Cades Cove Campground
National Park Service campground in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, near Townsend, Tennessee.
How it compares
- With 161 sites it is the #3 largest of 84 Tennessee campgrounds that publish a site count (busy, more amenities).
- Its lowest fee ($10) is equal to the Tennessee median of $10/night.
- There are 50 other campgrounds in our data within 25 miles; 0 of them list a lower starting fee.
- 68% of Tennessee campgrounds that publish a length limit accept a rig this long (42 ft).
- Electric sites go up to 5 amp service (2 electric sites).
- 100% of sites with a shade rating are listed as shaded or partly shaded.
- Pets allowed on 161 of 161 sites; campfires allowed on 161 (subject to seasonal fire bans).
- Straight-line distance: Knoxville ~26 mi, Asheville ~69 mi, Chattanooga ~95 mi.
Site mix
Amenities & rules
Drinking waterDump stationFire pitsFire ringsFlush toiletsFood storage lockersGrillsPicnic tablesQuiet areaTent padsPets allowedTentsRVs/trailers9 accessible sites
Fee notes from the agency: Individual Campsites: A customer who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation). Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. Customers that check out early or do not…
Trails within 5 miles
| Trail | Closest point | Mapped miles within 5 mi | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cades Cove Horse Trail | 0.2 mi | 1.9 | NPS |
| Cades Cove Nature Trail | 0.2 mi | 0.7 | NPS |
| Rich Mountain Loop Trail | 0.3 mi | 3.1 | NPS |
| Crooked Arm Ridge Trail | 0.5 mi | 1.9 | NPS |
| Crib Gap Trail | 0.5 mi | 1.7 | NPS |
| Anthony Creek Trail | 0.6 mi | 3.0 | NPS |
| Indian Grave Gap Trail | 1.3 mi | 3.5 | NPS |
| Scott Mountain Trail | 1.3 mi | 3.5 | NPS |
| Russell Field Trail | 1.5 mi | 3.3 | NPS |
| Turkeypen Ridge Trail | 1.7 mi | 3.4 | NPS |
| Finley Cane Trail | 1.8 mi | 2.5 | NPS |
| Lead Cove Trail | 1.8 mi | 1.6 | NPS |
+ 15 more named trails.
Mountain biking nearby
0.1 miles of bike-legal trail lie within 5 miles (0.1 mi on unnamed paths). Difficulty mix: Unrated: 0.1 mi
Ratings come only from OpenStreetMap mtb:scale / IMBA tags. Untagged trails show as "Unrated", and we never guess. Check conditions and maps on Trailforks or MTB Project.
Activities listed
Auto TouringBikingCampingDay Use AreaFishingHikingHistoric & Cultural SiteHorse CampingHorseback RidingInterpretive ProgramsPicnickingVisitor CenterWildlife Viewing
Nearest campgrounds
| Campground | Miles | State | Fee/night | Sites | Hookups | Max RV | Pets | Booking | Trails ≤5 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cades Cove Group Great Smoky Mountains National Park |
0.3 | TN | $10 | 4 | — | — | yes | Reserve | 26 (69.9 mi) |
| Anthony Creek Horse Camp Great Smoky Mountains National Park |
0.6 | TN | $10 | 3 | — | 24 ft | yes | Reserve | 26 (69.2 mi) |
| Turkeypen Ridge #6 National Park Service |
1.4 | TN | — | 8 | — | — | — | ? | 26 (66.3 mi) |
| Rich Mountain #5 National Park Service |
1.9 | TN | — | — | — | — | — | ? | 25 (64.6 mi) |
| Ledbetter Ridge #10 National Park Service |
2.0 | TN | — | 8 | — | — | — | ? | 23 (68.9 mi) |
| Anthony Creek #9 National Park Service |
2.6 | TN | — | 12 | — | — | — | ? | 22 (67.3 mi) |
Hookups: E = electric (max amps), W = water, S = sewer. "—" means the agency doesn't publish it. Trail counts are named USFS/NPS trails within 5 miles. 🟢 = kid-friendly (green-rated) bike trail nearby.