C53
Great Smoky Mountains National Park › Tennessee
› Blount County
› Cades Cove Campground
› Campsite #C53
Campsite #C53 at Cades Cove Campground, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN
$30
Tent Site #C53
| Drive-In | 6 people |
| 20 ft | Back-In |
| 2 | weak |
3/2
3/22
Campsite #C53 Features: Drive-In access, Back-In parking, 20-foot driveway, Fire ring w/ Grill, Picnic Table, Tent Site, Trailer Site, Pets Allowed
Campsite Reviews (23)
5.0 out of 5
| 5 star | | 65% |
| 4 star | | 13% |
| 3 star | | 9% |
| 2 star | | 13% |
| 1 star | | 0% |
@JohnW4841416 · Camped on Sep 11, 2025 at Campsite #C53
September is a great month to camp here.
No Service
@JosephH2807051 · Camped on Jun 12, 2025 at Campsite #C53
Really beautiful and peaceful camp site, located to one of the most special parts of the park. Cades Coves is majestic, full of water and teeming with wildlife. The views are huge and spectacular. This campsite is a welcome host to the beauty of the park. The sites are shaded. The store has a ton of resources, making the stay easy. And everything seemed to be pretty close to a bathroom and trash can. Would recommend this campsite and this part of the park to anyone looking for the beauty of the smokies.
No Service
No Service
@JosephH2807051 · Camped on Jun 12, 2025 at Campsite #C53
Really beautiful and peaceful camp site, located to one of the most special parts of the park. Cades Coves is majestic, full of water and teeming with wildlife. The views are huge and spectacular. This campsite is a welcome host to the beauty of the park. The sites are shaded. The store has a ton of resources, making the stay easy. And everything seemed to be pretty close to a bathroom and trash can. Would recommend this campsite and this part of the park to anyone looking for the beauty of the smokies.
No Service
No Service
@KarenG3722457 · Camped on Jul 28, 2023 at Campsite #C53
Love this campground. Shaded nicely. Love driving the loop.
No Service
@MaurineA4BF6B5 · Camped on Jun 4, 2023 at Campsite #C53
Bring your own hand soap for the bathroom. The park staff said "this is a primative camp ground so we are discontinuing soap in the bathroom". Washing hands with soap after pooping is a health matter and should be supplied as it has been in the past. Raising rates this year for camping spots should cover a little soap!
@JennyM6800572 · Camped on Mar 25, 2023 at Campsite #C53
We loved our time at Cade's Cove campground. Easy access to local trails, waterfall views (Lynn Camp was our favorite), a black bear sighting, and beautiful river drives make us want to come back for more! An adventurous 1 mile nature trail loop with great views and water features is easily accessible at the campground. Gatlinburg is a bit of a drive, but Townsend is closer and offers slower pace attractions. Only disappointment was no shower house was available where we were staying on the C Loop.
Some Coverage
@KayeH6D5173758 · Camped on Mar 19, 2023 at Campsite #C53
I love Cades Cove! Everything about it was great except when the B loop is closed, the C loop which is normally generator free, is allowed to have generators from 8Am-8Pm. Unacceptable! If Im in a primitive campground, I dont wish to listen to a generator next to my already too close site. PLEASE, change this.
No Service
@DennisB9968665 · Camped on Oct 26, 2022 at Campsite #C53
Wonderful as always
@TinaB5848724 · Camped on Sep 26, 2022 at Campsite #C53
It was a great opportunity to play in cades cove on wednesday when modor vehicles where prohibited. Spent all day exploring & enjoying this special place.
@WILLIAMM503355 · Camped on Sep 8, 2022 at Campsite #C53
Peaceful except for the people next door smoking like a freight train and them playing country music loud enough to wake the dead. Please ask those checking people into the campground to space people and groups far apart. The campground had less than 25% occupancy. Smelling cigarette smoke from multiple smokers next to me was terrible. Hearing their damn music ruined the reason I went there.
@ThomasC6214588 · Camped on May 29, 2022 at Campsite #C53
Campsite nest and clean. Bathrooms were cleaned every morning. Quite time starts at 10 but does not get quite until 11. Great location to visit Cades Cove- deer, turkey, bear, fox along with many other small creatures. Lol Anthony Creek Trail very pretty.
@KelliH279 · Camped on Dec 30, 2021 at Campsite #C53
The camp sites were great and spacious and the restrooms were clean for the most part. I do with they had a place to take showers, this is what made this experience only a 3 star for me.
No Service
@JeanT251 · Camped on Nov 30, 2021 at Campsite #C53
We had beautiful weather and saw a lot of wildlife on the Cade's Cove Loop. The camp store and the ranger's office were closed. We did not realize that before we came and had to procure firewood elsewhere.
No Service
@DouglasB874 · Camped on Oct 24, 2021 at Campsite #C53
As in the past, Cade's Cove provided a great experience. Check-in at the campground went smoothly, and the campsite was clean and in good condition. The camp store was well stocked, but I was somewhat disappointed that they were not enforcing the mandatory masking, especially given the extensive crowds of shoppers.
One must expect crowds on the loop road, and this year was no exception. Perhaps the presence of a bear family right beside the road was a major factor. i wish park personnel would have been present to move the line along a little faster. The leaves were just starting to turn, but the views remained great.
Special kudos to the NPS for repaving the loop road. It makes for a much smoother drive.
One must expect crowds on the loop road, and this year was no exception. Perhaps the presence of a bear family right beside the road was a major factor. i wish park personnel would have been present to move the line along a little faster. The leaves were just starting to turn, but the views remained great.
Special kudos to the NPS for repaving the loop road. It makes for a much smoother drive.
No Service
@LarryS625 · Camped on Jun 28, 2021 at Campsite #C53
Love Cades Cove!!!!!
@AndreaR478 · Camped on May 25, 2021 at Campsite #C53
Overall, it wasn’t terrible. It got us close to the bike rentals for Wednesday morning. We have our Jeep setup for overlanding with a rooftop tent. Our site and many others we saw aren’t setup very well for rooftop tents. The site parking space was very sloped and hard to level out the Jeep in. Trees were very close to the parking area so we had to be really careful how we pulled in. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have been able to flip our tent out at all. Also, when checked in after the office was closed. There was no way to fill out something letting them know we did show up. There was a sign that said if you came after it was closed you MUST check in between 9-10 am the next day. Since we rented bikes before 8 am, we had to wait until 9 to check in and the check back out of the campsite. We would have preferred to be able to fill something out saying we did show up. Then we could have just started our ride around Cade’s Cove much earlier. Also, the pathways to the bathrooms are not clearly marked. We had people walking through the middle of our campsite all night long. Shinning flashlights all over the place. 🙄
No Service
@AndreaR8487660 · Camped on May 25, 2021 at Campsite #C53
Overall, it wasnt terrible. It got us close to the bike rentals for Wednesday morning. We have our Jeep setup for overlanding with a rooftop tent. Our site and many others we saw arent setup very well for rooftop tents. The site parking space was very sloped and hard to level out the Jeep in. Trees were very close to the parking area so we had to be really careful how we pulled in. Otherwise, we wouldnt have been able to flip our tent out at all. Also, when checked in after the office was closed. There was no way to fill out something letting them know we did show up. There was a sign that said if you came after it was closed you MUST check in between 9-10 am the next day. Since we rented bikes before 8 am, we had to wait until 9 to check in and the check back out of the campsite. We would have preferred to be able to fill something out saying we did show up. Then we could have just started our ride around Cades Cove much earlier. Also, the pathways to the bathrooms are not clearly marked. We had people walking through the middle of our campsite all night long. Shinning flashlights all over the place.
@DonnaS436 · Camped on Apr 23, 2021 at Campsite #C53
I have always had a love for the Cove. My recommendation is, just to slow down and truly enjoy everything.
@MitchellL711 · Camped on Mar 8, 2021 at Campsite #C53
We were not made aware that the store and shack would be closed. We then had to drive back down into town to get firewood and water instead of using the facilities. This took away from hiking time we were planning on. The campsite was good.
No Service
@rexf08901388FB · Camped on Sep 30, 2020 at Campsite #C53
We have been camping in Cades Cove since 1984. It has never let us down. It is in our blood and part of our vacation every single year of our lives since 1984. It is a cherished and loved place that many are devoted to. The Park Service treats everyone with the most help. Campgrounds and restrooms are kept clean. It is an amazing place you must try if you have never been. The best part, no internet and no cell phone. Total freedom for a rest.
@CindyW8273974 · Camped on Sep 15, 2020 at Campsite #C53
Having the Cades Cove Loop closed to cars on Wednesday was incredible. There were a lot of people riding bikes and some walkers. It was raining on our day of departure. It's not much fun packing up tents in the rain. One of the park managers was going around and taking the check out tickets so it was one last stop we did not have to make before getting on the road to home.
@DouglasB187722 · Camped on Nov 1, 2019 at Campsite #C53
As always, Cades Cove campground offered a refreshing stay. My campsite was clean, and the bathroom was also clean. Check in went smoothly with courteous and helpful staff. Crowds were manageable and the campground was quiet and peaceful.
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