Gatlinburg TN Smokey Mts.

[Ranchhand]

Thinking long term here and planning a trip with the kids for next years spring break to the smokey mountains in Gatlinburg Tennessee sometime around the end of march first of april. Probably would be a 5 to 7 night stay with a 38.5 foot fifth wheel and would prefer someplace with full hookup. Anyone have any good campground recommendations around the Gatlinburg area.

[CaptnJohn]

Anchor Down. Make reservations NOW as it fills quickly .

[Buckeyexx]

Check out river plantation rv resort in Sevierville. It’s a nice quite campground with a lazy river and all kinds of things for kids to do. I have stayed there two different times and loved it both times. If your not familiar with sevierville it is the town just before pigeon forge and Gatlinburgh.

[Laredo Tugger]

I stayed at Riverbend Campground early last fall and drove to the top of the national park from there. It was a real nice campground right on the Little Pigeon River. The campground was set back from the main highway that goes through Pigeon Forge. The area looked attractive for family activities but was a little too much for me and the wife.
RMc

[Vet4jdc]

We stayed at Twin Creek RV Resort a couple of years ago. It's right outside Gatlinburg. You can catch the shuttle to town.

[ken56]

What will be the focus of the trip? Entertainment or the Nat'l Park? There are many nice CG's outside of G'burg on RT. 321, all will accommodate your rig with FHU. More choices in Pigeon Forge and will be closer to the entertainment., dinner shows and Dollywood to go carts and Ripley's Museum.


If you would like a pool for the kids stay at Pine Mountain in PF. They have an indoor pool available at their motel across the street that you can use. River plantation is nice too but has an outdoor pool. Lots of options so do your research and come on down and have fun.

[roadglide]

I made reservations at Elkmont at Great Smokey mountains last week for 6 days in April . Thete is no electric or water , dump station are available in the park. Most camp sites are reserved for the weekends , what can expect for 62 dollars with national park pass. My experience is when you can stay inside national park where preservation kept the experience is better . I Iike U TUBE when reserving national parks .

[gearhead]

https://www.upthecreekrvcamp.com/

[Ranchhand]

What will be the focus of the trip? Entertainment or the Nat'l Park? There are many nice CG's outside of G'burg on RT. 321, all will accommodate your rig with FHU. More choices in Pigeon Forge and will be closer to the entertainment., dinner shows and Dollywood to go carts and Ripley's Museum.


If you would like a pool for the kids stay at Pine Mountain in PF. They have an indoor pool available at their motel across the street that you can use. River plantation is nice too but has an outdoor pool. Lots of options so do your research and come on down and have fun.

Focus of the trip will probably be mostly about the kids. Kids will be 9 and 7 next year so it would be nice to stay at a campground with a few amenities for them but was also thinking about the national park and maybe Dollywood. I don’t mind traveling a little bit to go for some things but don’t really want to travel to far to have to go see something.

[CaptnJohn]

https://www.upthecreekrvcamp.com/



Great little CG with zero amenities. Away from but close to everything.

[ken56]

Ranchhand, I would recommend staying in the Pigeon Forge area instead of G'burg. G'burg can be seen in a day or two. There are a couple things the kids might be interested in, The Aquarium of the Smokies, Ober Gatlinburg is putting in summer tubing on their ski hill and Anakeesta is a new attraction with a very cool zipline feature. The rest of G'burg is restaurants and tee shirt shops really. There are a few other attractions but for the most part That's pretty much it.


The Nat'l park can be seen in a day too unless you are into hiking to waterfalls and such. Not much in it really. There is Cades Cove at the Townsend end and there is Clingmans Dome that is off 441, the road going through the park. Spectacular views from the observation tower. New Found Gap road goes into Cherokee NC and it has the Museum of the Cherokee Indian that is worth going through and its an easy drive.

Staying in PF puts you in the middle of everything. Dollywood is opening a new section and for a 9 and a 7 year old I think that would be the highlight of the trip. Its a pricy ticket so be prepared for sticker shock, regular price is 74 bucks this year but a couple discounts can be had. Military gets 30% off and Coke is offering 40 bucks off 4 tickets on specially marked packages of Coke so look for it in the grocery stores when you get in town.


The Island is a fairly new entertainment complex too worth visiting. Paula Deen's restaurant is there, fantastic. There are so many choices for things to do you will have to really do some picking and choosing.


We moved down here from MI 6 years ago and love it. We live 25 miles outside of the crazy busy and play tourist ourselves once in a while. Stay at Pine Mountain CG just for the indoor pool availability for the kids. The brand new The Ridge CG is within a mile of Dollywood if that is more convenient. Do your research for discount coupons and attractions and the dinner shows. You and the kids will have blast.

[MSB1766]

Stayed at Anchor Down last summer, great place.
http://www.anchordownrvresort.com/
Lots to do in the Pidgen Forge/ Gattlenburg area:

https://www.mypigeonforge.com/

https://www.gatlinburg.com/to-do/attractions/

[notanlines]

Ranch, I won't portend to give advice on entertaining your children. I will say that our grandboys and grandgirls could not care less what the view might be from Clingman's Dome or how wonderful the Cherohala Skyway can be on a misty morning. What I do know is that all five of those in attendance a few years ago remember every detail of our three days at the waterparks of Wilderness in the Smokies and Golden Corral dinners at night. Maybe one of you can explain to me how a thirteen year old can play with cousins and siblings for ten hours at a waterpark and have energy enough for a banana split at 10 PM but is worn out at home after mowing for 45 minutes....And, yes, Golden Corral much to my DW's dismay. It was that or Taco Bell every night.
Ken has made some good recommendations. I can't help with the campgrounds.
And keep this in mind: The price has long been forgotten, only the quality remains.:D

[Old Mustanger]

You might want to check out Adventure Bound, Gatlinburg, lots for the kids to do.

[KYFamily]

Been to the Smokies more times than I can count. We like Anchor Downs and River Plantation but have stayed at Jellystone outside of Gatlinburg. Were staying at Anchor Downs again this year on our way back from Mrytle Beach. We have 3 Kids and they like both RP and AD. Personally I think I'll start going back to RP just because it's closer to everything even though is not that big of a drive from AD. You can't go wrong with either.

[Tooth Ferry]

It will probably still be cool at that time so check and see if the cg has heated pool if that is important. River Plantation or Pine Mtn ,either one is nice but are concrete parks not like nature experience. If you would want a more "camping" experience I like Greenbriar cg north of Gburg a little bit up hwy 321. More nature but some kid things, swimming is in a nice cold creek. Good hiking for kids at the end of "Little Greenbriar" entrance to GSMNP just across 321 from the campground. Go to Sugarlands Ranger Station at Gburg and let the kids do the "Junior Ranger" program and also buy a wildflower book and let them have a contest to find the most different wildflowers.

[xrated]

I don't know if the kids would enjoy the Titanic exhibition, but that's another thing to do if you think they might. We went when it first opened 5 or 6 years ago and it was awesome. Check it out online if you are interested.

[Ranchhand]

Stayed at Anchor Down last summer, great place.
http://www.anchordownrvresort.com/
Lots to do in the Pidgen Forge/ Gattlenburg area:

https://www.mypigeonforge.com/

https://www.gatlinburg.com/to-do/attractions/

How much shade is at Anchor down? One of the big complaints in the reviews is that there isn’t any shade and everything is paved so it gets really hot. I realize being there in early April that temperature is probably not to big of a deal but would still like to be where there is some shade.

[MSB1766]

There is hardly any shade there, The upper area near the entrance has shade.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Anchor+Down+RV+Resort/@35.9706819,-83.5201802,485m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x956a1cc66b1f213d!8m2 !3d35.9705383!4d-83.5188985

[MrScary]

Ha! Anchor Down.....Call now to book NEXT year...they are essentially full this year! Rated 3rd best in the country (first in my opinion). Awesome place...

[lindy46]

We live in Townsend, about 20 miles from Gatlinburg and 15 miles from Pigeon Forge - "the Peaceful Side of the Smokies". If you want glitz, glamour, sensory overload and TRAFFIC by all means stay in Pigeon Forge. Campgrounds off Wears Valley Road are a little less hectic, and there are several campgrounds in Wears Valley (9 miles from Pigeon Forge) where it is more laid back. Most of the campgrounds around Gatlinburg are east of town on Hwy321, and it's less congested out there. There is shuttle service into town. Townsend has many nice campgrounds, and there is none of the Glitz of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. It is 9 miles from Cades Cove, the most visited spot in the Smokies. You have the best chance of seeing Bears in Cades Cove. Townsend is more directed toward folks interested in nature and the history of the area. There is Tuckaleechee Caverns, Little River Railroad Museum, horseback riding and the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center which has a museum and historic village outside with 13 historic buildings you can go through.

[beaglething]

Gatlinburg East/Smoky Mountain KOA. Stayed there last summer for a week. Great location, gorgeous sites, mostly a big RV resort. Gated with escort to site and help backing in. Backs up to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Super nice!

[busterbrown]

Last sumner, we stayed at the KOA in Pigeon Forge. We had a nice, 'very long' site that would accommodate any size trailer. However, many other sites there are very close to each. We chose this Campground due to it's proximity to Dollywood and many of the attractions in Pigeon Forge. It's not more than 10 minutes to the main strip of attractions and sandwiched in between the Parkway and Teaster Lane. For my 8, 4, and 3 year old, there were more age appropriate things do to there than in Gatlinburg.

If you do happen to stay in Pigeon Forge, use Teaster Lane as much as possible. You'll save yourself the headache from the main Parkway.

Other members are right in that Pigeon Forge has all the attractions and craziness of any tourist town. Gatlinburg is still busy but most just park and walk the strip. It's about a 15 minute drive from the KOA to Gatlinburg.

You'll have fun no matter which resort you stay at. Lots to do in both cities. Lastly, everyone going has to take a ride on one of alpine coasters. Fun fun fun. They have 2 for 1 deals where you can come back at night and do the second ride when it's dark.

[Kathy&Hugh]

Anchor Down is a great place and worth every penny (lots of them) if you're just staying there and not venturing out. Otherwise, I'd suggest something in Pigeon Forge which is a little less pricey. Just because you're Camping in Pigeon Forge, doesn't of course, mean you're gong to be there 24/7. Gatlinburg is only a 15 minute drive through the park; all the attractions, whether they are natural or glitzy, are within 15-30 minutes as well.
I know this sounds way old school, but maybe contact the tourist center or Chamber of Commerce for both Galtinburg and Pigeon Forge and have them mail you their info. I've been going there for over 35 years and still have only touched the tip of the iceburg. It makes more sense sometimes if you have a book in your hand (With lots of discount coupons) to try and make some sense of everything.
No matter what you decide thee are a few things to remember: 1) it will be fairly cool (not by Michigan standards but by TN standards) at that time of the year. It could be 50/70 but will more likely be 40/60 so be sure to check the 10 day forecast before you leave. It's up in the mountains so it's always cooler there than even Knoxville, just an hour away. Also, that is the same time as the local Spring breaks, so try and make your camping decision as soon as you can. The area is always full of locals, especially on the weekends.
You'll have a wonderful time, no matter what you decide. You could stay there for a whole year and never see/do everything.

[Wisetraverls4]

We stayed "on the quiet side of the Smokies" in October at the Big Meadow Family Campground in Townsend. Bath house was a bit small but very clean. Campground is not large, so it was never an issue with access. Campground has full hookup sites and can accommodate large motorcoaches--all sites are fairly close together, but well-maintained. Campground is family run and staff were all very nice. They have a fenced dog park and are located right across a small street from a river where my son caught several nice-sized rainbow trout. Very convenient to Cades Cove area and not too far to drive into Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg or other parts of the national park.

We prefer to stay away from the craziness of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg and just venture into those areas to visit whatever attraction. Last Fall we found the Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant in Pigeon Forge-- it was great and they have a number of related shops you can visit while waiting for your table.

As others have said, this area books up very early for spring break, summer and leaf peeping in October, so make your reservations early.

Wisetravelers4
Hoover, AL
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