Best Campgrounds near Talbott, TN

First of all, GSMNP is amazing and blew us away. And the river running along the campground was great. We even had elk walk through one morning.

However this campground is way too cramped and too loud. The sites are on top of each other. Two nights our neighbors were starting up their fire with some device that made it roar several feet tall. The first time we actually thought our tent was on fire because their pit is so close to our tent pad and it was so bright lol.

Oh and about the fires, if you’re sensitive to smoke, avoid this one. The loop is in sort of a bowl and without wind all of the smoke from all the fires just sits there. I ended up wearing a mask most of one evening.

There is no enforcement of quiet hours at this campground. Every night people nearby (two separate groups covering all nights at two different sites) were talking loudly for much of the night. I’m a light sleeper and with ear plugs and my phone blasting white noise next to my ears, I still didn’t get any sleep.

I know it sounds like I’m just a whiner and shouldn’t be camping, but we camp a lot… not for the “camping experience” but just because we travel a lot and it’s cheaper and I do enjoy being in nature. I do fine at most campgrounds but this one was just too crowded for me.

I will say, though, that this side of the park was quieter than the other and I liked the Cherokee vibe more than the Las Vegas - style Gatlinburg.

Highlight hike was Alum Cave. Super cool!

To be clear, there is only one site that you can drive to. (Site 14) When it says the sites are “walk-in”, it does not mean you can drive near your site and walk over into it. It means you have to park in a parking lot and haul your stuff up to 200 or 300 yards away along a trail over bridge. That being said, it is a lovely little campground. Very pretty right along the creek. Also hiking trails in the area. Be cautious though we had two local people in the area talk to us about people stealing things there and how there used to be a real homeless problem where a church about 30 miles away started dropping off homeless people they were tired of dealing with… typical 🙄. We did not see anything too shady during our visit, however. Just be cautious. The camp host was very nice and helpful. The bathhouse had one shower per side and on a scale of 1 to 10 for cleanliness, I would give it a 6.

This place is gorgeous.  All the sites are arranged for phenomenal views of the surrounding mountains.  I love the cuts in the tree lines so you can have a vista view from your picnic table.  

The showers were hot.  The toilets were clean.  The water was pristine and easily accessed.  

I sleep off the ground, so a lot of campgrounds are understandably not equipped for a couple of easily accessed trees to hold up a hammock.  After calling and asking for a good site that would fit, I arrived to find that not only the site I was given (#16) was perfect, but many other tent sites looked easily accommodating for hammocks as well.  

The sunset alone was more than worth it.  I didn't see any elk, but did fall asleep listening to some owls call to each other, and caught sight of three young bears crossing the road as I left camp.  

The only real question left is "When can I go back?"  The visit was simply too short.