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GuideJohn C. Campbell Folk School Campground
I'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!
Tent Camping near Turtletown, TN
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Cherokee National Forest surrounding Turtletown, Tennessee offers several tent-only camping options with varying levels of amenities and accessibility. Tent campsites here range from free primitive sites along creeks to developed riverside grounds with water spigots and picnic tables, making the area well-suited for both first-time and experienced backcountry tent campers. Lost Creek Campground in Reliance provides primitive tent camping along a creek with concrete picnic tables and fire rings. The campground is accessible year-round via a 7-mile gravel forest road and features pit toilets and bear-proof trash receptacles. For tent campers seeking water activities, the Hiwassee River Area campground offers spacious tent sites with river and stream views, water spigots throughout the grounds, and picnic tables at each site.
Most tent campsites in the region are set on dirt or grass surfaces with minimal grading. Bear activity is common throughout the area, requiring proper food storage in vehicles or hung from trees at backcountry sites. Campers should bring their own drinking water to primitive sites like Lost Creek, while the Hiwassee River Area provides water access. Sites at Lost Creek include concrete pads, picnic tables, and fire rings but no potable water or showers. The Goforth Creek area offers free hike-in tent camping with permitted fires but no facilities, making it suitable for experienced backcountry tent campers comfortable with Leave No Trace principles.
According to reviews, Lost Creek Campground provides exceptional seclusion despite being accessible by vehicle. One camper described it as "incredibly clean and quiet—and completely free," noting its location "in the middle of nowhere" with the Benton McKaye trail running directly beside it. The creek access is highlighted as a major benefit, with some sites positioned right beside the water. Tent campers at Hiwassee River Area appreciate the spacious tent campsites that can accommodate multiple tents. A visitor mentioned, "We had 2 tents and could have fit 3 more," and valued the ability to fish directly from their campsite before the daily water release at 11am when river conditions change.
Best Tent Campgrounds near Turtletown (101)
1. Gee Creek Campground — Hiwassee/Ocoee Scenic River State Park
"The state park/campground adjoins the Cherokee National Forest and sits on the north bank of the Hiwassee River outside of Benton, TN."
"Very 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."
29 Sites AvailableAvailable next weekend
2. Lost Creek - Cherokee NF
"It's in the middle of nowhere (7 miles down a gravel forest road), surrounded by forest, with easy creek access (some sites are right beside the creek), and the Benton McKaye trail running directly beside"
"We chose a spot next to the creek. Was clear and flowing due to a lot of rain the few days before we arrived. Sites had concrete picnic tables and a pad. We had to clean ours when we arrived."
3. Hiwassee River Area
"Our first time here at the Hiwassee Outfitter camping area in Reliance, Tennessee. Most campsites have river view or stream view. One large circle, mostly tent camping. No electric hookup."
"This is a popular location for the regional university students so expect a bit of a hootenanny to surround and welcome you."
4. Ocoee River Area
"There are several places for primitive camping spots that I’ve seen along the bank. 10/10 would recommend for your next adventure spot if you haven’t been."
"It has hiking trails bycyclin trails it also has local horse back riding that takes you up near Chilhowee Lake once to the top you get a really beautiful overlook of Parksville lake at one of the centered"
5. Starr Mountain Area
"The trail isn’t really a trail but it’s so worth it. if you enter through gee creek rd it’s only about half a mile to the top. It is an off beat path and there are no markings."
"Hammock camping is ideal here, unsure of tent camping possibilities. Come prepared to hike hard and to experience unexpected weather if it occurs"
6. Goforth Creek Campground E
"Nice site along the creek that has plenty of space for multiple tents. It had some debris from previous campers when we were there."
7. Little Gassaway Creek
"Only one campsite and requires either off-road tires or 4 x 4"
8. Your Toccoa River Cove
"With 12 acres of woodland and the freedom to pitch a tent anywhere (provided you honor LNT principals about where to set up camp!)"
"Absolutely beautiful location! Directions were easy to follow. I followed my google maps until we got to hwy 60 and then used the given directions."
from $35 / night
9. Smitty's Lodge Motorcycle Campground
"I found this awesome campground close to the beginning of the Cherohala skyway in Tellico Plains."
from $20 / night
10. Henson Cove Private Campground
from $52 / night
Drive Time
- 56 min from Cleveland, TN
- 1 hr 19 min from Chattanooga, TN
- 1 hr 39 min from Knoxville, TN
- 1 hr 44 min from Gainesville, GA
Recent Tent Camping Photos near Turtletown, TN
123 Photos of 101 Turtletown Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Hiwassee River Area
Lost Creek - Cherokee NF
Gee Creek Campground — Hiwassee/Ocoee Scenic River State Park
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Your Toccoa River Cove
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Tellico River Area
Overland Camping Ocoee
overland camping ocoeeT
Outland Expeditions Ocoee RiverD
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Hickey Gap (Cohutta WMA)
Tent Camping Reviews near Turtletown, TN
1715 Reviews of 101 Turtletown Campgrounds
- MMadison S.
TravelerBlue Ridge Basecamp
Beautiful, small campsite
My 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.
- mmaggie V.
ScoutCandy Mountain Goat Farm
Welcoming, well-maintained, and peaceful campsite
I camped here with a friend last weekend and absolutely loved this place! It's a cute little site with a great host, clean bathrooms, free firewood, and super friendly dogs, goats, and people. I would for sure stay here again and recommend.
Jeff C.GuideParksville Lake RV Campground
Great little campground
Parksville Lake RV Campground is an absolute gem! I had a fantastic stay here. The campground is beautifully maintained, and the sites are nice, spacious, and wonderfully shaded by the trees. We loved the layout of the RV loop, especially the outer section where a peaceful creek flows right past the sites—the sound of the water at night was perfect. The restrooms and showers were exceptionally clean and well-kept. I had Starlink connectivity at my site and my WeBoost cell signal booster gave me up to three bars on AT&T. The campground host was incredibly nice, welcoming, and helpful. It's a wonderful, relaxing spot, and I will definitely be back!
- TTammy F.Guide
Lake Chatuge Dispersed
A sign on the gate says that the area has been closed "due to vandalism and unauthorized activity".
Adrian C.GuideNorth River Campground
Peaceful, low cost small campground with some creekside sites
This is one of several USFS campgrounds that are within a few miles of each other. The cost is only $8/night, first come first served. The sites are fairly large with about half of them on a wide, clear creek. There is no running water, but there are bear proof trash cans and vault toilets that were fairly clean, but didn't smell great.
There is free potable water and an RV dump station about a mile away at the North River Game Checking Station on River Road near the Spivey Cove campground..
The campsite was clean with picnic table, fire ring, and a lantern post. The fire ring was almost full of ashes and it appears that campers have to clean them out themselves.
The Green Cove Angler store is a couple miles away and has ice, firewood and other camper things.
Unfortunately, while we were there, it was bear hunting season and another camper had multiple barking and baying dogs that went on and on for hours.
Alicia B.ScoutTurkey Creek Campground
NOT FAMILY FRIENDLY
Beautiful Campground, but Absolutely NOT Family-Friendly! I rarely leave negative reviews this strongly, but our experience at Turkey Creek Campground was so disappointing that I feel compelled to warn other families. First, I’ll give credit where it’s due. The campground is beautifully maintained, and the creekside sites are incredibly peaceful and serene. It’s a lovely setting, and during the day, the owner is friendly enough and seemingly hospitable. Unfortunately, the hospitality comes to a screeching halt the moment the clock strikes 10 PM.
We were two families camping together with six well-behaved kids who absolutely love the outdoors. We understand and respect campground quiet hours. We weren’t looking to throw parties, blast music, or disturb anyone. But apparently, at Turkey Creek,“quiet hours” doesn’t mean keeping noise to a respectful minimum. It means absolute silence, complete darkness, and seemingly no normal human activity whatsoever.
I’m not exaggerating.
* We were told to turn off ALL our lights at 10 PM.
* We were confronted for opening our vehicle’s trunk because it made a brief beeping sound.
* Our children were startled by a large spider near the bathhouse, and the owner actually yelled at them to be quiet.
* One evening around 11 PM, we were talking quietly INSIDE OUR OWN TENT, barely above a whisper, when the owner approached our tent door to reprimand us for talking.
* On another occasion, he approached us to complain that our children had left TWO STICKS on the ground near the bathrooms. Two sticks! At a campground surrounded by woods, where the kids had just walked down a wooded trail to reach the bathhouse!
And don’t even think about enjoying a little background music while sitting around your campsite. Music of any kind played through a speaker is prohibited, regardless of volume. Apparently, even a little John Denver played quietly while enjoying the mountains is too much to ask. I fully appreciate that some people camp specifically for peace and quiet. We respect that, too. But there is a massive difference between enforcing reasonable quiet hours and making paying guests feel like they’re constantly being watched, monitored, and reprimanded for simply existing. The owner’s enforcement of these rules felt excessive, confrontational, and completely out of proportion to what was actually happening.
Instead of relaxing and enjoying our family vacation, we found ourselves walking on eggshells, worried that the smallest sound, light, or ordinary childhood behavior would result in another confrontation. What makes this particularly frustrating is that our kids were doing exactly what we’d hope children would do on a camping trip: spending time outside, exploring nature, enjoying each other’s company, and making memories away from screens. Yet somehow, even that seemed unwelcome. If we hadn’t already paid for five nights, we would have packed up and left after the very first night. That’s how uncomfortable the experience became.
If you are someone who wants a meticulously maintained campground where everyone retires to complete silence and darkness by 10 PM, Turkey Creek might be perfect for you. But if you’re a family hoping to enjoy a campfire, share some laughs, quietly socialize in the evening, and let your children experience the simple joys of camping, I cannot recommend this place strongly enough AGAINST it.
There are so many beautiful campgrounds in this area, and I cannot imagine choosing to return somewhere that made our families feel so unwelcome. Beautiful property. Extremely disappointing hospitality. Absolutely terrible experience for families. We will never return.
- LLaura F.Scout
gee creek
Called the day of to ask if we could camp and set up after hours for that day and the next the lady told me yes i could pay in the morning i got here set up that night woke up around 8 am to go pay and reserve my campsite for the day and she told me they were booked even though she had told me the day before she had plenty of campsites. Then tried to tell me the only one she had was a $75 site for 4 people which is absolutely insane. She made snarky remarks and was overall incompetent in making sure the guests receive the right information the first time. Absolutely zero care that we set up not even 12 hours before to make us take it down and leave.
Gary R.ScoutFort Mountain State Park Backcountry Campsites
Fort Mountain SP offers some great adventures for the outdoorsman. Hiking and Biking are the mainstays. The overlooks are absolutely astounding from the Cool Springs Overlook, which is easily accessible to anyone even the disabled. The overlook on the trail to the wall and tower is equally amazing. The campground is electric and water only, no fhu. All spots are gravel and fairly level. The bathhouses are older and could use updating . We have zero T-Mobile service at the campground, but it works well in other areas of the park. We have Starlink for our 5th Wheel but the heavy tree canopy in our site made it sketchy. The staff is very friendly.
Guide to Turtletown
Tent camping near Turtletown, Tennessee offers diverse wilderness experiences within the Cherokee National Forest, where elevations range from 1,500 to over 2,000 feet. The region features multiple free dispersed camping areas alongside creeks and rivers, with primitive camping options typically available year-round despite occasional winter closures after heavy snowfall. Campers should note that bear activity increases significantly during spring and fall months.
What to do
Hiking on Starr Mountain: Access challenging but rewarding terrain from Gee Creek Road with approximately 0.5 miles of steep hiking to reach the summit. "This place is amazing. The trail isn't really a trail but it's so worth it. if you enter through gee creek rd it's only about half a mile to the top. It is an off beat path and there are no markings. The key is to keep going up," notes a visitor to Starr Mountain Area.
Creek exploration: Many tent sites in the region offer direct water access for wading and cooling off during summer months. At Lost Creek Campground, one camper mentioned, "We chose a spot next to the creek. Was clear and flowing due to a lot of rain the few days before we arrived... The highlight would definitely be the creek. There are spots that you can swim around in."
Fishing before dam release: Fish directly from campsites at several riverside locations before daily water releases change conditions. "We went fly fishing right from the campsite. The water gets released at 11am, so the current picks up and water levels will rise quickly," reports a camper from Hiwassee River Area.
What campers like
Remote location access: Despite primitive conditions, many sites offer surprisingly easy access to wilderness areas. "The lost cove campground can be found deep in the wilderness of the Cherokee National Forest outside of Benton, TN. The campground is operated and maintained by the USFS. Once leaving the pavement of the main road and traversing a well maintained gravel road for 7 miles you will reach the Lost Cove Campground," explains a visitor.
Natural springs: Multiple camping areas feature natural springs for water collection. At Your Toccoa River Cove, campers appreciate that "There is a spring you can drink straight out of, and streams criss-crossing the entire area if you want the rugged feeling of purifying your own water."
Seasonal isolation: Fall and winter months bring notably fewer visitors to many campgrounds. One camper at Chilhowee Campground noted, "We stayed during the week, so I can't say whether the noise level picks up on the weekends... This is easily the quietest campsite (with electric, showers, and lake access) that we have encountered to date."
What you should know
Hunting season awareness: Some campgrounds experience increased activity and noise during hunting seasons. A Lost Creek visitor reported, "We apparently went during hunting season. Had to have been a dog sport. Too many dogs running around and barking throughout the night. Other than that we enjoyed our stay."
Weather impacts on access: Gravel roads leading to remote sites can deteriorate significantly after storms. A camper mentioned about reaching Lost Creek, "Super remote area, ride were in decent shape, I could see them being bad after a heavy storm. Gravel 7 miles to here."
Cell service limitations: Most primitive camping areas have limited or no cell service. At Goforth Creek Campground, visitors should prepare for complete disconnection, with no coverage from major carriers. Service typically returns once you reach main roads.
Tips for camping with families
Shelter alternatives: Sites with covered areas provide backup options during unexpected weather. "There's a large shelter stocked with a table, chairs, lanterns, and a two-burner camp stove for the glamping crowd, with plenty of floor space to throw down a sleeping bag," reports a visitor to Your Toccoa River Cove.
Protected swimming areas: Family campers prefer locations with designated swimming spots away from river currents. "The lake is beautiful and quiet," notes a visitor to Chilhowee Campground, describing their safe water access option.
Space requirements: Consider site dimensions when bringing multiple tents for family camping. "We had 2 tents and could have fit 3 more. No lights, so it's pretty dark after 10pm," explains a camper from Hiwassee River Area about their spacious campsite layout.
Tips from RVers
Access limitations: Most primitive camping areas near Turtletown have significant RV restrictions. "The driveway down to the shelter is very steep, and does not allow much space to turn around. RVs or larger trucks will not fit," warns a visitor to Your Toccoa River Cove, highlighting a common challenge for larger vehicles in this mountainous region.
Site surface preparation: RV campers should prepare for potentially uneven surfaces. "The campsite was crushed stone chips, and I suspect it would drain well after a storm," notes a visitor to Chilhowee Campground, one of the few areas that can accommodate smaller RVs and trailers.
Small trailer options: Consider small trailers rather than full-size RVs. One camper at Chilhowee noted, "Our site was clean, shaded and level. We had plenty of space for our 6 x 12 converted cargo trailer camper and Outback," showing the feasibility of modest setups in the region.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent
campsite near Turtletown, TN?
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Turtletown, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Turtletown, TN is Gee Creek Campground — Hiwassee/Ocoee Scenic River State Park with a 4.1-star rating from 30 reviews.
What is the best site to find
tent camping near
Turtletown, TN?
What is the best site to find tent camping near Turtletown, TN?
TheDyrt.com has all 101 tent camping locations near Turtletown, TN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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