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Cherokee / Great Smokies KOA

2.9 (71 reviews)

CHEROKEE / GREAT SMOKIES KOA · YELP ASSISTANT

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trick or treating
Emma K.

best experience of my life, i go here twice a year every year and i countdown the days till i go, many activities and great campground service, very kid and dog friendly and haunted house is terrifying. trick or treating in halloween is great.

Lynn Q.

We have camped at KOA Cherokee for the last 6 years while attending the Talking Trees Trout Derby with our granddaughters. This is our last year since she will be too old to participate. We have truly enjoyed each year. This place is truly a kids paradise. Bike riding at its best.

Coffee & the river!

Normally we travel in an RV, however, in March we traveled with our truck and motorcycle trailer as we wanted to ride the popular roads around the Smokies. So for the first time, We reserved a cabin (KT510), at the front of the campground, Deluxe, Full kitchen (stove top/no oven), over Raven River, One bedroom (queen), bathroom/shower, propane Weber grill. The negative reviews are mostly from 2020 & 2021 when Covid hit staffing issues. But, we thoroughly enjoyed our early Spring stay. Staff is exceptional !! A CLEAN cabin, windows function well, bed was extremely comfortable, they have pots, pans, dishes, cups and utensils. Though, I'd wash them before using. One small pan was great, but the other teflon cookware were destroyed by people using metal instead of plastic. Bring non-stick foil for the grill. And your own K-cups for the Keurig as they supply two, or you'll have to purchase more. Their store has snacks, beer, wine, supplies. The Cafe is only open seasonally, so bring your food and such if you don't want to eat out for every meal. They do have a full size refrigerator. Only about 6 minutes to town/Cherokee. We used the two wall heaters (one in bathroom and one in bedroom), but also used the electric fireplace to warm up the front room in the mornings. There is only one (remote controlled) AC located in the kitchen/front room, but each room has a ceiling fan. The front room had a couch/futon. And the river was an amazing bonus to listen to and watch. They allow trout fishing, get your license there. Lots of amenities, but in mid-March the pools and hot tub were closed as was the desire for corn-hole and community fire pit. We were able to park in a long space with our trailer to load and unload our motorcycles at our cabin lot, which worked perfectly. But if it's summer, you may not be able to use that particular space. (we never detached to use our truck). They have extremely helpful after hours staff who were able to explain how to get the fireplace to turn on, and that the grill is permanently attached to a propane line and doesn't need a tank. Smart/Streaming TV. Great WiFi. Dog park. Did not utilize the campground bathhouse or laundry. This was a great KOA in a great location, but not if you'd rather be in Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge as it is up and over the Smokies which will make an early all day adventure. This was a great location for motorcyclists to ride toward Robbinsville, Tail of the Dragon, Moonshiner 28, Cherohala Skyway and other areas away from Gatlinburg.

Home away from home
Anthony W.

AMERICAN as it gets! This place is tucked away beautifully in the great Smokey Mountains. As you arrive in Cherokee you will feel the Native vibe. As WE approached the KOA we were fortunate to be welcomed by elk feeding on the side of the road! Massively amazing. The Koa is large and spread out with plenty to do! We were an hour or so drive out of Pigeon forge right through the Smokey Mountains National park! and 1.30 min out of Asheville and the Biltmore estate. Perfectly located for many things to go. Mingo Falls is 4 miles out. Couldn't have asked for a better stay! Cabin was awesome... right on the river where we could hear the river 24/7 and we also were treated with a fishing tournament on the last day of our stay!! Would highly recommend this place and I will definitely be back! On a side note try the pizza at the pizza place located inside the KOA , you will be pleasantly surprised!! Live laugh and keep America beautiful!!

Six to seven cars for one cabin. They parked in vacant campsite and around playground.

Our site is across from the playground. On us because we had not been here before and didn't know sites. Screaming kids all day. We requested a change but told all sites were booked. They were not. Employee in trailer across from us- loud verbal family fight last night. Today, small cabin across from us with SIX cars parked there. Figure they are employees, or related to, because no one is addressing this. We were told they can have as many cars as they want. They played music and were very loud late into the night. I would not recommend this campground. KOA website states complaints should go to that campground but they do not answer the phone. Husband said bathrooms are dirty but I don't go in them.

Jennifer T.

Clean campground with lots of activities! Close to the casino and a lot of great hiking trails. Indoor pool and hot tub were a bonus!

Creek that runs through the campground.

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3 months ago

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3 months ago

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5 months ago

Always friendly staff. Quiet place to relax with friends and family. Pet friendly. Very clean bath houses.

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1 year ago

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6 months ago

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1 year ago

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3 years ago

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6 years ago

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3 years ago

Very nice and clean . Only downside no cable but you can stream. Definitely would recommend

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6 years ago

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8 years ago

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5 years ago

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10 years ago

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Review Highlights - Cherokee / Great Smokies KOA

“We have camped at KOA Cherokee for the last 6 years while attending the Talking Trees Trout Derby with our granddaughters.”

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Indian Creek Campground

Indian Creek Campground

3.8(20 reviews)
3.0 mi

One of the gorgeous campgrounds! We had our annual family reunion of 24 people here this year and…read moreit was a lot of fun for the little kids. They played in the creek and enjoyed themselves a lot. We booked sites 13-15 and 18 with water and electricity. Private property owned by a couple who lives on premise. Staff extremely friendly and campground/bathhouse extremely clean. The staff are constantly cleaning and roaming in their carts to ensure the campers have a good experience. Laundromat onsite if you have an extended stay. It has 2 washers and 2 dryers. Convenience store at the entrance. We picked up lots of ice, firewoods and sweatshirts here. Help our local businesses! Cleaning station for those who go fishing. Certain cell phone service carriers worked but it was nice being away from civilization for a week without working devices. Back to cave man's days...loved it. Thank you to the staff at Indian Creek Campground for a wonderful experience. You guys were superstars! Keep up the good work.

I had a 40th birthday celebration here. We made reservations a year in advance and informed the…read moreowners that we would be celebrating there. We rented 6 sites close to each other and informed all our neighbors we would be celebrating that weekend. All neighbors had no problems with my group except the owners of the establishment. We have been going there for years now and did not expect the owners to have such a problem with us. We were told to be quiet two ours before quiet time each night while our neighboring campers had not heard us. We feel we were targeting for no reason. Would never go there again even though we have been going for years prior. A friend of mine posted a review and the owner deleted it. The owner doesn't like people and should not be working this business. If I could do a negative 5 review I would!!!!!!! Never again

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Indian Creek Campground - Cabin 23

Cabin 23

Indian Creek Campground - Check in

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Flaming Arrow Campground

Flaming Arrow Campground

3.9(8 reviews)
6.6 mi

Flaming Arrow is everything I look for in a campground. The property is beautifully maintained-…read moregreen grass to play on, concrete pads at your site to relax as you watch the Smoky Mountains entertain you. Pool is sparking clear. Joni will guide you to your site and get you set up in no time. Don't let the folks who complain about this sway you. Joni knows every site and knows how to get your rig in. She can tell you lots of places to see and things to do. She knows the area very well. The staff will treat you like family and help with anything you need. Playground, volleyball, games and covered pavilion for kids and families or groups. The sites have plenty of room for slides. There are even covered tent sites. The campground is close to grocery store and downtown Cherokee. Thanks for a wonderful month Joni. We will be back Sent from my iPhone

I have been here for three months now during the winter and I have come to know the owner and her…read moreson, Joni and (30? Year old son) William quite well. As they become comfortable with your stay, they become increasingly hostile over seriously nothing. A simple question about Wi-Fi or anything will elicit screams and hollers and even hanging up on you. Joni even yelled at my DoorDash driver who was still parked in my driveway. She has owned this campground for 28 years as she will remind you time and time again. In my opinion it's time to retire. She is burnt out and the most unhappiest woman I have ever met. This is not exclusive to me, but all of my neighbors as well. They are terrified of her. I think I'm the only one to stand up to her outbursts and not take her sh*t. The more scenic sites are at a 45° angle so be prepared to back your RV in up at that angle. Please know that if there is any rain, you will be quite easily stuck at your site due to slick mud and clay and ancient, well embedded gravel that is no longer helpful for your RV and vehicle. My Expedition was stuck just pulling into my drive, if that tells you anything. There are so many other great RV sites such as Tuckaseegee (River & Rails), Great Smoky Mtns RV resort, and the Great Outdoors ($$$$). There is no reason to deal with the hostility here. Hope this helps.

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Flaming Arrow Campground
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Timberlake Campground

Timberlake Campground

4.6(10 reviews)
10.6 mi

Camped here for two weeks and loved it. The campground has beautiful views, the sites are spacious,…read morethey have water, electric and even though there is no sewer it was easy to get honeywagon and go to dump station. They have two spring fed ponds and do not use any pesticides to take care of the surrounding area. One of the ponds is swimmable both can be fished in, you can eat fish or catch and release. The people that come here are all very nice and many have been coming for over 55 years. They have a playground and very safe large area to play. There was a steady stream of really nice kids and families for my little one to play with while we were there. We loved Dawn and Joe that run the campground and they were always around to chat and answer all sorts of questions. They are so knowledgeable about the mountain ecosystem in which they live and it shows in how well they care for area. This is such a beautiful place and we can't wait to come back!!! Keep up the good work guys I'm sure Betty is looking down on you with gratitude.

Great campsite for kids. They have a play set, volleyball court, fishing/swimming pond, mud…read morekitchen, shallow steam running through the camp, little boat to paddle on the pond, life jackets available and kids were riding their bikes everywhere. You get ice and a bundle of firewood each night you stay. The only downside would be that the spots are pretty close together, so not a lot of privacy.

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Timberlake Campground - Amazing golf course nearby!

Amazing golf course nearby!

Timberlake Campground
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Cherokee / Great Smokies KOA - campgrounds - Updated November 2026

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