Bandy Creek Campground, near Oneida, Tennessee, is a fantastic spot for those looking to immerse themselves in nature while enjoying some solid amenities. With spacious sites that accommodate both tents and RVs, it’s a great place to kick back and enjoy the great outdoors.

This campground is known for its clean facilities, including well-maintained bathrooms and hot showers, which campers appreciate after a long day of hiking or biking. One visitor noted, “The site was huge, honestly - ample space for our 21’ campervan,” highlighting the generous site sizes that make it comfortable for larger setups.

Bandy Creek is surrounded by stunning natural features and offers easy access to a variety of outdoor activities. Whether you’re into hiking, fishing, or horseback riding, there’s something for everyone. The nearby trails are well-loved, with some starting right from the campground, making it easy to explore the beautiful [Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area](https://thedyrt.com/camping/kentucky/near/big-south-fork-national-river-and-recreation-area).

Families will find plenty to keep the kids entertained, with amenities like a playground and a seasonal swimming pool. Campers have remarked on the friendly atmosphere and the campground's cleanliness, making it a welcoming place for both new and seasoned campers. If you’re looking for a spot that combines comfort with adventure, Bandy Creek Campground is definitely worth a visit.

## Overview

 Bandy Creek is a spacious and modern campground, situated in The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area--a vast and scenic expanse of land that offers visitors countless recreational activities.
## Recreation

 Numerous trails snake through the Recreation Area, offering mountain biking, hiking and horseback riding for visitors. A swimming pool, along with on-site volleyball court, playgrounds and ball fields, make Bandy Creek an ideal spot for families. The main river of the Big South Fork is also a short drive away, offering fishing opportunities.
## Facilities

 Bandy Creek combines the experience of traditional woods camping with the modern conveniences of flush toilets, hot showers and electric hookups. Sites can accommodate groups and both RV and tent camping. The campsites are spacious and provide picnic areas and plenty of shade.
## Natural Features

 The Big South Fork is located in north central Tennessee and southeastern Kentucky in some of the most rugged terrain of the Cumberland Plateau. The park encompasses approximately 125,000 acres including rocky gorges and forested plateaus. Numerous pristine streams unite with the free-flowing Big South Fork of the Cumberland River. Over thousands of years, ceaselessly moving water has carved the sandstone of the plateau into impressive cliffs, arches and chimneys, which are found throughout the park. 
## Nearby Attractions

 Located just under 20 miles from Bandy Creek is the Blue Heron Mine, also known as Mine 18, a historic abandoned mining town that has been rebuilt as an outdoor museum. Visitors can hear audio presentations from actual people who lived in the community in the 1950s.

Bandy Creek Campground — Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area

Looking for the best campgrounds near Rugby, TN? Rugby 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. Discover great camping spots near Rugby, reviewed by campers like you.

Rugby

The Best Camping Near Rugby, Tennessee

The road in is an adventure in itself while pulling a camper. The visitors center is directly across from the campground as well as stables. The campground is very well kept and clean, nice hookup areas and a pool. Now for the trails...make sure you have a full tank of gas if your driving to the trailheads. If you backpacking in the way is scenic and in many places challenging. With awesome rock formations to see and several historic markers along the way. Horseback riders abound, there are both co-use trails and hikers only. There is an original "settlement" that you can stay at which can only be reached on foot or horseback. They will feed you and bed you down in various modes of primitiveness for a price. Overall an excellent choice for a weekend or longer! 

All that and trail apples too!

This campground is ideal for car/RV camping. Good hook us for electric and water at each site. Added plus, these bathrooms are super nice and with several locations next to lots of camp plots. Also, dog friendly and within a short drive of the Big South Fork for all you Yakers 😀✌️

Nice little car camping site!

We stayed at the Group site at Bandy Creek Campground this spring - really a great experience.  It comes with a pavilion with award winning fireplaces and your own restroom.  Ideal for large groups / families.  

Bandy Creek Campground - Group Site

Wanted to add this as well - the regular camp sites at Bandy Creek (previous review was on the group site) are great.  The bathrooms are really some of the cleanest we've ever seen.  Great for families as well.  The hiking in the area is wonderful and you are able to reserve a few adjacent sites to allow for a more secluded camping experience.

Bandy Creek Campground - Camp Sites

Excellent camping area, level paved sites. Showers are in great shape, visitor center with friendly, knowledgeable staff and stables right across the road and a pool too. Trails are epic! Some sights and history to see!

I have and will be back

Big campground with some tent-only areas, fairly modern accommodations with some sports fields, pools, etc. Very wooded with dense trees/undergrowth that make the large camp sites private. Very clean also. It fills up so book in advance. Horses are also in this same campground so plan your space if you’d like to avoid the noise and smells (though it was kept quite clean and didn’t smell much). 


Trails, rivers, rolling hills 

The Big South Fork is an amazing place to hike in and the Bandy Creek campground is a great place to base yourself out of. You can do miles of trails from here. The campsites are nice and well maintained. There are tent only sites and RV sites. It is a big campground and can be very crowded, which may not suit some. They have a swimming pool, playground and volleyball net also. Firewood can be hard to find. but you can buy some at the horse stables across the street from the campground at all hours on an honor system (bring cash). 

Great campground and great hiking!

Campground Review: I enjoy **Bandy Creek Campground** and wish I could visit more often. You could easily spend your entire summer in this area and explore somewhere new every day.

When we arrived at the campground it started snowing and the temperature dropped to 29 overnight. There were several people occupying the D loop. We were alone in the B loop.

The shower house was heated ;) and well maintained. The campground was clean and well taken care of. We visited the Visitors Center first thing in the morning and then hit the trails.

Gear Review: As a Dyrt Ranger I get the opportunity to review outdoor gear. On this trip I took along my recently received **Midland X-TALKER T75VP3** hand held radio’s. As soon as I took the radio’s out of their display box I could tell these weren’t anything like my childhood Walkie talkies. Camouflaged, compact and very sturdy feeling. They fit nicely in your hand.

These radio’s come with rechargeable batteries. You can also use regular batteries if need be. The base that comes with the radio has the options of using alternate charging platforms in addition to plugging it into the wall.

There are A LOT of instructions;) including information on how to activate the weather channel. Read thoroughly to find out all the cool stuff this little radio will do.

Then we took our radio’s out to play. There was the obligatory “can you hear me now” as we stood five feet apart.

Next on the East Overlook we split up and I was extremely surprised at the sound quality . Once again I was expecting the childhood Walkie talkie experience. However these radio’s sound awesome.

On another trail, with trees , small hills and distance in between the sound and reception was just as good. I would suggest using something in addition to the belt clip included. It is sturdy but not extremely secure and I worried about loosing the radio when I hooked it to my belt.

Overall I am loving this little radio, I will review it again when I have had a chance to use it in more adverse and different situations.

Apr 26 2018

Spent and extended weekend camping and took the **Midland X-TALKER T75VP3 Handheld Radio** out on the trails. Performed very good. While at least 2 miles apart over dense forest and rocky areas, down (and up) a mountainside we spoke to each other on the Midlands with perfect clarity. I was impressed when we reached the top of a very difficult trail , had crossed about1/2 mile on the top and could still talk clearly to another in our group that was at the base (about a mile) of the climb.

Ranger Review: Midland X-TALKER T75VP3 Handheld Radio and Bandy Creek Campground and 

I arrived to camp on a Monday and was surprised at how deserted the area was. This is a large campground but there were only two other sites occupied in the tent loop.

This is bear and rattlesnake habitat, so be prepared to keep food items locked up and watch your step. A bear-proof storage locker is available at each site.

The sites are well-spaced, trash receptacles are convenient, and the bathrooms and showers were very clean and nice. There is a swimming pool that apparently is open on the weekends. Plenty of hiking available as well.

Modern, but wild

I have so many amazing memories from camping, hiking, and exploring all over this area. The best time to go (in my opinion) is in the fall. Not as many people and incredible foliage if you time your trip right. 

A personal favorite

The facilities are amazing and well maintained. There is a large loop for primitive camping and additional loops for electric/ RV sites. If you are a mountain biker, you can ride directly from the campground.

So well kept and amazing scenery

Nice campground, if a bit suburban. Pool, parking lots, nice bathrooms. Tons of spots available even on a weekend in June. Short (5-10 min) drive to the river. If I did it again I'd find a backcountry spot - there are several on the Angel Falls trail that are just a short walk in.

Your Average Suburban Campground

Bandy Creek Campground is located in The Big South Fork National River and Recreation area on The Cumberland Plateau. Big South Fork is a great place for outdoor adventure. Some activities include hiking, horseback riding, rick climbing, tubing, kayaking, swimming, fishing, mountain biking, and just about anything else! The area is never overcrowded, even in the middle of summer. There are many scenic views throughout the area, so bring a camera! 

Campground review: Bandy Creek Campground is a great place! The sites are all spacious, and wooded for the most part, so you have plenty of space and some privacy. The campground seemed quite large, and was fairly empty for a Weekend in August. Some sites have food storage lockers (not sure if all do) as the area is a bear habitat. We saw some deer and turkeys, so there’s wildlife around for sure! 

There is tent loop, and a group camp area, and I believe the campground hosts several retreats. 


There’s riding stables at the camp store too. The campground also has a large swimming pool, with lifeguards. 

The restrooms were immaculate! Seriously the cleanest campground restrooms I believe I’ve seen. Ours had a filtered water bottle fill up fountain too. 

This campground is really nice, and quiet, but also has so much to do, I highly recommend it! 



Product Review: As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to try out products sometimes, and today I’m trying out the GCI Freestyle Rocket Pro! https://www.gcioutdoor.com/camping-chairs/freestyle-rocker-pro/

   The Freestyle Rocker Pro is one of the best chairs I’ve used! It is actually much lighter than I expected, and is still extremely sturdy. Lightweight gear is a must when camping, or attending events!          
    It has a carry handle so you don’t need to try to fit it in a case to have a strap like other chairs I’ve used. The Rocker was smooth on natural surface, pea gravel, and concrete. It is very comfortable, quiet, and relaxing. 
    It folds up super easy with just a  pull of the handle. One feature that I especially love is the cup holder and side pocket. It will actually hold a drink without spilling, and you can fit a phone, keys or other small items in the pocket. 
This chair is awesome! Two thumbs up!!



Ranger Review: GCI Freestyle Rocker Pro at Bandy Creek Campground

Bandy Creek is one of the most beautiful places . There is a wonderful peace there that gives your mind a new refreshing perspective on life.

Absolutely wonderful

The sites are pretty private and mostly wooded. There were acorns everywhere that our littles kept getting ahold of, and most of the trails are much longer than 2 miles, so there wasn't much to do with our two toddlers. 

That being said, the hiking that we did do was amazing. This is beautiful country and the campground was nice. 

The sites were a bit short and we couldn't park our tow vehicle in front of our 17' camper. So large campers beware. There are limited parking spots near the shower house. 

The tent pads were huge, lots of space to play at each site. 

We were really hoping to see a black bear but had no luck.

Not the best place for toddlers, but perfect for adults with older children!

This is one of the better places for peace. The grounds are good as well as the scenery the river access is great. This is a great place for your family!

Wonderful  place

Camped here a few years ago and got wonderful night sky shots. Definitely worth a stay if you're visiting Big South Fork.Great campers and great scenery 

Entrance into dark sky zone 

It is a pretty big campground. The bath house was really nice. The sites are pretty close together. It has a store on site but it wasn’t open. The visitors center was closed as well. There are quite a lot of things to do in the area. 

Large campground with many amenities

We were here for one night over the Fourth of July. Campsites are fairly spacious, though you can definitely see and hear the campers around you. The area around Big South Fork is beautiful, though, with plenty of hiking/biking trails! 

Not bad for a weekend away! 

Great campsite and location! Had a great weekend at Bandy creek, the area is fantastic. Campsites are close to trail entrance and if you head out toward Oneida you can hit up Angel falls. Has showers, water, didn’t even need an electrical site the cleaned it daily and people are respectful. Great view of the stars at night! I will be back.

Perfect location for a weekend getaway.

I camped here with a friend and the dogs. The campground is pretty big and has 4 loops. We were in Loop C and our campsite was pretty spacious and private (not all are). All sites have a fire pit, a picnic table. and some of them even have bear boxes for food and coolers. We also had an electric hook up.  

The bathhouse was very clean and well maintained. From the campground it's walking distance to several hiking trails like John Litton Farm or Oscar Blevins Farm. The nature there is very beautiful and definitely worth a visit.

I would camp here again but probably not in the summer month ;-).

Nice campground

I have camped at this campground more than any other for a reason. The sites are very well-spaced with a loop exclusively dedicated to tents. There are great mountain biking trails in the area.  Campground also caters to horses.  

Nice Campsites and Bath Houses 

Paved spots with lots of shade. Bathrooms are clean. Bathhouse has an outside sink and a water bottle fountain to refill your bottles. Lots of hiking in the surrounding area. Each site has a food storage box. 

Secluded in the Mountains

We camped two nights last week in Loop A, the tent only, nonelectric section. Being mid-week, there were not many people, meaning it was also nice and quiet. The sites are roomy, with a large tent pad, fire ring, picnic table, lantern hook, and a food storage locker. Yes, this is bear country, but we didn't see any during our visit. The bath houses are as nice as you're likely to find in a national park, with flush toilets, hot showers, and an outside sink for dish washing, etc. There is also a large, wheelchair accessible bathroom with roll-in shower. A water hydrant is available to fill jugs and tanks.

We drove through the other loops to see what they look like, because Loop A isn't open in winter. Should we decide to camp here in winter, Loop B is the only section open. But, that will let us use an electric heater. 

Be aware that some things are not open in 2020 due to Covid-19. The park visitors centers are still closed, the swimming pool wasn't open mid-week, and the check-in building was unstaffed when we arrived. There was a sign at the check-in point telling us to reserve and pay for our site using Recreation.gov. We had cell service there, so no problem. It you don't have service, drive across the road to the Camp Store (which is not always open) to use WiFi there. There is a note on the front door with the password. 

There are so many things to do in Big South Fork and surrounding areas that you really need to just visit the park website and make a list of things to do. Some are easy and roadside, others not so much. For example, to hike the Twin Arches Loop Trail, you'll drive several miles of dirt roads to reach the trailhead and end up hiking about 6 - 6.5 miles. The description says the loop is 4.6 miles, which is true, but you have to add another 1.4 miles for the out-and-back from the parking lot to the start of the loop. The loop trail isn't bad, but the access trail has steep stairs. Anyway, find something you like and enjoy the Cumberland Plateau.

Very Nice Campground

We had a end campsite and loved it. Not many people on our loop. Another one stayed full the entire visit. We hiked to the twin arches and to yahoo falls(recommend both) with children and had a blast. We can’t wait to go back. 

Will be back

Just ran into this spot and was pleasantly surprised at how nice it was especially for the cost.    Showers and facilities were great and clean.  Tent camping and RVs were separated in different loops which is nice.   

The campsite is nice and wooded, sites are spaced nicely.  There was a bear box and a fire ring at my site.
Plenty of hiking nearby.  

The recreation area was a real nice surprise in terms of scenery.  The rafting looked great at the right time of year.  

I don’t think there was any first come first serve sights, but there were plenty of sites mid October.

There looks like great mountain biking, horseback riding, and some challenging hiking near by.

I’d check out Yahoo Falls which was really nice.   I can imagine at high water Angel Falls would be grand, even though there was low water it was a nice and easy hike along the river.

Nice amenities, pool, playground

This is a large campground with excellent facilities.   Big South Fork is located in a very remote area of TN and KY.  Miles of Great hiking, biking, horse and motorized trails.  There is plenty to see and all of it is beautiful.   One of my favorite sites is the Twin Arches, worth the hike.

Remote camp

Well maintained, large campground.  Plenty of bathroom/shower facilities located around the campground; clean and functional.  Lots of good hiking nearby, as well as other outdoor activities (that I didn’t do).  Informative visitor’s center with helpful rangers onsite (even on weekends).
Great history lessons about the Big South Fork area, interpretive hikes (which I did do) and fair warning about the ticks.  


Wonderful park, great campground, can’t say enough good things ...

Showers and bathrooms were very clean! Most campsites are pretty spread out and the pool was a plus. Beautiful trails right at the campground, and easy drive to others throughout Big South Fork. Make sure to bring bug spray though, the bugs here were worse than other campground Ives been to 

Nice campground! 

The camp ground is very nice. Spacious, quiet, affordable , and clean. The bathhouse was clean and had warm water. 

Thanks 

Very nice! Clean bathrooms with hot showers, spacious &amp; level campsites, very scenic with a lot of hike trails and a river you can adventure around on. Easy to find and book a site, but you have to make a reservation online if kiosk is closed. Would come here again. 

Clean, Quiet, Scenic

Overall great campground. Family freindly, kept very clean, great hiking in Big South Fork w/some trails even starting at the campground.  
Positives: Clean, friendly host, great campsites w/level pads, fire pits, lantern posts. Great location w/great and close access to lots of hiking and river activities.
Negatives: discovered pool only open on Fri/Sat/Sun, no mention of this in advance. Same with Camp Store and it did not even open on Friday. No staff of hand to answer questions about site availability. Avoid pull-through sites 39 and 40; the share the same pull-through, and you will get blocked in if both end up being occupied. Do not arrive from the East (Oneida side) 13 degree inclines and declines with very sharp hairpin switchbacks. No problems arriving from West (through Jamestown), however you should avoid first entrance into the park, gravel road until you get to campground where it becomes paved, also steep at times with washboard curves that you will easily slide on. Second entrance, no issues. Lastly, many of the sites are short, so not all are big rig friendly. Pay attention to site details when booking a site

Bandy Creek Campground at Big South Fork National River

We stumbled upon this campground unexpectedly. Big South For is beautiful with lots of hiking and horseback riding trails. This campground is well taken care of with nice level sites. There is a seasonal swimming pool and visitors center within walking distance. 

Hidden Gem

Excellent facilities on the primitive side, as secluded as possible, very clean and well maintained bathhouses, clean spacious campsites with everything and close dumpsters and water always within reasonable distance. Surrounded by many hiking trails.

Heavenly mountain 

Bandy Creek CG
Sep 16-18
Site D19

      We have camped at Bandy Creek Campground in Big South Fork National River and Recreation several times, seasons and for several reasons in addition to camping. 
     It is central to several possibilities to include hiking, fishing, biking, kayaking, horseback riding, climbing , etc. and the history of the area is very interesting.
     This trip we came for the Story Telling. A full day of entertainment by several orators to finish with spooky tales in the evening. 
    We stayed at D19, our first time in the D loop. Over the years they have upgraded the sites with bear/critter food lockers and there are several bear/critter safe trash collection sites. 
    D19 is in a dead end loop so little to no vehicles drive through . The bathhouse is a bit of a walk, the buildings are newer and well maintained. I’ve never gotten the creepy vibe (lol)while using them . There is a trash receptacle right in front of the site. 
Two cons are the main road to the area is right behind this site, though it gives you easy access to the road/visitor center area. And E loop, group camping is in the woods directly across. So it can be a little noisy if occupied. (There were screaming children all afternoon…) 
  WiFi is available at the visitor center otherwise I had a steady one bar while in the campground. 
  There is a swimming pool, volleyball court and playground right by A loop which is primitive camping and there are several trailheads in that area also. So A loop would be a perfect base camp setup if you don’t need power. 
  As I said the visitor center is right across the road and a horse stable behind that . There is a horseback trailhead right across from A loop with a hiking and bike trailhead too. 
  
  Pickett CCC Memorial State Park is nearby by Jamestown, Tn and Oneida, Tn is about 30 minutes to the East. Both have fuel, grocery , etc. 
  Charit Creek Lodge is an original homestead that can be hiked to from several start points. They offer a unique experience in the woods, overnight accommodations and meals by reservation. You can visit if your hiking/riding through but I don’t know if they still offer any walk in food/beverage. 
  
    

It was a dark and stormy night…..

Beautiful park with great natural features and a mining history.   Nice flat paved sites.

1st class National Park Campground 

We were there in March and it was very quiet. The roads and some trails are fun on our bikes

Great campground

Great amenities, Great sites, Great Park!! No complaints!!

Great Place to camp

We did a brief overnight stay when passing through the area but will absolutely make a return visit to explore this gem!  Our site (D36) was at the end of a loop and was nearly level despite being on the edge of the hilltop.  The site was huge, honestly - ample space for our 21’ campervan with an even larger gravel pad adjacent.  Clean bathrooms were a short walk away and had ample hot water for showers.  We didn’t have time to explore the trails, enjoy the facilities, or take in the sights but will definitely return!

Amazing campground!

We loved Bandycreek campground for it{s scenic beauty….we were there in late October. They leaves were brilliant! The campground was pristine as well as the shower house and bathrooms. So many trails to walk…just make sure you know how long they really are and if they truly are a loop before you head out and take water! The campground was quiet, there was a bustle of activity every morning of park staff cleaning the shower house, emptying the bear boxes and doing general maintenance cleaning up downed branches etc. All staff were met were very friendly. The visitors center was close with staff who were very helpful in answering questions about the area. 
Our only concern about the place was that it is difficult to navigate if you have a large rv. Ours is a 43 foot fifth wheel. We had a lot of difficulty backing into our site with all the little obstacles but with the assistance of a fellow camper we finally got in. Also the drive into the campsite is treacherous if you are coming from Oneida. It is harrowing to say the least and I would not recommend it if you have a large rv. Hairpin turns and switchbacks, low hanging rocks, and narrow road. We came in the back way which consisted of driving on a well maintained gravel road with barely enough room for two vehicles to pass. So be warned and do your research before you drive in…plan your route! I feel like we barely survived! Ha. But it was worth it and we did survive! 

Beautiful, well kept campground…

Large, spacious sites and very clean restrooms/showers. Located right across the road from the NPS visitor center, with easy access to several trails directly from the campground. 

Photos of Bandy Creek Campground — Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area

Real photos from real campers