Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Norris, TN has a lot to offer. Norris is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. Find the best campgrounds near Norris, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
$30 / night
$8 - $100 / night
Over 2 million visitors annually come to enjoy the scenic beauty of Cades Cove and its many historic structures. Popular activities here include hiking, biking, touring the 11-mile Cades Cove loop road and observing wildlife. Whether blanketed in bright wildflowers in the spring or vivid colors in the fall, the scenery at Cades Cove never disappoints.
The Great Smoky Mountains are a hikers paradise and visitors to Cades Cove Campground love the 5-mile roundtrip hike to Abram Falls. From Cades Cove Loop Road, follow the signage at the turnoff for directions to the trailhead. Although Abrams Falls is only 20 feet high, the large volume of water rushing over falls more than makes up for its lack of height. The long, deep pool at its base is very picturesque. The trail to the falls traverses pine-oak forest on the ridges and hemlock and rhododendron forest along the creek. The waterfall and creek are named for Cherokee Chief Abram or Abraham whose village once stood several miles downstream. A nearby horse stable provides one-hour horseback rides as well as hay rides and carriage rides from March through October, offering recreational activities for the entire family. Campers can also enjoy high-quality backcountry fishing in the cool waters of the countless streams and rivers that snake through the mountains, with trout available in abundance.
The Great Smoky Mountains are a hikers paradise and visitors to Cades Cove Campground love the 5-mile roundtrip hike to Abram Falls. From Cades Cove Loop Road, follow the signage at the turnoff for directions to the trailhead. Although Abrams Falls is only 20 feet high, the large volume of water rushing over falls more than makes up for its lack of height. The long, deep pool at its base is very picturesque. The trail to the falls traverses pine-oak forest on the ridges and hemlock and rhododendron forest along the creek. The waterfall and creek are named for Cherokee Chief Abram or Abraham whose village once stood several miles downstream. A nearby horse stable provides one-hour horseback rides as well as hay rides and carriage rides from March through October, offering recreational activities for the entire family. Campers can also enjoy high-quality backcountry fishing in the cool waters of the countless streams and rivers that snake through the mountains, with trout available in abundance.
Cades Cove is a broad, verdant valley surrounded by mountains and is one of the most popular destinations in the Great Smokies. It offers some of the best opportunities for wildlife viewing in the park. Large numbers of white-tailed deer are frequently seen, and sightings of black bear, coyote, ground hog, turkey, raccoon, skunk, and other animals are also possible. For hundreds of years Cherokee Indians hunted in Cades Cove but archeologists have found no evidence of major settlements. The first Europeans settled in the cove sometime between 1818 and 1821. By 1830 the population of the area had already swelled to 271.
This location has limited staffing. Please call (865) 448-4103 for general information.
The park 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, a few of which are easily accessible from the Cades Cove loop road. Townsend, located about nine miles away, offers full service grocery stores and fuel.
_________ If you plan to arrive at a date later than your arrival date you MUST contact the campground office 865-448-4103 in order to avoid a cancellation to your reservation. If you wish to cancel your reservation the day of your arrival you MUST contact the campground office 865-448-4103 in order to receive a refund. ___ Rules and reservation policies can be found at https://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policies __
$30 / night
This KOA campground in Pigeon Forge is perfectly located to take everything the Great Smokies has to offer. Spend the day taking in the local area attractions such as Dollywood theme park, Dolly Parton's Stampede, Wonderworks, or the Old Mill just to name a few. Pigeon forge is bursting with over 70 attractions the whole family will love. Gear up for an adventure of hiking, fishing, biking or driving in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The options here are endless!
For a home away from home, try our fully furnished Deluxe Cabins or Camping Cabins. Park your RV at our Pull-Thru RV Site with KOA Patio®, all with free cable and Wi-Fi. Pitching a Tent? We have beautiful waterfront sites conveniently situated with picnic tables and fire rings. Whatever accommodation you choose, you can rest assured you will enjoy your stay in this beautiful location.
Explore our abundant entertainment options such as the NEW Gravity Rail, pan for fossils and gems at our Gem Mine, play at the NEW Playground, rent bikes or play in the zero-entry pool complete with a Rain Tree. There's even a safe place for Fido to play within the Kamp K9® Dog Park. As your day winds down, settle in to watch a movie at the Outdoor Cinema, sit around the Community Fire Pit or relax in the Hot Tub.
Greenbrier Campground TN is surrounded by the Little Pigeon River and offer RV sites, tent camping, RV rentals, cabins, and bell tents. Located only 6 miles from downtown Gatlinburg and 8 miles from the entrance to the GSMNP, we are convenient to all area attractions.
$35 - $258 / night
$18 - $300 / night
Blue Heron Campground is a rustic and spacious campground, situated on the Kentucky side of The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area--a vast and scenic expanse of land that offers visitors countless recreational activities.
Numerous trails snake through the Recreation Area, offering mountain biking, hiking and horseback riding for visitors. The main river of the Big South Fork is also a short drive away, offering fishing opportunities.
Numerous trails snake through the Recreation Area, offering mountain biking, hiking and horseback riding for visitors. The main river of the Big South Fork is also a short drive away, offering fishing opportunities.
The Big South Fork is located in north central Tennessee and southeastern Kentucky in some of the most rugged terrain of the Cumberland Plateau. The park encompasses approximately 125,000 acres of both rocky gorges and forested plateaus. Numerous pristine streams unite with the free-flowing Big South Fork of the Cumberland River. Over thousands of years, this ceaselessly moving water has carved the sandstone of the plateau into impressive cliffs, arches and chimneys that are found throughout the park.
Just a few miles from the campground is Blue Heron Mine, also known as Mine 18, a historic abandoned mining town that has been rebuilt as an outdoor museum. Visitors can hear audio presentations from actual people who lived in the community in the 1950s. The Big South Fork Scenic Railway Depot is located about 9 miles away in the town of Stearns, which offers train rides and other educational opportunities for campers. More information can be found online at https://bsfsry.com. Additional attractions include the Daniel Boone National Forest and Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, offering additional recreation opportunities.
$35 / night
Spent Labor Day weekend there. Awesome trip! Super clean campground and showers. Lots for the kids to do. Trolley that goes into Gatlinburg. Friendly, Christian atmosphere. Great Sunday service. .
That's a great recommendation! Elkmont Campground sounds like a wonderful place to experience the Great Smoky Mountains. The variety of accommodation options makes it accessible to campers of all preferences. Therefore SRSLY Low Carb helps me stick to a diet and it reflects well on my body. I love active recreation. However, I always take care of my diet because I have health problems. Have a nice trip and take care of your health.
We had an amazing time, the campground is beautiful and the park rangers were awesome. Hoping to come back soon.
If you're looking for peace and quiet, then this is the place to be. Had numerous sightings of wildlife even in the campground. Note... Do not forget to remove the drip pan on the Blackstone!!!! Doing so just erritates the bears.
I prefer playing cricket for physical exercise rather than virtual games like Nulls Brawl. It's a great way to stay active and enjoy the outdoors, especially in beautiful locations like The Crosseyed Cricket Campground in Tennessee.
We were there on a Saturday night in August and it was completely sold out. It's a very busy campground with close together spaces but that's to be expected at that time and place. The staff was awesome and it's a great facility, shockingly with that many people it was absolutely silent at night. If you want to be in that area at that time it's pricey but hard to beat; however, I have no desire to be in that busy of a campground. There is a good chance we would like to see it in the off season.
I highly DO NOT RECOMMEND this place. They completely do not respect their guests. I booked a half a year in advance and asked the question if they have a separate bed for each and they assured me they do. Unfortunately, my child ended up sleeping on the table. I tried to ask for an additional mattress or a partial/full refund but they didn’t want to hear me. They offered me to go to the store and buy one for myself. A complete disrespect I drove for six hours to be as disappointed as I had never been in life. Please, beware that coming here you’re going to sleep either on the floor or on the table and the staff doesn’t care about you or do not respect you. People, please do not come here.
Very tiny cabin, grass overgrown, far distance from pool. We paid in advance for 2 nights but checked out after 2 hours. Very gross, unkept. Because it’s pigeon forge I expected it to be good but it’s disgusting. The videos of JellystonePark show trampolines and water park like activities but this park had one small pool with no parking. Even my kids wanted to leave. Do not go here it is a Huge disappointment!
Nulls Brawl likely offers a way to share game progress or resources with others. You could generate links or codes to give them access, allowing you to play or team up with friends more easily. https://nullsbrawlapk.de/
Easy to find, well marked. It’s has many (12) trails and many falls. Would definitely recommend shopping before camping, it’s several miles, and mountains, to get to stores. There are several lodging options…cottages, The Lodge, (which is beautiful) tent and RV camping. There are 2 small campgrounds ~ 1) Ridgeline which accommodates RVs up to 26”, water and 10/30/50 amp hook ups. Sites have a fire ring and picnic table. WiFi is available, and there is a dump station. A small playground, office/campstore, and a bathhouse and laundry next to it. 3 sites are walk-in. Big rigs would have to stay elsewhere. 2) Clifty Campground is tent camping only 7 sites offer electric and water. WiFi is also offered. There is a bathhouse and a playground, and these CG’s are pet friendly. (Falls Creek is a few miles up the road…they have pull through and back ins. For bigger Rvs. They also have tents, wagons, cabin rentals, and primitive sites) We had no T-Mobile service, or satellite service in our vehicle. The trails and Cumberland falls were awesome. The horse rides looked amazing, and the Pool was big, with a diving board, and a small fee for campers to use it.
Booked a place to stay for vacation and ended up having to cancel in enough time for a refund. They said they would do a full refund wait 10-15 business days. Waited the time frame and no deposit was made. Ended up calling and they told us to email someone, emailed said person and haven’t heard anything. Careful if you might end up canceling cuz they will take your money. Just seen another post where the same thing happened with someone.
It looks so good so far. Thank you so much for sharing. Have a very good day!
Sites are level and pretty spacious, if not some a little tight together. My only complaint was that the restroom wasn’t marked on the map that I could see so I ended up being very far away from it. So more of an issue with recreation.gov than the campground itself. The restroom was nice and clean.
Campground did not follow advertised online information. No escort to spot, no dog park, no food delivery, just to name a few. It also appears that with the volume of rules you are required to comply with, your camp sites of individuals staying annually should also have to follow. Sites 64, 99 and 102 were a real disappointment to see each day when leaving. The camp spots were so small to be able to park our single vehicle. We were overall disappointed and our bi annual stay in the area, will not include Jellystone.
My family of five camped three nights at Elkmont the last week of March 2024. High was in the 50's and 60's and low in the 30's. It was windy and cold at nights. I did a ton of research attempting to book a"private" site at this campground--but now I'll share what I have learned-- there are none! We had site A-7, which is"walk-in", but the walk is incredibly short and not far from your car. All of the campsites are extremely close together, and there is no brush to divide them. That said, the campsite is gorgeous and I do recommend it. Despite having no visual privacy, the sound of the rushing water masks all the sounds of talking, etc. and I slept great with the rushing water. Considering the walk-in sites are no more private than any other, I think my highest recommendation would be the B sites. Otherwise try to book any site along the river.
The bathrooms were adequate--sinks and toilets and cleaned daily (no showers). We did one of our hikes from our site--the Little River Trail to Cucumber Gap at it was beautiful. While the technical distance of that loop is 5 and a half miles, it was 7 miles total from our site. I recommend doing Little River Trail first, as it is a gradual uphill on a gravel road. While the wide road is not ideal, it is along the beautiful river. Cucumber Gap trail is single track with some nice views. The final portion of that loop, Jakes Creek Trail to the Elkmont Historic District is STEEP--so I was glad we were going down, not up.
Stayed here in the Fall of 2023. It was perfectly quiet at night which was great. The bathrooms are clean and there’s a dish washing room as well. Due to the amount of black bears in the area they’re very vigilant about keeping trash in trash cans (apparently bears break into the bathrooms… so there’s ZERO trash cans in the bathrooms and you have to walk your paper towels or other items to the big dumpsters)
Coming from the Rocky Mountains where black and brown bears are also very active, I was surprised to see that there were no bear boxes of any kind.
This minor complaint won’t affect most people. but to those who need a bear boxe to store items while away from their campsite or perhaps while they’re there, just keep that in mind. 😊
Elkmont is a big campground located on little river. I spent the weekend here, and had a great time with cool weather. Warm during the day and just above freezing at night.
I drove up to clingmans dome at sunrise and caught a brief amazing glimpse before clouds covered up the whole view. It was really interesting the way the conditions changed so quickly. I made a short youtube video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5LIvzDiSY4
I fly fished around the campground, but didn't have much luck until I walked a good distance upstream on the little river trail. It was a great afternoon, and all fish I caught were rainbows and about hand size. Nothing remarkable, but time well spent and very enjoyable.
I would love to bring my son here, and look forward to trying to get a spot next year to bring him here.
As a note, I drove through gatlinburg early morning and the traffic was awful. I turned left after gatlinburg and rather than having to head back through town there was a bypass, which was a huge time saver.
Great location and the staff was friendly but that’s the pros. The Con is simple, I think politics can waiver your experience easily and us being a minority family camping there gave an unwanted vibe from other campers. Never noticed this in other states and sites but you just ignore it and have a great experience. Non locals were very friendly and spoke to us. People need to remember we are all the same, look the same, eat the same, speak the same… we just come in different shades and experiences. Camping is a great way to learn and meet a new neighbors even ones you might not have a chance to sit at a fire pit and talk to.
We came with friends for Fall Break and shared a buddy site, it was wonderful! Fun activities (we did BINGO & Trivia), hiking, a very nice pool & hot tub with splash pad and walk-in pool entry. The shower houses & restrooms were immaculate! So clean! We were sad to see they were already booked for next fall break - if you’re considering, book well in advance!
We came in late one night the staff is super friendly. Clean bath house too
Very clean. Very nice. We will be back
Campground is super easy to find, with plenty of signage. Go to the visitor’s center first and get your parking permit if you plan on doing any exploring by vehicle. $5/day or $15/weekend. Zero cell service past Laurel Falls (Verizon). Firewood and other essentials on site for purchase. They take cash or credit! Everything is within a good 20 minute drive. B7 is right on the river. Sounds of the water drown out any neighbors, which makes up for the sites being pretty close to each other.
This is a very clean, gated campground located right on the lake with available boat slips to rent during your stay. This is a very open campground with very few trees. The sites are concrete and gravel.
Visited in 2020 and the property was extremely rough. Came back in 2021 after hearing about new ownership...TONS of upgrades have been completed in a short amount of time. Group Chalet & Motel upgraded and remodeled. New bathhouse, docks, new marina store/gas pumps/restaurant with an extensive list of craft beers on tap and hand-dipped ice cream. Great food as well. Cornhole boards on the dock outside of the restaurant area, trivia nights on Thursdays. Campground is being upgraded in stages but is clean and family-friendly. The marina also has a number of rental pontoons available. We have come back every summer and had a great experience.
The sites are good with picnic tables, fire rings, and gravel tent pads. Also, the trees provide plenty of shade and bear-proof trash containers. Also, no bright street or area lights are shining into the tent all night long.
Although there are not any shower facilities, which didn't bother me, the toilets are not that great!
Two big problems for me. 1. A lot of generator noise and 2. No one respected the 5 mph speed limit which was a big concern with the young children running around, and the number of wild animals around.
If you are a tent camper, I recommend looking for tent only camp sites in this area.
Nice campground in a good location in the park. Decently close to cade’s cove, and really close to laurel falls. Even though there are no showers, you can access the river in tons of spots even if you don’t have a waterfront site. Another thing that might bother some people would be bugs in the bathrooms, but most of them are dead and all of them are harmless, just a little gross. Overall pretty solid campsite if you’re willing to lose some comfort.
Cades Cove:
(Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good
(70 yr olds in 17’ trailer)
Overall Rating: 3
Price 2023: $15 w America The Beautiful
Usage during visit: Packed.
Site Privacy: Tightly packed.
Site Spacing: Most sites are close
Site surface: Blacktop
Reservations: Yes
Campground Noise: Low
Road Noise: None. Not near main road
Electric Hookup: No
Sewer Hookup: No
Dump Station: Yes
Potable Water Available: At toilet facilities.
Generators: Allowed
Bathroom: Yes. Flush toilets
Showers: No
Pull Throughs: some
Cell Service (AT&T):
Setting: Open with some woods. Not pretty in my opinion. Nearby driving loop w trails is well worth the stay over.
Weather: 70s and low 80s
Bugs: Not bad
Solar: There are enough trees to interfere w fixed roof panels.
Host: Around. They do no regulate offenses as tightly as I’d expected.
Sites: B+ (door side more private w thick shrubbery & pretty private back: 68, 80, 83, 43, 45,46 47,48,50 , 16. 4, 5, 21
B- (door points to corner but shrubbery is open, and private in back) 70 , 18, 42,1. - still better than most sites .
C. Back of site a bit more private: 72,81, 84, 85, 44, 60,62,
Most others are at least semi private to rear only
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Norris, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Norris, TN is Elkmont Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park with a 4.7-star rating from 121 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Norris, TN?
TheDyrt.com has all 41 glamping camping locations near Norris, TN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
