Elkmont Campground - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

If you are looking to camp in Great Smoky Mountains and be near Gatlinburg at the same time you will love the Elkmont Campground. This campground has great access to Cades Cove and the popular Laurel Falls trail. 

Elkmont Campground is the largest campground offering in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. With 220 sites you have many options for where you want to camp. There is a great camp store next to the campground that has supplies, ice cream, ice, and firewood.

Elkmont Campground -  Great Smoky Mountains National Park 

If you are visiting the park for the Synchronous Fireflies this is the area where the event is held. It is a bit of a walk from the campsite but you may be able to see pockets of fireflies within the campground.

The campground can be reserved online and we highly recommend getting a reservation as soon as you know the dates you plan on visiting the park. We visited the park in early June and the campground was really popular and pretty full.

The campground office is near the entrance of the campground. This is where you will need to check-in and get updated information. 

This campground gives you access to a ton of amazing hiking trails and adventures within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park! 

Check out our complete guide to Great Smoky Mountains Camping

Season: March - November

Number of Sites:  220

Location in the park: This is the closest park campground to Gatlinburg. 

Campsite Cost: $25-$27

Payments accepted: cash and check 

Reservations: Yes

Campground Address: 434 Elkmont Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738, United States 

Latitude/Longitude: 

• Latitude:
• 35.6583333
• 35° 39' 29.9999" N

• Longitude:
• -83.5822222
• 83° 34' 55.9999" W

Elevation: 2,150'

Accessible Sites: Nine of Elkmont's campsites are wheelchair accessible ADA sites. These sites have wide concrete driveways, raised fire rings, and wheelchair accessible picnic tables.

All of these sites are located near accessible restrooms. Three of the sites provide 5 amp electrical service for medical equipment.

Pets Allowed: Pets are allowed in the campground but must be confined or on a leash (6' maximum).

Campground Reservations

Are campground Reservations Available? Yes

Phone Number? 1-877-444-6777

Online? Recreation.gov 

How Far Ahead can you make a reservation? Individual campsites are released on a 6-month rolling basis

First Come, First Served? Only if sites are available last minute 

Campground Amenities

Flush Toilets: Yes

Payphone: No

Is wifi Available? No

Is cellular Phone Service Available? We did not have service in the campground

Is camp host available on site? Yes

Is firewood available for purchase? Yes, fire treated wood is available at the concessions near the entrance to the campground. 

 

Amenities at each campsite:

Fire pit in the site? Yes

Picnic Table in the site? Yes

Bear Box in site/area? Communal bear boxes are available. 

Potable Water? Yes

Don't Forgry to Pack

• Insect repellent is always a great idea outdoors, especially around any body of water. 

We use Permethrin Spray on our clothes before our park trips.  Please read my article on preventing biting insects while enjoying the outdoors. 

• Sunscreen - I buy environmentally friendly sunscreen whenever possible because you inevitably pull it out at the beach.
• Bring your water bottleand plenty of water with you. Plastic water bottles are not sold in the park.
• Sunglasses - I always bring sunglasses with me. I personally love Goodr sunglasses because they are lightweight, durable, and have awesome National Park Designs from several National Parks like Joshua Tree, Yellowstone, Hawaii Volcanoes, Acadia, Denali, and more!

Click here to get your National Parks Edition of Goodr Sunglasses!

• Binoculars/Spotting Scope - These will help spot birds and wildlife and make them easier to identify. We tend to see waterfowl in the distance, and they are always just a bit too far to identify them without binoculars.

RV Camping at Campground

RV Length: Trailers-32'

Motor Homes-35'

Dump Station: Dump station at Sugarlands Visitor Center open 5/23 - 11/1

Generators: Generator use is prohibited from 8 pm to 8 am.

Generators may not be used at any time on Loops A, B, L, M, and N.

Hookups: Elkmont Campground does not have electric, water, or sewer hook-ups.

How to get to Campground

From Cherokee, NC: Take Newfound Gap Road (aka U.S. 441) North through the park into Tennessee. Turn left at Sugarlands Visitor Center. Follow Little River Road approx. 4.5 miles. Turn left at the Elkmont Campground sign and proceed 1.5 miles to the campground office.

From Gatlinburg, TN: Take Newfound Gap Road (aka U.S. 441) South into the Park. (If coming from Pigeon Forge, take the Bypass into the park.) Turn a right at Sugarlands Visitor Center. Proceed 4.5 miles to the Elkmont entrance and turn left at the Elkmont Campground sign. Go 1.5 miles to the campground office.

Campground Regulations

The maximum number of people in a campsite: up to six people per campsite.

The number of cars per campsite: No more than two motor vehicles or one vehicle with trailer are allowed per campsite

Checkout time: 12 pm

Quiet Hours: 10 pm to 6 am

Maximum Stay: limited to 14 consecutive days at a time

Elkmont Campground Notes

Make sure to stay on the trails in the campground. We were told there is a lot of poison ivy in the area.

There is no payphone

There are a ton of birds in the campground. You may want to pack binoculars and a Smoky Mountains Bird Guide

There were quite a few mosquitos when we visited the campground. You will definitely want to pack bug spray and possible look at pre-treating your gear/clothes before your trip. 

Elkmont Campground Map

Photos of Elkmont Campground

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where to stay when visiting Great Smoky Mountain National Park

Inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park

⭐️ 4.0 of 5 Stars - LeConte Lodge - Click here for Rates and Availability.

The highest guest lodge in the eastern United States, sitting at 6,400 feet atop Mt. LeConte inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park! This one-of-a-kind bucket list destination has NO roads leading to it and can only be reached by hiking one of five trails ranging from 5 to 9 miles. Guests stay in hand-built rough hewn log cabins with propane heat, kerosene lanterns, clean linens, and warm Hudson Bay wool blankets. Leconte Lodge There is no electricity, but the mellow glow of kerosene lamps and rocking chairs on the deck make it magical.

Lodging near Great Smoky Mountains NP (Gatlinburg Area)

⭐️ 4.6 of 5 Stars - The Appy Lodge - Click here for Rates and Availability.

This Appalachian Trail-themed lodge underwent a $5 million renovation and is unlike any hotel you've seen. The halls are lined with photography and history of the AT, and every room is named after an actual trail shelter! They offer free Continental Breakfast (eggs, sausage, pastries and more), free WiFi, free parking pass for downtown Gatlinburg, a trolley stop on property, indoor heated pool and hot tub, seasonal outdoor pool with slide, in-room fireplaces and balconies available, fitness center, and afternoon snacks from 2 to 6 PM. A fantastic family and couples pick right on the Parkway.

⭐️ 4.1 of 5 Stars - Gatlinburg River Inn - Click here for Rates and Availability.

Sit on your private balcony and watch the river roll by! Every single room at this property overlooks the water, and the inn is right on the trolley line for easy access to downtown. Amenities include a complimentary hot breakfast buffet (waffles, biscuits and gravy, eggs and sausage), free WiFi, free parking, seasonal outdoor pool and hot tub, riverside fire pits, bocce ball, picnic area, and laundry facilities. Pets welcome up to 50 lbs (fee applies).

⭐️ 4.1 of 5 Stars - Edgewater Hotel and Conference Center - Click here for Rates and Availability.

Smack in the heart of downtown Gatlinburg, steps from Ripley's Aquarium! This well-established property sits right on the banks of the Little Pigeon River and boasts one of the coolest pools in town, a unique half-indoor, half-outdoor heated pool you can swim through year-round, plus two hot tubs. They also offer complimentary hot Continental Breakfast, free WiFi, private balconies with mountain and river views, in-room fireplaces and Jacuzzi rooms available, fitness center, arcade, business center, and over 7,000 sq ft of conference space. Trout fishing right on the property is a fun bonus!

Click here or on the map below to see additional hotels and vacation rentals near Great Smoky Mountains.

Learn more about National Park Passes for parks that have an entrance fee.

$80.00 - For the America the Beautiful/National Park Pass. The pass covers entrance fees to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites for an entire year and covers everyone in the car for per-vehicle sites and up to 4 adults for per-person sites.

Buy your pass at this link, and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation, and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.

National Park Free Entrance Days  -Mark your calendars with the free entrance days the National Park Service offers for US citizens and residents.

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