The Best Campgrounds in the Great Smoky Mountains
The flowers are blooming, and temperatures are on the rise. Camping season is here, and it’s time to slip into your hiking boots and pack the car with sleeping bags, tents and coolers. The Great Smoky Mountains, the mountain range lining the Tennessee and North Carolina Border, are home to America’s most visited national park The Great Smoky Mountains for valid reasons. The Smokies are known across the world for the diversity of animals, plants and breathtaking views. If you’re headed to the Smokies, whether you’re going for a day trip or week-long excursion, you’ll want to choose the campground that meets all of your outdoor adventure needs.
Sevierville Sites – Campgrounds in the Great Smoky Mountains
Sevierville, Tenn., is home to a number of campgrounds that are perfect for family or adult camping in tents or luxury cabins. The Ripplin Waters Campground is ideal for campers who want to sleep mountainside but also enjoy some of the conveniences of home life. The campground includes 156 shady campsites with full hookups for RVs, 50 riverside tent camping sites and four cozy cabins. Your kids will be happy about the outdoor swimming pool and playground, and it’s hard not to appreciate the modern bath houses and camp store with everything from RV supplies to laundry detergent. Reservations are possible but not required unless you want a cabin rental. Pets are allowed everywhere except inside the cabins, and free Wi-Fi is available throughout the campground.
The Griffin Island Campground is a more low-key alternative to the huge RV resorts available in Sevierville. This scenic, 32-acre campground sits on Douglas Lake and offers full hook-up sites for RVs as well as a number of tent sites. Their camper, pontoon and paddle boat rentals set them apart from all other campgrounds in the area. The Griffin Island Campground offers a much more down-to-earth experience for campers with a lake instead of pools, and grills and picnic areas instead of posh restaurants. This campsite is available seven days a week year-round, and reservations are available but not required. Don’t forget your fishing pole, because Douglas Lake is rated one of the top Crappie fishing lakes in the country.
Pigeon Forge Also Has A Rustic Side -Campgrounds in the Great Smoky Mountains
Pigeon Forge is known for being the home of Dolly Parton’s themepark, Dollywood, but it’s also a gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Because the town hosts so many tourists each year, Pigeon Forge has a number of campgrounds offering tent sites, RV hookups and cabin rentals. The Alpine Hideaway Campground, resting between two mountains, is perfect for your next romantic getaway. This rustic, old-time campground offers 80 campsites for tent and RV camping. Thirteen down-home, country cabins are available for a less rugged experience, each with its own microwave, TV and refrigerator. This intimate camping setting provides a camping experience you’ll never find at the big RV parks.
Gatlinburg In Touch With Nature – Campgrounds in the Great Smoky Mountains
When you’re hiking on the trails of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Gatlinburg, there’s always a campground nearby. One of the most diverse campgrounds in Gatlinburg is Camp LeConte. Camp LeConte offers primitive tent camping sites, RV sites, luxury tree houses and safari tents, all available for reservations from Memorial Day to Thanksgiving. This campground was originally opened in 1960 and when it was closed in 2007, a couple of new owners decided to create Gatlinburg’s most unique camping experience. Bring your significant other or whole family to enjoy the heated pool, Gatlinburg trolley stop or the endless beauty of the Smokies.
If you want to spend your days hiking the endless trails of the Smokies and just want a place to pitch your tent at night, head to the Adventure Bound Camping Resort in Gatlinburg. They offer primitive tent sites, tent sites with electric hookups and stream-side, deck tent sites. Value rates are available from March 29 to May 23 and Sept. 2 to Nov. 3. Don’t feel neglected if you’re looking for RV sites or cabin rentals, because the Adventure Bound Camping Resort offers a variety of rentals available for reservation.
Camping season is here and with such a broad selection of campgrounds to choose from in the Great Smoky Mountains, it’s time to set the dates and pack the car for your next camping adventure.
