Deep Creek Campground (NC)
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Located next to one of the most popular creeks in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Deep Creek Group Camp provides traditional primitive camping with the stunning backdrop of the mountains. Whether blanketed in bright wildflowers in the spring or vivid colors in the fall, the scenery at Deep Creek never disappoints.
The camp offers 92 individual sites, all with grills, tables and campfire rings, perfect for a meal or a late-night s'mores session. Hookups and showers are not provided, but flush toilets and drinking water are available.
Deep Creek Campground offers an unforgettable outdoor experience with the added convenience of flush toilets, drinking water and sinks. There are campsites for tents as well as RVs available, and tent pads, grills and fire rings are provided.
Need to Know
Beginning March 1, valid parking tag is required for any vehicle parking for more than 15 minutes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Front country campers parked at their designated campsite will not be required to have a parking tag. If they park elsewhere in the park, a parking tag will be required. Please note that parking tags will be required for vehicles in excess of what is allowable for each campsite.
Over the last 10 years, an average of 339 negative human-bear encounters have been reported each year; many more go unreported. Visitors should be aware that high bear activity can occur in any area, and that your safety is not guaranteed. To increase your odds for a safe visit, please follow best practices for living and recreating in bear habitat. Stay alert and be prepared to react appropriately during possible encounters, and always report any unusual bear interactions as soon as possible.
- PLEASE READ SITE DESCRIPTIONS CAREFULLY, site width, length, and slope vary site-to-site. Leveling blocks might be needed for sites.
• Caution: Bears and other wildlife frequent the area. All food and equipment used to prepare and store food must be kept in a sealed vehicle or camping unit of solid, non-pliable material AT ALL TIMES when not in use. All scented items, as well as all water containers MUST be stored. Dispose of garbage promptly in dumpsters provided. Unattended or improperly stored coolers, food and/or scented items may be impounded by campground staff. Violators are subject to fines.
• River Tubes are considered “vessels” by the NPS and the State of NC, therefore children 13 and under are required to wear PFD’s. Over age 13, PFDs are highly recommended. Close-toed shoes and helmets are strongly recommended.
• Dispose of garbage promptly in bear-proof dumpsters. This rule is strictly enforced!
• Firewood Restriction: Only heat-treated firewood bundled in its original packing and bearing a certification seal from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) or a state department of agriculture may be brought into the park. This rule is strictly enforced. Campers may also collect dead and down wood in the park for campfires. Heat-treated wood is available from a growing list of private businesses in communities around the park. Please visit www.nature.org/firewoodmap for a list of available vendors near the park. Concessioners at Cades Cove, Elkmont, and Smokemont will provide heat-treated wood for sale during their operating season. Certified heat-treated firewood is packaged and clearly marked with a state or federal seal. For additional information about these firewood regulations, please visit the park website at http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/frontcountry-camping.
• There are no showers or electric, water or sewer hook-ups in the park. Some accessible sites have a 5 amp electric hookup for medical equipment use.
• Quiet hours are in effect from 10 PM to 6 AM. Generator use is restricted to 8 AM to 8 PM.
• Fires are allowed in fire rings only!
• A maximum of 6 people may occupy a campsite. The park stay limit is 14 consecutive days. Reservations which exceed the 14 consecutive day limit may be cancelled and refunded.
• A Tennessee or North Carolina fishing license is required to fish in the park. Special regulations apply in the park.
• Pets are permitted but cannot be left unattended. All pets must be kept on a leash at all times. Pets are not allowed on trails.
• You must check-in with the campground office staff UPON ARRIVAL to complete your reservation. If you arrive after the office is CLOSED for the day then you must check-in with the campground staff the following day. Failure to check-in with the office staff by noon following the day of your arrival will be considered a no show. This may result in a forfeit of your reservation. During November-April the office may be open intermittently; during these months campers occupying their site must be able to provide proof of occupancy when requested by park staff.
• For additional park information call 865-436-1200 or visit www.nps.gov/grsm
Natural Features
Deep Creek is in the southeastern portion of the park and provides a moderate climate, typified by mild winters and hot, humid summers. Because of its proximity to water, Deep Creek is an ideal campground for water recreation and books up quickly during summer months.
Nearby Attractions
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a hiker's paradise, with plenty of trails easily accessible from the Deep Creek Group Site. An easy 1.6 mile roundtrip hike will allow you to enjoy two beautiful waterfalls in the Deep Creek area. Walk Deep Creek Trail 0.7 mile to the junction with Indian Creek Trail. On your way you can view elegant Tom Branch Falls located on the far side of Deep Creek. Turn right at the junction with Indian Creek Trail and proceed approximately 200' to Indian Creek Falls. The falls are 25 feet in height. Deep Creek runs on the edge of the campground and provides easily accessible fishing, wading and tubing. Visitors can also enjoy high-quality backcountry fishing in the cool waters of the countless streams and rivers that snake through the mountains, with trout available in abundance.
Recreation
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a hiker's paradise, offering over 800 miles of maintained trails ranging from short, leg-stretchers to strenuous treks, with a number of those trails easily accessible from the picnic area. But hiking is not the only reason for visiting the Smokies: Fishing, picnicking, wildlife viewing and auto touring are also popular activities.
Campers can enjoy high-quality backcountry fishing in the cool waters of the countless streams and rivers that snake through the mountains, with trout available in abundance. The nearby Bradley Fork River provides a great place to go for a dip or fish for trout.
Wildlife viewing is a popular pastime, and with around 1,500 bears living in the park, it's not uncommon for visitors to spot one. The park is a sanctuary for a magnificent array of animal and plant life, all of which is protected for future generations to enjoy.
The park also holds one of the best collections of log buildings in the eastern United States. Over 90 historic structures, including houses, barns, outbuildings, churches, schools and grist mills, have been preserved or rehabilitated in the park.
Contact Information
Mailing Address
1912 East Deep Creek Road Bryson City NC 28713
Phone Number
For campground inquiries, please call: 828-448-3184
Rental Options
Learn more about gear rental options for your trip
Driving Directions
Seasonal phone is 828-488-3184
From downtown Bryson City, NC: Follow signs to Deep Creek, 3 miles away.
Available Campsites
- Site 37, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 89, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 57, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 36, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 32, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 13, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 88, Loop , Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 5, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 16, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 66, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 7, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 59, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 62, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 84, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 70, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 9, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 39, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 78, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 82, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 1, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 11, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 20, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 33, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 28, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 74, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 29, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 53, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 76, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 54, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 24, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 90, Loop , Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 52, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 61, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 86, Loop , Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 71, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 64, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 40, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 31, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 2, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 26, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 60, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 72, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 67, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 19, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 46, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 15, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 77, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 27, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 18, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 34, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 35, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 85, Loop , Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 51, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 22, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 58, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 48, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 47, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 68, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 8, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 91, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 87, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 79, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 65, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 56, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 50, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 49, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 4, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 69, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 17, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 42, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 3, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 25, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 43, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 41, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 63, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 44, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 55, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 30, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 45, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 75, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 73, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 38, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 6, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 80, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 12, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 10, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 83, Loop , Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 21, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 92, Loop , Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 14, Loop , Type Walk To
- Site 81, Loop , Type Rv Nonelectric
- Site 23, Loop , Type Walk To
Photo Gallery
