fees, RV limits, trails & mountain biking

Cataloochee Campground

National Park Service campground in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, near Waynesville, North Carolina.

$10nightly fee
27overnight sites
Reservablebooking
Not statedseason (agency text)
34 ftmax RV/trailer length
19named USFS/NPS trails within 5 mi (51.9 mi)
0.0 mibike trails within 5 mi

How it compares

  • With 27 sites it is the #33 largest of 86 North Carolina campgrounds that publish a site count.
  • Its lowest fee ($10) is equal to the North Carolina median of $10/night.
  • There are 50 other campgrounds in our data within 25 miles; 0 of them list a lower starting fee.
  • 79% of North Carolina campgrounds that publish a length limit accept a rig this long (34 ft).
  • 100% of sites with a shade rating are listed as shaded or partly shaded.
  • Pets allowed on 27 of 27 sites; campfires allowed on 27 (subject to seasonal fire bans).
  • Straight-line distance: Asheville ~30 mi, Knoxville ~52 mi, Abingdon ~97 mi.

Amenities & rules

Drinking waterFire pitsFire ringsFlush toiletsFood storage lockersGrillsPicnic tablesTent padsPets allowedTentsRVs/trailers

Fee notes from the agency: Individual 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…

Trails within 5 miles

TrailClosest pointMapped miles within 5 miSource
Cataloochee Horse Trail0.1 mi3.1NPS
Boogerman Trail0.5 mi3.7NPS
Caldwell Fork Trail0.7 mi5.1NPS
Cataloochee Divide Trail1.6 mi6.1NPS
Pretty Hollow Gap Trail1.9 mi4.5NPS
Little Cataloochee Trail1.9 mi6.5NPS
Big Fork Ridge Trail2.1 mi2.9NPS
Rough Fork Trail2.2 mi3.8NPS
Palmer Creek Trail2.4 mi3.1NPS
Sutton-McGhee Cemetery Access2.4 mi0.1NPS
McKee Branch Trail2.5 mi2.2NPS
Lawson Jenkins-Kerr Cemetery Access2.6 mi0.1NPS

+ 7 more named trails.

Mountain biking nearby

No bike-legal trails are mapped within 5 miles in OpenStreetMap or Forest Service data.

Ratings come only from OpenStreetMap mtb:scale / IMBA tags. Untagged trails show as "Unrated", and we never guess. Check conditions and maps on Trailforks or MTB Project.

Activities listed

Auto TouringBackpackingBikingCampingFishingHikingHistoric & Cultural SiteHorse CampingHorseback RidingPicnickingWildlife Viewing

Nearest campgrounds

CampgroundMilesStateFee/nightSitesHookupsMax RVPetsBookingTrails ≤5 mi
Cataloochee Group Camp
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
1.5NC$103 — —yes Reserve19 (47.2 mi)
Cataloochee Horse Camp
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
1.7NC$107 — 30 ft— Reserve22 (64.7 mi)
Pretty Hollow #39
National Park Service
2.5NC—— — —— ?22 (68.7 mi)
Big Hemlock #40
National Park Service
3.3NC—— — —— ?20 (58.1 mi)
Caldwell Fork #41
National Park Service
3.8NC—— — —— ?18 (49.7 mi)
Mount Sterling #38
National Park Service
5.3NC—— — —— ?21 (65.2 mi)

Hookups: E = electric (max amps), W = water, S = sewer. "—" means the agency doesn't publish it. Trail counts are named USFS/NPS trails within 5 miles. 🟢 = kid-friendly (green-rated) bike trail nearby.

From the managing agency

Overview Cataloochee campground is located in the historic Cataloochee Valley--a relatively remote part of Smoky Mountain National Park. The secluded setting offers visitors the ability to enjoy a multitude of recreational activities like hiking and fishing, without the crowds, which are sometimes common in other parts of the park. Recreation The Cataloochee Valley features an extensive trail system that is less heavily used compared to other areas of the park. The two main trails, Caldwell Fork and nearby Rough Fork Trail, run mostly parallel to one another in the central portion of the valley. Either of these trails extend alongside scenic creeks and streams and support both hikers and hor… read the full description on Recreation.gov