National park · est. 1934

Great Smoky Mountains National Park · caps RVs at 35 ft

Great Smoky charges a $5/day parking tag on top of the campsite — required everywhere in the park. Cades Cove and Smokemont hold 35-ft rigs year-round but the Cades Cove Loop takes 3+ hours.

RV rentals in Tennessee

Max RV: 35 ft
Season: Year-round (Cades Cove, Smokemont) · Mar–Oct (others)

Max RV length: 35 ft
Dump station: On site
Season: Year-round (Cades Cove, Smokemont) · Mar–Oct (others)

Going to Great Smoky Mountains National Park? Tell us the nights.

One email when a Tennessee owner lists a rig for those nights.

Pick-up

Drop-off

The most-visited national park in the country implemented a parking-tag system in 2023 ($5/day, $15/week, $40/year) — separate from any campground booking and required for any vehicle parked anywhere in the park for more than 15 minutes.

Cades Cove Campground (Tennessee side) and Smokemont (North Carolina side) accept rigs up to 35 ft and run year-round; Elkmont, Cosby, and Deep Creek follow March through October with similar caps. Dry-camp only across all loops. Dump stations at Cades Cove and Smokemont. Newfound Gap Road handles 35-ft rigs the full length; the Cades Cove Loop Road is one-way, narrow, slow, and routinely jammed by black bear sightings — plan 3+ hours for the 11-mile circuit at any rig length.

What the length limit is measuring

Pad length — the rig plus anything it tows
Height — what the branches and the awning need
Turning arc — the swing off the loop road

How the in-park dump station is used

Waste outlet — under the rig, driver side
Ground drain — hose seated, then the valve opens
Rinse standpipe — non-potable, for the hose only

Primary sources

How to book this park

Reservations + adjacent staging

Official reservation portal

Looking for the rig? Browse Tennessee RV rentals on PickRV →

Quick answers

Frequently asked

Can you take an RV into Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

RVs up to 35 ft are allowed in Great Smoky Mountains's campgrounds.

Are there RV hookups at Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

No — Great Smoky Mountains's campgrounds are dry (no hookups). Fill water and charge before you arrive.

Is there an RV dump station at Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

Yes — Great Smoky Mountains has an RV dump station.

Tennessee rules · last verified 2026-05-10

State rental tax: 7% · not collected by PickRV
Min driver age: 21+ std · 25+ Class A
Gravel roads: Allowed — disclosure required
Generator quiet: 22:00-07:00