Join the fun near Watauga. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. Watauga is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.
$14 - $54 / night
"It is located in Roan Mountain Tennessee. The campground has clean bathhouses with hot showers."
"Fire pits you had to walk up to but were away from tents, which I liked. Bathhouse was clean, well lit, pretty warm showers. Campground was very clean and has a lot of amenities."
"We had a change of plans and made reservations at Warrior Path State Park on a whim - and are VERY glad we did."
"This beautiful 970 acre Tennessee State Park is located on the shores of the 900 acre Patrick Henry Reservoir on the Holston River in Sullivan County."
$12 / night
"This campground was perfect to bring a smaller RV to be right next to the Watauga lake Marina.
Bathrooms + a shower house was available. "
"Great camp sites right on Lake Watauga with nice little coves and private beaches. The Appalachian Trail runs by the lake and not far from the campsites."
$12 / night
"This campground is located about an hour or so from our home but it feels like a million miles away — in a good way!"
"**Holston Lake is absolutely beautiful. The campground is deep in the national forest, out on a series of peninsulas, making all the campsites quite close to the water."
"Me and my wife were looking to get away from theater apartment for a couple of days during a remodel. Well we didn't Wana travel to mountains to camp."
"Perfect distance to Johnson City. We had a beer at Yee Haw and even brought back tasty Mediterranean dinner from Red Meze to the camp site. Do yourself a favor and book a night here."
$10 - $20 / night
"Water fill up spots are well positioned and each site has a fire ring. We stayed in spot #2 which is very close to the road, but it felt secluded and traffic is light."
"Really nice, small campground situated near several trails."
"It is one of the best campgrounds around. Priced right, clean, fantastic scenery, ideally located. Make a reservation you won't regret it"
"All around wonderful place to camp"
"updated bathhouses lots of shady sites sits on Patrick Henry Lake - no boat that’s ok rent paddle boats and kayaks at the Marina or just have lunch and watch the ducks on the water!"
$10 - $50 / night
"Right by the AT and Watauga Lake with Kayak, Canoe, and Stand-up Paddleboard rentals available."
"Stopped for a night on a cross country road trip. 12$/person gets you a shower, breakfast, access to supplies and some quality time with awesome people coming on and off the Appalachian Trail."
$20 - $50 / night
"There isn’t too much of any one activity in/near the campground but lots more in the greater area. Cons: just plan to drive to another area if you’re staying for a few days (not really a con though)."
"There are so many great hiking trails here, plus some rock climbing/bouldering."
GuideAlmost two weeks at this great campground at a power/water only site right by the creek. Level parking, reliable wifi, friendly hosts and community, dog friendly. The bathhouse and laundry are older structures but very clean and everything worked. I will be back!
ScoutCamp host rude and disrespectful. Called the police over my daughter unloading her vehicle because she was parked in the wrong spot. This was after he got in her face and yelled at her and threatened her. Told us we had to move out of the campground immediately. We weren’t even there at the time. Very disrespectful to other tenants on the property as well.
ScoutDark Ridge Hideout has been one of our best camping experiences. The campground is absolutely beautiful and provides a serene mountain experience. Curtis is the most gracious of hosts and is genuinely dedicated to providing a relaxing and enjoyable experience. We plan to make this one of our regular summer stops.
RangerBeautiful piece of property and close to town. We camped on the river and looks like the are making some improvements to the property. Drawbacks are the sites were close together and the facilities were very dirty.
LegendThe higher number loop across the street is better for a more quiet experience. Still a very short walk over to the river or the showers. Showers are free for campers and average cleanliness for a campground.
The check-in office is in a weird, poorly signed place that we actually found accidentally when walking to the swimming hole in the river. It’s behind the bathroom and shower building.
Found a water snake with fishing hook stuck in its abdomen and pulling out the muscle as it was stuck in sticks and a toy boat in the river. Tried to free it but it got away with the hook still in it. Be responsible, fishermen.
On our second night, the host was blaring music in their camper that we could hear several sites away. I found that to be extremely strange.
The area seems to be very slowly recovering from the hurricane. It’s a bit sobering. I feel for these people.
We couldn’t hike the trail we were hoping for due to hurricane damage, so we drove to Grandfather Mountain SP and did a really fun hike there (to Calloway Peak). We stopped at Cellucci’s Italian Restaurant in Pineola and the food and service were amazing.
ScoutTo be clear, there is only one site that you can drive to. (Site 14) When it says the sites are “walk-in”, it does not mean you can drive near your site and walk over into it. It means you have to park in a parking lot and haul your stuff up to 200 or 300 yards away along a trail over bridge. That being said, it is a lovely little campground. Very pretty right along the creek. Also hiking trails in the area. Be cautious though we had two local people in the area talk to us about people stealing things there and how there used to be a real homeless problem where a church about 30 miles away started dropping off homeless people they were tired of dealing with… typical 🙄. We did not see anything too shady during our visit, however. Just be cautious. The camp host was very nice and helpful. The bathhouse had one shower per side and on a scale of 1 to 10 for cleanliness, I would give it a 6.
TravelerI’m sure this spot is beautiful, however the road was closed due to flood damage when we tried to visit on 6/2/25
ScoutWe do lots of walking, so this campground has many drives to walk. Takes no time at all to walk a mile plus without going the same drive. Many shaded sites, lots seem to be seasonal. Showers and restrooms are spaced apart for sections of grounds. Very hilly, some sites are unlevel, so additional blocking helps. Only 2 dump stations, but, there is a honey wagon service that quite close and very reasonably priced.
ScoutCampground is closed due to hurricane damage.
Camping near Watauga, Tennessee, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventurous getaway, there are several campgrounds to choose from.
Camping around Watauga, TN, has something for everyone, whether you're in a tent, RV, or cabin. Enjoy the great outdoors!
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, Watauga, TN offers a wide range of camping options, with 258 campgrounds and RV parks near Watauga, TN and 24 free dispersed camping spots.
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Watauga, TN is Roan Mountain State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 47 reviews.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 24 free dispersed camping spots near Watauga, TN.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 32 parks near Watauga, TN that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
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