About Cherokee / Great Smokies KOA Holiday
The Cherokee / Great Smokies KOA Holiday is a full-service private campground at 92 KOA Campground Road in Cherokee, North Carolina, on Big Cove Road beside the Raven Fork River. It is open all year, so it works as a winter base when many park campgrounds are closed, and it is on the way to Mingo Falls.
Where to stay
The campground offers big-rig friendly RV sites (pull-through and back-in, with a maximum length of 136 feet and up to 50-amp power), standard and deluxe tent sites, camping cabins and deluxe cabins, some along the river. Deluxe RV sites have full hookups and fire pits, and standard RV sites have water and electric. The KOA page lists Wi-Fi, a pool and hot tubs (the pool is listed as open year-round), a playground, a game room, an outdoor movie area and a Kamp K9 off-leash dog park. The Campfire Grill serves meals on site.
Booking
Reserve through KOA online or by phone at 828-497-9711. Rates vary by season, site type and event weekends, and the KOA website shows current prices. KOA lists a pet policy at booking, so check it before you bring a dog.
Getting there
From Cherokee, take US-441 north toward the park boundary, then turn onto Big Cove Road and continue to the KOA, which is on the road to Mingo Falls. The Oconaluftee Visitor Center and the Mountain Farm Museum are a short drive away. Downtown Cherokee has groceries, restaurants and the Museum of the Cherokee People.
Nearby
- Oconaluftee area: Elk viewing at dawn and dusk, the Oconaluftee River Trail (one of two park trails that allow dogs) and the Mountain Farm Museum.
- Mingo Falls: A 120-foot waterfall a few minutes farther up Big Cove Road, on Cherokee land.
- Newfound Gap Road: The scenic route to Newfound Gap and Gatlinburg.
Park rules still apply once you leave the campground: a parking tag is required for any vehicle parked more than 15 minutes in the national park, and federal passes do not replace it.