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02-16-2017, 11:10 AM
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#1
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Retired
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Sundeland, MA
Posts: 700
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Spring Trip Great Smokies
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
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2017 Columbus 340RK
GMC Sierra 3500HD Z71 6.6L Duramax/Allison
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02-16-2017, 11:28 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Lexington, NC
Posts: 2,621
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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.
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2018 Coachmen Apex 249 RBS
2010 Silverado LT 5.3 V8
The world is a great book, of which those who never stir from home
read only a page. - St. Augustine
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02-16-2017, 12:15 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 360
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We stay in the National Park campgrounds, its so peaceful, and work can't reach me there!
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02-16-2017, 08:45 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 197
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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.
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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.
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John & Mary Jo
Enjoying the adventure
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02-17-2017, 08:34 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Jonesborough
Posts: 923
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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
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2017 Micro Lite 21FBRS (sold)
2019 GMC Sierra 2500 HD extra cab Z71
looking for the perfect 5er over the winter
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02-17-2017, 09:24 AM
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#6
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Georgia USA
Posts: 85
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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!
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02-17-2017, 09:40 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Southern IN
Posts: 1,013
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Nice KOA in Townsend. It's not far from Pigeon Forge.
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Gerard
2017 Coachmen Apex 269RBKS with Summit Pkg.
2014 Ford Expedition with factory installed HD tow pkg.
Blue Ox SwayPro WDH
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02-17-2017, 02:00 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 822
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Smokemont, Elkmont & Cades Cove in the park are very nice. No hookups but so pretty. Plan to be there second week of April
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Happy Campin!
Forester 2451s
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02-17-2017, 02:31 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 360
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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
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We will be at Elkmont 25 May thru 8 June,,,,I am ready now!!
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02-17-2017, 03:10 PM
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#10
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AKA: 'tiredTeacher
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Posts: 1,045
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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.
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Depends. If you want the "National Park experience," stay on the east side. I recommend Smokemont.
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Wright and Penny
(with Fitz and Lizzie, the camping kitties)
Richmond, Va.
2010 Tundra 4X4 5.7L V8
2014 Rockwood 2604WS
Life is a cruel teacher. She gives the test first; the lesson then follows.
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02-17-2017, 03:30 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Space Coast of Florida
Posts: 4,022
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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..
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2016 Siverback 33IK, Towed 50K+ mile
2018 Ford F-350 Lariat 6.7L V8 Diesel 4WD Crew Cab
"If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there."
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02-17-2017, 04:02 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Orland Park, IL
Posts: 471
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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.
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2015 Rockwood Roo 23IKSS
2015 GMC Sierra 1500
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02-17-2017, 04:31 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 195
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X2 Nice KOA in Townsend. you can camp long the stream and not 0aor from the park entrance. Enjoy.
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2017 Mini Lite 2506S front kitchen
2018 GMC Sierra 1500
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02-17-2017, 05:09 PM
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#14
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Arlington texas
Posts: 8
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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.
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02-17-2017, 09:21 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Warsaw,NC
Posts: 7,184
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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
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02-18-2017, 05:30 PM
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#16
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MCTroy
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Troy.Ohio
Posts: 1,182
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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.
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2015 Windjammer 3029 Diamond Edition
2018 Ram 2500
Ohio River Rat
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02-18-2017, 10:06 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Kiski River Valley
Posts: 62
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Cosby Campground GSMNP
We stayed at Cosby Campground last May. Dry camping, but nice bathrooms.
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Larry & Chris (Abbey & Brody camping cats)
2016 Ford F-150 XLT Sport, Super Cab, 3.5 EcoBoost, 3.55, 4x4, MaxTow w/36 gal fuel tank
2015 Rockwood MiniLite 2104S, EMS-30HW, Carchet TPMS
Days Camped: 2015 = 51; 2016 = 59; 2017 = 20; 2018 = 12; 2019 =
If you're lucky enough to be camping......You're lucky enough.
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02-19-2017, 08:14 AM
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#18
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 16
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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".
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US Army (ret)
2015 Rockwood 2104S
2015 Dodge Ram 1500 5.7L
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02-19-2017, 08:40 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: WNC
Posts: 560
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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
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Retired Paramedic
2020 FSX 280RT
2005 Silverado 1500 Ext cab 5.3 H.O.
2011 HD Road King
Nights camped since 2019.....all of Em...Homes a 2001 Sea Breeze 36' 5 ER
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02-19-2017, 12:05 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 259
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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!!
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