Cataloochee Horse Camp

Great Smoky Mountains National Park — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: Waynesville, NC, NC

Price: From $30 per night

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (24 reviews)

Season: May through October

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

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Drinking Water, Fishing

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

Located in scenic Cataloochee Valley within Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this campground offers access to world-renowned horseback riding trails and diverse plant and animal life. The shaded canopy provides cool camping in one of America's most visited national parks.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Elk, Wild Turkey, Ruffed Grouse, and Eastern Milksnake present in area within 8km radius

Insider tips for Cataloochee Horse Camp: Book early as this is a federal campground with limited availability You must have a horse to camp at this location Only 7 tent sites available in Cataloochee Valley

Skip Cataloochee Horse Camp if: You do not own or plan to bring a horse. You need RV hookups - no hookups available at sites. You plan to visit November through April when campground is closed.

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

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

Cell Phone Coverage at Cataloochee Horse Camp

Cell signal at Cataloochee Horse 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
CamperWatch›NC›Cataloochee Horse Camp
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park — riverside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Cataloochee Horse Camp

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Waynesville, NC, NC★ 4.5 (24 reviews)From $30/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

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!

Best for:AnglersHikersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites: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
Max RV30 ft
HookupsNo hookups.
ToiletsVault toilets
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsFishing
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 do not own or plan to bring a horse✕ You need RV hookups - no hookups available at sites✕ You plan to visit November through April when campground is closed

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a federal campground with limited availability

You must have a horse to camp at this location

Only 7 tent sites available in Cataloochee Valley

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, Elk, Wild Turkey, Ruffed Grouse, and Eastern Milksnake present in area within 8km radius

Location

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

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.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Cataloochee Horse Camp cost per night?+
Cataloochee Horse Camp costs $30 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Cataloochee Horse Camp open?+
Cataloochee Horse Camp is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Cataloochee Horse Camp have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Cataloochee Horse Camp?+
Cataloochee Horse Camp can accommodate RVs up to 30 feet.
How do I make reservations at Cataloochee Horse Camp?+
Cataloochee Horse 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 Horse Camp?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Cataloochee Horse Camp is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Cataloochee Horse Camp open, and what are check-in times?+
Cataloochee Horse 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.

$30 /night★ 4.5 (24)
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 Horse Camp cost per night?+
What season is Cataloochee Horse Camp open?+
Does Cataloochee Horse Camp have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Cataloochee Campground

Waynesville, NC

From $30/night

Cataloochee Group Camp

Waynesville, NC

From $50/night

Balsam Mountain Campground

Cherokee, NC

From $30/night

Round Bottom Horse Camp

Cherokee, NC

From $30/night

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