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Cades Cove Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Cades Cove Campground sits inside one of the most visited spots in the entire National Park System, an open valley ringed by mountains and dotted with historic homesteads, churches, and a working grist mill. The famous 11-mile, one-way Cades Cove Loop Road circles the valley right past the campground, and it's one of the best places in the Smokies to spot black bears and white-tailed deer grazing the open fields at dawn and dusk.
161 campsites|Tennessee
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Campsite Types
Standard (no hookups)
130 sites
No hookups · tents and small rigsRV OKTent OK
Tent only
31 sites
No hookups · tents onlyTent OK
Prefer a cabin or cottage nearby?
Townsend's cabins and rental homes sit just outside the park entrance, a quieter alternative to the Gatlinburg strip.
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Guide to Cades Cove Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Best Campsites
For Families:Loop B sites are close to the camp store and an easy walk to the loop road
For Tents:Tent-only sites in Loop B keep you away from RV generator noise
For RVs:Standard sites throughout Loop B accommodate RVs, though the campground has no hookups
When to Go
Spring and fall. Wildflower season in spring and leaf-peeping in October are the busiest stretches; the loop road itself gets heavy traffic and occasional closures on summer weekends.
Tips
- →The Cades Cove Loop Road is one-way and can back up for hours during peak wildlife-viewing times, especially at dawn and dusk
- →Bear sightings are common in the open meadows — never approach or feed wildlife
- →Bikes are a popular way to see the loop road without the car traffic; rentals are available near the campground
- →No hookups here, so plan for dry camping
Highlights
Inside Cades Cove, one of the most-visited valleys in the SmokiesThe 11-mile Cades Cove Loop Road for wildlife viewing and historic sitesFrequent black bear and white-tailed deer sightings in the open meadowsHistoric churches, cabins, and the Cable Mill grist mill nearbyOn the quieter Townsend side of the park, away from Gatlinburg trafficCamp store and bike rentals near the campground entrance
Cades Cove Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park — Frequently Asked
Is Cades Cove Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park hard to book?+
Yes — Cades Cove Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a federal campground booked through recreation.gov, and its sites fill up on weekends and during peak seasons. Spring and fall. Wildflower season in spring and leaf-peeping in October are the busiest stretches; the loop road itself gets heavy traffic and occasional closures on summer weekends. Reserve early on recreation.gov, and set a Camp.land alert to catch cancellations the moment they open.
How many campsites does Cades Cove Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park have?+
Cades Cove Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park has 161 campsites, including Standard (no hookups), Tent only.
How far in advance should I book Cades Cove Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park?+
Cades Cove Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a federal campground, so sites are booked through recreation.gov — typically up to 6 months in advance — not the Texas state park system. If your dates are already full, set a Camp.land alert and we'll email you the moment a cancellation opens.
How can I get a last-minute campsite at Cades Cove Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park?+
Cades Cove Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park occasionally has same-day or cancellation openings on recreation.gov, especially midweek. Camp.land watches Cades Cove Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park for cancellations and emails you the instant one opens, with a direct booking link.
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