Round Bottom Horse Camp

Great Smoky Mountains National Park — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: Cherokee, NC, NC

Price: From $30 per night

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (3 reviews)

Season: May through October

Saddle up your horses for a camping trip in the stunning Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Located in the North Carolina portion of the park, this campsite offers miles of horse trails with a breathtaking backdrop. Whether blanketed in bright spring wildflowers or vivid fall colors, the scenery at Round Bottom never disappoints.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Fishing

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

Round Bottom Horse Camp offers miles of horse trails in the Great Smoky Mountains with stunning scenery year-round, plus fishing and wildlife viewing opportunities in a federally-managed setting.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Elk, Gray Fox, Eastern Copperhead, Eastern Garter Snake, and Northern Saw-whet Owl present in the area.

Insider tips for Round Bottom Horse Camp: Book early—this is a popular federal campground with only 5 tent sites. Register online before arrival as there is no cell service at the camp. Located 9 miles NW of Cherokee, NC via US 441 north; no street address available.

Skip Round Bottom Horse Camp if: You need hookups—no hookups available at this campground.. You require cell service for on-site registration.. You prefer camping outside May-October season..

Best time to visit Round Bottom Horse Camp: May-October — Federal campground operates seasonally during these months only..

Nearby campgrounds: Balsam Mountain Campground (Cherokee, NC), Cataloochee Horse Camp (Waynesville, NC), Smokemont Group Camp (Cherokee, NC), Tow String Horse Camp (Cherokee, NC).

Cell Phone Coverage at Round Bottom Horse Camp

Cell signal at Round Bottom Horse Camp (Cherokee, 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.

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

Round Bottom Horse Camp

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Cherokee, NC, NC★ 4.3 (3 reviews)From $30/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Saddle up your horses for a camping trip in the stunning Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Located in the North Carolina portion of the park, this campsite offers miles of horse trails with a breathtaking backdrop. Whether blanketed in bright spring wildflowers or vivid fall colors, the scenery at Round Bottom never disappoints.

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 RV35 ft
HookupsNo hookups.
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Fishing

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 hookups—no hookups available at this campground.✕ You require cell service for on-site registration.✕ You prefer camping outside May-October season.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground with only 5 tent sites.

Register online before arrival as there is no cell service at the camp.

Located 9 miles NW of Cherokee, NC via US 441 north; no street address available.

Best: May-October

Federal 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, Gray Fox, Eastern Copperhead, Eastern Garter Snake, and Northern Saw-whet Owl present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
865-436-1261 OR 828-497-9270· Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Getting there →

There is no street adddress for the horse camp. Round Bottom horse camp is located about 9 miles NW of Cherokee, NC. From Cherokee, NC: Take US 441 north. Just before entering the park, turn right at last traffic light onto Acquoni Road. Go one block, acorss river, and turn left onto Big Cove Road (marked by detour sign). Go 9 miles to a tee. Turn right and go 0.9 mile to the end of the pavement. Take the gravel Straight Fork-Round Bottom road, adjacent to a trout rearing facility, 3.5 miles to

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 Round Bottom Horse Camp cost per night?+
Round Bottom Horse Camp costs $30 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Round Bottom Horse Camp open?+
Round Bottom Horse Camp is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Round Bottom Horse Camp have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Round Bottom Horse Camp?+
Round Bottom Horse Camp can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet.
How do I make reservations at Round Bottom Horse Camp?+
Round Bottom 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 Round Bottom Horse Camp?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Round Bottom Horse Camp is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Round Bottom Horse Camp open, and what are check-in times?+
Round Bottom 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★ 4.3 (3)
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 Round Bottom Horse Camp cost per night?+
What season is Round Bottom Horse Camp open?+
Does Round Bottom Horse Camp have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Balsam Mountain Campground

Cherokee, NC

From $30/night

Cataloochee Horse Camp

Waynesville, NC

From $30/night

Smokemont Group Camp

Cherokee, NC

From $50/night

Tow String Horse Camp

Cherokee, NC

From $30/night

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