Visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountain National Park is a sprawling 522,000-acre natural preserve inclusive of lush forested areas, wildflowers, stream, waterfalls and hiking trails and a wide variety of wild animals. This National Park is located on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee and is known for its well-preserved Appalachian Mountain culture, plant and animal diversity. The Park receives more visitors than all other National Parks because it is within 1-day drive for about 50% of the U. S. population. The park is about 3 hours from Atlanta, Georgia where you can rent an RV. Camper rentals are also available in Jacksonville, Florida and Memphis, Tennessee both located about 6 hours away. When you visit Great Smoky Mountain National Park in an RV rental, there are several exciting and fun outdoor activities available to you as well as unspoiled natural wonders for you to explore. We will examine some of the highlights of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and give you some insights into what you can do when next you visit.

Things to do in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park

When you visit this national treasure, there are so many things for you to do here that you might have to plan another trip! One of the things that keep people coming here is an abundance of hiking opportunities. There are over 800 miles of hiking trails within the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Some of the most recommended trails are the 8-mile round trip Newfound Cap to Charles Bunion Appalachian Trail, Clingman’s Dome, the 11-mile Cades Cove Loop, and the Thunderhead Mountain/Rocky Top Trails. The 8-mile roundtrip hike to the Ramsay Cascade Falls, the challenging 17 – mile hike to Mount Sterling via Big Creek Loop, the steep Chimney Tops 2-mile hike and the gentle Little River Trail (perfect for kids) are other hiking trails in the Park frequented by several hikers.

If you are a lover of nature, the Great Smoky Mountain includes over 2100 miles of rivers and streams for you to enjoy, there are also plenty of wildlife including the black bear, white-tailed deer, groundhog, wild turkeys and many other unique animals for you to see. You get the best sighting opportunities if you go to open areas like Cades Cove and Cataloochee in the Park. There are also several floral species for you your viewing, and you can take as many pictures as you need!

Campgrounds for your RV rental and more

To get the best experience at the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, we recommend that you stay for at least two days. The National Park has nine (9) well-developed campgrounds, seven (7) of which facilitates RV’s. There are over 800 campsites, so you will definitely not have any issues setting up camp here. The campgrounds are; Abrams Creek, Big Creek, Balsam Mountain, Cataloochee, Cades Cove, Cosby, Deep Creek, Smokemont and Elkmont. 

Abrams Creek

Abrams Creek campground includes sixteen (16) campsites and can accommodate RV’s of up to 12 ft in length. This campground is available between May 27 and October 10 annually. No reservation required.

Big Creek

Big Creek has twelve (12) camping sites, does not facilitate RV’s and is available between April 8 and October 31 annually. No reservation required.

Balsam Mountain

This campground includes a total of forty-six (46) campsites and can accommodate RV’s with maximum lengths of 30 ft. The campground is available to the public from May 27- October 10. No reservations required.

Cataloochee

The Cataloochee campground is available from March 25 – October 31 and has twenty-seven (27) campsites. RV’s of up to 31 ft in length can be accommodated, and reservations are required for this campground.

Cades Cove

The Cades Cove campground includes one hundred and fifty-nine (159) campsites, accommodates RV’s of up to 35 ft and is available year-round weather permitting. Reservations are required for this campground. 

Cosby  

This campground has one hundred and fifty-seven (157) campsites and is available April 8-October 31. The Cosby campground facilitates RV’s as large as 25 ft in length and reservations are required for the Cosby site.

Deep Creek

Deep Creek includes ninety-two (92) campsites, accommodates RV’s up to 26 ft in length and is available from April 8 – October 31. No reservations are required for the Deep Creek campground.

Smokemont

Smokemont is available throughout the year weather permitting and has one hundred and forty-two (142) campsites. Reservations are required, and RV’s of up to 35 ft can be facilitated.

Elkmont

The Elkmont campground is available from March 11- November 28 and includes all of 220 campsites. RV’s with lengths of up to 32 ft can be accommodated. Reservations are also required for this campground.

Please note that the available dates for the campsites might change due to weather conditions and also the sites that do not require a reservation are available on a first come first serve basis.

Safety tips when visiting the Great Smoky Mountain National Park

It is important that you take certain precautions for our safety when visiting a National Park of this size. Here are some critical safety tips to keep you safe:

• Let a responsible family member or friend know that you are visiting the Park and also the hiking route that you plan to take and the timeframe to complete
• Hike with another person at all times and stay on official trails
• Always carry a park trail map and ensure that you know how to read it
• Avoid hiking at nights
• Avoid leaving valuable items in your car
• Bring along bear spray to protect yourself from bear attacks if needs be

As you can see, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a fun place to Go RV Rentals because there are so many outdoor things to see and do. Plan your vacation today by visiting www.GoRVRentals.com.