Campgrounds of Great Smoky Mountains
There are campgrounds scattered all over Great Smoky Mountains National Park, many of them quite large. However, this is also the most visited national park in the United States, and camping is a very popular way of spending time here. Reservations are highly suggested from spring through fall, if available.
Abrams Creek Campground
Size & Cost: 16 sites, $17.50 per site
Open: May through October
Reservations: Online at recreation.gov
Location: 6 miles down Happy Valley Road off of US-129 on a side road, near the south end of the Foothills Parkway
Amenities: Running water, flush toilets, fire rings and picnic tables
Demand: High. This campground is far from the main park area, but is small and often fills during periods of high visitation. Look Rock Campground, further down this page, is very nearby.
Balsam Mountain Campground
Size & Cost: 42 sites, $17.50 per site
Open: May through October
Reservations: Online at recreation.gov
Location: At the end of Heintooga Ridge Road, off of the Blue Ridge Parkway
Amenities: Running water, flush toilets, fire rings and picnic tables
Demand: High. This campground is also far from the main park area, but is accessed from the very popular Blue Ridge Parkway, so it often fills.
Big Creek Campground
Size & Cost: 12 sites, $17.50 per site
Open: April through October
Reservations: Online at recreation.gov
Location: In the Big Creek section, accessed off I-40 at Tennessee Exit #451
Amenities: Running water, flush toilets, fire rings and picnic tables
Demand: High. This small campground is accessed by a short and narrow gravel road. It is small, and often full in the summer months.
Cades Cove Campground
Size & Cost: 159 sites, $25 per site
Open: All Year
Reservations: Online at recreation.gov
Location: At the entrance to the Cades Cove Loop Road
Amenities: Running water, flush toilets, fire rings and picnic tables, campstore, and dump station
Demand: Very high. This campground is at the entrance to the insanely popular Cades Cove area, and is almost always full from spring through fall. Reservations are strongly suggested.
Cataloochee Campground
Size & Cost: 27 sites, $25 per site
Open: June through October
Reservations: Online at recreation.gov
Location: In Cataloochee Cove near Maggie Valley, accessed off I-40 at North Carolina Exit #20 via long gravel roads
Amenities: Running water, flush toilets, fire rings and picnic tables
Demand: Very high. This campground is far from the main park area, but is small and frequently fills during peak visitation.
Cosby Campground
Size & Cost: 157 sites, $17.50 per site
Open: April through October
Reservations: Online at recreation.gov
Location: Off of US-321 in the Cosby section, east of Gatlinburg
Amenities: Running water, flush toilets, fire rings and picnic tables, and dump station
Demand: High. This campground is a bit removed from the main park section, but is still likely to be full during peak visitation. However, if you find yourself on the Tennessee side of the park and can’t find an open site, Cosby is more likely to have one than the others.
Deep Creek Campground
Size & Cost: 92 sites, $25 per site
Open: May through October
Reservations: No, first come, first served
Location: In the popular Deep Creek area, near the town of Bryson City, west of Cherokee
Amenities: Running water, flush toilets, fire rings and picnic tables, and dump station
Demand: High. This campground is in the popular Deep Creek area, and often fills, especially during the summer when tubing down Deep Creek is a VERY popular activity.
Elkmont Campground
Size & Cost: 220 sites, $25-$27 per site
Open: All Year
Reservations: Online at recreation.gov
Location: Off of Little River Road, 4.8 miles west of Newfound Gap Road
Amenities: Running water, flush toilets, fire rings and picnic tables, campstore, and dump station
Demand: Very high. This campground is the most centrally located on the Tennessee side of the park, and located adjacent to the Little River. It is almost always full during peak visitation. Reservations are strongly suggested.
Look Rock Campground
Size & Cost: 68 sites, $25 per site
Open: May through October
Reservations: Online at recreation.gov
Location: Off of the Foothills Parkway near its midpoint
Amenities: Running water, flush toilets, fire rings and picnic tables
Demand: Medium. This campground is far from the main park area, but sometimes fills during peak visitation. It is located very near the Abrams Creek Campground listed first on this page.
Smokemont Campground
Size & Cost: 141 sites, $25 per site
Open: All Year
Reservations: Online at recreation.gov
Location: Off of Newfound Gap Road 4.3 miles north of the Cherokee Entrance
Amenities: Running water, flush toilets, fire rings and picnic tables, and dump station
Demand: Very high. This campground is the main location on the North Carolina side of the park, and is almost always full during peak visitation. Reservations are strongly suggested.
