Hiwassee/Ocoee Scenic River State Park Campground is a quiet campground situated right on the Ocoee. The river has world class whitewater rafting in this area, so don’t think you’re going to be able to wade in the water. You most likely will be able to hear the water flowing from Your campsite, which is awesome. The sites are all spacious and there’s plenty of downed wood around for campfires. We came in on a Sunday, and the nearly had the whole place to ourselves. However, the restrooms could use a good cleaning. There’s so much to do in this area, there are several white water rafting outfitters, kayaking, biking, hiking, plus you’re just a short drive to Chattanooga. The area is such a scenic drive too. This is a great option in this area for family camping.

Big South Fork is the perfect place for the outdoor enthusiast. Literally anything you want to do, you can find it here- horseback riding, ATV riding, hiking, biking, rock climbing, kayaking, backpacking, camping, fishing, hunting, swimming… I could go on, but you get the point. I have spent a lot of time here, and it’s at the top of my list for places in the Southeast. The Big South Fork river is some of the best smallmouth fishing around. I love the backcountry camping in BSF, it’s so peaceful, and beautiful. There are several campsites that people have made stone firepits and log/rock seating, it has the feel of the AT without as many people. The Burnt Mill area is awesome, but the hike can be challenging, but it is so worth it. You can find a great backcountry site off of nearly every trail in there. I love to stop by a local staple for a good cheeseburger basket and a milkshake at Flonnies Drive In on the corner of hwy 63 and hwy 27, if you get the chance, treat yourself!

Fall creek falls is one of the best recreational areas in Tennessee. The park is very large and has so much to do. The falls are amazing, and it’s a moderate hike down to the base. Sometimes the falls are just a small trickle and sometimes they are flowing, depending on rainfall amounts. There are also smaller falls with pools that you can swim in, and those are next to the parking area. There’s a great amount of wildlife in the park, the deer were everywhere, and they are not afraid of humans. They will walk directly through your campsite. The park also has a lake, golf course, pool, playground, great biking, so much to do. The campground is large and has walk-in tent sites and RV sites with hookups. The sites are well spaced and wooded, so even if the campground is full, you don’t feel overcrowded. I always enjoy camping here and I highly recommend Fall Creek Falls.

I highly recommend this glamping spot. It could not be more perfect. This spot is new, and the set up is awesome. Perched on top of a hill, the site has great sunrise views. The glamping tent is very high quality, with a covered porch, two comfy beds, and a wood-burning stove, so camping is possible year-round. a fire pit is out front of the tent too. The spot has great hammock trees, as well as spots for tents for extra room. The property has a one-mile hiking trail. There are restrooms and an outdoor shower just a short walk or drive down the hill. The is a cabin, and event venue on-site also. The area is close to The Great Smoky Mountains, and also Downtown Knoxville. A perfect spot for a nice glamping getaway.

Loyston Point is a really nice campground right on Norri Lake. There is not a bad site in the whole campground. Most sites have a lake view and the ones that don't are heavily wooded and spacious. I stayed here in November, and the water was low, but it was still a spectacular sunrise. The area is very popular for mountain biking, no matter when you visit, the trailhead lot will likely be full. The lake is probably the cleanest and nicest around, so if you visit in warmer months you will be glad to have access to it. There is a camp store, and I saw at least two bathhouses. The one that was near our site was clean and heated. The sites are all extremely spacious, and many have good trees for hammocks. The sites have shared water hookups, so if you are in an RV, you should be sure to have an extra-long water hose. There are some small cabins for rent here too. I highly recommend this place for lake camping.

Jake Best Campground is a small primitive campground in the Citico Creek area. The spots are $8 a night and well worth that and more. The campground is first come, first served, and you can't make reservations. Fees are paid in the drop box at the campground.  There is hunting allowed in the area, so look up open season dates before planning. All the sites looked pretty level, and all had plenty of space. The campground is on the river, and I have never seen such crystal clear water anywhere on this side of the country. I did not fish while I was there, but I'm told there is excellent trout fishing here. The area is pretty remote, and you will not have cell service, which is a blessing sometimes. There is a vault toilet at the campground, and it was clean and seemed to be maintained regularly. Bald River Falls is nearby, and Indian Boundry. This is one of my favorite campgrounds for relaxing in the woods, and I can't wait to back.

I highly recommend this glamping spot. It could not be more perfect. This spot is new, and the set up is awesome. Perched on top of a hill, the site has great sunrise views. The glamping tent is very high quality, with a covered porch, two comfy beds, and a wood burning stove, so camping is possible year round. a fire pit is out front of the tent too.

The spot has great hammock trees, as well as spots for tents for extra room.

The property has a one mile hiking trail. There are restrooms and an outdoor shower justba short walk, or drive down the hill. The is a cabin, and event venue on site also. 

The area is close to The Great Smoky Mountains, and also Downtown Knoxville. A perfect spot for a nice glamping getaway.

Melton hill is A nice option for camping that is conveniently located not far from I-75. The Melton Hill dam is a great place to fish. The campground is fairly small, it has hook up sites as well as primitive tent sites, i don’t believe any of the sites have septic hook ups. I had a tent site when I was there, and had to set up

My rooftop tent off the parking lot above my site, but it worked out, so I was overlooking the lake.  The sites have fire rings and concrete picnic tables. The sites with hook ups were all pretty close to each other. However it is very wooded so you do have a feeling of privacy despite being close to your neighbor. The bathrooms were pretty small and I only noticed one shower in each, so plan accordingly. There is a Camp store with essentials, ice, firewood. And the people working in the store were very friendly. The campground is very well taken care off, very clean, and the lake is beautiful, so I do recommend this campground.

 Rock Island State park is a great place to camp. The campground is large and the campsites are spacious and far enough apart that you feel secluded, even when it’s full. It’s heavily wooded, so you don’t feel like your neighbors on right on top of you. The sites are paved and have water and electric, no septic where I was, however and they have a dump station that was large enough for two people to use at the same time. There are so many things to do at the campground, or the park, you will not be bored. Rock Island has some of the best waterfalls in Tennessee, and you can get right up to some them, if you are brave enough to kayak close to them. They also have a swimming area, and sand volleyball. Great biking in the park also. The area has lots of little shops and antique stores, if you’re into that, and Calf Killer Brewery is a short drive, and I highly recommend visiting there. Overall, this is a great park to visit, and a great place to camp.

 Whooping Crane Farm is a private glamping site that you can find on Tentrr. The property is 12 minutes from downtown Nashville, making it a perfect Glamping location. Being close to great restaurants is definitely a plus. The site is gated and right on the river, so the only traffic you have to worry about are the barges that are passing by on the river, or any boaters that are out. There’s a pond on the property, and they advertise kayak rentals. You could ride a bike around the property also, if you bring your own bike. The canvas tent was decorated nicely, with some cool lanterns and a wood burning stove. There was a battery powered fan, that lasted most of the night. The bed was comfortable for glamping. There’s a picnic table with a cooking station, and a charcoal grill. Plenty of cut firewood for the fire pit. There is a restroom, but it’s not a flush toilet, just a bucket toilet, but was nice to have while camping. This is a great spot, convenient to town, perfect for a relaxing weekend.

 This campground is located on the Parkway in Gatlinburg, so it is a short drive or trolley ride to the heart of town. There’s a road that goes through the campground that passes through to the back side of Gatlinburg, but it was very rough and dangerous in a big truck, but there’s some great hiking back in there. The campground has been around for decades, and is regularly updated, and it is very clean, and always has nice staff. The spots are paved and spaced well enough. There’s a pool and playground, and a creek, but the perfect locating is the best feature in my opinion. This is a great spot if you want to be close to attractions, but not deal with the traffic on the strip. It is quiet and peaceful at night, and bears frequently pass through. I would recommend this if you are looking to RV camp, and be close to attractions.

 Greenbriar campground is located in Pittman Center, west of Gatlinburg, adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains. The campground is certainly one of the nicest camping spots I’ve n the area. The campground is very large, and has multiple camping options. They have tent and rv spots, as well as cabins, but I also saw some teepee style tent cabins. The campground is very wooded, so you feel like you are getting a legitimate Smoky Mountain camping experience. The pigeon river runs through the campground, and is great for fishing, or swimming/tubing in summer. There is a dog park also, and the campground is pet friendly. This campground has so many things to do, and it is very popular, so if you want to camp here, I would suggest booking early, because spots are booked months in advance. The campground is very quiet at night, with just the sounds of nature. There is a camp store, with firewood, and you’ll want to enjoy a campfire, even in the middle of summer. I Highly recommend Greenbriar Campground for camping in the Smokies.

Ragland Bottom is a great lakefront campground. It’s a very popular spot, and you’ll need to book well in advance. The lakefront sites all have water access right from the site, so you can launch a kayak, or throw out a line, or just go for a swim right from your site. Mostly all the non-waterfront sites have a view of the lake. You really can’t get a bad spot here. There’s nice hammock trees in the campground, and at most sites. The sites have fire rings and picnic tables. The bathrooms were clean and practical. The campground has a day use area, and a playground. Great spot for lake camping!

Camp Leconte Luxury Resort is located in Gatlinburg near the Greenbriar area of the Smokies. It’s a fairly small campground right on the Parkway. It’s close to town, but far enough away to avoid traffic. The campground has nice, paved spots for rv’s. It has glamping tent cabins, as well as vintage campers. There is a camp store, but the campground is not far from a grocery store and liquor store. There’s a trolley stop nearby also, so if you’d like To go to the strip, you can take the trolley and not worry about parking. There’s a nice pool and playground. Very clean campground.

 This campground is in Gatlinburg, but is almost all the way to Cosby. The campground has RV sites, tent sites, cabin rentals, and rv rentals as well. There are several riverfront sites. The campground is large and has several amenities, such as a game room, pool, alpine water slide, fishing pond, and playground. This is a great campground for kids, but is also very quiet at night, even when the campground is full. There is a camp store, that sells camping essentials and souvenirs, and ice cream. There was a shaved ice truck there on the weekend also. We stayed in site 213, which is a riverfront site, however there were campers on the other side of the river. I would recommend staying in one of the riverfront sites on the other side of the park, they would be a little more private. My brother and family stayed in one of the rental campers, and it was nice, however not very clean, despite being charged a cleaning fee. The campground is near the Greenbriar area of the Smokies, and there’s great hiking and fishing nearby. Overall a great spot.

 North Cumberland/Royal Blue is located a few miles off I-75, and is a good spot for outdoor recreation. This place is a bid draw for ATV’s, and from what I understand they ride up there year round. The area is a WMA, so it’s a good spot for hunting, just make sure to check local regulations, I know they have elk in this area, and quota hunts and such. You can find some great camping spots here, outside of hunting season anyway. The area is large, so you can definitely find a great spot to camp. We chose a spot that someone had used previously and made a fire pit. We were on top of a ridge, and had good cell reception. It was quiet and peaceful. I did take note of several other really good spots too. If you want to escape civilization and enjoy camping for free, this is a good spot.

The campground road was flooded when I was here, another truck made it halfway, but the campsites were underwater, so if you’re planning to camp here, make sure it’s dry! I could see the campground when i walked down, and it looks like a great place to camp, right on the river. I set up camp in the parking lot, since the actual campground was inaccessible. The area is great for turkey hunting, and I did see some deer on my morning hunt also. The WMA is very large, with lots of open space, however if hunting season is open, you can’t be there. If this area, Big Bottom Unit doesn’t suit your needs, there’s other areas in the WMA with great camping too. I’ll try again when it’s on the drier side.

Bridgestone-Firestone-Virgin Falls WMA This WMA is the cream of the crop. I think it’s the largest WMA I’ve ever been to. I think we had the perfect camp spot. Nice and level, wooded and secluded, fire pit already constructed, plenty of firewood around. If you love primitive camping, this place is a goldmine. There’s no shortage of great camp sites too. Virgin Falls is nearby, however the trail was closed due to Covid-19 restrictions. There is also a store there, but it was also closed. I was here back in spring turkey season, and there were only a couple other hunters that were camping that I saw. During hunting season, you can only camp here if you are hunting, but it is always free. This is a very nice choice for free primitive camping.

 Cherokee Dam campground is a TVA campground and is similar to other TVA campgrounds I’ve been to. The campground had just reopened from being shutdown due to Covid, so the place was extremely clean. The camp hosts were so awesome, I feel like they take great care of the campground all year. The office/camp store had all the things you might need, including firewood, which they delivered to our site. We had site 36, lots of space in that one, and water views. There are some really great lakefront sites here, and the tent spots are great, note- they are walk in sites, and you can get in the water from these sites. There is a playground and a swimming area, lots of picnic spots, kayak rentals, etc. Several people were walking/running across the dam. The campground is close to the town so it is easy to get to. There is a railroad tunnel on the route our GPS took us, so if you are pulling a camper, you will be able to take a side road and go around the tunnel. This is a great lake campground.

 Adventures Unlimited is located near the Ocoee River, which was the whitewater location for the‘96 Olympics, so yeah, world class whitewater. AU is a whitewater rafting outfitter, campground, restaurant, gift shop, and home of the Bus Bar. Literally two yellow school buses converted into a bar, with open air seating. The bar was a good time. Live music and craft beer, and with the water sports crowd letting loose after hitting the river, it is a good time. The campground is a lot bigger than I realized. I took my camper, they have water and electric hookups in the rv sites, and a dump station, but tent camping is where it’s at at AU. Grab all your buds and pick a spot, they are all heavily wooded and awesome. The have a newly remodeled bathhouse with several showers. We did book a rafting trip while we were there and had a blast. This is a great weekend camping spot with friends.