Best spots to camp in the Smoky Mountain areas...?

Wife and I are taking the 3rd week of October off and have decided to make the 7 hour drive down to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park for some truck camping. This will be our first time doing this type of camping. We don't have a RTT or trailer. I do have the longbed with a Leer topper so that could be an option for sleeping, or maybe just a ground tent. I may even look at buying a lightweight travel trailer before then. Anyhow, was wondering if any of you have camped in that area before? Not looking for KOA type places. We wanna get off the beaten path somewhat. Maybe even some light off-roading down in the area. We figure to go south off 40 down thru Pigeon Forge and head in to the park thru Gatlinburg unless you all convince me to go a different route. We are coming from So. Illinois...so will head to Nashville then east. Any info and pointers on camping in that area would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

Very interested as well.

 

Yann, I can't believe no one has chimed in with some info about the area. I know the camping thing is much more popular out west according to all the theads and posts ya see on here, but thought I'd atleast get a few folks offering up some tips for camping and trails around and in the Smokies.

 

Definitely a shock being from California and coming to the South. Seemingly everyone has "family land" that they hunt/fish/camp/wheel on.

Unless you have kids, pigeon forge sucks, almost like a stationary carnival/fair. Gatlinburg is nice. I've been rafting up there, but the season may be over.

https://raftoutdooradventures.com/

 

Lol about Pigeon Forge. A couple years ago my son and I were kicked out of every go cart track in town! We take our racing seriously, lol.... But yes, what a TOURIST TRAP!! I wanna avoid that crap this year down there.

 

I went to the Smokies for the solar eclipse two years ago. All I saw was traffic.



Because of that I was forced to go way out of the way to find camping. Big Ridge state park was my stop the night before, it was a gem.

There seems to be a lot more backwoods camping on the North Carolina side. Some great hikes on that side too. That's where I'd stay if I had to do it over.

 

I’d head about 3 hours east to the table rock/linville gorge area lol

 

Once you get out of pigeon forge and pass through gatlinburg there is a visitor center, cant miss it, they will have a ton of info. There are several camping areas not sure of the names, lots of good hiking. Cades cove is one of the bigger camping areas, has most amenities and a several mile loop for wildlife watching (bears and such if youre lucky). If you go on the other side of the mountain (clingmans dome) you drop into Cherokee. Its kind of a tourist trap like pigeon forge and gatlinburg but there are a couple interesting museums. If you want to venture out passed that you can go into nantahala gorge area (family rafting hiking mountain biking) but thats starting to get pretty far from gatlinburg for just a day trip. There is alot of nice hiking with trailheads just on the side of the road. Sorry i dont know more names of hike or campgrounds but forest service welcome center should be one of your first stops. When im passing throug i just look for a uncrowded trailhead park and start walking. If you like the outdoors youll e tiredd of gatlinburg fast.

 

I vote for linville gorge as well if you have time. If you go to nantahala gorge (north carolina side) ask some local kayakers where to camp/hike. Tsali if youre into mountain biking. I personally would spend as little time in pigeon forge and gatlinburg as possible. Stock up on groceries and beer and get into the park. Enjoy

 

Just spent a week in the area and here are a few of our campsites near Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Coordinates listed are where we actually camped. We drove into the national park on two separate days to sight see, but we couldn't find any camping we liked, so we camped outside the park.


Hickory Gap - Northern GA (34.89439, -84.66986) - Really cool little spot, but it's more of a campground with 8-9 spots. A really sweet 1st gen pulled in after we set up. Didn't get their names but said they were from Cincinnati, OH. Near a creek which is great and all sites had a table and fire ring.

Nantahala National Forest - Western NC (35.34080, -83.93753) - Another cool single space campsite off of a forest service road. There were quite a few sites along this road, plenty of empty spots in the middle of the week. Also near a creek and had a table and fire ring.

Daniel Boone National Forest - Southern KY (36.63075, -84.72203) - Yet another neat spot off of a forest service road. Several to choose from and most were empty during the week. Again, next to a creek with a fire ring and table.

 

Camping in the park is pretty nice.

 

NOW we're getting somewhere. Thanks for the info! Now to google the places y'all mentioned.

 

Some beautiful country in the Pisgah National Forest/Shining Rock area too

Might get some great fall foliage

 

If you think you might go to nantahala gorge/forest area and you want more info on camping (campground/free camping spots) let me know. Im knowledgeable about that area. Its super nice there and wont be busy that time of year

 

I went through last month. Stayed at Fontana Village Campground. I won’t go back. After always staying dry, National or State campgrounds, a private is not our style. But had to try, had good memories as a kid there in the seventies.
Will be heading back there tomorrow to Cherokee, NC. Will keep you posted to what I find.

 

interested as well. Ive lived here all my life (WNC) and all the spots we used to go are private, housing, etc. Used to camp lake glenville and fish out of kayaks, also had a couple spots in old fort, but they too are nothing as far as im aware. All the other places have "neighbors" running water, toilets. Not interested in that.

 

I was down there last year. It's pretty much a no go for any kind of off roading. There are even jeep rental places but no open trails. There is one ohv trail off the back side of cades cove in the national park but i think it is closed permanently. I went from southern il too and there are several distilleries on the route down there if you're into that sort of thing. I was pissed to be so close to buffalo trace but not have time to stop

 

Also many years ago when I was a kid we camped in the national park (i dont remember qhich campground) and i remember it being pretty nice.

 

Thanks for the info...

 

I would look into tellico plains tn or santeetlah lake in NC. Non touristy areas. Also if you wanna go off-roading. Look into Windrock. I believe it’s in Oliver springs TN. The Cherohala skyway is in between Tellico plains and robinsville NC. Beautiful area. Bald river falls, Joyce Kilmer national forest. Huckleberry knob. If you’re looking for peaceful time. It will be much better than visiting the touristy side of GSMNP