We just got back from a long weekend retreat to the Gatlinburg East-Smoky Mountain KOA campground, and I wanted to pass along our review to you!
We’ve been to the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge, TN area before. Last year, we stayed at the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg KOA (see our review of that campground here). So this year, we wanted to try out another property to get a different perspective on the area.
This campground is new to the KOA family. Previously, it was listed as the Smoky Mountain Premier RV Resort. It was a short drive off of I-40 to arrive at the campground, along some beautiful mountain country roads. It’s really close to whitewater rafting on the Pigeon River, as well as some zip line attractions.
We pulled up to the office to check in, and Bill, the campground host, escorted us to our campsite #76. It was at the end of the property, so we only had a neighbor on one side, with a beautiful view into the woods of the Smoky Mountain National Park out our window. The site was super tricky to back in to – but Bill patiently guided Gib up the slope and back into the site. Luckily, the campground wasn’t full when we arrived so we had some wiggle room to back in – it might’ve been tough if the place was packed!
The sites are all paved gravel, with some of the deluxe sites offering a patio and outdoor dining furniture. Our site had a built in fire pit and a picnic table available to us.
There is a WiFi signal, but it wasn’t very strong when we tried to use it. It might’ve been because we were farther away from the office. Luckily, we were on vacation, so we really didn’t need to use it.
The bathrooms were clean every time we visited. They offered individual toilet/bathroom combo with a locked door on each, which I always prefer vs. being in a larger bathhouse situation.
There was a pool, playground area and basketball court. Our mini golden doodle, Rosco, also enjoyed the large fenced in dog park! One tip: we were there in June after some heavy rains, so the dog park and playground areas were super buggy with gnats and mosquitos. Come prepared with some bug spray.
Also, the campground is very strict about making sure you clean up after your pet (and let’s be honest, everyone should be a good guest and clean up after your pet anyway). But just in case you’re caught NOT cleaning up your pet’s mess, there’s a fine imposed and you’ll be asked to leave without a refund. Don’t say you weren’t warned.
We’d hoped to take advantage of some of the hiking trails into the Smoky Mountain National Park that can be reached directly from the campground. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t cooperating with us, so we didn’t get to hike very far. But the office has some great maps and trail information about hikes in the area.
Another note: this campground is a good 30-40 minutes away from Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, TN. We didn’t mind it since we’d stayed closer to town the previous summer. This campground is great if you’re wanting more of an “off the grid” type of stay vs. being in the middle of everything. There aren’t many restaurants or grocery stores nearby, so plan to bring what you need to eat with you, or make the trek over into town.
We did make the jump over to Dollywood for the day, which our kids LOVE! Another pro tip: did you know Dollywood offers doggy day care while you’re at their parks?? Starting at just $25 for the day, you can drop your dog off when you check into Dollywood, and then come back and pick them up when you leave! You do need to plan to come out and walk/play with your dog, as they don’t offer that service. But this was a great option for us since we weren’t comfortable leaving Rosco alone in the camper all day while we were gone.
The campground map showed some future expansion plans to build some new pull through sites. Overall, we had a great time at the Gatlinburg East-Smoky Mountain KOA, and would definitely return again!
