Smokey Mountains: Cades Cove vs Smokemont

[Drew_A_]

Hi All,

We are planning a trip to the Smokies for next year and would like to stay in the park. Which campground would be better for large travel trailers? Ours is 35 feet long. Both say trailers 35 feet max, but I'm also wondering about the roads in/out of the campground.

Also, how is the temperature for August? I know both campgrounds are at ~2000 feet. Is this enough to keep it cool enough that AC isn't required?

Thanks, Drew

[vjstangelo]

We like the KOA in Townsend. The river runs right along the campground.

[djsamuel]

Drew A. wrote:
Thanks everyone, this is great information.

I initially discounted Elkmont because on the NPS web site it listed trailers to 32 feet. I'll look at that a bit closer. We usually can do fine without AC, but we we might want power for air conditioning this trip. I told my sister-in-law we wouldn't need AC, but she runs pretty hot!

If we don't stay in the park, does anyone have a favorite private campground in the Townsend area? We don't need lots of activities, but a pool would be nice.

Thanks!

We really like Big Meadows Family Campground in Townsend. Basic but nice campground and nice people. It is also very convenient to the entrance of the park and not too far from Cades Cove.

[TxGearhead]

X2 on "Up the Creek". We haven't stayed there but have scouted it after staying at Cove Creek and Cove Mountain parks. Call early as possible. I think for the hook ups I would stay there in the summer.

Also check out Elvira's Cafe. Country Corner cafe is on the corner of 321 and Line Spring Rd. Great breakfast. There's an Italian place right in there too, can't remember the name.

[Braces]

Up The Creek campground toward the north end of Wears Valley is the closest thing to a park campground with full hookups that I know of. There is no store, no bathrooms, no pool, away from most of the traffic, and most of the creekfront sites are large and shaded. Near to Pigeon Forge and Sevierville and a pretty 25-30 minute drive to Townsend, Cades Cove area of the Natl Park. Kids that have never had the fun of playing in a creek love it. It is a private cg not a Natl Park cg. Greenbrier cg up 321 north of Gatlinburg a few miles also is more like a park cg but has the store, creek,playground, bathrooms,etc. of a more developed commercial cg. I like Smokemont in October (cooler weather) but I'm spoiled to needing AC in the hot times.

[HappyCamper89]

We love https://www.camplittlearrow.com/. It borders the national park and is the closest campground to Cades Cove without actually staying there. I think it’s about 7 miles away. The campground has just undergone an extensive renovation and is top notch!! Try to get a waterfront site. Book soon as they seem to be very popular now.

[huachuca]

From the responses here, the 'best' campground is obviously a matter of personal preference so I'll throw out my two cents. Smokemont would be my choice IF I could pick my site. Most spots in loop "F" have plenty of room for larger RVs and I don't recall any problems getting in or out (but our camper is only 19'). The pictures below are of site F38 which is one of eleven sites directly on the water.





For us, Smokemont is more centrally located for other things we like to do in western NC - rafting on the Nantahala River, backroad drives in Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests hikes (several), Great Smoky Mountain Railroad, the Blue Ridge Parkway, Cherohala Skyway and mountain music in many of the small towns. Having said this, we almost always visit Cades Cove when in that area. Elkmont has its pluses as well. And don't forget the National Forest campgrounds - Horse Cove is actually our favorite CG but probably too small for a rig the size of yours.

Edited to add shot of creek running just behind the site


EDIT: Resized images to fit the page.

[Drew_A_]

Thanks everyone, this is great information.

I initially discounted Elkmont because on the NPS web site it listed trailers to 32 feet. I'll look at that a bit closer. We usually can do fine without AC, but we we might want power for air conditioning this trip. I told my sister-in-law we wouldn't need AC, but she runs pretty hot!

If we don't stay in the park, does anyone have a favorite private campground in the Townsend area? We don't need lots of activities, but a pool would be nice.

Thanks!

[ulvik]

I live here and have camped at both and for a larger rig Elkmont is a better choice in my opinion because they have more larger sites. They have larger sites than Cades Cove plus you are a lot closer to town if you need something. As far as temps it is quite bearable in August. Run a fan as needed but cool enough at night to sleep with the windows open and a fan on. Also on water sites are beautiful!

[ksbowman]

We were there in Oct. 2016 and stayed in Townsend at the last rv park before entering the park(can't remember the name right now). It gave us very good access to Cades Cove and we had full hookups. The days were very warm but, the nights were comfortable for sleeping. When we drove thru the Cades Cove campground you could have cut the wood smoke with a knife. I love a good campfire but, as thick as the smoke was I think I would have had trouble breathing at times. The campground we stayed at had 3-4 campfires but, smoke wasn't a problem. There is a scenic drive on the west side of the park that has some extremely beautiful pull overs that provide miles of view. The next time we go we are going to stay on the North Carolina side to see the eastside of the park. Inside the park we stopped at every point of interest and walked thru all the buildings that were open. Great place to spend some time with a lot of history.

[jayco304]

We like Elkmont. We were there just this past July 4th week. We have been in June, July, and August. It can be nice or it can be hot. Luckily Elkmont has tons of shade to that helps. However, as someone else posted that means the rain drips for days, and getting anything to dry out is nearly impossible. The past trip I think we ran our 12v fans only one or two nights the entire week. My wife and girls work sweatshirts at night and in the morning..our site had a very cool breeze when it blew down the river under the bridge and right onto our site.

[BarabooBob]

My wife and I just drove over Newfound Gap in early June. the road is nothing that should bother an experienced driver with a properly set up unit. The people that burn up their brakes going through there are driving their rig like they would drive around town in a car. Mountain driving takes patience and thought. Don't get in a hurry, go down a hill (mountain) in one gear lower than you would use driving up Use your engine to slow you down, a proper truck will have a shiftable tranny so you can select what gear your are in. If you are passing semi's and straight trucks,l you are going to darned fast.
I drove my RV over Going to the Sun Road, The Beartooth Highway, over highway 14A in the Bighorn Mtns, and I have NEVER gotten my brakes hot. I sure didn't get ny truck brakes even warm going across Newfound Gap.

[Gulfcoast]

That's some beautiful country up there.

[RoyB]

We love going to the Smoky Mtns NAtl Park... Our pick for Camp Ground is ELKMONT... It will handle your size trailer just fine. You do know there is no hookups inside the Smoky Mtns Natl park. Only water from a spigot in front of each of the many bath room buildings stationed about every three or so camp rolls... If you want hookups my best choice would be to get something in the TOWNSEND Area as this will keep you out of the tourist hoop-la in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge...

ELKMONT has a very good tree cover and you will be in the shade most of the time. Thats helps alot when camping with no A/C. There is also a very loud small river (I would call it a creek) that runs through the camp ground... When it rains at ELKMONT the heavy tree cover will drip rainwater for a few days after the rain storm. Lots of camp setups under a large tarp can be found all over ELKMONT Camp.

We love to do the CADES COVE motor trail but do not like camping at the camp ground at Cades Cove. Reminds me of a truck stop hehe...

The Natl Park and surrounding towns really gets crowded during the MAY-JUNE time frame when the special Synchronous Elkmont Fireflies Event in the Smoky Mountains. These special fireflies only happen here in ELKMONT and somewhere in South America I think it is. They all flash at the same time...

We always like to go to the Smokys in the SEP/OCT time frame...

Roy Ken

[ken56]

It would be easier for you to go to Cades Cove. I will assume that you will come down from Mass. on I-81. Smokemont is on the North Carolina side near Cherokee so you would need to enter the park from that side UNLESS your are experienced and brave enough to pull your trailer through Newfound Gap. Going over the mountain is steep and twisty. Every time I have gone through there I have seen class C's and A's with burned up brakes. Most of the trailers I see going thru the Gap are small ones, Pods, Casita's, Pop ups and most are less than 24 ft. long.

Cades Cove is on the West end of the park near Townsend and you could take 321 out of Pigeon Forge over to Townsend and the into the park. 321 has a short section of road that is steep down hill from that direction with a switchback turn but it is wide enough to handle it easilly. Keep your speed SLOW. Do NOT enter the park at the Gatlinburg entrance and think you can take Little River rd. through the park to get to Cades Cove. The road is narrow and has some tight turns and with all the traffic that road handles you would be facing a big challenge.


Both campgrounds have no hookups but they do have water and a dump station. A/C is not an option. It can still be pretty darned hot in both places. In August you never know. How uncomfortable are you willing to be? 35 ft. is going to be a challenge in my opinion. The sites are not big although some may be suitable. Townsend has some very nice campgrounds if the Cove doesn't work out so all will not be lost.