Big Oak Cove Campground
USDA Forest Service campground in Cherokee National Forest, Tennessee.
Summary
Managed by the USDA Forest Service, Big Oak Cove Campground sits in Cherokee National Forest, about 49 miles (straight line) from Knoxville. Mountain bikers get 16.5 miles of bike-legal trail within 5 miles, the closest being Benton MacKaye Trail (2.7 mi away). Camping is first-come, first-served only.
When it's open
Season not listed
Tennessee campgrounds open year-round →
Neither Recreation.gov nor our other sources publish an open season for this campground, so we don't guess. Check the official listing before an off-season trip.
Hookups & amenities
- 🚿ShowersNot listed
- 🚻ToiletsNot listed
- 🚰Drinking waterNot listed
- ⚡Electric hookupsNot listed
- 💧Water hookupsNot listed
- 🔧Sewer hookupsNot listed
- 🔌Full hookups (E/W/S)Not listed
- 🚐Dump stationNot listed
- 📶Wi-FiNot listed
- 🧺LaundryNot listed
- 🏪Camp storeNot listed
- 🛝PlaygroundNot listed
- 🏊SwimmingNot listed
- 🚤Boat rampNot listed
- 🐕Pet-friendlyNot listed
- ♿ADA-accessible sitesNot listed
- 🛖CabinsNot listed
- 🔥Fire ringsNot listed
- 🍖GrillsNot listed
- 🪑Picnic tablesNot listed
- 🧑Camp hostNot listed
- 🐻Food storage lockersNot listed
Listed only when Recreation.gov site records report it. "Not listed" means the source doesn't say, not that the campground lacks it.
Map: trails and roads near Big Oak Cove Campground
Loads MapLibre with OpenFreeMap tiles only when you tap.
Campsite layout
Check live availability on Recreation.gov ↗
We don't show live availability. Openings change by the minute and only the official reservation system has them.
How it compares
- There are 50 other campgrounds in our data within 25 miles.
- Straight-line distance: Knoxville ~49 mi, Chattanooga ~71 mi, Asheville ~89 mi.
Amenities & rules
The agency hasn't published an amenity list for this campground.
Trails within 5 miles
| Trail | Closest point | Mapped miles within 5 mi | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sycamore Creek Trail | 1.7 mi | 5.6 | USFS |
| Whigg Ridge Trail | 1.8 mi | 2.7 | USFS |
| Brookshire Creek | 2.2 mi | 6.0 | USFS |
| Snowbird Mountain | 3.6 mi | 7.0 | USFS |
| Mitchell Lick | 3.9 mi | 1.4 | USFS |
| Panther Branch Trail | 4.0 mi | 1.8 | USFS |
| Laurel Branch Trail | 4.1 mi | 1.3 | USFS |
| Henderson Mountain Trail | 4.3 mi | 1.1 | USFS |
| Big Snowbird | 4.3 mi | 1.6 | USFS |
| Big Indian Branch | 4.7 mi | 0.3 | USFS |
| Sugar Cove Trail | 4.7 mi | 0.4 | USFS |
| Mcnabb Creek Trail | 4.8 mi | 1.0 | USFS |
+ 1 more named trails.
Mountain biking nearby
16.5 miles of bike-legal trail lie within 5 miles. Difficulty mix: Unrated: 16.5 mi
| Trail | Closest point | Miles within 5 mi | Difficulty (as tagged) | Kids | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton MacKaye Trail | 2.7 mi | 6.5 | Unrated | OSM | |
| Snowbird Mountain | 3.6 mi | 7.0 | Unrated | USFS | |
| Mitchell Lick | 3.9 mi | 1.4 | Unrated | USFS | |
| Big Snowbird | 4.3 mi | 1.6 | Unrated | USFS |
Ratings come only from OpenStreetMap mtb:scale / IMBA tags. Untagged trails show as "Unrated", and we never guess. Check conditions and maps on Trailforks or MTB Project.
Activities listed
Auto TouringBikingBoatingCampingFire Lookouts/cabins OvernightFishingHikingHorse CampingHorseback RidingInterpretive ProgramsOff Highway VehiclePicnickingRecreational VehiclesSwimmingVisitor CenterWildlife Viewing
Nearest campgrounds
| Campground | Miles | State | Fee/night | Sites | Hookups | Max RV | Pets | Booking | Trails ≤5 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rough Ridge Campground Cherokee National Forest |
0.3 | TN | — | — | — | — | — | First-come | 11 (28.0 mi) |
| Holder Cove Campground Cherokee National Forest |
0.3 | TN | — | — | — | — | — | First-come | 13 (33.3 mi) |
| State Line Campground Cherokee National Forest |
0.4 | TN | — | — | — | — | — | First-come | 11 (29.2 mi) |
| Davis Branch Campground Cherokee National Forest |
1.1 | TN | — | — | — | — | — | First-come | 18 (42.8 mi) |
| Birch Branch Campground Cherokee National Forest |
2.9 | TN | — | — | — | — | — | First-come | 17 (45.1 mi) |
| Spivey Cove Campground Cherokee National Forest |
3.1 | TN | — | — | — | — | — | First-come | 21 (50.0 mi) |
Hookups: E = electric (max amps), W = water, S = sewer. "—" means the agency doesn't publish it. Trail counts are named USFS/NPS trails within 5 miles. 🟢 = kid-friendly (green-rated) bike trail nearby. "Open year-round" and month ranges come from the agency, state park or OpenStreetMap season; no tag means no season is published.