Smoky Mountains Campgrounds?

Thanks for the info, we have not really been up in that area, we live in the ATL area, and normally just go to a Georgia State Park in the mountains, but we are wanting to explore some more. We like to hike and mountain bike.

Any one ever stay on the other side of the park in the Townsend, Cherokee area? That would be closer for us, and would avoid the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge traffic.

We also had a residential fridge in our TT when we went to Elkmont in the GSMNP a few years ago. It was NOT a good trip. We arrived on Friday about noon and left on Sunday. It was 6-8 days too long!!! (hahaha)

We are only a 2 1/2 hours away, so we do go to the area a few times each year, but we stay in Pigeon Forge at Pine Mtn. RV Park and then travel on the Gatlinburg Bypass into the GSMNP. From Pine Mtn, it's about a 20 minute drive into the park and you avoid most of the traffic in both Pigeon Forge and in Gatlinburg. It's pricey, but most of them are in the area. It's quiet since it's behind a knoll and you don't get the noise from the parkway, but you are only a block and a half away from it. It's on the Gatlinburg end of PF, so you don't have to deal with the "outlet" traffic. It's definitely our fave.

What do you want to be close to? The closest thing to COE is our TVA campgrounds at Douglas dam. They are W/E and have fairly nice facilities as far as showers/restrooms go. Douglas dam is about 10 miles or so outside of Pigeon Forge. They are first come first served so you may or may not get in. Having driven past the lower CG recently I saw sites open. The upper one, the nicer one, you cant see from the road. The sites will accommodate most size trailers and class A's. I suggest you google Douglas dam campgrounds to get the info you need.

None of the NATL PARK campgrounds have hookups... No Power... They all have central rest room bldgs with a water spigot outside...

Its not uncommon to see a deep cycle battery sitting on the sink area plugged into a small charger haha...

We always stay at ELKMONT Camp inside the Natl Park. Elkmont has Trolley service to Gatlinburg... Have also stayed at TREMONT just out side the Townsend Entrance to the Natl Park. There are two or three nice campground just out the Townsend Entrance. Townsend has a couple of places for groceries and camping things you will need...

If we end up having to go to Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge we usually stay at the RIVEREDGE RV Park just inside Pigeon Forge coming in from Gatlinburg. There is several RV places between Pigeon Forge and Townsend that gets great reviews...

Don't care for the tourists things as well. It never stops there - day and night... Lots of big events always going on over the weekends. Antique Cars weekends will close down both towns. Gatlinburg is a walking town. No place to park up and down the one street. You have to pay to park in a couple of parking lots and walk all day long haha... Pigeon Forge not so bad in this respect. You can park outside the stores there. Pigeon Forge also has a real COLEMAN STORE which I always want to visit when down that way to see what is new in the Camping World.

We keep going back to the area there - been doing this since the mid 60s... People even go there to get married haha... I go there to get in touch with my Cherokee Indian heritage... It draws me big time to the Smoky Mountains...

Roy Ken

There really aren't any State Parks or COE parks close around the "main" entrance to the Smokies which is the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area. However these are also the very "touristy" areas. To avoid the traffic and craziness, go to Townsend which is about 20 miles away. There is also an entrance to the Smokies there and there are some nice private campgrounds. Here are a few. Townsend is still close to all the trailheads that are near Gatlinburg.
I do not recommend Cades Cove campground. It's fairly crowded, and many of their sites are short or hard to get into.

The National Park is not the answer. We enjoy Creekside in Pigeon Forge. It is convenient to everything and has stop light to get you in the busy traffic area.