About Bandy Creek
Number of accommodations: 142
Campground Amenities
-
Pet Friendly -
Potable Water -
Showers -
Dump Station
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Open year round
This campground is open year round, providing flexibility for your stay.
Sites & Availability
142 Sites Available
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No available sites
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Site Details
Select a site to view details
142 Sites Available
No available sites
All sites are booked for your selected dates. Try showing all sites to see booked options, create an alert to be notified when something opens up, or adjust your dates.
Reviews (231)
Review Summary
Jonathon H
VerifiedAugust 3, 2025 • Stayed at: D040, Loop: Loop D
An absolutely top notch campground! Very well maintained and clean. Everyone loved it!
Nicole B
VerifiedJuly 30, 2025 • Stayed at: C008, Loop: Loop C
This place was so lovely and peaceful. The sites were shady and well-spaced. We loved it.
Sara N
VerifiedJuly 29, 2025 • Stayed at: A004, Loop: Loop A
Great place to tent camp! Bathhouse was well cleaned and maintained as were the sites. Want to go back!
Taylor A
VerifiedJuly 26, 2025 • Stayed at: A021, Loop: Loop A
We left early due to weather, but the campground is nice and peaceful. The showers were warm and clean, too. Only issue I would bring up is that the park feels woefully understaffed now.
Tim M
VerifiedJuly 21, 2025 • Stayed at: B010, Loop: Loop B
Nice Bike ride
Jane B
VerifiedJuly 20, 2025 • Stayed at: C024, Loop: Loop C
N/A
Leah S
VerifiedJuly 19, 2025 • Stayed at: B013, Loop: Loop B
Pool, shower, water and electric. One of the best NPS campgrounds we’ve been to.
Teddy B
VerifiedJuly 14, 2025 • Stayed at: A035, Loop: Loop A
Me and my wife visited Bandy creek in early July (weekend of the 4th). We had stayed in a cabin at the nearby Pickett CCC state memorial park about a year prior on our honeymoon, so we decided we wanted to try out tent camping at Big South Fork since we had heard that it was a nice park and we loved the atmosphere of Pickett. Also, we camped earlier this year at Rock Creek Campground in Obed Wild, which had primitive tent camping and facilities.
The area around BSF and Bandy creek had many of the same things that we loved about Pickett (aside from proximity to natural water... yes, even though it is in the name, the campground is actually quite far from bandy creek). Obed Wild also had nearby water access, but its facilities were far inferior. My wife has been pregnant for both tent camping trips (at Obed - before we knew we should be expecting - and Bandy Creek), so the fully plumbed bathrooms at Bandy creek were much appreciated. The flushing toilets were far superior to the outhouses at Rock Creek, and there were also showers. Our campsite was EXTREMELY close to the bath house (intentionally), but if we return, I think I would reserve one of the sites A44-A48 because they have a bit more privacy, and the back of the site faces the woods rather than being sandwiched between another campsite, the road, and the bath house like we were in A35.
I would also warn that there are limited free outdoor activities around Bandy creek. There are some trails, but they are either quite bland or rather long (the best trails seem to require a drive to visit). Nonetheless, there is a pool that only costs $3 for a day pass which we felt was reasonable, and the pool was kept very clean. It is a 3-5ft pool with a secondary, shallower "kiddie pool" but I don't know if it has a zero entry area, sorry.
The camp store had everything we needed and more.
Bandy Creek would be a 5 star site, but we encountered a lot of bugs on our visit, and we wanted to enjoy more outdoor activities.
Kelli F
VerifiedJuly 13, 2025 • Stayed at: A003, Loop: Loop A
I took my two daughters, ages 17 and 13, camping for the first time and this is where we chose to go. After driving all day, we finally made it in and got our tent set up but we didn’t have time to see anything before it was dark so we booked our spot for another night. In the middle of the first night (2am) we woke up to people having a domestic dispute right beside our campsite. It was so scary and my girls have never heard a fight like that. We waited in the tent until the woman walked away and the man drove after her and I got my girls in the car and we left. We came back a couple hours later and I got our tent in the car and left again. I called the next day and requested a refund because that was terrible. They did refund the second night but not the first night. I would not stay here again.
Christopher R
VerifiedJuly 13, 2025 • Stayed at: C026, Loop: Loop C
Great campground, level sites, great water pressure, clean bathrooms, highly recommend. Great mountain biking and hiking trails
Location Bandy Creek
Address:
4564 Leatherwood Rd
Oneida, TN, 37841
United States
For detailed directions, please visit: http://www.nps.gov/biso/planyourvisit/directions.htm
Latitude & Longitude: 36.4889 / -84.6976
Elevation: 484 feet
Policies & Rules
| Category | About |
|---|---|
| General |
Important Travel Advisory for Visitors to Bandy Creek Campground If you are traveling from Oneida, TN to Bandy Creek Campground via Highway 297, please be aware that this route includes a 13% downhill grade and winding curves as it descends into the gorge and crosses the Big South Fork River. This section of the highway can be especially challenging for large vehicles, RVs, and those towing trailers. Use caution, reduce speed, and shift to a lower gear before beginning the descent. If you are not comfortable with steep grades and sharp curves, consider an alternate route via Highway 154 to Bandy Creek Road. |
| General |
Black bears and other wildlife frequent this campground. Please keep in mind that “food” to a bear includes any item with a scent, regardless of packaging. This may consist of items that you do not consider food, such as canned goods, horse feed, bottles, drinks, soaps, cosmetics, toiletries, trash, ice chests (even when empty), and unwashed items used for preparing or eating meals. All these items must be stored properly.
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| General |
Reservations for horse stalls must be made by calling (931) 397-1680 or online at www.bandycreekstables.com . They are not included in the campground reservations. |
| General |
This is a hazardous tree area and branches may fall at any time; use caution when selecting a place to camp. |
| General |
A Tennessee or Kentucky fishing license is required to fish in the main river of the Big South Fork. |
| General |
Don't Move Firewood: Help protect our forests! Prevent the spread of tree-killing pests by obtaining firewood at or near your destination and burning it on-site. Moving firewood is illegal in some states. Visit dontmovefirewood.org to learn more. |
| General |
Any group larger than 25 persons wishing to participate in any activity in the park in which members of the group will depart from an established road and/or parking area must first obtain a permit for such activity. More information can be found online at www.nps.gov/biso/planyourvisit/special-use-permits.htm . |
| General |
The Bandy Creek Swimming Pool is open Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day. Find more information here https://www.nps.gov/biso/planyourvisit/bandy-creek-swimming-pool.htm |
| General |
Please be advised that an approved Permit or Authorization by the superintendent is required before providing business services within Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. This includes services such as RV or tent delivery and setup, firewood sales and delivery, shuttle and transportation services, guided hikes, guided floats, and similar activities. To apply for a permit, please visit our website at www.nps.gov/biso and navigate to the "Doing Business With the Park" section. There you will find application forms, instructions, and contact information. |
