Elkmont is the largest campground in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and it is the closest to the busy Tennessee resort towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. Its 220 campsites stretch out along both sides of the rocky, swift-flowing Little River -- and many sites are directly along the river.
Because of its size and location, campsites fill up quickly; you'll want reservations if you intend to camp here during the summer.
As for Deb and me, we camped here midweek during the off-season -- and even then, we found that riverside campsites were already filled by the time we arrived in mid-afternoon.
Ah well.
Sites in Elkmont are spacious, with many of them spaced 100 feet or more from each other. This provided a real sense of privacy.
Cellphones don't work here, and TV reception was marginal.
Campgrounds Guide 
