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

Beginning March 1, valid parking tag is required for any vehicle parking for more than 15 minutes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Front country campers parked at their designated campsite will not be required to have a parking tag. If they park elsewhere in the park, a parking tag will be required. Please note that parking tags will be required for vehicles in excess of what is allowable for each campsite.
Caution: Bears and other wildlife frequent the area. All food and equipment used to prepare and store food must be kept in a sealed vehicle or camping unit of solid, non-pliable material AT ALL TIMES when not in use. All scented items, as well as all water containers MUST be stored. Dispose of garbage promptly in dumpsters provided. Unattended or improperly stored coolers, food and/or scented items may be impounded by campground staff. Violators are subject to fines.
Dispose of garbage promptly in bear-proof dumpsters. This rule is strictly enforced!
You MUST have a horse to camp in a horse camp. All horses must have a current Coggins test. A maximum of 6 people and 4 horses may occupy a campsite. Campers are responsible for cleaning their stalls before departure and placing waste in a manure trailer. Fires are allowed in fire rings only. Important Information: Food storage regulations are strictly enforced. Horse feed is also covered by food storage regulations. Pets are allowed in the horse camp but must be on a leash at all times and not left unattended. Pets are not allowed on trails.
Firewood Restriction: Only heat-treated firewood bundled in its original packing and bearing a certification seal from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) or a state department of agriculture may be brought into the park. This rule is strictly enforced. Campers may also collect dead and down wood in the park for campfires.
Heat-treated wood is available from a growing list of private businesses in communities around the park. Please visit www.nature.org/firewoodmap for a list of available vendors near the park. Concessioners at Cades Cove, Elkmont, and Smokemont will provide heat-treated wood for sale during their operating season. Certified heat-treated firewood is packaged and clearly marked with a state or federal seal.
For additional information about these firewood regulations, please visit the park website at http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/frontcountry-camping.
There are no showers or electric, water or sewer hook-ups in the park.
Quiet hours are in effect from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Generator use is restricted from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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

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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