According to when most visitors come to the Smoky Mountains, the best time to visit the Smoky Mountains national park is during the months of June, July, and October. See the NPS website for more info about Laurel Falls. Unattended or improperly stored coolers, food and/or scented items may be impounded by campground staff. You can put up hammocks as long as you stay within your campsite and dont drill anything into the tree. Return to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Frontcountry Camping page. The Elkmont Ghost Town used to be known as the Appalachian Club and was a vacation community. and cultural destinations in your zip code and across the country. There are many, many more hikes but we have narrowed down our recommended hikes for kid-pleasing, shorter, easier walks in the woods! The nearest picnic area is Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area, west of Elkmont on Little River Road. Not sure which one is right for you? This is one of our favorite things to do in the Smokies, and we share all the details you need to know to enjoy this unique and fun experience. Generators are allowed in the campground, and there are generator quiet hours as well as camp-wide quiet hours. And since it follows along the river, it is quite scenic too. Find incredible places and experiences that help you bring home a story through This family friendly campground is one of our favorites in the Smokies and we return to it again and again. It also means it gets dark before sunset. This is my biggest pet peeve of frontcountry camping. Hiking in the park with pets is allowed only on roads and two trailsthe Gatlinburg Trail and the Oconaluftee River Trail. Unattended or improperly stored coolers, food and/or scented items may be impounded by campground staff. Campsite List Seasons & Fees Rules & Cancellations The fire rings usually have a grill attached. Quiet hours are from 10 pm- 6 am and no generators between 8 pm and 8 am. No phone sig Enjoy lots of winter activities and snow-covered magical views, especially when visiting the Great Smoky Mountains in December, January, and February. *The Elkmont sewage treatment plant was undergoing maintenance in 2021 so the restrooms were closed. 18 Campgrounds Where You Can Stay Cool This Summer. 1 Show alert Elkmont Campground Great Smoky Mountains National Park Near Gatlinburg, Tennessee (1,554) No Service Reservation Rules Tents must be pitched on the pad. Restaurants that will be open Thanksgiving . ", "Reservations required. Campers come back surprisingly late, usually from a day out in nearby Gatlinburg, so road noise can last into the night. O Last Update: Jan 03, 2023. . You can make a reservation for the Elkmont campground online at Recreation.gov. Please check the descriptions and measurements of individual sites. The Little River is super cold, even in the summer, so rock hopping and wading are popular but the kids will want towels as soon as they get out. Elkmont Campground does NOT have electric, water, or sewer hook-ups. The ice cream vending machine is a perennial kid favorite. From Cherokee, NC: Take Newfound Gap Road (aka U.S. 441) North through the park into Tennessee. The Little River runs through the campground offering visitors the option to camp waterfront. A sign informs visitors about restoration efforts in Elkmont (photo by James Overholt/TheSmokies.com) Elkmont ghost stories: Is Elkmont haunted? Example of specific campsite descriptions from recreation.gov website for Elkmont. Hiking and fishing are not the only reasons for visiting the Smokies: Picnicking, wildlife viewing and auto touring are popular activities. "], pet_restrictions => ["", "Pets are allowed in the campground but must be confined or on a leash (6' maximum). The months with the lowest visitation tend to be in the winter and spring. Definitely go for the G- N loops on the west side of the campground if you cant get a river front site. For older kids, it is super fun to walk through in the evening because it does definitely feel like a ghost town.. Please note that parking tags will be required for vehicles in excess of what is allowable for each campsite. I repeat- There is no electricity/ water/ sewer hookups at any campsite in Elkmont. Let us know. Those leases ended in 1992, meaning the National Park Service could finally demolish the old. and reservations. All of these sites are located near accessible restrooms. Unfortunately, we could not enjoy the area because it rained, and snowed both days Great hiking in the area and the old resort town of Elkmont is not to be missed. The river is about 10 ft down just beyond the edge of the tent pad seen on M6. The Wonderland Hotel was actually separate from the Appalachian Club and was a competing private club intitially that eventually became a public hotel until its lease also ran out in 1992. 9364 Elkmont Ct, Peyton, CO 80831 . Getting there on an afternoon is slow because of Dollywood! PSA over now. (If coming from Pigeon Forge, take the Bypass into the park.) Elkmont Campground is usually open from mid-March until the end of October, though not all sections of the campground are open until May. I wonder if this one is any easier to set up. . The exact opening and closing dates change each year, so be sure to visit the National Park Service's Frontcountry Camping web page for the latest schedule. There are 4 group campsites for parties larger than 6 people (the max that can stay on one regular campsite). Sites are nicely spaced. The little blue i at the bottom tells you about this site specifically and that it is not good for an RV. Not easy to do in the Smokies most of the time. No cell signal whatsoever. On June 12, a bear ripped into a tent at Elkmont Campground in search of food, according to officials. Takes cash or credit card. 343 . *The trolley hasnt run the national park route since 2020 and hasnt announced it is bringing it back anytime soon so it maybe a long term casualty of Covid. There are only 3 ways to get between the east and west sides of Elkmont Campground: the main bridge over the Little River near the ranger station. But these G and H loop riverfront campsites also tend to have great access to the river whereas some of the ones on the K, L, M, and N loops can have steep drops down to the river. Tennessee state law requires bicycle helmets for riders under 16 years of age. When setting goals for the year ahead, its common to think about ways to further invest in your Signup for Roadpass Pro to get premium access to all of these great road travel apps. Campsite K1-4, K6, K7 & K11 and also sites L1-7 . Cosby has 157 sites but still feels uncrowded. Hammocks are permitted but must be hung in the footprint of the reserved campsite,. The walk in sites of B loop (sites B21-36) back up to the Little River Road which can be busy even into the night, especially in early June when people come to watch the fireflies on the Little River and Jakes Creek Trails. Campers may also collect dead and down wood in the park for campfires. I would take about any site on the western side of the campground over A or B loop campsites if I had a choice (excepting the river front campsites). Violators are subject to fines. Ours was not. more. Short but powerful afternoon thunderstorms in the summer are very common. Elkmont Campground with No Dump Station. Can you camp in the Smoky Mountains in the winter? RVs limited to 35 feet, we had no problem with our 30' Class A. I drove around the campground a couple of times and settled upon Camp Site B10 which I felt was the best one available as it was backed up right next to the river.. Generator use is prohibited from May 15 through October 31 in loops A, B, L, M and N. You must check-in with the campground office staff UPON ARRIVAL to complete your reservation. There is a food locker for motorcyclists to use at the ranger station. Our site was nice and level and felt private as we were the only ones on our little road. Almost all of the campsites on the outer loop of the west side are pretty good but L1 is a fantastic site that is my favorite non-riverfront site. Does It Have Electricity/ Water/ Sewer Hookups? While we were there in late June, Laurel Falls was mobbed - at least a hundred cars parked along road to traverse trail that is uneven & very narrow in sections. Bryson City is a fantastic mountain town in western North Carolina that seems to fly under the radar of most visitors to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Or go in the shoulder months of April and November. Dispose of garbage promptly in dumpsters provided. These were converted to 20-year leases in 1952, and renewed in 1972. Getting there on an afternoon is slow because of Dollywood! Simplify your life with weekend getaways (already planned for you), summer destination itineraries, and travel hacks to help you and your kids have a Simply Awesome Trip. . 1608 26th St, Sheffield, Colbert County, AL, 35660 has 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom and a total size of 1,100 square feet. Beginning March 1, valid parking tag is required for any vehicle parking for more than 15 minutes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It has its drawbacks (it can get really crowded, no showers, some of the campsites are small) but its nice family friendly feel plus the great trails and the refreshing Little River on a hot summers day make it a campground we return to over and over again. Does Elkmont Campground have hookups? Bagged ice is $4.97 in park. Generator use is restricted to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Generators may not be left running unattended. Open year-round, Cades Cove Campground borders wild meadows where turkey and bear strut their stuff. Impress your family with new vacation ideas and creative travel insight gleaned from our quarterly mashup. This year (2022), the recreation.gov website had availability for May 2023 in Nov 2022 so it looks like the 6 month release is working. . They look like my dogs chew toys. Nice ranger at check in. Gatlinburg At an elevation of 2,150 feet, the area enjoys a moderate climate, characterized by mild winters and hot, humid summers. This section of the L loop (sites L1- L6) is located on a little rise and is slightly separated from the rest of the campground so it tends to be quieter. Cost of ice is around $3. I camped at Elkmont Campground in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the very first day they were open for the 2016 season. Follow Little River Road approx. The Big Tent is what locals call the annual Quartzsite Sports, Vacation & RV Show in Arizona. The Gatlinburg Trolley has a National Park route that runs between Gatlinburg Mass Transit Center (which is at Ripleys Aquarium) and Elkmont Campground. Our site was level and well-maintained. The campground is well maintained, the bathrooms were clean and the park ranger at the checkin station was very pleasant and answered all our questions. This is the kind we like. The turkeys crossing the Little River Road are cool, but our campsite, B21, is right there in the trees on the left side of the road, not 25 feet from it. 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