USDA Forest Service · Tennessee
Backbone Rock Campground
USDA Forest Service · Tennessee, United States
- Sites
- 11
- Hookups
- 11 no hookups
- Season
- April 27 to October 12
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 2,211 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 3
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- BACKBONE HIKING (NFSR 295A) · bituminous surface treatment · high degree of user comfort
- Lake
- Cherokee National Forest
- Nearest town
- Unicoi
- Address
- 4400 Unicoi Drive, Unicoi, TN, 37692
- Phone
- 423-735-1500
- Activities
- Backpacking, Biking, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Hunting, Rock Climbing, Scenic Drive, Star Gazing, Swimming, Wildlife Viewing
11 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Backbone Rock Campground will open for the 2026 season on 4/27/26. The pavilion and vault toilets in the day-use area will open on 3/16/26. Backbone Rock is a small campground situated along the beautiful Beaverdam Creek at an elevation of 2,100 feet in northern Johnson County. This developed campground is popular with those visiting the nearby Backbone Rock, a tunnel originally blasted through the rock ridge for the railway. The creek side location with popular swim area and lush forest surroundings make Backbone Rock Campground particularly desirable during hot summer months. With 10 campsites and an adjacent large Civilian Conservation Corps- built reservable pavilion with lawn, Backbone Rock is a great option for a group to reserve the whole campground for retreats and other events.
Recreation
Along with camping, Beaverdam Creek is stocked with trout. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is accessed via the Backbone Rock Trail (#53).
Facilities
There are 10 single campsites, including two double sites within Backbone Rock Campground. The campground has flush toilets. Each site contains a table, fire ring and lantern holder.
Natural Features
Backbone Rock Campground is located along the beautiful Beaverdam Creek nestled in the mountains of the Southern Appalachians.
Nearby Attractions
The trailhead for the Backbone Rock Trail (#53) is approximately a quarter mile South of the campground on TN Highway 133. This trail is 4 miles and at the end of the trail is where it joins into the Appalachian National Scenic Trail (#1) Damascus, VA is approximately 5 minutes North of the campground. The Backbone Falls Trail (#198) is approximately a third of a mile South of the campground. This 0.4 mile loop trail takes you to the top of Backbone Falls.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 41° | 26° | -1° | 62° | 10 of 11 |
| February | 49° | 32° | 9° | 68° | 10 of 11 |
| March | 60° | 38° | 13° | 73° | 7 of 11 |
| April | 67° | 45° | 29° | 80° | 3 of 11 |
| May | 74° | 57° | 39° | 87° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 79° | 62° | 50° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 83° | 66° | 58° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 81° | 67° | 55° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 78° | 62° | 49° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 65° | 46° | 32° | 80° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 56° | 37° | 19° | 72° | 6 of 10 |
| December | 46° | 31° | 8° | 64° | 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
- Mountain City / Johnson County Tourism Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 9 mi · 14 sites
- Beartree Recreation Area · USDA Forest Service · 9 mi
- Jacobs Creek Campground (TN) · USDA Forest Service · 11 mi · 29 sites
- Beartree · USDA Forest Service · 11 mi · 132 sites
- Roan Creek Campground at Doe Mountain · City, County & Regional Parks · 12 mi
All public campgrounds in Tennessee · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-03-11. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.