Look Rock Campground, near Walland, Tennessee, is a scenic retreat nestled in the [Great Smoky Mountains National Park](https://thedyrt.com/camping/north-carolina/near/great-smoky-mountains-national-park). This campground offers a mix of spacious primitive sites, perfect for those who enjoy a more rustic experience while still having access to essential amenities like drinking water and electric hookups.

Visitors rave about the breathtaking views and the peaceful atmosphere, making it an ideal spot for relaxation and outdoor adventures. The campground is known for its beautiful surroundings, with plenty of hiking trails nearby that showcase the stunning fall foliage and diverse wildlife, including the occasional bear sighting. One camper noted, “This place has so many gorgeous camping spots and hiking trails!”

While the campground has undergone recent renovations, some campers have pointed out that it still lacks certain amenities like bear boxes and showers. However, the charm of the area and the welcoming hosts make up for these minor shortcomings. The road leading to the campground is narrow with steep switchbacks, so it's best to ensure your vehicle can handle the climb.

If you're looking for a peaceful getaway with access to nature's beauty, Look Rock Campground is a great choice. Whether you're pitching a tent or parking your RV, this spot offers a unique experience in one of the most visited national parks in the country.

## Overview

 Look Rock Campground is located along the beautiful Foothills Parkway West. The campground offers 68 campsites in a high country wooded landscape. It offers a traditional outdoor camping experience with the added convenience of flush toilets, drinking water, and a dump station. There are 10 sites with electric hookups. There are no shower facilities at the campground. Avoid GPS directions leading you along Montavale Rd, Happy Valley Rd, or Flats Rd if you are towing a trailer or vehicle. 
## Recreation

 The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a hikers paradise. Visitors to Look Rock Campground love the opportunity to enjoy day hiking and backpacking the parks 802 miles of trails. There are abundant opportunities for wildlife viewing as well as birding. The park is also a fisheman's paradise. While there are no fishing opportunities at the campground itself, it is just a short drive to several lakes and many streams where trout are abundant. Many visitors enjoy the scenic views that the Look Rock observation tower offers. There is a beautiful picnic area nearby for day use. Visitor looking for scenic roadways will not be disappointed. The Foothills Parkway West offers a relaxing drive through the high country, with many scenic pulloffs along the way. Nearby is the section of State Route 129 know as \"The Tail of the Dragon\". This unique section of roadway offers scenic views and features 318 curves in 11 miles. 
## Facilities

 The campground offers 68 campsites in a high country wooded landscape. It offers a traditional outdoor camping experience with the added convenience of flush toilets, drinking water, and a dump station. Each campsite has a picnic table, tent pad, and fire ring. Some sites will accommodate tents only, while other sites will accommodate large camper trailers. There are 10 sites with electric hookups. Be sure to reserve a site that will accommodate the type of equipment you plan to bring. There are no shower facilities at the campground. 
## Natural Features

 \_\_Look Rock sits at a higher elevation than most of the other campgrounds in Great Smoky Mountains. It features a wooded, high country landscape. There is a nearby picnic area for day use, and the Look Rock observation tower offering panoramic views of the park. The campground is just a short drive to Chilhowee, Cadlerwood, and Cheoah Lakes, providing ample fishing and boating recreation. There are many opportunites for unique and scenic drives in the area. Wildlife viewing opportunities abound. While hiking is limited from the campground itself, the nearby main section of the park offers over 802 miles of hiking trails. A hikers paradise. 
## Contact Info

 For facility specific information, please call (865) 448-4103. 
## Nearby Attractions

 Look Rock Observation Tower State Route 129 (Tail of the Dragon) Calderwood Lake Cheoah Lake Chilhowee Lake Look Rock Picnic Area Little River Abrams Creek Cades Cove Twenty Mile Appalachian Trail

Look Rock Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Maryville, TN is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.

Maryville

The Best Camping Near Maryville, Tennessee

Look rock

If you haven't visited the Smokies, then do yourself a favor and book a trip. The mountains are gorgeous, and the temperature is usually JUUUUST right in the fall.

If you go before Thanksgiving, the traffic in the area isn't too bad.

Great Sights!

Great place for views and not too over crowded. Can be secluded and awesome date place. Temperature fluctuations can happen throughout the day by 20° or more. Storms czn pop up and bring heavy rain and wind to this area so be prepared. Sunrises and sunsets are breathtaking from this area. 

Amazing views

A smaller and less popular site in GSMNP, so it's quieter. Great birding right by my tent! Nice clean site with the expected simple amenities from NPS. Lovely wooded sites. Lots of views and hiking really close. 

Quieter site, higher elevation

Simply beautiful! Amazing look out views! Can't wait to return.

Amazing views!

This place has so many gorgeous camping spits and hiking trails! In the fall there is just so many different hues of oranges reds and yellows

Beautiful 

The campground has been closed for the last few years. 


closed

The campground has been closed for the last few years. The views are great but the hike to the tower is very short. for some good bouldering walk past the tower through the wood to some fun small bluffs. 


Short hike

Closed

We stayed here for almost two weeks and it was wonderful. For most of our stay it was just us, the host site, and maybe one or two other sites on the weekend. We are Michiganders and made the error of traveling South in the summer, if we hadn't found this place we might have gone home early due to the heat, but the elevation (2,7249 ft.) made it perfect weather, and the hosts were excellent. We even got to see bears! There is a state campground near the base, but it was crowded and noisy. Unfortunately I've been informed this campground is no longer in operation, so sad.

Beautiful campground on the Foothills Parkway.

Can hike to watch tower but camping is closed

Hoping to address older reviews letting campers know that this campground is closed, I was able to confirm the recent re-opening of this site. After a 9-year closure, Look Rock Campground in Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be welcoming visitors into this campground this spring! Look for reservation availability on rec.gov and learn more about the campground on National Park's website. 

  

I'm looking forward to planning my visit!

Re-Opening Spring 2023

This campground was closed for a very long time to be restored and it needed it!!  Even after the long restoration it missed many key improvements. One huge over looked upgrade at every GSMNP camp site is the lack of bear boxes!!!!  In the NP with the largest black bear population you would think every campsite would have a bear box to protect the bears as well as the campers. The second major miss is small bathrooms that lack showers. This campground is on the larger side with almost 70 campsites so the bathrooms get over crowded quickly. The road to get to this campsite is beautiful but very narrow with steep switchbacks so make sure your tow vehicle has enough power to get up there and your rig isn’t too long to make the turns. Over all it’s a nice campground but for being the most visited national park Great Smoky is the least equipped and the least cared for park we have ever been too. 

Restored/reopened in 2023

Beautiful primitive sites but DONT TAKE ANY ROAD OTHER THAN FLATROCK ROAD. brutal switchbacks. The sites were spacious and primitive, perfect for boondocking. Keep your sites clean since there are no bear boxes!

Photos of Look Rock Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Real photos from real campers