About Pigeon River Campground
Pigeon River Campground is a private riverside campground at 3375 Hartford Road in Hartford, Tennessee, near I-40 and the northeast corner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is not in Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg; the setting is the Pigeon River, a rafting river that runs through Hartford.
What is on site
Directory listings describe tent sites, rustic camping cabins and full-hookup RV sites, with a swimming pool, camp store, pavilion, playground, volleyball and a private boat ramp. The river is known for smallmouth bass and trout. Site counts differ between directories, so ask which type of site you need when you book. Campendium lists the season as roughly March through November, so confirm dates before you plan a late-fall or winter trip.
Booking
Contact details change, so use a current listing such as Campendium or the Pigeon Forge Chamber of Commerce, and confirm availability and open dates by phone before you drive. Rates vary by site type and season.
Getting there
From I-40, follow Hartford Road along the river. Newport has groceries and fuel. The Big Creek entrance to the national park is a short drive away.
Nearby
- Big Creek: Midnight Hole and Mouse Creek Falls, on an easy railroad-grade trail that is open for the first two miles.
- Rafting: Outfitters run the Pigeon River nearby.
- Cosby: Hen Wallow Falls and quiet campgrounds.
Know before you go
A parking tag ($5 daily) is required for parking more than 15 minutes in the national park, and federal passes do not replace it.
Good to know
- How do I reserve a site?
- Reservations for national park campgrounds are made on recreation.gov. Summer and October weekends book up early.
- Do I need a parking tag?
- A Park It Forward parking tag ($5 a day, $15 a week or $40 a year) is required for any vehicle parked more than 15 minutes inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Entry is free, and federal passes such as America the Beautiful do not replace the tag.