TENNESSEE, USA — The 2020 camping season opens Sunday, March 15, and runs through Nov. 15, and the Tennessee Valley Authority’s seasonal campgrounds are ready for visitors, according to a release from TVA.
TVA has more than 80 public recreation areas, including campgrounds, day-use areas and boat ramps across the Tennessee Valley. Recreation Resource Management LLC will again be managing the TVA campgrounds on TVA dam reservations, according to the release.
- Cherokee Dam - Cherokee Reservoir in Jefferson City, Tenn.
- Douglas Dam Headwater - Douglas Reservoir near Sevierville, Tenn.
- Douglas Dam Tailwater - Douglas Reservoir near Sevierville, Tenn.
- Melton Hill Dam - Melton Hill Reservoir near Lenoir City, Tenn.
- Watauga Dam - Watauga Reservoir near Elizabethton, Tenn.
TVA said the Pickwick Dam Reservation Campground near Savannah, Tennessee, was severely impacted by recent flooding and is currently closed.
Officials said staff and the campground operator are working to assess the damage and determine next steps. For updates, visit TVA’s camping web page. You may also contact the Public Lands Information Center at plic@tva.gov or 1-800-882-5263.
TVA said most campsites are capable of accommodating tents, pop-up trailers and recreational vehicles. Each campground provides restrooms, potable water, showers, grills, picnic tables, RV dump stations, and nearby boating and fishing access. Most campsites have electrical service, except for a few tent-only campsites.
Officials said imported firewood can introduce insects that kill trees. To prevent the spread of these destructive pests, TVA recommends buying firewood that is cut locally, preferably within the same county where it will be burned.
