Look Rock Campground

Great Smoky Mountains National Park — lakeside, hiking

Location: Townsend, TN, TN

Price: From $30 per night

Price range: $30–$36 per night

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (170 reviews)

Season: May through October

Look Rock Campground is located along the beautiful Foothills Parkway West. The campground offers 68 campsites in a high country wooded landscape. It offers a traditional outdoor camping experience with the added convenience of flush toilets, drinking water, and a dump station.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): moderate signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: Verizon. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 100%. T-Mobile 4G: 0%.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Drinking Water, Showers, Dump Station, Electric Hookups

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

Look Rock Campground offers 68 well-maintained wooded sites along the scenic Foothills Parkway West with flush toilets, drinking water, and a dump station. Campers praise the spacious, uncrowded layout and proximity to hiking, the Look Rock tower, and nearby towns.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear and Eastern Black Bear present in area. Also: Eastern Gray Squirrel, Black-throated Green Warbler, Carolina Wren, Golden-winged Warbler, Green Anole, and Stripe-necked Musk Turtle.

Insider tips for Look Rock Campground: Book early—this is a popular federal campground Only 10 sites have electric hookups; most sites are primitive Avoid GPS directions on Montavale Rd, Happy Valley Rd, or Flats Rd if towing a trailer Look Rock tower is only 0.5 miles away Most tent pads accommodate up to 6-person tents

Skip Look Rock Campground if: Expecting shower facilities—none available at campground. Needing water or sewer hookups—only electric hookups on select sites. Seeking full RV hookups. Uncomfortable with active bear country.

Best time to visit Look Rock Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally during these months only.

Nearby campgrounds: Abram’S Creek Campground (Gatlinburg, TN), Cades Cove Campground (Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN), Cades Cove Group (Gatlinburg, TN), Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Pavilion (GATLINBURG, TN).

Cell Phone Coverage at Look Rock Campground

Cell signal at Look Rock Campground (Townsend, TN): moderate overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: Verizon.

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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CamperWatch›TN›Look Rock Campground
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park — lakeside, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Look Rock Campground

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Townsend, TN, TN★ 4.2 (170 reviews)From $30/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Look Rock Campground is located along the beautiful Foothills Parkway West. The campground offers 68 campsites in a high country wooded landscape. It offers a traditional outdoor camping experience with the added convenience of flush toilets, drinking water, and a dump station.

Best for:HikersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:TentRV
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 RV48 ft
Hookups10 electric sites
Pull-throughsAvailable
ToiletsFlush toilets
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking WaterElectric Hookups
Recreation
Picnic TablesShowers
Family & Pets
Flush ToiletsDump Station

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:✕ Expecting shower facilities—none available at campground✕ Needing water or sewer hookups—only electric hookups on select sites✕ Seeking full RV hookups✕ Uncomfortable with active bear country

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground

Only 10 sites have electric hookups; most sites are primitive

Avoid GPS directions on Montavale Rd, Happy Valley Rd, or Flats Rd if towing a trailer

Look Rock tower is only 0.5 miles away

Most tent pads accommodate up to 6-person tents

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally during these months 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 · 100%
AT&T
4G · 100%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: Verizon.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: American Black Bear and Eastern Black Bear present in area. Also: Eastern Gray Squirrel, Black-throated Green Warbler, Carolina Wren, Golden-winged Warbler, Green Anole, and Stripe-necked Musk Turtle.

Location

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

From Maryville, TN: Take U.S. 321 North (you'll actually be driving south!) from Maryville to Walland, TN. Turn right onto Foothills Parkway Section 8G/Foothills Pkwy W (signs for Look Rock/US-129), about 9.5 miles to campground along Foothills Parkway. Avoid GPS directions leading you along Montavale Rd, Happy Valley Rd, or Flats Rd if you are towing a trailer or vehicle. From Pigeon Forge, TN: Follow US-321 S to Foothills Parkway Section 8G/Foothills Pkwy W in Walland. Exit from US-321 S, abou

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.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Look Rock Campground cost per night?+
Look Rock Campground costs $30–$36 per night. Hookup options: Electric hookups on select sites. No water/sewer.
What season is Look Rock Campground open?+
Look Rock Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Look Rock Campground have hookups?+
Electric hookups on select sites. No water/sewer.
What is the maximum RV length at Look Rock Campground?+
Look Rock Campground can accommodate RVs up to 48 feet.
How do I make reservations at Look Rock Campground?+
Look Rock Campground 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 Look Rock Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Look Rock Campground is rated moderate. Best carrier: Verizon. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Look Rock Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Look Rock Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

VIDEO: Camping in GSMNP: What to Know
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.

$30 /night★ 4.2 (170)
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 Look Rock Campground cost per night?+
What season is Look Rock Campground open?+
Does Look Rock Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Abram’S Creek Campground

Gatlinburg, TN

From $30/night

Cades Cove Campground

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN

From $30/night

Cades Cove Group

Gatlinburg, TN

From $50/night

Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Pavilion

GATLINBURG, TN

From $32/night

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