Weather

Be prepared for warm days and cool nights. Check the GSMNP Weather page for upldated information. In the event of rain, we get a bit wet; in the event of expected significant severe weather that presents clear danger to participants, the event may be canceled.

 

Registration

All Camping Con participants must be registered. Visit the NCPH Registration Site to secure your attendance. No on-site registration will be available.

 

Getting There

Cades Cove is located on the Tennessee side of the park, near Townsend, Tennessee; if you arrive from the North Carolina side such as at Oconaluftee, you will still have almost two hours of driving before reaching Cades Cove.

 

Parking

There is limited parking in Cades Cove Group Campground, so please carpool or take public transportation. Use twitter (#campingcon16) to make plans for carpooling.

 

Arrival

When you arrive, check in at the Pavilion on Campsite G-03 to let us know you’ve arrived, arrange for a tent space, get your questions answered, and fill out some quick paperwork.

 

There are bears

Be sure to familiarize yourself with the campground requirements and advisories before you arrive. Please remember, never keep food in your tent or you will get unwelcome visitors.

 

Tents and Tent Sharing

You'll need to bring your own tent to Camping Con or share one with another camper. If you signed up for tent sharing during registration, we will contact you after September 1 with the name and contact information of your tent-mate.

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Prefer a hammock instead of a tent?

Cool! Pick two trees and you be you.

 

Feeding Yourself

Plan to have enough food for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Camping Con has planned for the suppers to be catered in the Pavilion on Friday and Saturday. Townsend is a short drive if you need emergency supplies. Again, make sure your food is stored in a vehicle, not your tent or hammock.

 

Shower Facilities

There are none. Cades Cove Group Campground has flush toilets and running water, but no showers.

 

Sessions

Sessions will be one of three types: panels, one-hour activities, or three hour tours and will meet at one of four meeting places: Paviliion, This Is A Rock, Picnics Happen, and Big Log (look for the signs.) The activities and tours may require you to carpool to a different location such as Elkmont, Chimney Tops, and the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont. Arrive early for instructions from presenters and be ready to hike. Panels will take place at one of the meeting places in the campsite itself.

 

When Camping Con Concludes

We need to be out of our reserved spots by 10am, so if you’d like to stay an extra night or two (who wouldn’t?!), you will need to make arrangements to stay in the adjacent Cades Cove Campground or use twitter (#campingcon16) to find six more people to reserve another night at the Group Campground (the minimum needed for a group reservation is 7). You will need to make these arrangements on your own.