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 forget 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 bottle and 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.
For a fun adventure check out Escape Campervans. These campervans have built in beds, kitchen area with refrigerators, and more. You can have them fully set up with kitchen supplies, bedding, and other fun extras. They are painted with epic designs you can't miss!
Escape Campervans has offices in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, New York, and Orlando
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
There are many options right outside of the park in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
There is one park lodge the LeConte Lodge which you visitors need to hike into.
LeConte Lodge
Sitting at 6,643 ft, just shy of the Mountain LeConte peak at 6,593 feet, is the LeConte Lodge. This beautiful property is the only Lodge within the National Park.
It boasts spectacular unobstructed views of the mountains and the valley; however, it is only accessible by foot (which you’ll have to follow with your supplies).
There are five trails that will lead you to this historic site - Alum Cave Trail, Boulevard Trail, Bullhead Trail, Rainbow Falls Trail, and Trillium Gap Trail, each varying in distance and elevation, so be sure to plan.
The Lodge is entirely old-school (has no water or electricity), so you’ll have plenty of time to just soak in the breathtaking scenery and picturesque mountains. The Lodge doesn’t offer much beyond the basic amenities and serves regular family-style Southern food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
If you’re looking to detox from any electronics and just become one with nature under the twilight sky, the LeConte Lodge situated high up in the mountains is the perfect place to spend the night.
You can make a reservation at the Lodge by calling: (865) 429-5704 or emailing reservations@lecontelodge.com.
Lodging near Great Smoky Mountains NP
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Gatlinburg - We have stayed in this hotel the past few times we visited the park and it has been great. Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Gatlinburg Downtown provides free continental breakfast, a terrace, and dry cleaning/laundry services. For some rest and relaxation, visit the hot tub. Stay connected with free in-room Wi-Fi, and guests can find other amenities such as a fireplace in the lobby and a gym.
Margaritaville Resort Gatlinburg - Located close to Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, Margaritaville Resort Gatlinburg provides a firepit, a coffee shop/café, and a garden. Indulge in a massage, a body scrub, and a facial at St. Somewhere Spa, the onsite spa. Enjoy a meal at the two onsite restaurants. Free in-room Wi-Fi is available to all guests, along with laundry facilities and a bar.
Hampton Inn Gatlinburg - Hampton Inn Gatlinburg Historic Nature Trail provides free self-serve breakfast, a firepit, and a garden. Free in-room Wi-Fi is available to all guests, along with dry cleaning/laundry services and a gym.
Glenstone Lodge - Glenstone Lodge provides amenities like a terrace and a 24-hour business center. Stay connected with free in-room Wi-Fi.
The Park Vista - a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel - provides a terrace, a garden, and a playground. For some rest and relaxation, visit the hot tub. Enjoy a meal at the two onsite restaurants. In addition to dry cleaning/laundry services and a fireplace in the lobby, guests can connect to free Wi-Fi in public areas.
Hilton Garden Inn Gatlinburg - provides golfing on site, dry cleaning/laundry services, and a fireplace in the lobby. For some rest and relaxation, visit the hot tub. The onsite restaurant, Garden Grille, features happy hour. Free in-room Wi-Fi is available to all guests, along with a bar and a gym.
Click 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 five free entrance days the National Park Service offers annually.
Make sure to follow Park Ranger John on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok
Leave a Reply