Round Bottom Horse Camp

NPS National Park Service · Cherokee, NC · Primitive

Seasonal operation. This campground is not open year-round. Likely open now (September).

Conditions

Road Access Gravel
Driveway Surface Gravel
Season Seasonal Closure
Campfires Campfires Allowed
Elevation 3,060 ft
Max RV Length 35 ft
Boondock Access Not recorded

Features

Rig Size Back In Only
Style Primitive Reservable

Campground Stats

Total Sites5
Overnight Sites5
Max RV Length35 ft
SurfaceGravel

Location

35.61545921, -83.2119251 · Mailing address is c/o Oconaluftee Ranger Station, 60 Enloe-Floyd Bottoms Road , Cherokee , NC 28719

Description

Overview

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.



World-renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian culture, Great Smoky Mountains is America's most visited national park. 

You MUST have a HORSE to camp at Round Bottom Horse Camp!

Recreation

With access to several of the Smokies' popular horseback riding trails, equestrians will never be bored.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a hiker's paradise, offering over 800 miles of maintained trails ranging from short, leg-stretchers to strenuous treks, with a number of those trails easily accessible from the picnic area. But hiking is not the only reason for visiting the Smokies: Fishing, picnicking, wildlife viewing and auto touring are also popular activities.

Campers can enjoy high-quality backcountry fishing in the cool waters of the countless streams and rivers that snake through the mountains, with 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 visitors to spot one. The park is a sanctuary for a magnificent array of animal and plant life, all of which is protected for future generations to enjoy.

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.

Facilities

Round Bottom offers a traditional outdoor camping experience 

You MUST have a HORSE to camp at Round Bottom Horse Camp!

Natural Features

Round Bottom Horse Camp is surrounded by picturesque mountain ranges, pristine mountain streams and rivers and clear blue skies that set the backdrop for your camping and horseback riding adventure.

At 3,060 feet elevation, the campground provides a moderate climate, typified by mild winters and hot, humid summers.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park preserves a rich cultural tapestry of Southern Appalachian history. The mountains have had a long human history spanning thousands of years, from the prehistoric Paleo Indians to early European settlement in the 1800s to loggers and Civilian Conservation Corps enrollees in the 20th century. The park strives to protect the historic structures, landscapes, and artifacts that tell the stories of people who once called these mountains home.

Nearby Attractions

Cherokee, North Carolina, located about 13 miles away, offers fuel and grocery stores.

Directions

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 the horse camp.

From Gatlinburg, TN: Take Newfound Gap Road (US 441 South) towards Cherokee, NC. Exit the park into Cherokee and turn left at the first traffic light. Go one block, across river, and turn left onto Big Cove Road (marked by detour sign). Continue with directions above.

Activities

CAMPING FISHING HIKING HISTORIC & CULTURAL SITE HORSEBACK RIDING WILDLIFE VIEWING

Details

FeeIndividual Campsites: A customer who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation). Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. Customers that check out early or do not plan to use their reservation MUST contact the campground office the day they leave or are due to check in, in order to receive a refund. Refund requests for early departure or non use of the site made AFTER the reservation has ended will be denied. Office phone numbers are given in the Facility Contact information for each campground.
Phone865-436-1261 OR 828-497-9270
ADA AccessN
ReservableYes

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