Boating

Camp Holly

8 RV Sites

Camp Holly in Diana, West Virginia, offers eight full-hookup RV sites across a 22-acre mountain property in Webster County, with 30-amp service and rigs accepted to 36 feet. Cabins, glamping structures, and tent camping join a pond, playground, and general store in the state's most rugged interior. Eight back-in sites carry water, sewer, and electric on 30-amp, sized to 36 feet, with site WiFi. Note the 36-foot cap before booking a larger rig. Cabins, glamping structures, and tent camping round out the accommodations. A general store, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. Two useful tips from the operators: buy fishing passes when you book your campsite for a discounted rate, and add a jumbo firewood square at booking and they will deliver it to your site. Pets are welcome. A pond anchors the on-site recreation with fishing, swimming, paddle boats, boating, canoeing, and kayaking from the water. A community fire pit, playground, hiking, and biking fill the rest, with planned activities through the season. Diana sits on WV-20 in the heartland of the Mountain State's most remote interior. The Cranberry Wilderness, the Gauley River National Recreation Area, and the Williams River's wild brook trout stream give this the most complete wilderness and outdoor adventure access of any campground in central West Virginia's Chestnut Ridge and Back Allegheny country. Summer water recreation and October foliage drive demand. With eight RV sites, reserve well ahead.

from $10/night

Firefly Hills

13 RV Sites

Firefly Hills in Beattyville, Kentucky, sits in Lee County's eastern Kentucky mountains within minutes of some of the most concentrated outdoor recreation terrain in the Appalachian South — Red River Gorge Geological Area, Daniel Boone National Forest, and Natural Bridge State Resort Park collectively provide hundreds of miles of hiking, world-class rock climbing, kayaking, and horseback riding accessible from a campground that specifically caters to the full-time RVers, adventure travelers, and outdoor enthusiasts who make the Red River Gorge corridor a long-term base rather than a quick passing visit. Fifteen spacious RV sites with full hookups on level concrete pads with picnic tables give guests the practical infrastructure for extended stays, and the campground's brand-new bathhouse with three full bathrooms — including an ADA-accessible unit — reflects the investment in quality daily facilities that sets Firefly Hills apart from older rural Kentucky campgrounds whose infrastructure reflects decades without renovation. An on-site laundry room with card-operated machines handles the needs of longer-stay guests, and a garbage and recycling station provides the waste management infrastructure that responsible extended-stay camping requires. The campground's welcoming atmosphere and explicit inclusion focus create a community environment suited to solo travelers, couples, and families arriving from the widest range of backgrounds and camping styles. RV rentals available through the campground extend its accessibility to guests who want the Red River Gorge experience without owning their own equipment. The campground's orchard provides a pleasant walking and exploration environment between outdoor excursions, the stocked pond offers camp-side fishing in a natural setting, and community campfires serve the social gathering function that the concentrated outdoor recreation community of the Red River Gorge corridor naturally cultivates — guests in this region tend to share climbing routes, trail recommendations, and paddling conditions in the informal evening exchanges that campfire settings specifically enable. Red River Gorge Geological Area in the Daniel Boone National Forest is internationally recognized as one of the finest sandstone arch landscapes in the eastern United States — over 100 natural arches across a deeply dissected plateau of Corbin sandstone, including Haystack Rock, Double Arch, and the accessible Sky Bridge trail that delivers a natural arch crossing experience to casual hikers. The Red River's gorge provides Class I-III paddling through the geological area, and the climbing at the Military Wall, Muir Valley, and dozens of additional crags attracts sport climbers from across the Appalachian region and the Midwest for the concentration of quality routes per canyon mile. Natural Bridge State Resort Park provides the flagship arch viewshed accessible by trail or skylift. Firefly Hills operates year-round in eastern Kentucky's mountain climate, with spring and fall representing the most popular outdoor recreation seasons — spring wildflowers in the gorge from April through May and fall foliage in October through early November create two peak windows of extraordinary natural beauty in the Lee County mountain terrain. Rock climbing season extends from March through November, and the paddling season on the Red River peaks with spring rains and fall precipitation. Reserve sites ahead for the October foliage season, when Red River Gorge area campgrounds fill from the Louisville, Lexington, and Cincinnati markets that specifically target the Appalachian fall color window.

from $47/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

Lake Ridge RV Resort

84 RV Sites, 20 Cabins, 7 Tent Sites

Lake Ridge RV Resort in Hillsville, Virginia, offers 84 RV sites, 20 cabins, and seven tent sites on a lake in Carroll County's Blue Ridge Mountains, with 30 and 50-amp full-hookup service and rigs accepted to 65 feet. An outdoor pool with water slides, a clubhouse, and a full activity calendar make this a family resort rather than an overnight stop. Sites run from back-in and deluxe back-in with 30-amp water and electric to VIP back-in and pull-through options and super pull-throughs with 50-amp, all sized for rigs to 65 feet. Twenty cabins serve guests traveling without a rig, and seven tent sites cover simpler camping. A general store, snack bar, laundry, propane fills and exchange, and a dump station handle the practical side, and WiFi reaches the property. On-site recreation is extensive. An outdoor pool with water slides anchors the summer, with a lake on the property for fishing, boating, paddle boats, and paddle boarding. Sports courts, basketball, horseshoes, shuffleboard, and gaga ball spread across the grounds, with an arcade and clubhouse indoors and a playground, pavilion, dog park, and walking trails besides. Golf cart rentals make the resort easy to cross, and planned activities run through the season. Pets are welcome. Hillsville sits near the Blue Ridge Parkway close to the Virginia–North Carolina line. Galax and its Old Fiddlers' Convention, the New River Trail State Park, and Grayson Highlands State Park are all close. Roanoke and Winston-Salem are each about 75 minutes; Virginia Tech is 52 miles. The resort runs the Blue Ridge season, with summer families and October foliage driving peak demand. Reserve ahead for both, and check pool and slide operating dates when booking shoulder-season stays.

Phoenix Mountain Campground

9 RV Sites

Phoenix Mountain Campground in Lansing, North Carolina, offers nine full-hookup RV sites with water, sewer, and electric service on 30 and 50-amp, taking rigs up to 60 feet, steps from the New River in Ashe County. Site WiFi reaches the campground. At nine sites, this is a deliberately small operation in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina's northwestern corner. Nine full-hookup sites offer 30 and 50-amp service with water and sewer, accommodating rigs to 60 feet in back-in configurations. WiFi reaches the sites. The small site count is the point: guests get river frontage and quiet rather than a programmed resort, and the campground fills accordingly. The New River is the property's defining feature. Sites sit adjacent to its clear, rocky-bottom flow, putting guests within walking distance for morning fishing, afternoon paddling, and evening time by the water. Fishing, kayaking, canoeing, paddle boats, and boating all run from the property, and picnicking areas serve daytime use. The surrounding hills and river corridor make for exceptional birding — warblers and vireos in the canopy, waterthrushes along the stream edges, raptors on the ridgeline thermals. Pets are welcome. The New River is a National Wild and Scenic River and among the oldest rivers on Earth, an ancient drainage that predates the Appalachians and still runs north and west against them. Lansing's revitalized downtown is walkable and close by, with Pie on the Mountain, Old Orchard Creek General Store, and Molley Chomper Cidery among the local draws. The campground runs through the Ashe County mountain season, with summer river recreation and October foliage driving demand. With only nine sites, weekends book out well in advance — reserve early for any summer or fall stay.

from $65/night

Sparkman Lake

3 RV Sites, 5 Cabins

Sparkman Lake Campground occupies more than 40 wooded acres in the rolling hills of Monroe County, Ohio — a quieter corner of the southeastern Ohio Appalachian foothills where the landscape is all forested ridges, old farm hollows, and the kind of unhurried rural character that guests from Columbus or Pittsburgh specifically seek out when they need a few days away from the urban pace. Tucked just off State Route 145, the campground combines its natural setting with a variety of accommodations and an expanding collection of farm animals that have made the property particularly popular with families. Five fully furnished rustic cabins and a spacious lodge accommodating up to eight guests provide solid-wall accommodations for groups who want comfort in the woods, while RV hookup lots with individual parking serve travelers arriving by rig. The recently added tiny farm is a standout feature — goats, pigs, bunnies, chickens, and ducks create hands-on animal encounters that children remember long after the fishing and hiking fade in their memories. A playground, dog park, and campfire areas round out the on-site community spaces. The lake itself — the campground's namesake and centerpiece — provides the scenic and recreational anchor for boating, fishing, and evening walks along its wooded shoreline. Pets are welcome throughout the property. The Monroe County landscape surrounding Sparkman Lake is quietly beautiful in the way that southeastern Ohio's Appalachian edge so consistently is — mixed hardwood forest on the ridges, old agricultural fields in the hollows, and the creek drainages that cut through the underlying sandstone and shale geology. Deer, wild turkey, and a variety of woodland songbirds are regular presences on the property, and the overall natural setting produces the deep quiet after dark that guests from Ohio's larger cities often comment on as one of the most immediately striking aspects of a Monroe County stay. The town of Woodsfield, seat of Monroe County, is just ten minutes from camp and offers the community character of a small southeast Ohio county seat — local restaurants, shops, and the informal community feel that survives best in rural Ohio's away-from-the-interstate towns. Barnesville and Clarington, each within about a half-hour's drive, extend the local exploration options, and the broader southeastern Ohio region encompasses the Wayne National Forest and the Ohio River's historic corridor within day-trip range for guests staying multiple nights. Sparkman Lake Campground is open through the Ohio camping season, with summer and early fall delivering the warmest lake conditions for boating and fishing and the best weather for the tiny farm visits that anchor family trips. Fall brings the hardwood color change across the surrounding Monroe County hills — one of the more underappreciated foliage displays in a state where most visitors head north toward Lake Erie rather than south into the Appalachian foothills. Reserve cabins and the lodge well ahead for summer weekends, when the combination of lake, farm animals, and wooded setting creates demand that exceeds the property's solid-wall accommodation capacity.

from $40/night

Cove Ridge Marina & Resort

5 RV Sites, 1 Cabin, 2 Houses

Cove Ridge Marina and Resort occupies a private cove on Watauga Lake in Butler, Tennessee, delivering one of the most scenic marina and camping combinations in the southern Appalachians. Watauga Lake is Tennessee's highest-elevation lake—sitting at roughly 1,959 feet and flanked by the ridges of Cherokee National Forest—and the cove ridge marina position on its shoreline provides mountain views, deep clear water, and a natural setting that defines the experience from the moment you arrive. The marina anchors the resort's water-activity offerings with covered and open boat slips, dry storage, fuel service, boat rentals, kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals, and a Dock House Restaurant serving meals at the water's edge. RV sites overlook the lake and surrounding mountain ridges, offering the kind of camping vistas that justify driving considerably out of the way. For guests who prefer enclosed accommodations, the resort offers a historic two-bedroom farmhouse, a three-bedroom lakehouse sleeping up to eight, a cozy tiny cabin with loft beds, and three Safari Tents that combine outdoor character with comfortable furnishings. Watauga Lake's geography sets it apart from Tennessee's other reservoirs. Created by the TVA's Watauga Dam in 1948, the lake fills a high mountain valley that produces consistently clear, cool water and the long ridgeline views that define the Southern Appalachian experience. The Cherokee National Forest extends in every direction from the resort, providing immediate access to backcountry terrain that ranges from gentle ridge-top walks to serious wilderness routes approaching Roan Mountain's famous rhododendron balds above 6,000 feet. The Appalachian Trail crosses Watauga Lake via a pedestrian bridge at Watauga Dam, and the trail corridor through this section of Northeast Tennessee offers day hiking and multi-day backpacking access that few lakeside resorts can match. The historic community of Shady Valley nearby is one of the best cranberry bog habitats in the southeastern United States. The Tri-Cities metropolitan area—Johnson City, Kingsport, and Bristol—is 30 to 45 minutes away, providing full commercial services, Bristol Motor Speedway, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, and the cultural offerings of a region that sits at the geographic heart of Appalachian heritage. Cove Ridge Marina and Resort operates seasonally through the warmer months, with boat slip demand and cabin reservations picking up early for summer weekends on one of Tennessee's most beautiful lakes. Watauga Lake's high elevation keeps temperatures noticeably cooler than the lowland reservoirs, making summer camping here genuinely comfortable without air conditioning in most years. Visitors who want to pair on-the-water recreation with easy Appalachian Trail access and dramatic mountain scenery will find that Cove Ridge delivers a natural setting that rivals anything in the Tennessee highlands.

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

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.

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

Camper Village RV Park

8 RV Sites

Camper Village RV Park sits on 20 acres along the shores of Boltz Lake in Dry Ridge, Kentucky, about 45 minutes south of downtown Cincinnati in a part of Grant County that feels genuinely rural despite its easy highway access. The camper village rv park is also just 10 minutes from the Ark Encounter, making it a natural base camp for the growing number of families who travel to northern Kentucky to visit the region's biblical heritage attractions alongside standard outdoor recreation. The park offers full hookup sites with 30 and 50-amp electrical service, water, and sewer connections, with pull-through options available for larger rigs. Tent sites and tiny-home style cabins round out the accommodation options. On-site amenities include a swimming pool, clubhouse with laundry facilities, playground, and dog run for four-legged travelers. Boltz Lake serves as the centerpiece of the campground's recreation—a 200-acre private lake with a boat ramp, designated fishing spots, kayak rentals, and paddle boat rentals that give guests direct water access without leaving the property. Picnic tables, grills, firewood, and WiFi complete the standard amenities, and the park operates year-round for guests who visit outside the traditional camping season. Boltz Lake's private character distinguishes it from public reservoir campgrounds in the region—a relatively small, quiet lake where the fishing pressure is limited to resort guests and the atmosphere reflects that self-contained calm. Largemouth bass, bluegill, and catfish populate the lake, and the kayak and paddle boat rentals allow guests to explore the lake's full perimeter at a gentle pace. The surrounding Grant County terrain is gently rolling Kentucky farmland with horse operations, tobacco barns, and the kind of agricultural landscape that defines this stretch of the Bluegrass State between Cincinnati and Lexington. The Ark Encounter in Williamstown, 10 minutes from the park, is a full-scale replica of Noah's Ark based on biblical dimensions—a 510-foot-long timber structure that is one of the most ambitious religious heritage attractions built in recent decades and draws over a million visitors per year. The Creation Museum in nearby Petersburg provides a related experience for families interested in the natural world interpreted through a faith-based lens. Cincinnati, 45 minutes north, offers a full urban day trip to a city that punches well above its size in culture—the Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati Zoo (one of the country's oldest), the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, and Great American Ball Park for Reds games all provide strong alternatives to an outdoor-focused day. Camper Village RV Park is open year-round, making it a viable option for travelers who time their visits around the Ark Encounter's year-round schedule or who simply want an accessible Kentucky lake destination with easy Cincinnati access. Summer is the busiest season for the pool and lake recreation, while fall brings lower crowds and the copper and gold foliage of the Kentucky hardwood forests surrounding the lake. Reservations are recommended for summer weekends and any visit that coincides with major programming at the Ark Encounter.

from $63 $55/night

Rocky Fork Ranch

1 RV Site

Rocky Fork Ranch in Kimbolton, Ohio, offers a ranch-themed family camping experience across 850 acres of southeastern Ohio’s scenic hill country. Surrounded by wooded ridges and quiet creek valleys, the resort combines horseback adventures with a wide variety of campground amenities and organized recreation. Accommodations and guest services include: - Full-hookup RV sites - Cabin rentals - Laundry facilities and showers - Propane filling station - Wi-Fi access - Clubhouse and outdoor pavilion - Dog park - Wedding and special-event venue Horseback riding is one of Rocky Fork Ranch’s signature experiences. Guided trail rides take guests through the property’s rolling woodland, providing an authentic ranch adventure for families seeking something beyond a traditional camping trip. Resort activities include: - Guided horseback trail rides - Outdoor swimming pool - Hiking trails - Mini-golf and disc golf - Basketball and gaga ball - Horseshoes and other outdoor games - Game room with billiards - Planned family activities - Live music and entertainment Rocky Fork Ranch is located in Guernsey County’s unglaciated Allegheny Plateau, where forested hills and winding valleys create scenery more reminiscent of Appalachia than the flat agricultural areas of central Ohio. The surrounding region provides additional opportunities for boating, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, and sightseeing. Nearby attractions include: - Salt Fork State Park - Salt Fork Lake - Cambridge Glass Museum - Historic downtown Cambridge - Regional hiking and mountain-biking trails Located approximately eight miles from the ranch, Salt Fork State Park encompasses about 20,000 acres surrounding the 2,952-acre Salt Fork Lake. Visitors can enjoy hiking, boating, fishing, swimming, mountain biking, and wildlife viewing. Rocky Fork Ranch is open seasonally from spring through fall. Summer is the most popular time for horseback riding and family activities, while spring brings woodland wildflowers and October offers colorful fall foliage. Its combination of equestrian recreation, resort amenities, and Appalachian-style scenery creates a camping experience unlike others in eastern Ohio.

from $61/night