Big Creek Group Camp
Big Creek Group Camp is located in the far northeastern corner of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, near the Tennessee-North Carolina border. With the gentle waters of Big Creek running alongside the site, and a handful of trailheads within walking distance, this campsite offers an ideal setting for group camping excursions.
This is the group site. Looking for the main campground? Big Creek Campground, 12 sites, is next door.
More like this: reservable in North Carolina · tent only in North Carolina · pets allowed in North Carolina · group sites in North Carolina
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Group tent areas | 1 |
Site guide
1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Surface | Shade | People / vehicles | Fires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP01 | Gravel | Full | 25 / 5 | Yes |
Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 1:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Amenities & rules
| Equipment | Tents |
| Pets | Allowed |
| Campfires | Allowed, subject to restrictions |
| Fees | Group Facility (including Cabins and Lookouts): Customers who cancel a group overnight facility reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee. |
Big Creek Group Camp offers an unforgettable outdoor experience combined with the convenience of flush toilets, drinking water and sinks. The campsite can accommodate up to 25 guests and tent pads, grills and fire rings are provided. The site is surrounded by a heavy canopy of towering forest, providing plenty of shade for guests.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
Campground is at the end of Big Creek Entrance Rd. Waterville, NC, 28785 (Haywood County) Very close to the NC-TN State line. The campground is located off I-40 Exit 451 (Waterville). It sixteen miles east of Newport, TN.
| Coordinates | 35.7522° N, 83.1089° W · Directions ↗ |
Good to know
- Compared to some other areas of the park, Big Creek is not crowded with anglers.
Charges and cancellations
Customers who cancel a group overnight facility reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 5.6 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Bluff Mountain Outfitters ↗ | 18.5 mi |
| RV sales & service | A&L RV Sales ↗ | 31.6 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
Big creek campground in great smoky mountain national park #bigcreek #smokies
Trails nearby
- 1.3 miAnst - Appalachian Rd ↗159.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike · national_scenic_or_historic
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
This campground sits inside Cherokee National Forest, which overlaps National Forests in North Carolina.
- inCherokee National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 1,228,298 acres
- inNational Forests in North Carolina ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 3,026,237 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Vinson HouseBuilding · Newport · 10.4 mi
- Tyson McCarter PlaceBuilding · Gatlinburg · 10.7 mi
- Shults Grove Methodist ChurchBuilding · Cosby · 10.7 mi
Natural features
Big Creek Group Camp is nestled among the scenic mountains and pristine streams surrounding the big creek section of the North Carolina Smokies. Nearby Mouse Creek Falls, a 35 foot waterfall forming at the confluence of Mouse Creek and Big Creek, is a stunning geological feature of the area. The falls splits over moss covered rocks and falls about 20 ft. before pooling and falling another 15 ft. into Big Creek. The falls can be reached via the Big Creek Trail, which is covered in wildflowers during spring months.
Recreation
Numerous hiking and horseback riding trails are accessible from the campground and in the surrounding areas. Most notably, the Appalachian Trail is easily reached via the Chestnut Branch Trail, a 2.1 mile trail for hikers only, beginning down the road from the campground. Nearby Baxter Creek Trail meanders along the water, while equestrian campers might enjoy taking the Big Creek Trail to Mouse Creek Falls or Midnight Hole, an area where Big Creek squeezes between large boulders, forming a deep, beautifully-colored pool. Spring provides ideal conditions for fly fishing on Big Creek, with Rainbow and Brook trout looking for the aquatic insects which hatch during this time.
Nearby
The Big Creek Horse Camp is located nearby, with horse stables and riding trails available. Full service grocery stores and medical facilities are located 16 miles away in Newport, Tennessee.
Guidebooks for Great Smoky Mountains National Park
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
- Fly Fishing Guide to Great Smoky Mountains National ParkIan Rutter and Charity Rutter, 2024Find at Bookshop.org
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Big Creek Group Camp?
Sites at Big Creek Group Camp are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
How much does it cost to camp at Big Creek Group Camp?
Group Facility (including Cabins and Lookouts): Customers who cancel a group overnight facility reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Big Creek Group Camp?
Check-in 1:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Big Creek Group Camp have?
1 site, including 1 group tent area.
Source: Recreation.gov
Can I bring an RV to Big Creek Group Camp?
Big Creek Group Camp is listed for tents only.
Source: Recreation.gov
Are there showers or a dump station at Big Creek Group Camp?
Big Creek Group Camp offers an unforgettable outdoor experience combined with the convenience of flush toilets, drinking water and sinks.
Source: Recreation.gov
Are pets allowed at Big Creek Group Camp?
Yes, pets are allowed at Big Creek Group Camp. Leash rules apply.
Source: Recreation.gov
Can I have a campfire at Big Creek Group Camp?
Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.
Source: Recreation.gov
Is there cell service at Big Creek Group Camp?
FCC coverage maps show AT&T 4G LTE at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
What is there to do at Big Creek Group Camp?
Numerous hiking and horseback riding trails are accessible from the campground and in the surrounding areas. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What if Big Creek Group Camp is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Big Creek Horse Camp (0.2 mi), Big Creek Campground (0.2 mi), and Cosby Group Camp (5.5 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby
Which national park is Big Creek Group Camp in?
Big Creek Group Camp is a Great Smoky Mountains National Park campground. Entrance fees, alerts, and hours are on Park Atlas.