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Tennessee Free Camping Rank and Rules

Tennessee ranks #18 of 50 for free camping

Tennessee ranks #18 of 50 for free camping, with 9.9 known dispersed sites per 1,000 sq mi.

Data as of

Tennessee free camping in numbers

Tennessee ranks #18 of 50 for free camping, with 9.9 known dispersed sites per 1,000 sq mi.

Rank
#18
Known dispersed sites per 1,000 sq mi
9.9
Known dispersed sites
407
Land area
41,235 sq mi
Developed campgrounds
386
State-land rule
Permit required
Forest restrictions tracked
0

Dispersed camping in Tennessee

Can you camp on Tennessee state land?

Permit required. Camping on wildlife management areas needs the area manager’s permission. Some areas allow it, but you have to ask rather than sign yourself in. (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1660-01-14-.13) Every state, with the rule behind each answer: dispersed camping on state land, state by state.

Where is dispersed camping restricted in Tennessee?

Our records hold no National Forest restriction on dispersed camping in Tennessee. That is not the same as having none, so check the forest's own alerts page before you camp.

Each restriction, cited and dated: where dispersed camping is restricted.

How the rank works

We divide the known dispersed campsites in a state by its land area, in square miles, and multiply by 1,000. The rules above sit beside the rank but never change it. The count includes only sites that public sources map, so mapping effort affects the result. Roadside camping corridors and the points we place inside state wildlife and forest areas are not counted.