Straddling the border between North Carolina and Tennessee, Great Smoky Mountains National Park spans more than 500,000 acres and includes 10 developed campgrounds. The Smokemont Campground, located about 10 minutes north of Cherokee, is the closest option. This campground offers around 140 shady, secluded sites with campfire rings, picnic tables, drinking water and restrooms. As with all the campgrounds in the national park, the campsites are non-electric. Tent sites include tent pads, and RV sites can accommodate motor homes up to 40 feet long. Reservations are available by phone or through Recreation.gov. Other options include the Deep Creek Campground, with 92 tent and RV campsites, and the Balsam Mountain Campground, which features 40 sites. These campgrounds are 20 and 45 minutes from Cherokee, respectively.
A mere 5 miles from Cherokee, Nantahala National Forest is about the same size as the neighboring national park and offers a similar abundance of camping options. Accommodations also are available at Tsali Recreation Area, about 30 minutes from Cherokee, and Cable Cove Recreation Area, about an hour away. The former is the larger and more developed campground, with about 40 tent and RV sites that offer access to drinking water, showers and flush toilets. Tsali Recreation Area is also known for its extensive 42-mile trail system, which is available for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. Nearby Cable Cove offers about 25 campsites with amenities limited to drinking water and vault toilets. Both campgrounds sit on the shore of Fontana Lake and include boat ramps and fishing access on the 11,700-acre reservoir.
If you'd like to truly get off the beaten path, backcountry camping allows you to stay far from the crowds and conveniences of a developed campground. Great Smoky Mountains National Park features more than 800 miles of hiking trails, including a section of the 2,180-mile Appalachian Trail, and backcountry tent camping is permitted along most trails. Dispersed backcountry campsites are also available in designated areas throughout Nantahala National Forest. A detailed trail map is essential if you plan to camp in the backcountry of either the park or forest, and campers should bear in mind that there are no amenities available at backcountry sites, and there is no access for motorized vehicles. Water can be treated or filtered from springs and streams, and all supplies must be carried on your back, so durable shoes and backpacks are essential. Permits are required for backcountry camping on National Forest land, and you can find permit information on the National Park Service website.
With rocky river gorges, tumbling waterfalls and rugged rock formations, 7,500-acre Gorges State Park could not be more aptly named. The park offers six campsites, all of them primitive and accessible only by hiking trail. These sites are available on a strictly first-come, first-served basis and include no amenities other than a place to pitch your tent while you explore the park's 38-mile trail system. You can access the campsites by following the Foothills Trail from the Frozen Creek parking lot. No fees are charged, aside from the park entrance fee, and no permits are required. Campers are responsible for carrying in all necessary supplies -- including water -- and removing all trace of their presence.
