About this campground
Named for the extinct passenger pigeon whose migration routes traversed this area, the Pigeon River is now a popular recreation destination for fisherman and river rafters alike. Fisherman can catch smallmouth bass on the river all year long. If rafting is more appealing to you, this dam controlled river is divided into two sections (upper & lower). The upper section runs from just below the Walters power plant at Waterville, NC five miles through class III & III+ rapids to the takeout at Hartford ,TN. The lower section, almost five additional miles, starts in Hartford and runs through class II & III rapids to the lower takeout, just before Denton, TN. Contact any of the local guides and outfitters for additional information. The Cocke County Tennessee Chamber of Commerce website contains a list of local outfitter and guides for the French Broad River.
Nearby federal campgrounds
- BIG CREEK CAMPGROUND (GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK)Great Smoky Mountains National Park3 mi
- Pigeon River AreaCherokee National Forest4 mi
- COSBY PICNIC PAVILIONGreat Smoky Mountains National Park5 mi
- COSBY CAMPGROUNDGreat Smoky Mountains National Park6 mi
- COSBY GROUP CAMPGreat Smoky Mountains National Park6 mi
- Max PatchCherokee National Forest9 mi
Explore more Tennessee camping
Pigeon River doesn't take campsite reservations — but plenty of nearby Tennessee campgrounds do, and we'll alert you the moment a sold-out site opens up.
Browse Tennessee camping →Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.