I could tell you a tale of woe. Like as we were leaving we had a flood in the RV and couldn't use the water. But I told Dave to call Big Meadow and see if they had a RV Mobile technician to recommend. It was our second stop and Christina in the office gave us Tom's number. So this morning Tom fixed the leak and we could finally have water again. We've been here many times and are delighted to have a spot on the Little River. There's a rafting company right next door and it's fun to watch the people come down the river. There is a cement patio and a dog park for Freckles. She was very anxious driving through Atlanta with all the traffic and big trucks all around us. But the beauty and calmness of this campground can make anyone relax. We look forward to enjoying the Smokey Mountains and Cades Cove our favorite. read more

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We have been camping all over the country and this was the first campground that we were not unable to park or truck in the RV spot with our RV. At $500 for 4 nights in the off season, one would have expected enough room for our truck and 29' RV to fit on the spot. The pads are also very small, only enough room for a couple of chairs by the RV. The picknick table was on the gravel. Not enough room to put out our carpet without being on the gravel. read more

Big Meadow Family Campground - The pad ends at the edge of the photo - Campgrounds Near Me - Townsend, Tennessee

This was a great place to stay. Campground was clean, level and modern. Convenient to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and lots of sightseeing. Easy to miss the entrance because it is at the end of the bridge. Highly recommend this place. read more

When we got to the campground there was an employee that helped us so much and made backing into the spot so easy! There is a dog park which our dogs love to not have to be on a leash while camping. It is so nice being so close to river rat because we can go whenever we want!! The employees are so nice and the bathrooms are so clean and tidy! The splash pad is loved by all the kids. We love this place so much we reserved another visit in 2 weeks. Totally recommended!!! read more

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Beautiful and clean. Friendly service and a well stocked supply of RV parts and accessories. We stayed on site 4, a riverfront site. Its very nice. Great views and well maintained. I would highly recommend this campground. read more

The older "gentleman" that works at/ owns the campground was extremely rude and disrespectful. After a long tiring day of fun going up and down the river tubing my boyfriend and I walked over to the campground where my family was staying to get some food and to hang out for a little bit. When we saw that it was getting late and that we needed to leave soon we got our stuff and walked to where we parked, which was over a barbed fence at the river rat. When we got to our car it was in a very dark corner so we decided to move it a little bit down the fence in front of a light so that we could see, get the rest of our stuff, and say goodbye to my family. Well when we was walking back after getting our stuff there was an older "gentleman" shining a flashlight in our car. When we got a safe distance away from him we asked very kindly what was going on and he replied very rudely that we was trespassing. That he had done called the cops and that we was not going anywhere. So we tried to explain to him that my family was camping and we had parked at the river rat because we had paid to go tubing at the river rat earlier that day and that the campground parking lot was completely full so we couldn't park there. He very quickly interrupted us and told us to shut up that he did not want to hear us that cops was on the way. So we did what he said and just stopped talking but did tell him that we was very sorry. As we waited I called my family to come over because they go camping here almost every weekend so they know him and he knows that we are good people. But while I was on the phone he called the police once again and told them that they needed to get there and this was the first time that he had brought up that he had a gun and that we was lucky he didn't shoot us to the the cop. Once he got off the phone he kept telling us that he had and gun and that was a good way to get shot and that we was lucky he didn't shoot us which was very scary for us because we meant no harm. After my family had got there he became more nice and explained to my dad his concerns which we all understood completely and once again my dad, my boyfriend and I tried to explain what had happened and was going on he told us to hush that the cops was on the way. Once the cop got there he ask me what was going on and I started to explain to the cop what had happened and the older "gentleman" cut me off and told him that we was children and kept he implying that we was bad people trying to steal/ break things. Once I got to finally talk to the cop after him interrupting me I showed the cop our wrists bands from river rat and we showed where my family was staying he was so confused on why the man even called but understood and told us that we could leave. Lastly we tried to apologize again to the man and told him it wouldn't happened again but he just walked away and just didn't want to talk. So therefore I will not be coming or visiting this campground. P.S. I'm all for people having a caring permit but when you are going to keep saying that you have a gun and you are going to use it to scare people in my opinion that's when you should not have one. read more

I rarely review negatively but people need to be warned. If you are a person of color, don't waste your time or money here. The owners are very rude and short. When we arrived they told my husband (blue eye/blonde) he could have a pick of the lot. When I (Hispanic) went in to tell them what we decided on, they quickly interrupted me and said they do not accommodate people just because we decide to move spots. Second incident was when I tried to walk around their little shop. I was quickly stopped at the door and asked what I needed. I left because the old lady was blocking my way in and couldn't stop looking at me from head to toe. It's like they forget we paid them $1500 to stay there. They had no trouble taking my money but definitely felt some type of way about me being in their business. Third, I was walking my dog and kids and the old lady again made her way to me to tell me I should take the kids to the splash park instead and called my dog nosey. The whole place is uncomfortable. The lots are so tiny you have no yard. The slide out of the person next to you is practically in your yard. You feel constantly watched. You can find much nicer places for way less. Also their river front lots are not on the river. You have to actually leave the campground and cross the street. Tiny trees if your lucky enough that your lot even has any. They're open for the money not the people. They made sure to fit as many sites as they could squeeze in. read more

This campground is very nice , clean and quiet and perfectly located in Townsend and just minutes from pigeon forge and Gatlinburg or Maryville and Knoxville but that is only half of what makes this place great, the staff and management are incredible and will go out of their way to accommodate you and help in any way they can. I would definitely recommend this place. read more

Big Meadow Family Campground in Townsend Tn. Is my go to place when visiting the Smokies. Barbara, Malcom, Greg and staff are the best. The facilities Are always clean and well kept. Always friendly and a welcoming atmosphere. Love the river sites and the new larger sites complete with fire pits. I always feel safe because these owners run a tight ship. Anyone would love this location on the quiet side of the Smokies. Just go!!!! read more

NO REFUND Called before we made reservation and asked about refund policy. The person I talked to said it would be $31.00 and change to cancel the reservation. Well had to cancel the reservation and it ended up costing the full one-night stay of $83.93 and was told there wasn't anything they could do about the bad information given by their employee. Hope they use that money wisely as they will never get anymore from me. There are plenty of better options just down the road. read more

This campground is an excellent location on the Little River and is next door to the River Rat for those tubing enthusiast. If you want to walk to town, it is an easy walk. Kid and pet friendly campground. Owners are very personable. read more

We came and literally never left. The first time we stayed at Big Meadow, we'd come to town to see the annual Firefly show in the Park which happens each summer. Our plan was to stay one day at Big Meadow and then travel on to a campground within the park to be closer to the activities. We never made it, choosing rather to extend our stay at Big Meadow and continue enjoying all this wonderful little campground had to offer. We eventually took advantage of their on-site storage and now call Big Meadow our home campground. The Johnson family who owns and runs this gem are the nicest people and keep things in tip-top shape. The campground is gated, situated right on the river so you can enjoy fishing, tubing and beautiful sounds and views all year long, and boasts features such as concrete pads, electricity, water & sewer at every site, a camp store, on-site laundry facilities, the cleanest bath house I've ever seen, a kids' water splash pad, a playground, a basketball court, and a fenced dog park. The Johnsons are quick to help you park your rig in your spot or direct you to a restaurant or provide suggestions for things to see and do. It's located in Townsend, TN, which calls itself the "quiet side of the Smokies" and this is so true. It's quiet, charming, laid back but just a short drive to all of the activities, sights and hullabaloo in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Easy drive from interstate and conveniently located near a grocery, a Dollar General, several local restaurants and the cutest little fly fishing store you've ever seen. We've been in all seasons and each one offers something new and different. It's our home away from home. read more

Pros - bathrooms are nice and clean. Cons- we have an older pop up. On Our 2nd day of camping, the office moved the camper of someone that has their camper stored there, to the site next to ours, while we were visiting some friends at another site. They (the campground personnel)moved our canopy, so the slide outs of the larger camper would fit, which made them in our space. We were unable to open our camper door as they moved our canopy in front of our door. The sites are too close, especially the site next to ours was not large enough to accommodate that camper. I told the office that we could not open our camper door and they said "sorry.". There was not another place for our canopy in the site so we had to take it down. P.S. I also tripped over a small tree stump that was in the walkway to the bathroom the first night and butchered up my knee. I mentioned this to them at the same time and told them they might need to cut it down. They said "sorry". read more

We were here for 1 night only. The cons outweigh the pros by far. Pros: Clean restrooms, clean park, close to river and access points for tubing, the town it is located in is very nice. Cons: NO space between campsites, no trees, have to use a code to get in the bathroom and front gate, if your neighbor doesn't use the required sewer adapter, you have to smell the sewer the entire time, no room to sit around the fire the sites are so small, have to rent the fire ring (you get your money back if you return it) We were very disappointed in our experience here. We were passing through and stopped in to check it out due to the multiple positive reviews. We went to Cades Cove the night we got there. We got back very late, and we were wanting to have a fire and eat a little dinner and relax. The campers next to us didn't use the correct sewer ring adapter and all we smelled was sewer. We couldn't sit outside at all. It was too late to tell the managers unfortunately. Really & truthfully there was no room to even sit outside. I've attached a picture. We informed the management the next morning and we got an apology. That was it. So for a very pricey evening, we were able to park our camper somewhere. Nothing good about it. I feel bad leaving a bad review, but for the amount of money we spent on a one night stay for what we got, I feel like this may help others with expectations. Camping for us is trees and room to spread out a bit, not camper on top of camper. read more

Big Meadow Family Campground - The proximity between campers is not ideal! - Campgrounds Near Me - Townsend, Tennessee

This was our first time at Big Meadow. When our vacation plans changed, we called only three weeks before the 4th of July and they accommodated our dates. We enjoyed our stay a lot. The staff was very friendly. Everything is well-maintained. The bathhouse is always clean. If you want a campground with all the amenities, one that is close to the river and a campground that feels like home, this should be your first choice. We'll definitely go back to Big Meadow Family Campground again. read more

One of the best camp grounds for my family I've ever went to! My family love this flash park and my kids who I can get home play ground! It was fun time and the gift shop is definitely something to go there for! we had a problem with the Wi-Fi but you just have to be kind of close to the main building to get it to work. It was fun figures it's a great place to meet other people with the campers and your friends. I also recommend you taking a runaway! There was a runaway fair and lots of people with the runaways showed! But do you only problem is there's a lot of spaces and it's always pacand the ground is gravel so if you want to bring your kids bikes it's been a kind a hard for them to drive in the gravel. My son said the shark turn in the gravel and fell and got his clothes all dirty. There is no grilles. And there was not a lot of privacy but overall it was great!qf read more

Big Meadow Family Campground - Splash park and playground for my kids! They really had a blast! - Campgrounds Near Me - Townsend, Tennessee

I try to avoid writing bad/negative reviews, but this place deserves possibly even less than one star. The owners are crazy control freaks. They yelled at my husband (who is possibly the most patient, non-confrontational man alive) not once, but twice for doing exactly what he was told to do by other staff in the campground office. When he opened his mouth to try to explain what was going on, he didn't get two syllables out before they interrupted him and told him he was rude. Their behavior was very childish, rude, and condescending. After that, they would stand outside and watch us from a distance as we hung around our campsite, reading, watching the kids play on the playground, etc. It was very obvious that we were being watched. We felt very unwelcome, and we spent as little time as possible at the campground as a result. I only wish I could show you the sign that appeared in the women's showers the day we left. They threatened to have the sheriff's office evict campers for leaving a tampon in the shower. Yes, that's disgusting, but the sheriff's office? Really? I'd love to be a fly on the wall for that conversation! There is a nice playground for the kids, and everything was quite clean. It is right on the river; however, you have to cross a road that the locals treat as their personal drag racing strip to get to it. It actually made me quite nervous, especially since our "river-front" campsite was literally 2-3 feet off the road. We will never, ever return to this campground. read more

Friendly and very courteous greeting. The facility is very clean and well kept. We were right by the playground and our Grandkids loved it . Great Dog park and our little Eddie enjoyed it a lot . The only thing is the sites are a bit tight and it would be nice if the trees were a bit more mature . That will come , great location and recommend it to those going to the Smoky's on the quiet side. You know I want to give this place 5 stars but I just asked if my 79 year old Mother who was coming to join us for lunch could park in the "empty" site next to us and was charges 3 dollars for that. Now mind you it is not the 3 dollars but the fact she will be here maybe 2 hours and there is not going to be anyone in that spot . I guess the fees and business I brought was with losing for a 3 Dollar stipend. I would Understand if they were packed . Comment was cheaper than Dolly World . Ok well I'm back to Tremont next trip . I come I've here about 7 times a year and would like variety but not here . read more

Not dog friendly. We were told we couldn't leave our dogs in our camper because they barked. You can walk all over the campground and hear dogs barking in campers with no vehicles there. We only left from 4to 6 pm to get food. The man on the gold cart was very rude. Our camper our dogs. Nothing on the website about quiet hours in the dat or night. Definitely NOT dog friendly. Won't be back here! read more

Love this campground very much. It is close to Cade's Cove, short drive to see the most beautiful part of the Smokies. Most of the sites are very spacious, it is gated so there is more issue with nosy people randomly driving through. They also locked the gates around 11pm to 7am, so there is no noises engines or people trying to set up camp during these hours. The staff is just as friendly and as helpful as they can be. There is small store located in the campground and they have Sunday church service at their pavilion. They have stream access across a small road where you can fish. Right next door walking distance is a river tubing business. My Husband and I would never stay anywhere else in the Smoky Mountains. read more

Very friendly and helpful staff! This a great campground, the facilities are clean would recommend to anyone.

We have stayed here several times and will continue staying here. The staff are helpful and friendly. In fact, we were going to arrive after the office closed, due to windy weather while traveling. The owners stayed 30 mins. longer for us to arrive. We talked like we were family!! We enjoyed our stay of 2 weeks.Last year, we stayed for a month. We like the fact that they have gates up and it's restricted entrance. We will be back. read more

Very clean and well maintained. Love that all spots are pull-thru. The spaces are tight so if you have lots of stuff outside that could be an issue (ask for a corner lot if that's the case). Regarding the negative reviews about the owners being control freaks - that was not our experience at all. We brought our dog and played catch with him off leash at our site and they politely reminded us about the rules and to please use the dog park. No problem. If you don't like following rules or have a problem being talked to if you accidentally forget, this isn't the place for you. Us? We liked the peace and quiet and that everything was neat and clean. read more

This campground ruined our vacation. We planned a camping trip to the smokies so that we could hike trails in the national park. This campground claims to be dog friendly. Yes they have a dog park but that's about as "friendly" as they get. On the say we came in we set our camper up took our two dogs to the dog park and let them run out their stored up energy from the ride in. We then loaded the dogs into the camper and had to run into town to pick up some things we needed. When we returned to the campground, 2.5 hours later, we were followed to the campsite by a gentleman on a golf cart who informed us that, and I quote, "your dogs barked while you were gone so you are not allowed to leave them in your camper by themselves. You have to take them with you whenever you leave the campground." Mind you this was mid afternoon. Not during any kind of quite hours or anything like that. Well the national park doesn't allow pets on the trails. So we couldn't take the dogs with us. The next morning my wife tried to talk to the person at the front office and ask if there was any way we could leave them long enough to hike, midday, and that we would be back before super time and they were unwilling to work with us at all and were very rude. After much debate and to try and salvage the rest of our vacation, I loaded our dogs up and made the long drive home, dropped them off with family, and then made the long drive back. The next day we get a note on our camper that states the water in the campground will be shut off at 6pm due to freezing weather. We change our hiking plans and choose a much shorter route so we could be back in time to cook dinner (water required). 6pm comes the temperature is 43 degrees and the water is cut off. I have been camping for over 20 years and have never experienced anything like either one of these events. I will not be back to this campground and I DO NOT recommend any else stay here, especially if traveling with pets. read more

This RV park is located close to Pigeon Forge and the Smokies; however, there are other parks nearby that appear to be just as convenient. The spaces are very tight--only enough for your rig and the provided picnic table with a tiny bit of grass between your space and the next. Row after row of RVs--absolutely no privacy. The river lots are actually across the street from the river and the street is a public roadway that is well-traveled. The bulk of the park feels like--guess what--a big meadow full of RVs. There are a lot of rules posted everywhere and they are hard core about them. There are only two showers for the whole park--both near the office (2 men's 2 ladies). There is a small dog park at the back and a children's play area at the front. If you just want a place to park while you visit the area, it is clean and safe but if you crave a bit more from a park for this price, keep looking. read more

Big Meadow Family Campground - The truck in this photo is from the site next to ours. Sites are tiny. - Campgrounds Near Me - Townsend, Tennessee

very overpriced, no fire pits, no pool. accidentally forgot to return plastic key card and they charged us $20. tried to call to see if we could mail card back & get money back but they were rude & refused. will never go back there again read more

We truly enjoyed our stay here. Very clean campground, super friendly staff and they went out of their way to wait for us to get there! Highly recommend staying here if you are in the area! read more

We made reservations at this park for four months away. In two weeks, we had to cancel. They refuse to refund the money. Don't reserve here unless your plans are in stone. read more

Campground is very clean and well maintained. Upon my arrival, I was asked if I needed any assistance backing in since the riverside sites need to be backed into from the blind ( passenger side). I said yes and one of the staff( owners) helped. The riverside sites have a pleasant view of the Little River across the road. The bad thing is the locals tend to rip down this road at 40 to 50 mph despite the speed limit being 25. The other bad thing about the riverside sites are that they are small. Maybe 4 ft of concrete in front of your camper and maybe 2 to 4 ft of grass. The main area of campsites have larger sites but no view, more like a "meadow". Large open field. When we return we will choose the tighter Riverside sites over the larger field sites because of the ambiance. Now the not so nice stuff here. In the intent of security the gates are locked between 12am and 7am. Both the in and out gates. You are locked in and can't leave unless you walk. I asked somebody what if I had to leave for a medical emergency. I was told "call 911" . The only way out during these hours. The rules... Checkin sheet tells you to follow the rules or you can be evicted with no refund. This term is also seen on few signs on the property. One of the rules states that alcohol can only be consumed inside campers. And that public intoxication will not be tolerated. I am sure that their intent is for this to be a " family" campground, they don't want drunken free for Alls in their campground and I can appreciate that, but the way this " rule" is written, I could be evicted with no refund for sitting in front of my camper and drinking a beer. Saturday evening one of the staff arrived at my campsite to invite us to their Sunday church service. I had a beer bottle in my chair and my step son was pouring a beer into his cup. He handed us the invite and left. My take on this is they don't want wild parties and that's what the rule is for. We drove through all the Townsend campsites and saw this was the best and plan on returning. The locked gates are a disturbance, but not a show stopper. read more