Camping at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park has 30 campgrounds listed on Recreation.gov.
Campgrounds
| Name | Booking | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Abram's Creek | Reservable | — |
| Anthony Creek Horse Camp | Reservable | — |
| Appalachian Clubhouse | Reservable | — |
| Balsam Mountain | Reservable | — |
| Big Creek Campground (great Smoky Mountains National Park) | Reservable | — |
| Big Creek Group Camp | Reservable | — |
| Big Creek Horse Camp | Reservable | — |
| Cades Cove | Reservable | — |
| Cades Cove Group | Reservable | — |
| Cataloochee | Reservable | — |
| Cataloochee Group Camp | Reservable | — |
| Cataloochee Horse Camp | Reservable | — |
| Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion | Reservable | — |
| Cosby | Reservable | — |
| Cosby Group Camp | Reservable | — |
| Cosby Picnic Pavilion | Reservable | — |
| Deep Creek | Reservable | — |
| Deep Creek Group Camp | Reservable | — |
| Deep Creek Picnic Pavilion | Reservable | — |
| Elkmont | Reservable | — |
| Elkmont Group Camp | Reservable | — |
| Greenbrier Picnic Pavilion | Reservable | — |
| Look Rock | Reservable | — |
| Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Pavilion | Reservable | — |
| Round Bottom Horse Camp | Reservable | — |
| Smokemont | Reservable | — |
| Smokemont Group Camp | Reservable | — |
| Spence Cabin | Reservable | — |
| Tow String Horse Camp | Reservable | — |
| Twin Creeks Picnic Pavilion | Reservable | — |
When sites open
Recreation.gov releases most national park campsites six months before the arrival date, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time. Windows are set per campground, so confirm yours on the Seasons and Fees tab on that campground page.
Work backwards from your arrival date and be logged in before the release minute. A named campground above is the rule for that campground only — do not apply it to the rest of the park.
Getting a site after it sells out
Far more sites are booked than used. Cancellations cluster in the two weeks before arrival and again when the free-cancellation deadline passes, and midweek nights churn much more than weekends.
Refreshing by hand rarely works — openings are gone in minutes. Parks Manager can watch your dates and tell you the moment something frees up.
Common questions
How many campgrounds does Great Smoky Mountains National Park have?
Recreation.gov lists 30 campgrounds at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
How far ahead do Great Smoky Mountains National Park campsites open?
Recreation.gov releases most national park campsites six months before the arrival date, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time. Windows are set per campground, so confirm yours on the Seasons and Fees tab on that campground page.
What if Great Smoky Mountains National Park campgrounds are full?
Cancellations are the real supply. Openings cluster two weeks out and again just after the free-cancellation deadline, and they get taken within minutes of appearing.
Background: How national park campsite reservations actually work