Damascus to Dennis Cove camping spots

[fredmugs]

I plan to cover this section SOBO in July. The weather forecast will determine whether I hammock or tent - I will not stay in any shelters.

The thru-hiker guide lists several campsites over this 50 mile stretch and I would appreciate any intel you can provide. I am especially interested in the areas around Double Springs Shelter and Watauga Dam.

[bigcranky]

There is a decent tent site near Double Springs, at the top of the little rise a hundred yards north of the shelter. There is also a nice tent site just past TN 91 (after the long walk through the old farm.) Plenty of good tenting at Iron Mtn Shelter. A good tent site (marked in the guide with water) south of Iron Mtn Shelter a few miles. There is a spring downhill a ways, and it should be running right now. Not sure about July.

There are some heavily used tent sites along the shoreline of Watauga Lake, but they tend to be used by people with boats, I think. I recall some nice tent sites at the top of Pond Mountain, and there was a spring at the south end of the flat area on top. Not sure what kind of condition it's in these days.