Camping in Indian Mountain State Park: Affordable Full Hook Up

Looking for an affordable campground with FHU (full hook-ups) that’s just an hour above Knoxville, TN?  Then look no further than Indian Mountain State Park!  

Indian Mountain State Park is located in northeastern Tennessee, just outside a little town called Jellico.  This small state park is the perfect place to get away without having to give up too many amenities.  

You’ll find peace and quiet for the whole family when camping here, so let’s dive right in!

Important Links

Indian Mountain State Park website

Camping Reservations – Make Reservations Here

Location

Located in Jellico, Tennessee, Indian Mountain State Park is located on 213 acres of land.  This beautiful state park is very popular for camping with their paved camping pads and full hook-up sites.  

The state park is fairly easy to access for a quick weekend trip. With only a short 1 hour drive north from Knoxville, TN, 3.5 hours northeast from Nashville, TN, and about 2 hours south of Lexington, KY.  

Time to Spend Here

Many of Tennessee’s state parks are packed with mountains and waterfalls and other beautiful things.  However, Indian Mountain State Park (despite the misleading name) is not one of those parks.  

But what Indian Mountain lacks in excitement, it flourishes with peacefulness.  This park is a quiet place for the perfect weekend getaway.  2 or 3 days here is the perfect amount of time to get some fresh air while also enjoying a campfire to two in the evenings.  

Hiking Options 

Indian Mountain State Park only has 2 trails within their 213 acres.  Both are considered walking trails, which are flat and perfect for a evening walk.  While we camped here, we were able to use these trails to run or walk on for a little bit of exercise.  

• Indian Mountain Lake Trail – 1.1 miles
• Ballard Lake Trail – 0.9 miles

If you are looking for trails to hike, you might be more interested in other nearby state parks.  

Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area has 125,000 acres filled with hiking trails and is about an hour west.  Cumberland Gap National Historic Park is about an hour east and Cumberland Falls State Park is about 40 minutes north.  These parks also offer dozens of hiking trails and are perfect for both new and expereinced hikers.  

So while Indian Mountain is not the best park for hiking, its centrally located for a quick day trip to 3 different parks with amazing hiking.  The main highlight of this park is the well-maintained campground with full hook-up sites.  So let’s look at some details about the campground!

Campground 

Indian Mountain State Park is a great place to take your family for a relaxing weekend of camping.  The full hook-up and concrete pads are flat and perfect for just about any size camper.  

While this park isn’t packed with waterfalls or mountains, it’s a picturesque state park with a couple of lakes for fishing or boating.  With their easy walking trails and 2 playgrounds, its a great place to bring your family.   

Details

• 47 Full Hook-Up Campsites
• 10 Primitive Campsites
• 2 Walking Trails
• 2 Bathhouses
• Kayak/Paddle Boat Rentals
• 2 Playground
• Frisbee Golf Course

Primitive Sites

The cheapest way to stay in Indian Mountain State Park is to tent camp on one of their primitive campsites.  This loop has a centrally located parking lot for your vehicle and then you will have to walk on a path to get your gear to your site.  

Each site is well shaded and comes with a fire ring.  The sites are fairly small and do not include a picnic table.  This loop of 10 campsites is removed from the main campground and offers an isolated wooded vibe.

If you are looking to go tent camping, these sites are affordable and quiet.  

Full Hook-Up Sites

Now the other, and more expensive, way to camp in Indian Mountain State Park is by booking one of their 47 full hook-up campsites.  These concrete pads are paved and large enough for just about any camper.  

Some of the sites are partially shaded, however the majority of the sites are very open with little tree cover.  In the hot Tennessee summers, these sites might become ungodly hot, so be prepared with lots of man-made shade.  

Each site has a fire ring and a picnic table along with electric, water and sewer hook-ups.  There is a centrally located bathhouse with 2 showers and 2 bathroom stalls for each gender.  

If you are looking to take your camper to a campsite for a weekend away, but without having to give up all the niceties of civilized life, Indian Mountain State Park is for you! 

Price Comparison

**Disclaimer: These prices are subject to change. Prices may increase during holidays. This section is designed to give you a ballpark price for camping here.**

Full Hook-Up Sites

• $38 per night (M-F)
• $40 per night (Sat. & Sun.)

Primitive Campsites

• $15 per night (M – F)
• $17 per night (Sat. & Sun.)

Our Camping Experience

My husband and I camped at Indian Mountain State Park in October of 2024 for 8 days.  The park didn’t have the hiking action we usually opt for, but it was a wonderful place to relax and take a walk around one of their 2 lakes.    

The full hook-up sites were a nice bonus that didn’t break out bank.  And while plenty of people with campers use their own showers, ours is quite small.   Because of this, we frequented their very clean bathhouse that always had hot water.  

Indian Mountain State Park has a campground that I would recommend to anyone who needs a weekend away.  It’s not an action-packed park, but it is a relaxing place that is perfect for any family to enjoy some time together.    

What’s Nearby?

Since Indian Mountain doesn’t have the hiking trails we were looking for, we decided to drive 40 minutes north to Cumberland Falls State Park up in Kentucky.  This park has several waterfalls and a few really great hiking trails, such as this one to Dog Slaughter Falls.  

There was also an option to drive east to Cumberland Gap National Historic Park or drive west to Big South Fork National River.  Or if a city is what you are looking for, there is plenty to do down in Knoxville, TN.  

Regardless of your preferred free time activities, there is something to do no matter the direction you drive!

Conclusion

Just 1 hour north of Knoxville, TN, Indian Mountain State Park is the perfect place to enjoy some relaxing family time.  With 2 playgrounds, a lake for fishing or boating, and 2 easy walking trails, you can’t go wrong by spending a weekend here.  

So park the camper, build a fire, and sit down and relax for a weekend in Indian Mountain State Park.

As always, feel free to reach out to me at averagewildexperience@gmail.com if you have any questions about Indian Mountain State Park.

-Happy Camping!