Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Otto, NC is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. Otto is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Otto, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.
$26 - $100 / night
"The entrance to this park is right across the street to an entrance to the Appalachian Trail. A beautiful trout stream runs through the park, close to all the campsites."
"Our site was about 30 feet away from the Nantahala river. The bathrooms and showers were spotless. Keep in mind that it’s far from any store or restaurant so bring food along. No cell service."
"There are primitive, walk-in sites that had the benefit of added privacy, but with 3 little kids, bathroom proximity was a higher priority this time around. "
"There are multiple cabins scattered around the lake but they are a good distance apart from each other so you won't be disturbed by your neighbors."
$6 / night
"This spot is so perfect, it has a nice little river that runs near by the camp that you can wash dishes and bathe in with the perfect noise not to loud not to silent to hear the highway near this camp,"
"Walked a long ways and never saw another spot.
Lots of rocks, creeks and tight spots to make for a fun time."
$20 - $30 / night
"Some of the best Horse Camping in the Mountains, Great Horse trails that follow the Chatooga River."
"This is a very nice horse camp facility. Well maintained and clean. Trails are wonderful and well-constructed to avoid deep mud."
$30 / night
"There’s a river that runs a long the outside of the campground. Good swimming holes. A store that sells food (the best ice cream), firewood & camping supplies."
"This campground is off the beaten path but found by LOTS so have a reservation. There is an 11 mile loop with historic structures and lots of wildlife. Watch for BEARS!"
"The first campsite we stayed at was on the Green Valley Trail, the second one was on the Panthertown Valley Trail right near the Schoolhouse Falls Trail, and the third was on Mac's Gap right past the Granny"
"The sites near the middle of Macs Gap trail are huge and there is easy access to a couple streams. Bring a good map and stick to the trails that your map covers."
$15 - $30 / night
"I unfortunately haven’t been able to return to this location for quite some time now but I remember it fondly. Spent many nights and days here during middle school with my local horse club."
"Passed through on a bike packing trip and we were the only non-horse people there. Campsite was clean, with bathrooms and water available."
"Awesome campsites close to the water. Near Standing Indian Campgound."
"Clean showers and toilets (including running water), easily accessible tent sites for large groups, litter-free, friendly staff, short hiking trails, less than an hour from Nantahala rafting"
$10 - $20 / night
"Sites are first come, first serve, most sites are in the open with a few more private sites around the edge."
"Great for accessing the mountain bike trails at Tsali. The entire campground is first come first serve, never had a problem finding a spot, but does fill up by the weekend."
LegendNot 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.
GuideThis is my favorite campground! It could be because I’ve been camping in Cades Cove every year since I was 5. I’m 30 now & married my husband at the missionary baptist church in cades cove in 2014. Many good memories have been made in this campground. It’s primitive $20 a night no hook ups large wooded sites. One loop generators are allowed & another loop they aren’t so that’s nice. It’s peaceful & very quiet. There’s a river that runs a long the outside of the campground. Good swimming holes. A store that sells food (the best ice cream), firewood & camping supplies. They also have bike & helmets for rent. They’re very strict about bear proofing your campsite. All my years camping there I’ve seen many bear walking through the campground. So it’s for your safety & the bears that you obey the rules. The rangers walk around frequently & make sure no ice chest or grills have been left out so before you leave your campsite make sure to pick those items up or they will get confiscated & you will get a little ticket. Again it’s all for your & the bears safety. The 11 mile loop is closed for vehicles on wed & sat mornings until 10:00 am so bikes can ride through. I highly recommend walking or riding your bike through early in the morning or in the afternoon. There is a halfway point to use the restroom & buy some souvenirs. Also there is a road called parsons branch most of the time it’s closed but we’ve been lucky a few times & it’s been open. Definitely need a suv or truck to drive down it bc you cross over water a few times. EXTREMELY PEACEFUL! All 3 times we’ve driven it we never saw anyone else. It’s a narrow road & you end up on the dragon in North Carolina so you’ll have a nice drive down the foothills parkway to get back. Also rich mountain road is beautiful to drive down in the fall. It will bring you back out in townsend.
GuideSmall 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.
LegendI visited Bristol Fields for a planned primitive camping event with a group. I’m glad I arrived in daylight because my first drive in on the approximately 4 mile stretch of dirt and gravel road was a little nerve racking. Mostly because I wasn’t 100% sure I was going the correct way and second because there are some nice drop offs from the road. It is a wide road (about 1 1/2 lane)but passing in some areas would be interesting. Stay right and you will find the sign. The campground is primarily for horse oriented camping. It is split into three areas. The first section to the right as you pull in is the area we set up in. Then there is a long field that is obviously for horse trailer parking and camping with tie out poles included. There is a small tree break prior to the last area which has the pit style latrine and a large field for camping use. This whole area is bordered by a nice cold stream that is excellent for soaking your sore muscles in after a horse ride or hike. There is direct access to horse and hiking trails that are not extremely scenic (as in no long views until you get to the top) but will give you a good vertical workout. You can run or bike ride on the road too. There are several large fire pit areas throughout and a fire circle with wood chairs in the main area. There were five of us, three tent campers and two in vans and we had plenty of room to set up. The gravel center with picnic table worked well as our “kitchen” and dining area. Once parked my vehicle didn’t move again until it was time to leave. Total black at night meant excellent star gazing and the creek was the loudest thing out there. It did seem to be a young adult destination in the evenings, but they left when they saw that the site was occupied. A nice feature someone created was a “dam” of rocks with a round pool to sit in. Excellent get away with no electronics to speak of.
GuideGood sized campground tucked into the mountains. I brought my dog with me and had a great time. There is a lake that you can fish in, stables to ride horses, and hiking trails on the campground. We heard some people on dirt bikes on the trails too.
RangerThis park has amazing views of the surrounding mountains. Lots of shade. It has an equestrian area where you can book horseback rides. The people that run the park are very friendly and accommodating. Lots of hiking trails both in the park and outside of the park. There were only 2 negatives that we had on this trip. One was our first encounter with "stink bugs". They were everywhere and you couldn't keep them out of the RV. When we got home to Florida we were still killing them inside the RV for almost 5 months! The other negative is that hurricane Micheal was barreling for Florida before our stay was up at Trackrock. We had to cut our stay short so that we wouldn't be driving through a hurricane.
GuideI unfortunately haven’t been able to return to this location for quite some time now but I remember it fondly. Spent many nights and days here during middle school with my local horse club. Trails were clean although a little to narrow in some spots, especially when needing to pass another horse and rider but there is plenty of wide open areas that allow for the perfect opportunity to stop and rest. If you ever have time I also recommend stopping by stump house tunnel which is near by its 2 adventures for the price of 1! Writing this review makes me want to go back!
GuideThis place has absolutely breathtaking views, nice lake, well stocked little office store, nice game room, did not do the equestrian part, but I’m sure it’s well worth it.. town is not far and has some good shopping and local restaurants. Definitely worth the trip...
ScoutSome of the best Horse Camping in the Mountains, Great Horse trails that follow the Chatooga River.
Horse camping in North Carolina offers a unique blend of scenic trails and well-equipped facilities for equestrian enthusiasts. With a variety of campgrounds catering to horse lovers, you can enjoy the great outdoors while ensuring your horse has a comfortable stay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Otto, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Otto, NC is Standing Indian Campground with a 4.8-star rating from 19 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Otto, NC?
TheDyrt.com has all 40 equestrian camping locations near Otto, NC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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