Smokey Mountains to Shanendoah NP

[JeffofCT]

We're looking to explore Smokey Mountains up to Shanendoah NP in May 2021. Right now, there are RV sites available in the national parks. We'll be coming from Ohio--traveling through WV to Knoxville/Gattlinburg. From what I read, some are predicting even greater demand and more difficulty finding sites than 2020.

I've read the forum activity as far back as 2008 and it seems there are very few bad choices--from dry camping to full hookups. We'd like to drycamp. Solar would be ideal but understand that the NP sites are usually heavily wooded.

I'm thinking of booking 7 days in one of the Smokey Mountain NP sites and then just "wingining it" for the next week or so as we work our way up to Cherokee, Shandendoah, Winchester VA, Gettysburg and then back home to Connecticut.

Is it wise to book a NP site now? Any thoughts on solar accessible NP, State Parks or private campgrounds? We plan to do some light trail hiking and not bring the moutain bike. Thinking of my road bike instead. Thoughts from the cycling community?

[lsbrodsky]

Since you mentioned Shenandoah, I will respond to that. We have stayed in some spots with wonderful views, but fully shaded. However, there is a huge open area, plenty of solar, and views of other RV's.
Larry

[rideair]

Jeffo,

May I suggest you join either/both the WBCCI and Boondockers for the parking benefits? There's a Boondocker location in Middletown, VA (south of Winchester) that offers three night stays, with others located right outside Gettysburg.

Just a thought,

[Boondocker]

For the Smokies you definitely want reservations. Shanendoah in May you can probably wing it without getting into the soup. That said, its been several years since I worked there.
You might want to consider trying to get into some of the smaller campgrounds. In my experience, Big Meadow was always a three-ring circus whereas Loft Mt (where I was hosting) was much quieter and spacious. That said, the better sites there also fill up early so reservations are a good idea if you are regimented in your day-to-day travel. If you prize flexibility over the perfect spot you will still have a great trip picking up sites as you can.

[GeeSag]

Cycling the Blue Ridge Parkway is a bucket list for cyclist. (Take your best road bike) (With hill climbing gears)

And for those that have done it for decades now know the truth:
"It is All UpHill!"

That might seem like a quote, but the downhill goes so fast that the end result: it feels like it is all up hill.

If you want to try to break your personal best of speed, or just like going faster than 50 mph on a bike, and passing cars, this is your place.

I assume most of the Airstreamers on this forum are older than that now.

[Jimz]

During May you will want to stay at Cades Cove campground if you can get in. It may be too late already, but you will be treated to synchronized firefly frenzies nightly...not kidding. If you cannot get in there the next nearest is Elkmont. We had to stay in Smokemont which was very nice but a day's drive away. Don't miss Clingman's Dome on your way from Cades Cove to Cherokee, NC.

If you travel to Shenandoah via the Blue Ridge Parkway (it will be long and slow but worth it if you have time) plan to stay at Pisgah Campground and/or Price Lake. They both have showers (a rare find in National Parks). Price Lake is near Blowing Rock which is a beautiful mountain village (also my home) and well worth a day or two touring and/or hiking. I believe Peaks of Otter near Bedford, VA has showers now too. The last time I visited there the campground was in terrible shape but I have heard they have done some work recently. Don't miss the D-Day Memorial in Bedford. It is about a 30 minute drive down the mountain from Peaks of Otter and well worth a day trip (also has plenty of grocery options). Look up D-Day memorial for the story on why it is in Bedford.

Pisgah and Peaks both have hotels and restaurants for a break from camp cooking too.

[JeffofCT]

Originally Posted by Jimz

During May you will want to stay at Cades Cove campground if you can get in. It may be too late already, but you will be treated to synchronized firefly frenzies nightly...not kidding. If you cannot get in there the next nearest is Elkmont. We had to stay in Smokemont which was very nice but a day's drive away. Don't miss Clingman's Dome on your way from Cades Cove to Cherokee, NC.

If you travel to Shenandoah via the Blue Ridge Parkway (it will be long and slow but worth it if you have time) plan to stay at Pisgah Campground and/or Price Lake. They both have showers (a rare find in National Parks). Price Lake is near Blowing Rock which is a beautiful mountain village (also my home) and well worth a day or two touring and/or hiking. I believe Peaks of Otter near Bedford, VA has showers now too. The last time I visited there the campground was in terrible shape but I have heard they have done some work recently. Don't miss the D-Day Memorial in Bedford. It is about a 30 minute drive down the mountain from Peaks of Otter and well worth a day trip (also has plenty of grocery options). Look up D-Day memorial for the story on why it is in Bedford.

Pisgah and Peaks both have hotels and restaurants for a break from camp cooking too.

I booked 7 days at Cades Cove. ALL rv sites in the various Cherokee NP camgrounds are booked the following two weeks. Pigsah and Price Lake are both booked. I may select an Army Corps camground as there is some availability south of the Blue Ridge Parkway in NC. I like Army Corps sites. Does anyone expect Army Corps sites to book up? I did not have any trouble booking Army Corps sites in PA and Ohio in 2020.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by JeffofCT

I booked 7 days at Cades Cove. ALL rv sites in the various Cherokee NP camgrounds are booked the following two weeks. Pigsah and Price Lake are both booked. I may select an Army Corps camground as there is some availability south of the Blue Ridge Parkway in NC. I like Army Corps sites. Does anyone expect Army Corps sites to book up? I did not have any trouble booking Army Corps sites in PA and Ohio in 2020.

We really liked cades cove. Very peaceful and a bit removed from the hustle and bustle.

[lsbrodsky]

Originally Posted by JeffofCT

I booked 7 days at Cades Cove. ALL rv sites in the various Cherokee NP camgrounds are booked the following two weeks. Pigsah and Price Lake are both booked. I may select an Army Corps camground as there is some availability south of the Blue Ridge Parkway in NC. I like Army Corps sites. Does anyone expect Army Corps sites to book up? I did not have any trouble booking Army Corps sites in PA and Ohio in 2020.

The ACE sites we have used always keep some sites for walk-up only, even if reserved sites are booked. But, of course, that is first come first served. I don't think 2020 is a good indication. Everything points to this being a very busy year in campgrounds of every flavor. All I can say is that I have my reservations for the rest of this year, as do many of my camping friends.

Larry

[GetawA-S]

Jeff,
Cades Cove is very popular with cyclists. This is perhaps partly because there is so much car traffic that the loop is a PARKING LOT, so you only need to dodge cars pulling out from a stop. Most just stop in the middle of the road anyway, so that’s as much of an issue as you might think. Outside the cove, the park roads are narrow, with steep drop-offs and plenty of grade.
An area that is less congested but still popular with cyclists is the Old Walland Highway from the UT farm to Townsend. It runs along the Little Tennessee River. There is a nice bike trail on the other side of the river close to Townsend, too.
You mentioned Cherokee. That is on the south side of the park, and the road to it is better done without a trailer. In early May, it might even be closed. Call ahead before you make set plans.
From Cades Cove to the Blue Ridge Parkway, you can avoid some miserable traffic through Wear’s Valley by taking the newly opened Foothills Parkway east section, along the north boundary of the park. That is, if it hasn’t been discovered.
There is an Airstream park in VA - Top of the Mountain or some such, if you feel in the mood for a civilized stop with less competition for reservations. They had Covid restrictions in 2020, so again, call ahead.
One final caution: with your trip planned for the early part of the season, with the weird weather we’ve seen in recent years, the BRP may experience bad weather. When that happens, traffic is forced off - NO EXCUSES. Have more-than-adequate trip planning resources. Some of the access roads would be quite challenging for any TV/trailer combination.
Enjoy your trip!

[JeffofCT]

Thanks all, major decisions are done. Booked 7 days Cades Cove, 6 days at Fort Hamby Park and 4 days at Virginia Highland Haven Airstream club with 1-2 days in between. I expect to spend a couple days moochdocking in Johnson City on our way over to the Army Corp site in NC. It's about 10 miles south of the NC Blue Ridge Route...and literally the closest available campground in the federal park system. Everything in Cherokee is booked up. I looked briefly at Shandendoah but was intrigued by the airstream club. From there, we'll probably spend two nights on the road, getting back home to Connecticut.

Now all I need to do is to decide whether to bring my road bike, mountain bike or electric bike :-). I can't say I'm the fittest Clydesdale in the stable.

[GeeSag]

If you are into Bicycling,
and
If you are flexible to adjust your schedule:

Add Brevard to your trip.
Bicycling has taken over Brevard.

If you can take both Mountain and Road, then you will be amazingly rewarded if you get to Dupont State Forest and Ride "Ridgeline Trail"
It is the definition of "Flow"
There is a reason why Brevard College wins so many national championships in mountain biking.
If you want one of the most adrenaline rush rides of your life, experience the Flow of Ridgeline. You do not have to do it fast. It is an experience at any speed.
Perhaps one of the best "Flow" trails in mountain biking.

If you only take one bike, and either the electric or road, rent a mountain bike in Brevard. There are several bike shops that rent Mountain bikes for a day or two for people just like you. They even will rent fairly high quality bikes if you are into that.

If you are into mountain biking, and miss Brevard, you have definitely missed some great mountain biking.

Davidson River Campground is a dream for camping and biking.
Highly likely to not get electric sites, but that time of year, your batteries should be fine. No Solar. Too much shade. Terrible cell coverage in the campground, so do not expect internet at the campground. Go into town for that.

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by JeffofCT

We're looking to explore Smokey Mountains up to Shanendoah NP in May 2021. Right now, there are RV sites available in the national parks. We'll be coming from Ohio--traveling through WV to Knoxville/Gattlinburg. From what I read, some are predicting even greater demand and more difficulty finding sites than 2020.

I've read the forum activity as far back as 2008 and it seems there are very few bad choices--from dry camping to full hookups. We'd like to drycamp. Solar would be ideal but understand that the NP sites are usually heavily wooded.

I'm thinking of booking 7 days in one of the Smokey Mountain NP sites and then just "wingining it" for the next week or so as we work our way up to Cherokee, Shandendoah, Winchester VA, Gettysburg and then back home to Connecticut.

Is it wise to book a NP site now? Any thoughts on solar accessible NP, State Parks or private campgrounds? We plan to do some light trail hiking and not bring the moutain bike. Thinking of my road bike instead. Thoughts from the cycling community?

If you have never done it before, I recommend going from the Smoky Mountains NP, onto the Blue Ridge Parkway, and onto the Skyline Parkway. That will get you into the Shenandoah area. These three parkways are all connected end to end. There is a lot of camping along the way, within the park and just adjacent. If you use the campgrounds on the BR parkway there are always first come first serve spaces. Stop early though. Reservations are for only a portion of the available sites. During May there is no crowd, except possibly on the weekend.

This might be helpful>
https://www.blueridgeparkway.org/vis...rs-facilities/
https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/camping.htm

[GetawA-S]

I just read an article that included a mention that Cades Cove is closed to cars until 10 AM two days a week (Tuesday and Saturday?) It might be a better time to do the cycling on that part of your trip.

[LanSluder]

The Blue Ridge Parkway is great for biking (road bike), but just one word of caution. The Parkway has 26 tunnels, 25 of them in North Carolina including many in the Asheville area. It always scares me to death to see bikers enter the tunnels. Many cars are going from bright sunlight to almost total darkness, and the eyes of some of us older folks don't adjust all that quickly.

Be sure you have good lights on your bike!

For mountain biking, there are many national-level trails, including the loops of the Tsali trails in the Nantahala National Forest (about 24 miles including along the edge of Fontana Lake). Also, some of the unpaved roads in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

As others have said, Cades Cove is great for biking, especially on the mornings when the one-way road is closed to vehicles.

[Bill M.]

One word of caution with a GPS on the TN-NC portions of the parkway, The parkway is a nice pull for a trailer. Some of the surrounding roads are very much not. Be very careful for any trips onto or from the parkway to the surrounding areas when pulling the trailer and check each route out on a real map before committing to it. The GPS system may not be clear what is a fire road and what is a real road.

There is access into the Cades Cove campground when the loop road is closed.

[RJKSr]

We love the Smokies and have traveled there most years in the past 15. However, we could not find a place to reserve in the park for our size rig for last fall or this spring, even though we attempted months ahead. That's first for us and likely due to high demand for 2020 and 2021. We did find a private campground for this spring's trip in the area that butts up against the National Park, but it will not be the same as boon docking in the park.

We have been very successful at boon docking in the Smokies NP campgrounds. We actually prefer it. We don't have high power demands ... controls for fridge, water heater, charging phones (although good luck on a signal in the campgrounds) and some lighting at night. It helps if you know the sites ahead of time (example we know many in Elkmont) to take advantage of sun for solar, but unless it was cloudy/rainy for several days in a row, we generally did OK with batteries and solar. If not, or worried, select a generator approved site and use the generator if the batteries get too low due to lack of sunlight.

One note ... for Elkmont there is no dump station. The nearest dump station is at Sugarlands, about 7 miles away. If staying more than a few days, manage waste water accordingly.

[Paul Dobbin]

Nationl Parks: Get Reservations.
Blue Ridge Parkway: First come first served, Stop early if you want a space. Before 3 PM.
Nearby Commercial Campgrounds: Get reservations too.
Post Pandemic will make it harder everywhere, expect higher prices too

[JeffofCT]

Originally Posted by Paul Dobbin

Nationl Parks: Get Reservations.
Blue Ridge Parkway: First come first served, Stop early if you want a space. Before 3 PM.
Nearby Commercial Campgrounds: Get reservations too.
Post Pandemic will make it harder everywhere, expect higher prices too

We're are in our 4th week. While we are presently at the Virginia Highlands Airstream club park near Floyd, VA. We traveled from CT, OH, KY, TN (smokies and Jonesborough), NC and Virginia. We have a couple more days here before proceeding home with one overnight in MD. We never made it to Shenandoah.

[WhereStream]

Originally Posted by GeeSag

If you can take both Mountain and Road, then you will be amazingly rewarded if you get to Dupont State Forest and Ride "Ridgeline Trail"
It is the definition of "Flow"

What do you mean by "Flow?"

I ride a mountain bike, but no mountains in my area, just some hills.