Smokemont Group Camp
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Situated in the stunning Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this sunny group camp offers an ideal setting for camping excursions.
Ridge upon ridge of forest straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. World-renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian culture, this is America's most visited national park.
Smokemont Group Camp offers an unforgettable outdoor experience with the added convenience of flush toilets, drinking water and sinks. The campsites can accommodate up to 20 guests and provides tent pads, grills and fire rings. There is also a flat, grassy area that is perfect for group activities like football, volleyball or simply soaking up the sun.
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.
- 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.
- 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 .
- A reservation is required to use a group camp.
- There are no showers or electric, water or sewer hook-ups in the park. Some group sites are accessible.
- Quiet hours are in effect from 10 PM to 6 AM. Generator use is prohibited in group camps.
- Fires are allowed in fire rings only!
- A minimum of 7 people is required for group site use. Maximum site capacity varies from 15 to 30 people. The park stay limit is 14 consecutive days.
- 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.
- Cades Cove and Smokemont campgrounds are the only campgrounds open year round.
- For additional park information call 865-436-1200 or visit www.nps.gov/grsm
Natural Features
Smokemont Group Camp is surrounded by picturesque mountain ranges, blanketed in wildflowers during the spring and bursting with vivid foliage in the fall.
At 2,200 feet, Smokemont provides a moderate climate, characterized by mild winters and hot, humid summers.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park preserves a rich cultural history of Southern Appalachia. From the pre-historic Paleo Indians to early 19th century European settlers, the park strives to protect the historic structures, landscapes and artifacts that tell the stories of the people who once called these mountains home.
Nearby Attractions
The adjacent Smokemont Campground provides additional camping facilities for smaller groups.
The Museum of the Cherokee Indian, Oconaluftee Indian Village and Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, located six miles away in Cherokee, North Carolina, provides cultural and historical information about the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
Cherokee also provides grocery stores and fuel.
Recreation
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a hiker's paradise, with over 800 miles of maintained trails ranging from short, leg-stretchers to strenuous treks, with a number of those trails, including The Smokemont Loop Trail and the Bradley Fork Trail, accessible from the camp. 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 splash in the stream 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. From the big animals like bears, deer, and elk, down to microscopic organisms, the Smokies have the most biological diversity of any area in the world's temperate zone. 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.
Changes & Cancellations
Customers who cancel a group overnight facility reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee.
Contact Information
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Mailing address is c/o Oconaluftee Ranger Station, 60 Enloe-Floyd Bottoms Road Cherokee NC 28719
Phone Number
For campground inquiries, please call: 828-497-9270 OR 865-436-1261
Rental Options
Learn more about gear rental options for your trip
Driving Directions
There is no stree address for the campground.
From Cherokee, NC: Take Newfound Gap Road (aka US 441) North 6 miles. Turn right at Smokemont campground sign.
From Gatlinburg, TN: Take Newfound Gap Road (aka US 441) South 27 miles. Turn left at Smokemont campground sign.Available Campsites
- Site G03, Loop Loop D, Type Group Tent Only Area Nonelectric
- Site G02, Loop Loop D, Type Group Tent Only Area Nonelectric
- Site G01, Loop Loop D, Type Group Tent Only Area Nonelectric
