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863 reviews
Cataloochee Campground offers a beautiful and peaceful camping experience, with friendly hosts and abundant wildlife, including elk and bears. The area is well-maintained, featuring clean facilities and a lovely creek, making it ideal for photography and exploration. However, access can be challenging due to rough roads, and some sites may have issues with standing water and proximity to neighbors.
Based on guest feedback
4.7
Based on 863 reviews
Showing 863 reviews
October 1, 2020 Stayed at: 25, Loop: CATALOOCHEE CAMPGROUND
Very quiet, nice neighbors. Road in sucks, campsites are very close together and tight to get it. No electricity, no dump station. Most excellent camp ground host. Game viewing is great, but typical of federal camp grounds, just worn out. Tired needs a major face lift. ill likely not go back, at least with a camp trailer.
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October 1, 2020 Stayed at: 25, Loop: CATALOOCHEE CAMPGROUND
Very quiet, nice neighbors. Road in sucks, campsites are very close together and tight to get it. No electricity, no dump station. Most excellent camp ground host. Game viewing is great, but typical of federal camp grounds, just worn out. Tired needs a major face lift. ill likely not go back, at least with a camp trailer.
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October 2, 2020 Stayed at: 21, Loop: CATALOOCHEE CAMPGROUND
Camp host was very informative and helpful.
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October 2, 2020 Stayed at: 21, Loop: CATALOOCHEE CAMPGROUND
Camp host was very informative and helpful.
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October 5, 2020 Stayed at: 6, Loop: CATALOOCHEE CAMPGROUND
The campground is small but nice. The best part of the stay was seeing the Elk. But you have to travel a few miles to see them. Since we have a large RV and do not pull a vehicle, I was disappointed that they were not right at the campground. But some fellow campers, Robert and Loretta ,offered to let us ride with them. It was awesome seeing the herd of elk!!!
I must warn fellow RVer’s, that this campground IS NOT a good place for large RVs. We have a 29’ class C and would not have reserved a site there had I been warned about the road to the campground! It is 7.5 mi of an awful narrow, twisty, turning gravel and mud road. The road is about 12-15 ft wide in some places right on the side of a mountain!!!! And if another vehicle is coming the other way, it is VERY SCARY!! No guardrails so if you go over, you better hope a tree stops your RV. Once you are on the road to the campground, there is no where to turn around so you are stuck on the road for the 7.5 mi! One of the other campers couldn’t believe we got our RV up there . He asked if we had a helicopter drop us in there! LOL!
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October 5, 2020 Stayed at: 6, Loop: CATALOOCHEE CAMPGROUND
The campground is small but nice. The best part of the stay was seeing the Elk. But you have to travel a few miles to see them. Since we have a large RV and do not pull a vehicle, I was disappointed that they were not right at the campground. But some fellow campers, Robert and Loretta ,offered to let us ride with them. It was awesome seeing the herd of elk!!!
I must warn fellow RVer’s, that this campground IS NOT a good place for large RVs. We have a 29’ class C and would not have reserved a site there had I been warned about the road to the campground! It is 7.5 mi of an awful narrow, twisty, turning gravel and mud road. The road is about 12-15 ft wide in some places right on the side of a mountain!!!! And if another vehicle is coming the other way, it is VERY SCARY!! No guardrails so if you go over, you better hope a tree stops your RV. Once you are on the road to the campground, there is no where to turn around so you are stuck on the road for the 7.5 mi! One of the other campers couldn’t believe we got our RV up there . He asked if we had a helicopter drop us in there! LOL!
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October 6, 2020 Stayed at: 2, Loop: CATALOOCHEE CAMPGROUND
This small campground was well maintained and very peaceful. The campsites are very close together and it would be nice to have a little more privacy , but the other campers were a observant of 10 p.m. quiet time. When we arrived the host had allowed people picnicking to use the campsite. We were tired after driving 3 hours and had to wait for them to pack up. I felt picnickers should not be in the campground because it decreases the safety with unregistered guests on site. Every one in the campground should be accounted for by name and home address. I felt less safe and worried about my belongings while I was away from my campsite. I feel a separate pick nick area similar to Cade’s Cove and others that have a separate area without allowing transient people in the campground should be considered.
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October 6, 2020 Stayed at: 2, Loop: CATALOOCHEE CAMPGROUND
This small campground was well maintained and very peaceful. The campsites are very close together and it would be nice to have a little more privacy , but the other campers were a observant of 10 p.m. quiet time. When we arrived the host had allowed people picnicking to use the campsite. We were tired after driving 3 hours and had to wait for them to pack up. I felt picnickers should not be in the campground because it decreases the safety with unregistered guests on site. Every one in the campground should be accounted for by name and home address. I felt less safe and worried about my belongings while I was away from my campsite. I feel a separate pick nick area similar to Cade’s Cove and others that have a separate area without allowing transient people in the campground should be considered.
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October 8, 2020 Stayed at: 24, Loop: CATALOOCHEE CAMPGROUND
Very well maintained campground. Bathrooms are cleaned and trash emptied. Camp Host checked sites regularly. The Campground is a couple of miles from the fields where the Elks graze. The first morning, we saw a large Bull Elk which gave us very impressive Bugle Calls with his herd of about 10 Cow Elks. On another occasion we drove another half mile to the end of the road, parked the the car and walked over the bridge to a much large field. There were 4 Bull Elks and many Cows of various sizes. Dawn and dusk are best for Elk watching.
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October 8, 2020 Stayed at: 12, Loop: CATALOOCHEE CAMPGROUND
Loved it! Please fund this campground more!its absolutely beautiful
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3576 Ranger Station Rd, Waynesville, NC 37876 United States
Elevation: 801 ft
From I-40 take Exit 20 in North Carolina. Turn right onto Cove Creek Road and follow 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 mi to an intersection and c...
From I-40 take Exit 20 in North Carolina. Turn right onto Cove Creek Road and follow 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 mi to an intersection and continue another .5 mi to the left.
Cataloochee Campground is accessible via I-40, with Exit 20 providing the nearest access point. From the interstate, travelers can reach the campground by following Cove Creek Road to the park boundary.
The closest entrance is: Cataloochee Entrance
Approximate drive: 2.1 mi · 4 min
The closest entrance is: Arch Rock Entrance
Approximate drive: 32.3 mi · 55 min
Last updated: October 24, 2026
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Population: 10,502
Nearby city: Asheville, NC
Approx. 30 mi away (straight-line distance)
Elevation: 2,749 ft
Waynesville, NC
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