Cardens Bluff Campground
Its 42 sites are reservable through Recreation.gov, and camping costs Single Site: $12 per night. Cardens Bluff Campground is a National Forest campground near Elizabethton, Tennessee.
Reservable: Recreation.gov
1 / 6Cardens Bluff Campground. Photo: US Forest Service, via Recreation.gov, Public domain (US federal government work)
- National Forest
- Managed by
- None
- Hookups
- 30 ft
- Max RV length
Cardens Bluff Campground sits inside Cherokee National Forest. Its dispersed-camping rule, ranger offices, and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com. It sits 0.4 miles outside the boundary of Pond Mountain Wilderness; its permit and camping rules and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com. It sits 0.8 miles outside the boundary of Big Laurel Branch Wilderness; its permit and camping rules and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com.
Getting a site
- Managed by
- National Forest
- Reservations
- Recreation.gov Book a site
- Fee
- Single Site: $12 per night
Source: recreation.gov, accessed 2026-09-30
Sites and hookups
- Total sites
- 42
- Tent sites
- 36
- Walk-in sites
- 29
- Accessible sites
- 7
- Hookups
- None
- Max RV length
- 30 ft
- Site driveways
- Mixed
- ✓ Toilets
- ✓ Potable water
- ✓ Fire rings
- ✓ Pets allowed
On site: Toilets, potable water, fire rings, and pets allowed.
Source: recreation.gov, accessed 2026-09-30
Campsites
42 sites; the longest takes a 30 ft vehicle. Every site below links to its own page on Recreation.gov, where it is booked. Official site list and booking on recreation.gov.
| Book | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 001 |
| 002 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 20 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book site 002 |
| 003 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 003 |
| 004 - HOST | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 004 - HOST |
| 005 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book site 005 |
| 006 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Back-in | Not on record | Yes | Not on record | Book site 006 |
| 007 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 007 |
| 008 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 008 |
| 009 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 009 |
| 010 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book site 010 |
| 011 - Host | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 011 - Host |
| 012 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 012 |
| 013 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book site 013 |
| 014 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book site 014 |
| 015 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 015 |
| 016 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 20 ft | Back-in | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book site 016 |
| 017 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | Yes | Not on record | Book site 017 |
| 018 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book site 018 |
| 019 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | Yes | Not on record | Book site 019 |
| 020 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | Yes | Not on record | Book site 020 |
| 021 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 021 |
| 022 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book site 022 |
| 023 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 023 |
| 024 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book site 024 |
| 025 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 25 ft | Back-in | Not on record | Yes | Yes | Book site 025 |
| 026 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book site 026 |
| 027 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | Not on record | Back-in | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 027 |
| 028 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | Not on record | Back-in | Not on record | Yes | Not on record | Book site 028 |
| 029 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Standard nonelectric | 30 ft | Back-in | Not on record | Yes | Not on record | Book site 029 |
| 030 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book site 030 |
| 031 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book site 031 |
| 032 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book site 032 |
| 033 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 033 |
| 034 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book site 034 |
| 035 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 035 |
| 036 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Yes | Book site 036 |
| 038 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book site 038 |
| 039 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book site 039 |
| 040 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book site 040 |
| 041 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book site 041 |
| 042 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Back-in | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book site 042 |
| 043 | CARDENS BLUFF CAMPGROUND | Tent only nonelectric | Not on record | Parallel | Not on record | No | Not on record | Book site 043 |
Data source: Recreation.gov , accessed 2026-09-30. Site details are Recreation.gov's own per-site listing and can differ from the campground-wide facts above.
Rules
- Pets
- Allowed
Source: recreation.gov, accessed 2026-09-30
Access and cell service
- Elevation
- 2,042 ft
36.3121, -82.1165 in Carter. Open in OpenStreetMap. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Common questions
Do you need a reservation at Cardens Bluff Campground?
Sites at Cardens Bluff Campground are reserved through Recreation.gov (https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/122390).
How much does it cost to camp at Cardens Bluff Campground?
Camping at Cardens Bluff Campground costs Single Site: $12 per night.
How many campsites does Cardens Bluff Campground have?
Cardens Bluff Campground has 42 campsites, including 36 tent sites and 29 walk-in sites. 7 sites are accessible.
Are there accessible (ADA) campsites at Cardens Bluff Campground?
Yes, 7 sites are designated accessible at Cardens Bluff Campground.
Does Cardens Bluff Campground have RV hookups?
No. Cardens Bluff Campground has no hookups. The longest rig allowed is 30 feet.
Are there pull-through sites at Cardens Bluff Campground?
Recreation.gov lists no pull-through sites at Cardens Bluff Campground; 42 sites with a stated driveway are back-in or parallel.
Is there drinking water at Cardens Bluff Campground?
Yes, Cardens Bluff Campground has potable water. It also has toilets.
Are dogs allowed at Cardens Bluff Campground?
Yes, pets are allowed at Cardens Bluff Campground.
Who manages Cardens Bluff Campground?
Cardens Bluff Campground is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
Around Cardens Bluff Campground
Waterfalls nearby
The nearest waterfall to Cardens Bluff Campground, in a straight line: Linville Falls (waterfall, 27 miles). Each has its own page on swimholesmap.com.
Watauga Point Recreation Area - Sites
- Not on record
- Season
- 01-01 to 12-31
- Fee
- Site: $30 per night
Dennis Cove Recreation Area - Sites
- 14
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Single Site: $10 per night
- Sites
- Not on record
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Free
Little Oak Campground - Sites
- 66
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Single Site: $12 per night
More campgrounds: camping near Elizabethton and campgrounds in Carter.
Sources
- apps.fs.usda.gov (all fields), accessed 2026-09-30
- recreation.gov (reservationSystem, reservationSystemName, reservationUrl, maxRvLengthFt, drivewayType, petsAllowed, fireRings, sites, campsites, hookups), accessed 2026-09-30
- epqs.nationalmap.gov (elevationFt), accessed 2026-10-01
Photo credits
- Photo 1: US Forest Service, via Recreation.gov, Public domain (US federal government work)
- Photo 2: US Forest Service, via Recreation.gov, Public domain (US federal government work)
- Photo 3: US Forest Service, via Recreation.gov, Public domain (US federal government work)
- Photo 4: US Forest Service, via Recreation.gov, Public domain (US federal government work)
- Photo 5: US Forest Service, via Recreation.gov, Public domain (US federal government work)
- Photo 6: US Forest Service, via Recreation.gov, Public domain (US federal government work)