Cataloochee Group Camp

Federal campground in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Location: Waynesville, NC, NC

Price: From $50 per night

Rating: 4.6 out of 5 (9 reviews)

Season: May through October

Cataloochee Group Camp in the remote and historic Cataloochee Valley, is surrounded by some of the most rugged mountains in the park, providing excellent hiking opportunities as well as ideal fishing conditions in the area’s many creeks. Because of its relatively secluded location, visitors can enjoy the best that the Smoky Mountains National Park has to offer, without encountering crowds, which are sometimes common in other areas of the park.Cataloochee Group Camp provides a primitive outdoor c

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Drinking Water, Electric Hookups

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

Cataloochee Group Camp offers a secluded experience in the remote Cataloochee Valley with excellent hiking opportunities and ideal fishing conditions in area creeks. The relatively remote location provides access to Great Smoky Mountains National Park without the crowds common at other park areas.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Timber Rattlesnake, Elk, and Wapiti present in the area. Eastern Cottontail, Ruffed Grouse, and various snake species also documented.

Insider tips for Cataloochee Group Camp: Book early as this is a federal campground with limited availability Bring a self-contained RV or prepare for tent camping—no hookups available Access via Cove Creek Road from I-40 exit 20, approximately 25 miles west of Asheville

Skip Cataloochee Group Camp if: You need RV hookups—none are available at this location. You require camping outside May-October—seasonal operations only. You prefer developed campgrounds—this is a remote, rustic group camp with only 3 tent sites.

Best time to visit Cataloochee Group Camp: May-October — Campground operates seasonally during these months only.

Nearby campgrounds: Cataloochee Campground (Waynesville, NC), Cataloochee Horse Camp (Waynesville, NC), Big Creek Campground (Great Smoky Mountains National Park) (Gatlinburg, NC), Round Bottom Horse Camp (Cherokee, NC).

Cell Phone Coverage at Cataloochee Group Camp

Cell signal at Cataloochee Group Camp (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
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Federal campground in Great Smoky Mountains National ParkLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Cataloochee Group Camp

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Waynesville, NC, NC★ 4.6 (9 reviews)From $50/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Cataloochee Group Camp in the remote and historic Cataloochee Valley, is surrounded by some of the most rugged mountains in the park, providing excellent hiking opportunities as well as ideal fishing conditions in the area’s many creeks. Because of its relatively secluded location, visitors can enjoy the best that the Smoky Mountains National Park has to offer, without encountering crowds, which are sometimes common in other areas of the park.Cataloochee Group Camp provides a primitive outdoor camping experience with few amenities, but excellent access to trails and fishing streams. The sites are shaded by the lush surrounding forest, but there are no hookups or drinking water available.

Best for:Wildlife watchersFamiliesBackpackersSites:Tent
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
HookupsNo hookups. Bring self-contained unit or tent camp.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsElectric Hookups
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Drinking Water

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 need RV hookups—none are available at this location✕ You require camping outside May-October—seasonal operations only✕ You prefer developed campgrounds—this is a remote, rustic group camp with only 3 tent sites

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a federal campground with limited availability

Bring a self-contained RV or prepare for tent camping

no hookups available

Access via Cove Creek Road from I-40 exit 20, approximately 25 miles west of Asheville

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally during these months 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, Timber Rattlesnake, Elk, and Wapiti present in the area. Eastern Cottontail, Ruffed Grouse, and various snake species also documented.

Location

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

Exit I-40 at exit 20, 25 miles west of Asheville, NC (87 miles east of Knoxville, TN). Turn right onto Cove Creek road 1/10 mile from I-40. Follow Cove Creek Road 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 and turn right onto a dirt road after crossing a bridge. Go 1 mile to group camp gate..

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 Group Camp cost per night?+
Cataloochee Group Camp costs $50 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Bring self-contained unit or tent camp.
What season is Cataloochee Group Camp open?+
Cataloochee Group Camp is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Cataloochee Group Camp have hookups?+
No hookups. Bring self-contained unit or tent camp.
What is the maximum RV length at Cataloochee Group Camp?+
Cataloochee Group Camp is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Cataloochee Group Camp?+
Cataloochee Group Camp 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 Group Camp?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Cataloochee Group Camp is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Cataloochee Group Camp open, and what are check-in times?+
Cataloochee Group Camp 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.

$50 /night★ 4.6 (9)
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 Group Camp cost per night?+
What season is Cataloochee Group Camp open?+
Does Cataloochee Group Camp have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Cataloochee Campground

Waynesville, NC

From $30/night

Cataloochee Horse Camp

Waynesville, NC

From $30/night

Big Creek Campground (Great Smoky Mountains National Park)

Gatlinburg, NC

From $30/night

Round Bottom Horse Camp

Cherokee, NC

From $30/night

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