Can you reserve a site at Bandy Creek?

Yes, Bandy Creek is reservable through Recreation.gov.

How many campsites does Bandy Creek have?

145 sites in total, of which 144 can be booked.

What is the maximum RV length at Bandy Creek?

73 ft. That is the longest vehicle the sites here are recorded as taking; individual sites may be shorter.

Are pets allowed at Bandy Creek?

Yes, pets are allowed at Bandy Creek.

Are campfires allowed at Bandy Creek?

Campfires are allowed at Bandy Creek. Check for a current fire restriction before you go.

Bandy Creek

Campground · Tennessee · 144 bookable sites ·

Managed by the National Park Service

Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area (National River) · Open Access

144
Bookable sites: 73 ft
Max rig length: up to 114
People per site: 7
Accessible sites: 1,579 ft
Elevation

Bandy Creek Campground with motor home in a campsite in Loop D. Grass and green trees plenty of shade. — Photo: NPS Photo · Recreation.gov

Overview

Bandy Creek is a spacious and modern campground, situated in The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area--a vast and scenic expanse of land that offers visitors countless recreational activities.

Recreation

Numerous trails snake through the Recreation Area, offering mountain biking, hiking and horseback riding for visitors. A swimming pool, along with on-site volleyball court, playgrounds and ball fields, make Bandy Creek an ideal spot for families. The main river of the Big South Fork is also a short drive away, offering fishing opportunities.

Facilities

Bandy Creek combines the experience of traditional woods camping with the modern conveniences of flush toilets, hot showers and electric hookups. Sites can accommodate groups and both RV and tent camping.

The campsites are spacious and provide picnic areas and plenty of shade.

Natural Features

The Big South Fork is located in north central Tennessee and southeastern Kentucky in some of the most rugged terrain of the Cumberland Plateau. The park encompasses approximately 125,000 acres including rocky gorges and forested plateaus.

Numerous pristine streams unite with the free-flowing Big South Fork of the Cumberland River. Over thousands of years, ceaselessly moving water has carved the sandstone of the plateau into impressive cliffs, arches and chimneys, which are found throughout the park.

Nearby Attractions

Located just under 20 miles from Bandy Creek is the Blue Heron Mine, also known as Mine 18, a historic abandoned mining town that has been rebuilt as an outdoor museum. Visitors can hear audio presentations from actual people who lived in the community in the 1950s.

The facts

144 bookable sites
145 sites in total, including non-bookable
7 accessible sites
Vehicles up to 73 ft
Up to 114 people per site
Loops: Group Sites, Loop A, Loop B, Loop C, Loop D

Site types

95 Standard Electric
37 Tent Only Nonelectric
10 Standard Nonelectric
2 Group Standard Nonelectric
1 Management

Amenities

Electric hookups
Water hookups
Campfires allowed
Fire pits
Picnic tables
Shade
Pets allowed

Not recorded upstream: sewer hookups, grills.

Book on Recreation.gov

145 campsites at Bandy Creek

Accessible only

Site	Loop	Type	Entry	Surface	Grade	Max rig	People
E1	Group Sites	Group Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	Slight	60 ft	114	♿ 🐾
E2	Group Sites	Group Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	Slight	60 ft	96	🐾
A003	Loop A	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	Slight	51 ft	6	🐾
A004	Loop A	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	Slight	50 ft	6	🐾
A005	Loop A	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	36 ft	6	🐾
A006	Loop A	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	48 ft	6	🐾
A007	Loop A	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	45 ft	6	🐾
A008	Loop A	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	43 ft	6	🐾
A009	Loop A	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	49 ft	6	🐾
A010	Loop A	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	Slight	36 ft	6	🐾
A011	Loop A	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	30 ft	6	🐾
A012	Loop A	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	Slight	46 ft	6	🐾
A013	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	45 ft	6	🐾
A014	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	52 ft	6	♿ 🐾
A015	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	41 ft	6	🐾
A016	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	24 ft	6	🐾
A017	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	33 ft	6	🐾
A018	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	36 ft	6	🐾
A019	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	41 ft	6	🐾
A020	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	32 ft	6	🐾
A021	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	40 ft	6	🐾
A022	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	35 ft	6	🐾
A023	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	33 ft	6	🐾
A024	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	52 ft	6	🐾
A025	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	30 ft	6	🐾
A026	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	34 ft	6	🐾
A027	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	37 ft	6	🐾
A028	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	35 ft	6	🐾
A029	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	42 ft	6	🐾
A030	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	37 ft	6	🐾
A031	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	46 ft	6	🐾
A032	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	44 ft	6	♿ 🐾
A033	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	45 ft	6	🐾
A034	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	31 ft	6	🐾
A035	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	48 ft	6	🐾
A036	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	37 ft	6	🐾
A037	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	30 ft	6	🐾
A038	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	43 ft	6	🐾
A039	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	35 ft	6	🐾
A040	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	40 ft	6	🐾
A041	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	40 ft	6	🐾
A042	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	28 ft	6	🐾
A043	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	43 ft	6	🐾
A044	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	47 ft	6	🐾
A045	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Pull Through	Paved	—	53 ft	6	🐾
A046	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Pull Through	Paved	—	40 ft	6	🐾
A047	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Pull Through	Paved	—	—	6	🐾
A048	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	32 ft	6	🐾
A049	Loop A	Tent Only Nonelectric	Back In	Paved	—	44 ft	6	🐾
B001	Loop B	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	46 ft	6	🐾
B002	Loop B	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Moderate	44 ft	6	🐾
B003	Loop B	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	43 ft	6	🐾
B004	Loop B	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Moderate	45 ft	6	🐾
B005	Loop B	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Moderate	37 ft	6	🐾
B006	Loop B	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	52 ft	6	🐾
B007	Loop B	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	58 ft	6	🐾
B008	Loop B	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	59 ft	6	🐾
B009	Loop B	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Moderate	48 ft	6	🐾
B010	Loop B	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	28 ft	6	🐾
B011	Loop B	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	48 ft	6	🐾
B012	Loop B	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	42 ft	6	🐾
B013	Loop B	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	49 ft	6	🐾
B014	Loop B	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	53 ft	6	🐾
C003	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	44 ft	6	🐾
C004	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	44 ft	6	🐾
C005	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	46 ft	6	🐾
C006	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	49 ft	6	🐾
C007	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Moderate	56 ft	6	🐾
C008	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	50 ft	6	🐾
C009	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	50 ft	6	🐾
C010	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	38 ft	6	🐾
C011	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	38 ft	6	🐾
C012	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	50 ft	6	🐾
C013	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	43 ft	6	🐾
C014	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Moderate	39 ft	6	🐾
C015	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	27 ft	6	🐾
C016	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	25 ft	6	🐾
C017	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	40 ft	6	🐾
C018	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	54 ft	6	🐾
C019	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	47 ft	6	🐾
C020	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Moderate	39 ft	6	🐾
C021	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	56 ft	6	🐾
C022	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	41 ft	6	🐾
C023	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	60 ft	6	🐾
C024	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	50 ft	6	🐾
C025	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	51 ft	6	🐾
C026	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	48 ft	6	🐾
C027	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	47 ft	6	🐾
C028	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	41 ft	6	🐾
C029	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	46 ft	6	🐾
C030	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	47 ft	6	🐾
C031	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Moderate	45 ft	6	🐾
C032	Loop C	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	—	6	🐾
D001	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Moderate	56 ft	6	♿ 🐾
D002	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	50 ft	6	🐾
D003	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	52 ft	6	🐾
D004	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	52 ft	6	🐾
D005	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Moderate	42 ft	6	🐾
D006	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	43 ft	6	🐾
D007	Loop D	Management	Back In	Paved	—	53 ft	6	🐾
D008	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Moderate	57 ft	6	🐾
D009	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	54 ft	6	🐾
D010	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	56 ft	6	🐾
D011	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Moderate	—	6	🐾
D012	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	51 ft	6	🐾
D013	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	46 ft	6	🐾
D014	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	55 ft	6	🐾
D015	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	51 ft	6	🐾
D016	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Moderate	30 ft	6	🐾
D017	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Moderate	58 ft	6	🐾
D018	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Severe	49 ft	6	🐾
D019	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Severe	44 ft	6	🐾
D020	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	33 ft	6	🐾
D021	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	52 ft	6	🐾
D022	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	25 ft	6	🐾
D023	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Severe	47 ft	6	🐾
D024	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	52 ft	6	🐾
D025	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Moderate	40 ft	6	🐾
D026	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	49 ft	6	🐾
D027	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	45 ft	6	🐾
D028	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	43 ft	6	🐾
D029	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	60 ft	6	🐾
D030	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	33 ft	6	🐾
D031	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Moderate	60 ft	6	🐾
D032	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Moderate	50 ft	6	🐾
D033	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	50 ft	6	🐾
D034	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	47 ft	6	🐾
D035	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Moderate	—	6	🐾
D036	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Severe	39 ft	6	🐾
D037	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Moderate	40 ft	6	🐾
D038	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Severe	25 ft	6	🐾
D039	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Moderate	72 ft	6	🐾
D040	Loop D	Standard Electric	Pull Through	Paved	Moderate	73 ft	6	🐾
D041	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	42 ft	6	♿ 🐾
D042	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	42 ft	6	🐾
D043	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	41 ft	6	🐾
D044	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	54 ft	6	🐾
D045	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	38 ft	6	🐾
D046	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	47 ft	6	🐾
D047	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	Slight	—	6	🐾
D048	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	65 ft	6	🐾
D049	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	50 ft	6	🐾
D050	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	49 ft	6	🐾
D051	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	40 ft	6	♿ 🐾
D052	Loop D	Standard Electric	Back In	Paved	—	73 ft	6	♿ 🐾

Getting there

For detailed directions, please visit: http://www.nps.gov/biso/planyourvisit/directions.htm

36.48895, -84.69756 · 36°29'20.2"N 84°41'51.2"W

Directions (Google Maps) · Directions (Apple Maps)

Typical weather

Typically 83°F in Aug, down to 44°F in Jan.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °F	44	48	57	67	74	80	83	83	78	69	56	48
Low °F	24	27	33	42	51	59	63	61	55	44	34	27
Precip in	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 7 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.

Map

More photos

Swimming pool with reclining chairs placed around the edge of the pool — Photo: NPS Photo · Recreation.gov

Fall camping Bandy Creek. — Photo: NPS Photo · Recreation.gov

Member photos

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Common questions about Bandy Creek

Can you reserve a site at Bandy Creek?: Yes, Bandy Creek is reservable through Recreation.gov.
How many campsites does Bandy Creek have?: 145 sites in total, of which 144 can be booked.
What is the maximum RV length at Bandy Creek?: 73 ft. That is the longest vehicle the sites here are recorded as taking; individual sites may be shorter.
Are pets allowed at Bandy Creek?: Yes, pets are allowed at Bandy Creek.
Does Bandy Creek have hookups?: Electric, Water.
Are campfires allowed at Bandy Creek?: Campfires are allowed at Bandy Creek. Check for a current fire restriction before you go.

Camping near Bandy Creek

Station Camp Campground 5.3 mi · Campground · we watch it
Bear Creek Campground - KY 14.3 mi · Campground · we watch it
Blue Heron Campground 16.4 mi · Campground · we watch it
Alum Ford Campground 20.8 mi · Campground · we watch it
Obey River Park 26.3 mi · Campground · we watch it
Rock Creek Campground (TN) 29 mi · Campground · we watch it
Bandy Creek Visitor Center 0.1 mi · Facility
Great Meadows Campground 9.8 mi · Campground
Bell Farm Horse Camp 12.5 mi · Facility
Blue Heron Interpretive Center 15.1 mi · Facility
Natural Arch Scenic Area 26.3 mi · Activity pass
Obed Visitor Center 27 mi · Facility

Comments

Contact

Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-03-11.

Facility information and photographs from Recreation.gov (RIDB). SpotOpened is not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.