North River Campground

Federal campground in Cherokee National Forest

Location: Tellico Plains, TN, TN

Price: From $20 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: May through October

This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you may be able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables

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

Highly rated (4.8/5) tent-friendly campground with beautiful wooded riverside setting and well-spaced sites. Campers praise the scenic drive, clean facilities, and peaceful remote location.

Wildlife alert: Black-throated Blue Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Western Palm Warbler, Woodland Jumping Mouse, Green Anole, Red-bellied Snake, and Common Snapping Turtle documented in area.

Insider tips for North River Campground: First-come, first-served only—arrive early to secure a site Download Recreation.gov mobile app before arrival to use Scan and Pay feature for payment Potable water available at nearby check station

Skip North River Campground if: You need hookups—no utilities available at sites. You require advance reservations—only first-come, first-served. Vault toilet odor is a dealbreaker—some reviewers reported smell issues.

Best time to visit North River Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally during these months only.

Nearby campgrounds: Mcnabb Creek Group (TELLICO PLAINS, TN), Spivey Cove Campground (Tellico Plains, TN), Birch Branch Campground (Tellico Plains, TN), Davis Branch Campground (Tellico Plains, TN).

Cell Phone Coverage at North River Campground

Cell signal at North River Campground (Tellico Plains, 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›North River Campground
See all photos
Federal campground in Cherokee National ForestLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

North River Campground

Share:
Tellico Plains, TN, TN★ 4 (0 reviews)From $20/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you may be able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature.

Best for:CampersNature loversFamiliesSites:Tent
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.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables

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 hookups—no utilities available at sites✕ You require advance reservations—only first-come, first-served✕ Vault toilet odor is a dealbreaker—some reviewers reported smell issues

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

First-come, first-served only

arrive early to secure a site

Download Recreation.gov mobile app before arrival to use Scan and Pay feature for payment

Potable water available at nearby check station

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally during these months only

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: Black-throated Blue Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Western Palm Warbler, Woodland Jumping Mouse, Green Anole, Red-bellied Snake, and Common Snapping Turtle documented in area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
N/A· Cherokee National Forest

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 North River Campground cost per night?+
North River Campground costs $20 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is North River Campground open?+
North River Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does North River Campground have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at North River Campground?+
North River Campground is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at North River Campground?+
North River 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 North River Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at North River Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is North River Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
North River Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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.

$20 /night★ 4 (0)
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 North River Campground cost per night?+
What season is North River Campground open?+
Does North River Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Mcnabb Creek Group

TELLICO PLAINS, TN

From $30/night

Forest campground camping

Spivey Cove Campground

Tellico Plains, TN

From $20/night

Birch Branch Campground

Tellico Plains, TN

From $20/night

Davis Branch Campground

Tellico Plains, TN

From $20/night

Own a campground nearby?

List free on CamperWatch — we take 5% only on bookings we send. No monthly fee.

List your campground →
$20 /nightNo booking fees
+TRIPCheck availability
North River Campground — Cherokee National Forest | CamperWatch