Openings · last 7 days
0
Availability is not tracked here yet
Campsite Sniper does not currently hold availability data for Cataloochee Horse Camp. That is a gap in what Campsite Sniper tracks — it does not mean the facility is full, closed, or unavailable. Recreation.gov may well be showing open dates right now.
The site details and map below come from the public Recreation.gov record and are accurate. For current dates and to book, go to Recreation.gov.
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-232482
When Cataloochee Horse Camp reopens
Cataloochee Horse Camp's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
20
Openings · last 90 days
47
Only 47 openings in the last 90 days: not enough recent activity for a reliable pattern. A free Campsite Sniper alert watches around the clock instead, and pings you the moment one opens.
About Cataloochee Horse Camp
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 enthusiasts.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is also a hiker's paradise. Boogerman Trail, accessed via the Caldwell Fork Trail, provides a 3.9 mile detour through a beautiful, densely forested terrain, allowing visitors to stretch their legs and explore the area.
Campers can enjoy high-quality backcountry fishing in the cool waters of the countless streams and rivers that snake through the mountains, with wild trout available in abundance.
Wildlife viewing is a popular pastime, and with around 1,500 bears living in the park, it's not uncommon for a visitor to spot one. The Cataloochee area is also known for an elk herd that populates the valley, making for an impressive display of wildlife.
The park also holds one of the best collections of log buildings in the eastern United States. Over 90 historic structures, including houses, barns, outbuildings, churches, schools and grist mills, have been preserved or rehabilitated in the park. A handful of these buildings are nearby the campground, including the Palmer House, which offers a self-guided museum.
Facilities
Cataloochee offers primitive-woods camping. A canopy of trees provides adequate shade, while a few open areas let in the sunlight and allow for pleasant group activities. There is no potable water provided at the campground, so visitors must bring their own.
The nearby Cataloochee Campground offers additional camping space for those visitors without horses, and the Cataloochee Group Camp provides a larger space for group trips.
Each site at Cataloochee has four horse stalls with hitching racks.
You MUST have a HORSE to camp at Cataloochee Horse Camp!
Natural Features
Cataloochee Horse Camp sits in along the gentle waters of Cataloochee Creek in the remote Catalooche Valley, surrounded by some of the park's most picturesque and rugged mountain ranges. Whether blanketed in wildflowers in the spring or vivid colors in the fall, the scenery at Cataloochee never disappoints.
Nearby Attractions
A number of Great Smoky's famous historical buildings, including cabins and churches, are located close to the campground. The nearby towns of Maggie Valley or Waynesville offer groceries and other supplies.
7 monitored sitesRVs up to 30 ftNo hookups7 shadedFire pitsMax party 6
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.
3576 Ranger Station Road, Waynesville, NC 37876828-497-9270
CampingFishingHikingHistoric & Cultural SiteHorseback RidingWildlife Viewing
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
02 · Field Photos · roll CS-232482 · facility + sites
Photo gallery
Roll CS-232482 · Cataloochee Horse Camp · Waynesville NC12 frames · facility + sites
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Cataloochee Horse Camp?
Online reservations for this facility, where offered, are made through Recreation.gov. Campsite Sniper has also detected 47 site openings here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick a site on the map to see its calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this campground for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper does not currently hold availability data for Cataloochee Horse Camp, so there is nothing to date here. That is a gap in coverage — it does not mean the facility is full or closed. Check Recreation.gov for current dates.
How often do new openings appear at Cataloochee Horse Camp?
Campsite Sniper detected 47 site-date openings here over the last 90 days, none in the last 7. A free alert watches around the clock and pings you the moment one appears.
Which sites at Cataloochee Horse Camp fit a 35-foot RV?
No RV-analyzable site here has a recorded maximum of 35 ft or more; the longest recorded is 30 ft.
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