18 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Citico Creek Area offers free dispersed camping with pet-friendly sites along the creek in Cherokee National Forest near Tallassee. The 14 campsites are extremely spread out, providing private camping experiences where dogs can enjoy the natural setting. Most sites sit directly on the creek, allowing easy water access for pets. While pets must remain leashed in developed areas, the spacious sites give dogs room to explore with owners. The primitive campsites include basic amenities like picnic tables, fire rings, and vault toilets but no hookups or showers. Some campers report issues with trash at certain sites, as the free camping attracts a diverse crowd and maintenance can be inconsistent.
Several pet-friendly established campgrounds provide more amenities within a short drive. Indian Boundary Campground features electric hookups, drinking water, and reservable sites where pets are welcome year-round. The campground's proximity to hiking trails makes it ideal for dog owners seeking outdoor adventures. Abrams Creek Campground in Great Smoky Mountains National Park allows pets in camping areas but maintains restrictions on most park trails. The campground's location along Abrams Creek provides cooling water access during summer months when pets need relief from heat. Visitors planning extended stays should note that veterinary services are limited in this remote area, with the closest full-service options available in Maryville, approximately 30 minutes northeast of Tallassee.
"There is a beautiful drive to get to this campground once you get through the traffic jam of Sevierville. Enjoy the scenic and winding river road! Only loop C is open in the off season."
"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."
Available this weekend
from $30 / night
"The 3.5 mile trail around the lake is a good little walk for the dogs. Highly recommend this campground."
"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!)."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $20 / night
"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."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $30 / night
"Pets are allowed in the campground, but not on the trails. This campground has great access to hiking and fishing, as well as wildlife viewing."
"I had the most fantastic campsite right next to the river in Elkmont."
Available this weekend
from $30 / night
"There was barely anyone here and just a short/walk drive down the road are tons of overlooks and a short hike to a watch tower. I definitely recommend this place."
"It was nearly empty during my stay. My site was not remotely level, but no big deal to me. The views around the area made it all worthwhile to me."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $30 - $36 / night
"My dog and I enjoyed 4 nights here. The sites are well spaced and the tent pad is even. The bathrooms could use an update but I was just happy they’re flush toilets! There are no showers."
"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."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $50 - $94 / night
"The River is flowing behind the park, open to Tubers (Rental from the office), great outdoor playground and pool."
"Amazingly clean campgrounds 10 minutes from the entrance of the National Park and 20 minutes from the Visitor's Center."
"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."
"Our dog also loved their dog park. Their check in system was perfect for our late check in."
"Overall, this is a nice campground with lots of amenities in a great location."
from $60 - $185 / night
"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."
"This campground is absolutely gorgeous, the views of the lake are breathtaking. Especially, in the early morning. We ended up staying an extra night here because it was so peaceful and laid back."
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.
GuideI'm excited about visiting this place and being secluded by all the greenery and enjoying the sound of silence… I heard it was a wonderful place to visit and stay!
TravelerWe have stayed here several times over the years. It's nothing fancy but it is on the creek, sites are level and spaced fairly good. Kids have a pretty good play area and like to feed the goats. Love the tubing access!
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.
TravelerMy family and I stayed here for our first ever family trip since we’ve all been grown - 5 kids, 3 boyfriends/husbands, 2 parents, 1 dog, so much fun. My parents stayed in one of the rentable RVs and my mom booked the 2 campsites next to each other on the little “island” for the kids, which gave us awesome privacy. The running water was amazing to listen to at night. My biggest complaint is the road noise, it’s close to an occasionally busy road for that area. Big 18 wheelers and motorcyclists using the road at times. But the campsite itself was beautiful and had so much open sunshine. They had recently added a bathhouse with 2 toilets and a shower, which was great. I will be back here.
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.
Dispersed camping near Tallassee offers access to Cherokee National Forest's diverse 650,000-acre landscape stretching along Tennessee's eastern border. The area sits at elevations between 800 and 5,400 feet with multiple watersheds providing year-round water access. Summer temperatures typically range from 75-85°F during the day with cooler nights, while spring and fall camping seasons bring more variable conditions.
Waterfall hiking: 3.5 miles to Abrams Falls from Cades Cove Campground, a moderate trail leading to a 20-foot waterfall with deep swimming hole. "The Smokies are beautiful... 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," notes Ashley Y., highlighting wildlife viewing opportunities along the way.
Bicycle rentals: $8-15/hour for exploring scenic routes. "What a great campground! On certain days they close off the loop of Cades Cove for bicycles to be able to ride. At the store near the campground they rent bikes for a reasonable rate," says Jeremy H., who took his entire family on the loop ride.
Morning wildlife drives: Best between 7-9am on the 11-mile Cades Cove loop road. "The main attraction for most is a driving tour loop that starts & ends right at the campground. You drive around a valley with rivers running through and you're surrounded by mountains. Tons of wildlife, even saw a bear from a distance," reports Dan N.
Lake access for water activities: Indian Boundary offers shoreline camping with swimming and boating options. "Great camping area, great for family camping. Hiking trail around lake fun to kayak and fish on also has a swimming area and large picnic area that's covered," according to Kaitlyn, describing the multiple recreation options.
Riverside sites for sound privacy: Most free sites at Citico Creek Area sit directly adjacent to rushing water. "These campsites are extremely spread out, allowing for private camping. No hookups, but a majority of the 14 sites are on the creek itself," writes Zane P., highlighting the spaciousness between sites.
Historical structures: Access to preserved pioneer buildings. "Go on the car tour loop and make sure to stop and look at the cabins and church. History at its finest," recommends Buck R. from Cades Cove, referring to the 19th century structures preserved throughout the valley.
Limited cell coverage: Prepare for communication gaps in most camping areas. "Cades Cove was fairly quiet and the site was slightly wooded. No cell service for Verizon and none for many miles on the drive to the site," notes Carol B., emphasizing the digital disconnect.
Diverse campsite spacing: Elkmont Campground offers a mix of private and social sites. "Large campground but had level, shaded, and private camp sites. Flush toilets clean but no showers. Traffic was a beast but there were good hiking trails from campground," reports Kim L., who stayed recently.
Peak season congestion: Expect traffic delays during summer and fall color season. "Had a great stop at this campground! Loved how close it was to the Cades Cove Road to tour for the downtime. Took a while to get into and out of though. Long and windy road to get to the area," advises Aliy L., noting access challenges.
Weather preparedness: Pack for temperature swings, especially at higher elevations. "November is when the leaves are changing. Temps cool at night, moderately nice during the day...got snow at Clingman's Dome however during the day!" shares Buck R. from Cades Cove Group Campground.
Kid-friendly camping options: Consider social atmosphere when choosing sites. "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," explains DrDavid P.
Dog-friendly swimming spots: Several lake and stream access points throughout the area welcome pets. "Sites are big and level. Power hook ups if you need them and plenty of shade. The 3.5 mile trail around the lake is a good little walk for the dogs," recommends Jim M. from Indian Boundary.
Power options: Townsend-Great Smokies KOA offers reliable hookups in a convenient location. "After walking around the river front patios are amazing followed by the river front decks," notes John, who stayed there during Thanksgiving while needing to work remotely.
Site selection for larger rigs: Request specific areas when making reservations. "We stayed here for almost two weeks and it was wonderful. For most of our stay it was just us, the host site, and maybe one or two other sites on the weekend," shares Amy K., describing a less crowded experience at a higher elevation campground.
Off-season flexibility: More dog-friendly campground options available during shoulder seasons with fewer crowds. "We stayed here during Thanksgiving break 2020. We had a great spot on the river. The staff is very helpful and accommodating," reports John, who appreciated both the location and service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Tallassee, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Tallassee, TN is Cades Cove Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 100 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Tallassee, TN?
TheDyrt.com has all 353 dog-friendly camping locations near Tallassee, TN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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