Great Smoky Mountains Park Campgrounds

Abrams Creek Campground

The campground opens the first weekend in March and closes the end of October. Reservations are on a first-come first serve basis. This campground has 16 sites and sits at an elevation of 1,125 feet. The Abrams Creek Campground does not have electric hookups or shower facilities, only running water and bathroom facilities. Each individual campsite has a fire grate and picnic table.

Directions: To get to Abrams Creek Campground travel 8 miles off the Foothills Parkway.
Campsites: 16
Elevation: 1125 ft
RV length: 12′
Cost: $14 each night
Campground Map

Balsam Mountain Campground

Big Creek Campground

Cades Cove Campground

Cades cove is one of the most popular campgrounds in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park off the following services and amenities: Amphitheater, Comfort Station, Dump Station, Handicap Access, Hiking Trail, Horseback Riding, Interpretive Trails, Parking, Picnic Tables, Ranger Station, Rent Bicycles, Telephone. The nearby horse stable offers one hour horseback rides, hayrides and carriage rides from March thru October. The campground store offers camping supplies, firewood and ice and rents bicycles on an hourly or daily basis. Full service grocery stores are availabe in Townsend (9 miles); medical facilites are 30 miles away in Maryville. To get to Cades Cove Campground in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park you have to drive to Townsend, Tennessee.

Directions:
From Maryville, TN:
Take U.S. 321 North (you’ll actually be driving south!) from Maryville to Townsend, TN (about 22 miles). At the traffic light in Townsend, continue straight on TN 73 and follow signs to Cades Cove.
From Pigeon Forge, TN:
Take Wears Valley Road to Townsend, TN. Turn left (south) at Townsend onto TN 73. Follow signs to Cades Cove.
From Gatlinburg, TN:
Take Little River Road at Sugarlands Visitor Center (about 13 miles). At the Wye in Townsend, follow sign to Cades Cove.

Make reservations online To make reservations over the phone during summer or fall or call 877-444-6777. Reservations are accepted only May 15 thru October 31. Campsites are available on a first come, first served basis from November 1-May 14. Campsites include:a 13′ x 13′ tent pad, a fire ring with cooking grill and a picnic table with lantern pole.

Campsites: 12
Elevation: 1700 ft
RV length: n/a
Cost: $17-20 each night
Campground Map

Mailing Address:
Cades Cove Campground
10042 Campground Drive
Townsend, TN 37882
Phone: 865-448-2472

Cataloochee Campground

Cosby Campground

Campsites: 165
Elevation: n/a
RV length: n/aCost: $14 each nightCampground MapMailing Address:
Cosby Campground
127 Cosby Park Road
Cosby, TN 37722
Phone: 423-487-5418

Deep Creek Campground

To get to Deep Creek Group Campground in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park travel approximately 3 miles north of Bryson City, North Carolina. Deep Creek Campground offers the following amenities; bbq grills, comfort station, dump station, fire rings, fishing streams, fuel, vehicles, grocery, hiking trail, horseback riding, medical facility, parking, pavilion, picnic tables, potable water, ranger station, telephone, and toilets. Due to the location of Deep Creek Campground it can be busy in the summer season.To make reservations online or call 877-444-6777. The group camp offers one accessible site with a nearby accessible restroom. RV and generator use is not allowed at group sites.

Directions: From downtown Bryson City, NC: Follow signs to Deep Creek, 3 miles away.
Campsites: 165
Elevation: n/a
RV length: n/a
Cost: $14 each night
Campground Map

Mailing Address:
Deep Creek Campground
1912 East Deep Creek Road
Bryson City, NC 28713
Phone: 828-488-3184

Elkmont Campground

Elkmont Campground is the largest campground in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Elkmont Campground offers the following services; amphitheater, camp store, comfort station, fire rings, hiking trail, historical areas, horse trails, ice, interpretive programs, lantern holder, paved accessible site, picnic tables, telephone, tent pads, toilets, trails, self-guided, utility sink, vending machine, water drinkingA river runs directly through the center of the campground, and there are several hiking trails within minutes of the campground, including the popular Laurel Falls Trail. For the avid fly fisherman the Little River is also an excellent trout fishing stream. Elkmont is known for its historical and cultural significance as a former logging community and summer resort getaway. It is the closest campground to Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Make reservations online during summer or fall or call 877-444-6777, toll free. Reservations are accepted only for May 15 thru October 31. Elkmont Campground is open from the second week of March until December 1st. Campsites are available during the off season on a first come, first served basis at reduced rates.

Directions:
From Cherokee, NC: Take Newfound Gap Road (U.S. 441) North through the park into Tennessee. Turn left at Sugarlands Visitor Center. Follow Little River Road approx. 4.5 miles. Turn left at the Elkmont Campground sign and proceed 1.5 miles to the campground office.From Gatlinburg, TN: Take Newfound Gap Road (U.S. 441) South into the Park. (If coming from Pigeon Forge, take the Bypass into the park.) Turn right at Sugarlands Visitor Center. Go 4.5 miles to the Elkmont entrance and turn left at the Elkmont Campground sign. Go 1.5 miles to the campground office.
Campsites:
Elevation: n/a
RV length: n/a
Cost: $17-$23 each night
Campground Map

Mailing Address:
Elkmont Campground
434 Elkmont Road
Gatlinburg, Tennessee 37738

Look Rock Campground

Look Rock Campground has 68 sites and is located on the western section of the Foothills Scenic Drive. Campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis.The campground is at an elevation of 2,749 feet. Look Rock Campground offers the following amenities, comfort station, dump station, fire rings, grills, picnic tables, potable water, toilets.

Directions: From Maryville, travel east on Hwy. 321 for approximately 6 miles, just past Walland. Turn right onto Foothills Parkway. Take Foothills Parkway approximately 6 miles, and the campground will be on the right.
Campsites: 68
Elevation: 2,749 ft
RV length: n/a
Cost: $14 each night
Campground Map

Smokemont Campground

Smokemont Campground has 142 campsites and is located in Great Smoky Mountains National Park 6 miles north of Cherokee, North Carolina. The campground provides facilities for both tent and RV/trailer camping.Campsites include a fire ring with cooking grill and a picnic table with lantern pole. Campsites in loops A, B and C also include a 13′ x 13′ tent pad. Generator use is prohibited in loops A, B and C from May 15 – Oct 31; reasonable generator use is allowed in loops D and F.Campsites are available on a first come, first served basis from November 1 through May 14. Loop F is for RVs only – no tents.Smokemont Camground offers the following services: comfort station, dump station, fire rings, grills, interpretive programs, picnic tables, potable water, ranger station, telephone, tent pads, toilets. Services available down the road 1 mile: firewood sales, hiking trails, historical areas, horse trails, ice sales, riding stable, trails, vending machine, wildlife viewing.Full service grocery stores are 6 miles away in Cherokee; medical facilities are 15 miles away in Sylva, NC.Make reservations online during summer or fall or call 877-444-6777, toll free. Reservations are accepted only for May 15 thru October 31.The Bradley Fork River flows through the campground and provides for fishing opportunities. The campground allows access to the Bradley Fork Trail, located at the end of D loop, which leads to numerous other trails.

Directions: From Cherokee, NC: Take Newfound Gap Road (US 441) North 6 miles. Turn right at campground sign. From Gatlinburg, TN: Take Newfound Gap Road (US 441) South 27 miles. Turn left at campground sign.

Campsites: 142
Elevation: 2,749 ft
RV length: n/a
Cost: $17-$20 each night
Campground Map

Mailing Address:
Smokemont Campground
c/o Oconaluftee Ranger Station
60 Enloe Floyd Bottoms Road
Cherokee, NC 28719
Phone: 828-497-9270

Each campground has restrooms with cold running water and flush toilets. Each individual campsite has a fire grate and picnic table. There are no showers or electrical or water hookups in the park. Shower facilities are available in the communities surrounding the national park. Please inquire about the nearest facilities when you check-in at the campground. (5 amp electric hookups are available at a few sites in Cades Cove, Elkmont, and Smokemont for use only by those with medical needs. Check www.recreation.gov for more information.)

Campsites at Cades Cove, Cataloochee, Cosby, Elkmont, and Smokemont may be reserved online or by phone at (877) 444-6777.

Advance reservations are required at Cataloochee Campground. All remaining park campgrounds are first-come, first-served.In addition to individual campsites, the park offers a limited number of group camping areas.Please read Campground Rules and Regulations for information concerning food storage, generator use, quiet hours, and other campground regulations.

Cataloochee Campground Reservations – Beginning in March 2011, advance reservations will be required to camp in Cataloochee. There will no longer be any first-come, first-served campsites available in the campground. The reservation system will begin accepting reservations for the campground beginning on Feb. 1, 2011. For additional information, please see the press release.

Cataloochee Campground Road Advisory: The entrance road to Cataloochee Valley is a winding, gravel road that has some steep drop offs with no guard rails. Horse trailer traffic may be encountered on the road. Because the road is narrow, it may be necessary to stop or back up to allow other vehicles to pass.

Groceries, Camping Supplies, Food, and Firewood
A limited selection of groceries, camping supplies, visitor convenience items, and food and beverage service are available in the park. Please see listing for additional information.Bundles of firewood are available for sale in the communities surrounding the national park. However, firewood may not be brought into the park unless it bears the USDA-APHIS-PPQ certification or it is purchased from a county that has no quarantine in effect. See firewood quarantine page for additional information. The following campgrounds have on-site firewood sales:

• Cades Cove (at Cades Cove Campground Store)
• Elkmont
• Smokemont (at Smokemont Riding Stables)

Dump Stations for RVs
Dump stations with potable water are located at Cades Cove, Cosby, Deep Creek, Look Rock, and Smokemont campgrounds. In addition, there is a dump station located across the road from the Sugarlands Visitor Center, approximately six miles from Elkmont Campground.