Lakeside camping in Tennessee

Camp beside rivers, waterfalls, and the Great Smoky Mountains in a lush wonderland for outdoor fun.

93% (2238 reviews)
93% (2238 reviews)

Popular camping styles for Tennessee

Under $50

Star Hosts in Tennessee

12 top lakeside campgrounds in Tennessee

98%
(508)

The Falls at Sewanee Creek

11 sites · Lodging, Tents45 acres · Tracy City, TN
45 private acres on our homestead for you to roam. Seven eclectic sites to choose from ranging from primitive camping to a lovely log cabin. All except the log cabin lovingly built by the owner, loaded with creative touches. Featuring: * Two gorgeous waterfalls. Each of our stay-sites are located within about 100-150 yards of Fifty-foot tall Miller’s Falls. * A large cave at the end of a short, but rugged hike. * A fairy Village filled with Hollow Oak Tree Fairy homes. The trees glow after dark. Magical. * Three acres for group camping centered on a well-equipped, covered outdoor kitchen. * Peaceful Meditation Retreats at the Outdoor Kitchen under brain-wave enhancing satellite dishes. * Certified Hypnotherapy Disclaimer: The flow of the waterfall is subject to fluctuations in temperature, seasonal droughts, & rain fall. The most favorable seasons for waterfall flow are fall, winter & early spring. We came to this magical place to found a self-reliant, homesteading eco-community when I retired from corporate life in 2006. It's called the Village on Sewanee Creek, named for the creek 800 feet below the bluff where we are located. I traveled the world as a senior executive for Baskin-Robbins, Dunkin' Donuts, Papa Johns, Blockbuster, 7-Eleven and other retail franchises, making the world safe for Pizza, Ice Cream, Pancakes Video Rentals and American convenience. And I was ready for something more fufilling. I scouted for a place of exquisite natural beauty and I found it here. I bought way too much land just before the real estate bust and learned how to turn a nice fortune into a very small one. I faced challenges and had lots of fun. Now I want to share our experience. It's the Village 2.0 for guests. Or not. Life in the city is OK as long as you can get away frequently. I'm convinced if you love nature and the outdoors, this is the best place to celebrate it.
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$39
 / night
97%
(254)

Camp Nashville Highland Rim

9 sites · RVs, Tents12 acres · Goodlettsville, TN
Primitive camping near Nashville at a secluded hilltop nestled in a hardwood forest. Flat areas for tents, trees for hammocks, car / van camping. Drive to site. Choose favorite of multiple unique sites upon arrival. First arrive, first choice of available camping spaces. Sites are not numbered or pre-assigned. Camping guests supply camping gear. Amenities: 2 community water hydrants, community vault toilet, fire pit at each site. Firewood bundles available for additional fee. Outdoor hot water heater for shower Apr-Oct, except freezing temperatures. Kid friendly. No extra charge for children. (check to be sure not charged for children if selecting +x). Pets permitted under owner supervision, campfires allowed, Trash policy is carry in / carry out. Please do not leave trash. Camping location north of downtown Nashville on a ridge at a higher elevation overlooking Nashville. Camp away from noisy highways, convenient to I65 and multiple amenities, grocery stores, restaurants, coffee shops . 5 miles from three I65 exits. 14 miles from I24. 18 miles from I40. 18 miles from Nashville downtown riverfront. Uber or Lyft to Nashville available. Quiet hours after 10PM. If you're hanging out or arriving after 10PM.... keep it quiet for guests turning in by 10PM.
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$35
 / night
100%
(994)

Belle and Beau Acres

17 sites · RVs, Tents33 acres · Baxter, TN
Whether you're looking for peace, relaxation, or riverside adventure, Belle and Beau Acres hits the mark for any nature enthusiast. Location, location! BBA has taken the guess work out of rustic camping. Consistently ranked as a Best of Tennessee Hipcamp and situated in a convenient spot for Upper Cumberland waterfalls, hiking, kayaking, lake life and more. A short list of what to expect on site includes: PRIVACY - ADVENTURE - GETAWAY Quick response time/last minute requests accepted Spacious, shady, leaf-bed campsites 360 degree views of relaxing nature 27 Foot Waterfall (365 days of flow) Rock shelter under Ledge Waterfall Two shallow lazy rivers for soaking Hiking trails onsite Multiple spring-fed creeks Countless water cascades for exploring Star gazing over wide pastures Old forests for ample shade and hammock hanging Cellular reception at campsites (usually at least 1 bar) Please read the site descriptions carefully to match your style of camping with the appropriate campsite. BBA guests frequently camp with a tent, vehicle, smaller camper, hammock tent, roof top tent, pop-up camper and similar styles depending on their selection. Most of the photos in this listing are taken onsite. Please keep in mind this is primitive and wild Tennessee landscape that may also contain poisonous plants and wildlife in or around campsites. If you are considering camping for the first time, we recommend trying a location with bathrooms and running water before attempting a primitive, off road location such as ours. Campsite capacities are intended for large families, not large adult groups. However, we will consider hosting your adult group if you would like to reach out and discuss it with us before requesting to book. Access to fresh water fun is a short down-hill hike for all guests, with the exception of our hike-in campsites which are positioned alongside the river. Each spot has been strategically selected to provide as much privacy as possible, and comfortably accommodates groups with two vehicles. We provide a rock fire pit and heavy duty cast iron grill grate. You provide everything else, including drinking water and personal toilet waste bags if you plan to use our system. The hike-in sites come with extra seating. Every guest must be included on your reservation, and adult guests may be required to provide identification. Thank you! COMMUNITY COMFORT STATION: There is a comfort station with an outdoor shower stall for hanging your own solar shower bag. The comfort station also includes a changing room which doubles as a private place to use your portable camping toilet. A toilet seat and bucket system is provided but guests will need to use their own waste disposal bags, available at most camping supply stores. The backside of the comfort station has a rain barrel (not potable) collection system for extinguishing fires. OFF-ROAD CONDITIONS: Due to the primitive nature of our location, all reservations should expect hilly terrain and potential bumpy or soggy road access, especially after heavy rain. We ask all guests to help us minimize impacts by driving with care. We do not recommend vehicles with low ground clearance or low profile tires. An important note, guests always have the choice to park their vehicles at the entrance. We close road access December-March and guests are required to hike in from the entrance of the property, less than a mile distance total. When the road is open in Spring or unusually wet seasons, we recommend AWD or 4WD as a precaution. Belle and Beau Acres is a farm homestead with a personal campground, conveniently located less than five minutes from I40. Expect nothing short of 360 degree views of relaxing nature, privacy, and spontaneous adventure when recreating at this agritourism location. Central to the most beautiful middle Tennessee destinations, BBA is the perfect home base for day excursions to at least 10 nearby state parks and lakes. Conveniently located on the Eastern Highland Rim between Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga in the lower Appalachian mountains, this area sits at the Upper Cumberland Plateau and is part of Tennessee's largest micropolitan area of Cookeville. Visit popular nearby attractions such as Cummins Falls, Burgess Falls, Fancher Falls, Greeter Falls, Fall Creek Falls, Blue Hole, Rock Island, Center Hill Lake, Dale Hollow Lake, Caney Fork River, Standing Stone State Park, Virgin Falls, Rock Island, Cordell Hull, and Edgar Evins State Park. The choices are endless! The Klein family purchased their home in 2015 after grieving the sudden loss of a beloved family member and realizing that life is truly too short. They traded their bustling city life for a more permanent connection to nature. This small family of four lives at the entrance of their 33 acre old ranch, hosting primitive camping and leaning into a homesteading lifestyle. It wasn't until the family started shaping the land for their personal use until they realized the abundant beauty that surrounds the home. Hidden away and inaccessible were gorgeous rocky cliffs, rivers and even a waterfall! Hipcamp has provided an opportunity for them to carefully share this experience with others. On the land, they enjoy cooling off in the spring water, growing organic food, foraging for wild edibles, hiking, and exploring their onsite rivers and natural springs. Your host Christine is creative and loves working in her onsite fiber studio while her husband David is often found tending to his young fruit and nut orchard and organic crops. Their son Elliott is a student at Tennessee Tech University and their daughter Freya is a student at Upperman High School. David, Elliott, and Freya enjoy playing music together professionally in their band My Heart Your Heart.
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$40
 / night
94%
(201)

Harmony hollow

9 sites · Tents80 acres · Sevierville, TN
Learn more about this land:Hi and thanks so much for checking out Harmony Farm . We are conveniently located minutes from Pigeon Forge TN. Home of and only 5 miles from Dollywood. Only a short drive to the Great Smoky Mountains national park . There are too many local attractions to list from horseback riding to shopping outlet malls .  Free firewood at every site upon your arrival. There is a composting potty in the barn area that has been upgraded recently as well as potable water . We are accepting tents, trucks with campers, vans and pop up campers welcomed also . We do have sites set up for you or you may prefer to pack your gear out to create your own site in a more secluded areas of the farm .  There are many private areas along the creekside for your primitive camp on our 60 acre horse farm.   Hike to the back of the farm to watch a sunset over the horse field or down by the stream . Lots of wildlife and scenery at the farm .  Laundromat and food venues just minutes away. you can still feel off grid with just a short stroll by the stream that babbles along throughout the 60 acres you will be able to make your playground while visiting the Harmony Farm. Come stay with us as we grow our hip community. Thanks so much for your support.
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$20
 / night
98%
(119)

Blue Heron Landing

6 sites · RVs, Tents358 acres · Lobelville, TN
Blue Heron Campground was once home to the Cherokee Indians. Property is surrounded on all sides by water and has a mile and a half shoreline on the Tennessee river. Just to the North begins a designated 20 mile Wildlife Refuge following the river. It is 340 acres to roam and has rich farmland that has also grazed cattle. People's landing is now the swim beach and sand boat ramp. It was a port of commerce when the main types of transportation, prior to good roads, were the steamboats, ferry boats, and trains.  Just north of People's landing used to be a post office and small store at Daniel's Landing.The Tennessee River is one of only three rivers that flow North in the United States.People can now use it for camping, fishing or just watching the boats and barges  go by. Enjoy! Learn more about this land:Blue Heron Campground is primitive camping with no services located 10 miles west of Lobelville, Tennessee. There is a marina for supplies within 3 miles. You can camp right on the shoreline of the Tennessee river and enjoy the river for fishing or swimming. Take a 20 mile day trip to Loretta Lynn's ranch or go 70 miles to Nashville. Enjoy 358 acres to hike and explore open meadows and forest. Enjoy the birds and the boats going by. Hopefully a beautiful sunset over the river to end the day.
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$25
 / night
95%
(132)

Wild Meadows atop Rutherford County

5 sites · RVs, Tents16 acres · Lascassas, TN
25 years ago, we camped this spot and dreamed of building a house here. The view was so captivating. Needless to say, we’ve been here 20+yrs and still camping our land. Now we are sharing the beautiful landscape and remote feel that's so close to so much to see and do. We love where we are and we think you will too. Oh and I should also mention, you must love dogs. We have 3 plus 2 cats and chickens. Isolated or wide open. 1 tent or group camping. No electricity or water hookups. Free Access to water hose. We do not allow recreational motorized vehicles, firearms or bows. This is a peaceful serene getaway. We also have Airbnb rentals that consist of our home, that's also listed as "Wild Meadows atop Rutherford County", a travel trailer referred to as "Wildwood 17' Western RV and an RV listed as "Boutique RV at Wild Meadows". See trees, birds, lightning bugs and gorgeous views of Rutherford county. 5 min. from water. Swim, bike, fish, walk or run. Boating 15 min. from Percy priest lake. 10 min. from Cedars of Lebanon state park. 5 min. from Murfreesboro. 15 min. from downtown Murfreesboro. On the city square, there's live music first Friday every month. Fantastic farmers market sat mornings in the summer, starting in May. Checkout “Quarter Spring Farm” goat soap booth. Tell Heather hello for us. Her lemongrass and clove soap are my favorites. 30 min. from Nashville. 5 min. from Greenway walking trails. 20 min. from shopping. Hundreds of restaurants within a 20 min. radius. Championship soccer park 10 min. Sports com 15 min./workout or Olympic size pool w/slides and fantastic playground with Amazing handicap baseball field. Historic: Stones River Battlefield 20 min. Oakland’s Mansion 20 min. Sam Davis Home 20 min. Home of Middle Tennessee State University(MTSU)20min
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$29
 / night
97%
(37)

LAKESIDE GETAWAY ON DOUGLAS

21 sites · RVs, Tents5 acres · Dandridge, TN
Lakeside Getaway is a seasonal peninsula on Douglas Lake of primitive camping sites in historic Dandridge, Tn just 30 min from Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area. Come enjoy your boat, jet ski, or kayaks from our 75 foot boat dock and new concrete boat ramp for launching. Our large pavilion is a nice commons area with a wood burning stove and can be reserved for private parties. Call for more details and questions: 423-231-4094 or 423-231-9399 We have a new road not yet shown on maps. A very long gravel driveway between 2 houses, with a RED mailbox with blue reflective 1689 on post (looks residential from road)
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$35
 / night
100%
(50)

Crow's Landing RV Site Gatlinburg

1 site · RV1 acre · Gatlinburg, TN
We love the Smoky Mountains and Gatlinburg area enough that we purchased a permanent site to bring our RV to on a regular basis to visit for extended periods of time. We hope you also enjoy our little piece of heaven. Please respect the site, and let us know how we can make your stay even better next time. Learn more about this land: Spacious and clean RV site with full hookups (water, sewer, and 50/30/20amp power) located in the Outdoor Resorts at Gatlinburg. Visitors have access to 2 swimming pools (seasonally), 2 mountain streams, a lake, basketball courts, tennis, mini golf, horseshoe pits, shuffle board court, game room, and activities center. Bath house is close to the site, should you need to use the facilities. Coin-operated laundry facilities are also available at the campground. The HOA does charge a one-time $10 pet fee upon check-in at the office, and is separate from anything I collect.
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$50
 / night
97%
(89)

I 40 Hideaway

34 sites · Lodging, Tents26 acres · Waverly, TN
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$25
 / night
99%
(50)

Quarter Spring Farm

1 site · Lodging65 acres · Liberty, TN
Quarter Spring Farm is located in Liberty, TN on the western edge of the Cumberland Plateau. It comprises 63 acres of wooded ridges and hollows with exceptional hiking and distinct landscape features. Smith Fork Creek, which feeds Center Hill Lake, is visible from the campsite. Quarter Spring Farm’s history is murky and still being discovered. The house is over 100 years old. There are stone property walls that may predate the civil war. We believe this site was a Mississippian period settlement because of the large amount of artifacts we have found. 
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$75
 / night
94%
(39)

Lazy Acres Lake

9 sites · RVs, Tents40 acres · Lexington, TN
Lazy Acres Lake is located 11 miles from interstate 40 in the beautiful farming community of Chesterfield, Tennessee. We have an abundance of wildlife including our own team of Khaki Campbell guard ducks and a piebald whitetail buck named Lucky who enjoys hanging out by the levee. Lake access is included with each site reservation. Life jackets required at all times for those with paddle please. Camp sites 1-3, the boat ramp and main parking area are located at the main entrance and offer gravel roads and parking. Look for the LAL logo on the left gate post. Camp site #4 the hiking trailhead and our back country campsites are located at the east entrance. Look for patriotic fence post near the road. If you end up traveling a long paved road that leads to a boat ramp with lots of parking, you zigged when you should have zagged. Turn around and lazy acres is across from where that road ends. Follow the access road along the tree line down to the water. The hiking trail is to the east across the footbridge. Look for white AT style blazes for trail markers. The blue blazes leading to each campsite. * All gates are open 24 hours when campers are present.
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$30
 / night
98%
(40)

Awakening Adventures

15 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents42 acres · TN
Welcome to our serene and rejuvenating private getaway nestled within 42 acres of forested beauty. Our property offers an unparalleled experience where nature meets comfort, allowing you and your group to unwind and reconnect with the tranquil surroundings. We are uniquely situated on the edge of the Tennessee Cumberland Plateau and the Tennessee river valley. We are currently offering 4 treehouse dwellings to share our peaceful land full of God's promises. The dwellings are spaced far enough apart for privacy yet not to far of a walk to the common area where the kitchen and shower are. You'll be surprised at how cool the tents stay under the forest canopy in the heat of summer. Then in the colder months we have various heating options to keep you cozy in 3 of the dwellings I hope you come to share this with us, it's an amazingly peaceful area. Nearly 3 miles of hiking trails to enjoy during your visit. Take a spur trail off the main trail loop and there is a prayer shelter with a fire pit inspired by Luke 6:12 in the back corner of the property. The latest improvement is a sunrise/sunset/bird-watching platform that is 20 feet in the air with a 2 stage bridge to access it. We updated the outdoor kitchen with a 3 burner propane stove and running water. Other cooking options include a tripod over the fire and a charcoal grill. A short 10 minute drive to firetower rd brings you to a 2 mile loop trail with 2 waterfalls, Upper and Lower Piney Falls. Ozone falls is just a 20 minute drive. Then toward Spring City is Stinging Fork Falls at 25 minutes. The Hiking possibilities are nearly endless and close. I'll highlight one thru hike here since both trailheads are only 20 minutes away and is easy to coordinate with only 2 vehicles. It's a 10.2 mile hike that can be done in either direction and has a little something for everyone including a cave, boulder field, cascade and waterfall. Then you have massive Watts Bar Lake which is only 20 minutes away with a plethora of activities! We look forward to hosting you!
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$35
 / night

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Lakeside camping in Tennessee guide

Overview

Looking to camp near a lake in Tennessee? Look no further than Hipcamp! With over 770 options in Tennessee that offer lakeside camping, you're sure to find the perfect spot for your outdoor adventure. Whether you prefer pitching a tent or parking your RV, there's an option for every camping style. And with top campsites like Belle and Beau Acres (305 reviews), The Falls at Sewanee Creek (286 reviews), and Beech Hollow Hideout (149 reviews), you can trust that you'll have a great experience. Plus, popular amenities like showers, campfires, and trash facilities are available at many locations. If you're into off-roading, biking, or hiking, you'll find plenty of opportunities for those activities too. And with an average price per night of $30 and options as low as $10, camping in Tennessee has never been more affordable. So pack your gear and get ready for a lakefront camping experience like no other!

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