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| contractID |
NRSO |
| description |
Located eight miles from Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Elkmont Campground is the largest and busiest campground in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. At an elevation of 2,150 feet, the area enjoys a moderate climate, characterized by mild winters and hot, humid summers. |
| drivingDirection |
From Cherokee, NC: Take Newfound Gap Road (aka U.S. 441) North through the park into Tennessee. Turn left at Sugarlands Visitor Center. Follow Little River Road approx. 4.5 miles. Turn left at the Elkmont Campground sign and proceed 1.5 miles to the campground office. From Gatlinburg, TN: Take Newfound Gap Road (aka U.S. 441) South into the Park. (If coming from Pigeon Forge, take the Bypass into the park.) Turn a right at Sugarlands Visitor Center. Proceed 4.5 miles to the Elkmont entrance and turn left at the Elkmont Campground sign. Go 1.5 miles to the campground office. |
| facilitiesDescription |
Elkmont Campground has 200 tent / RV campsites with paved driveways, gravel tent pads, fire rings, and picnic tables. Although most sites will accommodate tents or RVs, extreme slope or length of driveway make certain sites more suitable for tents than RVs. Please check the descriptions and measurements of individual sites. In addition to these tent / RV sites, Elkmont has 20 walk-in sites for tents. Campers on these beautiful wooded sites will have a short walk from their parking area to their tent pad. Nine of Elkmont's campsites are wheelchair accessible ADA sites. These sites have wide concrete driveways, raised fire rings, and wheelchair accessible picnic tables. All of these sites are located near accessible restrooms. Three of the sites provide 5 amp electrical service for medical equipment. Restrooms at Elkmont Campground have flush toilets, cold running water, and utility sinks. Potable water is available at spigots near each restroom; use of hoses is not allowed. Elkmont Campground does not have electric, water, or sewer hook-ups. RV campers are encouraged to use the dump station across from Sugarlands Visitor Center, as there is no dump station in the campground. Elkmont is strictly an overnight campground; there are no day-use facilities. The nearest picnic area is Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area, west of Elkmont on Little River Road. Due to its central location and variety of amenities, Elkmont Campground tends to be heavily used during the summer vacation months and in October. Sites along Little River are in particularly high demand. Even when Elkmont is full, campsites are often available at Cosby Campground, located at the northeast corner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. |
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ELKMONT CAMPGROUND |
| facilityID |
70968 |
| fullReservationUrl |
http://www.reserveamerica.com/campsiteSearch.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=70968&cmp=39-32--joewils |
| importantInformation |
Bear Habitat!! All food and items used to store or prepare food, including coolers, MUST be stored in the trunk or cab of your vehicle/s at all times when not in use. Dispose of garbage promptly in bear-proof dumpsters. This rule is strictly enforced! NEW Firewood Regulation: Beginning March 1, 2015 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. Campers may collect dead and down wood in the park for campfires. This rule is strictly enforced! 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, electric, water, or sewer hook-ups in the park. Three handicap accessible ADA sites have 5 amp electrical service for use of medical equipment only. These sites must be reserved directly through the campground office at 865 / 430-5560. Quiet hours are in effect from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Generator use is restricted to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Generators may not be used at any time on Loops A, B, L, M, and N. Fires are allowed in fire rings only. A maximum of six 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 six foot leash at all times. Pets are not allowed on trails. Parking at Elkmont is limited, allowing space for two vehicles with a tent or one vehicle with an RV. All wheels cars, trucks, RV, or motorcycles must remain on pavement at all times. Tent pads at Elkmont measure 16 x 16 and will accommodate one large or two small tents. Tents must be pitched on the pad. Tennessee state law requires bicycle helmets for riders under 16 years of age. Skateboards, scooters, and roller blades are prohibited in the campground. A concessionaire-operated camp store provides basic camping supplies, limited groceries and snacks, ice, and USDA-certified firewood at a reasonable cost. Cades Cove and Smokemont are the only campgrounds in Great Smoky Mountains National Park that are open year round. For additional information, call 865-436-1200 or visit www.nps.gov/grsm . |
| nearbyAttrctionDescription |
Gatlinburg, one of the Smokies' most famous tourist towns, is located about nine miles from Elkmont and offers organized rafting trips, museums, restaurants, galleries, an aquarium, skiing and more. |
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| orientationDescription |
Generations of campers have returned to Elkmont year after year, drawn by the sounds of the river, the tranquility of the forest, and the variety of recreational activities in the Elkmont area. Little River and Jakes Creek run through the campground, offering easy access for fishing or cool summertime splashing. Trailheads for Little River Trail, Jakes Creek Trail, and Elkmont Nature Trail are located adjacent to the campground. Historic remnants of Little River Lumber Company's logging camp and old buildings from the Elkmont resort community offer campers a glimpse of life at Elkmont nearly a century ago. |
| recreationDescription |
The Little River runs through the campground offering visitors the option to camp waterfront. Campers can enjoy high-quality backcountry fishing in the cool waters of the Little River and countless other streams and rivers that snake through the mountains. 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 easily accessible from Elkmont Campground. The nearby and popular Laurel Falls Trail leads to a spectacular 80-ft. waterfall. Hiking and fishing are not the only reasons for visiting the Smokies: Picnicking, wildlife viewing and auto touring are popular activities. 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 are the most biologically-diverse 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. |