Any suggestions for camping in the Great Smokey Mountains?

I hope to be leaving in less than a week and camping at Balsam Mountain in North Carolina. If you have any tips or inside perspective, great! ANY helpful information would be... well, very helpful. Thanks!

Any suggestions for camping in the Great Smokey Mountains?
Yes bring a fishing rod with you. The Smokies have GREAT fishing.
Reply:Cherokee NC has several campgrounds. We love that area and are going there in a few days. Flaming Arrow campground is very hospitable, Indian Creek Campground is very "back to nature" and just a short distance to Mingo Falls, an awesome 80 ft. waterfall. Google campgrounds Western NC and you will find tons.
Reply:Haven't done them yet! But when I do, it'll be up the Appalachian Trail. You can find interesting YouTube videos about it.





If you're a novice camper; the general tips on food storage, if there aren't any bear-proof boxes available, take rope and hang your stuff high and on small branches that they can't get to AND away from where you are sleeping. Pepper spray is sometimes worth its weight.





Avon's skin so soft comes in different scents these days and still works wonders. Ticks, mosquitoes, and chiggers hate the stuff. I won't go back east without a good supply of it.
Reply:Dont know if you will be near this place but I stayed at Joyce Kilmer nat. park once and it was pretty cool. There were old growth trees there which were pretty impressive. We camped on Rattlesnake ford river and that was neat too., We were at a primitive camping spot but I think there were some pay spots too.





Good luck and Happy camping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply:Just got back from that area, smog was horrific, we left the parkway after just a few miles as could not see anything; in one picnic area at noon there were no bird or insect sounds, no ground squirrels--really strange. Hopefully it won;t be so bad when you go, but last week the air quality was so bad you could not see across any of the valleys.
Reply:you can always visit the gatlinburgh or pigeon forge tourism websites for detailed info on camping in the smokey mountains.
Reply:Don't store your food in your tent! If you leave it in your car, put it in sealed containers. Smoky Mtns are GREAT. Take bug spray and a jacket.
Reply:oh.....i live near there. it's near Waynesville/ have you been there before? i love the Smokeys. i'm from Georgia , and i feel at home the same here in the mountains.i hope you get to visit for awhile...a week isnt enuff. oh, and if you get the chance come on over to Deep Creek ..........it's near Bryson City. lovely campground. and falls.