Under Canvas Great Smoky Mountains

Most of the camps from the Montana-based purveyors of tented luxury are set out west, but Tennessee’s only full-scale national park has one of its own. Under Canvas Great Smoky Mountains lies just outside of Pigeon Forge, home of Dollywood, and is surrounded by a spectacularly forested mountain range that reaches clear across the North Carolina border — smaller and perhaps more subtle than some of its counterparts in the Rockies, but no less appealing a place for a bit of outdoor immersion.

As is the case at any Under Canvas resort, you’ll camp in style: king beds, wood-burning stoves, proper en-suite bathrooms, and hotel-quality comforts and furnishings. Tents sleep two to four, and include private decks with lounge chairs and, in the Stargazer tents, a skylight for viewing the constellations overhead. The idea is to combine luxury-boutique hospitality with tent-camping adventure, and, as usual, in the hands of Under Canvas, it works.

Additional inducements include a proper restaurant, plus a fire pit for evening s’mores, as well as live music and beer, wine, and canned cocktails. Meanwhile the resort’s Experience Coordinators are on hand to help you plan your daytime activities in and around Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Please note: Under Canvas Great Smoky Mountains is a seasonal hotel, and is open annually from early April until late November.