City: Gatlinburg, TN

Category: Parks & Recreation

Telephone: (865) 436-7081, (800) 252-8077

Address: 1202 East Parkway

Description: The highest-rated RV park in the state of Tennessee, upscale Twin Creek is tucked into the foothills just off East Parkway. The park is open from mid-March through November (after the Christmas parade) and allows no tents on its large 85-space property. Every RV site is paved, with its own deck and fire ring. The resort is heavily wooded and beautifully landscaped and features a game arcade and a Sunday morning worship service. Site rental ranges from $46 to $50 for two, based on location. Twin Creek’s two one-bedroom-with-loft cabins run $100 per night. Given the park’s secluded setting, it’s hard to believe downtown Gatlinburg is merely 2 miles away. It’s just a quick trip on the blue trolley, which runs by the campground.

City: Gatlinburg, TN

Category: Parks & Recreation

Telephone: (865) 430-3594

Address: 1640 East Parkway

Description: This RV park located within the boundaries of the world-famous Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community opened in 1966 on a flat space alongside Little Dudley Creek that’s not quite as secluded as it used to be. Still, Camping in the Smokies—Gatlinburg RV Park provides a lot of privacy. Its 53 full-service sites are convenient to the highway and Little Dudley Creek. The blue trolley stops right in front of the campground. Gatlinburg is 3 1⁄2 miles to the left, and the biggest golf community in the county is about 10 miles to the right. Open April through October, the park offers sites with full hookups that rent for $31.95 to $47.95 per night. Tent sites with water, electric and cable are $18.95 to $29.95 a night.

City: Gatlinburg, TN

Category: Parks & Recreation

Telephone: (865) 436-4243

Address: 2353 East Parkway

Description: Greenbrier Island is exactly what it says it is: an island campground in the pristine middle prong of the Little Pigeon River. It isn’t being immodest when it claims to be the “best campground in town”—it’s the only one in the town of Pittman Center. Greenbrier Island offers 48 full-hookup RV spaces for $30 a night, 36 water/electric spaces for $28, and 38 primitive campsites for $26 each. “Flint Rock,” the swimming hole at the north end of the campground, has been a favorite of locals for generations. The entrance to the campground is a short distance off East Parkway on Pittman Center Road (Tennessee Highway 416), 6 miles from traffic light #3 in Gatlinburg. The campground is open April through October.

City: Gatlinburg, TN

Category: Parks & Recreation

Address: 4229 East Parkway

City: Gatlinburg, TN

Category: Parks & Recreation

Address: 4609 East Parkway

City: Gatlinburg, TN

Category: Parks & Recreation

Telephone: (865) 436-8372, (800) 850-8372

Address: 4857 East Parkway

Description: Smoky Bear is set on a large knoll 15 miles east of Gatlinburg. Forty-six good-size sites surround a clubhouse that includes a swimming pool, public hot tub, and a playground. The owner-operators pride themselves on running a spotless operation and live on-site to provide 24-hour security. Smoky Bear opens on Easter weekend and stays open through November. RV/camper sites with full hookups run $32 to $44 a night for two adults and two children.

City: Gatlinburg, TN

Category: Parks & Recreation

Telephone: (865) 436-4109

Address: 1141 Parkway

Description: Located at traffic light #10, right at the park entrance, Shirley’s maintains a large stock of truck tubes for sale only, at about $10 apiece.

City: Gatlinburg, TN

Category: Parks & Recreation

Telephone: (865) 430-5985

Address: 831 East Parkway

Description: About a mile east of traffic light #3, McKinney’s sells tubes for $15 each. Their tubes are extra thick and made especially for tubing, with rope handles.

City: Gatlinburg, TN

Category: Parks & Recreation

Address: 2470 East Parkway

City: Gatlinburg, TN

Category: Parks & Recreation

Address: 1720 East Parkway

City: Gatlinburg, TN

Category: Parks & Recreation

Address: 1001 Parkway