Round Bottom Horse Camp

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

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!

Round Bottom offers a traditional outdoor camping experience 

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

Need to Know

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.

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.

Contact Information

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

Phone Number

For campground inquiries, please call: 865-436-1261 OR 828-497-9270

Rental Options

Learn more about gear rental options for your trip

Driving 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.

Available Campsites

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