Meze to the camp site. Do yourself a favor and book a night here."
"Me and my wife were looking to get away from theater apartment for a couple of days during a remodel. Well we didn't Wana travel to mountains to camp."
$12 / night
"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."
$20 - $50 / night
"There isn’t too much of any one activity in/near the campground but lots more in the greater area. Cons: just plan to drive to another area if you’re staying for a few days (not really a con though)."
"There are so many great hiking trails here, plus some rock climbing/bouldering."
"Nolichucky Gorge is right next to USA Raft, same road, same entrance to the left. Veteran owned and well maintained. The staff is friendly and professional. River view sites, other sites and cabins."
"This is a great spot located right next to USA Raft. There are a handful of tent only riverside camping spots with RV sites set back from the river."
Scout-absolutely gorgeous campsite #6! -creek running through the culvert under our driveway. Concrete picnic table, rocky terrain, a legit fire ring with two grill options, and a nice packed tent pad
-didn’t get lucky tonight as far as neighbors go, super loud and annoying groups at two of the sites nearby. One group in particular drove up at 10:30pm, it was a couple with, what sounded like, at least 3 little kids. They lit their smoky fire at 11:30pm and were jacked up on candy or something. The kids were so rowdy and disrespectful and kept the whole campgrounds up by YELLING non stop until 1AM. At one point they were all so loud that I yelled across the campground “SHUT THE F*CK UP! PLEASE STOP YELLING!! BE COOL!!” And their sassy kid said back, “We’re just talking!” But I swear, there were pterodactyl childish screams again and again, kids yelling at each other, mom yelling at the kids, at least the dad would calmly tell the kids to settle down, butt whippins, mom yelling “Shut Up!” at the kids, they were seriously the worst neighbors I’ve ever encountered while camping. Finally going to sleep now 1:09am
GuideAlmost two weeks at this great campground at a power/water only site right by the creek. Level parking, reliable wifi, friendly hosts and community, dog friendly. The bathhouse and laundry are older structures but very clean and everything worked. I will be back!
ScoutDark Ridge Hideout has been one of our best camping experiences. The campground is absolutely beautiful and provides a serene mountain experience. Curtis is the most gracious of hosts and is genuinely dedicated to providing a relaxing and enjoyable experience. We plan to make this one of our regular summer stops.
RangerBeautiful piece of property and close to town. We camped on the river and looks like the are making some improvements to the property. Drawbacks are the sites were close together and the facilities were very dirty.
LegendThe higher number loop across the street is better for a more quiet experience. Still a very short walk over to the river or the showers. Showers are free for campers and average cleanliness for a campground.
The check-in office is in a weird, poorly signed place that we actually found accidentally when walking to the swimming hole in the river. It’s behind the bathroom and shower building.
Found a water snake with fishing hook stuck in its abdomen and pulling out the muscle as it was stuck in sticks and a toy boat in the river. Tried to free it but it got away with the hook still in it. Be responsible, fishermen.
On our second night, the host was blaring music in their camper that we could hear several sites away. I found that to be extremely strange.
The area seems to be very slowly recovering from the hurricane. It’s a bit sobering. I feel for these people.
We couldn’t hike the trail we were hoping for due to hurricane damage, so we drove to Grandfather Mountain SP and did a really fun hike there (to Calloway Peak). We stopped at Cellucci’s Italian Restaurant in Pineola and the food and service were amazing.
ScoutTo be clear, there is only one site that you can drive to. (Site 14) When it says the sites are “walk-in”, it does not mean you can drive near your site and walk over into it. It means you have to park in a parking lot and haul your stuff up to 200 or 300 yards away along a trail over bridge. That being said, it is a lovely little campground. Very pretty right along the creek. Also hiking trails in the area. Be cautious though we had two local people in the area talk to us about people stealing things there and how there used to be a real homeless problem where a church about 30 miles away started dropping off homeless people they were tired of dealing with… typical 🙄. We did not see anything too shady during our visit, however. Just be cautious. The camp host was very nice and helpful. The bathhouse had one shower per side and on a scale of 1 to 10 for cleanliness, I would give it a 6.
ScoutFamily had a great trip! Great park, pet friendly and great views! 30 minutes from the Biltmore.
TravelerI’m sure this spot is beautiful, however the road was closed due to flood damage when we tried to visit on 6/2/25
ScoutWe do lots of walking, so this campground has many drives to walk. Takes no time at all to walk a mile plus without going the same drive. Many shaded sites, lots seem to be seasonal. Showers and restrooms are spaced apart for sections of grounds. Very hilly, some sites are unlevel, so additional blocking helps. Only 2 dump stations, but, there is a honey wagon service that quite close and very reasonably priced.
Camping near Johnson City, TN, offers a mix of beautiful landscapes and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a quiet retreat or a family-friendly adventure, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Johnson City, TN, has something for everyone, whether you're a family looking for fun or an RVer seeking adventure.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, Johnson City, TN offers a wide range of camping options, with 255 campgrounds and RV parks near Johnson City, TN and 23 free dispersed camping spots.
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Johnson City, TN is Warriors' Path State Park Main Campground — Warriors' Path State Park with a 3.9-star rating from 26 reviews.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 23 free dispersed camping spots near Johnson City, TN.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 32 parks near Johnson City, TN that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
Keep Exploring
