Elkmont Fireflies

Reservation time is right around the corner for camping at Elkmont (in GSMNP) for the synchronized fireflies. If anyone has thought about going, I want to highly encourage you to make reservations within the next week or so. If you haven't heard about the fireflies, I will post a link to info. It is just such a really cool event! And only one of 2 places in the world that you can go to see synchronized fireflies takes place right outside of the Elkmont campground.

This is our 3rd year attending and it has become one of our favorite trips. At first, my kids were not interested in dry camping. However, it has become one of their favorite places to camp. Especially if you can get a riverfront site. We were able to book a riverfront site this morning at 10am, however, we booked it for a week. We did not get the site we wanted. However, I wont complain since it is riverfront.

I cannot recommend Elkmont nor the fireflies highly enough. The campground books up really quickly for this event.

I am not sure how many days we may end up staying. However, we will for sure be there from Thursday, June 10th thru Sunday, June 13th. I think we may head up to Jellystone for a couple of days after that.

If you have any questions about Elkmont or the fireflies, let me know! Here is the link..

fireflies

what are synchronized fireflies? What do they do?

Elkmont and somewhere in Asia are the only two places in the world that you will find them. For a period of maybe 2 weeks in June right outside the Elkmont campground, you will find thousands of fireflies that all blink the same pattern at the same time. Hundreds and hundreds of people come each night to see them. People are bused in from the Sugarlands Visitors Center. Campground access is restricted to campers only after around 5pm each night. People camping at Elkmont just walk up a path to view them.
We like to stay in the C-F loop as it has the shortest walk. The river sites in C-F are really nice! Last year we found a quiet section of the trail and were just in awe as we were surrounded on each side of the path by hundreds.. maybe thousands of fireflies all blinking in unison. Everything is pitch black and then they all start blinking.. then they all stop. It is a really neat experience, imho : )

I checked out the link happycamper. It sounds really awesome.

well.. ya sold me on the synchronized fireflies ... unfortunately.. I tried booking. There isn't a campsite avail all week.. None.. nada.. zilch. I even tried booking for just 2 nights in the middle of the week.. but there's nothing available.

Thanks for the link

Coolbreeze1

chuck wrote:well.. ya sold me on the synchronized fireflies ... unfortunately.. I tried booking. There isn't a campsite avail all week.. None.. nada.. zilch. I even tried booking for just 2 nights in the middle of the week.. but there's nothing available.

Chuck, since you can't get in to see them, perhaps we can do it with sync flashlights at Smokey Bear. Or maybe plug and unplug our dodads all at the same time.

Richard wrote:

chuck wrote:well.. ya sold me on the synchronized fireflies ... unfortunately.. I tried booking. There isn't a campsite avail all week.. None.. nada.. zilch. I even tried booking for just 2 nights in the middle of the week.. but there's nothing available.

Chuck, since you can't get in to see them, perhaps we can do it with sync flashlights at Smokey Bear. Or maybe plug and unplug our dodads all at the same time.

Now that would be something to see

Coolbreeze1

Hey can we catch these fireflies like we did when we were young?

Coolbreeze1

Diane and I booked for the weekend before, The 4th, 5th etc...Hopefully we can catch some of the fireflies, if not we will just have a good time in a new campground!!

Chuck, you have a pm : )

The earliest arrival date you could book for today was a June 6th arrival, and you can book for 7 nights. At 10am tomorrow you can book for June 7th arrival.

Elkmont is such a great campground. It is so peaceful. What site did you get?

I think I might have to get to Smoky Bear for the synchronized flashlights and/or doodads... : ) I think we have about 5 different types of awning lights.. I just might have to bring them all : )

happycamper wrote:Chuck, you have a pm : )

The earliest arrival date you could book for today was a June 6th arrival, and you can book for 7 nights. At 10am tomorrow you can book for June 7th arrival.

Elkmont is such a great campground. It is so peaceful. What site did you get?

I think I might have to get to Smoky Bear for the synchronized flashlights and/or doodads... : ) I think we have about 5 different types of awning lights.. I just might have to bring them all : )

Please don't bring all of your do-dads, Richard will try to talk you into putting them on my 5'er.

Coolbreeze1

I thought that was the plan....

abivens wrote:Diane and I booked for the weekend before, The 4th, 5th etc...Hopefully we can catch some of the fireflies, if not we will just have a good time in a new campground!!

It is hard to predict exactly when the fireflies will become active. Normally it is around the 2nd week of June and I believe they continue for about 2 weeks. I hope they have started already when you are there.

Elkmont is a wonderful campground.the firefly show is outstanding.just a note, Elkmont is a dry campround, no power or water. they do have bathrooms there.with the scenery,you wont need hookups

Gregg wrote:Elkmont is a wonderful campground.the firefly show is outstanding.just a note, Elkmont is a dry campround, no power or water. they do have bathrooms there.with the scenery,you wont need hookups

Hi Gregg! Maybe I should have emphasized the DRY camping part in my post a little
better... I am sorry if I wasnt too clear when I mentioned it briefly. There are some loops that are generator friendly and some that are generator free. We found the campground to be cool enough that we did not need the a/c. It is such a great campground that the teens didnt complain about the lack of internet, etc. My youngest loves it. We fill up our water tank in the TT across from the Sugarlands Visitors Center. We dump the sewer in the same location on the way out of Gatlinburg. There is potable water at the campground entrance where you could fill up water jugs. The bathrooms have no showers. What it lacks in amenities is made up by the peacefulness and beauty of the campground, imho. I never thought I would dry camp, but found it to be a really fun experience once I tried it at Elkmont.
However, I DO love my cable and wifi, etc. : ) So, we normally only camp there 3 nights at a time...

Gregg, I hope we see you there again this June!

Well.. thanks happycamper for the PM.. and indeed I checked and found open campsites for that week 7-14 (june).. However I have since discovered a schedule conflict for me.. so I will not be able to camp that week,

If anyone is interested.. happycamper has some good advice for booking that prime week. There are still sites available.

We have booked site E002. I am looking forward to the dry camping thing. Our site does allow generators. Where do you usually get Happy camper?

abivens wrote:We have booked site E002. I am looking forward to the dry camping thing. Our site does allow generators. Where do you usually get Happy camper?

Hi!

The first year we had C6 and really enjoyed it. Last year we had site D1 and LOVED it. I have to find my pics and put them on webshots. This year we have C1. I wanted D1 or D3. However, my youngest daughter is really excited about C1 as there is easy entry into the river. I know that I will spend alot of time sitting in a chair with my feet in the water. : )

We love Elkmont. It is just so beautiful and peaceful. And, it is DARK at night.

I hope the fireflies are active when you are there. If you look at a map of the campground, you will leave your site and turn left. Right past the last site on the right (F8) you will see a path up to the bridge that crosses over the river. You walk up there and you will find rangers there who will put red cellophane over your flashlight.

Let me know how you like Elkmont. It would be nice if we could get a group trip there sometime. We plan to get to Elkmont atleast 2-3 times this next season. Surprisingly enough, it's my 7 year old daughters favorite campground.