|
Frontcountry Campground Video Video Player is loading.
Visit our keyboard shortcuts docs for details
Frontcountry Campground Video List of CampgroundsGreat Smoky Mountains National Park maintains developed frontcountry campgrounds at 10 locations in the park. Cades Cove and Smokemont Campgrounds are open year-round. All other campgrounds are open on a seasonal basis. Select a campground below to learn more. Open
 Smokemont Campground—open year-round—is the closest family campground to Oconaluftee Visitor Center in the South District of the park. At 2,198 feet (670 m), winters are mild and summers are hot and humid. Tent and RV campsites, flush toilets, and drinking water are available. No hookups or showers.
America the Beautiful passes (not accepted in lieu of the parking tag for parking outside your campsite) are sold at the campground ranger station in summer & fall or online through the USGS store. TOTAL SITES: 142 Electric Hookups: 0 RV Only: 44 Tent Only: 0 Walk to/Boat to: 0 Group: 3 Horse: 0 Other: 0 Open
 Cades Cove Campground—open year-round—combines the feel of primitive camping with the modern convenience of flush toilets and drinking water. With an elevation of 1,807 feet (551 m), the climate is moderate, characterized by mild winters and hot, humid summers. No hookups or showers.
America the Beautiful passes (not accepted in lieu of the parking tag for parking outside your campsite) are sold at the campground ranger station in summer & fall or online through the USGS store. TOTAL SITES: 161 Electric Hookups: 0 RV Only: 0 Tent Only: 31 Walk to/Boat to: 0 Group: 4 Horse: 0 Other: 0 Open
 Elkmont Campground—open March 14–November 30, 2025—is the closest family campground to Sugarlands Visitor Center in the North District of the park. At 2,150 feet (655 m), winters are mild and summers are hot and humid. Tent and RV campsites, flush toilets, and drinking water are available. No hookups or showers.
America the Beautiful passes (not accepted in lieu of the parking tag for parking outside your campsite) are sold at the campground ranger station in summer & fall or online through the USGS store. TOTAL SITES: 211 Electric Hookups: 0 RV Only: 0 Tent Only: 25 Walk to/Boat to: 22 Group: 4 Horse: 0 Other: 0 Closed
 Cosby Campground is tucked in the mountains under a canopy of shade. With an elevation of 2,459 feet (750 m), Cosby provides a moderate climate, characterized by mild winters and hot, humid summers. Campsites for both tents and RVs, flush toilets, and drinking water are available. No hookups or showers are available at the campground.
TOTAL SITES: 157 Electric Hookups: 0 RV Only: 0 Tent Only: 134 Walk to/Boat to: 0 Group: 0 Horse: 0 Other: 0 Closed
 Abrams Creek Campground is located beside beautiful Abrams Creek in a remote and secluded setting. With an elevation of 1,125 feet (343 m), the climate is moderate, characterized by mild winters and hot, humid summers. Flush toilets and drinking water are available. No hookups or showers are available at the campground.
TOTAL SITES: 16 Electric Hookups: 0 RV Only: 0 Tent Only: 4 Walk to/Boat to: 0 Group: 0 Horse: 0 Other: 0 Closed
 Big Creek Campground is located beside the beautiful Big Creek in a remote and secluded setting. With an elevation of 1,700 feet (518 m), the climate is moderate, characterized by mild winters and hot, humid summers. Tent-only camping, flush toilets, and drinking water available. No hookups or showers are available at the campground.
TOTAL SITES: 12 Electric Hookups: 0 RV Only: 0 Tent Only: 12 Walk to/Boat to: 0 Group: 0 Horse: 0 Other: 0 Closed
 Cataloochee Campground is located in the historic Cataloochee Valley surrounded by mountain ranges and pristine streams. With an elevation of 2,610 feet (796 m), it is characterized by mild winters and hot, humid summers. It offers traditional camping with the convenience of flush toilets and drinking water. No hookups or showers are available in the campground.
TOTAL SITES: 27 Electric Hookups: 0 RV Only: 0 Tent Only: 0 Walk to/Boat to: 0 Group: 3 Horse: 7 Other: 0 Closed
 Deep Creek Campground is located next to one of the park's most popular creeks. With an elevation of 1,800 feet (549 m), the climate is characterized by mild winters and hot, humid summers. Whether blanketed in bright spring wildflowers or vivid fall colors, the scenery at Deep Creek never disappoints. Hookups and showers are not provided, but flush toilets and drinking water are available.
TOTAL SITES: 92 Electric Hookups: 0 RV Only: 0 Tent Only: 60 Walk to/Boat to: 42 Group: 3 Horse: 0 Other: 0 Closed
 Balsam Mountain Campground is surrounded by mountain ranges and streams. With an elevation of 5,310 feet (1,618 m), summer daytime temperatures rarely exceed 70°F (~21°C) and lows may dip to 50°F (10°C). RV and tent sites plus flush toilets and drinking water are available. No hookups or showers are available at the campground and the restrooms do not have lights.
TOTAL SITES: 43 Electric Hookups: 0 RV Only: 0 Tent Only: 19 Walk to/Boat to: 0 Group: 0 Horse: 0 Other: 0 Closed
 Look Rock Campground is located along the beautiful Foothills Parkway West between Walland, Tennessee and Chilhowee Lake. With an elevation of 2,600 feet (792 m), the climate is characterized by mild winters and hot, humid summers. Flush toilets and drinking water are available. Ten of the sites offer electric and water hookups. No shower facilities are located in the campground.
TOTAL SITES: 68 Electric Hookups: 10 RV Only: 4 Tent Only: 5 Walk to/Boat to: 0 Group: 0 Horse: 0 Other: 0 
AmenitiesEach campground has restrooms with cold running water and flush toilets. Each individual campsite has a fire grate and picnic table. Showers are not available in the park and only some sites at Look Rock Campground provide electric and water hookups. (Shower facilities are available in the communities surrounding the national park. Please inquire about the nearest facilities when you check-in at the campground.) Cades Cove, Elkmont, and Smokemont campgrounds have 5-amp electric outlets for medical equipment use only. Firewood RegulationsOnly heat-treated firewood that is bundled and certified by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) or a state department of agriculture may be brought into the park. Campers may also collect dead and down wood found in the park for campfires. General Regulations
Advance reservations are required. To reserve a frontcountry, group and horse campsite, call 877-444-6777 or visiting Recreation.gov. Additional information about camping reservations, including reservation time frames. Dump Stations for RVsDump stations with potable water are located at Cades Cove, Cosby, Deep Creek, Look Rock, and Smokemont campgrounds. A dump station is also available across the road from the Sugarlands Visitor Center, approximately six miles from Elkmont Campground. Interagency PassesThe America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass is an annual pass that covers entrance fees at sites managed by the National Park Service, USDA Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Land Management. This pass does not provide discounts for camping fees.
|
Last updated: March 14, 2025