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Best Tent Camping near South Carthage, TN

781 Reviews

Tent campers visiting South Carthage, Tennessee can find several established campgrounds within a short drive of town. Holleman's Bend Camping Area offers free tent camping along the Cumberland River in nearby Granville, while Tailwater Recreation Area provides tent sites in Carthage itself. Long Hunter State Park Campground, located about an hour away near Hermitage, offers primitive tent sites that require short hikes to reach designated camping areas.

Most tent campgrounds in the region feature basic amenities with varying levels of development. Holleman's Bend provides fire rings but lacks drinking water, toilets, and trash service, requiring campers to pack in all supplies and pack out waste. Sites are typically situated on flat, grassy areas near water access points. Many locations enforce a 14-day maximum stay limit, with rangers occasionally checking registration information. During summer months, ticks and insects can be problematic, particularly near wooded areas and fire rings.

The tent camping experience near South Carthage offers excellent water access and wildlife viewing opportunities. Campsites at Holleman's Bend are positioned on a small peninsula with water on three sides, providing peaceful riverside camping. Long Hunter State Park features tent sites directly adjacent to the water with swimming access from flat rocks. Wildlife sightings are common throughout the region's campgrounds. "We saw so many Whitetail Deer, it was amazing. They would just come into the campground, feed and walk around," noted one camper about a nearby site. Tent campers should be prepared for nighttime sounds of splashing fish and various wildlife, particularly at waterside locations. Many sites offer good star viewing, especially in areas with minimal light pollution.

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Best Tent Sites Near South Carthage, Tennessee (26)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near South Carthage, TN

21 Photos of 26 South Carthage Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near South Carthage, TN

781 Reviews of 26 South Carthage Campgrounds

  • Christy E.
    Jun. 14, 2018

    Rock Island State Park Campground

    Beautiful area with many activities

    I stayed in the tent-only loop - a small group of 10 sites. It was quiet and had many trees for hammocks. Thus site offers level tent pads, a grill, fire ring, and picnic table. Clean bathrooms and hot showers available. The nearby swimming beach was great for the kids. Many short hiking options available. Make sure to visit the ranger station for a map and safety rules during water releases.

  • Greg S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 2, 2025

    Anderson Road Campground

    4.5 stars

    Stopped for one afternoon and night on our way through. Driving in through da hood you get a questionable feeling but, once through the gate and checked in this is a fantastic little campground! We picked an awesome site- number 8 is a huge pull through with water and electric, a grill, prep table, picnic table, and fire ring with grill. The site has its own path and private lake access. The lake is rocky here but we had no trouble walking in and swimming with our Crocs on. All sites in this small loop campground are great and very large. There is some erosion and there was some trash near the lake that we gladly cleaned up. Overall a fantastic place to camp.

  • Myron C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 25, 2019

    Edgar Evins State Park Campground

    A Campground with Lots to Do but with Interesting Tent Pads

    Edgar Evins State Park is a large park with lots of activities for young and old. However, if you want to stay in the campground, make sure to take a freestanding tent unless you have creative ways to keep your tent up. Most of the sites have wooden platforms, and the fire pits are beside the road. Perhaps most people like that sense of permanence, but I personally prefer solid ground or even gravel pads. Fortunately, the one I used was a free-standing tent. There is another option, and that is to stay in the primitive camping area. Of course, they are walk-in sites, but they are not far from where you park. I would normally choose the primitive camping area for a couple of reasons. There is a little more privacy, and you have soft ground on which to pitch your tent. Obviously, if you are an RV camper, staying in the primitive area does not apply. Unfortunately, it was better this time to choose a site that you don’t have to walk to. Out of all the state park campgrounds I have visited, the bath rooms in this state park are the best. They are modern with tiled floors, and the showers resemble ones you would find at privately owned campgrounds. There are several different activity options—volleyball, horseshoes, playgrounds, hiking trails, etc. There is also an aviary, a marina, a restaurant, and a couple of boat ramps. For the children, there is the“Storybook Trail.” For other overnight options, there are also cabins that you can rent. In retrospect, the primitive area would have been a better choice. It definitely would have been more quiet. No matter whether you stay in the primitive area or the regular camping area, you will encounter hilly terrain. The camp store is fully stocked with most of your camping needs, and there is also a laundry. Overall, Edgar Evins State Park was a good place to spend time, but again, I have my doubts about the wooden platforms.

  • Shelly S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 24, 2019

    Edgar Evins State Park Campground

    Sorta like a treehouse

    Edgar Evins SP is unique in that the campground sites are decks, which is actually pretty cool. Now the one down side is that certain sites can be a challenge to back into. If you are a talented backer upper shouldn’t be an issue. However if your backing up could use some practice, and/or causes fights with your spouse you may want to call and ask the easier sites to set up in...just saying, less stress. The bottom sites are along the lake and you are across from the marina. Another thing is your cooking area is off the side of your deck with your picnic table. The primitive sites are walk in and have some pretty sweet views of the lake. Downside your walking up and down a slope with your gear. Speaking of slopes, the whole campground is on a slope so your pretty much either going up or down. Cool stairways to use and strategically placed facilities. The store and trash are located wheee you park for the primitive sites at the entrance. There’s a trail in the campground that gives you a quick route to the beach area.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 25, 2025

    Rock Island State Park Campground

    Waterfalls!

    General: Three distinctly different areas: tent only section, cabin area, and the main campground. I didn’t see the inside of the cabins, but they looked very luxurious from the outside, so I am sure they are very nice. The tent area also looks nice. This review focuses on the main campground. 

    Site Quality: Camper pads are all paved but vary in length from 18 to 51 feet. The width of some can also accommodate two cars side by side. Not all are completely level. Each site has a picnic table, lantern hook, fire ring, and grill. All sites have electricity and water, and eight of the 50 sites are FHU. There are many trees to provide separation and privacy, and sites are spaced a decent amount of space apart. Some sites can accommodate tents, and these are indicated on the post. 

    Bath/Shower: Very clean. There was a sign saying the bathrooms are cleaned twice per day. Soap, paper towels, and utility hooks are all appreciated as was instant hot water from the taps. 

    Activities/Amenities: Many outdoor activities including tennis, basketball, volleyball, horseshoes, and a playground. There are two hiking trails accessible from the campground. I hiked a short distance on the Bluff Trail until it became narrow and overgrown. There are other hikes that require a drive from the campground. The best hike is in the Twin Falls area but that is a 10-15 minute drive from the campground. There is also a swimming beach with a rentable pavilion and picnic tables. It is possible to walk there but easier to drive. We also saw people kayaking on the lake and fishing is permitted. Each bathhouse also has one washer/dryer for a reasonable price. Free WiFi with a good, strong signal. 

    We enjoyed our two-night stay at this campground and for us, it was a five-star stay but I gave it four stars due to some sites not being completely level and the necessity to drive to the best hike.

  • CC C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 8, 2021

    Nashville I-24 Campground

    Lovely stay

    We are RTT campers and chose this place on a whim as the rest of the local tent camping spots closed on October 1st. We were lucky to find they had space available. However, it should be noted that this is more of an RV campground, the traditional tent sites are right by the gate and not very private. The RV slot we were given backed up to a green space that has grazing deer from time to time. The site did not have a fire ring or a picnic table and was a little far from the bathrooms, but it did have power and water available. That being said the bathrooms were extremely tidy, well heated, and the water pressure in the showers was amazing! The other RV’ers were super friendly and the staff was very helpful in our stay and responsive to our request for availability.

  • T
    Sep. 26, 2021

    Rock Island State Park Campground

    Rock Island State Park

    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!

  • Dan R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 7, 2020

    Poole Knobs

    Great place for Labor Day weekend

    Spent two nights here for Labor Day 2020. We stayed on the center strip in the primitive area. The facilities were well maintained and clean. Each site has a concrete picnic table, fire ring, and a moveable lantern hook. The primitive area has several water spigots to use (near each restroom and a few in between).

    The outer loop sites all have electric and water hookups, but the restrooms are all on the upper level where the primitive sites are. If you don’t have your own bathroom, it’s a bit of a hill to climb and there’s only a couple spots to do it.

    Overall, we loved it and we’ll be back for sure.

  • Roger W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 2, 2025

    Barren River Tailwater

    40 Mins from 65

    Tailwater CG - Glasco, KY 1/1/25

    (72 yr olds in 27’ trailer.)

    Overall Rating: 4 for an overnight stay. Great winter price, but 40 minutes from 65 w trailer. Price 2024: $8 w interagency pass during winter Security: Host’s site at entry. Usage during visit: Only us Visual Privacy Between Adjacent Sites: No Site Spacing: Close. Varies.
    Pad surface: Gravel Reservations: Required. Can be made at the cg.
    Outside Road Noise: No Through Traffic in campground: No Electric Hookup: Yes, however off during winter 24/25.
    Sewer Hookup: No Dump Station: Yes Potable Water Available: Yes. Only at one location during winter. Generators: Allowed. Bathroom: Two. Flush Bath and showers bathhouse is closed during winter. Pit toilets at far end open. Pull Throughs: One. Cell Service (Verizon): 1 to 3 bars Setting: Along River Recent Weather: Cold nights.
    Solar: Yes Host: Yes, helpful.
    Rig Size: Varies between sites. Sites: Some sites back up to the river. These are the best locations, I think.

Guide to South Carthage

Tent camping near South Carthage, Tennessee offers access to Cumberland River and Center Hill Lake recreation areas. The region sits at approximately 550 feet elevation with summer temperatures averaging 85-90°F and high humidity levels. Most dispersed sites in the area lack garbage service, requiring campers to pack out all waste.

What to do

Kayaking near waterfalls: Horseshoe Bend Marina serves as an excellent base for paddling adventures. "You can paddle both directions with ease, and there are several waterfalls nearby, also Rock Island State Park is about 1.5 miles by water. The boat traffic is minimal so paddling is easy," notes camper Lori H.

Wildlife viewing: Long Hunter State Park Campground offers abundant wildlife sightings along its trails. "I saw so many deer and turkeys I finally quit taking pics of them. There's also a really nice paved trail around the lake for the kids or handicapped folks," explains camper DrDavid P.

Riverfront camping: At Holleman's Bend Camping Area, campers can set up directly beside the Cumberland River. "I woke up early enough to see the sunrise and the fog coming off the river. Simply magical," shares Devin R. The site's peninsula location provides water on three sides.

What campers like

Swimming access: Many sites feature direct water entry points for swimming. "It is a great swimming spot with flat rocks to hang out on," reports Mandy C. about primitive site 1 at Long Hunter State Park.

Night sounds: Horseshoe Bend Marina offers a peaceful waterside setting. "Super quiet!!" notes the R. family. Other campers mention enjoying nature sounds: "You'll hear fish splashing all night," according to Luka W. at Holleman's Bend.

Community amenities: Some campgrounds provide recreational facilities beyond basic camping. "They have a game room tent with ping pong, cornhole, jenga, etc. and they host a movie night sometimes! They also had an inflatable water slide during the day," writes Lori H. about facilities at Horseshoe Bend Marina.

What you should know

Limited cell service: Many campgrounds in the area have poor or no cellular coverage. "No Service (showed me how addicted i am). Other than that as described," reports Simon B. about Holleman's Bend. Similarly, at Horseshoe Bend Marina: "No service for T-Mobile sprint," shares the R. family.

Tick precautions: Turnhole Backcountry Campsite and other wooded areas can harbor ticks, especially in summer. "It was the most ticks any of us had seen, including tiny seed ticks. We left with multiple bites, and were constantly picking them off each other and our gear," warns Mandy C. about a primitive site.

Parking restrictions: Some campgrounds limit vehicles per site. At Horseshoe Bend Marina, "They only allow one car per site, so plan accordingly," advises Lori H.

Tips for camping with families

Short hikes for practice: Long Hunter State Park offers backpacking sites that serve as training for beginners. "Excellent practice run on your primitive skills. Pack distribution and what you need, no major climbs. This is a good trail to try out your skills before attempting a more challenging trip," recommends Shelly S.

Alternative to tent camping: For families wanting outdoor experiences without setup hassles, Tailwater Rec Area provides basic accommodations. "It's a nice place to come and stay, a little far from the town but overall good. Great staff and clean facilities for the most part," notes Isai L.

Scout-friendly trails: Some campgrounds accommodate youth groups for introductory camping experiences. "Even though 6 miles is quite the hike for a young Girl Scout Troop just to reach our Campsite it was beyond worth it!" shares Sasha R. about Long Hunter State Park.

Tips from RVers

Leveling challenges: Some sites require extra work for larger vehicles. At Laguardo, "We are on site 9 and it's not the most leveled spot. We have a 25ft class C," reports the R. family. Many tent camping areas in the region aren't suitable for RVs.

Marina convenience: Campgrounds with on-site marinas offer supply access during your stay. "The store at the marina is stocked with everything you need, ice, beer, snacks, and they will even deliver them to your site!" explains Lori H. about Horseshoe Bend Marina.

Water and hookups: While most tent-focused sites lack amenities, some campgrounds provide essential services. "Super clean BathHouse hook ups and water worked well," notes Joe B. about Horseshoe Bend Marina's facilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near South Carthage, TN?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near South Carthage, TN is Holleman's Bend Camping Area with a 4.2-star rating from 5 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near South Carthage, TN?

TheDyrt.com has all 26 tent camping locations near South Carthage, TN, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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