RV Camping Near Cherokee National Forest — A Local Guide for East Tennessee

If you own an RV or camper and you live in Greene or Washington County, you are sitting in one of the best positions of anyone in Tennessee. Cherokee National Forest runs through your backyard. The Nolichucky River cuts through the valley just below the mountain ridges. Horse Creek is eight miles up the road off Highway 107. Rock Creek sits just outside Erwin at 2,300 feet — cool in summer when the rest of the state is baking.

And some of the best campgrounds in the region are right here on or near the same highway that runs past our facility in Chuckey, TN — Highway 107, connecting Jonesborough to Erwin through some of the most beautiful country in East Tennessee.

This is a guide to the campgrounds we'd send our own neighbors to — from a primitive creekside spot in the national forest to full-hookup sites built for big rigs. We've included honest notes on what each place is actually good for, because not every campground is right for every setup.

If you want to camp without leaving the highway you already drive every day, Riverview Campground at 408 TN-107 in Jonesborough is the answer. It sits right on the Nolichucky River — a few miles east of our facility in Chuckey on the same road. Family owned, Christian values, and it shows in how the place is kept.

The grounds are clean and well-maintained with nicely spaced gravel sites and grassy yards. Sites accommodate rigs up to 75 feet with 30-amp hookups, WiFi, laundry, and a clean bathhouse. Open year-round, pet-friendly, and a genuine base for fishing, kayaking, and paddling the Nolichucky. Reviewers consistently mention how quiet it is and how welcoming the hosts are.

Horse Creek Recreation Area is eight miles north of Greeneville off TN-107 — which puts it practically in the neighborhood. Managed by the U.S. Forest Service as part of Cherokee National Forest, it sits in a hardwood cove beside its namesake creek and is one of those places locals know about and out-of-towners can't stop talking about once they find it.

This is primarily walk-in tent camping — not the spot for a 40-foot motorhome. But for anyone with a small camper or tent setup who wants a true forest experience, it delivers completely. Swimming spots in the creek, two picnic areas, multiple hiking trails, and access to the Squibb Creek Falls trail — a four-mile round trip through the Sampson Mountain Wilderness to a 25-foot waterfall. The bathhouse has hot showers and flush toilets, which is more than you'd expect this deep in the woods.

Rock Creek is one of the most underappreciated campgrounds in the region. Six miles from downtown Erwin off TN-395 in Cherokee National Forest, it sits at 2,300 feet — high enough to knock 10 to 15 degrees off the summer heat when the valley is sweltering. The facilities were originally built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, including a creek-fed concrete swimming pond that people still use today.

For RV campers this is a legitimate option. There are 27 fully accessible single sites and five double sites, all with electric hookups. Five additional walk-in tent sites are available first-come, first-served without hookups. The Appalachian Trail crosses TN-395 just 3.1 miles east at Indian Grave Gap — Beauty Spot and Unaka Mountain Overlook are close by on Forest Service Road 230 and offer some of the best views in all of East Tennessee.

Whitewater outfitters in Erwin run trips on the Nolichucky, and Rock Creek puts you close enough to make a day of it without breaking camp. Same bear safety rules apply here — this is active bear country.

Nolichucky Gorge Campground sits right on the river near Erwin at the Big Rocks rapid section — one of the most exciting stretches of whitewater in the Southeast. It shares an entrance road with USA Raft Adventure Resort and is veteran owned and operated, which tells you something about how the place runs.

There are riverfront tent sites positioned just inches from the water, RV sites set back from the river with more level ground, and cabin options for anyone who wants a roof. If you've ever wanted to watch kayakers and rafters work through Class IV whitewater from your campsite while a mountain breeze comes through the gorge — this is the spot. The river sound is constant and the mountains are right there in every direction.

If you're pulling a large rig and need full hookups — 50-amp service, water, and sewer — Around Pond RV Park in Greeneville fills a gap that the national forest campgrounds simply can't. Pull-through sites accommodate big rigs with room for slide-outs, and reviewers consistently mention how smooth the arrival process is.

It's a practical base camp more than a scenic wilderness experience. But for owners of larger motorhomes and fifth wheels who need real infrastructure, it's exactly what's needed. Greeneville has shopping, restaurants, and easy access back out to Highway 107 and the rest of the corridor.

Your Rig Needs a Home Base Between Trips

Living near the AT and the Nolichucky means living with gear. Kayaks, camping equipment, fishing rods, trekking poles, sleeping bags rated for the temperatures you actually get on Big Bald in October. And an RV or camper that takes up the whole driveway nine months out of the year.

We're at Mountaineer Storage serving Erwin on Highway 107 in Chuckey — the same road that connects Jonesborough to Erwin and puts you within reach of every campground in this guide. Our outdoor storage spaces go up to 12×42 feet with 24/7 gated keypad access and AI-monitored cameras running around the clock. Your rig stays secure between trips, and you get your driveway back.

We also have 10×20 drive-up units for all the gear that doesn't fit in the rig. Month-to-month rentals, no deposits, no contracts, no setup fees. Reserve online and you're in the same day.

Store Your RV Along the Highway 107 Corridor

We're in Chuckey — just minutes from Jonesborough, 15 minutes from Erwin, and right on the road that connects it all. Locally owned, 24/7 access, no contracts.