U.S. Forest Service · Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest · Clayton, GA

Willis Knob Horse Camp

Located in the northern Georgia mountains, far from civilization, Willis Knob Horse Campground is one of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests most beloved horse-lover hideaways. The campground features equestrian camping, riding and hiking trails and fishing in the nearby Chattooga River.

Open nowReservable · Recreation.gov8 sites60 ft maxElectric hookupsPets okFires ok

More like this: electric hookups in Georgia · reservable in Georgia · big rigs in Georgia · pets allowed in Georgia · group sites in Georgia

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Willis Knob Horse Camp Toilet BuildingWILLIS KNOB HORSE CAMP HIGHLINESWILLIS KNOB HORSE CAMP Trail pictureWILLIS KNOB HORSE CAMP
Photos courtesy of B Ramey, USDA Forest Service · Recreation.gov

Site mix

equestrian electric5
group equestrian3
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

8 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteTypeEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePowerWater / sewerPeople / vehiclesFiresAccessible
3Equestrian ElectricBack-in70GravelFull50 ampYes / –5 / 2YesYes
6Equestrian ElectricBack-in70GravelFull50 ampYes / –5 / 2YesYes
7Equestrian ElectricBack-in70GravelFull50 ampYes / –5 / 2YesYes
8Equestrian ElectricBack-in70GravelFullNoYes / –5 / 2YesYes
9Equestrian ElectricBack-in70GravelFull50 ampYes / –5 / 2YesYes
1-2Group EquestrianBack-in70GravelFull50 ampYes / –15 / 4Yes
4-5Group EquestrianBack-in70GravelFull50 ampYes / –10 / 4Yes
6-8Group EquestrianBack-in70GravelFull50 ampYes / –15 / 6

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 5:00 PM, checkout 4:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsElectric, water
Max vehicle length60 ft
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
AccessibilitySites 3, 6, 7, 8 and 1 more are listed accessible

The campground provides single, double and group campsites for tent and RV camping. There are water and electric hookups at each of the horse campsites, along with tables, lantern posts and campfire rings with grills. Accessible vault toilets and drinking water are also provided. Sorry there is no dump station. The closest one is at Black Rock State Park in Mountain City, GA. Hitching highlines and a horse watering station are available. Campers are required to clean up after their horses using trailers provided on-site for manure only.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusOpen
SeasonOpen Year-Round
ForestChattahoochee-Oconee National Forest
FeesSingle Site Camping: $20/night w/ electric and water hook-ups Double Site Camping: $30/night for 2 sites W/electic and water hook-ups
RulesThe maximum stay is 14 days. After the camper(s) has accumulated 14 days within any 30-day time period, the camper(s) must leave that area/campground and move from Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest land for 30 days before returning for another stay. No dumping of gray or black water, please take it to the nearest State park or other facilities for that purpose.

Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Willis Knob Horse Camp40°50°60°70°80°January: 5.91 inches of precipitation, 0.5 inches of snowFebruary: 5.25 inches of precipitation, 1.3 inches of snowMarch: 5.61 inches of precipitation, 0.6 inches of snowApril: 5.23 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowMay: 4.95 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 5.53 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 4.96 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 5.95 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 4.89 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 4.80 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 5.13 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowDecember: 6.17 inches of precipitation, 0.4 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 40.1°F averageFebruary: 43.0°F averageMarch: 49.7°F averageApril: 57.8°F averageMay: 65.2°F averageJune: 71.8°F averageJuly: 75.0°F averageAugust: 73.9°F averageSeptember: 68.4°F averageOctober: 58.4°F averageNovember: 49.6°F averageDecember: 42.8°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Long Creek, 9 miles from the campground at 1,625 feet, station USC00385278 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 64 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 3 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From Clayton, Georgia, take Warwoman Road east for about 12 miles. Turn right on Willis Knob Road (Forest Service Road 157) and continue for 2 miles to the campground on the left. The physical address for the horse campground is 1922 Willis Knob Road, Clayton, GA 30525

Nearest townClayton, Georgia
Coordinates34.8994° N, 83.2225° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearChattooga Whitewater Outfitters ↗7.5 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗14.6 mi
RV sales & serviceBlairsville RV Sales ↗36.8 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.2 mi
    Willis Knob Camp
    1.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.9 mi
    Willis Knob River Acces
    1.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.3 mi
    Big Island Ford
    0.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.4 mi
    Earls Ford Portage
    0.3 mi trail
  • 1.5 mi
    Moss Mill Creek
    0.1 mi trail
  • 1.6 mi
    Willis Knob Horse Trail ↗
    14.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

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

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside National Forests in North Carolina.

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.

Natural features

The horse camp is located in a heavily wooded area of the forest, amid deep canyons and near to the Georgia-South Carolina border.

Recreation

The 15-mile Willis Knob Trail in Georgia and 12.5 mile Rocky Gap Trail in South Carolina provide some of the most scenic horseback riding and hiking in the southern Blue Ridge Mountains. Winding across deeply dissected ridges, the trails descend into the vast Chattooga River. The 10.7-mile Chattooga River Trail and the 37-mile Bartram Trail are also accessible nearby and are for hiking only. Fishing is available in the Chattooga River.

Nearby

Chattooga River Wild and Scenic area is nearby

Guidebooks for Georgia

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Willis Knob Horse Camp?

Sites at Willis Knob 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 Willis Knob Horse Camp?

Single Site Camping: $20/night w/ electric and water hook-ups Double Site Camping: $30/night for 2 sites W/electic and water hook-ups

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Willis Knob Horse Camp?

Check-in 5:00 PM, checkout 4:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Willis Knob Horse Camp open right now?

Open as of Oct 16, 2026. Season Open Year-Round.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Willis Knob Horse Camp have?

8 sites, including 5 equestrian electric and 3 group equestrian.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Willis Knob Horse Camp?

The longest site here provides 60 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

Does Willis Knob Horse Camp have hookups?

Yes, electric and water hookups at some sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there showers or a dump station at Willis Knob Horse Camp?

Sorry there is no dump station.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Willis Knob Horse Camp?

Yes, pets are allowed at Willis Knob Horse Camp. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Willis Knob Horse Camp?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. The maximum stay is 14 days.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there accessible sites at Willis Knob Horse Camp?

Sites 3, 6, 7, and 8 are listed accessible on Recreation.gov, 5 sites in all. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Willis Knob Horse Camp?

The 15-mile Willis Knob Trail in Georgia and 12.5 mile Rocky Gap Trail in South Carolina provide some of the most scenic horseback riding and hiking in the southern Blue Ridge Mountains. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation