Hey folks,

I'm planning a trip to Great Smokey Mountain National Park in June with my wife and two kids (ages 3 and 1 at the time of the trip).

We'll be spending some time with family that have a farm outside of the park (near Cosby, TN), but I want to take the kids camping for two or three nights inside the park.

Anyone have any suggestions of campsites that are "must see" or "must avoid"? I realize that we'll be car camping in a national park, so it will not be a wildernes experience, but I'd like to try and avoid camping next to a 40 foot RV if at all possible. I think the to closest campgrounds are the Cosby and Elkmont campgrounds.

The wife and I will probably take at least one day in the park on our own for some more adventurous dayhiking. I'm open to any and all suggestions for things to do and places to see both with and without the kids.

Thanks for any wisdom the group can provide!

I've not yet got around to camping there, I've always stayed in a hotel. But I highly recommend you take the family to Cades Cove. It's a really scenic are right at the base of the mountains where bears and deer can be seen right off the side of the road. I've been there a few times and loved it every time.

AWe went there about a year ago. We stayed in Pidgeon Forge sometime in April and there was some kind of "rod Run" going on and we spent most of the time being stuck in traffic or waiting two hours to eat while the locals were extremely rude (I have never not left a tip at a restaurant before then). Avoid that weekend and area if you can. We did get to go down to the park, tried to park and cook out but all the picnic ares were full, they were right off of parking lots that had curbed off parking like at a mall. We did get to go down by cades cove and someplace near there is a small horse ranch where you can ride horses and carriges so that was about all we got to do.
You should also come back up through pidgon forge to leave though as on the main road just a little north is the coleman outlet store and smokey mountain knife works. Imagine bigger than walmart size buildings one full of camping gear and the other knives. Be prepared to spend the day there and have a couple credit cards handy
I want to go back down again and the advice I was given is to stay on the NC side of the park away from the tourist trap stuff so we can actually see the park.

Some of my favorite day hikes are:
Porters Creek trail
Spruce Flats Falls trail
Andrews Bald trail

In general the Greenbrier Area (Porter's Creek) off 321 is a less crowded area. And there's some nice old growth trees there.

Spruce Flats Falls isn't on the park maps, but is one of the nicer falls in my opinion and an easy hike. Just ask the staff at the Smokey Mountain Institute at Tremont-the trail starts in that parking lot.

Andrews Bald is popular but is one of the higher elevation hikes that's also relatively easy. Nice view at the end.

If you're ready for a strenuous hike, consider the Siler's Bald trail. You'll be on the AT hiking the ridge with TN on one side of the trail and NC on the other side.

Cades Cove is great but perpetually crowded when school's out. A couple of days each week it's closed in the AM except for bikes, that may be a good solution.

Alum Cave Bluffs, Luarel Falls and the Chimney Tops are also very popular and very crowded as a rule. I haven't tried it yet, but if you have two cars, I've been told that the Road Prong trail is very nice and all downhill. Park one car at the Chimney Tops trail head and shuttle to the Road Prong trailhead at the top of the mountain. Hike downhill with a side trip to the Chimney Tops on the way down.

Pigeon Forge should always be avoided during the car show weekend-that's a nightmare. However there is plenty of shopping and restaurants there. Your kids will love it-plenty of tourist stuff, however tacky it might be. Gatlinburg is also always crowded but has a nice aquarium, I'm told.