Backbone Rock Campground

Cherokee National Forest — fishing, hiking

Location: Unicoi, TN, TN

Price: From $10 per night

Price range: $10–$20 per night

Rating: 4.6 out of 5 (71 reviews)

Season: May through October

Backbone Rock Campground will open for the 2026 season on 4/27/26. The pavilion and vault toilets in the day-use area will open on 3/16/26. Backbone Rock is a small campground situated along the beautiful Beaverdam Creek at an elevation of 2,100 feet in northern Johnson County.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Fishing

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/backbone-rock-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Backbone Rock Campground sits along scenic Beaverdam Creek at 2,100 feet elevation with a popular swim area and direct access to the historic Backbone Rock tunnel. The small 11-site setup keeps it intimate while offering both tent and RV camping.

Wildlife alert: Yonahlossee Salamanders are documented in the area—watch for them near creek banks and wet areas, especially after rain.

Insider tips for Backbone Rock Campground: Book early—this is a federal campground and only has 11 sites total No hookups available, so bring a fully self-contained RV or plan for tent camping The day-use area opens before overnight camping (3/16 vs 4/27), allowing early visits to the Backbone Rock tunnel and creek before full campground opening Creek-side location offers swimming and fishing access directly from camp

Skip Backbone Rock Campground if: You need RV hookups (water/electric/sewer)—this campground has none. You're planning to visit November-April—seasonal closure.

Best time to visit Backbone Rock Campground: May through October — Campground operates seasonally May-October; day-use area (pavilion/vault toilets) opens 3/16 but overnight camping opens 4/27. Summer months — Swimming is a primary activity at the creek-side location.

Nearby campgrounds: Backbone Rock Recreation Area Pavilions (Unicoi, TN), Jacobs Creek Campground (Tn) (Unicoi, TN), Beartree (Damascus, VA), Little Oak Campground (Unicoi, TN).

Cell Phone Coverage at Backbone Rock Campground

Cell signal at Backbone Rock Campground (Unicoi, TN): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›TN›Backbone Rock Campground
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Cherokee National Forest — fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Backbone Rock Campground

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Unicoi, TN, TN★ 4.6 (71 reviews)From $10/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Backbone Rock Campground will open for the 2026 season on 4/27/26. The pavilion and vault toilets in the day-use area will open on 3/16/26. Backbone Rock is a small campground situated along the beautiful Beaverdam Creek at an elevation of 2,100 feet in northern Johnson County.

Best for:AnglersHikersWildlife watchersFamiliesBackpackersSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
ADA sites11 sites
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsFishing
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups (water/electric/sewer)—this campground has none✕ You're planning to visit November-April—seasonal closure

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground and only has 11 sites total

No hookups available, so bring a fully self-contained RV or plan for tent camping

The day-use area opens before overnight camping (3/16 vs 4/27), allowing early visits to the Backbone Rock tunnel and creek before full campground opening

Creek-side location offers swimming and fishing access directly from camp

Best: May through October

Campground operates seasonally May-October; day-use area (pavilion/vault toilets) opens 3/16 but overnight camping opens 4/27

Best: Summer months

Swimming is a primary activity at the creek-side location

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Yonahlossee Salamanders are documented in the area—watch for them near creek banks and wet areas, especially after rain.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
423-735-1500· Cherokee National Forest
Getting there →

Highway TN 133 north from Highway 91. The campsite is on Highway 133, just north of Backbone Rock.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Cherokee National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Cherokee National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Backbone Rock Campground cost per night?+
Backbone Rock Campground costs $10–$20 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Backbone Rock Campground open?+
Backbone Rock Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Backbone Rock Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Backbone Rock Campground?+
Backbone Rock Campground is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Backbone Rock Campground?+
Backbone Rock Campground is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Backbone Rock Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Backbone Rock Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Backbone Rock Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Backbone Rock Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility MapCherokee National ForestBe BearWiseFood and Refuse Storage RequirementsBackbone Rock Rules & Regulations
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$10 /night★ 4.6 (71)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Backbone Rock Campground cost per night?+
What season is Backbone Rock Campground open?+
Does Backbone Rock Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Backbone Rock Recreation Area Pavilions

Unicoi, TN

From $50/night

Jacobs Creek Campground (Tn)

Unicoi, TN

From $12/night

Beartree

Damascus, VA

From $24/night

Little Oak Campground

Unicoi, TN

From $10/night

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