Searching for a tent campsite near Sale Creek? The Dyrt is an easy way to find tent camping spots near Sale Creek. Would you prefer a quiet dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities? Either way, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
FOSTER FALLS CAMPGROUND - Open to Vehicles - Reservations Required The Foster Falls campground has 26 rustic campsites ideal for tents or small trailers. The Foster Falls Campground is the only camping area in the park where guests may park a car and/or pop-ups next to the campsite. The campground is open year-round. All sites have a fire ring and a picnic table. Most sites are wooded, offering some shade and have a level, gravel surface. A few are on a slight incline. There are no water or electric hook-ups but a restroom and heated showers are available. No gas generators are allowed at the Foster Falls Campground. BACKCOUNTRY CAMPING - Reservations Required South Cumberland boasts over 90 miles of backpacking trails with 93 campsites, eight group sites and one rustic lodge, the Hobbs Cabin. These campsites are located within 12 designated back country campgrounds across the Fiery Gizzard and Savage Gulf trail systems. South Cumberland encourages visitors to reserve your campsite early to ensure you have a site upon arrival. Remember, follow all park rules and be prepared to have a rewarding backcountry experience. All campsites are limited to four adults and two children. Children are defined as ages 13 and younger. Site capacity information can be found under site features on the campsite reservation page. Please look closely at your campsite's capacity when reserving. Each site has a designated fire ring. Hiking is required to reach the sites, although a few sites are available at only 120 yards from the parking lot. Water must be filtered from natural sources or carried in, be sure to check with the ranger stations about water availability. A pit toilet is also available at each campground. South Cumberland has primitive group campsites at most Savage Gulf campgrounds. These sites can accommodate from 30-60 campers, depending on the site and location.
$18 - $21 / night
South Cumberland State Park is located within four different Tennessee counties: Grundy, Franklin, Marion and Sequatchie. The park is composed of approximately 30,845 acres in nine separate areas and boasts some of the best hiking and backcountry camping in the region.
$8 - $35 / night
South Cumberland State Park is a state park in the middle and southeast portions of Tennessee on the Cumberland Plateau. The park is one of Tennessee's newer state parks. It is a collection of 10 areas in four counties.
$8 - $12 / night
Lost Creek Campground is located along the banks of Big Lost Creek. This primitive campground offers remote camping and is surrounded by dense forest and creeks. Lost Creek Campground is open year round. Sites are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. While staying at Lost Creek, campers can enjoy fishing in Big Lost Creek (note: special regulations are in effect for fishing in Big Lost Creek).
Experience true off-grid living in our Mennonite-built cabin nestled in the heart of 81 acres of secluded meadows and pasture. This rustic retreat is the perfect getaway for those looking to fully unplug and immerse themselves in the beauty of nature.
Our cozy cabin offers a unique blend of country charm and modern convenience. While there is no electricity, we have propane lights inside and solar lights outdoors. We do have running water, although there is no water heater yet. The interior is tastefully decorated with a comfortable queen-sized bed and two twin beds in a shared room upstairs. A futon is available in the family area for additional sleepers and full size kitchen for preparing simple meals. Best of all, there is no WiFi and little cell phone service, giving you the chance to truly disconnect and relax. With a fire pit outside, you can enjoy cozy evenings under the stars, roasting marshmallows and making memories that will last a lifetime.
Additionally, for those who prefer to sleep under the stars, we offer two campsites in an old cattle field at the crest of the hill. Each site is equipped with a fire pit and cooking grate, and a porta potty is conveniently located nearby. Parking is available adjacent to the sites, and it's just a short walk across the field. These are primitive so no water is available on site.
Now true highlight of our property are the four picturesque ponds and natural lake with a beaver dam and small waterfall. Grab a fishing pole and take to the waters, or simply relax and soak in the stunning surroundings. And with an abundance of wildlife, you're sure to spot everything from deer and wild turkey to osprey and blue heron during your stay.
Beyond our property, you'll find endless opportunities for outdoor adventure. Although only a mile as the crow flys, the cabin is a 20-minute drive to Fall Creek Falls, Tennessee's largest state park, boasting over 26,000 acres of hiking, waterfalls, streams, cascades, and gorges. And with Cumberland Mountain State Park, Catoosa Wildlife Management Area, South Cumberland State Park, and Chattanooga all within an hour's drive or so, there's no shortage of hiking, dining, and activities to enjoy. The Mennonite community is a short drive away where you'll find local produce, plants, and all sorts of handmade goods.
Experience the simpler life and reconnect with nature at our off-grid retreat. We invite you to unplug, unwind, and recharge in the peaceful embrace of nature.
Feel free, relax and enjoy.
$50 - $100 / night
Camping is permitted at the Hunter's Check Station Camping area on a first-come, first-served basis. These primitive campsites have no sanitation facilities.
Prentice Cooper State Forest is located in southeastern Tennessee, in Marion County. The forest is approximately 10 miles west of Chattanooga and is heavily utilized by the public. It is situated on the scenic Tennessee River Gorge. The property for Prentice Cooper was acquired by simple purchase between 1938 and 1944. The site was proclaimed a State Forest in 1945. Sixty-nine percent of the forest is in multiple-use regulated forests and the remainder is in conservation areas. Approximately 6,939 acres are designated as unregulated scenic zones that protect this view shed and other scenic areas of the forest. Hicks Gap Natural Area (350 acres) also occurs in the forest and was developed to protect the federally endangered Large-flowered Skullcap. The forest also includes several in-holdings owned by Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and 3 cemeteries. Management activities of the forest focus primarily on sustainable timber management, forest management demonstration and wildlife habitat improvement while maintaining recreational opportunities for the public. There are 35 miles of hiking trails, including the south end of the Cumberland Trail State Park. There also are two designated camping areas. Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Forestry Division has provided labor and portions of the forest for various types of research in collaboration with the University of Tennessee. Hunting has been a traditional use of the forest. Other recreational activities include OHV use in designated areas, rock climbing, hiking, Mountain biking, horseback riding, bird watching, and camping.
View of Big Frog Mountain Area of Cherokee National Forest This area is known for solitude and backcountry adventure, with Big Frog Wilderness being a destination for backpacking, day-hiking and hunting. The area offers about 35 miles of backcountry trails, some of which climb to over 4,000 feet. In addition to the backcountry hiking opportunities, the area is also managed as a Black Bear reserve. Try snorkeling at Conasauga River, renowned for remarkable fish viewing. Pitch a tent at Tumbling Creek or Sylco Campgrounds. Big Frog Area Map Big Frog Area Guide
Scout
Tent camp here with the family. I would recommend the walk in tent sites if you can get them. Campground is spread out well in places and not so much in others. Horseback riding, hiking trails, fishing, and much more. Last time we spent 3 days and could have easily spent another day or two. Plan on returning for some back country camping on the overnight loops.
Guide
Beautiful state park! Unbelievable waterfalls with many of hiking trails! There is a lot of history in the park! Tent campground was nice and level! Each tent site had a tent pad, lantern pole, fire ring and sturdy table! The bathhouses was clean and warm water! Wood is sold in the near by town or at the park visitor center!
Legend
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I am occasionally compensated for staying at and reviewing campgrounds. I was given the opportunity to stay at Mountain Glen RV Park and Campground in order to test the new reservation system through The Dyrt. The reservation system works extremely well--it is fast and efficient, and save the trouble of using a third party reservation system after finding a campground you like on The Dyrt. I look forward to more campgrounds joining TD's network!
Mountain Glen is a new campground, located about an hour northwest of Chattanooga, and it is absolutely beautiful. There are a total of 8 tent sites and 41 RV sites, set next to a lake and a gorgeous view of a farm. Amenities include picnic tables, a playground, fishing, horseshoes, corn hole, a game room, a camp store, and laundry facilities, showers, and flush toilets with electricity (and heat!). It is also a short drive to Fall Creek Falls State Park, for anyone looking to enjoy the hiking near the falls without the overnight crowds the state park brings in.
The RV sites occupy most of the campground, and accommodate trailers ranging from 60' to 90'. All sites have electric and water hookups, picnic tables, fire rings, and most have small grassy areas for dogs, kids, or even grown ups to stretch out and rest. RVs are also available to rent.
Tent sites 1-3 are listed as “primitive” sites and have no electricity or water, however it is a short walk to the office where water is available. The road is visible from these sites, however there is a grassy meadow both between the sites and the road, and the sites and the lake, with woods bordering site 3.
Sites 4 and 5 are located closest to the picnic shelter, with a clear view of the lake. Sites 6-8 are next to the office/bathrooms. Site 6 is the smallest and 8 is the largest. All tent sites are fairly hilly, and accommodate small tents better than large based on limited flat space—though hammocks would work well!
There is a trail that winds around the lake, and passes a beautiful spillway on the end opposite the office which is great for getting some shade, and a chance for kids to splash in some water. This end also has a picnic table for day use. I would love to see this area eventually become a walk-in campsite as it is definitely the most beautiful area of the entire campground!
The owners here are extremely nice. We were greeted warmly on our arrival, and spent some time talking with them our second day. It is obvious they care about the campground and want campers to enjoy themselves and feel comfortable. We are tent campers and I was wary of staying somewhere more geared towards RVs, but what tent camping here lacks in privacy and wilderness, it more than makes up for in beauty, peace, and a feeling of home-away-from-home.
Scout
Nice pull in paved spots for every tent site. Playgrounds and bath houses were kept nice and clean. The loops where the tent sites are can’t be quite busy so keep an eye on the kiddos
Legend
Adventures Unlimited is located in Ocoee, TN, just outside of Chattanooga, and is one of the coolest river towns I’ve been to. The Ocoee River was the site for the 1996 Olympics whitewater events. There are numerous outfitters for everything you can do on the river, and this place is the best we’ve visited. We did the Classic Middle Ocoee Rafting Adventure, with Leon as our guide. He was awesome! He wore a Viking helmet (which looks really cool in our pics!) and had vast knowledge of the river and area, and said he’s been guiding for 20 years, so yeah, the best! I would highly recommend Leon if you take a trip!
The campground is HUGE for tent camping. There are hundreds of great tent sites, and the whole place has a great vibe. I wouldn’t really recommend it for children, it feels more like a grown up place, as the area is filled with kayakers, guides, college kids, etc., and these people have FUN! And there’s the Bus Bar, which I’ll cover in a bit. We stayed in site 13 on the rv sites, and it was nice. All the sites are spacious, most have plenty of shade, except for 6,7,8, they are in the middle and not much shade there. The rv sites have water and electric, and they have a dump station. The bath house is at the front entrance, it was very clean, with 4 restrooms and showers. They also have bungalows, and they looked awesome.
This place has two restaurants, The Cafe was closed, I’m assuming due to covid, I believe they serve breakfast and lunch there. And The Bus Bar- this place is a must! They have literally converted two yellow school busses into a bar! The restrooms are in one of the busses and the other is where the actual bar is. They have live music on weekends, and there is a very eclectic vibe. Great people watching! You will hear music from your campsite until around midnight. We didn’t try the food, but they have pizza and wings on their menu, so what else do you need?!
The office is where you check in for rafting, they also sell ice, water shoes, t-shirts, etc. and the people in there were super friendly. This is one of my favorite “fun” places we’ve stayed, it truly was an adventure! We will definitely be returning!
Legend
As exclusively tent campers, I have always steered away from KOAs. But given how close this one is to my home city of Chattanooga, and how beautiful the Lookout Mountain region is, I decided to do a drive-thru tour just to check out a campground within 30 minutes of home, and this is definitely a place I would love to camp, even in a tent!
Convenient to I-59, this KOA is in an extremely rural part of northern Georgia, giving it a backcountry feel despite how easy it is to access. And while it is still primarily for RV campers, they do have a some designated tent-only sites that are on their own leg of the road, and spaced out to provide some privacy--site D in particular had more of a feel of a private campground to it.
There are two distinct sections to this campground; when you first enter, there is a turnoff to the right that takes you to lower elevation. These sites are more spaced out, have trees (or bamboo!) in between them, and are generally larger. This is also the side where the tent and group camping sites are. Group camp sites allow one tent per site, and RV sites are all 50A full service except for sites 60 and 61 which are 30A. Tent sites have water and electric available but are for one vehicle and tent only.
To the left of the welcome center upon entering sites are closer together, with a combination of 30A and 50A full services hookups. There are still plenty of trees, particularly along the uppermost loop (sites 16, 18, 20, and 22). This side is also where the majority of the cabins are.
The coolest aspect of this campground for me was the massive jumping pad they have, and I had to promise my kids we would take an overnight trip here just so they could use it! It is restricted to ages 16 and under (and appeared to be closed, along with the playground and saltwater pool, due to COVID-19), but looked like an amazing addition, especially for families who may be staying here long-term and need a way for their kids to get some energy out without leaving the campground!
This would still not be my primary choice for tent camping as it is still largely geared towards RVs, however the group camping, the wooded feel, and the convenience to Chattanooga make this an amazing play to stay, whether it is folks in the city looking to get into nature without a long drive, fulltimers who want long-term accommodations while they take advantage of all the region has to offer, or travelers just looking for a quiet place to stay while passing through.
Guide
Tent camped for a night can’t wait to go back. Didn’t get to see the caverns but did visit the gift shop.
TravelerNice wooded sites with decent bathhouses. Play sets, mostly paved roads perfect for riding bikes. My family really enjoyed tent camping at Fall Creek Falls.
Scout
Staff was very helpful in finding the right spot. Campsites are clean and hot showers are abundant. We tent camped, but the park is more suited for RVs or TTs
Traveler
Very intense hike up the mountain but the views are worth it! Hammock camping is ideal here, unsure of tent camping possibilities. Come prepared to hike hard and to experience unexpected weather if it occurs
Traveler
Beautiful location with an overlook to watch the sunset. Location is excellent for day hikes with plenty of options. Also this site provides a variety of options for your stay. Great place for tent camping.
Traveler
This is a wonderful spot if you really want to be in nature. Not many people around quite, secluded and very peaceful. Tent camping only with reservations. Lots of hiking near by and great places to explore.
GuideTent camping and we had s beautiful spot. But big problem, the aggregate for the tent pad was so compressed we could not set a stake. Had to move tent off pad! Bathrooms very clean in tent loop. Shame on government for not putting funds into pool maintenance. It was shut down. Deer wandering all around!!!
Guide
We love camping at Fort Mountain. Its usually a good bit cooler due to the elevation, and the private wooded campsites make tent camping in Georgia’s summer heat much more enjoyable. Good hiking and things to do nearby.
GuideThis is a great park with a lot to offer and more in the near vicinity.
Cell reception (T-Mobile) was non-existent in the site. However, there was reception at the trading post and possibly elsewhere.
They're installing Bear Boxes in tent sites back and front country (as I understood it) and are clearly paying attention to what people want and how to improve visitors experiences.
A lot of the sites are RV orientated. But the walk in tent sites are really close to the parking area. Also, nearby backcountry platforms and sites can be easily accessed.
If you want walking access to the trails, it's probably best to choose a site near the lake as that's where most trails are accessed from.
Scout
Clean, and well maintained. Tent camping along the edge of the river. Fire pits or grills, picnic tables, clean bathroom, and hot showers. If you are a light sleeper, the traffic noise from the highway might be disturbing. Good fishing. It was a nice overnighter on our way North.
Legend
Jake from the Dyrt here! I had the pleasure of working with Black Willow Farm, and they have an amazing property with an off grid cabin and tent sites to come! Check them out show them some love!
Legend
Backpack in , totally primitive sites. Take your own water or filtration system. Hobbs Cabin is available by reservation, close to the tent sites. Bring an air mattress for the wood bunks. Otherwise love, love, loved the adventure, hike, backpack in:)
Traveler
Conasauga Lake campground is heaven on earth for this country boy. On top of Grassy mountain in North Georgia it is a great small camper / tent camp. Lots of large hemlocks and rotadendren on the trail aroundthe lake. The gravel road up the mountain is not for the faint of heart but worth the effort.
Guide
Stayed at campsite 3, across from the camp host, and in front of playground and bathrooms.
Very large, very widely spaced campsites. Sites were comfortable for tent camping, but there were few tent campers when we were there.
Bathrooms were clean, and had hot showers, but had a lot of deferred maintenance.
The Fall hiking was spectacular. It's a beautiful place to see the hardwoods change color. Trails are well maintained.
TravelerThere is so, so much to do at this park. Unfortunately, we only got to hike around the falls since the weather was so bad.
Tent camping review:
GuideWe definitely enjoyed our visit. Sites in Campground c were very tight and in a field. Many of the tent sites were on a huge hill. We would stay in a different area if we returned. It was very busy on the trails but we were able to find some less traveled sites.
ScoutVery nice campground with large tent sites with fairly level ground capable of sitting 2 or 3 tents. Most have mature trees to hang hammocks. Very quiet during weekdays. Bath house is relatively nice for a state park campground. 1 mile walking path surrounding the grounds is nice. Safe area for bicycle riding. Great proximity to many outdoor activities. Friendly staff at the park office. Nice place!
TravelerTent-camped midweek on E210. Lots of open spaces in camp. Tent spot was on level gravel RV pad. Air mattress helped with gravel. Site had water and electricity. Showers were clean with hot water. Be sure to lock up food. We were visited by five raccoons nightly. They were able to get into secured plastic bin we left out. Great hiking around falls. Friendly staff at Visitor Center and Nature Center. Well stocked general store. We will be back.
Ranger
We reserved a site with full- hookups and our friends reserved a tent site. Our site was fine, but there wasn’t what I would describe as a tent site. Our friends ended up just camping behind our camper in the flattest area they could find. All of the sites are pretty close and out in the open.
When we stayed some of the activities/amenities weren’t available (there had been a fire or something at the kitchen). We had a pretty decent time, though. We rented kayaks and paddle boards and explored the lake and they had a huge inflatable slide that our kids spent hours on. The ramp to the swim beach was ridiculously slimy but kids all enjoyed swimming in the lake and jumping off the dive platform. The camp had a movie in the evening (Jaws) and gave out popcorn. There were basketball courts and beanbag toss. Lots of people were out on their fishing boats.
So potentially plenty of activities for the kids, but the campground sites could be a bit nicer for the price. Any staff we interacted with were super pleasant.
TravelerWe tent camped on Spot 27. Nice back in RV spot with water and electric. Bathhouse is close by. Gray water dump is across the road. Originally we booked Spot 60. That’s a pull through with little room for a tent. No cell service but that’s okay as we disconnected for a while. You can get service at the top of the park. Clean bathrooms with hot showers. Trails are nicely blazed with colors that match trail map. Georgia apple farms are a short, 20-30 minutes away.
Traveler
This campground was right off of the interstate and very easy to get to so that was a benefit. I didn't make a reservation so I just showed up and all the tent sites were taken so I just rented an RV spot. The scenery was absolutely beautiful and neighbors were very friendly and had a permanent site for their RV. Pets allowed too so that was a plus!!
Tent camping near Sale Creek, Tennessee offers a blend of natural beauty and outdoor adventure, making it an ideal getaway for nature enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Sale Creek, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Sale Creek, TN is Foster Falls Campground — South Cumberland State Park with a 4.4-star rating from 31 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Sale Creek, TN?
TheDyrt.com has all 60 tent camping locations near Sale Creek, TN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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