fees, RV limits, trails & mountain biking

Cataloochee Horse Camp

National Park Service campground in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, near Waynesville, North Carolina.

$10nightly fee
7overnight sites
Reservablebooking
Not statedseason (agency text)
30 ftmax RV/trailer length
22named USFS/NPS trails within 5 mi (64.7 mi)
0.0 mibike trails within 5 mi

How it compares

  • With 7 sites it is the #71 largest of 86 North Carolina campgrounds that publish a site count (small and usually quieter).
  • Its lowest fee ($10) is equal to the North Carolina median of $10/night.
  • There are 50 other campgrounds in our data within 25 miles; 0 of them list a lower starting fee.
  • 90% of North Carolina campgrounds that publish a length limit accept a rig this long (30 ft).
  • 100% of sites with a shade rating are listed as shaded or partly shaded.
  • Straight-line distance: Asheville ~32 mi, Knoxville ~51 mi, Abingdon ~98 mi.

Site mix

Equestrian7

Amenities & rules

Fire pitsGrillsPicnic tablesVault toilets

Fee notes from the agency: 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). Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. Customers that check out early or do not…

Trails within 5 miles

TrailClosest pointMapped miles within 5 miSource
Cataloochee Horse Trail0.1 mi3.1NPS
Pretty Hollow Gap Trail0.5 mi4.5NPS
Little Cataloochee Trail0.5 mi6.5NPS
Big Fork Ridge Trail0.8 mi2.9NPS
Rough Fork Trail0.9 mi5.9NPS
Palmer Creek Trail1.0 mi3.1NPS
Caldwell Fork Trail1.4 mi5.1NPS
Boogerman Trail1.6 mi3.7NPS
McKee Branch Trail2.2 mi2.2NPS
Sutton-McGhee Cemetery Access2.2 mi0.1NPS
Cataloochee Divide Trail3.0 mi6.1NPS
Hemphill Bald Trail3.0 mi4.0NPS

+ 10 more named trails.

Mountain biking nearby

No bike-legal trails are mapped within 5 miles in OpenStreetMap or Forest Service data.

Ratings come only from OpenStreetMap mtb:scale / IMBA tags. Untagged trails show as "Unrated", and we never guess. Check conditions and maps on Trailforks or MTB Project.

Activities listed

Auto TouringBikingCampingFishingHikingHistoric & Cultural SiteHorse CampingHorseback RidingPicnickingWildlife Viewing

Nearest campgrounds

CampgroundMilesStateFee/nightSitesHookupsMax RVPetsBookingTrails ≤5 mi
Pretty Hollow #39
National Park Service
1.2NC—— — —— ?22 (68.7 mi)
Cataloochee Campground
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
1.7NC$1027 — 34 ftyes Reserve19 (51.9 mi)
Big Hemlock #40
National Park Service
2.1NC—— — —— ?20 (58.1 mi)
Cataloochee Group Camp
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
2.8NC$103 — —yes Reserve19 (47.2 mi)
Caldwell Fork #41
National Park Service
3.1NC—— — —— ?18 (49.7 mi)
Spruce Mountain #42
National Park Service
4.0NC—— — —— ?19 (53.5 mi)

Hookups: E = electric (max amps), W = water, S = sewer. "—" means the agency doesn't publish it. Trail counts are named USFS/NPS trails within 5 miles. 🟢 = kid-friendly (green-rated) bike trail nearby.

From the managing agency

Overview 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! 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 enthu… read the full description on Recreation.gov