National River & Recreation Area
Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area
- South
About Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area
Encompassing 125,000 acres of the Cumberland Plateau, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area protects the free-flowing Big South Fork of the Cumberland River and its tributaries. The area boasts miles of scenic gorges and sandstone bluffs, is rich with natural and historic features and has been developed to provide visitors with a wide range of outdoor recreational activities.
From the National Park Service.
- Region
- South
- States
- Kentucky and Tennessee
- Designation
- National River & Recreation Area
- Entrance fee
- None listed
- Trail data for this park is still being added.
- Places for this park are still being added.
Know before you go
Fees, hours, weather and getting to Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area.
Entrance fees
The National Park Service lists no entrance fee for this park.
Hours
Park Operating Hours
Open 24 hours a day, every day.
The park is always open.
Weather and when to go
The weather along the Cumberland Plateau can be best described as unpredictable. Each season brings its own weather patterns. Summers are generally hot and humid, with high temperatures sometimes eclipsing 90 degrees. The low temperatures in winter often dip below freezing. Spring sees the most amount of precipitation, but rainfall can occur in various amounts throughout the year.
Getting there
Please use the following link to learn more about how to get here from various locations.
Contact the park
- Address
- 4564 Leatherwood Road, Oneida, TN 37841
- Phone
- (423) 569-9778
- Official site
- nps.gov/biso
From the National Park Service, checked weekly. Fees, hours and road conditions change: confirm with the park before you go.
Trip planner
A day-by-day plan for Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area
Tell us your dates and what you are into. We group the stops by where they are, so each day is one part of the park, not a zigzag.
The trails and places you save below go into your plan as must-sees.
Plan your park trip Free. No account needed.
Campgrounds in Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area
Run by the park service. Reservable sites book on Recreation.gov; first-come sites do not.
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Alum Ford Campground
Alum Ford is a primitive campground and offers six campsites with a vault toilet facility. No drinking water is located at this area. Alum Ford also has a boat…
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Bandy Creek Campground
The campground offers a total of 181 campsites: 96 trailer sites which offer water and electric hook-ups, 49 sites for tent camping, and two group camping loop…
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Blue Heron Campground
Blue Heron Campground is located in the Kentucky portion of Big South Fork, 9 miles west of Stearns off Highway 742. The campground offers a total of 45 sites…
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Bear Creek Campground
This campground contains 23 developed campsites. Each site offers water and electricity, tables, grills, tie-outs for 4 horses, access to modern restrooms with…
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Station Camp Campground
This campground contains 24 developed campsites. Each site offers water and electricity, tables, grills, tie-outs for 4 horses, access to modern restrooms with…
What to pack for Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area
Gear & Essentials
Tell us about your trip and we will add what else you will want:
The basics
Worth having in the car whatever the park.
For this trip
Traveling with kids
Bringing a pet
RVing
Backcountry
Winter conditions
On the water
Photography
Accessibility
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