Elkmont vs Smokemont
Two Great Smoky Mountains National Park campgrounds, side by side.
Elkmont and Smokemont are both run by the National Park Service in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, about 16.8 miles apart in a straight line (Tennessee and North Carolina). Elkmont is the bigger campground, with 211 sites to Smokemont's 142. Both list a nightly fee of $30. Elkmont is open Apr 4 – Nov 28, while Smokemont is open year-round. Elkmont's 3 sites with power list only 5-amp outlets, which are not RV hookups. Smokemont's 2 sites with power list only 5-amp outlets, which are not RV hookups. Neither lists RV electric hookups. For RVs, Elkmont takes rigs up to 35 ft and Smokemont up to 40 ft. Smokemont's records list food storage lockers; Elkmont's don't. Both pages include a campsite layout from Recreation.gov site records. Riders get more bike-legal trail within 5 miles of Smokemont (1.8 mi vs none mapped near Elkmont).
| Campground | Elkmont Campground Tennessee | Smokemont Campground North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Federal (National Park Service) | Federal (National Park Service) |
| Season ≠ | Seasonal: Apr 4 – Nov 28 | Year-round |
| Nightly fee | $30 | $30 |
| Number of sites ≠ | 211 | 142 |
| 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 ≠ | 35 ft | 40 ft |
| Cabins | Not listed | Not listed |
| Key amenities ≠ | Pets allowed ADA-accessible sites | Pets allowed ADA-accessible sites Food storage lockers |
| Nearest bike trails (≤5 mi) ≠ | None mapped within 5 mi | Oconaluftee River Trail: 3.5 mi, unrated fire tower: 4.7 mi, unrated |
| Campsite layout | Site map + site list | Site map + site list |
| Distance between (straight line) | 16.8 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.