USDA Forest Service · Tennessee
Little Oak Campground
USDA Forest Service · Tennessee, United States
- Sites
- 66
- Hookups
- 2 with water, 66 no hookups
- Season
- April 6 to November 1
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Showers
- Yes
- Dump station
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 1,814 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 4
- Cell coverage
- Verizon weak · T-Mobile none · AT&T none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- HEMLOCK LOOP (NFSR 87GB) · bituminous surface treatment · moderate degree of user comfort
- Lake
- Cherokee National Forest
- Nearest town
- Unicoi
- Address
- 4400 Unicoi Drive, Unicoi, Tennessee, 37692
- Phone
- 423-735-1500
- Activities
- Biking, Birding, Boating, Canoeing, Fishing, Hiking, Jet Skiing, Kayaking, Mountain Biking, Non-Motorized Boating, Scenic Drive, Star Gazing
About
Overview
Little Oak Campground hugs the shores and inlets of beautiful South Holston Lake in Sullivan County, Tennessee. With a view of the Holston Mountain ridgeline and lake islands, Little Oak campsites are a relaxing setting for your vacation. There are 69 universally accessible campsites improved in 2012 including warm showers and a paved access road. Campground hosts are available on site to answer your questions.
Recreation
Fishing is a popular activity for campers at Little Oak, with a concrete boat launch within the campground. Numerous campsites have easy access to the lake shore for tying off your boat. There are nearby trails for hiking and horseback riding. Children and adults enjoy riding their bikes on the roads between camping loops. There is also a lakeside grassy area popular for swimming and picnicking. There is an array of wildflowers to enjoy throughout the season, resident deer and turkey and other natural wonders for the naturalist in your group.
Facilities
There are 69 universally accessible campsites for tents or RVs within four loops at Little Oak Campground. Each loop has a pair of vault toilets. In addition, there is an accessible shower house with 8 showers for the campground. There is a boat launch within the campground with an additional single vault toilet. The boat launch is for use by registered campers and their guests only.
Natural Features
South Holston Lake is a 7,580-acre hydroelectric reservoir managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority and surrounded by the Cherokee National Forest. Holston Mountain and nearby Iron Mountain provide habitat for an array of wildlife including a healthy population of black bear.
Nearby Attractions
Little Oak Campground is within 30 minutes of Bristol, Tennessee, and nearby Bristol Motor Speedway. Backbone Rock Recreation Area is approximately 30 minutes away up beautiful Shadey Valley, and just five minutes past Backbone Rock is Damascus, Virginia. Jacobs Creek Campground and Swim Area is 25 minutes away for another view of South Holston Lake.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 41° | 28° | 0° | 63° | 10 of 11 |
| February | 50° | 32° | 13° | 70° | 10 of 11 |
| March | 61° | 40° | 13° | 74° | 7 of 11 |
| April | 69° | 45° | 28° | 80° | 3 of 11 |
| May | 75° | 57° | 40° | 88° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 80° | 63° | 50° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 84° | 67° | 60° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 82° | 68° | 57° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 80° | 63° | 50° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 66° | 46° | 34° | 81° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 57° | 37° | 20° | 72° | 4 of 10 |
| December | 48° | 32° | 10° | 66° | 9 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Observation Knob Park Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 4 mi · 232 sites
- Jacobs Creek Campground (TN) · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi · 29 sites
- Low Gap Camp · USDA Forest Service · 7 mi
- Sugar Hollow Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 9 mi · 75 sites
- Roan Creek Campground at Doe Mountain · City, County & Regional Parks · 13 mi
All public campgrounds in Tennessee · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-06-06. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.