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Lakeway Rpod View Drop Down
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Joined: 15 Nov 2017
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Posts: 7 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Great Smokey Mountains
    Posted: 04 Apr 2018 at 2:58pm
Thinking of going to the Great Smokies. Any suggestions for hiking and RV Parks.  Thanks
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Apr 2018 at 4:07pm

Is there any particular area that you are interested in? I have done most of my camping within the National Park. When you say "RV park" are you wanting something outside of the NP that has hookups?
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Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
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Posts: 1446 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Apr 2018 at 6:34pm
I'm in the GSMNP a good bit but I stay in the park campgrounds too.  No hookups.  Water and dump station are available with varying convenience. 

One thing to consider is whether you are coming to the Park or if you want to spend a lot of time and money in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge (a lot of people do!)

The North Carolina side of the Park is a lot quieter, whether you stay in the park or in a commercial campground. The park isn't so big that you can't stay on one side and still get to and do things on the other.  You have to enjoy auto touring and the scenery. 

There are hundreds of miles of hiking trails.  You'd do well to Google "hiking trails in the Smoky Mountain National Park".  The range of trail length, difficulty, locations, w/ or w/o waterfalls, etc., etc., is extensive.  If you want to stay near Gatlinburg you probably don't want to consider trails near Fontana Lake or Cataloochee, for example.

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Posts: 11 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 May 2018 at 12:45pm
We are heading to the Great Smokies the last week in May and we are staying at the Gatlinburg East KOA. We are also spending one night in Cloudland Canyon State Park in Georgia. I will let you know how it goes. 
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Posts: 302 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 May 2018 at 2:35pm
In GSMNP, Elkmont on the TN side is wooded, beautiful and popular.  Smokemont is nice but not as pretty (near Cherokee)
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Posts: 83 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 May 2018 at 4:48pm
Check with the Park Visiter Centers for latest maps, updates and trail conditions. They change daily. 
Michael
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Posts: 6128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 May 2018 at 8:44pm
Boondocking at Balsam Mountain is the best camping the park has to offer, IMHO.. Wink
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Posts: 1446 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 May 2018 at 9:25pm
Originally posted by furpod

Boondocking at Balsam Mountain is the best camping the park has to offer, IMHO.. Wink

Over a mile high and there are some great places to get to nearby.  Did you ever get to talk to Ranger Jack Campbell there?

The Smokies is big and varied enough that for me anyway, where to stay depends a lot on what you want to do while you're there.  For those folks who think the Smokies equals Dollywood or Gatlinburg, Balsam Mountain might not be the best place to camp.

None of the campgrounds inside the park have any hookups at all.  Not all of them, most, really, don't have dump stations, although dump stations are available not horribly inconveniently.  We always stay in the park, but there are plenty of campgrounds at or near the entrances to the park that do have hookups.

Like most parks anymore (as far as I know) you are not allowed to bring in your own firewood.  You have to buy heat treated wood -- or GRMNP does allow you to collect dead and down wood.  A couple of exotic pests have had extreme impacts on the forest recently.  Not to mention the elimination of the Chestnuts roughly a century ago.  Good reasons for paying a little more for bug free wood.

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2018 at 6:52am

Agree with everyone above. Each campground seems to have it's own personality and characteristics. Cosby is my sentimental favorite. It was my first camping in a NP at 18 years old. However, it has been getting busier over the years and even occasionally fills - unheard of back in the day. The area outside the park has been growing also.

Cosby does have a dump station but, it may be difficult for some to use. They installed (about) a 10" riser on the drain. For some, this would mean trying to dump "uphill".

I hope they re-open Look Rock at some point.


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Posts: 6128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2018 at 7:12am
Originally posted by Tars Tarkas


Over a mile high and there are some great places to get to nearby.  Did you ever get to talk to Ranger Jack Campbell there?

The Smokies is big and varied enough that for me anyway, where to stay depends a lot on what you want to do while you're there.  For those folks who think the Smokies equals Dollywood or Gatlinburg, Balsam Mountain might not be the best place to camp.



Never more then a passing "hello" to any rangers there.

But yes, other then going into the back country to do some of the old CCC camp sites.. BM is about "as far as you can get" from the Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Sieverville "experience."
Cataloochee is a solid contender, but being lower in elevation, it's not as cool in the summer. We were just there last month. was beautiful.. Saw several elk, turkeys, deer, etc.. no bears, and we were looking hard..
But the road in isn't for.. everyone, even with only a Pod in tow.. in fact I know some who won't drive it even without a trailer.. LOL. We met 6 horse trailers when we were coming out.. Clap

Also, just off the road over to BM, there is a private CG owned by the Cherokee, "Mile High".. we have never stayed there, but have checked it out.. nice. flush toilets and hot showers.. almost every site is on the edge of the mountain, and the views are pretty fantabulous from any one of them..

Also, to address part of the OP question.. if hiking, be aware, dogs/pets are not allowed on the trails in the park, other then 2 small ones near the park offices/visitor centers. When we go "in season" we use a couple private parks with FHU's so we can leave the pup in air conditioned, history channel watching splendor.
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