Cataloochee Campground

This was our third visit to Cataloochee. We wouldn’t camp anywhere else in the Smokies! It’s quiet, peaceful ,shady and far from the crowds. The bathrooms need some updating but that’s the only negative thing I can say.

Do NOT book a site here if you are afraid of narrow roads and blind hairpin turns on steep, barrier-free terrain. The destination was not worth the stressful drive as sites were tight and families let children run the place without respect for campsite boundaries. Screaming gangs of children are tolerable in larger campgrounds, but not in this fishbowl with nowhere for them to go and at 7:00am. The best part of the experience was the host. Recommend reminders of campground etiquette (not that offenders would comply anyway…) and a more severe warning about the access road on the rec.gov description.

Do NOT book a site here if you are afraid of narrow roads and blind hairpin turns on steep, barrier-free terrain. The destination was not worth the stressful drive as sites were tight and families let children run the place without respect for campsite boundaries. Screaming gangs of children are tolerable in larger campgrounds, but not in this fishbowl with nowhere for them to go and at 7:00am. The best part of the experience was the host. Recommend reminders of campground etiquette (not that offenders would comply anyway…) and a more severe warning about the access road on the rec.gov description.

Opening weekend….the camping was wonderful and very, very clean!! Maintenance at the campground is always done with PRIDE! Will go back and will continue to camp there with the family. The host is a great guy and very friendly.

Awesome campsite, hosts were fantastic. So much to explore in the valley, bring your bikes and explore old Cataloochee Trail Road

Opening weekend….the camping was wonderful and very, very clean!! Maintenance at the campground is always done with PRIDE! Will go back and will continue to camp there with the family. The host is a great guy and very friendly.

Awesome campsite, hosts were fantastic. So much to explore in the valley, bring your bikes and explore old Cataloochee Trail Road

Site was not the best - Site 8 You could see where they had cut a lot of trees in/near the site. Which was fine but they placed all the debris from the trees in the paths going to the river so the site had no access to the water (one reason we booked this site). Also the men who had booked site 9 should never have been in the campground. They left a cooler out the first day while gone fishing. The next evening as sitting around the campfire several of them went to the back side of the campsite to pee. All of the campground could see what they were doing if they looked. Not only was it bad they did it in site of anyone it was right next to the river. Looked for the host that evening and next morning and never saw them to let them know about it. We love camping here so we will be back, this one bad trip will not stop of from others.

Site was not the best - Site 8 You could see where they had cut a lot of trees in/near the site. Which was fine but they placed all the debris from the trees in the paths going to the river so the site had no access to the water (one reason we booked this site). Also the men who had booked site 9 should never have been in the campground. They left a cooler out the first day while gone fishing. The next evening as sitting around the campfire several of them went to the back side of the campsite to pee. All of the campground could see what they were doing if they looked. Not only was it bad they did it in site of anyone it was right next to the river. Looked for the host that evening and next morning and never saw them to let them know about it. We love camping here so we will be back, this one bad trip will not stop of from others.

First time camping here and it was everything and more. Beautiful,quiet and peaceful. My group didn’t make it before dark but just after. Reading reviews I worried about the road but it wasn’t bad. Coming at night I could see headlights and knew when to expect someone around the next curve. Just take your time whether it be day or night and you’ll be fine. Getting to the campground after dark was fun since I reserved a site in the middle of the campground and couldn’t find the way to get to my site. After a few trips around I stopped and asked someone and there is a road that goes down the middle. A sign there to direct sites #20-27 would be awesome and helpful:) Staying there for several nights I saw this very thing happen to others who arrived after dark. One night a site on the outskirts had a bear coming close and they were yelling at him to stay away. Be prepared for that.We went towards the end of October and still got to hear the big ol boys bugle a time or two and they were magnificent. Loved seeing the old homestead and other places nearby. After we packed up we spent the evening in Maggie Valley before returning home. We will be back!!