Elkmont

Tennessee's ghost towns are copper, coal, and iron towns in the eastern mountains, plus Civil War-era settlements.

Elkmont is a region situated in the upper Little River valley of the Great Smoky Mountains of Sevier County, in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Throughout its history, the valley has been home to a pioneer Appalachian community, a logging town, and a resort community. Today, Elkmont is home to a large campground, ranger station, and historic district maintained by the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Little River Lumber Company established the town of Elkmont in 1908 as a base for its logging operations in the upper Little River and Jakes Creek areas.

Elkmont survives as partial ruins — standing walls, collapsed roofs, and the bones of a town that once was. Ruin sites can be hazardous: watch for open shafts, unstable masonry, and wildlife sheltering in debris. Bring sturdy boots and photograph from safe distances.

Its park setting is good news for visitors: maintained access and marked routes, with firm rules about leaving every structure and artifact exactly as you found it.

Enter through the national park and follow designated roads and trails to the site. Federal rules protect every structure and artifact, so plan to look, photograph, and leave everything untouched. The mapped point for Elkmont is roughly 35.6600, -83.5800 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.

The ground itself demands respect: open mine shafts, collapsing floors, and old wells hide in tall grass, cell service is often nonexistent, and help can be hours away. Tell someone your plans, pack more water than you think you'll need — and save the early morning or late afternoon light for your camera.

Want the full story? The Wikipedia article on "Elkmont, Tennessee" covers Elkmont in more depth — find the link in Sources below. County archives, historic newspaper collections, and the state historical society are the next stops after that: plat maps, census rolls, and old photographs fill in what a short visit can't. If you make the trip, consider sharing your photos and notes — firsthand reports are how the record of Elkmont gets better.