Facility Details - TOW STRING HORSE CAMP, NC

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 scenic backdrop.

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 mountain culture, Great Smoky Mountains is America's most visited national park.

Natural Features:

Tow String Horse Camp is surrounded by picturesque mountain ranges, with a moderate climate characterized by mild winters and hot, humid summers.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park preserves a rich cultural history of Southern Appalachia. From the prehistoric Paleo Indians to early 19th century European settlers, the park strives to protect the historic structures, landscapes and artifacts that tell the stories of the people who once called these mountains home.

Recreation:

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

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is also a hiker's paradise, with over 800 miles of maintained trails ranging from short, leg-stretchers to strenuous treks, with a number of those trails easily accessible from Tow String Camp. 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. From the big animals like bears, deer, and elk, down to microscopic organisms, the Smokies have the most biological diversity of any area in the world's temperate zone. 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:

Tow String offers traditional woods camping, perfect for a getaway trip.

Nearby Attractions:

The campsite is located just four miles from Cherokee, North Carolina, which offers groceries and fuel.

Activities and Amenities

Within Facility
Birding Fire Rings Fishing Hiking Horse Stalls	Horseback Riding Host Picnic Area Pit Toilets Wildlife Viewing
Less Than 1 Mile
Historic Sites Horseback Riding Trails	River Access Trails

Know Before You Go

Bear Habitat!!

All food and items used to store or prepare food, including coolers, MUST be stored in the trunk or cab of your vehicle/s at all times when not in use.
Dispose of garbage promptly in bear-proof dumpsters.
This rule is strictly enforced!

Firewood Quarantines are in effect!

The possession of any firewood originating from any location for which a federal or state firewood quarantine is in effect is prohibited. The movement of firewood into the park from counties adjacent to the park for which a federal or state quarantine is in place is prohibited even if the quarantine allows for movement within the county.
Firewood which bears a USDA certificate or which is purchased from a park concessionaire is allowed.
The National Park Service STRONGLY discourages the movement of firewood from location to another.
More details are available on the park website at www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/firewood-alert.htm
This rule is strictly enforced!

There are no showers or electric, water or sewer hook-ups in the park.

Quiet hours are in effect from 10 PM to 6 AM. Generator use is restricted to 8 AM to 8 PM.

Fires are allowed in fire rings only.

A reservation is required for all horse camps and you must have a horse to camp here. A maximum of 6 people and 4 horses may occupy a campsite. All horses must be accompanied by a negative Coggins test. The park stay limit is 14 consecutive days.

Stalls are provided but may not be visible from your campsite. Check the site page for details. Horses may not be tied to trees.

With the exception of Big Creek, horse camps do not have potable water.

A Tennessee or North Carolina fishing license is required to fish in the park. Special regulations apply in the park.

Pets are permitted but cannot be left unattended. All pets must be kept on a leash at all times. Pets are not allowed on trails.

For additional park information call 865-436-1200 or visit www.nps.gov/grsm

Getting There:

GPS Info. (Latitude, Longitude):
35.53944, -83.29778
35°32'22"N, 83°17'52"W

There is no street address for the horse camp.

Tow String horse camp is located 4 miles north of Cherokee, NC off Newfound Gap Road (aka U.S. 441). Turn right at sign for Tow String. Turn left after crossing bridge.