24 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Rustic cabin rentals near Cherokee provide varying levels of comfort and amenities. Indian Creek Campground offers private, creekside cabins within lush surroundings, while Cherokee-Great Smokies KOA features pet-friendly cabin options. Most furnished cabins include beds, electricity, and fire pits. "The cabins are VERY rustic (perfect for us), one-room, with a handful of bunk beds & electricity. Ours had 3 bunk beds, so slept all 6 of us easily," reports one visitor who appreciated the simplicity. Some cabins also feature air conditioning, televisions, and private porches, though amenities vary significantly between campgrounds. Kirkland Creek Campground provides 30-amp and 50-amp electric hookups for their cabin accommodations.
Visitors should verify specific cabin features when booking, as furnishing levels range from basic sleeping quarters to fully-equipped units with kitchens. Moonshine Creek Campground provides camping cabins with full beds and sleeping lofts spacious enough for multiple guests. According to one camper, "The loft is very large, 3 10-12 yrs old as well as 3 3-4 yrs old fit up there nice and comfy." Pet policies vary between locations, with Cherokee-Great Smokies KOA welcoming pets in all cabin accommodations. Reservations are essential during peak summer months when the Great Smoky Mountains see high visitor numbers, particularly at popular sites like Elkmont Campground.
Most cabin rentals require guests to bring their own bed linens, pillows, and towels. Basic cooking amenities may include outdoor fire rings with cooking grates and picnic tables, though some deluxe cabins offer refrigerators and microwaves. Bathhouse facilities are typically shared with other campground guests, featuring flush toilets and hot showers. Campers can purchase firewood on-site at most locations, and many campgrounds maintain small stores with camping essentials and basic groceries. Deep Creek Tube Center Campground includes a gift shop with souvenirs and hand-scooped ice cream, while larger supplies can be found in Cherokee, Sylva, or Bryson City within a short drive of most cabin locations.
"Our site was good size and bathroom facilities were nice and clean with running water and flush toilets. I wish the national parks would have shower facilities at more of their campgrounds."
"I was in site A14, beside a branch of the Little River with a large tent pad, fire ring, picnic table, and paved, slightly sloped, parking pad."
Available this weekend
from $30 / night
"We stayed in a deluxe cabin and I felt it was well worth it for the price. The heat did struggle to keep it warm but they had just gone through a pretty severe winter storm."
"Years ago, my wife and I stayed at this campground in a cabin beside Raven Fork River. If I’m not mistaken, the one we were at this time was either the same cabin or one close to it. "
"Indian Creek offers the most relaxing creekside camping in North Carolina. Every campsite is lush with greenery, private and well maintained after each occupancy."
"We chose a primitive site secluded from all other campers since we tend to be a bit noisy."
from $26 - $37 / night
"Greenbriar campground is located in Pittman Center, west of Gatlinburg, adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains. The campground is certainly one of the nicest camping spots I’ve n the area."
"Sites are full hookup and have cable, picnic tables, fire rings and a grill. Everything was extremely clean."
from $35 - $258 / night
"Nice laundry facilities. Especially nice are the tent sites. They seem to have some of the most scenic spots. The Sanctuary area is awesome and the tent sites are right on the creek."
"The park is very well maintained. You can tell the owner takes pride in the park. The place is laid out so that almost every site is creekside."
from $43 - $83 / night
"Campground review: Located in Bryson City, N.C. on Deep Creek, this campground has around 50 sites with full hookups."
"We tent camped at an electric site and it was awesome. There’s shelters to camp under, a fire ring, and a picnic table. We were close to the bath house which was welcomed in the middle of the night."
"It is also located just a few miles from Cherokee and from many hiking trails!"
"While many large campgrounds have transitioned to RV parks, I was glad to see that Happy Holiday welcomes all types of campers. The variety of camping here is almost endless."
"It is off the beaten path and a few twists and a bridge will get you to a quite and peaceful site."
"It is such a peaceful place off the beaten path. Owner was very kind and helpful. Bath house was clean with hot water. My kids loved meeting his pets and watching the trout."
Available this weekend
from $27 - $120 / night
"We were impressed with the paved parking space, picnic table, fire pit and level tent pad. It looks like these are very new. Proximity to cades cove loop was great."
"Picnic table, fire ring and grill, sand tent area, level driveway- all make for a good choice for any type of equipment. No cell service for Verizon and none for many miles on the drive to the site."
Available this weekend
from $30 / night
"All sites are full hook-up, I think, and pet friendly. Not a big park, but I'll happily stay again when in the Smoky Mountains."
"Located beside the Tuckaseegee River, this is a great family campground if you don’t require a swimming pool or recreation activities offered by some of the larger franchise campgrounds."
from $50 - $55 / night
LegendBeautiful campground with all the amenities. If you like rustic in the woods this is not your place, but they advertise what they are. Top dollar for top service and gorgeous sites. All the frills if that’s what you want. We love both. Lots of grass for dogs and good dog parks if that’s important.
TravelerNext door to trolley depot, and Old Mill heritage. Walking path along river. Walking distance to shops. Nice camping spots, clean showers and bathrooms. Lots of kids amenities, pool open most of the time.
TravelerVisited in October of 2025 to go to Dollywood. Close to everything yet feels private. VERY well maintained and super friendly hosts. Nighttime activities like bingo, games for kids, large tv area, loved the creek. Would stay there again.
TravelerSuper clean park, friendly hosts that had planned activities for evenings, close to most everything but yet felt out of the hub. would stay again
LegendThis is almost a perfect park. Sites are a little tight, pond is nice, but geese were on another level. So loud at 3-5am it woke us up and kept us up. Our neighbors were also inconsiderately loud at 4-6am. We thought they were pulling out the first time and gave a pass, but it was 4 straight days. This was only place at the time time that had sites. Definitely pretty more scenic parks. We book 2 days out. Staff is super friendly and price wasn’t bad last minute.
LegendWe took US-321 into the back side of Gatlinburg to avoid the downtown craziness. RV Life GPS guided us directly to Twin Creek RV Resort, while Waze suggested a few shortcuts that we wisely passed on. The campground (CG) entrance was a little tight and downhill, but we had no trouble getting to the office for check-in. One of the very friendly and helpful staff members escorted us to back-in site 14, where backing in was easy. We wanted to lower our toy hauler patio to enjoy the creek running behind the sites, and the staff kindly allowed us to park our F-450 in site 38 across the road to give us more room. Our site had a nice patio area with a long bench, picnic table, and nearby fire pit. CG Wi-Fi was so-so at 6.17 Mbps download. Verizon had 2 bars and T-Mobile had 3 bars, while our T-Mobile Home Internet delivered a respectable 106 Mbps download. There was considerable road noise from US-321, especially during daylight hours, although evenings were noticeably quieter. The fenced dog park was small, but there was plenty of room around the CG to walk our pup. Overall, we enjoyed our creekside site, the helpful staff, and the convenient location away from the busiest part of Gatlinburg.
TravelerBeautiful spot in the smoky mountains. State park style amenities, no showers. No hookups. Very busy very open campground. Nice that some trails are walking distance from campground. I would not camp here again as I prefer more separation and privacy. No cell service. STARLINK is usable but obstructed with tree canopy
TravelerThis worked well for us while we were visiting Dollywood in our trailer, but we wouldn't stay here if we had been in a different type of site. Cons: Unless you have a site up against the river or on patriot park, you are packed in VERY TIGHT with other people, sometimes with your sliders only a foot or two away from your neighbor's sliders. We were in a site that was "on patriot park", but the few first sites of that type are really just behind the trolley parking lot and pick up with a path behind you (including ours). People are on the other side of the fence walking about two feet behind you all day and pretty late in to the night. Pros: There are lot of trees and campground is very pretty. Super close to Dollywood and other Pigeon Forge points of interest.
TravelerStayed 1 week in site 12. Great small campground, clean and quiet. Jojo was a great host and 5pm happy hour gathering was fun. Will DEFINITELY return. Its a great spot for launching adventures.
Cabin camping near Cherokee, North Carolina provides access to the Great Smoky Mountains at elevations ranging from 1,900 to 6,600 feet. Temperatures typically range from 40-70°F in spring/fall and 70-90°F in summer, with higher elevations cooler by 10-15 degrees. Mountain weather can change rapidly, with afternoon thunderstorms common in summer months.
Creek fishing spots: Indian Creek Campground offers direct access to fishing from your cabin site. "My kids loved meeting his pets and watching the trout. We stayed in a tent site on the creek, and it was lovely," reports one visitor to Kirkland Creek who enjoyed the streamside location.
Historical sites exploration: At Elkmont Campground, visit the nearby Daisy Town ghost town. "One of the more intriguing areas to explore at Elkmont is the Daisy Town ghost town. Once you've set up camp, walk or drive down the road toward the Little River and Jakes Creek trails. Follow the signs for additional parking and you'll find yourself at the end of a road lined with assorted cottages and cabins that used to be vacation homes."
Waterfall hiking trails: Multiple cascades are accessible within short hiking distances. "Camp staff was very helpful! Sights are close but looking at other campgrounds it's very comparable. Showers, restrooms and laundry were all clean! Some seasonal campers and everyone was friendly!" notes a visitor to Happy Holiday RV Village about the easy access to nearby trails.
Private bathrooms: Greenbrier Campground offers individual bathroom facilities. "The bath house appeared to be newer, and will trump your home facilities in many cases! Within the bath house, there are several private doors leading to your own 3 piece bath with shelving and granite counters with outlets, and a stunning double shower."
Creek sounds: Many cabins sit alongside mountain streams for natural sound barriers between sites. "Our site was right next to the stream and little covered bridge. It sounded like it was always raining," shares a camper from Moonshine Creek Campground.
Family activities: "Me and my family has been to this campground a few times now and it is hands down my favorite! We live 6 hours away but frequently visit the area through out the year. We have tent camped back home but wasn't sure with bears and the kiddos as they are always scared of sounds at night lol," describes a visitor to Greenbrier about their cabin experience.
Bear safety requirements: Food storage regulations are strict throughout the region. "Very strict rules regarding food storage and park has managed to control bears and raccoons," notes a reviewer from Elkmont.
Seasonal availability: Most cabin facilities operate April through October, with limited winter options. "The loft is very large, 3 10-12 yrs old as well as 3 3-4 yrs old fit up there nice and comfy," reports a camper describing the sleeping capacity at Moonshine Creek during peak season.
Wi-Fi limitations: Deep Creek Tube Center & Campground offers better connectivity than most. "When we were there, it was nearly sold out but still quiet. Would love to go back in the summer and tube. If you forget something, the campground store is great. They do have fire wood AND the Wi-Fi was strong enough for us to stream Netflix / send emails."
Activity planning: Schedule morning hikes before afternoon storms. "Great hiking opportunities and close to Gatlinburg if you run out of supplies," mentions a visitor to Elkmont Campground about balancing outdoor time with contingency plans.
Kid-friendly water features: Several campgrounds offer controlled water play areas. "The creek was nice for the kids to play in. The pond is not for fishing or swimming," advises a Moonshine Creek camper about appropriate water activities.
Child-appropriate accommodations: Kirkland Creek Campground offers family-friendly cabin layouts. "Amazing site and campground. The campsites were neat and were cared for very well. We chose a primitive site secluded from all other campers since we tend to be a bit noisy. This worked out perfectly since you couldn't hear anything but the rushing water in the gorgeous stream next to us."
Site size considerations: Cabins near RV areas can be tight. "The sites are close together BUT so skillfully incorporated into the architecture that you really don't notice. Cute cabins to rent and secluded tent sites, all with a stream running through the middle of the campground," explains a visitor to Moonshine Creek.
Delivery services: Many campgrounds offer amenities brought to your site. "You can buy kiln dried wood for use—the store has it and delivers it to your site. It needs splitting so consider bringing an axe," suggests a camper from Indian Creek when discussing cabin conveniences.
Seasonal road access: Some cabin locations have challenging approach roads in winter. "Long and windy road to get to the area," notes a visitor to Cades Cove about travel considerations when accessing more remote cabin facilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Cherokee, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Cherokee, NC is Elkmont Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park with a 4.7-star rating from 128 reviews.
What is the best site to find cabin camping near Cherokee, NC?
TheDyrt.com has all 195 cabin camping locations near Cherokee, NC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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