616 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Camping opportunities in eastern Tennessee's Tallassee area include both developed facilities and dispersed options within the nearby Cherokee National Forest and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The region encompasses campgrounds like Citico Creek Area offering primitive sites along streams, while Jake Best Campground provides basic facilities with vault toilets. Established campgrounds such as Indian Boundary feature electric hookups and picnic tables. Calderwood Lake offers primitive waterfront camping accessible by boat or hiking trail. From tent sites to cabins and RV spots, the area supports varied camping styles and needs.
Road conditions vary significantly across the camping areas, with many sites accessible via unpaved forest roads that may have potholes or require higher clearance vehicles. Most developed campgrounds in the region operate seasonally, typically from April through October, particularly those at higher elevations in the Smokies. Dispersed camping in Cherokee National Forest typically allows up to 14-day stays. Cell service is limited or nonexistent in more remote areas such as Citico Creek. Many campsites require payment through self-registration drop boxes. A visitor noted about Jake Best Campground: "The campground is on the river, and I have never seen such crystal clear water anywhere on this side of the country."
Waterfront camping receives consistently positive reviews, with creek-side and lakefront sites being highly sought after. Citico Creek campsites are noted for their privacy and spaciousness, though visitor reviews indicate inconsistent site cleanliness. Several campgrounds provide access to hiking trails, fishing, and swimming opportunities. Jake Best Campground users highlight the peaceful setting and trout fishing possibilities. More remote options like Calderwood Lake Primitive Campground require additional effort but reward visitors with solitude. As one camper described their experience at Calderwood: "If you are willing to bring everything with you, pack everything out, and paddle multiple miles on a nonmotorized finger lake, this is the place for you." Visitors frequently mention the area's scenic beauty and the opportunity to disconnect from technology.
"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."
from $30 / night
Check Availability"The lake is great for kayaking and swimming, with an easy trail around the perimeter. The gorgeous Cherohala Skyway is very close by (highly recommend!)."
"The surrounding mountains and water were breathtaking. This camp ground is close to the water if you stay in loop A. Just a short walk the water and beach."
from $20 / night
Check Availability"We were in site 11, nice but next to a group site so a little louder than I like. There are trails near by but I was unable to experience. Bear boxes and trash bins. Centrally located water."
"Sites are close to one another, but arranged great. My family of 5 had plenty of room for two tents, chairs, picnic tables, etc."
from $30 / night
Check Availability"I had the most fantastic campsite right next to the river in Elkmont."
"We stayed 3 nights so we could hike the surrounding trails! Loved learning about the history of the area while checking out the old cabins."
from $30 / night
Check Availability"There is a camp store with firewood (you are required to buy it from an authorized location!). Nice roomy campsites, but not as much plant cover as at Elkmont in my experience."
"I wanted to see if there was a difference in the camping experience at the two locations."
from $50 - $94 / night
Check Availability"There is a state campground near the base, but it was crowded and noisy. Unfortunately I've been informed this campground is no longer in operation, so sad."
"This place has so many gorgeous camping spits and hiking trails! In the fall there is just so many different hues of oranges reds and yellows"
from $30 - $36 / night
Check Availability"Purchased wood and some other things from the nearby camp store at nearby Indian Boundary Campground (IBC)when I arrived."
"Hiking trail near by and close enough to Tellico if supplies are needed. Recommend bringing firewood although we found burnable wood nearby. Also bring small bills as the fee is $6 per night."
"The Lizard Lounge has a separate WiFi but you have to be inside or just outside to use it. Amazing river views and very close to the entrance of the National park."
"Right next to the entrance to the Great Smokey mountains. Townsend is a lovely town for eating and lots of walking trails. It is a short drive into pigeon forge if you want more activities to do."
"This cute little national forest roadside campground is situated in the Nantahala National Forest, just due south of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park."
"River running next to it made for great view. Vaulted toilet close by and very quiet. No showers though."
"Nice lakeside side with good lake views. Park next to site. Toilet facility available, site next to marina on north side. Cellphone service with Verizon ok 1or 2 bars."
"Our site has been very well-kept and is right next to the boat launch on Lake Santeetlah, at Avey Creek."
ScoutA lot of amenities for the kids however getting camper backed in and parking is horrible
ScoutThis is the park that is a base for taking the rap trips. There is also the bus bar and Grill here that has different entertainment on the weekend so when you’re camping here you will get to hear the music it fills up on the weekends but during the week it’s not too bad people are pretty friendly. One word of note is it it’s a sewer service that comes once every two weeks, you pay an additional $80 for the month if you’re staying here monthly to have your motorhome pumped out twice a month. Site 28 that we stayed in is one of the least level spaces. I would not suggest it.
TravelerFor a campground with a nice view, it's alright. Bathrooms and showers are functional but could use a little more tlc. Grass was freshly mowed when I stayed. Again, there is no cell service for ATT, not that it's the campsites fault or anything. it's just not there. For a tent site with no hookups, i thought it was a bit pricey, compared to other campsites I've visited in the area. I like the concrete slab and tables for every site though.
ScoutAt my arrival, the office mistakenly saved my debit card information under the wrong customer file and charged my card. When I brought this to their attention, I was assured that my card information would be removed from the incorrect account and that the issue had been resolved. Despite those assurances, my debit card was charged again. This second charge occurred after I had already notified the staff of the mistake and after I was specifically told that my card information would be deleted. As a result, I spent a significant portion of my vacation dealing with a problem that should never have happened in the first place. Not only did these errors create financial stress and inconvenience, but they also ruined what was supposed to be a relaxing vacation. I trusted your staff to correct the mistake after it was first reported, and unfortunately that trust was misplaced when my card was charged again. I believe it is unreasonable for me to bear the consequences of repeated errors made by the office, particularly after I had notified you of the problem and received assurances that it had been corrected. For these reasons, I respectfully requested a refund and I was denied and told that it was my banks fault for letting the transactions to occur. They won't take accountability and refuse to work with me. This was my debit card that was charged and over$400 and was on hold for a total of 8 days. My bank cancelled my card. Just one headache after another because of all of this. I feel as though they should've accommodated me seeing how their actions and failure to pay attention caused all of this.
TravelerI plugged the GPS in for the location the app showed, and this is not the campground location. It is further northeast near Asheville, "Carolina hemlocks rec area" is what it is titled under.
ScoutThe owner was very rude, yelling and screaming about how to park my camper. Never again will I visit this place. Very disappointing.
TravelerFull Hookups, 20,30,50 amp. Water and sewer. Sights are level with concrete pads. Restrooms are very nice and clean, private toilet and shower(air conditioned). Golf cart rentals are available. Staff were nice and helpful. The only two downsides that come to mind are that there is only one spot to drop off trash(it can be a hike depending on where your sight is). The other is that the sights are quite small and very close to each other. Each sight has a fire ring but you wouldn’t want to use the one at your sight as you might catch your rig on fire. However, when we were there occupancy was low and it was easy to use the next door fire ring I wouldn’t count on that being the case all the time. Overall recommended.
GuideI am sitting at campfire right next to a stream. The RV sites are all stream side. You fall asleep listening to the water. The hosts are wonderful people, so helpful and accommodating. And their roaming chickens "The Dixie Chicks" are so adorable! A small, wonderful retreat in the Smokey Mountains!
GuideThis is among the cleanest RV campgrounds I've ever been in. It is a single road with lots on both sides...very easy for pull-in's, back-in's regardless of rig size. Full hookups all in great condition and clean, level concrete pads. Bathroom and shower facilities are extremely clean. The hedges that separate lots make for some really good privacy. The riverfront lots have a beautiful view of the river that are embellished by the beautiful pastures visible on the other side.
This area is truly the mouth of the the funnel that all visitors go through to get to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, so in the summer - and especially on weekends - you can still budget an hour or more getting from here to Smoky Mountains. However, there are a lot of great restaurants within 15 minutes driving distance from here.
The area behind Smoky Mountain Knife Works is mostly quiet, and plenty of space to do some walking, running and biking. And, for the bike riders, there are some side roads that quickly get you more rural for some scenic biking.
Nearby restaurants we tried: Chubby's (large-portion very good comfort food), Aubrey's (upscale restaurant, also very good food on the higher end).
We'd definitely come back here again, but you'd feel strapped down without a car.
Camping sites near Tallassee, Tennessee sit within the Cherokee National Forest at elevations ranging from 800 to 2,000 feet, creating varied conditions throughout the year. Spring camping offers moderate temperatures averaging 60-75°F with frequent afternoon rain showers, while summer highs regularly exceed 85°F with high humidity. Forest roads accessing many dispersed camping areas become particularly rutted after rainfall, affecting accessibility for standard passenger vehicles.
Biking the scenic trails: At Elkmont Campground, rent bikes for the family from the nearby camp store. "I love elkmont! It's located only a short drive from Gatlinburg and several major hiking trails including Chimney Top," notes camper Emma M. The campground offers easy access to paved biking routes suitable for all skill levels.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Morning and evening hours offer prime wildlife spotting at Cades Cove Campground. "I have never seen more black bear. It was a very safe distance we watched them about a football field away across a field pretty amazing experience," shares Ashley Y. The 11-mile loop road closes to vehicles on Wednesday and Saturday mornings until 10 am for cyclist and pedestrian wildlife viewing.
Water activities: Fishing for trout in crystal-clear streams is popular from April through October. "The campground is on the river, and I have never seen such crystal clear water anywhere on this side of the country," reports one visitor about Jake Best Campground. Swimming areas at Indian Boundary feature a designated beach area with sandy shorelines.
Privacy between sites: Many campers appreciate the spacious layout at Citico Creek Area dispersed camping. "These campsites are extremely spread out, allowing for private camping. No hookups, but a majority of the 14 sites are on the creek itself," explains Zane P. The free sites provide substantial separation from neighbors.
Waterfront locations: Lake Santeetlah Dispersed camping across the state line offers premium lakeside sites. "Our site was a quarter mile peninsula that we had to ourselves. All the sites very in size, shape, and proximity to the road and lake," shares Andy S., adding that amenities include "a fire ring with cooking grate, picnic table, lantern pole, grill, lots of wood on the ground for fires."
Seasonal amenities: From April through October, camping facilities like Indian Boundary provide additional services. "There's a camp store in the middle of the campground just in case you forget something or something fails you," writes Jason J. The campground also features "a lake for paddling, swimming, or fishing" with equipment rentals available.
Reservation requirements: Many established campgrounds need advance booking through recreation.gov. "Make sure you make reservations BEFORE stunning out there. Way if they beaten path and reservations can ONLY be made online. No cell service no internet for at least ten miles away from camp," warns Jay A. about Abrams Creek Campground.
Road conditions: Forest Service roads leading to remote sites often deteriorate after rainfall. "Rough gravel road with many potholes to get to it," notes Zane P. about Jake Best Campground access. The road to Lake Santeetlah has "endless sharp turns & drop-offs, would not recommend driving this in the dark," cautions Alexandra.
Bear safety protocols: All camping areas enforce strict food storage regulations. "Very strict rules regarding food storage and park has managed to control bears and raccoons," reports Kim L. Bear boxes are provided at walk-in sites, while vehicle storage is required at drive-up locations.
Choose campgrounds with activities: Look for sites with built-in recreation options. "There is a lake for paddling, swimming, or fishing. For those who like to hike, there is a trail around the lake. One can also use this trail for bike ridding," recommends Jason J. about Indian Boundary.
Consider noise levels: Some campgrounds provide more serene environments than others. "This is a great campground, but can get a little busy. That doesn't make it good or bad, but you need to know what to plan for. If you want nature and solitude, go somewhere else. If you want nature, love community, and want someone for your kids to play with, this is perfect," advises DrDavid P. about Cades Cove.
Plan for weather changes: Mountain elevations create variable conditions. "Temperature fluctuations can happen throughout the day by 20° or more. Storms czn pop up and bring heavy rain and wind to this area so be prepared," warns Tyler M. about camping in the region. Pack layers and rain gear even during summer months.
Electrical hookup availability: For RVers requiring power, options are limited. "Sites are big and level. Power hook ups if you need them and plenty of shade," notes Jim M. about Indian Boundary. Most dispersed camping areas cannot accommodate larger rigs or provide hookups.
Dump station locations: Plan your waste management accordingly. "Dump station on site," confirms Kim L. about Elkmont, but adds "Traffic was a beast but there were good hiking trails from campground." The Sugarlands Visitor Center dump station operates seasonally from late May, while Cades Cove's remains open year-round.
Site dimensions: Research campsite specifications before arrival. "The spot was long and pretty flat. The lake is beautiful to wake up to each morning, definitely looks to be a popular lake in the summer," shares Rocio C. about an RV site at Lake Santeetlah, but cautions "The other sites did not look to be too RV friendly."
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Tallassee, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, Tallassee, TN offers a wide range of camping options, with 616 campgrounds and RV parks near Tallassee, TN and 40 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Tallassee, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Tallassee, TN is Cades Cove Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 99 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Tallassee, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 40 free dispersed camping spots near Tallassee, TN.
What parks are near Tallassee, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 27 parks near Tallassee, TN that allow camping, notably Croatan National Forest and Tusquitee National Forest.
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