Cades Cove vs Elkmont
Two Great Smoky Mountains National Park campgrounds, side by side.
Cades Cove and Elkmont are both run by the National Park Service in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, about 11.5 miles apart in a straight line. Elkmont is the bigger campground, with 211 sites to Cades Cove's 161. Both list a nightly fee of $30. Cades Cove is open year-round, while Elkmont is open Apr 4 – Nov 28. Cades Cove's 2 sites with power list only 5-amp outlets, which are not RV hookups. Elkmont's 3 sites with power list only 5-amp outlets, which are not RV hookups. Neither lists RV electric hookups. For RVs, Cades Cove takes rigs up to 42 ft and Elkmont up to 35 ft. Cades Cove's records list flush toilets, drinking water and dump station; Elkmont's don't. Both pages include a campsite layout from Recreation.gov site records.
| Campground | Cades Cove Campground Tennessee | Elkmont Campground Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Federal (National Park Service) | Federal (National Park Service) |
| Season ≠ | Year-round | Seasonal: Apr 4 – Nov 28 |
| Nightly fee | $30 | $30 |
| Number of sites ≠ | 161 | 211 |
| Electric hookups | Low-amp outlets only (5 amp; not RV hookups) | Low-amp outlets only (5 amp; not RV hookups) |
| Water hookups | Not listed | Not listed |
| Sewer hookups | Not listed | Not listed |
| Max amps | 5 amp | 5 amp |
| Max RV/trailer length ≠ | 42 ft | 35 ft |
| Cabins | Not listed | Not listed |
| Key amenities ≠ | Flush toilets Drinking water Dump station Pets allowed ADA-accessible sites Food storage lockers | Pets allowed ADA-accessible sites |
| Nearest bike trails (≤5 mi) ≠ | 0.1 mi of unnamed bike-legal trail | None mapped within 5 mi |
| Campsite layout | Site map + site list | Site map + site list |
| Distance between (straight line) | 11.5 mi | |
| Links | Full details Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗ | Full details Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗ |
Highlighted rows (≠) differ. Not listed means our sources don't say, not that the campground lacks it. Facts come from Recreation.gov (RIDB) site records, bike trails from OpenStreetMap difficulty tags; distances are straight-line. Confirm fees and dates with National Park Service before you go.
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See all campgrounds in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.