Crockett’s Breakfast Camp
Crockett’s Breakfast Camp – Gatlinburg, Tennessee
31
MARCH, 2022
Crockett’s Breakfast Camp was our 2nd choice for breakfast before our March 2022 Great Smoky Mountains NP hike. Our first choice had been the Log Cabin Restaurant, where I had breakfast before my 2018 Smokies hike with Tyler. Strangely, we found the Log Cabin was closed during prime-time breakfast hours, and there was no sign indicating why. Plan ‘B’ it would have to be. A quick Google search pointed us to the highly-rated Crockett’s Breakfast Camp. It was a fortuitous way to stumble upon Crockett’s, a place that has now become one of my favorite breakfast stops.
“Crockett’s Breakfast Camp serves as the legacy of David C. “Crockett” Maples, an original frontiersman, honored soldier, and devoted family man with an inspiring will to overcome any obstacle in his path” – Crockett’s Website
Location of the Crockett’s Breakfast Camp
Crockett’s Breakfast Camp is at the far southern end of Gatlinburg’s main strip. It is a stone’s throw away from the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The exterior decor is striking and has a look from the outside that draws you in. A large wooden water tower looms over the entrance, and the exterior sign is created from two colossal cast iron pans. Parking is minimal close to the restaurant. We were lucky to find a spot on the second pass around the restaurant. Backup parking seems to be in the main public lots west of the main strip.
First impressions of the interior
Like the exterior, the first impression once inside Crockett’s Breakfast Camp is powerful. Immediately to the right was a large stone fireplace with a roaring fire going. Above the fireplace was a giant stuffed Elk head. Rifles attached to the stone fireplace formed a border to the Elk’s head. Straight in front of us was a bakery. They had just pulled a tray of freshly baked cinnamon rolls from the oven. They were the most enormous cinnamon rolls I had ever seen! The smell was incredible. If they had meant the display as some sort of marketing or not, it was a highly successful sales pitch for those rolls!
The service at Crockett’s Breakfast Camp during our visit was outstanding. Despite the restaurant being full, we were seated immediately by one server. A second server immediately placed glasses of ice water in front of each of us. I thought they had outdone themselves when I saw that they had put a copy of the day’s newspaper at each seat. Carl and Travis got a chuckle out of my mistake – the ‘newspaper’ was the menu! The menu is extensive for a breakfast-only place. Everything from the traditional bacon and eggs to Mexican breakfast burritos to roast beef eggs benedict. And, of course, those yummy cinnamon rolls. Whatever you want for breakfast, you’ll find at Crockett’s.
Fastest food delivery ever – great food!
After we ordered, I took a quick look around the dining room. Behind our table was a fully loaded horse-drawn wooden wagon, keeping with our dramatic first impression. And when I say it was a ‘quick’ look around, it genuinely was. Our food was delivered to the table within two minutes of our order. It was freaky fast! I had ordered my traditional bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, and toast. Everything was perfectly prepared and delicious. The toast was thickly sliced, and I believe it was homemade from the same bakery that produced the cinnamon rolls. Because we would be hiking soon, I passed on the cinnamon roll.
Conclusion
Crockett’s Breakfast Camp may have been our second choice for breakfast on this trip, but it will be our go-to breakfast spot for all future Smokies hikes. It’s a fun place to go and has an interesting history. The service was outstanding. Crockett’s has a very comprehensive breakfast menu. All of our food was perfectly prepared, tasted great, and arrived ridiculously fast. If you’re ever looking for a great breakfast restaurant in Gatlinburg, I recommend you check out Crockett’s Breakfast Camp.
I am a ‘content creator’ with a passion for backpacking, creating videos, photography, and writing – with a healthy dose of all things outdoors on the side!
