Map showing campground location near Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee

Camper submitted image from Mount Collins — Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Mount Collins — Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Within Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Mount Collins operates as a backcountry shelter managed by the National Park Service along the Appalachian Trail. The shelter sits approximately halfway between Newfound Gap and Clingmans Dome, requiring a moderate hike to reach the site.

Campers find a basic three-sided shelter with bear hoists for food storage and access to a nearby water source. The location serves as a waypoint for hikers tackling the elevation gain toward Clingmans Dome, the park's highest peak. Some visitors note ongoing issues with litter and improperly disposed gear despite Leave No Trace principles. The site connects to multiple trail systems, allowing hikers to use it as either a destination or starting point for longer backcountry routes. For additional shelter options, consider campgrounds near Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

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Location

Public Campground

Mount Collins — Great Smoky Mountains National Park is located in Tennessee

Coordinates

35.59408234 N
83.47104736 W

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Verified by 2 users
Last on 4/2/26

Connectivity

T-Mobile
No Coverage
Verizon
No Coverage
AT&TLTE
Some Coverage
Verified by 2 users
Last on 4/2/26

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General Info

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Drive Time

1 hr 25 min from Knoxville, TN
1 hr 32 min from Morristown, TN
1 hr 37 min from Asheville, NC

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3 Reviews

A common theme was the well-maintained backcountry shelter with functional amenities like water and bear hoists. Some concerns about other visitors not following leave no trace practices with waste.

Crystal C.

Legend

Reviewed Sep. 6, 2018

Leave No Trace!

One of the only things which stuck out to me about this as negative was not the path there or even the shelter itself, it was that a lot of people simply couldn't grasp the concept of leave no trace!!! They do provide hoists for things at camp, but a lot of people hoist up their trash instead of packing it out, or stick their used propane bottles in random "hidden places". I thought when hiking the point was to be in and respect nature, guess some people missed the memo here.

The shelter itself was just that, a shelter, nice and obviously maintained. Nothing much more to say. I did really enjoy the views when hiking this area however!!! This is one of the stops on your way to Clingman's Dome which is the highest point in the park. If you can hike this, the last little bit up to the dome won't be anything. The elevation change is drastic and did leave me a bit breathless I will say.

The dome has a couple of outlets on its path where it connects to other trails so depending on your desired hike you can use the path to the dome as your main hike or start at the dome and make it your origination point, either way you are going to end up at this shelter somehow!!