Townsend / Great Smokies KOA

Welcome to the "The Peaceful Side of The Smokies!" Soak up the fresh air and the beauty of the mountains, forests and rivers. Enjoy fishing and tubing on our river frontage and ride the Townsend Bike Trail that's just across the road! We know you'll love it here.

Cades Cove

Go see why this is the most visited part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park! This 6,800-acre valley has trout streams, hiking and horseback riding trails and an 11-mile driving loop for you to enjoy. See pioneer homes and buildings, white-tailed deer, red fox, woodchucks and amazing views. Open daily sunrise to sundown. No entrance fee.

Festivals

Townsend is proud of its heritage and celebrates year-round! ChristyFest is held in June; an annual event celebrating the "Christy" book, movies and television series. Cast members, directors, writers and fans gather to share memories. The Spring Festival and Old Timer's Day and the Fall Heritage Festival bring the community together with food, arts and crafts, music, dancing and storytelling.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

This world-renowned park has something for everyone! Hike and horseback ride over hundreds of miles of maintained trails. Take an auto tour of the area and enjoy spectacular views at the many overlooks. Fish for trout on over 700 miles of fishable streams! Tour 78 historic buildings to get a taste of American history. Enjoy waterfalls, wildflowers and wildlife viewing - don't forget your camera! Open year-round. No entrance fee.

Townsend

This small town's history goes back hundreds of years. First called Tuckaleechee Cove by the Cherokee, white settlers began arriving in the late 1700s. Around 1900, there was a logging boom and the town was named after the Little River Lumber Company president, W.B. Townsend. Since the 1930s, when the national park was created, Townsend has been a major portal into the park. Enjoy the rich Appalachian culture, beautiful scenery and wonderful people of Tennessee.

Little River Railroad & Lumber Co. Museum

Visit this museum for a view into the history and people of this beautiful region! Enjoy the collections of photos, papers, tools and artifacts as well as a vintage caboose, flatcars, steam engine and more! Open Monday - Saturday, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm; Sunday, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm in June, July, August and October and Saturday, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm; Sunday, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm in April, May and September. Located in Townsend.

Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center

Travel thousands of years into the past through gallery exhibits, educational programs and festivals! See 5,000 years of Native American life and pioneer and mountain culture. Tour log homes, a smokehouse and a cantilever barn while hearing stories told by costumed guides and craftsmen! Open Tuesday - Saturday, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm; Sunday, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm. Admission is charged. Located in Townsend.

Fishing

If you love to fish, this is the place to be! With both the Little River and 750 miles of fishable streams in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at your feet, you will never run out of spots. Fish for rainbow, brook and brown trout in some of the best trout water anywhere! Go solo or visit an outfitter.

Biking

Enjoy the fresh air, scenery and quiet with a bike ride! There are miles of country roads beckoning you as well as the five mile paved trail along the river walk and the 11-mile Cades Cove Loop in the national park. Take your camera and a picnic and have a wonderful day! Bicycle rentals are available.

Hiking

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is filled with hiking trails ranging from easy to primitive. There are gentle hikes for the first-timers and backwoods hikes for the hardcore. The hiking trail choices include Schoolhouse Gap at four miles, Russell Field at ten miles and the Thunderhead, 14 miles of hard, but rewarding work.

Three Cities

Sevierville, named the county seat in 1795, suffered fires and floods through its history, but has come through stronger than ever. It is famous for shopping, great attractions and museums. Pigeon Forge had its humble beginnings in 1780 and tourism started booming in the 1930s! Nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, it is home to family fun and outdoor adventures. Gatlinburg, founded in 1807 by Martha Jane Huskey Ogle, was called a "land of paradise." It is now a mountain resort destination with attractions.