Best Camping in Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Camping in Gatlinburg — what to know

We track 12 camping in and around Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The mix here leans toward RV sites, primitive sites, safari tents, and treehouses, among other formats — so you're not looking at one cookie-cutter option but a real spread of ways to sleep outside without roughing it. Across the 12 rated properties, guest ratings average 4.6 out of 5 on 4,335 reviews. Backcountry Campsite #30 is the highest-rated of the group right now (5.0★), while Greenbrier Campground has drawn the most reviews — worth reading both before you book.

Reading the reviews across Gatlinburg, guests most often praise setting, amenities, and the hosts. One recent guest put it plainly: "A great location close to the Smokey Mountains and Dollywood". The honest flip side: value for money and bathroom come up as a soft spot in a few reviews, so it's worth asking the operator directly before you commit.

Gatlinburg sits in the Upper South, a region known for great smoky mountains, cherokee national forest, and appalachian music heritage. On timing, the local rule of thumb: April–early November. Once you're settled, the area is set up for smokies backpacking, cumberland trail thru-hiking, and roan balds wildflower walks. Tennessee also has a national park, Great Smoky Mountains, that makes a good anchor for a camping trip.

Every camping stay below links straight to the operator's own site — we never take a booking or hold your money, so prices and availability you see there are the real ones. Photos and reviews are pulled from public sources and refreshed regularly; if something looks off, use the "verify with operator" link on the listing. Use the nearby-city and stay-type links further down to pivot if Gatlinburg doesn't have exactly what you want — glamping supply clusters by region, and the next town over often fills the gap.