Equestrian Campgrounds in North Carolina National Forests

Equestrian Camping Reviews near National Forests in North Carolina

282 Reviews of 30 National Forests in North Carolina Campgrounds

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  maria I.

  Guide

  Apr. 10, 2021

  Smokemont Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park

  Peaceful mountain retreat

  Smokemont is a great campground in the North Carolina side of the Smoky Mountains. It is a perfect base camp to enjoy this amazing national park. About 1 hour away from Gatlinburg, but this side is less crowded. The sites are plenty big, a little tight to back into, but not a big deal. There is no cell service but this is also a great opportunity to disconnect. Right next to the campground there are horse stables, really recommend an early morning horseback ride around the trails Mountains of the campground. Definitely looking forward to visiting again!

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  Katie B.

  Guide

  Aug. 13, 2021

  Smokemont Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park

  Great campground on the NC side

  We only stayed for 1 night but really enjoyed the campgrounds proximity to activities on the North Carolina side of the park. The bathrooms were nice and there is a little stream that runs by the park. From our site you could hear a busier road but I’m sure that’s not the case at other sites.

• M

  Megan B.

  Legend

  Sep. 21, 2016

  Cataloochee Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park

  Yes!!! Great Smokey Mountains...Yes!!

  Not the biggest fan of the Gatlinburg/Tennesse part of the park. The North Carolina part has a slightly different feel. Less of a circus and less crowded and more laid back. Loving it! Beautiful. Just wish there were showers here....lol.

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  Myron C.

  Legend

  Jun. 22, 2019

  Harmon Den Area

  Primitive Camping with Great Fishing and a Short Drive to Max Patch

  Ranger Review: Eclipse Sun Sleeves at Harmon Den Area(Pisgah National Forest) https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/nfsnc/recarea/?recid=70836

  There are a few dispersed camping sites at Harmon’s Den, and they are spacious sanctuaries beside Cold Springs Creek. Harmon Den is in Pisgah National Forest, and dispersed camping is allowed but only where there is a camping symbol posted along Cold Springs Creek Road. To get to the campsite, you have to get off on Exit 7 along Interstate 40 in North Carolina and travel a gravel road for several miles. You will not want to drive too fast since there are several potholes, washboards, and protruding rocks in the road. At the campsite, there is a fire ring, but there are no other facilities such as bathrooms, showers, electricity, running water, trash cans, camp store, firewood for sale, campground hosts, etc. It is pretty much just a space for camping. With that said, it offers all the exciting activities that national forests offer, such as fishing, biking, hiking, etc. Harmon Den is mostly known as a horse camp, although car camping without horses is a common occurrence. When I was there, I passed by a couple of car campers that did not have horses. I did see a few vehicles with horse trailers pass by on the road. Because it is a popular horse camping area, you have to watch where you step. At our campsite, there was horse poop in several places, and I had to watch my grandson closely so he didn’t step in a pile of horse manure. Expect to encounter horse flies as well. There was also lots of poison ivy, so that was another concern I had about my grandson running freely. Since there are no bathrooms, practicing LNT(Leave No Trace) is important. Unfortunately, there was lots of trash, but that was a teachable moment for my grandson, and we definitely left the campsite better than what we found it. Before it gets dark, make sure you know where you are going to take care of business when you have to get up in the middle of the night. That way, you can avoid stepping in the wrong place. There were also quite a few people fishing in the creek on the way to the campsite since the creek is a popular place for trout fishing. As a matter of fact, a wildlife officer came through our camp with a fishnet full of trout to stock the creek. She asked us if we brought our fishing poles. Unfortunately, that’s one thing I didn’t take camping with me. What was I thinking? Even with the horse poop and the poison ivy, it’s a great area for camping if you like solitude and the sounds of the creek throughout the night. Another reason to camp at Harmon Den is to visit Max Patch while you are there. I would suggest staying at least two nights so you can spend one day just enjoying Max Patch. It is a large mountain bald over which the Appalachian Trail crosses. I have been there in the past when people are having picnics, flying kites, or just lying on a blanket enjoying the magnificent scenery. If you go at the right time of year, one of the trails up to Max Patch will take you by wild blueberries and blackberries. As I stated earlier, the campsites are spacious, and it felt very peaceful just being there. 

  Product Review: 

  As a Dyrt Ranger I get to occasionally try out outdoor products while camping and this trip I brought Eclipse Sun Sleeves(https://eclipseglove.com/)..) As a stem cell transplant survivor from stage 4 Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, I can never be in the sun without adequate protection for the rest of my life. That’s why Eclipse clothing is perfect for me. Even in the middle of the summer, I have had to wear long sleeves and a broad-brimmed hat. I had earlier written a review for the Eclipse shawl, but with the Eclipse Sun Sleeves, I can finally wear my short sleeve shirts again. Since I love the outdoors and have some cool t-shirts, all I have to do is put on my sun sleeves and I am protected. The only thing I could see that might need improving would be to figure out how to keep the upper part to stay up. It wasn’t that much of a problem, and I don’t how the company could solve it, but overall, the sun sleeves are great. I would further like to say that because of sun sleeves, those who are allergic to the sun have one less excuse not to go outdoors in the sun..

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• 

  Myron C.

  Legend

  Jun. 8, 2019

  Big Creek Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park

  Campground near Rafting Excursions on the Pigeon River

  Even though the sites are walk-in sites, when I was there it was pretty crowded since the sites are close together.  At night, you can hear the distant sounds of the creek … if the other campers can stop talking.  This is not a campground for RVs.  There are no hookups and there are no places for RVs to park.  The thing I like best about this campground is its proximity to the Appalachian Trail and several other trails, including the Benton MacKaye Trail.  Midnight Hole, which is a 1.5 mile hike, is a great place to cool off.  Once you get there, you can swim to a big rock and jump off into a natural pool.  I believe this is the same place I took Boy Scouts many, many years ago and they loved it.  You just have to be careful because it is deep and COLD.  The trail to Mount Cammerer is quite strenuous, but the view is worth it.  Other than the great trails, the other attraction is the whitewater rafting.  There are a few outfitters just over the state line, and they shuttle rafters to the starting point beside the power station.  The one I used was NOC.  When I first came here years ago, I thought the river looked low, but by the time we put our raft in, the river was raging.  I think the most fun, besides the rafting, at this campground is playing on the rocks in the creek.  There is also a group camping area, which is separate from the family campground.  That is because they release the water just for rafting.  This campground is conveniently located off of Interstate 40 near the Tennessee and North Carolina state line. Once you get to the national park road leading to it, it is a 1.2 mile drive on a gravel road.

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• 

  Crystal C.

  Legend

  Sep. 6, 2018

  Smokemont Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park

  Welcome To North Carolina, the Smoky Mountain Way!

  On the most crowded of days sometimes you just find something that makes you happy and in my pursuit of a waterfall, that is how I stumbled upon Smokemont. I had thought it was a group only camp from other readings, but then discovered it was this great place with wide spaces big enough for RVs or tents.

  The sites were pretty flat and even and made for my tent night comfortable. Facilities were well maintained and this being my first campground in North Carolina, it left a very good impression on me to say the least!!

  I did find this campsite to be less crowded than the two major camps on the Tennessee side the Smoky Mountain entrance.

  The campsite I had was only $21 when I visited and was pretty standard with picnic table and fire ring. They do ask you only use heat treated wood and not bring in woods which might contain little critters not native to the area. This was the only real warning they gave me when I checked in.

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  Myron C.

  Legend

  Jul. 1, 2019

  Smokemont Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park

  Large National Park Campground Close to Historic Structures

  Despite having rained for a week, staying at this campground wasn’t half bad. Building a fire was next to impossible. I think there might have been thirty minutes without rain, so pictures are limited. Being in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you need to be prepared for rain since it is a temperate rain forest. I had brought Boy Scouts to this campground years ago and wanted to go back. This time, we did not stay in the group camping area. Since it was at the beginning of the week, it wasn’t too crowded, although there were two Boy Scout groups in the group camping area. There are several camping areas, and the one we were in allowed generators during the day. I think I heard one, but it was not so bad. Unfortunately, there are gravel tent pads, which is bad news for campers with tents you have to stake down. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again. As a tent camper, I hate gravel tent pads. Being in the national park, the amenities are about the same as the other national park campgrounds. However, I was surprised that the bath house had an electrical outlet to be used for blow dryers and shavers. I don’t remember any other Great Smoky Mountains National Park campgrounds having that luxury. But like the other ones in this national park, the bath house does not have showers or campsite hookups for water, sewer, and electricity. There are several trails in the area, but the ones that originate from the campground is the¾ mile nature trail and the Bradley Fork Smokemont Loop. When my son and I hiked this trail, we had to watch out for and step around horse poop. Since this trail is also used by horses, there was lots of it. Fortunately, the nature trail didn’t allow horses. My granddaughter loved walking over the log bridges and skipping rocks at the campground while it wasn’t raining. I think that was her favorite part. As with most of my camping trips, I want to explore, and there is plenty to explore around this campground. Being in the national park, there is a wide variety.  

  Fewer than three miles down the road, there is an old mill (Mingus Mill), the Oconaluftee Visitors Center (which has the Mountain Farm Museum), elk, wild turkeys, etc. Within the boundary of the campground I discovered something at the campground that I never knew existed. There was an old church at the campground that was built before Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established. We were able to go into the church for me to take a few pictures.  It was first constructed in 1836 and rebuilt in 1912. Not too far from the campground is the Appalachian Trail, the Benton MacKaye Trail, and the Kephart Prong Trail. This campground is also one of the largest campgrounds in the national park that I have been to. Although it is not an equestrian campground, Tow String camping area is“next door,” and it is an equestrian campground. The horseback riders pass beside the campground on route to the Bradley Fork Trail. Overall, this was one of my better experiences with national park campgrounds except for the rain.

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• 

  Kristen B.

  Guide

  Jun. 13, 2018

  North Mills River

  Great small spot

  Small campground, but there are free off road sites not too far down the road. Cell service disappears but I love that kind of disconnect. No power, can use a generator but only for a few hours during non quiet time. Quiet hours strictly enforced. Horse trails nearby. Roads lead to blue ridge Parkway. There is a shower and working toilet, but also outhouse for off season use. Hosts make you feel like family.

• T

  Taylor

  Guide

  Nov. 10, 2022

  Paradise Ridge Permaculture

  Small, quaint permaculture farm in the mountains

  Had a nice experience here. Amber, the host, was very kind and accommodating. She showed us around the grounds which has horses, pigs, chickens, a natural spring, and fruits/vegetables/mushrooms growing around the property. The grounds are conveniently located near the city of Asheville and hiking trails. There was a shared gazebo, cozy fire pit, and cold showers. The only downside was that there wasn’t a secluded spot available for car camping, even though Amber did figure something out for us to be able to stay. Would recommend to get away from your typical campground.