Elkmont Group Camp, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, TN

Elkmont Group Camp is part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee (1 hr 17 min southeast of Knoxville, TN) with an elevation of 2,158 feet. There are a total of 4 campsites which are all tent-only sites. The campground is normally open from the end of April to the end of October. All sites are currently reservable. Each site includes a picnic table and fire ring with grill. Fees range from $38.00 to $75.00. Some amenities include drinking water, restroom, flush toilets. Activities include fishing, hiking trails.

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35.65982, -83.58543
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(865) 430-5560 (Information)
(865) 430-5560 (Reservations)
$38 - $75

Campsites Available Tonight, Sep 19, 2024 2

Site		Status	Features	Driveway	Length	Price
#G2		Available		Back-In	-	$50
#G4		Available		Back-In	-	$50

Campsites Available This Weekend, Sep 20, 2024 or Sep 21, 2024 2

Site		Status	Features	Driveway	Length	Price
#G3		Available		Back-In	-	$38
#G4		Available		Back-In	-	$50

Campground Capacity (Next 30 Days)

Campsite Reviews (26)

4.3 out of 5

5 star		54%
4 star		31%
3 star		8%
2 star		8%
1 star		0%

@HeatherC820487 · Camped on Aug 15, 2024 at Campsite #G2

My Girl Scout troop stayed in the Group Tent site #2 at Elkmont and enjoyed ourselves. A few words of things to be aware of: despite the fact that they don't want you to bring in firewood, and the fact that they sell it at the campground, the space that sells the wood is only open 11-5, which is prime time to be AWAY from the campsites. Once you arrive, they let you know you can buy heat treated wood off-site, but then you are there. The place they sell wood DOES have availability after hours for honor-system pick up, but they don't tell you that anywhere and they don't tell you where to actually FIND the honor system wood, even if you talk to one of the people when checking in, assuming you can be there when they are there as well. No one was in the office when we rolled into the campground at 6:30pm. Clarity on this point would be super helpful. Also, there are NO showers in the park, and they just advise you to see if you can catch a shower at a local KOA. Not super helpful, but good to know in advance. A rinse of in the stream in August worked ok. The camp site was clean, as were the bathrooms. The place was peaceful and beautiful. Skinny metal stakes are a must-have to make it through the material on the camping pads to stake out your tent. Group site 2 and 3 are quite close together, but the folks at the other site were mostly out, so it didn't create too much trouble. Otherwise, those sites are better suited to a larger group traveling together. Also, there was NO cell service, so come with maps and plans. And money to buy maps as they all cost money, unlike other national parks.

@BarbaraS935217 · Camped on Jun 28, 2024 at Campsite #G1

Group site 01 was a large site. We had (6) two man tents, on two of the tent pads, and there was room for maybe two more small tents but that was it. The third pad was not usable. It was overgrown and muddy. It rained once while we were there and this pad was in standing water. The other two pads had gravel, and were nice pads, but the third is useless due to the occasional rains. 5 nice large tables. 2 firerings. One large grill, but we didn't use it. Bathrooms were clean and stocked with toliet paper and a hand dryer. The group sites are not kept up like the other sites. Overgrown. Staff was not friendly. But we tried to give them the benefit of the doubt in the volume of campers they see, but don't expect southern hospitality. Great trails. Easy access via walking. We hung out in the water a lot due to the heat. Very clean clear water. We saw turkey and an owl in the campground. Saw a bear at Laurel Falls. Wood and ice were available. $10/$5 rounded up. We plan to come back next year, but probably won't book the group site unless they are cared for better. Group site 01 is the handicap site, and it would be very difficult to get a wheelchair down the walk pad, to the site, due to the broken chunks of concrete. All in all we had a great time at this campground.

@AmberX3D42B6B8 · Camped on Jun 12, 2024 at Campsite #G3

This group camping site is excellent. It's close to the parking area, making it easy to load things from your car. The site is clean and quiet, and the restrooms are very well-maintained.

@SamL4075452 · Camped on Jun 7, 2024 at Campsite #G1

The rating is based on Group Site 1's continued degradation. I was hoping this year would have some campsite improvements but there wasn't. The description's pictures of the campsite are from over 10 years ago. I know because we were there in 2013 after they refurbished the site. One of the large tent pads (last pic) is now completely grown and mudded over. Been that way at least the last 3 years and getting worst. I managed to get one 9x9 tent on it but the other end of the pad was piled with limbs. The 6x6 curbs are rotting out in several paces but I don't consider that a big deal. The walkway is broken up near the parking lot so watch your step. Poison ivy is encroaching all around. I know it's a national park but seems like they could clear a reasonable margin around the pads and walkways. As for Elkmont Campground as a whole I give it 5 stars. The campground was clean and the bathrooms (at least the one in the group area) have new motion sensor lights which were nice. Also the restrooms were well maintained and clean. As for the camp store, the lady running it is very nice and they have an honor system after hours for ice and firewood. That's really considerate.

@RuthF2791974 · Camped on Oct 22, 2023 at Campsite #G2

Glitch in app. Wouldn't record my answer- 5 stars-excellent. All staff that I encountered were extremely helpful and pleasant. Had a wonderful experience.

@MartinH4750228 · Camped on Oct 8, 2023 at Campsite #G1

The group campsite was perfect for our group of men doing day hikes for a week. Plenty of space for multiple tents and tables for cooking and seating. The high wall fire rings were not the best as the fire was really low and hard to get air in and heat out. I understand the safety concerns, maybe add holes around the base for air entry. Bathroom and dish washing sink were clean and convenient (close, but not too close).

@CarolB2589812 · Camped on Sep 7, 2023 at Campsite #G1

Great location and this site is really nice for a larger group.

@scottb3088469 · Camped on Jul 28, 2023 at Campsite #G4

Had a great time. It did rain a lot which is always tricky but that's the Smokys! The campsite was large and spacious. Our biggest complaint is the bathrooms. We watched an employee come and clean them and they were just as dirty as before. There were piles of dead centipedes under the sinks. Lots of spider webs and even a snake at one point was seen in the women's. We're all about a rugged camping experience but it wouldn't take much to take a broom to sweep out the dead bugs and cobwebs. This national park was very very busy while we were there, and we couldn't find parking to do any planned hikes. That was a bummer. Wild turkeys were seen as well at the campsite :-)

@NatalieC716174 · Camped on Jul 3, 2023 at Campsite #G3

Beautiful campground. Could use better signs and bathrooms could be cleaned more often. Otherwise good.

@VictorR7240160 · Camped on Jun 4, 2023 at Campsite #G4

Group site 04 and the whole group camping area are great. They are very private and large enough for three and even for four large tents. It was so much fun camping with other families, and it was an easy walk to see the fireflies. The bathrooms and water are very close and we had no problems at all. The only thing is walking up and down the stairs to the car to get and put away food, but it wasn’t that much of an inconvenience. This was a great experience for us.

@MarkG5733121 · Camped on Oct 9, 2022 at Campsite #G3

Loved the group campsites

@AlyssaA5407270 · Camped on Jul 29, 2022 at Campsite #G2

This was an awesome group campsite. Highly recommend GP02 out of all the group sites. GP01 would be my second choice. They are the two flattest options with the most space. We had our 1.5 yr. old with us and while there are ledges (maybe 2 ft tall) and a few steps, it is the safest for small kids. The other sites are in steeper, more rugged spots. The sites are just BEAUTIFUL and we saw many wild turkeys and one coyote. There is a lot of poison ivy/oak around the site though, so don't let little ones wander too far unsupervised. Multiple great spots to hang hammocks (we had 5 set up at one point and there was still space for more). You can maybe comfortably fit 6 tents of various sizes on the 2 tent pads, but it was tight. We had a group of 13 (a lot of single people, hence the # of tents and hammocks) and it was the perfect size. It could fit many more if you're sharing tents. The fire pit space is awesome and the picnic tables were nice quality (fiberglass, not wood, so they wiped dry easily after it rained). My only complaints were the state of the bathrooms. The counter and toilets themselves were clean and there was toilet paper and soap, but the building was COVERED in bugs (moths, centepedes, spiders, etc. which, I get it, it's in the woods, what can you do). And the price of wood at the camp store must have increased recently...nearly $10 a bundle for wet wood, wasn't very happy about that, hence 4 stars. Regardless, we will definitely be back (we will just bring our own approved wood next time).

@Elizabeth86784 · Camped on May 8, 2022 at Campsite #G1

Nice sites, set away from each other

@JohnH2789214 · Camped on May 6, 2022 at Campsite #G4

Excellent central location within the park. Less than an hour to Cades Cove, 15 minutes to Gatlinburg and Sugarlands, an hour to Cherokee. Yet still felt secluded. Great walks in the woods.

@RossH8173451 · Camped on Oct 14, 2021 at Campsite #G1

Great site for a group. Has 6 picnic tables & 2 fire pits, would be nice if it were directly next to the river but it's only a 3 minute walk away.

@RossH827 · Camped on Oct 14, 2021 at Campsite #G1

Great site for a group. Has 6 picnic tables & 2 fire pits, would be nice if it were directly next to the river but it's only a 3 minute walk away.

@JamesW804 · Camped on Sep 3, 2021 at Campsite #G4

We had Elkmont Group camp #4. The space was awesome and very secluded from all other campsites! The fire pit had a removable grill grate, which is super helpful! The 3 bay grill in the picnic area is hard to get coals underneath the grates, plus it is a two person job to move the grate up or down. The porta-potties were super clean and no one minded that the bathroom was closed! Would definitely repeat this campsite again! The ranger who was there was also really really helpful and friendly! She was a great source of knowledge and just plain fun to talk to too!

@JamesW5759385 · Camped on Sep 3, 2021 at Campsite #G4

@KerryH6751937 · Camped on Jul 26, 2021 at Campsite #G1

Cash in your life's savings to buy ice. $4.38 a bag. It was so hot and with 19 people we had to buy 8-10 bags a day. Buy in town in you are headed that way.

@KerryH476 · Camped on Jul 26, 2021 at Campsite #G1

Cash in your life's savings to buy ice. $4.38 a bag. It was so hot and with 19 people we had to buy 8-10 bags a day. Buy in town in you are headed that way.

@JohnA383 · Camped on Jun 27, 2021 at Campsite #G4

The combination of the lack of bathrooms and the camp store was very frustrating. It seems like the campground would have a lower fee while these inconveniences are ongoing

@JohnA1386005 · Camped on Jun 27, 2021 at Campsite #G4

The combination of the lack of bathrooms and the camp store was very frustrating. It seems like the campground would have a lower fee while these inconveniences are ongoing

@LindaA9769350 · Camped on Oct 18, 2019 at Campsite #G1

Beautiful, large campsite away from the main camping loops. Private, convenient, comfortable with great amenities.

@LindaA689 · Camped on Oct 18, 2019 at Campsite #G1

Beautiful, large campsite away from the main camping loops. Private, convenient, comfortable with great amenities.

@ChristineM491 · Camped on Aug 1, 2019 at Campsite #G1

The group campsite was perfect for our family. With 6 adult children & their families... we were able to “camp together” but each couple/family stayed in their own tents. With this site we were able to eat & hangout as an entire family. Many times we need to book several “traditional sites” most the time not near each other; not with this site, this was GREAT ! Just remember it is in the wildlife, so keep all food stored in the cars. (Even though I heard the park has a fine for not doing this, it is the smart thing to do!) We will return ! My Adult Children want this to become an annual vacation event; staying at this group campgrounds. For us, several went to nearby attractions; while we took the grandchildren and younger children on “walks” to see nature, we even put our feet in the streams. (Take drinking water with you as walking needs a drink, several of us did, ones that though we were silly, happily shared our water.) EVERYONE had fun ! Those that wanted to spend money at attractions sites nearby towns & those of us that wanted to spend time in Nature. (A couple of our group that did attractions were sad they missed our hiking/walking adventures and said “next time” we will go hiking. :-) GREAT opportunities to take wonderful photos ! The background makes the photos !

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