Swimming

Knoxville Campground

43 RV Sites

In Clinton, Tennessee—10 miles north of Knoxville off Interstate 75 in Anderson County where the Tennessee River Valley's ridges, the Tennessee Museum of Appalachia's folk heritage collection, and the Norris Dam's 1936 TVA engineering represent the specific convergence of Appalachian cultural heritage and New Deal infrastructure that the greater Knoxville metropolitan area offers within a 20-minute drive—Knoxville Campground provides full hookup RV sites with 50-amp service, four cabin types, a club room, laundry, arcade, and the I-75 access that makes it the most convenient family campground for northbound and southbound travelers needing a Knoxville-area base. Family-owned and operated by Kiefer Campgrounds, the property is open year-round and golf cart friendly. Full hookup RV sites with water, electric, and sewer connections provide 50-amp service capable of running the largest modern motorhomes and fifth wheels in all weather conditions. Cabin accommodations span four configurations—Rustic Cabins for the nature-forward guest, Mini Deluxe Cabins sleeping three, Deluxe Cabins sleeping four, and Super Deluxe Cabins sleeping six—giving families and groups the enclosed lodging alternative without requiring RV equipment. Hot showers with air conditioning serve the shared hygiene need year-round. A newly remodeled club room houses pool tables, card tables, and arcade games providing indoor entertainment for evenings and rainy days. On-site laundry handles the extended-stay practical requirement, and free WiFi covers the property for connectivity. Tent sites in a designated wooded area serve the lightweight camper. The campground is pet-friendly throughout. The Knoxville metropolitan area's outdoor recreation landscape begins immediately outside the campground. House Mountain State Natural Area—the highest point in Knox County—provides the ridgeline hiking with panoramic valley views that the eastern Tennessee geography makes available within a 20-minute drive. The Tennessee Riverboat Company's operations on the Tennessee River provide the scenic waterway experience that the river's industrial and natural history makes particularly interesting in the Knoxville context, where the TVA's dam system transformed the river from a flood-prone seasonal problem into the managed reservoir system that now anchors the region's recreation economy. The Little Ponderosa Zoo and Rescue provides the wildlife encounter experience that brings families with young children specifically to the Clinton area. The Tennessee Museum of Appalachia—one of the most complete collections of Southern Appalachian folk and material culture in the United States—occupies the nearby community of Norris and provides the cultural programming that makes Anderson County more than just an I-75 stopping point. The Museum of Appalachia's working farm, the dozens of reconstructed historic cabins, and the artifact collection assembled over 50 years by John Rice Irwin create a cultural property of national significance accessible within 15 minutes of the campground. Knoxville Campground is open year-round in eastern Tennessee's four-season climate. The campground's I-75 off-ramp proximity makes it equally functional as a one-night transit stop or a multi-day Knoxville-area base. The spring wildflower season in the surrounding ridge terrain, the summer river recreation calendar, and the fall foliage color across the Appalachian ridges that visible from the Anderson County ridgelines create the seasonal programming that makes return visits practical. Reserve your 50-amp site, map the House Mountain trailhead for the morning, and let Clinton's position as a Knoxville-area gateway earn the convenience and character that interstate access and Appalachian heritage together provide.

from $58/night

Forest Grove RV Resort

188 RV Sites

Forest Grove RV Resort in Dandridge, Tennessee, offers 188 full-hookup RV sites across 206 acres between Cherokee Lake and Douglas Lake, with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 60 feet. Basic and standard back-in categories join a splash pad, outdoor pool, and pond in East Tennessee's lake country. One hundred eighty-eight back-in sites run in basic and standard categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric on 30 and 50-amp with site WiFi, sized to 60 feet, with picnic tables. The sites are spacious across the 206-acre property. A general store, propane fills and exchange, restrooms, and showers handle the practical side. A splash pad and outdoor pool anchor the summer, with sports courts, volleyball, basketball, horseshoes, corn hole, and an arcade filling the grounds. A pond supports fishing, with walking trails, hiking, a playground, pavilion, and dog park besides. The forest setting across 206 acres gives genuine space between sites. Pets are welcome. Dandridge sits in Jefferson County between two of the region's best fishing lakes — Cherokee and Douglas — with the broader Great Smoky Mountains corridor within reach. That combination of serious recreational infrastructure and direct lake proximity is what has built the resort's reputation in East Tennessee. The resort serves the Tennessee lake season. Summer fishing and boating drive the heaviest demand, with October foliage in the Smokies bringing a second wave and the shoulder seasons offering the most comfortable conditions. Reserve ahead for warm-weather weekends and fall color.

from $55/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

Buddy Bear in the Smokies RV Campground

25 RV Sites, 1 Cabin, 3 Cottages

Buddy Bear in the Smokies in Sevierville, Tennessee, puts guests in the heart of the Smoky Mountain tourism corridor — a full-service campground with RV sites and cabin accommodations, a swimming pool, Wi-Fi, paddleboarding and kayaking, and mountain views in a community whose geographic position between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Pigeon Forge's entertainment district gives every guest the double access to one of America's most visited national parks and one of its most densely programmed tourism strips. Sevierville's position at the mouth of the mountain corridor makes it the natural first stop on any Smokies visit, and Buddy Bear's combination of outdoor amenities and community atmosphere gives guests a camp to return to that rivals the attractions themselves in evening appeal. RV sites with full hookups and cabin rentals cover the accommodation range for groups, families, and couples whose Smokies plans require either their own rig or a turnkey lodging option. The swimming pool provides the midday recreation anchor on warm mountain days when a cool dip between excursions is more appealing than another trail, and the paddleboard and kayak access gives guests a water activity option within the campground that complements the mountain hiking and park visitation that define the broader Smokies itinerary. The campground's community orientation — the evening gathering culture that the owners cultivate as an explicit part of the experience — creates the social dimension that transforms a campground from an infrastructure provider to a genuine destination community. Pets are welcome. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited National Park in the United States with over 12 million annual visitors, encompasses 522,000 acres of Appalachian highland ecosystems spanning the Tennessee-North Carolina border — the world's most biologically diverse temperate deciduous forest, where over 19,000 documented species of plants and animals inhabit an elevation range from 875 to 6,643 feet. The synchronous firefly display in the park's Elkmont area each June is one of the rarest and most sought-after wildlife events in North America, and the park's salamander diversity, spring wildflower profusion, and October hardwood foliage represent three additional world-class natural events accessible from Sevierville. Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, repeatedly recognized as the top theme park in the United States by Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards, provides the regional entertainment anchor that sustains the Smokies corridor's visitor economy alongside the national park — a park whose combination of Appalachian heritage music and craft demonstrations, nationally recognized roller coasters, and genuine Southern hospitality gives it a cultural authenticity rare in the theme park industry. Soaky Mountain Waterpark, adjacent to Dollywood, provides the aquatic complement for summer visits. Buddy Bear in the Smokies operates year-round in Sevierville's mild Appalachian climate, with spring wildflower season from late March through May and October foliage driving the two most competitive booking windows. Dollywood's season typically runs March through December with peak programming in summer, and the combination of the park, the national park, and Sevierville's Christmas holiday programming sustains strong visitor demand well beyond the summer peak. Reserve cabins and hookup sites well ahead for the June firefly season, October foliage, and any major Dollywood festival weekend.

The Ridge Outdoor Resort

140 RV Sites, 6 Tiny Houses

The Ridge Outdoor Resort in Sevierville, Tennessee, offers 133 full-hookup RV sites and six tiny houses across more than 50 acres three miles from Pigeon Forge, with 30 and 50-amp service, cable TV, and rigs accepted up to 83 feet on a big-rig-friendly layout. Back-in and pull-through categories join a pool, hot tub, fitness center, and pickleball courts. One hundred thirty-three sites run in back-in and pull-through categories, both carrying water, sewer, and electric on 30 and 50-amp with cable TV and site WiFi, sized to 83 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. Eighty-three feet is exceptional in the Smokies, where terrain usually limits length, and two straightforward categories keep booking simple. Six tiny houses round out the lodging. A laundry, dump station, restrooms, and showers handle the practical side. An outdoor pool and hot tub and sauna anchor the property, with a fitness center, sports courts, pickleball, basketball, gaga ball, golf cart rentals, a pond, playground, and dog park filling the grounds. Fishing and swimming run on site. Pets are welcome. Fifty acres is a lot of room for 133 sites, and the spacing shows — this is a luxury outdoor resort rather than a dense campground, with mountain scenery in every direction. Pigeon Forge is three miles off, which puts Dollywood, the Parkway, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park entrance all within a short drive while keeping the resort itself out of the traffic. Summer and fall foliage drive the heaviest demand in the Smokies, with the Christmas season drawing a strong third wave. Reserve well ahead for June through October.

from $75/night

Pigeon Forge Landing

99 RV Sites

Pigeon Forge Landing in Sevierville, Tennessee, offers 99 full-hookup RV sites along a lazy river, with 30 and 50-amp service, cable TV, and rigs accepted to 50 feet at a brand-new resort. Executive Waterfront back-in, Mountain View Executive Plus, and Executive+ pull-through categories join standard tiers, with a pool, fitness center, and clubhouse. Ninety-nine sites span Executive back-in, Executive+ pull-thru, Executive waterfront back-in, Mountain View Executive Plus, Mountain View, and pull-thru categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric on 30 and 50-amp with cable TV and site WiFi, sized to 50 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. Naming categories by outlook — waterfront or mountain view — tells you exactly what you are booking. A general store handles the practical side. One policy to clear first: the resort has a ten-year age restriction on all RVs, though older coaches are reviewed for approval — send a photo to [email protected] before booking. An outdoor pool anchors the property, with a fitness center, clubhouse, playground, and dog park filling the grounds. Canoeing, kayaking, pickleball, and hiking round it out. Pets are welcome. The property is new throughout, which shows in the finishes. Sevierville sits minutes from the Pigeon Forge entertainment corridor and the western entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park — the most visited national park in the country at more than 12 million visitors a year. Summer and fall foliage drive demand hard in the Smokies. Reserve well ahead, and clear RV approval early if your coach is older.

from $66 $57/night

Creekside RV Park - TN

106 RV Sites

Creekside RV Park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, offers 106 full-hookup RV sites along Walden's Creek, with 30 and 50-amp service, cable TV, and rigs accepted to 45 feet behind a gated entrance. Creekside categories at both amperages join standard full-hookup and pull-through tiers, with a lazy river, outdoor pool, zip line, and mini-golf. One hundred six sites span 30-amp full hookup, 30-amp creekside full hookup, 50/30-amp full hookup, creekside full hookup 30/50-amp, and pull-thru full hookup categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric with cable TV and site WiFi, sized to 45 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. The creekside categories put you on the water and are worth requesting early. A general store, laundry, dump station, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. Rates run by season — roughly $55 for 30-amp and $60 for 50-amp in early spring, rising to $60 and $65 through the summer, with separate fall pricing. A lazy river and outdoor pool anchor the summer, with a zip line, mini-golf, pavilion, walking trails, and on-site dining filling the grounds. The creek supports fishing, canoeing, and kayaking, with hiking, biking, horseback riding, whitewater rafting, live music, and productive birding nearby. A golf course and skiing are close. Four miles from Dollywood puts the resort inside the most entertainment-dense corridor in the southern Appalachians, with the national park's 521,000 acres just beyond. Summer and fall foliage drive demand hard. Reserve well ahead.

from $55/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

Appalachian Springs Outdoor Resort

69 RV Sites

Appalachian Springs Outdoor Resort in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, offers 69 full-hookup RV sites with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 74 feet, near Dollywood in the heart of the Smoky Mountain corridor. Small and large basic and premium back-ins join pull-throughs, with an outdoor pool, clubhouse, and creek on the property. Sixty-nine sites span small basic back-in, small premium back-in, large basic back-in, large premium back-in, and pull-through categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric on 30 and 50-amp, sized to 74 feet, with fire pits, picnic tables, and site WiFi. Sizing sites by both rig length and premium tier is genuinely useful — you pay for the space you need rather than a flat category. Cabins round out the lodging. A general store, laundry, restrooms, and showers handle the practical side. An outdoor pool anchors the warm months, with a clubhouse, pavilion, walking trails, and dog park across the grounds and a creek running the property. The resort also serves as a wedding venue. Pets must be leashed or penned when outside your camper, and guests are asked to be considerate of neighbors. Pets are welcome. Pigeon Forge offers the most activity-dense day-trip range of any campground corridor in the eastern United States. Great Smoky Mountains National Park's trails, Dollywood's rides and festival programming, and the Parkway's entertainment and dining strip are all minutes away. Summer and October foliage drive the heaviest demand in one of the country's busiest tourist corridors. Reserve well ahead for both.

from $57 $50/night

Uncle Jim's River Cove Campground

81 RV Sites, 5 Tent Sites, 3 Onsite RV/Trailers

Uncle Jim's River Cove Campground in Sevierville, Tennessee, offers 84 full-hookup RV sites and five tent sites on the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River, with 30 and 50-amp service, cable TV, and rigs accepted up to 98 feet. On-river, river loop, mountain view loop, and buddy site categories join a beach, playground, and pickleball courts. Eighty-four sites span full-hookup on-river, full-hookup river loop, full-hookup mountain view loop, and full-hookup mountain view loop buddy categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric on 30 and 50-amp with cable TV and site WiFi, sized to 98 feet, with fire pits, picnic tables, and BBQ pits. Ninety-eight feet is exceptional for the Smokies, where terrain usually limits length. Every site gets a fire pit, charcoal grill, and picnic table. The buddy sites suit two rigs traveling together. Five tent sites round out the lodging. A general store, laundry, restrooms, showers, and an indoor bathhouse handle the practical side. The river carries the recreation, with a beach, swimming, fishing, and inflatable water toys. Sports courts, pickleball, basketball, gaga ball, a playground, dog park, and picnicking fill the grounds. Pets are welcome, and there is a dog park for them. The address is 2575 Pittman Center Road, in the Sevier County countryside between Sevierville's commercial corridor and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park's Greenbrier entrance — close to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg without sitting in the traffic. Summer and fall foliage drive demand hard. Reserve well ahead for June through October.

from $49/night

Camp Riverslanding

64 RV Sites, 1 Glamping Site, 7 Onsite RV/Trailers, 1 House

Camp Riverslanding in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, offers 71 full-hookup back-in RV sites, a house, and a glamping site on the Little Pigeon River, with 30 and 50-amp service, cable TV, and rigs accepted to 50 feet. Riverside Signature and premium categories join named RV rentals, with a heated pool, splash pad, community fire pit, and library. Seventy-one back-in sites run in 30/50-amp premium and 30/50-amp riverside Signature categories, both carrying water, sewer, and electric with cable TV and site WiFi, sized to 50 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. The riverside Signature sites put you directly on the water — the reason most guests book here. Named RV rentals including The Hideaway and Bear Tracks, a house, and a glamping site round out the lodging. A general store, laundry, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. A heated pool and splash pad anchor the summer, with a game room, recreation center, barn, library, playground, community fire pit, dog park, horseshoes, corn hole, and on-site dining filling the rest. Fishing, swimming, picnicking, and planned activities round it out, and the property operates as a wedding venue. Directions from Knoxville: take I-40 east toward Asheville, exit 407 toward Gatlinburg, Sevierville, and Pigeon Forge, right onto Winfield Dunn Parkway/Highway 66 south for about nine miles, then right. The property sits among the trees on the river a few miles from Dollywood, in the heart of the Smoky Mountain corridor. Summer and fall foliage drive demand hard. Reserve well ahead for June through October.

from $40/night

Camp Margaritaville RV Resort & Lodge - Pigeon Forge

91 RV Sites

Camp Margaritaville RV Resort and Lodge in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, offers 91 full-hookup back-in RV sites with 30 and 50-amp service, cable TV, and rigs accepted to 60 feet at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountains. Super, premium, deluxe, family, and standard categories join a lazy river, pool, hot tub, and bar minutes from Dollywood. Ninety-one back-in sites span standard, family, deluxe, premium, and super categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric on 30 and 50-amp with cable TV and site WiFi, sized to 60 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. The five-tier structure gives real range, and the family category is sized for groups. Cabins round out the lodging. A general store, restrooms, and showers handle the practical side. Check-in is 2pm; arriving earlier may mean waiting, and an early check-in fee applies where the site is ready. A lazy river is the anchor, with an outdoor pool and hot tub and sauna alongside. A craft room, arcade, billiards, ping pong, tennis, pickleball, a playground, pavilion, dog park, snack bar, and bar fill the grounds, with live music, boating, and planned activities through the season. The Margaritaville brand's tropical energy against a Smoky Mountain backdrop is an odd combination that works. Pets are welcome. Dollywood and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park entrance are both minutes away. Summer and fall foliage drive the heaviest demand in Pigeon Forge. Reserve well ahead for June through October.

from $42 $36/night