Best Smoky Mountain Campground

Mountaineer Campground in Townsend, TN
Creekwood Farms near Maggie Valley, NC (right off I-40)

Roadtech wrote:
I am interested in going to the Smoky Mountains in eastern Tennessee or western North Carolina. I am looking for opinions on the best campground for scenic views, mountain streams, water falls, and high elevation. I am not looking for attractions like Pigeon Forge, just wanting a great mountain getaway.

What kind of hookups are you needing? If you can get by without electricity Elkmont meets many of your criteria.
http://www.recreation.gov/camping/elkmont-campground/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=70968

Mile High Campground in NC is another option
http://www.hikingthecarolinas.com/mile_high_information.php
http://www.hikingthecarolinas.com/camping.php

Full Hook Ups are available at Grandfather Campground near Grandfather Mountain
http://www.grandfatherrv.com/home/

Either Mile High (a commercial campground, I believe on the Cherokee reservation) or Balsam Mountain (in GRSM) are the highest in the area. No hookups of any kind at Balsam, and the sites are not overly big. But some friends of mine camp with a 28' TT in site 3, and there are some other larger sites too.

Depends on what you want and like. You can find some great spots back in the hills or nice places out in town. Great tool to see them all here: East side Smokies

Wester NC near Ashville is mountain top CG...Campfire Lodgings...overlooks the valley...small CG but big full hook up sites. Also, near Black Mountain, just off I-40 is Mama Gerties with 3 levels of full hook up camping...the top level has decks off the side of the mountains and are part of the site...beautiful view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Asheville West KOA was quite good. It is a mom and pop operation (no other staff as near as I can tell) and is quite small. But it sits on the side of a mountain and has quite a view. It is also located between Asheville and Smokey Mountain National Park, it is just off I40 and a short drive to the Blueridge Pkwy (btw if you stay in that area take #151 (just east of the KOA) to get to the Blueridge just not with the trailer hooked up), it is quite a scenic, twisty drive up the side of a mountain to get to the Blueridge.

I like Elkmount for the river that runs trough it. Cades cove for the animals and old buildings. If you plan on a two week vacation stay at Elkmount for a week then Cades cove, the dump station is on the way to Cades cove.

Three weeks ago we stayed at Creekside in Piegon Forge and it was very nice.

We just visited that area for a quick overnight tour and can't wait to go back. Glad to see this topic and some good ideas.

Stay away from Pigeon Forge, unless you like 'camping' in Las vegas or Branson.