Best Camping in Tennessee: 12 Campgrounds, RV Parks This Season

The Volunteer State, as Tennessee is often fondly called, is home to more than the nation’s country music capital.

This rugged state has plenty of beauty to show off, and one of the best ways to experience its raw beauty is by camping. A night spent outdoors with stars twinkling above one’s head is also a fantastic way to reconnect with nature and to let go of everyday stress.

Tennessee boasts of numerous state parks, most of which have camping grounds. The parks tend to be near natural attractions like lakes, mountains, and falls. You can, therefore, explore all the beauty that nature has to offer without worrying about where you will sleep.

Whether you like RV camping, setting up your tent, or staying in log cabins during your commune with nature, Tennessee has it all.

You might also want to check best camping in neighboring states:
– Best Camping Sites in Kentucky
– Best Camping Sites in North Carolina

Here are the best camping sites in Tennessee state:

1. Riveredge RV Park and Log Cabin Rentals

EAST TENNESSEE

Phone: (877) 881-7222
Address: 4220 Huskey St, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Activities & amenities highlights:

Hiking
Fishing
Pool
Hot tub

Also set only a few minutes from Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains, Riveredge RV Park is a family-friendly campground offering various lodging facilities.

Whether you opt for the classic RV camping or one of their park models, deluxe cabins, or camping cabins, you’ll be delivered comfort, modern conveniences, and the great outdoors right at your doorstep.

Spend your day by the pool, relax in the hot tub, cast a line in the adjacent Little Pigeon River, or set off exploring the Smoky Mountains National Park and the nearby towns. Riveredge RV park will not let you get disappointed.

2. Anchor Down RV Resort – BEST-RATED CAMPING in TENNESSEE

EAST TENNESSEE

Phone: (877) 784-4446
Address: 1703 TN-139, Dandridge, TN 37725
Activities & amenities highlights:

Pool
Fishing
Boating
Beach

Situated on Douglas Lake in the historic town of Dandridge, Anchor Down RV Resort is a perfect place to unwind as well as explore the surroundings.

Visit Sevierville, Gatlinburg, Knoxville, and the Great Smokies, or just stay at the resort and enjoy one of its wonderful amenities. Play basketball, beach volleyball, rent a jet ski, or just chill out at the beach while you stay at one of the 170 RV sites. Kids will love the inflatable trampoline and toys in the lake.

From basic back-in sites, signature sites with a fireplace and incredible lake views, to buddy sites that can accommodate up to 8 people. You can’t go wrong with this campground.

3. Pine Mountain RV Park

EAST TENNESSEE

Phone: (865) 453-9994
Address: 411 Pine Mountain Rd, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Activities & amenities highlights:

Hiking
Biking
Fishing
Golf
Pool

Conveniently located just around thirty-five miles of Knoxville, Pine Mountain RV Park makes a perfect base camp for those who would like to explore the Smoky Mountains and their surroundings.

Hike, bike, fish, engage in white water rafting, or horseback riding. The famous Dollywood theme park is also just a stone’s throw away. Whereas foodies will love the towns of Gatlinburg and Sevierville for their sublime dining experiences.

The campground offers both full hook-up sites with Wi-Fi and cable TV, as well as rental cabins. Facilities include a large splash pool, a heated pool, and a camp store.

Pine Mountain RV Park is open all year round and is suitable for families.

4. Greenbrier Campground

EAST TENNESSEE

Phone: (865) 4307-415
Address: 2353 East Pkwy, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Activities & amenities highlights:

Splash in the Flint Rock swimming hole,
Lounge on the private beach,
Fish for trout from the banks of the river,
Visit Dollywood or go shopping in downtown Gatlinburg.

Located in the heart of Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains, Greenbrier Campground offers relaxation on the Little Pigeon River and convenience to area attractions.

Greenbrier has 120 unique full hook-up sites, and you can hear the rushing water from all of them. Hookups are available for expansive RVs, pop-ups, pods, and smaller campers. Electricity ranges from 30 to 50 to 110 amps and water, sewage, Wi-Fi, and cable are included.

If you’d like a little luxury while camping, Greenbriar offers cozy cabins with a queen bed, bunk beds, small appliances, and a back deck overlooking the river.

Fully functional RVs and tents are also available for rent. Rates begin at $75 daily and vary by size, type, and season.

5. Pigeon Forge / Gatlinburg KOA Holiday

EAST TENNESSEE

Pigeon Forge / Gatlinburg KOA Holiday - Tennessee

Phone: (865) 453-7903
Address: 3122 Veterans Blvd, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Activities & amenities highlights:

Pool
Hot tub and sauna
Hiking
Fishing

Whether you wish to explore the area or just hang out at the campground, Pigeon Forge KOA is a great spot to both relax and wander around.

Visit Dollywood amusement park, see an exhibit at WonderWorks, or hike up the Great Smoky Mountains. Back at the campground, you can engage in various activities, such as gem mining, zip line, bocce ball, and horseshoes. There is also a swimming pool with a lazy river, hot tub, and sauna.

Park your RV at a pull-thru site with a patio, pitch a tent by the waterfront or try one of their lodging cabins. The options at Pigeon Forge KOA are endless to fit the needs of even the most demanding campers.

6. Clarksville RV Park and Campground – Best RV Park

CENTRAL / NORTH TENNESSEE

Phone: (931) 648-8638
Address: 1270 Tylertown Rd, Clarksville, TN 37040
Amenities you can enjoy:

Pool and pavilion
Children’s playground
Off-leash dog park
A grocery store and more.

Clarksville RV Park and Campground is located in a lovely wooded setting outside the town of Clarksville, TN.

Nearby destinations to explore include Fort Campbell, the historic Roxy Theater, and the Dunbar Cave State Nature Area. Check-in safely at the self-check-in kiosk near the door or by using your phone and an attendant will escort you to your camping spot.

The staff at the campground strives to meet all your camping needs with full hook-up sites for any size camper for one night or an extended stay. Water, sewage, and electricity are included. For minimalist camping, choose a site with water and electricity only, and for more homey comforts, check out the campground’s camper cabins. Loads of amenities will enhance your camping experience.

8. Percy Priest Island Camping – Best for Kids

EAST TENNESSEE CAMPING

Address: 3778 Bell Rd, Hermitage, TN 37076 (click to open in google maps)
Activities at the lake:

Lots of hiking options
Biking trails
Cliff jumps
Swimming beaches
Kayaking
Primitive camping
Playgrounds for kids
Fishing.

One of the most unique camping spots in Tennessee is the Percy Priest Lake, which is only a short distance from Nashville.

The lake is formed by the J. Percy Priest Dam and boasts over 30 islands. Each of these islands has a camping ground that has a lot to offer to every type of camper.

The islands also have lengthy hiking trails that allow you to see the beauty of the area in all its glory. If you want an exhilarating adventure, go for the famous 40-feet cliffs jump! 🙂

TIP: we’ve reviewed 6 best minimalist hiking boots available on Amazon!

If you love a good challenge, you ought to try camping in the primitive sites on the Anderson Road camping ground. The 36 campsites on the grounds have hardly any amenities, which means that you will have to fetch water and light your fire. This site is ideal for a hands-on camper.

Other nearby camping grounds are the 7-Point Camping Ground with 60 campsites and Poole Knobs Campground with 88 campsites. Most offer both tent sites and RV sites.

9. Smoky Bear Campground

EAST TENNESSEE

Phone: (865) 4368 372
Address: 4857 East Pkwy, Gatlinburg, TN 37738 (click to open in google maps)
Amenities at Smoky Bear include:

Pool
Clubhouse
Restrooms with showers,
Laundry facilities
Firepits
Picnic tables
Hot tub (seasonal)
Pet friendly

Smoky Bear Campground offers shaded concrete-padded pull-through sites and gravel back-in sites. All are full hook-ups with 30 or 50 amp electricity, sewage, and water. Campers who prefer cabins have a choice of several sizes from the sleep 2-3 Baby Bear to the 5-person Dancing Bear.

Rates range from $57 to $62 daily for RV sites and $80 to $155 daily for cabins. Primitive tent sites are also available (without water and electricity) for $28 per person and $7 for each child under age 13.

10. Cosby Campground

EAST TENNESSEE CAMPING

Phone: (423) 487-2683 (click to call)
Address: 127 Cosby Entrance Rd, Cosby, TN 37722 (click to open in google maps)
Activities:

Hiking
Fishing
Wildlife watching
Bear-watching 🙂

Cosby Campground is a little-known campsite in a secluded region. If you don’t like crowded camping grounds like the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (which attracted over 11 million campers in 2017), then you will undoubtedly love the Cosby Campground.

Don’t mistake its seclusion for lack of scenic beauty; there is a lot to see and do near the Cosby campsite.

You can hike to the Hen Wallow Falls, where you will be rewarded with a picturesque view and beautiful sites. You can also go to the nearby Sutton Ridge Overlook for more sight-seeing of the gorgeous terrain.

11. Savage Gulf – Best for Hiking

SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE

Savage Gulf - Best Camping Sites in Tennessee — Image by: rootsrated.com

Phone: (931) 779-3532 (click to call)
Address: Savage Gulf State Natural Area, 3177 TN-399, Palmer, TN 37365 (click to open in google maps)
Activities that Savage Gulf offers:

Hiking paradise for beginners
Advanced hiking options
Waterfalls

The Savage Gulf is as harsh and rough as its name suggests. It’s an ideal camping ground for backpackers who can conveniently set up a tent at any of the nine campsites within the field.

There is a lot to see and do in the 16,000 acres of the Cumberland Plateau. From suspension bridges to waterfalls to the wilderness that spreads as far as the eye can see, the Gulf has it all.

There are 50 miles of hiking trails for you to discover. Most of them are about nine to ten miles long, which is excellent for beginners. If you are an experienced hiker, however, you can also go on the longer and more difficult hikes.

12. LeConte Lodge – Best Spot For Camping in Tennessee in Winter

EAST TENNESSEE

Phone: (865) 429-5704 (click to call)
Address: 250 Apple Valley Rd, Sevierville, TN 37862 (click to open in google maps)
Activities and highlights of the campground:

Cool cozy cabins
Well-maintained hike trails
Dining options
Heating available in the winter season

This quiet lodge on the slopes of Mt. LeConte is yet another attractive camping ground.

Although it is one of the coziest camping grounds within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you will have to earn all the comforts it has to offer. The only way to access the lodge is by hiking up to the top.

There are about five different hiking trails to the lodge ranging in length from 5.5 to 8 miles. As you trek up the path, you get to see the immense beauty that the nearby scenery has to offer. The Lodge is 6,400 feet above sea level, so the view from the top is mind-blowing.