East Tennessee · Knoxville

Summer Camps in Knox County

64 camps for kids and teens in and around Knoxville. Filter by age, format, or interest. The right-hand rail covers what's happening in East Tennessee.

64camps listed
478,971county population
89public schools
64 of 64 camps
Ages
Format
Interests
About camps in Knox County

Summer in Knox County, in plain language.

Tennessee Firefly has catalogued 64 active summer camps in Knox County, Knoxville's home county and one of East Tennessee's deepest camp benches. The directory above is sortable by age and interest, with day camps, overnight camps, sports academies, STEM and arts programs, and faith-based options all on one page. Each listing links to the camp's own site for registration.

Most Knox County parents pick camps within a 30-to-45 minute drive of home. Realistic commute neighbors include Blount County (Maryville), Anderson County (Clinton), Union County (Maynardville), all in East Tennessee. Several large regional draws, overnight camps on the lakes, sports academies tied to area colleges, and faith-based camps with summer-long retreats, pull from across the region rather than a single county.

Knox County camp pricing tracks the statewide pattern: free programs through Knoxville city and county Parks & Recreation, the Knox County 4-H club (administered by UT Extension), and library reading programs; low-cost church-affiliated and YMCA day camps in the $100 to $250 per week range; and mid-tier private day camps and overnight programs running $300 to $800 per week. Several camps offer sliding-scale scholarships, those are flagged in each listing with a "Scholarships available" tag. No family should have to skip summer over cost.

Knox County serves a public-school population across 1 school district and roughly 89 K-12 campuses, so the camp mix reflects what local families value: sports development (baseball, basketball, soccer, swim), STEM and robotics, performing arts, faith-based programming, and traditional outdoor day camps. Filter by interest above to narrow the list. New camps are added every week through the spring and summer as directors submit them and as the Tennessee Firefly newsroom finds them in public program rosters.

Nearby counties parents commute to

Most TN parents pick a camp within a 30-to-45 minute drive. These East Tennessee neighbors are worth checking alongside Knox County itself.

Knox County · FAQ

Summer camps in Knox County, common questions

What Knoxville-area parents ask most about summer camps in Knox County.

How many summer camps are in Knox County, Tennessee?
Tennessee Firefly has catalogued 64 active summer camps in Knox County as of the most recent directory update. New camps are added throughout the spring as directors submit them and as our newsroom finds them in public Parks & Recreation, 4-H, YMCA, and faith-based program rosters.
What summer camps near Knoxville, Tennessee serve elementary-age kids?
Most Knox County summer camps in the Firefly directory accept children ages 5 to 11, including day camps, sports academies, STEM programs, arts intensives, and faith-based options. Filter by age on the camp list above to see only programs matching your child's age. Camp details include ages served, weekly pricing, and registration links.
Are there free or low-cost summer camps in Knox County?
Yes. Knoxville city and Knox County Parks & Recreation, the UT Extension 4-H club for Knox County, and several local churches typically run free or low-cost day programs in summer. Many private camps also offer sliding-scale scholarships — those are flagged with a "Scholarships available" tag in each listing.
When does summer camp season start in Knox County?
Knox County summer camps typically open the week after Memorial Day (late May) and run through early August. Knox County public schools start the new academic year the first week of August, so most camps wrap by then. Many programs sell weekly sessions, letting parents register child-by-child week by week.
How can I add a camp in Knox County to this directory?
Camp directors can submit their program for free via the Submit-a-Camp form at the bottom of this page. Submissions are reviewed by the Tennessee Firefly editorial team within a few business days. Parents who know of a missing camp can also use the same form on behalf of the program. Verified listings appear here; the goal is that every TN family looking for a camp lands on the right page.
Missing a camp in Knox County?

Tell us about it.

Submissions are free, reviewed within a few business days, and you'll get an email when your listing goes live. Parents find what they need here.

Submit a Knox County camp