Spring Trip Great Smokies

MainelyUS · 02-16-2017, 11:10 AM

DW and I are planning our spring trip to the Great Smokies not sure what side to visit East or West.
What are your favorite CGs and places to visit/hike/fish?
How is I40 through the Smokies?

Thank you for your inputs.

Happy

Trails

mjones12 · 02-16-2017, 11:28 AM

We love Mama Gertie's Hideaway campground near Asheville. Best-kept campground we've ever been to. Asheville can't be beat for food, drink and regional culture.

howellma · 02-16-2017, 12:15 PM

We stay in the National Park campgrounds, its so peaceful, and work can't reach me there!

Ky-N · 02-16-2017, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjones12

We love Mama Gertie's Hideaway campground near Asheville. Best-kept campground we've ever been to. Asheville can't be beat for food, drink and regional culture.

You cannot go wrong staying at Mama Gertie's, by far one of the best campgrounds we have ever stayed at but call ahead as they are booked usually well in advance.

rp53 · 02-17-2017, 08:34 AM

there are to many good campgrounds to list, I40 is not bad it is quite curvy and there are lot of big trucks, if you are into nature check out roan mountain state park in tennessee if you like the "tourist thing" there are numerous campgrounds in the gatlinburg area

manderson2228 · 02-17-2017, 09:24 AM

If you want to stay on the pigeon forge side of the mountain both anchor down and river plantation are great places. If you decide to stay on the cherokee side we actually like KOA over there. Plus you are near great fishing and the casino. You can't go wrong either side, we alternate every year!

glsimms · 02-17-2017, 09:40 AM

Nice KOA in Townsend. It's not far from Pigeon Forge.

Wandering · 02-17-2017, 02:00 PM

Smokemont, Elkmont & Cades Cove in the park are very nice. No hookups but so pretty. Plan to be there second week of April

howellma · 02-17-2017, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wandering

Smokemont, Elkmont & Cades Cove in the park are very nice. No hookups but so pretty. Plan to be there second week of April

We will be at Elkmont 25 May thru 8 June,,,,I am ready now!!

awellis3 · 02-17-2017, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MainelyUS

DW and I are planning our spring trip to the Great Smokies not sure what side to visit East or West.

Depends. If you want the "National Park experience," stay on the east side. I recommend Smokemont.

dalford · 02-17-2017, 03:30 PM

There is a KOA in Murphy, NC ( Marble, North Carolina Campground | Murphy / Peace Valley KOA ).. it is very close to the Cherokee Indian Casino, white water rafting (Natahala Outdoor Center (NOC) <30 minutes https://noc.com), zip line (Andrews, NC, 15 minutes and at the NOC), fishing (get a creek front campsite at the KOA), Ashville ~2hours, Dollywood ~2 hours, hiking, horseback riding, tubing at Smoky Mtn Natl Park in Bryson City ~1hr, train ride from Bryson City, boat rental and fish on Lake Nantahala ~50 minutes, pack a lunch and trip to Fontana Dam for a little history and views ~1 hour. If you go to the Fontana Dam, come back the back way that takes you thru Robbinsville and visit the Heirloom Honey Shop, nice family owned shop All natural, raw honey. You don't say if you if you have a toy hauler and maybe interested in motorcycle events, if so, check out The Tail of the Dragon, http://tailofthedragon.com, phew.. tired yet? Also, leave time to just relax..LOL.. Just a few suggestion.. much more to do.

If you stay around Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge it is much more touristy IMHO. I'm sure there are nice campgrounds there but then you will be close to Dollywood but further away from the events I discussed. You can't go wrong though, it is pretty in the NC mountains..

Archicamper · 02-17-2017, 04:02 PM

We stayed at Cades Cove. Easy in easy out. We were able to ride our bicycles around the loop there without any cars to contend with on Saturday morning.

labcamper · 02-17-2017, 04:31 PM

X2 Nice KOA in Townsend. you can camp long the stream and not 0aor from the park entrance. Enjoy.

cdconine · 02-17-2017, 05:09 PM

My wife and I recommend the Townsend KOA. They advertise it as the "quiet side of the " and I can say that is a very good description. We spent 2 weeks in April/May of 2015 and spent the entire month of October last year. Wonderful staff and facility. You are less than a half mile from the gate of GSM NP. Lot of restaurants to choose from and many within walking distance. If you are able plan to be there during the blue grass festival. Well worth your time. Not sure of the dates but you can easily find out on the internet or calling the KOA direct. You can also negotiate a better rate if you call direct. Talk to Mickey in the office. Enjoy your trip.

spock123 · 02-17-2017, 09:21 PM

I have been to Townsend right many times and I must have missed all the restaurants. Pigeon Forge is the place to go if you want to eat out. I have stayed at Cade's Cove campground and its quite and enjoyable but you need to be stocked up on food because there's not much for a few miles. I like Pigeon Forge but it's a personal opinion, lots to do and a lot of places to eat at

MCTroy · 02-18-2017, 05:30 PM

We like big meadows rv campground in Townsend. It is very quiet. The sites are clean and easy to get into but are a little crowded. The folks there are very nice. We find it a good place to use as a bar camp to explore the park. Going back in late may.

beagle22b07 · 02-18-2017, 10:06 PM

We stayed at Cosby Campground last May. Dry camping, but nice bathrooms.

razor15 · 02-19-2017, 08:14 AM

I spend time in the mountains fishing for trout while wife spends my money in the casino at Cherokee. Nice area although I'm not familiar with the Tennessee side as I am with the North Carolina side. Last time we were there it was very smoky with all the wild fires and my usual fishing holes were pretty dried up due to drought.

There are plenty of nice campgrounds on the NC side of the mountains. Plenty of stuff to do for everybody (including children). I have played a couple of golf courses (Cherokee reservation course and Maggie Valley) and both were very nice. Be prepared for slow play however.

Very nice area (minus wild fires, smoke and drought). I give the region a "highly recommend".

yetavon · 02-19-2017, 08:40 AM

If your on the east side, or interested in Asheville, Then I will highly recommend Lake Powhatan https://www.recreation.gov/camping/l...O&parkId=70206

NC Robi · 02-19-2017, 12:05 PM

We really like Smokemont too - it's close to Cherokee if you need groceries or restaurants. We camped there Labor Day weekend last year and didn't need air conditioning. Our solar panel kept the batteries charged. It's so peaceful and relaxing. Great hiking, fishing, seeing elk, good visitor's center, etc. There are good campgrounds around Cherokee too, if you need electricity.
We really like Mama Gerties for camping, but is a bit of a drive if you want to see the Smokies.
We are so ready to be camping again!!

You may also like: