Cataloochee Horse Camp
Located in the scenic Cataloochee Valley, tucked in a cool and shady canopy, this campground offers the best that the Great Smoky Mountains National park has to offer, including some of the most coveted horseback riding trails in the park. World-renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains and the preservation of Southern Appalachian culture, the Great Smoky Mountains is America's most visited national park. You MUST have a HORSE to camp at Cataloochee Horse Camp!
More like this: reservable in North Carolina
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Equestrian | 7 |
Site guide
7 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Entry | Fits, ft | Surface | Shade | People / vehicles | Fires |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | Partial | 6 / 4 | Yes |
| 2 | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | Partial | 6 / 4 | Yes |
| 3 | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | Partial | 6 / 4 | Yes |
| 4 | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | Partial | 6 / 4 | Yes |
| 5 | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | Partial | 6 / 4 | Yes |
| 6 | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | Partial | 6 / 4 | Yes |
| 7 | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | Partial | 6 / 4 | 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
| Max vehicle length | 30 ft |
| Campfires | Allowed, subject to restrictions |
| Fees | Individual Campsites: A customer who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation). |
Cataloochee offers primitive-woods camping. A canopy of trees provides adequate shade, while a few open areas let in the sunlight and allow for pleasant group activities. There is no potable water provided at the campground, so visitors must bring their own. The nearby Cataloochee Campground offers additional camping space for those visitors without horses, and the Cataloochee Group Camp provides a larger space for group trips. Each site at Cataloochee has four horse stalls with hitching racks. You MUST have a HORSE to camp at Cataloochee Horse Camp!
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
Take I-40 east from Knoxville, TN or west from Asheville, NC. Exit I-40 at NC exit 20, twenty-five miles west of Asheville (87 miles east of Knoxville). Turn right onto Cove Creek road 1/10 miles from I-40. Follow Cove Creek road approximately 11 miles to Cataloochee horse camp.
| Nearest town | Waynesville, North Carolina |
| Coordinates | 35.6288° N, 83.1156° W · Directions ↗ |
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 10.3 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Black Balsam Outdoors ↗ | 18.6 mi |
| RV sales & service | A&L RV Sales ↗ | 36.2 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
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Cataloochee Campground - Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NC
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
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Davis Family HouseBuilding · Crabtree · 8 mi
- Shackford HallBuilding · Lake Junaluska · 10.6 mi
- Lambeth InnBuilding · Lake Junaluska · 10.8 mi
Natural features
Cataloochee Horse Camp sits in along the gentle waters of Cataloochee Creek in the remote Catalooche Valley, surrounded by some of the park's most picturesque and rugged mountain ranges. Whether blanketed in wildflowers in the spring or vivid colors in the fall, the scenery at Cataloochee never disappoints.
Recreation
With access to some of the most popular trails in the area, including the Rough Fork and Caldwell Fork Trails, this site is a favorite for horseback riding enthusiasts. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is also a hiker's paradise. Boogerman Trail, accessed via the Caldwell Fork Trail, provides a 3.9 mile detour through a beautiful, densely forested terrain, allowing visitors to stretch their legs and explore the area. Campers can enjoy high-quality backcountry fishing in the cool waters of the countless streams and rivers that snake through the mountains, with wild trout available in abundance. Wildlife viewing is a popular pastime, and with around 1,500 bears living in the park, it's not uncommon for a visitor to spot one. The Cataloochee area is also known for an elk herd that populates the valley, making for an impressive display of wildlife. The park also holds one of the best collections of log buildings in the eastern United States. Over 90 historic structures, including houses, barns, outbuildings, churches, schools and grist mills, have been preserved or rehabilitated in the park.
Nearby
A number of Great Smoky's famous historical buildings, including cabins and churches, are located close to the campground. The nearby towns of Maggie Valley or Waynesville offer groceries and other supplies.
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 Cataloochee Horse Camp?
Sites at Cataloochee Horse 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 Cataloochee Horse Camp?
Individual Campsites: A customer who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation).
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Cataloochee Horse Camp?
Check-in 1:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Cataloochee Horse Camp have?
7 sites, including 7 equestrian sites.
Source: Recreation.gov
Will my RV fit at Cataloochee Horse Camp?
The longest site here provides 30 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.
Source: Will my RV fit
Can I have a campfire at Cataloochee Horse Camp?
Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at Cataloochee Horse Camp?
With access to some of the most popular trails in the area, including the Rough Fork and Caldwell Fork Trails, this site is a favorite for horseback riding enthusiasts. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Cataloochee Horse Camp?
Waynesville, North Carolina. A number of Great Smoky's famous historical buildings, including cabins and churches, are located close to the campground.
Source: Getting there
What if Cataloochee Horse Camp is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Cataloochee Campground (1.7 mi), Cataloochee Group Camp (2.8 mi), and Balsam Mountain Campground (5.5 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby
Which national park is Cataloochee Horse Camp in?
Cataloochee Horse Camp is a Great Smoky Mountains National Park campground. Entrance fees, alerts, and hours are on Park Atlas.