Camping in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Smoky Mountains National Park Camping: Campgrounds Campsites Backcountry Shelters


Reservations for camping in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park can
be made online or you can call the park reservation toll free at (877)444-6776.

Before hiking into a backcountry campsite we suggest you check the Great
Smoky Mountains national park trail conditions to make sure the trail is open.


 

 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Campsite Conditions

Closed GSMNP Campsites

  • Backcoutry Site #3 Closed (Damage)
  • Backcoutry Site #11 Closed (Damage)
  • Backcoutry Site #113 Closed (Bear)

Campsite Bear Warnings

  • Backcoutry Site #61 Bear Warning
 

Campsites Water Problems

  • None Reported

  REI.com Camping Gear
 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Shelters Conditions

Closed GSMNP Shelters

  • None Reported

GSMNP Shelters Bear Warnings

  • None Reported
 

Shelters with Water Problems

  • None Reported

 

GSMNP Campgrounds - Campsites - Shelters


Frontcountry (Developed) Campgrounds in
the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Park Section# of sitesDates Open Elevation
Abrams Creek16 Campsites3/13-10/311,125 feet
Balsam Mountain46 Campsites5/8-10/95,310 feet
Big Creek12 Campsites
(Handicapped Site(s) Available)		3/13-10/311,700 feet
Cades Cove159 Campsites
(Handicapped and generator-free Site(s) Available)		Year Round1,807 feet
Cataloochee
Reservation Required		27 Campsites
(Handicapped Restroom Only)		3/9-10/312,610 feet
Cosby165 Campsites3/9-10/312,459 feet
Deep Creek92 Campsites
(Handicapped Site(s) Available)		4/1-10/311,800 feet
Elkmont220 Campsites
(Handicapped and generator-free Site(s) Available)		3/13-11/302,150 feet
Look Rock68 Campsites5/8-10/312,600 feet
Smokemont142 Campsites
(Handicapped and generator-free Site(s) Available)		Year Round2,198 feet


 

Big Creek NC Area Backcountry Campsites

Campsite NameCapacity/NotesSite # Elevation
Lower Walnut Bottom
(Reservation Req'd)		20 Campers373,000 feet
Mount Sterling
(Reservation Req'd)		12 Campers385,820 feet
Upper Walnut Bottom
(Reservation Req'd)		20 Campers
(20 Horses)		363,040 feet

Cades Cove TN Area Backcountry Campsites

Campsite NameCapacity/NotesSite # Elevation
Ace Gap(Horse)71,680 feet
Anthony Creek
(Reservation Req'd)		12 Campers93,200 feet
Beard Cane(Horse)111,530 feet
Cane Creek21,320 feet
Cooper Road(Horse)11,200 feet
Flint Gap(Horse)142,050 feet
Forge Creek122,600 feet
Hesse Creek(Horse)31,360 feet
Kelly Gap(Horse)41,930 feet
Ledbetter Ridge
(Reservation Req'd)		8 Campers103,000 feet
Little Bottoms171,240 feet
Rabbit Creek(Horse)151,550 feet
Rich Mountain(Horse)53,400 feet
Scott GapHorse)161,700 feet
Sheep Pen Gap
(Reservation Req'd)		15 Campers
(8 Horses)		134,640 feet
Turkeypen Ridge63,400 feet

Cataloochee NC Area Backcountry Campsites

Campsite NameCapacity/NotesSite # Elevation
Big Hemlock403,100 feet
Caldwell Fork(Horse)413,360 feet
Pretty Hollow(Horse)393,040 feet
Spruce Mountain425,480 feet

Cosby TN Area Backcountry Campsites

Campsite NameCapacity/NotesSite # Elevation
Gilliland Creek(Horse)352,680 feet
Ottercreek
(Reservation Req'd)		10 Campers294,560 feet
Sugar Cove 343,240 feet

Deep Creek NC Area Backcountry Campsites

Campsite NameCapacity/NotesSite # Elevation
Bryson Place
(Reservation Req'd)		20 Campers
(12 Horses)		572,360 feet
Bumgardner Branch(Horse)602,120 feet
Burnt Spruce562,405 feet
McCracken Branch592,320 feet
Nettle Creek542,600 feet
Newton Bald(Horse)525,000 feet
Nicks Nest Branch582,360 feet
Poke Patch533,000 feet
Pole Road
(Reservation Req'd)		15 Campers
(15 Horses)		552,410 feet

Elkmont TN Area Backcountry Campsites

Campsite NameCapacity/NotesSite #Elevation
Camp Rock
(Reservation Req'd)		12 Campers233,200 feet
Dripping Spring Mountain264,400 feet
King Branch(Horse)202,520 feet
Lower Jakes Gap(Horse)273,520 feet
Marks Cove(Horse)28 3,490 feet
Medicine Branch Bluff213,780 feet
Rough Creek
(Reservation Req'd)		15 Campers242,860 feet
Three Forks303,400 feet
Upper Henderson(Horse)192,880 feet

Forney Creek NC Area Backcountry Campsites

Campsite NameCapacity/NotesSite #Elevation
CCC
(Reservation Req'd)		12 Campers
(12 Horses)		712,180 feet
Huggins692,800 feet
Jonas Creek(Horse)702,400 feet
Lower Forney741,720 feet
Poplar Flats752,800 feet
Steeltrap683,960 feet

Greenbrier TN Area Backcountry Campsites

Campsite NameCapacity/NotesSite # Elevation
Injun Creek322,280 feet
Porters Flat313,400 feet
Settlers Camp331,960 feet

Hazel Creek NC Area Backcountry Campsites

Campsite NameCapacity/NotesSite # Elevation
Bone Valley
(Reservation Req'd)		20 Campers
(10 Horses)		83 2,280 feet
Calhoun(Horse)822,720 feet
Proctor(Horse)861,680 feet
Sawdust Pile(Horse)852,000 feet
Sugar Fork842,160 feet

Lakeshore Area NC Backcountry Campsites

Campsite NameCapacity/NotesSite # Elevation
Chambers Creek(Horse)981,720 feet
Double Island(Boats only)781,720 feet
Gunter Branch(Boats only)721,720 feet
Jerry Hollow(Boats only)871,720 feet
Kirkland Creek761,770 feet
Lone Pine(Boats only)731,720 feet
North Shore(Horse)811,800 feet
Pilkey Creek(Horse)771,800 feet

Noland Creek NC Area Backcountry Campsites

Campsite NameCapacity/NotesSite # Elevation
Bald Creek
(Reservation Req'd)		12 Campers
(6 Horses)		613,560 feet
Bear Pen Branch(Horse)652,040 feet
Goldmine Branch(Horse)671,840 feet
Jerry Flats(Horse)632,920 feet
Lower Noland Creek(Boats only)661,720 feet
Mill Creek(Horse)642,540 feet
Upper Ripshin(Horse)623,160 feet

Oconaluftee NC Area Backcountry Campsites

Campsite NameCapacity/NotesSite # Elevation
Cabin Flats(Horse)493,060 feet
Enloe Creek
(Reservation Req'd)		8 Campers473,620 feet
Lower Chasteen Creek15 Campers
(15 Horses)		502,360 feet
McGee Spring(Horse)445,040 feet
Upper Chasteen483,320 feet

Tremont TN Area Backcountry Campsites

West Prong(Horse)181,600 feet

Twentymile NC Area Backcountry Campsites

Campsite NameCapacity/NotesSite # Elevation
Big Walnut972,400 feet
Birch Spring Gap
(Reservation Req'd)		12 Campers
(6 Horses)		1133,680 feet
Dalton Branch(Horse)952,360 feet
Eagle Creek Island96 2,880 feet
Lost Cove(Horse)90 1,760 feet
Lower Ekaneetlee891,880 feet
Twentymile Creek931,880 feet
Upper Flats(Horse)922,520 feet
Upper Lost Cove(Horse)912,040 feet

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Backcountry Shelters (Reservation Req'd)

Shelter NameCapacity/NotesElevation
Cosby Knob12 Campers
(12 Horses)		4,700 feet
Davenport Gap12 Campers
(12 Horses)		2,600 feet
Derrick Knob12 Campers4,890 feet
Double Spring Gap12 Campers5,507 feet
Icewater Spring12 Campers5,920 feet
Kephart14 Campers
(14 Horses)		3,900 feet
Laurel Gap14 Campers
(14 Horses)		5,600 feet
Mollies Ridge12 Campers
(12 Horses)		4,570 feet
Mount Collins12 Campers5,870 feet
Mount Le Conte12 Campers6,440 feet
Pecks Corner12 Campers
(12 Horses)		5,280 feet
Russell Field14 Campers
(14 Horses)		4,360 feet
Silers Bald12 Campers
(12 Horses)		5,460 feet
Spence Field12 Campers
(12 Horses)		4,900 feet
Tricorner Knob12 Campers
(12 Horses)		5,920 feet

Black Bears in the Smoky Mountains:


Camping in the Great Smoky Mountains means you stand a great chance to see black bear. Please follow all of the Black Bear safety rules and regulations to protect everyone you are camping with as well as the bear.


 

 
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