Featured amenities
Pet Friendly
About Cataloochee Horse Camp
Number of accommodations: 7
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Campground Amenities
Most popular amenities
Pet friendly
Pets and Policies
- Pet friendly
Report Incorrect Information
Help us improve by reporting any incorrect amenity information for Cataloochee Horse Camp.
Rates, Sites & Availability
7 Sites Available
No sites found matching your criteria.
No available sites
All sites are booked for your selected dates. Try showing all sites to see booked options, create an alert to be notified when something opens up, or adjust your dates.
Site Details
Select a site to view details
7 Sites Available
No available sites
All sites are booked for your selected dates. Try showing all sites to see booked options, create an alert to be notified when something opens up, or adjust your dates.
Reviews (54)
What Guests Are Saying
Cataloochee Horse Camp is well-maintained, clean, and offers beautiful scenery with frequent wildlife sightings, including elk. The friendly staff and clean facilities enhance the camping experience, making it a great place for horse enthusiasts. However, some guests have noted issues with trail conditions and noise from generators at night, which can detract from the overall experience.
What Guests Are Saying
Cataloochee Horse Camp is well-maintained, clean, and offers beautiful scenery with frequent wildlife sightings, including elk. The friendly staff and clean facilities enhance the camping experience, making it a great place for horse enthusiasts. However, some guests have noted issues with trail conditions and noise from generators at night, which can detract from the overall experience.
Review Summary
Angela Allen
December 31, 2023
Best Quiet place in the world to talk to your loved ones in Heaven. . . I love you all SOOOOOOOO MUCH
Margaret B
VerifiedOctober 25, 2023 • Stayed at: 6, Loop: Horse Camp
We have been coming to Cataloochee Horse Camp every year for 20 years. The campground is always kept up and clean. The Park employees and volunteers are always nice and helpful. In my opinion on the horse trails, I have noticed over the years when trail maintenance is done, the trails are being tailored more to hikers and making some places difficult for horses to navigate.
Margaret B
VerifiedOctober 25, 2023 • Stayed at: 6, Loop: Horse Camp
We have been coming to Cataloochee Horse Camp every year for 20 years. The campground is always kept up and clean. The Park employees and volunteers are always nice and helpful. In my opinion on the horse trails, I have noticed over the years when trail maintenance is done, the trails are being tailored more to hikers and making some places difficult for horses to navigate.
C Price
September 15, 2022
Absolutely beautiful land.
The staff of the park is so kind. Great camping site for all things, tents, trucks, campers, even horse camps.
The horse trails are stunning views but are very rocky and rough on a horse. Trail boots definitely recommended.
The drive is also quite a drive with a 3 or 4 mile one lane width, gravel road full of switch backs. Trailers 25ft or longer be prepared for tight turns.
Tons of elk, even saw a mama bear & her cub.
Worth the drive in a car anytime.
Rickie M
VerifiedSeptember 7, 2022 • Stayed at: 7, Loop: Horse Camp
Fantastic time riding through the Smokies. Cataloochee boost lots of historic buildings and wildlife for your enjoyment. One of our families favorite destinations every year:
Rickie M
VerifiedSeptember 7, 2022 • Stayed at: 7, Loop: Horse Camp
Fantastic time riding through the Smokies. Cataloochee boost lots of historic buildings and wildlife for your enjoyment. One of our families favorite destinations every year:
Teresa Roberts
August 26, 2022
Jennifer I
VerifiedJuly 25, 2022 • Stayed at: 4, Loop: Horse Camp
Cataloochee is one of our most favorite places to stay. The only recommendation I have is if the road into the horse camp, if the trees could be trimmed back some. Actually it wouldn't hurt to remove some of those trees along side of the road as they could potentially be hazardous to those traveling into the horse camp due to their proximity to the road.
Jennifer I
VerifiedJuly 25, 2022 • Stayed at: 4, Loop: Horse Camp
Cataloochee is one of our most favorite places to stay. The only recommendation I have is if the road into the horse camp, if the trees could be trimmed back some. Actually it wouldn't hurt to remove some of those trees along side of the road as they could potentially be hazardous to those traveling into the horse camp due to their proximity to the road.
Terry L
VerifiedJune 16, 2022 • Stayed at: 7, Loop: Horse Camp
It would have been excellent except the restroom was infested with a million gnats and some of the other campers was running their generators after 8:00 pm
Location Cataloochee Horse Camp
Address:
3576 Ranger Station Road
Waynesville, NC, 37876
United States
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.
Cataloochee Horse Camp is accessible via NC Highway 284, which connects to US Highway 276 approximately 15 miles to the west. The nearest major interstate is I-40, located about 25 miles to the north.
Latitude & Longitude: 35.6288 / -83.1156
Elevation: 845 feet
Nearby National Park
Arch Rock Entrance
Approximate driving time: 53 min
Policies & Rules
Arrival & departure
- For more information, contact the park office or visit the park website.
Cancellation policy
- Reservation fees are non-refundable. For campsites, cabins, lookouts, yurts, group sites, and similar stays, we charge a reservation service fee of $8.
- Standard cancellations usually have a $10 cancellation fee. Customers can generally cancel before the check-in date online.
- Late cancellation rules differ by stay type.
- Individual campsites: cancelling after 12:00am local time the day before arrival usually means a $10 cancellation fee plus forfeiting the first night's fee.
- Cabins, lookouts, and yurts: cancelling less than 14 days before arrival usually means a $10 cancellation fee plus forfeiting the first night's fee.
- One-night reservations: a late cancellation usually forfeits the full amount paid, up to the total original reservation cost.
- Modifications are allowed before the cut-off window, but fees depend on the change. Changing to dates completely outside the original reservation dates may trigger a $10 change fee. Extending or shortening a stay that still includes original dates usually has no change fee, though refunds may depend on timing and facility rules. Switching to the same type of campsite for the same dates usually has no change fee, but price differences are charged or refunded.
- Early departures may or may not be refunded. At certain facilities, partial refunds may be possible if staff can mark the site available for other visitors. No refund is given for a night if the early departure is requested after that day's check-out time.
- Security deposits are separate. Security deposits may be refunded to the original payment method if the facility is left in acceptable condition, as determined by the property.
Vehicles & parking
- Parking tags are required for vehicles parked over 15 minutes unless at designated campsites.
Safety & rules
- Be aware of bear activity and follow safety practices in bear habitats.
- Generators can only be used from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Wildlife & food storage
- Store food and scented items securely to avoid wildlife encounters; fines may apply for violations.
Fires & fuel
- Only certified heat-treated firewood is allowed; campers can collect dead wood for fires.
Accessibility
- Access is via a narrow road; large rigs are not recommended.
Amenities
- The park has no showers or hook-ups for water, sewer, or electricity.
Site types & loops
- You must have a horse to camp here; all horses need a current Coggins test.
Utilities
- Horse camps, excluding Big Creek, do not have drinking water available.
Local regulations
- Fishing requires a Tennessee or North Carolina fishing license; special regulations apply.
Pets
- Pets must be leashed, cannot be left unattended, and are not allowed on trails.
Nearby Campgrounds
Nearby destinations
Last updated: June 4, 2026
