Smokies in Mid October

[Belbein]

Do any of you have suggestions for "streaming" in he Smokies in mid October? We're principally hikers. Our dogs will be with us. It will be a 5 day trip, so we probably need power and water. We did Cades Cove several years ago and loved it. But I'm sure there are other wonderful places out there. So ... Lay it on me.

[xrvr]

Top of Georgia AS park north of Helen. Good base camp, open all year, 8 dollars a day for full hookups. Need to be WBCCI members. Five day savings over other CG goes a long way to paying for membership. Used to be a trail right at the psrk. Others close by. Jim

[Skooter]

Up the Creek near Pigeon Forge is very nice except their city water stank up our water heater like rotten eggs. Smell stayed till we traded in for our Airstream. But that was two years ago. Don't rule them out, call ahead and ask about it.

If we go back we'll stay at Big Meadow in Townsend. We drove through and looked at the place, seems secure and nice and the hosts are super nice, were very happy to allow us to drive through and look. Got good vibes there. They have long term storage for your RV as well. And it's the quiet side of the Smokies near Cades Cove.

[Bill M.]

Mid October is a busy season in the Smokies. I would get reservations early. We had an Airstream rally at Arrow Creek on 321 and it is a nice place. Adventure Bound on 321 is a nice campground with a trout pond and other stuff. It was under different management(and called Crazy Horse) when we stayed there. I actually like the private campgrounds better than the park campgrounds in the Smokies area. It rains a whole lot in this area and it is very hard to get dried out in these campgrounds.

The Townsend area is nice and Big Meadow would be a good choice. There is a KOA there and a couple more campgrounds along Little River. I fish the Townsend side of the park once a week or so and like that area. Up Tremont road there are some good trails that are quick and easy to get to from Townsend. I may not catch a lot of trout but I get one grilled at the Trails End restaurant most trips. Wherever you try to go in the park in October allow for a lot of cars and slow travel times. I think it is 22-25 miles over the hill to the main visitors center and 441 from Townsend. There is a long biking and walking trail in town if you do not want to drive one day.

[streamslave]

If you don't mind camping without electricity, the Mile High Campground in Maggie Valley is the berries for around these parts. They have hot showers & flush toilets at the bath house. The campground is very chill, not to mention the most picturesque campground I've ever stayed at.