Bent River Equestrian offers primitive camping with equine accommodations near Pisgah National Forest. The campground maintains a limited number of sites on its working horse farm, providing campers the opportunity to stay in close proximity to the resident horses and barn cats. Clean portable toilets and an outdoor cold shower serve the camping area, while tent sites are situated in a field setting with ample room for horses and dogs. Fire pits are available at each site, though RV hookups are limited. The campground operates as a functioning horse farm rather than a conventional campground, which shapes both its atmosphere and its facilities.
Wolf Ford Horse Camp and Wash Creek Horse Camp connect riders to extensive trail systems within Pisgah National Forest. Both campgrounds provide direct access to forest service roads and bridle paths traversing the mountainous terrain. Wolf Ford features primitive camping with toilet facilities but no running water, requiring campers to bring supplies for themselves and their horses. The camping areas accommodate both tent and small RV setups with enough space for horse trailers. Fire rings are permitted at designated sites, though firewood must be brought in. These horse campgrounds serve as practical base camps for day rides through the region, with trails leading to scenic overlooks and connecting to broader networks throughout Pisgah.
$31 - $62 / night
"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."
"This is a great campground next to the beautiful North Mills River. Hosts were very accommodating and delivered ice and firewood for a cheap price upon request."
$20 / night
"Chickens and horses on site. Playground and lots of fun. Sites are wooded and quaint. Roads are a little narrow, but passable. One of our favorite sites."
"We fished right next to our camp site and then relaxed with a camp fire listening to the sound of the River."
$30 - $900 / night
"I got there just in time to see a beautiful sunset and say hello to the horses. The host is fantastic. I would definitely stay again."
"Cute horses and barn cats to pet and watch"
"just a quick 15 minute walk across the river and up the trail (follow Daniel ridge trail loop from parking lot)."
"With that said:
- remote- you have to want to get up here but it's really easy to do once you drive it a few times.
*clearly marked spots. I am actually located at ucc-2. ** The Dead End spot."
$40 / night
"bit of a drive through the forest to get here, but great spots if you're looking to get away from civilization."
$4 - $20 / night
"My friend and I hiked the Raven Cliff Falls loop trail a while back and have added it to our list of top 10 favorite trails."
"Wonderful trails with breath taking views and technical climbs plus discrete camping."
"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."
"*this is just for the free campsites- there appears to be paid campsites and maybe RV hook ups very close by."
$55 - $650 / night
ScoutFYI - this is not showing as closed on NFS site - right after the North Mills River Campground Yellow Gap road is gated and closed due to damage from Helene in Sep 2024. A call to Pisgah Forest Service office confirmed it may be quite a bit before it is opened up as there are other priority areas they are currently working on.
GuideSmokemont 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!
GuideWe 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.
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.
LegendRanger 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..
LegendEven 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.
LegendOn 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.
LegendDespite 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.
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.
Pisgah National Forest offers dispersed camping opportunities on forest service roads within a 500,000-acre wilderness. Elevations range from 2,000 to 6,000 feet, creating varied camping conditions from riverside sites to mountain plateaus. Water access varies significantly by location, with most dispersed sites requiring campers to bring their own supply.
Fishing nearby creeks: North Mills River Campground connects directly to excellent fishing areas. "Beautiful and quiet," reports Amanda O., who enjoyed the creekfront setting. Another camper notes, "This is a great campsite if you like fishing! We stayed here and were close to some amazing spots to fish!"
Hiking to waterfalls: From Upper Cove Creek - UCC1 Dispersed, visitors can access nearby water features. "Beautiful waterfall (whaleback falls I think?) just a quick 15 minute walk across the river and up the trail (follow Daniel ridge trail loop from parking lot)," explains one camper who enjoyed the easy access to natural attractions.
Mountain biking trails: The region offers technical trails for various skill levels. A visitor at Bent River Equestrian mentioned it's a "Great place to spend a couple of nights" specifically noting its convenience to mountain biking trails.
Seasonal cost savings: North Mills River changes prices seasonally. "After November 1st the prices get cut in half, so I stayed for $11," reports one visitor who appreciated the off-season value when the campground partially closes.
River proximity: At Lazy J Campground, campers enjoy direct water access. "We camped right along the river. It felt like we were camping deep in the woods... We fished right next to our camp site and then relaxed with a camp fire listening to the sound of the River," shares a reviewer who valued the riverside location.
Wildlife viewing: Animal interactions enhance camping experiences at multiple locations. "Cute horses and barn cats to pet and watch," mentions a visitor to Bent River Equestrian, while another notes the "chickens and horses on site" at Lazy J Campground.
Bear safety requirements: Panthertown Valley Backcountry Area has significant bear activity. "The bears here are extremely bad. I actually had an encounter with a very large bear who charged my group and destroyed a tent," warns one camper. Another advises, "You will really need to pack a bear safe food container and absolutely store food using a bear line well away from camp."
Limited facilities: Most horse campgrounds near Pisgah Forest, North Carolina operate with minimal amenities. Wolf Ford Horse Camp runs without running water or electricity, with reviews noting "Roads very poorly maintained. Grounds not well maintained."
Reservation systems: Most established campgrounds require advance booking. North Mills River uses a permit system where "you fill out a permit envelope, tear off the receipt, include your payment and insert it into a mailbox of sorts."
Kid-friendly campgrounds: Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area offers trails manageable for adventurous families. "My friend and I hiked the Raven Cliff Falls loop trail a while back and have added it to our list of top 10 favorite trails," mentions a visitor who appreciates the mix of challenge and accessibility.
Campground activities: Some locations provide built-in entertainment. "They have a playground which is cool and the staff is very friendly," notes a camper about Lazy J Campground.
Space considerations: Sites vary significantly in size. At Panthertown Valley, some areas "can accommodate around 4 tents" with features like a "huge rock face to walk on and observe stars or overlook the valley below."
Access challenges: Many equestrian campgrounds near Pisgah have limited RV access. Mills River Dispersed cautions that "the dirt road to get there as well as the pull off for the campsite are rough and a bit dangerous for low/regular cars."
Site limitations: RV spaces can be restricted at horse-oriented facilities. "Our space was small but some are a good size," notes one reviewer at Lazy J Campground, adding that there are "many permanent residents so not the community of campers feel."
Hookup availability: Basic utilities vary by location. Campers at Panther Ridge RV Park mention the site "had electricity and water at the site, along with a fire ring and picnic table," though the campground is described as "fairly small" with sites "pretty close to each other."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Pisgah Forest, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Pisgah Forest, NC is North Mills River with a 4.3-star rating from 28 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Pisgah Forest, NC?
TheDyrt.com has all 37 equestrian camping locations near Pisgah Forest, NC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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