The best EQUESTRIAN camping near
Sayles Village , NORTH CAROLINA

Great campground! The prices are reasonable, the campground was very clean, the people were friendly, and the bathhouses were some of the cleanest I’ve seen. It was also very close to Mount Mitchell so we could go on long hikes. Loved our time there!

Full Video With Drive Through Of The Campground CLICK HERE

When visiting the smoky mountains you might be tempted to try something a little bit more off the beaten path. Sometimes the path being rocky and windy makes the campsite all the more worth it. As is the case with the Cataloochee campground. 

I took a trip to this campground in hopes of finding something spectacular I had heard that the elk in this area around freely and that on a crisp day you could hear the water which runs along side the camp even at the furthest campsite. As I drove down the winding road I noticed that the twist interns grew narrow the bumps grew frequent and then encountering a motorist was a hairy experience. I had been told that large RVs we're not permitted however I saw one precariously going down the mountain side. 

The roads suddenly turned from dirt and gravel to a paved section of highway and I was slightly confused. 

Just a short distance after this occurred I found the Cataloochee campground jetting off to the left-hand side of the road. It welcomed me with open arms and tall trees casting gorgeous shade that seem to be dancing in the sunlight. I pulled in to speak to the Ranger on duty and then quickly found my campsite. It was something unlike any other campground I had found in the area completely removed from the comforts of community and distanced intentionally from the creature comforts. 

This campground is one for making memories and enjoying truly the outdoors. Hiking trails depart from this campground and lead to some of the most historic areas of the great Smoky Mountain National Park including several structures which ones were the homes of some of the first residents of the Smoky Mountains. 

Each site was large enough to spread out in with a small camper or a tent. Tent pads are large and size allowing for even the largest of tents. Each pull in was large enough for a large vehicle, though I could see an RV being an issue. Campsites came standard with lantern hooks and picnic tables in addition to a fire ring. 

Centralized restrooms and trash receptacles were available in addition to a spigot. These restrooms are very basic however do have a wash sink area in a common area as well to avoid restroom clean up for dishes. There are no showers at this facility. 

Since this area is widely regarded for bear sightings in addition to other wild animals, you can find bear safety at the kiosk and locking trash bins. I would advise brushing up on your bear safety before a trip to the Smoky Mountains for a camping trip in general. 

Sure enough after settling in this campground was a peaceful and idyllic setting. At$25 per night the waterfront sites more than justify the price point. However, I will say reservations are required for this campground as it is more remote and also more limited on availability. 

This campground is frequently effected by weather so planning in advance is a must!!

Just a remote site with a parking spot and gravel tent pad along a nice creek off the unpacked road! All spots were full in December. There is a fire ring and lantern hook. The sites were clearly marked. Must pack out all trash. See pictures for rules and details. Note there is no restroom or pit toilet in the area.

This amazing campsite it at the base of Big Tom. It’s a moderate hike to and from the campsite with great views. There’s fire rings and lots of sites to choose from. I recommend packing in enough water for your stay because there is not a water source at the site. Also no cell service.

Non generator site. Beautiful

Weather was far from good so I quickly decided this site would work. It was pretty level, had a nice fire pit. It was very foggy all day with off and on rain. My mistake was not paying attention to where the runoff was. This morning I had a small stream running through my camp. This site had plenty of room however.

We did a spontaneous trip to the mountains and we found this nice camp site along the North Fork French Broad River and we camped right along the river. It felt like we were camping deep in the woods and the Fall leaves were still clinging to the trees and made it absolutely beautiful. We fished right next to our camp site and then relaxed with a camp fire listening to the sound of the River.

HWY 215 runs along the camp site but since it was the weekend there was very little traffic. Hosts were very friendly, bath house was clean, and had chickens running around the camp site. Only reason I gave the camp site a four star is because there is clutter around a old cabin and old camper, has a broken down sink and if cleaned up would look much better.

Camp site is close to the Blue Ridge Parkway and other areas of interest.

We had the best weekend at Steele Creek! We went the 3rd weekend in October and the fall leaf color was gorgeous! The close proximity to Linville Falls, Blowing Rock and the Blue Ridge Parkway was perfect. We will definitely be back to explore the area more. It was cool outside but we saw several kids playing in the creek and it looked fun. We will have to come back in the summer to enjoy the water.

Tis campground is a little hard to find because it is off of the beaten path but close to the Blue Ridge Parkway. We went during the peak leaf season and of course, had to book the site super early. But we snagged the belle of the ball with the Laurel group site. The maximum number of people in the site is 50 (pre Covid) but we were a group of 3 families with 11 people and it was the perfect size for this size group. There were steps leading down to the river with a small spot for a 2 person tent. There were also a number of dispersed tent sites with room to spread out. We had our own very clean restroom that was not in the way but accessible. There are a number of trails to access from the site including Setrock Falls. Even though the campground was full, we felt completely private in our site. The Toe River is the real gift of this site. The constant sounds around you and the river loop trail allowed you to explore further. This is a perfect site for kids because it is open and the river is shallow enough. I would highly recommend this site any time of year because of the river but fall adds a special quality with the leaves all around.

Pretty clean bathrooms. Easy to find sites. PLENTY of rangers. Heads up: if you have a cooler or water jug it needs to be in your car while you’re sleeping or away from the CG. Nothing food or prep related can be left unattended. I have a large Pelican bear resistant cooler that lives on my hitch rack. It’s locked to my car frame, ratcheted down to both sides of the rack and locked shut. Upon telling the ranger it did not fit in my car, he inspected it, said “mm it seems rugged enough” and let us be. Would stay again for sure.