25 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Campgrounds around Bean Station, Tennessee primarily cluster along Cherokee Lake and nearby waterways, providing both developed facilities and primitive options for campers. Panther Creek State Park Campground offers 50 full-hookup sites with access to 60 miles of hiking trails, while TVA-managed areas like Cherokee Dam Campground and Greenlee May Springs provide lakefront camping with varying levels of amenities. The area features multiple accommodation types including traditional tent and RV sites, plus specialized glamping options such as the bell tents at Lakefront Glamping Resort and yurts at Glamping on the Clinch River.
Most campgrounds in the region operate year-round, though several like Cherokee Dam Campground maintain seasonal schedules, typically closing from November through mid-March. Many sites require advance reservations, particularly during summer months when lakefront spots fill quickly. The terrain throughout the area consists of rolling hills with campgrounds often built on slopes. As one camper noted, "Be prepared to level your rig because East TN have very little level ground." The region experiences four distinct seasons with humid summers and mild winters, making spring and fall particularly pleasant for camping.
Waterfront access represents a significant draw for campers visiting Bean Station and surrounding areas. Cherokee Lake provides opportunities for fishing, boating, and paddling directly from several campgrounds. Trails for hiking and mountain biking are abundant, especially at Panther Creek State Park, which receives consistently positive reviews for its recreational amenities. A visitor commented, "Panther Creek has great hiking trails, pool, playground fire pits and so much more! The campground tends to be quiet and relaxed and has full hookups on some of the sites." Campground facilities vary widely across the region, with some offering full amenities including showers, laundry, and sanitary dump stations, while others provide more basic services. Wildlife viewing opportunities are common, with visitors frequently reporting deer sightings near their campsites.
"Panther Creek SP Panther Creek State Park was an unexpected find outside of Knoxville, TN , in Morristown. I’ve driven by the sign but no need to camp so close to home."
"Nuzzled into the East Tennessee hills. Very pretty. Nice State Park. Would stay here again."
Available this weekend
"Anchors Down is just outside Severville Tennessee and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Located on Douglas Lake with the Smokie Mountains in the back ground."
"This campground is one of the best you will find in Tennessee. "
from $49 - $139 / night
"Open May-September, this property is located on Cherokee Lake. There are four glamping tents (two with king beds and two with queen beds) and the newest addition is a Micro A-Frame with a king bed."
"Open May-September, this property is located on Cherokee Lake. There are four glamping tents (two with king beds and two with queen beds) and the newest addition is a Micro A-Frame with a king bed."
from $149 - $299 / night
"Sites along the lake. Clean campground. They need to clean up around edge of sites along the lake to make it easier access."
"There are some really great lakefront sites here, and the tent spots are great, note- they are walk in sites, and you can get in the water from these sites."
"Glamping on the Clinch River offers a relaxing getaway surrounded by rivers and waterfalls in northern Tennessee. Check them out and make sure to leave a review on the Dyrt!"
"But what makes this place even more special is the incredible family behind it. Bonnie and Rusty are truly two of the sweetest, most generous, and kindhearted people you could ever meet!"
from $30 - $150 / night
"I was right next to the bathroom so there was no odor and hardly any foot traffic going back and forth. The views of the lake at night were pretty."
"Had a site back in by their cabins that was just off the lake which was great for fishing and the kids to explore!"
"Located in the Cumberland Gap where TN, VA and Ky touch borders. Very beautiful mountains with hiking trails ftom short distances to overnight primitive camping trials."
"This is near the borders of KY, VA, and TN in Cumberland Gap park. Convenient to the park, the AT, and the nearby town for supplies, restaurants, and grocery."
Available this weekend
from $18 - $39 / night
"Several Lake front spots. Shower and bathroom buildings on site. Several pavilions. Dumpsters, Lots of walking trails. As well as a boat ramp."
"We had the lake in front of us, cooked out, had our music, restrooms, and showers."
LegendBeautiful campground with all the amenities. If you like rustic in the woods this is not your place, but they advertise what they are. Top dollar for top service and gorgeous sites. All the frills if that’s what you want. We love both. Lots of grass for dogs and good dog parks if that’s important.
TravelerNext door to trolley depot, and Old Mill heritage. Walking path along river. Walking distance to shops. Nice camping spots, clean showers and bathrooms. Lots of kids amenities, pool open most of the time.
GuideWell it was my first time and I went with this guy Brandon and his family. We had the lake in front of us, cooked out, had our music, restrooms, and showers. I loved the experience we should have brought us an air conditioning battery operated air conditioning unit or a fan. So I loved the beauty and the ones I was surrounded by. We even went out on the lake in a boat. We had a lot to keep us occupied, and happy for our 4 day stay! Wonderful sunrises and sunsets to make your days and nights perfect!
TravelerVisited in October of 2025 to go to Dollywood. Close to everything yet feels private. VERY well maintained and super friendly hosts. Nighttime activities like bingo, games for kids, large tv area, loved the creek. Would stay there again.
TravelerSuper clean park, friendly hosts that had planned activities for evenings, close to most everything but yet felt out of the hub. would stay again
TravelerShowers give you maybe 20 seconds of warm ish water. The. Pretty much tap temps. Amazingly it’s still completely fogs up the bathhouse mirrors due to the inadequate exhaust. That may. Be due to the temp, exhaust, and venting strings are easily manipulated by one of the million children in the “Resort”. It’s not a resort in any way. It’s a campground that has really nice pads. Marginal hookups. Lots and lots and lots of bears. Big BIG bears. I’m a bear hunter. There isn’t one I’ve seen that isn’t a legit Pope and Young. The toilets are clean. The floor and showers are gross. The lazy river is cold. Hot tube warm. If you are a camper spending $250 a night and a resort fee per person, you still don’t get given a towel to use the pool. Front desk actually said the towels were NOT for campers but for “ hotel resort” guest. So why am I paying the fee? We stayed here because it was a Margaretaville property. There are many other nicer and cheaper options in town. It’s expensive. The bar car does not exist. There is wood delivery. But it’s a bundle of twigs for $10. It is dry. The food is Sysco crap and the inside bars are just part of the kids arcade or cafeteria. Live music was super strange. The guy literally was standing in the doorway to the cafeteria bar. Don’t waste your money here. If you do anyway, plan on bears digging thru your stuff every night. Kids? Dogs? And Bears……not good.
LegendWe took US-321 into the back side of Gatlinburg to avoid the downtown craziness. RV Life GPS guided us directly to Twin Creek RV Resort, while Waze suggested a few shortcuts that we wisely passed on. The campground (CG) entrance was a little tight and downhill, but we had no trouble getting to the office for check-in. One of the very friendly and helpful staff members escorted us to back-in site 14, where backing in was easy. We wanted to lower our toy hauler patio to enjoy the creek running behind the sites, and the staff kindly allowed us to park our F-450 in site 38 across the road to give us more room. Our site had a nice patio area with a long bench, picnic table, and nearby fire pit. CG Wi-Fi was so-so at 6.17 Mbps download. Verizon had 2 bars and T-Mobile had 3 bars, while our T-Mobile Home Internet delivered a respectable 106 Mbps download. There was considerable road noise from US-321, especially during daylight hours, although evenings were noticeably quieter. The fenced dog park was small, but there was plenty of room around the CG to walk our pup. Overall, we enjoyed our creekside site, the helpful staff, and the convenient location away from the busiest part of Gatlinburg.
TravelerBeautiful spot in the smoky mountains. State park style amenities, no showers. No hookups. Very busy very open campground. Nice that some trails are walking distance from campground. I would not camp here again as I prefer more separation and privacy. No cell service. STARLINK is usable but obstructed with tree canopy
GuideDrove 5 hrs from our last campground to here for event Campground was very well maintained and liked the site. Wasn’t overly crazy about the event not a lot of vendors mainly jeeps went to a few local shops in town had a great lunch at the cookie dough monster.
Camping sites near Bean Station, Tennessee cluster along the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains at elevations between 1,000-1,200 feet. The region experiences distinct seasons with nighttime temperatures often dropping 15-20 degrees below daytime highs, even in summer. Most campgrounds in the area require advance booking for holiday weekends, with Memorial Day through Labor Day representing peak season.
Hiking near camp: At Panther Creek State Park Campground, visitors access numerous trail systems directly from their sites. "The campground has 50 full-hookup sites. A pavilion, shower house. The Park has tennis courts, a swimming pool, 60 miles of trails and a boat ramp for Cherokee Lake," notes reviewer Jim L.
Mountain biking opportunities: The trail system at Panther Creek State Park offers technical terrain for cycling enthusiasts. "Very nice bathrooms. The sites aren't the most private we've ever stayed at, but the mountain biking was so much fun we didn't care! Hiking and biking was an A+," reports Penny M.
Water activities: Lakefront Glamping Resort provides equipment for lake exploration. "We chose the SUP n Stay package (middle price option); included in our reservation was the rental of either a SUP or kayak. The Stay package includes accommodations plus a floating lake mat," explains reviewer Lee D.
Quieter campgrounds: Cosby Campground offers a less crowded alternative to other Bean Station area camping options. "Cosby Campground is amazing! 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," explains Lori H.
Diverse recreation options: Facilities at many Bean Station area campgrounds extend beyond basic camping. "Panther Creek State Park has a great campground for families to spend time at. For a lesser known state park, they have a lot of amenities. Playgrounds, hiking, horseback trails, mountain bike trails, tennis courts, disc golf, baseball field, volleyball, lake access, swimming pool," reports Dusty W.
Unique accommodation options: Glamping on the Clinch River provides yurts near waterways for those seeking alternatives to traditional camping sites near Bean Station, Tennessee. "Glamping on the Clinch River offers a relaxing getaway surrounded by rivers and waterfalls in northern Tennessee," notes reviewer Jake C.
Seasonal closures: Many water facilities close before fall arrives. "Lots of hiking trails, easy access to Cherokee lake. Playground is good for kids. Pool closes before Labor day," warns Nicole H. about Panther Creek.
Insect awareness: Summer brings increased bug activity. "Though if you come in the summer look out for ticks. Panther Creek is notorious for ticks. I pulled 6 off of me in one day," advises Dusty W.
Variable trail difficulty: Trail ratings may not accurately reflect difficulty for all visitors. "Lots of hiking trails...but 'easy' trail wasn't really easy," cautions Diane H. about trails at Cosby Campground.
Weather considerations: The area experiences significant temperature fluctuations. Prepare for rain as afternoon thunderstorms occur regularly during summer months, especially July through August.
Look for dedicated family areas: Cherokee Dam Campground provides designated areas suitable for children. "Stayed a week. Quiet campground. Sites along the lake. Clean campground," shares Donna about the TVA-managed property.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Schedule early morning or dusk walks for best wildlife spotting. "Lots of wildlife here, even a rescued barred owl to view near the gift shop," mentions Dusty W. about Panther Creek State Park.
Site selection tips: Choose sites away from main roads for increased safety. "I had a very cute camp spot up in the woods away from the road it was number 50 it was so cute and quieter than the rest of the spots," recommends Jennifer M. at Panther Creek.
Pack for temperature swings: Bean Station area camping experiences temperature variations of 15-20 degrees between day and night, requiring both warm weather and cool weather clothing.
Leveling equipment essential: Heron Point Marina and Campground shares terrain challenges with most Bean Station area sites. "Be prepared to level your rig because East TN have very little level ground. The facilities are so so... nothing special and not sure how clean they are kept," notes JR M.
Call for availability: High-demand Bean Station area camping spots often maintain waiting lists. "It is so hard to get a reservation here, so we decided to take what we could get so we could try it out! A tip to get reservations! Call and put your name on a waiting list for the dates you need. If they have cancellations, they call the people on the list instead of releasing the dates on the website!" advises Beth H.
Upper site preference: Select higher elevation sites where available. "The campground is small, a little tight in the sides and limited on full service sites. It's a gradual uphill drive through the camp, you curve to the left and then back down the hill. The sites in the upper curve are bigger then the ones on the hill," explains Shelly S.
Off-season benefits: Many Bean Station area campgrounds offer better availability and rates from October through April when temperatures remain mild enough for comfortable camping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the best campgrounds in Bean Station, TN?
Bean Station offers excellent access to notable campgrounds in the surrounding area. Cherokee Dam Campground provides waterfront camping with boat-in access and is big-rig friendly. For a unique experience, Glamping on the Clinch River LLC offers a relaxing getaway surrounded by rivers and waterfalls. Both provide convenient options for exploring Bean Station while enjoying Tennessee's natural beauty.
What amenities are available at Bean Station campgrounds?
Campgrounds near Bean Station offer diverse amenities to enhance your stay. Panther Creek State Park Campground provides recreational activities and clean facilities in a well-maintained setting. Just a short drive away, Davy Crockett Birthplace State Park Campground features pull-through spaces for larger RVs, beautiful views of the Nolichucky River, a swimming pool, hiking trails, river walks, and modern bath houses. Many campgrounds in the area also offer water hookups and toilet facilities.
When is the best season for camping in Bean Station, Tennessee?
Spring and fall offer the most pleasant camping conditions in Bean Station, Tennessee. Late April through June brings comfortable temperatures and blooming landscapes, while September through mid-November showcases stunning fall foliage without summer crowds. Cosby Campground is particularly beautiful in autumn with accessible hiking trails. Summer camping at Anchor Down RV Resort provides lake recreation opportunities, though temperatures can be hot and humid. Winter camping is possible but less popular due to colder temperatures and limited services.
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