Appalachian Clubhouse

Great Smoky Mountains National Park — riverside

Location: Gatlinburg, TN, TN

Price: From $300 per night

Rating: 4.8 out of 5 (13 reviews)

Season: May through October

The Appalachian Clubhouse is a historic building constructed in 1934 in the Elkmont Historic District. The structure has been rehabilitated by the National Park Service to closely resemble its 1930’s appearance, with the addition of few modern amenities such as electricity and running water. The building was originally used a gathering spot by lessees and guests of the Appalachian Club whose members, mostly from Knoxville, built rustic cabins nearby to serve as weekend or summer retreats in the

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Electric Hookups, Camp Host

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/appalachian-clubhouse to be notified when sites open up.

Historic 1934 building in the Elkmont Historic District with modern amenities (electricity, running water, flush toilets) offers a unique cultural experience. Located in Great Smoky Mountains with access to nature trails and visitor center activities.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear present in area—store food properly and follow bear safety protocols. Also expect Bobcats, Barred Owls, and Eastern Hellbenders in the creek habitat.

Insider tips for Appalachian Clubhouse: Book early—this is a federal campground with only 1 tent site, high demand expected Directions are specific: take Newfound Gap Road (US 441) 1.7 miles south from Gatlinburg, then Little River Road 5 miles, then Elkmont Road 1.4 miles; turn left before the campground office at Elkmont Nature Trail sign Only 1 tent site available—verify availability before traveling; electric hookups exist but most sites have no hookups per source data

Skip Appalachian Clubhouse if: You need RV hookups—most sites have no hookups despite electric availability. You need year-round camping—seasonal operation May-October only. You need multiple site options—only 1 tent site total at this location.

Best time to visit Appalachian Clubhouse: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Spence Cabin (Gatlinburg, TN), Elkmont Group Camp (Gatlinburg, TN), Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Pavilion (GATLINBURG, TN), Twin Creeks Picnic Pavilion (GATLINBURG, TN).

Cell Phone Coverage at Appalachian Clubhouse

Cell signal at Appalachian Clubhouse (Gatlinburg, TN): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park — riversideLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Appalachian Clubhouse

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Gatlinburg, TN, TN★ 4.8 (13 reviews)From $300/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

The Appalachian Clubhouse is a historic building constructed in 1934 in the Elkmont Historic District. The structure has been rehabilitated by the National Park Service to closely resemble its 1930’s appearance, with the addition of few modern amenities such as electricity and running water. The building was originally used a gathering spot by lessees and guests of the Appalachian Club whose members, mostly from Knoxville, built rustic cabins nearby to serve as weekend or summer retreats in the years before the Park was created.

Best for:FamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV25 ft
Hookups1 electric sites
ADA sites1 sites
PetsNot allowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsElectric Hookups
Recreation
Picnic TablesCamp Host
Family & Pets
Flush Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups—most sites have no hookups despite electric availability✕ You need year-round camping—seasonal operation May-October only✕ You need multiple site options—only 1 tent site total at this location

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 1 tent site, high demand expected

Directions are specific: take Newfound Gap Road (US 441) 1.7 miles south from Gatlinburg, then Little River Road 5 miles, then Elkmont Road 1.4 miles; turn left before the campground office at Elkmont Nature Trail sign

Only 1 tent site available

verify availability before traveling; electric hookups exist but most sites have no hookups per source data

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: American Black Bear present in area—store food properly and follow bear safety protocols. Also expect Bobcats, Barred Owls, and Eastern Hellbenders in the creek habitat.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
865-436-1261· Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Getting there →

Proceed south from Gatlinburg, TN on Newfound Gap Road (aka US 441) 1.7 miles and turn right onto Little River Road towards Cades Cove. Proceed 5 miles to the Elkmont (Campground) Road and turn left. Go. 1.4 miles and turn left just before the campground office (sign says: Elkmont Nature Trail 0.3, Little River Trail 0.6 and Jakes Creek Trail.). Follow the road to Jakes Creek and continue on around the one-way loop to the Appalachian Club. (Nearest street address is 500 Elkmont Road, Gatlinburg,

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Great Smoky Mountains National Park fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Great Smoky Mountains National Park before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Appalachian Clubhouse cost per night?+
Appalachian Clubhouse costs $300 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Appalachian Clubhouse open?+
Appalachian Clubhouse is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Appalachian Clubhouse have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Appalachian Clubhouse?+
Appalachian Clubhouse can accommodate RVs up to 25 feet.
How do I make reservations at Appalachian Clubhouse?+
Appalachian Clubhouse is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Appalachian Clubhouse?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Appalachian Clubhouse is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Appalachian Clubhouse open, and what are check-in times?+
Appalachian Clubhouse is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

National Park Services Concessionaire
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$300 /night★ 4.8 (13)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Appalachian Clubhouse cost per night?+
What season is Appalachian Clubhouse open?+
Does Appalachian Clubhouse have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Spence Cabin

Gatlinburg, TN

From $200/night

Elkmont Group Camp

Gatlinburg, TN

From $38/night

Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Pavilion

GATLINBURG, TN

From $32/night

Twin Creeks Picnic Pavilion

GATLINBURG, TN

From $75/night

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