Free camping near Johnson, TN
Yes. 16 of the 22 camps within 25 straight-line miles of Johnson, TN are listed as free; 6 charge a fee. The closest free one is A.T. Laurel Fork Shelter, 14 miles east, on U.S. Forest Service land. The closest camp of any kind is Rock Creek Recreation Area, 14 miles south, a fee campground.
Dave has slept at 2 of these camps. The circle crosses a state line: NC and TN.
All 22 camps near Johnson, TN
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Creek Recreation Area | 14 | Fee | — | 3.5 mi to Erwin | — |
| A.T. Laurel Fork Shelter | 14 | Free | Laurel Fork (stream) | 1.1 mi to Braemar | — |
| Carter CountyDave slept here | 15 | Fee | Shook Branch (stream) | 1.5 mi to Horseshoe | — |
| Low Gap Camp | 16 | Free | Hinkle Branch (stream) | 3.2 mi to Winner | — |
| Unicoi CountyDave slept here | 16 | Free | Right Prong Rock Creek (stream) | 2.2 mi to Poplar | — |
| Dennis Cove Recreation Area | 16 | Fee | — | 3.8 mi to Hampton | — |
| A.T. Curley Maple Gap Shelter | 16 | Free | Jones Branch (stream) | 1.2 mi to Ephraim Place | — |
| Little Stoney Creek Camp | 17 | Free | Little Stony Creek (stream) | 0.8 mi to Fish Springs | — |
| A.T. Vandeventer Shelter | 18 | Free | — | 1.5 mi to Butler | — |
| A.T. Clyde Smith Shelter | 18 | Free | Tiger Creek (stream) | 2.0 mi to Backwoods | — |
| A.T. Moreland Gap Shelter | 18 | Free | — | 2.5 mi to Roan Mountain | — |
| A.T. No Business Knob Shelter | 19 | Free | Long Branch (stream) | 2.2 mi to Unaka Springs | — |
| Little Oak Campground | 22 | Fee | — | 8.4 mi to Bristol | — |
| A.T. Roan High Knob Shelter | 22 | Free | Holder Creek (stream) | 2.5 mi to Cove Creek | — |
| Horse Creek Recreation Area | 22 | Fee | — | 6.8 mi to Tusculum | — |
| A.T. Iron Mountain Shelter | 23 | Free | Ike Branch (stream) | 2.3 mi to Buladeen | — |
| A.T. Overmountain Shelter | 24 | Free | Roaring Creek (stream) | 1.0 mi to Partridgeberry | — |
| A.T. Stan Murray Shelter | 24 | Free | Elk Hollow Branch (stream) | 1.3 mi to Partridgeberry | — |
| Old Forge Campground | 24 | Fee | Jennings Creek (stream) | 1.5 mi to Hampton Mill | — |
| A.T. Bald Mountain Shelter | 24 | Free | Tumbling Creek (stream) | 2.4 mi to Coffee Ridge | — |
| A.T. Flint Mountain Shelter | 24 | Free | Flint Creek (stream) | 2.5 mi to Rocky Fork | — |
| A.T. Double Springs Shelter | 25 | Free | North Fork Stony Creek (stream) | 2.1 mi to Camp Tom Howard | — |
Who manages the camps near Johnson, TN
Who manages them: 20 on the Forest Service; 2 on an agency our record does not name.
- Cherokee National Forest — 18 camps: 12 free, 6 fee
- National Forests in North Carolina — 4 camps: 4 free
Season read for these camps, today
Our record has no season word for any of these 22 camps today. Call the managing office before you go.
Forecast near Johnson, TN
This is the Weather Service forecast for the town, fetched when the page opens. It is not a forecast for any camp in the table; ground higher up or in a canyon can run colder or windier. It needs JavaScript; without it, see weather.gov.
Camping near other towns close by
The nearest towns that have their own page, with the straight-line miles between the towns.
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Johnson, TN, not a driving distance — a camp four miles out across a canyon can be an hour of road. Cost is the audited three-state verdict on each camp's own record: free, fee, or unpriced where we could not confirm a price. A blank column is a gap in the record, not a statement that the thing is absent. Camps come from state and federal agency records, not from a visit, except the ones marked. Seasons, permits and fire rules change: confirm with the managing office before you go. Found a fee where we show free? Tell us on the contact page.