Cataloochee Campground

Great Smoky Mountains National Park — fishing, hiking

Location: Waynesville, NC, NC

Price: From $30 per night

Rating: 4.7 out of 5 (385 reviews)

Season: May through October

Cataloochee campground is located in the historic Cataloochee Valley--a relatively remote part of Smoky Mountain National Park. The secluded setting offers visitors the ability to enjoy a multitude of recreational activities like hiking and fishing, without the crowds, which are sometimes common in other parts of the park.Cataloochee Campground is surrounded by picturesque mountain ranges and pristine mountain streams, like nearby Cataloochee Creek. Elk are common in this part of the park, durin

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Drinking Water, Showers, Electric Hookups, Fishing

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/cataloochee-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Cataloochee Campground offers a secluded setting in historic Cataloochee Valley within Great Smoky Mountains National Park with an extensive, less-crowded trail system. Visitors can enjoy hiking, fishing, and wildlife viewing in a relatively remote area.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Elk, Wild Turkey, Ruffed Grouse, and Eastern Ratsnakes present in the area

Insider tips for Cataloochee Campground: Book early as this is a federal campground with high demand Bring a self-contained RV or plan to tent camp as most sites have no hookups Access via Cove Creek Road transitions from pavement to gravel to pavement

Skip Cataloochee Campground if: You require RV hookups - most sites have none. You need to camp outside May through October - seasonal operations only. You prefer spontaneous camping - book in advance for federal campground.

Best time to visit Cataloochee Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Cataloochee Group Camp (Waynesville, NC), Cataloochee Horse Camp (Waynesville, NC), Balsam Mountain Campground (Cherokee, NC), Round Bottom Horse Camp (Cherokee, NC).

Cell Phone Coverage at Cataloochee Campground

Cell signal at Cataloochee Campground (Waynesville, NC): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›NC›Cataloochee Campground
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park — fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Cataloochee Campground

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Waynesville, NC, NC★ 4.7 (385 reviews)From $30/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Cataloochee campground is located in the historic Cataloochee Valley--a relatively remote part of Smoky Mountain National Park. The secluded setting offers visitors the ability to enjoy a multitude of recreational activities like hiking and fishing, without the crowds, which are sometimes common in other parts of the park.Cataloochee Campground is surrounded by picturesque mountain ranges and pristine mountain streams, like nearby Cataloochee Creek. Elk are common in this part of the park, during the spring and fall.

Best for:AnglersHikersWildlife watchersFamiliesBackpackersSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV34 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Bring self-contained unit or tent camp.
Bear boxesYes — at every site
Pull-throughsAvailable
ToiletsFlush toilets
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking WaterFishing
Recreation
Picnic TablesShowers
Family & Pets
Flush ToiletsElectric Hookups

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You require RV hookups - most sites have none✕ You need to camp outside May through October - seasonal operations only✕ You prefer spontaneous camping - book in advance for federal campground

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a federal campground with high demand

Bring a self-contained RV or plan to tent camp as most sites have no hookups

Access via Cove Creek Road transitions from pavement to gravel to pavement

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: American Black Bear, Elk, Wild Turkey, Ruffed Grouse, and Eastern Ratsnakes present in the area

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
828-497-9270· Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Getting there →

From I-40 take Exit 20 in North Carolina. Turn right onto Cove Creek Road and follow to the Park boundary. The road goes from pavement to gravel to pavement. Upon reaching the pavement the second time, turn left. Go 2.5 miles to an intersection and continue another .5 miles to the left.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Great Smoky Mountains National Park fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Great Smoky Mountains National Park before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Cataloochee Campground cost per night?+
Cataloochee Campground costs $30 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Bring self-contained unit or tent camp.
What season is Cataloochee Campground open?+
Cataloochee Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Cataloochee Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Bring self-contained unit or tent camp.
What is the maximum RV length at Cataloochee Campground?+
Cataloochee Campground can accommodate RVs up to 34 feet.
How do I make reservations at Cataloochee Campground?+
Cataloochee Campground is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Cataloochee Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Cataloochee Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Cataloochee Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Cataloochee Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

National Park Services Concessionaire
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$30 /night★ 4.7 (385)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Cataloochee Campground cost per night?+
What season is Cataloochee Campground open?+
Does Cataloochee Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Cataloochee Group Camp

Waynesville, NC

From $50/night

Cataloochee Horse Camp

Waynesville, NC

From $30/night

Balsam Mountain Campground

Cherokee, NC

From $30/night

Round Bottom Horse Camp

Cherokee, NC

From $30/night

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