The Smokemont campground's 142 sites are the only North Carolina campsites open year-round. As with most other campgrounds in the park, there isn't much space between sites. At 2200ft elevation, Smokemont is situated beside the rushing mountain stream of Bradley Fork, although no sites directly overlook the water.
The campground is located just off Newfound Gap Rd, about 4 miles north of the Oconaluftee Visitor Center near the park's entrance by Cherokee, NC. This is a good base for hiking, with several trails leading off from the campground.