Balsam Mountain vs Cataloochee
Two Great Smoky Mountains National Park campgrounds, side by side.
Balsam Mountain and Cataloochee are both run by the National Park Service in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, about 6.7 miles apart in a straight line. Balsam Mountain is the bigger campground, with 43 sites to Cataloochee's 27. Both list a nightly fee of $30. Balsam Mountain is open May 16 – Oct 11, while Cataloochee is open May 2 – Oct 24. Neither lists electric hookups in its Recreation.gov site records. For RVs, Balsam Mountain takes rigs up to 24 ft and Cataloochee up to 34 ft. Both pages include a campsite layout from Recreation.gov site records.
| Campground | Balsam Mountain Campground North Carolina | Cataloochee Campground North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Federal (National Park Service) | Federal (National Park Service) |
| Season ≠ | Seasonal: May 16 – Oct 11 | Seasonal: May 2 – Oct 24 |
| Nightly fee | $30 | $30 |
| Number of sites ≠ | 43 | 27 |
| Electric hookups | Not listed | Not listed |
| Water hookups | Not listed | Not listed |
| Sewer hookups | Not listed | Not listed |
| Max amps | Not listed | Not listed |
| Max RV/trailer length ≠ | 24 ft | 34 ft |
| Cabins | Not listed | Not listed |
| Key amenities ≠ | Flush toilets Drinking water Pets allowed ADA-accessible sites Food storage lockers | Flush toilets Drinking water Pets allowed Food storage lockers |
| Nearest bike trails (≤5 mi) | None mapped within 5 mi | None mapped within 5 mi |
| Campsite layout | Site map + site list | Site map + site list |
| Distance between (straight line) | 6.7 mi | |
| Links | Full details Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗ | Full details Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗ |
Highlighted rows (≠) differ. Not listed means our sources don't say, not that the campground lacks it. Facts come from Recreation.gov (RIDB) site records, bike trails from OpenStreetMap difficulty tags; distances are straight-line. Confirm fees and dates with National Park Service before you go.
Open in the compare tool Add more campgrounds or a distance from your ZIP code.
More Great Smoky Mountains National Park comparisons
- Cades Cove vs Elkmont
- Elkmont vs Smokemont
- Smokemont vs Deep Creek
- Cosby vs Elkmont
- Cades Cove vs Smokemont
See all campgrounds in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.