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My new hobby has become exploring campgrounds! Even when not staying there, (though I wish I had time to stay at them all!) if I drive by a campground and have a couple minutes to spare, I’m driving through and grabbing some information and a photo or two for this blog.

So, when on our way back to Gatlinburg from Cades Cove – after riding my bike for 11 long miles around the Cades Cove Loop – we pulled into the Elkmont Campground to get the scoop on staying here.

One of the camping sites at the Elkmont campground.

My first impression was that it was beautiful!  If you want to stay right in the Smoky Mountains themselves and be away from the hustle and bussel of Gatlinburg, this campground would be a lovely choice.  Many of the sites are riverside (The Little River) and the sound of the rushing water would be enough to lull even the lightest sleeper to sleep.

The sites are fairly spacious, (you won’t feel like your neighbors are on top of you) the ones we looked at were very flat, and they can accommodate trailers up to 32 feet, or motor homes up to 35 feet in length.

The only thing that might be a deterrent for some folks would be the fact that there are no hookups, showers, or dump stations.  There is potable water available at the campground and they can point you to shower facilities and dump stations just a few miles away. Generators are allowed on some sites, just be sure when you select your site that it is one that allows them.

Elkmont has a very special event that takes place annually for two weeks every June.  It’s the Synchronous Fireflies of Elkmont.  According to nps.gov, it is here that you can see “the only species in America whose individuals can synchronize their flashing light patterns.”  They do it as part of their mating ritual though it’s unknown why the fireflies flash synchronously.  The spectacle draws more than 8,000 visitors to the area annually, so if you are wanting to camp here during the month of June to see the fireflies, you’ll need to book your site months in advance.

Trying to catch dinner in the Little River at Elkmont

Because the Little River runs right through the campground, there is great fishing to be had; or if you enjoy exploring the Smoky Mountains, some of the most popular hiking trails are within a few minutes drive.

A campground store is on premises which carries only the very basics, (Firewood is available.) but Gatlinburg is less than a ten minute drive away and you can get just about anything needed there, including a nice dinner in a restaurant… if you so desire!

Even without the electric (although I might miss my air conditioner on the hottest nights) and shower facilities (a reason to explore the surrounding areas) Elkmont seemed to be a campground I would love to stay at.  If you’ve stayed here in the past, I’d love to hear your experiences.

Camping sites at Elkmont can be reserved at Recreation.gov.

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It’s a glorious morning to be outdoor camping. The sky is blue, the temperature is 68 degrees Fahrenheit, and other than the geese fighting and making their honking noises just two spots away, the birds singing, and a few kids laughing, there is nothing but peace and quiet.

This particular outdoor camping trip was pretty much last minute. We had booked a sight earlier in the week, but the weather caused my husband to have to back-up his work schedule by at least one day. Then the forecast for the weekend was calling for showers and we didn’t make the final decision to go camping until late Thursday evening.

Fortunately, I was able to pack in just a few hours time and we hit the road by 9 a.m. on Friday. It’s a little ironic because a friend had just said to me a few days ago that she couldn’t go camping this weekend because she didn’t have any time off from work and it takes so long to get ready for an outdoor camping trip that she would need a day off to pack.

The key to picking up and going at the last minute is to have the majority of your supplies always ready to go. We have a popup trailer that we keep packed with all the necessary items in it. But, even if you tent camp you can be ready to go at a moments notice by keeping everything together in a few large Rubbermaid-type totes.  I’ve read that some people even keep extra clothing in their RVs so that all they have to do is stop at the grocery and they’re set for the weekend. I don’t do that; as long as my laundry is clean I can pack clothes in just a few minutes. And, even if it’s not (as in the case of my son’s clothes this past weekend) I just throw it in a bag and bring along a little laundry detergent and do a load at the campground.

So, just what should you keep packed in order leave in haste on any given weekend? Here’s a list of what I keep in our popup camper.

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We hiked the Devil's Gulch Trail back after hiking up to Natural Bridge. It's a steep stairway that leads down to Battleship Rock Trail and then comes out by the Hemlock Lodge and the parking areas.

Located in Eastern Kentucky, about 75 miles southeast of Lexington, is my favorite area to camp and hike.  The Natural Bridge State Park and Red River Geological areas are adjacent to one another and offer more than 80 miles of official hiking trails, incredible views,  sandstone cliffs, and dense forests.  The biggest disappointment about outdoor camping at Natural Bridge State Resort Park and the Red River Gorge Geological Area is that there are so few camping spots with electric and water.  That means you have to reserve them well in advance if you want to go on a weekend.  In fact, if you want any spot in the campground period, you need to reserve them a few weeks out – that includes the primitive sites at the campground. (However, if you enjoy primitive camping, you might instead want to backcountry camp which is allowed throughout the Red River Gorge and Indian Creek areas.  You’ll need to buy a permit at the Gladie Center or Ranger Station.  Permits are $3/1 day; $5/3 days; $30/Annual.  For more information visit the USDA Forest Service site.)

The two U.S. National Park Service campgrounds in the area are Whittleton and Middle Fork.  They are located within a half mile of each other.  Whittleton hosts a total of 40 sites, 17 with 30 amp hookups, 3 for tents (or a small popup) with 20 amp hookups, 11 with water hookup only and the rest are primitive.  Middle Fork has 47 spots, 35 with electric the rest are primitive.

Of the two, Whittleton is my favorite.  Of course that’s my personal opinion.  My reason revolves around the setting.  Where Middle Fork is more open, and can be loud at night due to the highway wrapping around it, at Whittleton the majority of the campsites with electric are in a row with a hillside to the front and a nice wide stream at the back (A24- A37).  You feel like you’re camping in the middle of the woods, instead of in a parking lot.  OK, well it’s not that bad.  But, the way Middle Fork is, unless you get a spot across the creek (B27 – B35) you can be in the middle of a ring of RVs.  It reminds me too much of a subdivision.  However, if you have a big RV getting into the spots at Middle Fork will prove easier. The ones in the middle (B19 – B26) you can even pull straight through, while all the Whittleton spots have to be backed into. One word of warning about spots A001 – A003 at Whittleton, these sites are right at the main entrance to the campground and right on the road – no grass, no lot, just a spot to park. I would only suggest these if all you wanted to do was have a place to park your RV for the night. Additionally, spots A038 – A040 are on their own road, but adjacent to the campground entrance and the entrance lights are on all night. So if you like it extremely dark, these might not be for you. And though they say they are for tents, you can get a popup on them. (I can testify to that!)

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