10 Fun Things To Do At Elkmont Campground In The Great Smoky Mountains National Park

August 17, 2024 Amanda Luhn

Rock hopping across Jakes Creek in Elkmont Campground in the Smokies — Rock hopping in Jakes Creek which runs through Elkmont Campground, as does the Little River. Splashing around in these waters is always a kid favorite.

Elkmont is one of our go-to campgrounds in the Smokies because it has so many kid-friendly activities to do at or near the campground. Hiking, swimming, biking, fishing, history… there is even a ghost town on site to explore. These are our family’s top 10 favorite activities when we camp at Elkmont.

Stay In A Yurt At Grayson Highlands State Park—It’s Simply Awesome!

September 18, 2023 Amy Ragsdale

Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia is one of my favorite places in the world. I love the mountain balds with wild ponies grazing, the easy access to great trails with amazing views, and the high elevation of the park. The tent camping at Grayson Highlands, however, isn’t great. The sites are too small and close to each other. The work around? Stay in a yurt! Yurt 2, also known as “Split Rock” was our home for 2 nights during the first week of June. Read my full review.

Everything You Wanted To Know About Elkmont Campground In The Great Smoky Mountains National Park

July 15, 2023 Amanda Luhn

Camping in Elkmont Campground in the Great Smoky Mountains

Want to take a trip to the Smokies and camp in the woods but not sure what to expect? We’ll tell you everything you need to know about Elkmont Campground in exhaustive detail- what campsites are the best, how to reserve, and all the little things that will help you plan your trip. This family friendly campground is one of our favorites in the Smokies and we return to it again and again.

Glamping In A Yurt At Cloudland Canyon State Park- All The Details You Want To Know

July 11, 2023 Amanda Luhn

Looking in yurt #5 in the yurt village at Cloudland Canyon State Park in Georgia — Treat yourself to a luxury glamping night at the yurts in the ever awesome Cloudland Canyon State Park in north Georgia.

The yurts at Cloudland Canyon State Park are a great way to feel like you are camping without having to do any of the work normally associated with camping. Spacious, quiet, private, and even with electricity and AC, we had a good time on our glamping adventure and would do it again. It was especially helpful as this was a just an overnight trip when we couldn’t bring any camping stuff with us.

Your Guide To Biking Cades Cove in the Smokies

May 26, 2023 Amy Ragsdale

View of Cades Cove from the Loop Road in the Smokies — View from the Cades Cove Loop Road

Cades Cove is notoriously the busiest area of the Smokies. So what’s a local to do? Fortunately, the good news is that you can bike or walk the loop without cars on Wednesdays from early May to late September. This is one of our favorite things to do in the Smokies, and we share all the details you need to know to enjoy this unique and fun experience.

Cades Cove Campground In Great Smoky Mountains National Park

May 26, 2023 Amanda Luhn

Beautiful morning in Cades Cove near Cades Cove Campground — Cades Cove. This kind of beautiful scenery is not far from your campground and is why you camp here.

Use this local’s years of experience at gorgeous Cades Cove to find out everything you need to know about camping at Cades Cove Campground. Best campsites, best activities, how to explore the cove without people- all the hacks and know-how I have accumulated over the years to make your family’s trip the best it can be.

Hiking Alum Cave Trail To Mount LeConte With Kids- Family Hikes In Great Smoky Mountains National Park

May 25, 2023 Amanda Luhn

Views from Alum Cave Trail on the way to Mount Leconte in the Smokies — One of many superb vistas from Alum Cave Trail before you even get to the top of Mount LeConte.

Want to hike to Alum Cave and Mount LeConte? Wondering if your kids can handle this can't miss Smokies trail? We have details, tips, and hacks to help you hike this spectacular trail, one of the most popular and iconic hikes in the Smokies.

Favorite Hikes With Kids In The Great Smoky Mountains National Park

May 24, 2023 Amy Ragsdale

Our favorite family hikes in the Smokies are not too long nor exhausting and typically have a highlighted feature such as a waterfall, creek, or historic cabin that the kids will enjoy. There are many, many more hikes but we have narrowed down our recommended hikes for kid-pleasing, shorter, easier walks in the woods!

Capitol Reef National Park- It’s So Worth It!

April 24, 2023 Amy Ragsdale

Capitol Reef is a great national park in Utah for a family who doesn’t want the logistics of coordinating the park shuttles of Zion, waiting in the entrance lines of Arches, or negotiating the crowded parking areas at popular trailheads.

For us, Capitol Reef provided scenic beauty, plenty of easy hikes, and while we were there, minimal people. We came away refreshed, not frazzled, and certainly awe inspired!

Easy Hikes at Grayson Highlands State Park

March 20, 2023 Amy Ragsdale

Grayson Highlands State Park is famous for its wild ponies and access to a beautiful section of the Appalachian Trail, but you’ll also find plenty of amazingly beautiful trails for those seeking shorter hikes.

Children especially enjoy the trails at Grayson Highlands, because some of the best trails are not only super short but all of them provide something fun along the trail like fun rock scrambling and typically lead to an incredible high elevation view or water feature.

Which Campground To Choose In Great Smoky Mountains National Park

March 3, 2023 Amy Ragsdale

Should you choose Elkmont Campground or Cades Cove Campground in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park? Having camped at both as children and as adults, we give you the breakdown of the pros and cons of each.

Visiting The Minuteman Missile National Historic Site In South Dakota With Kids

December 13, 2022 Amanda Luhn

Looking into the missile silo at Delta-09 at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site — Looking into the missile silo at Delta-09 at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Park. This is one of 2 places in America where you can look into a ICBM missile silo—this one is holding an unarmed Minuteman Missile capable of flying 15,000 mph. You can see the Badlands rising up in the background, making a pretty amazing backdrop to this bit of history.

On your way to Badlands National Park and looking for something nearby to do besides visiting Wall Drug? Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is a great stop on I90, whether you only have 30 minutes to just see the missile silo or you have a couple of hours to see everything plus take a ranger guided tour of the underground Launch Control Center. The kids were pretty fascinated to see a nuclear missile up close and we all learned a lot about this part of Cold War history.

A Simply Awesome Day Biking The Mickelson Trail in The Black Hills Of South Dakota With Kids

December 5, 2022 Amanda Luhn

Mickelson Bike trail in the Black Hills of South Dakota — I mean, who wouldn’t want to spend the day looking at scenery like this?

Whether you cycle the entire 109 miles or just rent a bike for an afternoon, the Mickelson Trail is an awesome adventure for the whole family. It is an absolutely gorgeous ride through some of the most beautiful parts of the Black Hills. With 4 train tunnels and over a hundred bridges, not to mention rolling hills, open pastures, and old gold mines dotting the trail, there is plenty to look at and enjoy on the Mickelson Trail!

Sequoyah Birthplace Museum And Fort Loudoun State Park- Family Fun In East Tennessee

February 18, 2020 Amanda Luhn

Looking for a day of fun outside with maybe a little education thrown in? Then spend the day reliving the French and Indian War at Fort Loudoun and learning about Sequoyah’s remarkable alphabet at these two fantastic sites on beautiful Tellico Lake. Afterwards, enjoy a lakeside picnic or rent a kayak or standup paddleboard from the park’s Visitor Center. All in all, a perfect day!

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