Great smokey np

[Gaetan]

We will be driving from canada to florida end of october traveling with a truck camper
We would like to spend a few days in the great smokey np.
Any suggestions, routes camping, must see...
Gaetan

[GeoBoy]

Pine Mountain RV Park in Pigeon Forge is very nice, Has a trolley stop across the street, if you want to go into town without your TC. Be aware of some low tunnels on the Blue Ridge Parkway may not fit your TC. Three days are enough time to hit the highlights of the park. Good luck.

[Harley_Dude]

We always stay at Tremont Campground. In Townsend...right at the edge of the Park and 5 minutes from Cades Cove. 30 minutes to Gatlinburg. This area is considered the Quiet side of the Smokies. We'll be back there in late Oct.

http://www.tremontcamp.com/index.html

[loggenrock]

Despite the warm weather - have some warm clothes! We got stuck on the Blue Ridge the 3rd week in October about 5 years ago, 8"of snow that closed the campgrounds! Was really pretty with snow up high and fall colors in the valleys below! ST

[coolmom42]

If Cataloochee campground in the park is open when you will be there, I highly recommend it. This campground requires reservations because of the long drive in. Check the park web site for closing dates, amenities, and reservations.

[Gaetan]

Thanks a lot for the very interesting informations, we look forward a great trip
Gaetan

[DouglasC]

If you are traveling south on I-81 in Virginia, you can exit at Front Royal and pick up the Skyline Drive and take it all the way south to the Smokies. The Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway (heading south the Skyline Drive becomes the Blue Ridge Pkwy at Waynesboro, VA) run parallel to I-81 for awhile. The Blue Ridge Pkwy ends at US 441 near Cherokee, NC. You can then drive over the mountain to TN on US 441 into Gatlinburg. All in all, a beautiful drive (about 570 miles) but you should allot at least 3 days to do it (4 is better). Lots of stopping points and short hikes to water falls, etc. on the way. As others have said, a beautiful area to travel in the fall!

Once in the Smokies don't miss Cades Cove. If you come via the Blue Ridge Pwy, stop at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center to pickup all the information about the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. If you come via I-81 and Rt 66 & 321 into Gatlinburg, go out to the Sugarlands Visitor Center near Gatlinburg to get all the park info.

[huachuca]

We've camped in and enjoyed most of the Park Service campgrounds in GSMNP. Smokemont and Cataloochee are our favorites, especially if we can score one of the creek side sites. Elk are almost guaranteed near either. The wildlife loop drive in Cade's Cove usually has deer and turkey with bear being a possibility. Lots of good short hikes, many to homesteads the NPS has preserved. Clingmans Dome is worth a visit. The North Carolina Arboretum (free) and Biltmore are a good way to spend a day in Asheville. Lake Powhatan is a good Forest Service campground in that area. Hope you enjoy your visit with us.

[Campfire_Time]

A few days is not enough. We were in the area for 6 days and it wasn't enough.

[Alabama_Jim]

The Mountains are beautiful and you should have a great visit there. The NP Campgrounds are not full hook up, but they are nice. If you want full hook up, consider Creekside RV in Pigeon Forge. We like that campground. There is a red light to get you out into the busy highway, which is always a problem in the high tourist area.

[ken56]

The trees are just beginning to turn here but we have had some very hot and dry weather. We are predicted to be in the upper 80's and low 90's till about the 25th. Not sure what effect it will have on the color show this year. Elkmont is a great choice but as mentioned there are no hookups. With a truck camper you will be going over Newfound Gap I presume? There is also Smokemont camp on the Cherokee N.C. side, no hookups there either.

I don't know the route you intend to take to FL but I highly recommend rt.441 all the way to FL. Keeps you off of the E-way and it avoids Atlanta. Good road all the way with nice little towns to stop in and stretch the legs. I have taken I-75 and I-95 to FL before and 441 is my choice to take now. I will never go the interstate there again. look at the map and check it out.

[RoyB]

My favorite is ELKMONT Camp... It has no hookups but has local bath room bldgs for two loops is available. There is a water spigot and 120VAC at each of the rest room bldgs... You will need a water can to tote back to your trailer. Not uncommon to see a battery being charged in the rest room hehe...

ELKMONT has a TROLLY service to Gatlinburg where you can switch there and go to Pigeon Forge...

ELKMONT also has a very small camp store that really doesn't much of anything in it. Its only open for a few hours starting around 4PM each...

We always drive to TOWNSEND TN for groceries and items...

The NP park has a dump station at the main entrance on the Gatlingburg side...

Loops are one way and depending which side you get your doors may open on the wrong side of your camper. There are some small loops for parking.. Park is almost 100% shaded inside the camp ground. If it rains the trees will drip water for days haha...

One of our favorite camping spots...

Townsend has several full service very nice camp grounds just outside the Townsend entrance to the Natl Park if you really want hooks. The same creekside (They call it a river - I call it a creek) runs through the same camp grounds inside and outside the Natl park...

Gatlinburg is a full walking town with not much parking available except at designated parking lots for a fee... Lots of stores and things to do and places to eat up and down the one main road. Pigeon Forge is layed out where you can usually drive to a place and park outside the building...

Roy Ken

[Gaetan]

I will be driving I-81 south
Gaetan

[DownTheAvenue]

You should seriously consider driving the Skyline Drive and/or the Blue Ridge parkway.

[rbtglove]

If you use I-75 you can take 40 east from Knoxville to Pigeon Forge to Gatlinburg. Oct is a busy in the Park until the leaves are off trees. Several Campgrounds in the park to choose from but no Hook ups in any that I know of.