The best dog-friendly RV campgrounds near Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Welcome to Hipcamp! If you're looking for RV camping near Gatlinburg, Tennessee that welcomes your furry friends, we've got over 2800 options for you to choose from. Our top campsites, such as Starlight Hills (627 reviews), Dark Ridge Hide Out (422 reviews), and Smoky Mountain Mangalitsa Farm (388 reviews), offer popular amenities like pets, toilets, and potable water, as well as activities such as boating, off-roading (OHV), and whitewater paddling. The average price per night is $35, with options as low as $10. Start planning your next adventure with Hipcamp today!

97% (8.2K)

Top-rated campgrounds

Welcome to Hipcamp! If you're looking for RV camping near Gatlinburg, Tennessee that welcomes your furry friends, we've got over 2800 options for you to choose from. Our top campsites, such as Starlight Hills (627 reviews), Dark Ridge Hide Out (422 reviews), and Smoky Mountain Mangalitsa Farm (388 reviews), offer popular amenities like pets, toilets, and potable water, as well as activities such as boating, off-roading (OHV), and whitewater paddling. The average price per night is $35, with options as low as $10. Start planning your next adventure with Hipcamp today!

97% (8.2K)

Top-rated campgrounds

1. Indigo Eagle Sanctuary

91%

(382)

25mi from Gatlinburg · 28 sites · Tents, RVs · Maggie Valley, NC

Indigo Eagle Sanctuary is an incredible place to experience the abundance of nature in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Our Sanctuary features two main areas: Mountain Tops, or Creekside sites. Immerse yourself in beauty and adventure, with waterfalls, a rushing creek, fishing, and camping. Our creek properties include the Creekside Cabin, and Waterfall Haven (multiple camping site options, with their own areas by the creek). Guests have room to explore the mossy wonderland along Hornbuckle Creek, take a dip in a swimming hole, take an adventure and follow a rough trail (at your own risk) to another waterfall, accessed across the creek, or just kick back and relax. (Note to guests: Trail has not been maintained since last year. Go at your own risk.) Our mountaintop options include Eagle’s Nest and Songbird Campsites. These two sites provide breathtaking, long-range mountain views and epic sunsets. They are great for quick get-aways, with ease of access to main roads/highways. Indigo Eagle Sanctuary Sites are located within a few miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Cherokee Reservation (museum, shops, dining) and Maggie Valley, a quaint mountain town with more shops, food, and entertainment. Nearest grocery stores are Ingles in Waynesville, or Food Lion in Cherokee. The popular Asheville is about a 50minute drive from our Sanctuary. Plenty to explore here, while being able to unplug and unwind. *Disclaimer The creekside camping involves a road that will require vehicle clearance in order to access campsites. 4wd is not required but adequate vehicle clearance will be necessary as we have received damages from storms.

2. Martin's Nest Nantahala

100%

(68)

28mi from Gatlinburg · 2 sites · Tents, RVs · Bryson City, NC

The creek in front of the property is available for use. Great for soaking when the weather gets hot and it's shallow enough to just bring a folding chair. Fish? Yes, there are some trout in there. Flies work best. Got kids? Build a dam! Go for a creek walk! Great hiking at the end of Wesser Creek Road. There is a trail by the creek and a fire tower with great view about 4.5 miles up that trail. Water source (spring) is available at the top. Follow the blue blaze. The white blazes at the top tell you you're on the Appalachian Trail. Take a side hike to Maine! Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) is just down the road on 19/74. Rafting, zip lines, a ropes course, mountain biking... good food by the river, a bar, public restrooms... the works. They often have music by the river on the weekends. This land was once a hillside farm, after it was first logged early in the last century. They used to grow corn all over the hillside, then let the cows up there to graze and eat up the stalks. If you look closely, you might find some barbed wire in an old oak here and there.

3. The Heart Center

98%

(223)

29mi from Gatlinburg · 9 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Robbinsville, NC

The Heart Center sits on 30 acres of beautiful forest land and it is surrounded by the Nantahala National Forest. The place is an old school site that was literally left to be buried by the forest, until I came along and decided to fix it up, and create a holistic sanctuary for people wishing to get away from it all. A place where one can heal, contemplate, re-energize, and relax in a quiet and pristine environment. Feel secluded enough to experience your own inner stillness; and, yet, connected enough to enjoy many beautiful area attractions that are just minutes away such as: Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, Fontana Dam and the Appalachian Trail, 20 Mile Ranger Station, Cherohala Skyway, and Santeetlah Lake!The Heart Center is about love, unity, harmony, joy and re-connecting with ourselves, others, and Mother Nature. At the Heart Center, we take special interest in providing our guests with a uniquely peaceful, positive, comfortable, and relaxing experience! Whether you are laying on a hammock, walking the labyrinth, or just sitting on the deck taking in the sights and sounds, we want you to enjoy.

4. Long Creek Haven

100%

(12)

29mi from Gatlinburg · 13 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Del Rio, TN

Gorgeous private 4 acre retreat with creek and road frontage surrounded by the great Smoky Mountains and the Cherokee National Forest! French Broad River is a stone's throw away for kayaking! In the heart of the beautiful Smoky Mountains, so outdoor recreation abounds! Paint Creek Recreational Area, Wolf Creek Falls Trailhead, and the Meadow Creek Fire Tower are nearby! Entrance to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, located in Cosby, TN., is 25 min away. Town of Newport is 15 min away for all of your necessities. 20 min from Hot Springs, NC and Hartford, TN. Hartford is world-renowned for whitewater rafting! Hot Springs, NC is located on the Appalachian Trail. 1 hr from Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, Knoxville, and Asheville! Located 2 hrs from Cade's Cove. Many UTV trails all around, so bring your UTV's! Motorcycle friendly! All sites back up to the creek! Pet friendly! Pets must be well-behaved on a leash at all times! 2 small dogs, 4 cats, and 1 chicken are on the property. Circular gravel drive with easy access off of Hwy 340, so we can accommodate big rigs as well as vans and buses! All types of rv's, skoolies, vans, converted rigs, tents, etc. are welcome! ! Stay for a night, days, weeks, or months! Boondocking is $35 per night. Electric, sewage, and water are available. Electric is 15, 30, or 50 amp. Full hookup sites (electric, sewage, and water) are $60 per night. Discounts given for weekly/monthly stays. More boondocking sites available than are listed , so, if the site you want is booked, or if you need another site due to traveling with friends or family, please call us and ask! Dump station cost is $10 for boondocking guests. Bathroom and laundry facilities located in the cabin. Laundry is $3-5 (depending on machines) per load to wash and dry. Enclosed outdoor shower located next to the barn. Property is peaceful and serene, so we appreciate the non-use of generators. Very spiritual and relaxing to listen to the sounds of the babbling creek! Message us on the day of your arrival with your ETA. We welcome families, couples, and solo travelers, so come on everyone and enjoy a stay at Long Creek Haven! Like and follow us! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558435533219

5. Appalachian Pond Campground

97%

(170)

29mi from Gatlinburg · 17 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Waynesville, NC

Get back to nature at this incredible private campground nestled in the Great Smokey Mountains of Western North Carolina! This tranquil campground offers a peaceful place to unwind while listening to the wonderful sights and sounds of nature at its best! There are 11 unique and cozy campsites to choose from as well as a shower and portable potties. This campground has a pond for fishing and swimming, a creek running along the campsites and is surrounded by the most magnificent and beautiful foliage and wildlife! Prepare to have the most peaceful sleep under the glorious celestial stars of Western North Carolina! *We also have a sink for dishes alongside the shower house as well as a drinkable well water spicket in the back of the campground! *We are also located close to stores for your convenience as well as many nearby attractions! * Please contact us regarding pets before booking… *We recommend checking in before 10 pm…. The property gets really dark and hard to navigate at night without being shown where to go! If for any reason you will be getting here later please inform us upon booking so we can plan for your arrival! *During the months from November to April we cannot guarantee our shower will be operational due to freezing temperatures. However, during warm periods during those months we do have our shower available. If you’re looking for a place to escape the hustle and bustle of life and return to the simplicity of nature this is your spot! We hope to see you soon!!

Public campgrounds near Gatlinburg

Tsali trailhead about 1/10th mile from campground.

100%

(8)

Tsali Recreation Area

23mi from Gatlinburg · 42 sites · Tents, RVs · in Nantahala National Forest

92%

(6)

Standing Indian Campground

45mi from Gatlinburg · 80 sites · Tents, RVs · in Nantahala National Forest

Van Hook Glade Campground

47mi from Gatlinburg · 8 sites · Tents, RVs · in Nantahala National Forest

Stories from the community

B

Benjamin

October 2025

16 ft car

Group trip

Weekend Trip to Appalachian Pond Campground

The host was great and nice. The view was also great. Very comfy site would 100% recommend if you’re visiting Asheville!!

K

Kelsey

October 2025

Tent

3 nights at The Heart Center

We loved camping at The Heart Center! It was centrally located to the trails we wanted to visit and Liz even recommended some new ones to us. She was a wonderful host and you can tell the space was created with a lot of love and intention.

N

Nicholas

October 2025

36 ft fifth wheel

With pets

3 nights at Long Creek Haven

Great place! The available internet was a super plus for me. Fire pits, the lovely sound of the creek, clean with easily accessible hookups, and the owners are very pleasant and informative. Will go back next time I'm passing through!

M

Molly

October 2025

Tent

With pets

1 night at The Heart Center

Liz is so kind, and has such a beautiful space. What a great place to spend the night.

J

Jessica

October 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Indigo Eagle Sanctuary

We had no issues booking this campsite last minute, and while there was no communication from the owner during our stay, everything went smoothly and we had an amazing weekend. The location can be a bit tricky to find, so be sure to follow the directions provided in your booking. The site itself is large, private, and offers a breathtaking view of the smoky mountains. Since it faces west, the sunsets are absolutely phenomenal! The campsite includes a fire pit, a wooden swing, a large teepee structure, and a small toilet shed — all decently maintained. We didn’t see any bears during our stay, but we did hang our food in a nearby tree just to be safe. Overall, it was a peaceful and scenic getaway — we’d definitely stay here again and have already been recommending it to friends!

J

John

October 2025

26 ft Class C

Weekend Trip to Appalachian Pond Campground

We had the RV site, which included water and electric. Our pup enjoyed swimming in the little pond just steps away from our site. The campground is small, but clean and quiet. I would just recommend that they trim some of the low hanging tree limbs over the main road. We have a smaller motor home and the limbs scraped the roof and sides as we drove in. Otherwise, our stay was very relaxing and enjoyable.

J

James

October 2025

10 ft campervan

Weekend Trip to Appalachian Pond Campground

We loved this place. Our camping area was well groomed, had a beautiful fire pit, nice view and was pretty much private. Would love to go back and check out some of their other sites on property. 🙌🏻

R

Richard

September 2025

20 ft campervan

With pets

1 night at Long Creek Haven

Great campground next to a small gurgling creek. The hosts are great, and they have everything you need for a nice stay.

G

Gregg

September 2025

16 ft car

1 night at The Heart Center

We had a great time. The facilities were clean convenient. Liz was very helpful and accommodating.

Karen

August 2025

30 ft travel trailer

With kids

Weekend Trip to Appalachian Pond Campground

Beautiful campground! We had a really peaceful and enjoyable stay. The only difficulty was getting our 30’ trailer in through the gate. It ended up working out fine, but is not easy for beginner trailer towers (which I am). I think more experienced drivers will do just fine.

L

Lloyd

August 2025

38 ft Class A

Weekend Trip to Long Creek Haven

This was a cozy little camp with just a few spots. It was easy to find with Kim's directions and they were very flexible with our arrival time as we came in at 8:00 pm, not by design of course. Gravel site was level and hard packed. Hook ups were very convenient to site. Camp host Don, was excellent. Actually helped guide us out onto the main road as we departed. We will stay again if we are up that way.

E

Edward

July 2025

Tent

1 night at The Heart Center

The heart center is such a special place! The campsite was idyllic and Liz is an amazing host. I look forward to returning and highly recommend it! Five stars.

Marshall

July 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to The Heart Center

Beautiful, very secluded, very peaceful spot for relaxing, meditating, and realigning yourself. Liz is a great host and a great healer. I definitely recommend a reiki and meditation session with her while you're there.

Tyler

July 2025

21 ft travel trailer

With kids

3 nights at Appalachian Pond Campground

Nice camp site. Very quiet and peaceful. It is a bit rugged so know that going into it and you’ll enjoy the space.

K

Kristin

July 2025

20 ft pop-up camper

With pets

7 nights at Appalachian Pond Campground

We loved the view if the pond from the front door of our pop up. The hosts were so nice, helpful and brought wood to our camp anytime we asked. The porta potty was clean and dumped weekly, showers were hot and we appreciated the dish cleaning area. We enjoyed meeting other campers but everyone had plenty of privacy at their camps. It was tricky getting our pop up level at rv site 1. The rocks were a bit big to park and walk on. Would have preferred smaller gravel. Other than that, we loved it, would love to return and recommend it to other travelers.

W

Will

June 2025

30 ft pop-up camper

1 night at Appalachian Pond Campground

Very cool spot tucked away in the mountains. Pond was cool to swim in

Liz

May 2025

18 ft campervan

1 night at Appalachian Pond Campground

This place is super cute and peaceful! Hosts very accommodating. The pond is cute. The amenities all work. Rv site 1 worked well for our van. The other campsites offer more privacy and feel like you're in the wilds. I would definitely come here again!

M

Maren

May 2025

20 ft campervan

Weekend Trip to Appalachian Pond Campground

The site we stayed at was perfect! We parked our camper van in site 1 with easy access to electricity and water. It was right next to the pond which was gorgeous and serene! We stayed for two days, and it was perfect.