See the Elkmont Region web page for an interactive location map.
TYPE OF CAMPING
Elkmont Campground can accommodate tent campers, RVs up to 35 feet long, and other self-contained sleeping vehicles. The campground is divided into loops with names ranging from A-Loop to N-Loop. The campground also has group campsites. See the Elkmont Group Campground web page here on National Park Planner for details and photos of this campground.
CAMPING SEASON
Elkmont Campground is usually open from mid-March until the end of November, though not all sections of the campground are open early or late in the season. The exact opening and closing dates change each year, so be sure to visit the National Park Service’s Frontcountry Camping web page for the latest schedule.
NUMBER OF SITES
The 212-site Elkmont Campground is the largest campground in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and it is popular due to its proximity to both Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and Cades Cove. However, many campers will opt for the Cades Cove Campground before Elkmont, so you are more likely to get a campsite here during busy summer weekends and the fall. I camped at Elkmont on a weekend in late October because Cades Cove, my first choice, was booked solid; there were still some empty sites at Elkmont.
All sites at Elkmont Campground are open to tent campers. Twenty-five sites spread randomly throughout the campground are for tent campers only, plus there are 18 walk-in tent sites in the B Loop and 4 in the A Loop. Walk-in means that you park your car in a common lot and carry your gear up to 75 yards to the campsite as opposed to parking right next to your campsite. I don’t understand the appeal of walk-in campsites, but some people want to get farther away from the road when camping—I want to put forth as little effort as possible. During my recent October visit, walk-in campsites were all that remained when I tried to make a reservation a month in advance.
One hundred and sixty-five sites are open to RVs, though some of the sites are in generator-free areas designed to attract tent campers. RVs are still welcome in these areas.
All sites hold up to six people and two vehicles.
CAMPSITE NOTES
The following are a few observations about the different campsites at the Elkmont Campground that may come in handy when trying to decide which site to pick.
A SITES
Campsites A5, A7, A9, and A11 are walk-in sites situated along a small creek that runs through the campground (not the Little River). All four sites are a long walk from the parking area. With A9 and A11 you must also walk down stairs to get to the camping area. Per the campground map, the adjacent A13, A14, and A16, which allow RVs as well as tents, are next to the creek, but only A14 is right on it.
A28 is on a slope, so you may want to avoid it if you are in an RV.
B SITES
Campsites B2, B3, and B4, as well as sites B21 through B36 are walk-in campsites. Keep in mind that the campground map just shows site numbers and is not accurate as to where the sites really are. Sites that look like they are close to the parking area may be nowhere near it. Sites B22, B23, and B25 are close to the parking lot. Sites B21 through B24 are off by themselves, so if you want privacy, these are the ones to get.
Campsite B25 at Elkmont Campground in Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the closest walk-in site to the parking lot
B17 and B18 are right on a small creek and are pretty private, so I’d consider these prime spots. B13, B14, and B16 are also private, but they are not on the creek.
If you are in an RV, avoid B11 due to an extremely sloped driveway.
B5 through B10 are on the Little River. However, all of the driveways are really sloped, so RVers may want to avoid them.
C SITES
C1, C2, and C2 are on the Little River.
Campsite on the Little River in the C Loop of Elkmont Campground in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
D SITES
Campsites D1, D3, D4, and D6 are on the Little River.
E SITES
Sites E1, E3, E5, E7, and E9 are on the Little River.
E3 is a handicap-accessible campsite.
Handicap-accessible campsite E3 on the Little River at Elkmont Campground in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
F SITES
Campsites F1, F3, F5, F6, and F8 are on the Little River. The driveways are also level and perfect for RVs. F8 is off by itself and right on the river. From what I was told, it is the most sought after campsite at Elkmont Campground.
Campsite F8 is the most sought after site at Elkmont Campground in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
G SITES
Campsites G3, G4, G5, G7, G9, G11, G12, and G14 are on the Little River. G1 and G2 appear to be along the river if you look at the campground map, but they are not.
G4 is a handicap-assessable site with a lantern pole and a tall grill / fire pit.
G5 is for tents only, though it looks no different than the other G sites.
The G25 driveway is fairly sloped, but the adjacent campsite driveways are level.
The G sites tend to be packed together, so if you are looking for privacy, your best bet is G26, which is off by itself.
H SITES
Campsites H1, H3, and H5 are on the Little River. There is also an H6 campsite on the river, but this does not appear on the reservation website. Perhaps it is reserved for camp hosts or in need of repair, but it is not available to the general public.
J SITES
Campsites J8, J10, J12, and J14 are right on the Little River. J16 is technically on the river, but it is so far away that it does not count as being a riverside site. Campsite J7, while not on the river, has a clear view of it from across the street. Views from all other campsites across the street from the river are blocked by the riverside campsites.
K SITES
Campsite K16 is on the Little River.
L SITES
The L1 and L2 campsites have sloped driveways, so avoid these if you are in an RV. The rest of the sites are fairly level.
L14 is on a small hill that overlooks the Little River, so this is a prime site in the L section.
Site L3 has a view of a small creek on the other side of the road.
M SITES
Campsite M6 is on a small creek.
N SITES
Campsites N1, N2, and N3 are for tents only due to the sloped driveways that are not suitable for RVs. Sites N5 and N6, also tents-only site, have a view of a creek on the other side of the road. N7 is actually on the creek.
AMENITIES
Like all campgrounds at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, there are no showers at Elkmont, but there are private companies and private campgrounds that offer fee-based shower facilities outside of the park. Ask the campground host for directions to the closest one. The campground does have modern restrooms with cold water. They may or may not have hand dryers or paper towels, so bring your own hand towels with you. A dump station is located at the Sugarlands Visitor Center six miles away.
There are no water or electricity hook-ups at the campsites with the exception of 5-amp connections for medical devices at three sites reserved for disabled visitors (sites A03, D09, and G06). There are 10 wheelchair-accessible sites in all. In addition to being near the restrooms, these sites have lantern posts and tall grills / fire pits. These are great if you are trying to cook while seated in a wheelchair, but they suck for campfires because the fire is at the bottom of the metal canister.
Handicap-accessible campsite A26 at Elkmont Campground in Great Smoky Mountains National Park has a lantern post and tall grill / fire pit
Elkmont Campground has a camp store that sells basic camping supplies, ice, and firewood. Snacks, coffee, and sodas are sold via vending machines. It is only open Monday through Saturday from 3 PM to 8 PM during the main camping season.
The terrain at Elkmont is fairly flat, but regardless, all sites have level 16′ x 16′ tent pads on which to pitch your tent. You can have as many tents as you can fit on the pad, though realistically that means two tents in most cases. Those with more tents than pad space must pay for a second campsite. Picnic tables and a grill / fire ring are standard on all sites.
Sites open to RVs can accommodate vehicles up to 35 feet long, though each site has specific length limits. Recreation.gov gives details on each campsite including maximum vehicle length. All sites have back-in parking spaces.
No generators are allowed in Loops A, B, L, M, and N.
A few sites are located along the Little River and a smaller creek that runs through the middle of the campground.
RESERVATIONS
Reservations are required year-round for all campsites at Elkmont Campground. Reservations can be made up to six months in advance online at Recreation.gov or by calling (877) 444-6777. When making a reservation online you will be given information about the size of the parking areas, so choose appropriately if you are in an RV or towing a trailer. In addition, Recreation.gov provides photos of the sites. They may not show all angles, but viewing them is better than picking blindly.
If you try to make a reservation and the entire campground is booked solid, check back every chance you get because people cancel all the time and the sites immediately go back up for sale. I’ve gotten campsites at Great Smoky Mountains National Park two hours after I couldn’t get one the first time I tried to make a reservation.
Campsites not reserved in advance are available on a first come, first served basis on the day of your arrival for that night only. You can use the reservation system to book campsites for additional days, but you may have to move to a new campsite if the one you pick is booked the next day (or there may be no campsites at all next day). Inquire about available sites at the campground office if it is open. If you arrive when the office is closed, you can self-register. To do so, check the office bulletin board for a list of campsites that are available FOR THAT NIGHT ONLY and pick from one of these. Do not drive around looking for an empty site because no occupation notice is attached to the campsite post. Someone with a reservation may show up at midnight. If a campsite is available, you can pay in the morning and hopefully make a reservation for the rest of your stay.
The Elkmont Campground is not gated, so you can check in after hours. If you have a reservation and arrive when the campground office is closed, proceed to your site and register in the morning. If you forgot your site number, check the Late Arrival bulletin board at the campground office. Please note that I forgot my site number when camping at another of the campgrounds at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the site information was not available as it should have been. I had to drive back to the nearest town where I could get a cell phone signal so I could log into Recreation.gov and find my number. Lesson learned—don’t forget your site number.
FEES
The current campsite fees are $30/night. Owners of a Senior or Access pass receive a discount.
Prices can always change. The most current rates are given on the Recreation.gov website.
CAMPGROUND RULES
- Check out time is noon. Check in is 1 PM.
- All food must be stored in food storage boxes (if provided) or in your vehicle.
- Stays within Great Smokey Mountains National Park are limited to 14 consecutive days at any one campground, and no more than 60 total camping days in a year. If you wish to camp more than 14 days at a particular campground, you must leave that campground for at least one day before returning. To do this, you can return home or simply switch to another campground for a day.
- Park on the pavement only and/or in designated spaces.
- Do not bring your own firewood to Great Smokey Mountains National Park. Firewood is available for sale at the Elkmont Camp Store. You can also gather wood inside the park that is on the ground and dead.
- Pets are allowed as long as they stay on a leash no longer than six feet. However, no pets are allowed on the hiking trails, other than horses, and you cannot leave them unattended at your campsite.
- Alcohol is permitted in the campground as long as the people drinking are at least 21-years-old, which goes without saying.
- Quiet hours are in effect from 10 pm to 6 am.
- Hammocks are allowed in the campground with the following guidelines: Must be over the footprint of the campsite, limited to trees 10 inches in diameter with adequate padding around the tree and only 2 hammocks are allowed to be suspended from the same tree.
For more information on camping in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, see the National Park Service’s Frontcountry Camping web page. This lists all the rules and regulations, opening and closing dates, and the latest camping fees.
With a few exceptions, use of any photograph on the National Park Planner website requires a paid Royalty Free Editorial Use License or Commercial Use License. See the Photo Usage page for details.
Last updated on September 18, 2023