Bikes are an extremely common way to get around this super large campground so drive slowly and keep in mind kids under 16 must wear a helmet per TN law. So whats a local to do? Pets are allowed at Elkmont but must be on a physical, max 6 foot leash at all times. The climate is characterized by mild winters and hot, humid summers. If you do not have a reservation and you arrive when the office is closed, you can self-register. The Wonderland Hotel used to sit right at the top of the steps here. All scented items (candles, soap, etc.) It was a long time before I tried again. Go to recreation.gov website for Elkmont- https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232487. The ice cream vending machine is a perennial kid favorite. When you click on a picture on the website, it will take you to even more detailed information about that specific site and even some pictures. * As of March 2023, you will need a parking pass to park anywhere in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for more than 15 minutes. Most have been restored by the park service in recent years. The campground does have modern restrooms with cold water. When the national park was established in 1934, residents had to decide whether they would sell their homes for full value and relocate right away, or they could sell their properties to the National Park Service for a discounted price and get to stay in their homes for the remainder of their lifetime. The campground is divided into loops with names ranging from A-Loop to N-Loop. Gatlinburg, The current campsite fees range from $25 to $27/night. Follow Little River Road approx. Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Is Smoky Mountain National Park open in the winter? There were port-a-potties which were serviced almost daily while we were there and the water fountains and spigots outside the restroom buildings were still operational. Short but powerful afternoon thunderstorms in the summer are very common. You need a minimum of 7 people to use any of the group sites. Turn onto Elkmont Road and drive 1.5 miles to Elkmont . Most importantly, please keep in mind that the Smokies is a temperate rain forest and gets as much rain as the Pacific Northwest. When you click on a specific campsite, you will find multiple pictures and the boxes at the top will tell you max length of RV/motorhome that can be parked at that site or if it is for tent only. GP 04 is a great group campsite in Elkmont that is large and away from the other sites. Our favorite family hikes in the Smokies are not too long nor exhausting and typically have a highlighted feature such as a waterfall, creek, or historic cabin that the kids will enjoy. a small walking trail over a second bridge that connects the end of Loop N to the Jakes Creek trailhead and the Elkmont Historic District. RVs should stop at Sugarlands before checking into their site to dump and to stock up on water. Reservations are required to camp in Elkmont Campground, which is typically open from mid-April to late November. 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). Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a hiker's paradise, with over 800 miles of maintained trails ranging from short, leg-stretchers to strenuous treks, with a number of those trails easily accessible from Elkmont Campground. They may or may not have hand dryers or paper towels, so bring your own hand towels with you. Sites open to RVs can accommodate vehicles up to 35 feet long, though each site has specific length limits. Hammock camping is fairly popular at Elkmont. A mile or so up Jakes Creek Trail takes you an unmarked spur trail to Avent Cabin, one of the oldest in the park and built in 1845. Elkmont has one of the more thorough recreation.gov websites. Handicap-accessible campsite A26 with lantern post and tall grill / fire pit. So there is still some demolition debris around. If you forgot your site number, check the Late Arrival bulletin board at the campground office. Younger kids seem to get more out of it than older but everyone likes the underwater shark tunnel. All food must be stored in food storage boxes (if provided) or in your vehicle. The dump and fill station is located approximately 6 miles away from the campground. The climate in this part of the Smokies is not that different than the surrounding area, mostly because Elkmont is not at a particularly high elevation (only 2150 feet). That will end badly (personal experience talking here). Reservations can be made online at Recreation.gov or by calling (877) 444-6777. Its close to great trails, the popular Cades Cove, has plenty of good restaurants, and its still close enough to Sevierville if you want to visit Dollywood or shop at the outlets. The rangers and the campground host do patrol around during the day and will write you up or even confiscate stuff if you are particularly egregious. The National Park has a great section on Elkmonts history and it is well worth a read to understand why the buildings are there and why some only have chimneys and foundations left. Each campsite has a fire ring, picnic table, and tent pad. Have you ever visited the abandoned resort town in the Smoky Mountains? You dont actually need to pay for a parking pass for your campsite but you will if you want to take your car anywhere else in the park. 2023 Visit My Smokies, The ONLY site you need to plan your Smoky Mountain vacation, is a website owned and operated by Sevier County, Tennessee. Turn left at Sugarlands Visitor Center. It is also only 20 minutes from Gatlinburg, a kitschy mountain town loaded with family- friendly attractions. If youre lucky, you may even witness a frozen wonderland of icicles and cascades frozen in their tracks along the tributaries of the Little River in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. CATALOOCHEE CLINGMANS DOME COSBY DEEP CREEK ELKMONT FONTANA DAM GATLINBURG GREENBRIER NOLAND CREEK SMOKEMONT TREMONT TWENTYMILE Elkmont Campground Map (click to view or download PDF) See the Elkmont Region web page for an interactive location map. 4. If you would love to see Clingmans without sacrificing your sanity, then take advantage of the relative nearness of Elkmont Campground and plan an early morning start. Check out time is noon. They look like my dogs chew toys. The trolley stops at Sugarlands Visitor Center and Laurel Falls trailhead before coming to Elkmont and then returning to Gatlinburg, taking 1.5 hours to do the complete loop. *Food safety has become a real problem in recent years, including in 2022 when a bear attacked people that had food in their tent at Elkmont. Almost every campsite is well- shaded from the trees and the surrounding mountains which is nice in the summer and means it gets cold fast in the evening in the fall/ spring. Best campsites, best activities, how to explore the cove without people- all the hacks and know-how I have accumulated over the years to make your familys trip the best it can be. Then you have to circle the parking lot up there for an hour or more until a parking spot opens up. No scooters or skateboards though. There is a store by the ranger station which I give quotation marks to because it is really not much more than a glorified walk in closet. You have successfully signed up for the monthly newsletter. All thats left now is some stacked stone chimneys and foundations. Located eight miles from Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Elkmont Campground is the largest and busiest campground in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, making a great place for camping near Nashville. Beginning March 1, 2023, valid parking tags will be required on any vehicles parking for longer than 15 minutes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Or at any campground in the Smokies. Firewood Restriction: Only heat-treated firewood bundled in its original packing and bearing a certification seal from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) or a state department of agriculture may be brought into the park. And it can be a great option for that rainy/overly cold day when you need something to entertain the kids. There is a lot to do in this area, and it's easily accessible, making it a good . Toilet paper is usually okay but I would bring a roll just in case. Take a left at the sign for Elkmont Nature Trail, where youll find a parking lot. Elkmont Campground is open between January 1 - November 1 so be sure to plan accordingly. Bundles of certified heat-treated firewood are available for sale in the communities surrounding the national park. Having camped at both as children and as adults, we give you the breakdown of the pros and cons of each. Check out time is 12 pm and you can check in after 1 pm. Campsite E1 on the Little River at Elkmont Campground, Handicap-accessible campsite E3 on the Little River at Elkmont Campground. One of the most popular trails in the park, this is an old logging road/railroad bed so it is wide and fairly flat, at least for the first few miles. In 1961, the Elmont Campground was opened, bringing people from all over the country to Elkmont. The most current rates are given on the Recreation.gov website. The road leads not just to the campground but also to the trailheads for the popular Little River Trail and Jakes Creek trails so you can have lots of people during the day plus a surprising amount of early morning hikers. Mountain ranges and a pristine river are the backdrop for your Elkmont adventure. + Clean restrooms + Small shop with the essentials open during the day with vending at all hours. This kinda depends on the rangers on duty as people definitely violate this rule all the time, but I have seen a ranger get upset about 2 massive tents in one campsite because one was nowhere near the tent pad. I would hike the trails first and then come back to Metcalf Bottoms for a picnic while the kids splash in the river. The logging railway contributed to turning the town into a top vacation destination! Elkmont is strictly an overnight campground; there are no day-use facilities. The river sites in G and H loops (on the west side of the campground) can get some road noise from the Little River Road across the river from the campsites. Elkmont Campground is one of 10 frontcountry camping options inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. If you arrive . Bring soap and toilet paper. You can also gather wood inside the park that is on the ground and dead. 37738, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. Cades Cove is notoriously the busiest area of the Smokies. If you want to bring 2 large tents, then make it easier on yourself and reserve 2 campsites. In general, I like the south end of the west side of Elkmont best- I think it is the quietest and the campsites are the biggest. The terrain at Elkmont is fairly flat, but regardless, all sites have level 16 x 16 tent pads on which to pitch your tent. Overall, the B sites are small and offer little privacy. 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