Big Creek Group Camp

Notice: There is ongoing construction near Exit 451. Big Creek Campground is accessed only via the Waterville Road exit.

How to Reach the Campground:

All I‑40 eastbound and westbound exit and entrance ramps for Exit 451 are open. When traveling eastbound toward Asheville , be aware that the temporary exit for Big Creek occurs about ½ mile before the usual Exit 451 location . GPS will incorrectly announce the exit as being 1 mile ahead, which may cause visitors to miss the temporary exit sign and assume the exit is closed. If the exit is passed, the next available exit is roughly 7 miles away in Clyde, NC to turn around.

The “closure” being reported via some GPS units is a construction-related reroute of the ramps.

Over the last 10 years, an average of 339 negative human-bear encounters have been reported each year; many more go unreported. Visitors should be aware that high bear activity can occur in any area, and that your safety is not guaranteed. To increase your odds for a safe visit, please follow best practices for living and recreating in bear habitat. Stay alert and be prepared to react appropriately during possible encounters, and always report any unusual bear interactions as soon as possible.

Caution: Bear Habitat! Bears and other wildlife frequent the area. All food and equipment used to prepare and store food (even when empty, and even if certified as bear resistant) must be kept in a sealed vehicle or camping unit of solid, non-pliable material AT ALL TIMES when not in use. All scented items, as well as all water containers MUST be stored. Dispose of garbage promptly in dumpsters provided. Unattended or improperly stored coolers, food and/or scented items may be impounded by campground staff. Violators are subject to fines.

A valid parking tag is required for any vehicle parking for more than 15 minutes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Front country campers parked at their designated campsite will not be required to have a parking tag. If they park elsewhere in the park, a parking tag will be required. Please note that parking tags will be required for vehicles in excess of what is allowable for each campsite.

Firewood Restriction: Only heat-treated firewood bundled in its original packing and bearing a certification seal from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) or a state department of agriculture may be brought into the park. This rule is strictly enforced. Campers may also collect dead and down wood in the park for campfires.

Fires are allowed in fire rings only!

Firewood Vendors. Heat-treated wood is available from a growing list of private businesses in communities around the park. Please visit firewoodscout.org for a list of av ailable vendors near the park. Concessioners at Cades Cove, Elkmont, and Smokemont will provide heat-treated wood for sale during their operating season. Certified heat-treated firewood is packaged and clearly marked with a state or federal seal.

For additional information about these firewood regulations, please visit the park website at http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/frontcountry-camping .

A reservation is required to use a group camp.

There are no showers or electric, water or sewer hook-ups in the park. Some group sites are accessible.

Quiet hours are in effect from 10 PM to 6 AM. Generator use is prohibited in group camps.

Dispose of garbage promptly in bear-proof dumpsters.

A minimum of 7 people is required for group site use. Maximum site capacity is 25 people. The park stay limit is 14 consecutive days.

A Tennessee or North Carolina fishing license is required to fish in the park. Special regulations apply in the park.

Pets are permitted but cannot be left unattended. All pets must be kept on a leash at all times. Pets are not allowed on trails.

For additional park information call 865-436-1200 or visit www.nps.gov/grsm