Anyone Camped in the Smokies before? Please Help!

[armomof3lvsdisney]

I know this not a ? about camping at WDW, but I was hoping someone here could help me. My family is going to the Smokies in June (DH, Me, DS15, DD12, and DD10) We are going to camp in Elkmont. I want to make the reservation today, but I'm not sure which site to pick. All of the river sites are full. Which loop is the best. I have searched all kinds of camping forum and reviews and I can find reviews on Elkmont, but no one mentions specific loops or sites. So I have come to the most reliable forum I know the Disboards. TIA

 

[db2dzny]

We've never camped at Elkmont before but have camped in Townsend..."the quiet side of the Smokies" and loved it! We ususally camp at Little River Village...it's been a while...don't know if it's still owned by same family but was a great campground. Good luck!

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

We've never camped at Elkmont before but have camped in Townsend..."the quiet side of the Smokies" and loved it! We ususally camp at Little River Village...it's been a while...don't know if it's still owned by same family but was a great campground. Good luck!

Little River Village is now a KOA, still very nice though, we have water front sites reserved for July . As for Elkmont it is part of the National Park service and I think they have made it possible to rent sites online. I'm not sure how it works but o google search for Great Smokey Mt. National Park might be a good place to start.

 

[big kahuna1]

Although the National Park Campgrounds in the Smokies are Beautiful, I believe they are only electric and water hookups...and I may be wrong about the electric.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

Although the National Park Campgrounds in the Smokies are Beautiful, I believe they are only electric and water hookups...and I may be wrong about the electric.

I think you are right, they are "primitive" although there may be a few sites with electric.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

Ok here is the page from the Park, it seems that many area of Elkmont are cloesed due to lack of staff, maybe that is way you can't find the sites you want, they may npt open them up for ressies until thye have staff. Also if I remember June is when the "synchronized fireflies" are out and Elkmont is a very popular place to see this from.
http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/frontcountry-camping.htm

 

[5happycampers]

Hi. We live in Bristol, TN and spend alot of town camping in the Smokey area.
We have two reservations for Elkmont coming up.

First, do you need hookups? There are none. The dump is good 6 mile drive! We drove through Elkmont last weekend to check out sites and I checked out a bathhouse. It was fine. However, there is no hot water and no shower facilities.

Not all of the loops are open yet. However, there is not alot of camping going on there yet. You can check site sizes by going to reserveamerica.com. See what is available for your time frame. Then, check the size and the location.

We want to be in a generator site. So, we will be in site in the C section for the firefly weekend and then in the F section in August.

It is so beautiful there!

If you are wanting something with hookups, I love the Townsend area.
We stay at Little River, and we like the river front sites. It is now a KOA, however, it is still run by the same family. If you are interested in the Gatinburg/Pigeon Forge area, I can give you some info on those campgrounds.

I am planning on camping down there this next weekend. (at Jellystone, not Elkmont as DH has to be able to watch the KU basketball game Saturday) If you have reserved a site by then, I can try and go take picture of it for you. It just depends on if that area is open or not.

I have pics up on webshots of several of the campgrounds down there. Send me a pm and I will give you the link if you are interested.

It's a beautiful area and I hope you enjoy your stay! We visited Gatlinburg 6 years ago and said we would love to live near there someday (we are from St. Louis) and then DH's job brought us here 3 years ago... : )

 

[zoom8942]

we camped in a pop up at elkmont about 5 years ago and my kids would rather do it again than go to disney.(i cant imagine) It was all primitive then, but we had a river site, and it was awesome. there are flush toilets and cold running water. I didnt catch wen you are going, but we went the begininng of june and got to see the fireflies. even my dh was immpressed, and thats hard to do. hope you have fun!!!!!!!sorry, had i taken the time to read I would have seen you were going in June and people had already meantioned the fireflies. The other good thing I liked about elkmont was the ghosttown. it actually was kinda sad to see what used to be such nice homes going to waste.

 

[5happycampers]

It is still primitive. We are going for the fireflies this year and cannot wait.
How far of a hike did you have to make to see them?

We took the only site left for the fireflies that we could fit in, but have a river site booked for September.

 

[armomof3lvsdisney]

Thank you so much for the responses, we are checking in on June 21st and leaving the 28th. I booked C4, really wanted a river site but they were all gone. Will the Fireflys still be there. Also, have your kids tubed on the river, and if so what kind of tube did you have. Another ? is there a place in town to take a shower and how much does it cost. I really getting excited about going. We are either going to stay in a tent or rent a pop-up haven't decided yet.

5happycampers what site in C are you staying in. Are the sites pretty private. Thank you so much for all of your input, I knew I could get good info on the DIS.

 

[PolynesianPixie]

Thank you so much for the responses, we are checking in on June 21st and leaving the 28th. I booked C4, really wanted a river site but they were all gone. Will the Fireflys still be there. Also, have your kids tubed on the river, and if so what kind of tube did you have. Another ? is there a place in town to take a shower and how much does it cost. I really getting excited about going. We are either going to stay in a tent or rent a pop-up haven't decided yet.

5happycampers what site in C are you staying in. Are the sites pretty private. Thank you so much for all of your input, I knew I could get good info on the DIS.

I love the Smokies, but have never camped there. the closest we got was Deep Creek near Cherokee. It is beautiful there, though!

What part of AK are you in? We lived in Bentonville for a few years.

 

[armomof3lvsdisney]

I love the Smokies, but have never camped there. the closest we got was Deep Creek near Cherokee. It is beautiful there, though!

What part of AK are you in? We lived in Bentonville for a few years.

We live about 10 miles south of Fayetteville. I just thought of another ? do the campsites at Elkmont have a grill.

 

[5happycampers]

I do not believe they have a grill. I was going to spend the weekend in Pigeon Forge and run over to take pics of Elkmont. However, the weather is yucky. So, hoping to go next weekend!