Campground
Elkmont Campground
Elkmont is the classic big family campground of the Smokies' North District - 211 sites at 2,150 feet, the closest campground to Sugarlands Visitor Center. You get tent and RV sites, flush toilets, and drinking water in season, but no hookups and no showers, so plan your rig and your washing-up accordingly. Sites come with paved driveways and tent pads, and the whole place runs on reservations through Recreation.gov. It's mild in winter and hot and humid in summer - a solid base camp for a straightforward family trip.
Quick facts
- Reservation System
- Recreation.gov - reservations required
- Reservation Window
- Book up to six months in advance
- Reservation Tips
- Reservations are required - set an alarm for the day your dates open on Recreation.gov, up to six months out
- Season Dates
- Closed seasonally: gates lock November 29, 2026 and reopen April 3, 2027 (check NPS for exact dates each year)
Reservations & season
- Reservation System
- Recreation.gov - reservations required
- Reservation Window
- Book up to six months in advance
- Reservation Tips
- Reservations are required - set an alarm for the day your dates open on Recreation.gov, up to six months out
- Season Dates
- Closed seasonally: gates lock November 29, 2026 and reopen April 3, 2027 (check NPS for exact dates each year)
- Per Night Cost
- $30.00 per site, per night
- Passes Accepted
- America the Beautiful passes are sold at the campground ranger station in summer and fall (they are not accepted in lieu of the parking tag for parking outside your campsite)
Sites & RV fit
- Sites Total
- 211
- Site Types
- Tent, RV, tent-only, walk/boat-to, group
- Site Type Breakdown
- 211 total: 25 tent-only, 22 walk/boat-to, 4 group, 0 RV-only, 0 electrical hookups
- RV Max Length
- 35 feet max for RVs; 32 feet max for trailers
- Group Sites Available
- 1
- Group Site Capacity
- Standard sites allow up to six people per campsite; group site headcount limit not published
- Hookups
- Dry camping only - no hookups of any kind
- Site Features
- Fire ring at each site, tent pad (where provided), paved driveway, seasonal food storage lockers
- Ground Type
- Designated tent pads where provided - tents must be pitched on the pad; driveways are paved
Facilities
- Bathroom Types
- Flush toilets (seasonal)
- Showers Available
- No showers on site - plan on a wash-basin routine or a trip to town
- Potable Water
- Spigots available in season (seasonal potable water)
- Dump Station
- No dump station on site; the closest is six miles away at Sugarlands Visitor Center
- Trash Service
- Trash and recycling collection provided (seasonal)
- Camp Store
- Yes - seasonal camp store with ice and firewood for sale
- Firewood Availability
- Firewood sold on site seasonally; you may collect dead and downed wood in the park. Don't move firewood - only USDA or state-certified heat-treated bundles may be brought in
- Cell Service
- No cell phone reception and no internet - download offline maps first
- Nearby Facilities
- The campground address is 434 Elkmont Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738; Sugarlands Visitor Center is six miles from camp
Access
- Road Type
- Paved roads throughout; site driveways are also paved
- Road Conditions
- Paved access roads suitable for standard vehicles - keep wheels, including trailer wheels, on the pavement
- Vehicle Restrictions
- No more than two motor vehicles or one vehicle with trailer per campsite; park only in designated spaces; trailers to 32 feet allowed
- Clearance Needed
- Standard clearance - paved roads
- Elevation
- 2,150 feet (655 m)
- Accessibility
- Ten accessible campsites, accessible restrooms, accessible paths to restrooms and parking, and a wheelchair-accessible amphitheater; roads and site driveways are paved
- ADA Accessible Sites
- Ten accessible campsites; restrooms are accessible, with accessible paths to restrooms and parking areas
Rules & safety
- Bear Country
- Yes
- Food Storage Requirements
- Food and anything used to prepare or store it must be sealed in a vehicle or a hard-sided camping unit at all times when not in use; seasonal food storage lockers available
- Fire Restrictions
- Campfires permitted only in the established fire rings provided at each campsite
- Generator Hours
- Generator use is prohibited 8 pm-8 am
- Quiet Hours
- 10 pm-6 am
- Max Stay Limit
- 14 consecutive days at a time
- Alcohol Permitted
- 0
What it is like
- Onsite Activities
- Seasonal amphitheater for ranger programs; the park's trail network includes the Little River Trail and the Little River, Cucumber Gap, Jakes Creek Loop
- Trailheads Nearby
- Park trails in the area include the Little River Trail and the Little River, Cucumber Gap, Jakes Creek Loop - check the park map for trailhead access from camp
- Wildlife Viewing
- This is Smokies bear country - keep 100 yards from bears and 25 yards from other wildlife, per park rules
- Best Time To Visit
- The campground operates roughly April through late November (closed Nov 29, 2026-Apr 3, 2027); summers run hot and humid at this elevation, so shoulder-season trips inside the operating window are the comfortable play
- Vibe Check
- This is a big developed campground - 211 sites - not a backcountry hideaway. It's the closest family campground to Sugarlands Visitor Center, run entirely on reservations, with quiet hours at 10 pm and generators off by 8 pm. Expect a family base-camp feel rather than solitude.
- Camp Here If Skip If
- BOOK IF: You want a big, developed family base camp near Sugarlands with flush toilets, drinking water, and paved pads for a rig up to 35 feet. SKIP IF: You need hookups, showers, an on-site dump station, or cell signal - none of those exist here.
- Tips Advice
- - Book on Recreation.gov the day your six-month window opens. - No showers here: pack a wash basin or plan a town run. - No cell signal: download offline maps and print your reservation. - Bring USDA heat-treated firewood or buy it at the seasonal camp store - don't move firewood. - Seal food in the vehicle or a hard-sided unit whenever it's not in use. - RVers: dump before you arrive or use the station six miles away at Sugarlands.
More details
- Park Area
- North District, near Sugarlands Visitor Center
- Sites Tent Only
- 25
- Sites Group
- 4
- Family Friendly Notes
- A developed family campground with flush toilets, drinking water in season, paved driveways, tent pads, and a seasonal amphitheater for ranger programs - up to six people per site keeps the whole crew together
- Amphitheater
- Yes - seasonal amphitheater (wheelchair accessible)
- Nearby Attractions
- Sugarlands Visitor Center is six miles from camp; Daisy Town and the Appalachian Clubhouse are among the park's listed historic sites, and Laurel Falls and Cataract Falls are on the park's attraction list
- Temperature Ranges
- At 2,150 feet, winters are mild and summers are hot and humid; mountain weather can flip from warm and sunny to cold and rainy fast, so pack layers and rain gear in every season
- Setup Strategy
- Expect a developed campground with paved internal roads and paved site driveways - keep every wheel on the pavement, including trailer and guest-car wheels. RVs to 35 feet and trailers to 32 feet fit; there are no hookups and no on-site dump station, so arrive with full fresh water and empty tanks. Tents go on the pad where one is provided.
- Bath Laundry Recon
- Flush toilets in season, but no showers and no laundry on site. Water spigots run seasonally. Plan a wash-basin routine at camp or a laundry-and-shower run into town.
Location
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a site without a reservation?
No - reservations are required at Elkmont, with zero first-come, first-served sites. Book on Recreation.gov up to six months in advance.
Will my RV fit?
RVs up to 35 feet and trailers up to 32 feet are allowed. There are no hookups and no electrical sites, and the closest dump station is six miles away at Sugarlands Visitor Center, so arrive self-contained.
Is it worth it without showers or hookups?
If you want the closest family campground to Sugarlands with flush toilets, seasonal drinking water, and paved sites for $30.00 a night, yes. If showers and power are must-haves, this isn't your spot.
Can I bring my own firewood?
Only heat-treated firewood that is bundled and certified by the USDA or a state agency may be brought into the park. Otherwise, buy it at the seasonal camp store or collect dead and downed wood in the park.
Do I need to worry about bears?
Yes - this is bear country. Keep food and anything used to prepare or store it sealed in your vehicle or a hard-sided camping unit whenever it's not in use, and stay 100 yards from bears.
Will I have cell service to check in with home?
No - there's no cell reception and no internet at the campground. Download offline maps, print your reservation, and tell folks your plan before you drive in.
Can I run my generator at night?
No - generator use is prohibited from 8 pm to 8 am, and quiet hours run 10 pm to 6 am.
More at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Elkmont Group Campground
Four tent-only group sites for 15-30 campers in the Smokies. Reserve early - there are only four of them.
Deep Creek Campground
Creekside camping at 1,800 ft: 92 sites, flush toilets, no hookups. Book 6 months out.
Cades Cove Campground
159 year-round sites at the mouth of the Smokies' most famous valley — store, bikes, and bears out front.
Smokemont Campground
142 riverside sites on the quiet NC side — open year-round, with elk grazing nearby.
Elkmont Campground
The park's largest camp — ~220 riverside sites near Gatlinburg, and firefly-show central in June.
Cosby Campground
157 shady, low-key sites in a quiet NE-Tennessee corner — the locals' pick for tent and hammock camping.
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Sources
- National Park Service
- YourNPGuide Editorial
Editorial review: YourNPGuide Editorial Team. Information is compiled from official sources, verified traveler reviews, and editorial research; no firsthand visit is implied unless explicitly documented. Learn how YourNPGuide works.
Last updated July 2026. Report an issue.