Adventure
| Location | Unicoi, Tennessee |
|---|---|
| Nightly rate (listed) | From $12/night |
| Guest rating | 4.0 / 5 (176 reviews) |
| Maximum RV length | 30 ft (longest listed site) |
| Hookups | None listed |
| RV sites | 4 |
| Pets allowed | Yes |
| Book on | Recreation.gov |
From the park's listing on Recreation.gov. Confirm details with the park before you book.
This weekend · Not yet releasedRecreation.gov hasn't opened these dates yet
Cardens Bluff Campground is a Recreation.gov campground in Unicoi. It lists 4 RV or RV/tent sites and 36 tent sites for rigs up to 30 ft. Pets are allowed per the listing.
Checking 2 nights (your saved dates or this weekend). Tell us what you're staying in to see matching sites and prices.
Availability checked Oct 12 on Recreation.gov. Rates are the provider's nightly rates; totals are estimates before taxes & fees.
You book with the provider. Each row shows that provider's lowest open option for your dates, and which provider our main button uses.
No recent availability data on Recreation.gov: this grid may be out of date, so check availability with the provider.
| Site | Fr 30 | Sa 31 | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 008 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 012 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 038 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 039 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 040 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 041 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 042 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 002 standard nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 018 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 005 tent only nonelectric |
Verbatim from guest reviews on Recreation.gov ↗ (176 reviews, ★ 4.0). Not written or edited by us.
“Great location and views- main bathhouse was nice with showers. Clean sites. Great location good to some good hikes on the AT”
“Lovely sites, although all up or down stairs as noted. Unfortunately a baby was close by and cried most of our two nights. Some sort of gun range was also near?? Sounded like shooting starting at 6am in a Sunday. S very sleepless and tired time ...”
“the view from the campsite is absolutely beautiful. ”
This weekend (Fri, Oct 30 – Sun, Nov 1): Book online. Reservations online on Recreation.gov — open dates and rates come from the booking site.
Longest RV site listed: 30 ft. Unsure if your rig fits? Check it in the Rig Fit tool
4400 Unicoi Drive
Open in Google Maps ↗
Perched at nearly 2,000 feet on a peninsula overlooking 6,430-acre Watauga Lake, Cardens Bluff Campground is a low-amenity, water-focused site that favors tent campers and paddlers. The campground contains 41 sites in total: 37 are designated for tent camping and 4 are configured to accommodate both RVs and tents, though no electrical hookups are provided. Campsites sit close enough to the shoreline that many offer easy access for kayaks, canoes and motorboats, and day-use areas for swimming and fishing are nearby. Facilities are straightforward but substantial for a forest campground each section has flush toilets and registered campers have access to an accessible shower house with eight showers. Campground Hosts are typically on site during the open season to answer questions and assist visitors. Cardens Bluff is surrounded by backcountry options as well as lake recreation: directly across Watauga Lake lies the undeveloped Big Laurel Branch Wilderness (with the Appalachian Trail running through it), and Pond Mountain and other rugged areas are a short drive away for hikers seeking remote routes. For boaters the Rat Branch Boat Launch and the Shook Branch Swim Area are convenient nearby access points. Important practical notes: the campground was closed for the 2023 season, there are no electrical hookups, and site counts and shower availability are fixed (41 sites; 8 showers in the accessible house). Because fees, reservation windows and reopening dates can change, check the Cherokee National Forest website or Recreation.gov for current status, reservations and any seasonal policies before you go.
| Agency / operator | Not listed |
|---|---|
| Booking | Recreation.gov [Recreation.gov] |
| Max RV / trailer length |
Picks are 30 ft or shorter: the longest RV site listed here. Pickup area: Charlotte (Charlotte Douglas International (CLT)), about 100 mi straight-line from Cardens Bluff Campground. RV rentals in Charlotte
Pick up in Troutman
Pick up in Sherrills Ford
Pick up in Mooresville| – |
| – |
| $12 |
| 006 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 010 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 013 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 014 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 017 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 019 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 020 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 022 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 024 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 026 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 028 standard nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 030 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 031 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 032 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 034 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 016 standard nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 029 standard nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 001 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 015 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 025 standard nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 003 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 021 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 007 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 009 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 023 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 035 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 027 standard nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 033 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
| 036 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $12 |
✓ available · R reserved · X not available · C closed · W first come, first served · N not yet released
| Not listed |
| Bear storage | Not listed |
|---|
| Season | Not listed |
|---|
| Hookups | Not listed |
|---|
| Max stay | 14 nights max |
|---|
Sources: Recreation.gov — Cardens Bluff Campground. "Not listed" means no source we use states it.
Official facts link to their source; “Listing” facts come from the Recreation.gov listing. Anything we can't source says so.
Closest stays by type. Distances are straight-line from Cardens Bluff Campground, not driving.
Available Oct 30 – Nov 1 · 2 nights1 site open for every night
Available Oct 30 – Nov 1 · 2 nights8 sites open for every night.jpg&w=3200&q=75)
Available Oct 30 – Nov 1 · 2 nights3 sites open for every night
