Great Smoky Mountains National Park Hotel Tips by mrclay2000 Top 5 Page for this destination

Smokemont Campground: A River Runs Through It

Of the main campgrounds in the interior of the park (I know nothing of the less-visited campgrounds on the perimeter), the most heavily visited are Smokemont on the Carolina side, and Cades Cove and Elkmont on the Tennessee side. Smokemont is among the largest, but is situated near the Cherokee NC entrance, and thus is not a good jumping off point for Gatlinburg and Cades Cove.

Unique Qualities: Unlike Cades Cove campground, which is heavily touted because of its nearness to the pioneer houses and the preferred range of the black bears in the park, the campgrounds at Elkmont and Smokemont are scenic and even beautiful, resting under the shade of towering poplars, maples and hickories, and both enjoying the addition of considerable streams.

Comparison: about average

Directions: a few miles north of Cherokee

Phone: (865) 436-1200

Price: less than US$20

Theme: Campground

Website: http://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm