Elkmont Group Campground

Elkmont Group Campground is built for one thing: getting your whole crew - scout troop, church group, or three families' worth of cousins - under the trees together in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There are just 4 tent-only group sites, sized for 15 to 30 people, and every one of them is reservation-only through Recreation.gov. You get the useful stuff a big group actually needs: flush toilets, potable water spigots, food storage lockers, and firewood for sale in season. No RVs, no trailers, no cell signal - which, honestly, is kind of the point.

Quick facts

Reservation System: Recreation.gov - reservations are required, no walk-ups.
Reservation Window: Reservations may be made up to twelve months in advance. With only 4 group sites in the whole campground, book the day your window opens.
Reservation Tips: Reservations are required and open up to twelve months in advance on Recreation.gov. Set a calendar reminder for exactly 12 months before your trip date and book at opening - 4 sites do not last.
Season Dates: Open late April until October 31. Seasonally closed October 31, 2026 through May 8, 2027.

Reservations & season

Reservation System: Recreation.gov - reservations are required, no walk-ups.
Reservation Window: Reservations may be made up to twelve months in advance. With only 4 group sites in the whole campground, book the day your window opens.
Reservation Tips: Reservations are required and open up to twelve months in advance on Recreation.gov. Set a calendar reminder for exactly 12 months before your trip date and book at opening - 4 sites do not last.
Season Dates: Open late April until October 31. Seasonally closed October 31, 2026 through May 8, 2027.
Fills Up Speed: With only 4 group sites and a 12-month booking window, expect these to book far in advance for summer and fall weekends.
Per Night Cost: Site #1: $53.00 (30 people max, no RVs or trailers). Site #2: $35.00 (20 max). Site #3: $26.00 (15 max). Site #4: $35.00 (20 max).

Sites & RV fit

Sites Total: 4
Site Types: Tent-only group sites (all 4 sites). No RVs, no trailers.
Site Type Breakdown: 4 group sites, all tent-only. All 4 are reservable; 0 first-come first-served.
RV Max Length: RVs and trailers are not allowed - this is a tent-only group campground.
Group Sites Available: 1
Group Site Capacity: Site #1 holds 30 people; Sites #2 and #4 hold 20 each; Site #3 holds 15.
Hookups: Dry camping only - 0 electrical hookups. Bring your lanterns and battery packs charged.
Site Features: Established fire rings at each site, seasonal food storage lockers, seasonal potable water, flush toilets (seasonal), seasonal dump station, amphitheater (seasonal), camp host on site in season.
Site Privacy: These are dedicated group sites sized for 15-30 people, so expect a shared, communal layout rather than tucked-away solo pads.

Facilities

Bathroom Types: Flush toilets, available seasonally while the campground is open.
Showers Available: No showers on site. Plan on a creek-water face wash or hit a shower in Gatlinburg.
Potable Water: Yes - potable water is available seasonally. Still smart to roll in with a full jug for camp setup.
Dump Station: Yes, a dump station is available seasonally - though with no RVs allowed here, it mostly serves your portable gear.
Trash Service: Trash and recycling collection available seasonally.
Camp Store: Yes - a seasonal camp store with ice available for sale.
Firewood Availability: Firewood is sold on site seasonally. STRICT rule: only heat-treated, certified firewood in original packaging may be brought into the park - or gather dead-and-down wood in the park. Don't move firewood.
Cell Service: No cell phone reception and no internet. Download your offline maps and print the reservation before you leave town.
Nearby Facilities: Gatlinburg, TN (the campground's mailing area) is the closest town for supplies and services.

Access

Vehicle Restrictions: No RVs or trailers allowed at this campground.
Gate Hours: The campground is open all day, every day of the week during its late April-October 31 season.
Nearest Gas Services: Gatlinburg, TN is the nearby gateway town (the campground's address is 434 Elkmont Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738) - fuel up and grab ice before you head in.

Rules & safety

Bear Country: Yes
Food Storage Requirements: Food storage lockers are provided seasonally - use them. This is black bear country; the park requires keeping 100 yards from bears.
Fire Restrictions: Fires are permitted only in established fire rings at campsites. Only heat-treated firewood in original certified packaging may be brought in; dead-and-down wood may be collected in the park.
Alcohol Permitted: 0

What it is like

Onsite Activities: Seasonal amphitheater for ranger programs, plus the group-camp classics: campfire cooking in the established rings and exploring the surrounding Elkmont area.
Wildlife Viewing: This is black bear country - keep 100 yards from bears and wolves and 25 yards from other wildlife, per park rules. Use the food lockers and keep a clean camp.
Noise Level: Expect group-camp acoustics - your neighbors are other large groups. Camp host is on site seasonally to keep things in line.
Best Time To Visit: Anytime within the late April-October 31 operating season your group can actually get a reservation - with only 4 sites, availability decides your dates more than weather does.
Vibe Check: Communal group-camp energy: 4 big tent-only sites, each hosting up to 15-30 people, so expect the happy noise of large parties rather than backcountry solitude. No cell reception means everyone is actually present - a feature, not a bug.
Camp Here If Skip If: BOOK IF: You're wrangling a scout troop, youth group, or family reunion of 15-30 tent campers who want flush toilets, water, and fire rings inside the park. SKIP IF: You have an RV or trailer (not allowed), need showers or hookups, or want a quiet private site for one family - book regular Elkmont Campground instead.
Tips Advice: Book the moment your 12-month Recreation.gov window opens - there are only 4 sites.
Match your headcount to the site: 30 max on Site #1, 20 on Sites #2 and #4, 15 on Site #3.
Don't move firewood - buy certified heat-treated wood on site or gather dead-and-down.
No cell signal: print reservations and download offline maps before you leave Gatlinburg.
No showers here - plan a shower stop in town on multi-night trips.
Use the food storage lockers every night. Bear country is not a suggestion.

More details

Park Area: Elkmont
Sites Tent Only: 4
Sites Group: 4
Family Friendly Notes: Group sites holding 15-30 people are made for scout troops, youth groups, and multi-family trips. Flush toilets, potable water, and a seasonal camp host make it manageable with kids - just drill the food-storage routine early.
Amphitheater: Yes - amphitheater available seasonally.
Nearby Attractions: Elkmont Campground sits in the same Elkmont area, and Daisy Town, the Appalachian Clubhouse, and Little Greenbrier Schoolhouse are among the park's historic sites; Laurel Falls is a popular waterfall in the park.
Snow Season: The campground closes for the season on October 31 and doesn't reopen until late April - the park's secondary roads also close seasonally.
Setup Strategy: Tent-only, so no rig logistics - the strategy is people logistics. Arrive with a site plan: who's cooking at the fire ring, where the 15-30 tents go, and who owns the food-locker checklist. No RVs or trailers are allowed, so carpool in regular vehicles from Gatlinburg.
Bath Laundry Recon: Flush toilets available seasonally - a real win for a group site. No showers and no laundry on site, so pack accordingly or plan a Gatlinburg stop on longer stays.
Review Summary: The word on the trail: this is the Smokies' go-to spot for big tent groups - simple, well-equipped for its job, and hard to get. Campers value the flush toilets, water, and fire rings; the trade-offs are no showers, no hookups, and zero cell signal.
Sources: National Park Service — Great Smoky Mountains National Park fees, hours & conditions: https://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm: 2026-07-05
Climate data: Newfound Gap, Tn Us, 5,040 ft (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, station USC00406500)

Location

Frequently asked questions

Can I bring my RV or camper trailer?

No. This is a tent-only group campground - RVs and trailers are not allowed. If your group includes a rig, look at the park's other campgrounds instead.

Do I need a reservation, or can we just show up?

Reservations are required - there are 0 first-come first-served sites. Book on Recreation.gov, where reservations open up to twelve months in advance.

How big a group can we bring?

Depends on the site: Site #1 holds up to 30 people ($53.00/night), Sites #2 and #4 hold 20 ($35.00/night each), and Site #3 holds 15 ($26.00/night).

Will we have cell service to coordinate our group?

No - there is no cell reception and no internet at the campground. Sort out logistics, print reservations, and download offline maps before you arrive.

Are there bathrooms and showers?

Flush toilets are available seasonally, which is generous for a group camp. There are no showers - plan on cleaning up in town on longer trips.

Can we bring our own firewood for the group fire?

Only heat-treated firewood in its original packaging with USDA or state certification may be brought into the park. You can also buy firewood on site in season or gather dead-and-down wood in the park. Fires go in established fire rings only.

Is it safe to keep our group's food coolers out?

No - this is bear country. Food storage lockers are provided seasonally, and the park requires keeping 100 yards from bears. Assign someone to run the food-storage checklist every night.