Your online resource for the Smoky Mountains
Camping in the Smokies brings you face-to-face with old-growth forests, pristine mountain streams, and incredible night skies. Whether you prefer tent camping inside the National Park or full-hookup RV resorts with modern amenities, the region offers world-class outdoor stays.
Overview: Located on the banks of the Little Pigeon River, offering premier tent camping, full-hookup RV sites, and cozy camping cabins just minutes from downtown Gatlinburg.
Amenities: Private swimming hole, beach area, trout fishing, Wi-Fi, game room, and clean bathhouses.
Best For: Families and RVers looking for a luxury riverfront stay close to Gatlinburg and National Park trails.
Overview: A premier luxury RV resort set on Douglas Lake with panoramic views of the Smoky Mountains.
Amenities: Concrete pads, outdoor fireplaces, water park pool with slide, pickleball courts, and golf cart rentals.
Best For: Big-rig RVers seeking a 5-star luxury resort experience.
Choose the style of camping that fits your preferred level of adventure and comfort:
Operated by the National Park Service, these sites offer authentic wilderness stays with basic amenities (restrooms with running water and flush toilets, but no electrical or water hookups at individual sites).
Located in gateway towns like Townsend, Pigeon Forge, and Cherokee, these parks feature full hookups (50-amp electric, water, sewer), cable TV, Wi-Fi, concrete pads, and resort-style amenities like pools and playgrounds.
For adventurous hikers looking to hike into remote trail shelters or backcountry sites along the Appalachian Trail. (Requires a National Park Backcountry Permit).
While entry to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free, a valid Park it Forward parking tag is required for any vehicle parked for more than 15 minutes.
National Park campgrounds (like Cades Cove and Elkmont) open reservations up to 6 months in advance on Recreation.gov and fill up extremely fast for summer and fall foliage season.
The Smokies are home to thousands of black bears. Always store food, coolers, and scented items inside a hard-sided vehicle or park-provided bear locker. Never leave food unattended.
To protect forests from invasive pests, only heat-treated firewood bundled with a USDA certification seal or certified local firewood may be burned inside the National Park.