Biking

Black Bear Resort

Black Bear Resort in Hampton, Tennessee, offers cottages, cabins, a bunkhouse, tent sites, and RV camping four-tenths of a mile from the Dennis Cove Trailhead, with a breakfast cafe, laundry, and shuttle service to Appalachian Trail access points. It is an Appalachian Trail Passport stamp location, and the section-hiker infrastructure is what the resort has built its identity around. Accommodations span the range. Cottages and cabins provide enclosed lodging, a bunkhouse offers hostel-style dormitory space for thru-hikers and groups, and tent sites and RV sites cover the rest. Laundry and restrooms serve guests coming off multi-day sections, and the on-site dining room handles meals — the breakfast cafe in particular is a fixture for hikers heading out. Pets are welcome. Walking trails run from the property, and the resort's shuttle service to multiple AT trailheads is the practical amenity that sets it apart in this corridor. Hiking, fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking, and biking are all accessible from camp, and a playground serves families. Firewood is available on site. The Dennis Cove Trailhead, four-tenths of a mile away, enters the Appalachian Trail near Laurel Fork waterfall. Watauga Lake's 6,430 acres provide warmwater and tailwater fishing across the Big Creek inlet, the Laurel Creek embayment, and the Watauga River below the dam. The Roan Highlands' rhododendron balds bloom in June, visible for miles from the surrounding ridges. The resort serves the Carter County mountain season. Thru-hiker traffic peaks in spring as northbound hikers come through, and the June rhododendron bloom and October foliage draw the general visitor market. Reserve ahead for all three.

Fish Springs at Little Pond Mountain Campground

19 RV Sites

Fish Springs at Little Pond Mountain Campground in Hampton, Tennessee, offers 19 full-hookup RV sites with 20, 30, and 50-amp service, sized for rigs to 45 feet on a big-rig-friendly layout, at the base of Roan Mountain in the upper Doe River valley. An outdoor pool and ball field sit on a property built as a base for southern Appalachian mountain recreation. Nineteen back-in sites carry water, sewer, and electric on 20, 30, and 50-amp, sized to 45 feet, with picnic tables and site WiFi. A dump station, laundry, restrooms, and showers handle the practical side. One vehicle is allowed per site, with an extra vehicle fee of $1 per night on arrival — among the more modest such charges in this batch. An outdoor pool anchors the summer, with a ball field and basketball on the grounds. Boating, swimming, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, snorkeling, hiking, and biking all run from the area, with off-roading and a golf course nearby. The cold, clear mountain streams around Roan Mountain hold some of the finest wild trout water in the East, which is why many guests book. Pets are welcome. Hampton sits in Carter County where the Cherokee National Forest's spruce-fir summits, the Appalachian Trail's high-elevation traverse, and Watauga Lake's shoreline converge — one of the most recreation-rich environments in the southern Appalachians. The campground serves the mountain season. The June rhododendron bloom on Roan Mountain and October foliage are the two peak windows, with summer lake and trout traffic between them. With 19 sites, reserve well ahead for any of the three.

from $20/night

Rural Hill Farm

17 RV Sites, 3 Cabins, 1 House

Rural Hill Farm in Mt. Juliet, TN, offers 17 full-hookup RV sites and 4 cabin and house rentals, with 20, 30, and 50-amp service and room for rigs up to 70 feet. Sites come in two categories, back-in 20/30/50-amp and pull-thru 20/30/50-amp, each carrying water, sewer, and electric with site-delivered WiFi, a fire pit, and a picnic table. Every site takes all three amp services. The farm is gated and rated big rig friendly, with laundry, a bathhouse with showers, a dump station, a recreation center, and a pavilion. Pets are welcome. Two practical notes: one vehicle per site, with a nightly fee for extras charged on arrival, and your GPS may route you incorrectly, so follow the farm's directions rather than the app. The property spreads across 180 acres of rolling Wilson County farmland with a pond, walking trails, fishing, swimming, hiking, and biking — a working farm setting rather than a resort. Mt. Juliet sits east of Nashville, close enough for a night downtown and far enough to hear nothing but the farm. Rates for sites and rentals are on the booking page. Confirm the directions before you set out.

from $70/night

Mammoth Ridge RV Park

20 RV Sites

Mammoth Ridge RV Park and Campground in Greeneville, Tennessee, offers full-hookup RV sites on a lake with its own beach, a dog park, a general store and golf cart rentals. Sites take rigs up to 75 feet with electric hookups, which accommodates most large coaches traveling the Nolichucky valley between Morristown and Johnson City. Full-hookup RV sites with electric service accommodate rigs to 75 feet, and a dump station is on site. RV storage is available for guests leaving a rig between visits. Bathrooms, showers and laundry cover the practical side of a stay, a general store stocks basics and firewood, and WiFi reaches the sites. The lake is the property's center of gravity. A beach gives swimmers direct access, and fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking and paddle boats put guests on the water without leaving the campground. Walking trails and biking routes run the grounds, volleyball and gaga ball serve the younger crowd, and a covered pavilion handles group gatherings. A fenced dog park is on site and pets are welcome. Golf cart rentals make the property easy to move around, and a golf course is nearby. One practical note: this is bear country despite the populated setting, so store food accordingly. Greeneville is the home of Andrew Johnson, and the National Historic Site downtown preserves his homestead, tailor shop and cemetery. The Nolichucky River Gorge lies 20 miles south in the Cherokee National Forest, where a 14-mile canyon carries Class III–IV whitewater, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park's Cosby entrance is a 45-mile drive southwest. The campground runs spring through fall. Cherokee National Forest wildflowers peak April into May, and October foliage on the northeast Tennessee ridgelines is the busiest window of the year — with the Roan Mountain rhododendron bloom, 40 miles northeast, drawing heavily from mid-June into early July. Reserve ahead for both.

from $60/night

Lakeview RV Resort

87 RV Sites

Lakeview RV Resort in Bluff City, Tennessee, offers 87 full-hookup RV sites overlooking Boone Lake with 20, 30, and 50-amp service, cable TV, and rigs accepted to 50 feet, open all year. Standard, cable-equipped, and wide back-in categories join a storm shelter, fishing pier, boat docks, and outdoor pool. Eighty-seven back-in sites run in standard, with-cable, and wide with-cable categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric on 20, 30, and 50-amp, sized to 50 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. The wide category is worth requesting for larger rigs or guests who want elbow room. Cabins round out the lodging. A general store, laundry, propane fills, restrooms, and firewood handle the practical side, with a storm shelter on site — a genuine safety feature in the Tennessee Valley. Site rates vary by category and date. An outdoor pool anchors the warm months, with a lake, pond, fishing pier, boat docks, and boat rentals giving direct water access for fishing, boating, canoeing, and kayaking. A recreation center, playground, pavilion, dog park, horseshoes, corn hole, biking, and on-site dining fill the rest, with planned activities through the season. Pets are welcome. The elevated viewshed over Boone Lake against the Blue Ridge is the resort's signature. Bluff City sits on US-11E between Johnson City and Kingsport, with the lake's bass and walleye fishery and the South Holston River tailwater close by. Year-round operation makes this viable across seasons. Summer and October foliage are the peaks — reserve ahead.

from $55/night

Sasquatch Farm RV Park

47 RV Sites, 11 Tent Sites

Sasquatch Farm RV Park in South Pittsburg, Tennessee, offers 47 full-hookup RV sites and 11 tent sites across a 120-acre mountain farm on the Cumberland Plateau, with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 90 feet. The property is big-rig friendly and includes on-site waterfalls, creek access, and valley overlooks from the plateau escarpment, 40 miles west of Chattanooga. Forty-seven full-hookup sites carry water, sewer, and electric on 30 and 50-amp in back-in configurations, with fire pits and picnic tables at the sites and room for rigs to 90 feet. Eleven tent sites serve campers traveling light. A general store stocks basics and firewood, laundry and showers handle longer stays, and WiFi reaches the property. Note the after-hours gate code is 2536, and a park map with your name is posted on the store door at the entrance. The 120 acres are the draw. Waterfalls, creeks, and forest trails run across the property, with valley overlooks from the plateau rim that fan across eastern Tennessee and northern Georgia. Hiking, biking, kayaking, and fishing all start on site, and the mixed forest and lake terrain makes for productive birding. A dog park and spa round out the amenities, and a golf course is nearby. Pets are welcome. The property sits just outside Franklin State Forest, with the South Cumberland State Park complex — 11 units totaling over 25,000 acres — spread across the surrounding plateau. Chattanooga is 40 miles east. Access runs from Exit 134 off I-24 toward Sewanee, then northwest on 41-A for three miles to State Highway 156 and 15 miles on to Browns Trace. The campground serves the spring-through-fall plateau season, with October foliage the busiest window.

from $35/night

Serendipity Resort & Campground

4 Cabins, 9 Yurts

Serendipity Resort & Campground in Brownsville, Tennessee, offers four A-frame cabins and nine yurts on a lake in Haywood County, with a water park, outdoor pool, beach, and disc golf course. Golf cart rentals, on-site dining, and a bar serve guests in the Hatchie River corridor of West Tennessee. Four A-frame cabins and nine yurts make up the accommodations — this is glamping and cabin lodging rather than an RV park. A general store, restrooms, firewood, and WiFi serve the property. Check-in is 3:00pm and check-out 11:00am. Note that four-wheelers and side-by-sides are not permitted, though golf carts are available to rent — contact the resort for rates. The water is the draw. A lake and pond support fishing, canoeing, kayaking, paddle boats, and boating, with a beach and water park for swimming and an outdoor pool alongside. A disc golf course, horseshoes, biking, a playground, and a pavilion fill the grounds, with on-site dining and a bar for evenings. Pets are welcome. Brownsville sits on US-70 between Memphis and Jackson, which gives the resort practical West Tennessee highway access. The Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge protects a nationally significant stretch of bottomland hardwood nearby — the Hatchie is the longest un-channelized river in the lower Mississippi valley, and the surrounding agricultural landscape has kept its character. The resort serves the West Tennessee season. Summer water recreation drives the heaviest demand, with spring and fall delivering more comfortable conditions for the outdoor programming. With 13 units total, reserve well ahead for any weekend.

from $22/night

Piney River RV Resort

117 RV Sites, 4 Tent Sites, 2 Glamping Sites, 1 Onsite RV/Trailer, 4 Tiny Houses, 7 Park Models

Piney River RV Resort in Bon Aqua, Tennessee, offers 118 full-hookup RV sites, 11 park model and tiny house units, four tent sites, and two glamping sites on the Piney River, with 20, 30, and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 80 feet, open all year. Pavilion Waterfront, Waterfront, and Super Premium categories join standard and upper campground tiers, with a splash pad, pool, and barn. One hundred eighteen sites span standard, premium, super premium, super premium upper campground, waterfront, and Pavilion waterfront categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric with site WiFi, sized to 80 feet, with fire pits, picnic tables, and BBQ pits. Eighty feet accommodates the longest coaches with a tow. The waterfront tiers are the ones to request. Eleven park models and tiny houses, four tent sites, two glamping sites, and RV rentals round out the lodging. A general store, laundry, dump station, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. The address is 6869 Piney River Road North. A splash pad and outdoor pool anchor the summer, with the river carrying canoeing, kayaking, water sports, swimming, and fishing. A game room, barn, sports courts, pickleball, basketball, a pond, playground, pavilion, dog park, and on-site dining fill the rest, with live music, hiking, biking, and strong stargazing and birding. A golf course, state park, and wine tasting are nearby. Fifty miles from downtown Nashville, minutes from Johnny Cash's farm, in the Western Highland Rim's cedar and limestone country. Summer drives demand. Reserve well ahead.

from $49/night

Sun Outdoors Pigeon Forge

194 RV Sites, 9 Cabins, 14 Cottages

Sun Outdoors Pigeon Forge in Sevierville, Tennessee, offers 194 full-hookup RV sites and 23 cabin and cottage units at the gateway to the Great Smokies, with 20, 30, and 50-amp service, cable TV, and rigs accepted up to 100 feet, open all year. Waterfront Signature, Signature Deluxe back-in, and Signature pull-through categories join standard tiers, with a lazy river, hot tub, and jumping pillow. One hundred ninety-four sites span standard full hookup, standard pull-thru full hookup, Signature deluxe back-in, Signature pull-thru full hookup, and waterfront Signature full hookup categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric with cable TV and site WiFi, sized to 100 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. One hundred feet is exceptional for the Smokies, where terrain usually limits length. Twenty-three cabins and cottages round out the lodging. A general store, laundry, propane fills, dump station, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. The daily resort fee covers cable and WiFi, local attraction discounts, the fitness center, and access to the amenity program, with the arcade priced separately. A lazy river and outdoor pool anchor the summer, with a hot tub and sauna alongside. A fitness center, recreation center, game room, arcade, jumping pillow, gaga ball, sports courts, pickleball, basketball, golf cart rentals, a pond, creek, playground, pavilion, dog park, and on-site dining fill the rest, with live music and planned activities through the season. Dollywood and the park entrance are minutes away. Summer and fall foliage drive demand hard. Reserve well ahead.

from $39/night

Pigeon Forge RV Resort

182 RV Sites

Pigeon Forge RV Resort in Tennessee offers 182 RV sites in the heart of the Sevier County resort corridor, with 20, 30, and 50-amp service, cable TV, ADA-accessible sites, and rigs accepted to 65 feet on a big-rig-friendly layout, open all year. Signature, Deluxe, Deluxe Micro, and creekfront partial-hookup categories join a pool, mini-golf, and 13 private bathrooms. One hundred eighty-two sites span creekfront grass partial hookup, deluxe back-in full hookup, deluxe micro back-in full hookup, deluxe pull-through full hookup, and Signature back-in full hookup categories, carrying water, sewer, and electric where noted with cable TV and site WiFi, sized to 65 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. Two things worth knowing: the creekfront category is partial hookup rather than full, and the Deluxe Micro tier right-sizes for compact rigs. Accessible sites are available. A general store, laundry, dump station, and firewood handle the practical side. The bathhouse has 13 private bathrooms, each with its own shower. Four people are included per site, each additional person is $7 per day, and eight is the maximum. An outdoor pool anchors the summer, with mini-golf, volleyball, golf cart rentals, a pond, creek, playground, pavilion, community fire pit, dog park, and snack bar filling the grounds. Fishing, hiking, biking, and live music round it out. Dollywood, the Parkway, and the park's busiest entrance are all at hand. Summer and fall foliage drive demand hard. Reserve well ahead.

from $51/night

Clearwater Cove RV Resort

47 RV Sites

Clearwater Cove RV Resort in Winchester, TN, offers 47 full-hookup RV sites with 30 and 50-amp service and room for rigs up to 65 feet. Sites break into four categories — standard back-in, lakeview back-in, premium lakeview back-in, and full-hookup pull-thru — all carrying water, sewer, and electric with site-delivered WiFi, a fire pit, and a picnic table. The resort is rated big rig friendly, and the pull-thrus let long rigs settle in without unhitching. Laundry, a bathhouse with showers, firewood, and on-site dining cover the practicalities. Pets are welcome, with a dog park on the property. The lakefront setting drives the recreation: a marina, boat docks, and a boat ramp put guests on Tims Ford Lake for fishing and boating, and an outdoor pool, game room, and pavilion handle the rest. Biking, picnicking, and swimming fill out the days, with a state park and wine tasting nearby. Tims Ford Lake is one of Tennessee's clearest reservoirs, impounded on the Elk River in Franklin County, with limestone bluffs and forested shoreline defining its 10,700 acres. Current rates and availability for each site category are on the booking page. Lakeview sites and premium lakeview sites are the first to go on summer weekends.

from $70/night

Mountaineer Campground

42 RV Sites, 3 Cabins

Mountaineer Campground in Townsend, Tennessee, offers 42 RV sites and three cabins along the Little River, with 30 and 50-amp full hookups, cable TV, and rigs accepted to 50 feet. Off-river categories run from 30-amp through deluxe 50-amp, with dedicated van, pop-up, and tent sites, on the quiet western approach to the Smokies. Forty-two sites span off-river 30-amp, off-river 50-amp, off-river deluxe 50-amp, and dedicated van, pop-up, and tent categories, carrying water, sewer, and electric, sized to 50 feet, with fire pits, picnic tables, BBQ pits, cable TV, and site WiFi. Having a separate category for vans and pop-ups is genuinely useful — small rigs are not charged for space they do not need. Three cabins round out the accommodations. Restrooms and showers handle the practical side. An outdoor pool anchors the summer, with a playground, pavilion, and walking trails on the grounds. The Little River runs the property, giving guests fishing, swimming, and the constant sound of clear mountain water over river stones — the sensory backdrop that distinguishes Townsend camping from the commercial experience in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. Hiking, biking, and birding run from camp. Townsend bills itself as the Peaceful Side of the Smokies, and the description holds. Little River Outfitters on Highway 321 and The Backcountry on State Highway 73 can help plan fishing in the park. Summer and October foliage drive demand. Reserve well ahead.

from $37/night