Camping in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park

Camping in the Smokey Mountains is a special experience that many families enjoy on a regular basis. If you have not camped in the Smokies, give it a try, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

The National Park Service maintains several well developed campgrounds within the boundaries of the Park. There are no showers or hookups, except for special medical needs. The campgrounds with these special need services are Cades Cove, Elkmont, and Smokemont.

You can reserve a campsite up to six months in advance at Elmont, Smokemont, Cataloochee, Cosby, and Cades Cove on the government recreation site at www.recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. Most of the campgrounds are first come, first served, but reservations are required at the Cataloochee campground.

The number of people is limited to six (6) for each campsite and two (2) vehicles (a trailer counts as a vehicle). The maximum stay at the site is fourteen days.

Here is a list of the campgrounds in the Park:

Abrams Creek: 16 sites, $14, open March 11 – October 31, 12 ft. RVs allowed.

Balsam Mountain: 46 sites, $14, open May 13 – October 10, 30 ft. RVs allowed.

Big Creek: 12 sites, $14, open March 11 – October 31, Tents only.

Cades Cove: 159 sites, $17-$20, open year round, 35ft. – 40 ft. RVs allowed.

Cataloochee: 27 sites, $20, open March 11 – October 31 (Reservations required), 31 ft. RVs allowed.

Cosby: 157 sites, $14, open March 11 – October 31, 25 ft. RVs allowed.

Deep Creek: 92 sites, $17, open April 1 – October 31, 26 ft. RVs allowed.

Elkmont: 220 sites, $17- $23, open March 11 – November 30, 32 ft. - 35 ft. RVs allowed.

Look Rock: 68 sites, $14, open May 13 – October 31, all size RVs allowed.

Smokemont: 142 sites, $17-$20, open year round, 35ft-40ft. RVs allowed.

If you need family camping gear, browse the Campers Glory website at this location
http://www.campersglory.com/

Become a supporter of the Great Smokey Mountains National Park by joining the Great Smokey Mountain National Park Association. Check out their website:
http://www.thegreatsmokymountains.org/

Fall Hiking in the Great Smokey Mountains

Hiking and Autumn Weather in the GreatSmokey Mountains
Autumn is great time to hike in the Smokeys, with the cool weather and colorful Fall foliage. Here is what you can generally expect of the weather. September through mid-November: Clear skies and cooler weather signal the onset of the fall color season. Warm days alternate with cool nights. Daytime highs are usually in the 70s and 80s during September, falling to the 50s and 60s in early November. The first frosts often occur in late September. By November, the lowsare usually near freezing. This is the driest period of the year with only occasional rain showers. In the higher elevations, snow is a possibility by November.

Want some great ideas for a hiking adventure in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park? Try one of these hiking trails or nature walks:

Hiking Trails
Abram Falls - 5 miles; 340' climb; a moderate hike on a relatively flat trail leading to the 20' falls
Arch Rock - 2.5 miles; 400' climb; an easy hike on a trail that leads to an erosion-created tunnel
Chimney Tops - 4 miles; 1,335' climb; this is a strenuous hike that winds through a virgin forest to the Chimney Top pinnacles
Hen Wallow Falls - 4 miles; 520' climb; a moderate hike that leads to the 95' falls
Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail - 3,000' loop, hike on a paved trail with educational exhibits and communications media

Nature Trails
Alum Cave Bluffs - 5 miles; passes through a bald of mountain laurel and rhododendrons
Cades Cove - 0.5 miles; see how settlers used native plants
Cosby - 1 mile; introduction to the Smokies' natural history
Cove Hardwoods - 0.75 miles; grove of old-growth deciduous trees
Laurel Falls - 2.5 miles; paved trail leads through a pine-oak forest to the falls

To map out your trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Click Here.

Why do the leaves change color in the fall?

One reason why the autumn colors are so remarkable in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park is the amazing variety of trees. Over 100 species of trees live in the Smokey Mountains and a great majority of these are deciduous (trees that lose their leaves seasonally).

What causes the tree leaves to change colors? As summer ends and autumn comes, the days get shorter and shorter. This is how the trees "know" to get ready for winter. As summer ends, the green pigments in the leaves begin to deteriorate, giving other colors a chance to shine through. As the bright green fades away, we begin to see yellow and orange colors. Small amounts of these colors have been in the leaves all along. We just can't see them in the summer, because they are covered up by the green. Carotenoids, the pigment that makes carrots orange and leaves yellow, are exposed as the green pigment fades. Reds and purples come from anthocyanins, a pigment that is formed when the sugars in leaves break down in the bright autumn sunlight.

The best place in the world for viewing fall colors is probably the Eastern United States, home of the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. This is because of the climate, and the wide variety of deciduous trees. The brightest colors are seen when the late summer is dry, the days of autumn are bright and sunny, and the autumn nights are cool (low 40’s). Then the trees make a lot of anthocyanin pigments. An autumn with cloudy days and warm nights produces drab colors, and an early autumn frost can bring a quick end to the beautiful fall foliage.

Great Smokey Mountains and Fall Colors

In the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, the higher mountain slopes are now showing a full spectrum of color, visible from various overlooks, particularly along Newfound Gap Road. Ridge crests glow with gold from birch, beech and maple trees. Witch hobble, blueberry and blackberry bushes add a rich red-leaf flavor to the mix. Brilliant colors are emerging on species such as sourwood, showing magnificent scarlet; sugar maples with exuberant yellows and oranges; and, several varieties of sumac, displaying showy crimsons to purple.

Autumn in the Smokies

The Great Smokey Mountain National Park offers some great drives for viewing the Fall foliage. During the first part of October, take the Clingman's Dome Road, the Blue Ridge Parkway, or the Balsam Mountain Road. You can catch colorful views of yellow birch, beech, mountain maple, and pin cherry trees as they shed their foliage and prepare for their long winter's sleep. Around October 15, the colors will start to peak at the mid to lower elevations. Take time to enjoy Nature's marvelous kaleidoscope of colors in the Great Smokey Mountains!

Vermont's Colors

The drive from Montpelier to Morrisville in Vermont is ablaze with color. It is a terrific example of the Vermont Fall foliage.

The Autumn season is a great time to be outdoors, especially if you want to take in the colors of the trees as they prepare for their long winter's rest. The woods in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine offer a kaleidoscope of colors this time of year. Wherever you live, take a little time out to walk, or drive, in the great outdoors. You'll be glad you did!