U.S. Forest Service · Cherokee National Forest · Unicoi, TN

Cardens Bluff Campground

Cardens Bluff Campground is closed for the season. At nearly 2,000 feet elevation, Cardens Bluff Campground is located on a peninsula overlooking the 6,430-acre Watauga Lake in Carter County, TN. There are 43 sites, primarily for tent camping. There is a bathhouse with showers and flush toilets. No electrical hookups are provided. Day use areas are located nearby for those wanting to take advantage of swimming, boating, and fishing opportunities. Campground Hosts are on site to answer questions and assist with your visit.

Closed for the seasonReservable · Recreation.gov43 sites30 ft maxNo hookupsPets okFires ok

More like this: reservable in Tennessee · pets allowed in Tennessee

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Cardens Bluff CampgroundRock walls at Cardens Bluff CampgroundSign at Cardens Bluff CampgroundBathroom at Cardens Bluff Campground
Photos courtesy of US Forest Service · Recreation.gov
1fire
active
Rx - Stone Mountain (prescribed burn) · 10 mi away
Interagency incident data as of 2026-10-16
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Tent-only36
Standard, no hookups6
Host/management1
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 30 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

42 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteTypeEntrySurfaceShadeWaterfrontPeople / vehiclesFiresAccessibleRating
001Tent onlyPavedPartial5 / 2YesStandard
002StandardBack-inPaved5 / 2YesStandard
003Tent onlyBack-inPavedPartial5 / 2YesYesStandard
005Tent onlyPaved5 / 2YesStandard
006Tent onlyBack-inPaved5 / 2YesYesStandard
007Tent onlyBack-inPavedPartial5 / 2YesStandard
008Tent onlyPavedPartial5 / 2YesStandard
009Tent onlyPavedPartial5 / 2YesStandard
010Tent onlyPaved5 / 2YesStandard
012Tent onlyPavedPartial5 / 2YesStandard

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length30 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
Tent padsYes
AccessibilitySites 003, 006, 017, 018 and 6 more are listed accessible

There are 43 campsites within Cardens Bluff Campground. Each section of the campground has flush toilets. In addition, there is an accessible shower house with eight showers for use by registered campers only.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
ForestCherokee National Forest
FeesCamping is $12 per night.
RulesCampsites are for one family of up to 5 family members and 2 vehicles. There is no alcohol allowed in the campground. No burning of plastic or other non-wood products except local wood in campfires. Food storage restrictions apply at all areas on the Cherokee National Forest.

Cherokee National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Cardens Bluff Campground30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 3.78 inches of precipitation, 1.9 inches of snowFebruary: 3.76 inches of precipitation, 2.1 inches of snowMarch: 3.97 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowApril: 3.81 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowMay: 4.43 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 5.16 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 5.86 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 4.20 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 3.00 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 2.80 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 3.36 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowDecember: 3.90 inches of precipitation, 1.8 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 35.9°F averageFebruary: 39.2°F averageMarch: 46.6°F averageApril: 55.5°F averageMay: 64.2°F averageJune: 71.2°F averageJuly: 74.5°F averageAugust: 73.7°F averageSeptember: 67.9°F averageOctober: 57.0°F averageNovember: 45.9°F averageDecember: 39.2°F average0 in2 in4 in6 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Elizabethton, 8 miles from the campground at 1,487 feet, station USC00402806 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 48 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 6 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From Elizabethton, TN take US 19E/321 south 5 miles to Hampton. Turn left on 321/67 travel approx. 4 miles to the campground entrance on the left.

Nearest townUnicoi, Tennessee
Coordinates36.3097° N, 82.1153° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Rx - Stone Mountain

    10 mi from the campground

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearAppalachian Outpost ↗4.8 mi
RV sales & serviceRV sales & service ↗26.7 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Good Cheap Camping! Cardens Bluff Campground - Hampton, TN

Worth a stop

The nearby Rat Branch Boat Launch is an easy quick drive from the campground for campers with motor boats. Shook Branch Swim Area is also nearby on the shores of Watauga Lake. Big Laurel Branch and Pond Mountain Wilderness areas are located north and south of the campground for more rugged, backcountry hiking.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.1 mi
    Cardens Bluff Hiking Trail
    0.7 mi trail
  • 1.8 mi
    Watauga Point Hiking Trail
    0.4 mi trail
  • 2.2 mi
    Pond Mountain Wilderness Trail ↗
    4.5 mi trail
  • 2.5 mi
    Hampton-Blueline Trail
    1.4 mi trail
  • 2.8 mi
    High Water Alternate Trail
    0.6 mi trail
  • 3.7 mi
    Coon Den Falls
    1.3 mi trail

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Pond Mountain Wilderness.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

Watauga Lake is a 6,430-acre hydroelectric reservoir managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority and surrounded by the Cherokee National Forest. Directly across the lake from the campground is the Big Laurel Branch Wilderness area, a rugged, undeveloped mountain range with only the Appalachian National Scenic Trail within its boundaries.

Recreation

Boating is popular for visitors to Cardens Bluff. Numerous campsites provide easy water access for kayaks, canoes and motorized boats. Swimming and fishing are also very popular activities at Cardens Bluff. Watauga Lake provides notably clean water for recreating.

Guidebooks for Cherokee National Forest and Tennessee

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Cherokee National Forest hiking guide
    William H. Skelton and Lamar Alexander, 2024
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best Tent Camping: Tennessee
    Johnny Molloy, 2015
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Campgrounds in and Around the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
    Grueen Huffman, 2010
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Cardens Bluff Campground?

Sites at Cardens Bluff Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Cardens Bluff Campground?

Camping is $12 per night.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Cardens Bluff Campground?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Cardens Bluff Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Cardens Bluff Campground have?

43 sites, including 36 tent-only sites and 6 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Cardens Bluff Campground?

The longest site here provides 30 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are there showers or a dump station at Cardens Bluff Campground?

Each section of the campground has flush toilets.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Cardens Bluff Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Cardens Bluff Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Cardens Bluff Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there is 1 active fire within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one. Campsites are for one family of up to 5 family members and 2 vehicles.

Source: Fire nearby

Are there accessible sites at Cardens Bluff Campground?

Sites 003, 006, 017, and 018 are listed accessible on Recreation.gov, 10 sites in all. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Cardens Bluff Campground?

Boating is popular for visitors to Cardens Bluff. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Cardens Bluff Campground?

Unicoi, Tennessee. The nearby Rat Branch Boat Launch is an easy quick drive from the campground for campers with motor boats.

Source: Getting there