Shelter on the Appalachian Trail at the North Carolina / Tennessee border.



Davenport Shelter

A private, gated driveway leads to our off-grid Camp House. Situated on mountaintop acreage bordering the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cherokee National Forest, the Camp House is equipped with solar power and private, indoor composting toilet. It is not your average tree house camping trip.

Smoky Mountain Sky Camp

 The only horse camp in the Great Smoky Mountains with potable water and flushing toilets!

Pack up your horses for a getaway at Big Creek Horse Camp, located on far northeastern side of Smoky Mountains National Park, approximately 16 miles from Newport, Tennessee. This campsite sits along the gently rolling waters of Big Creek and offers miles of horse trails with breathtaking scenic backdrops.&nbsp;

You MUST have a HORSE to camp in Big Creek Horse Camp!

Recreation

The rolling terrain surrounding the campsite makes for some of the best horseback riding trails in the park. Numerous trails are accessible from Big Creek and for riders looking for a little hiking, the Appalachian Trail can be easily reached via the 2.1 mile Chestnut Branch Trail, located within walking distance from the camp.&nbsp;

Day Use horse area- so invite your horse riding friends and family for a fun day even if they don't want to camp with you.   

Campers can also enjoy high-quality backcountry fishing in the cool waters of the countless streams that snake through the mountains, with Rainbow and Brook trout available in abundance, particularly during spring months.

Facilities

Big Creek Horse Camp is fairly primitive, providing only the basic amenities, but an unforgettable outdoors experience. The sites are large and the facility does offer flush toilets, drinking water and plenty of shade.   

Since horses are not permitted in the camping area, horse stalls and hitching rails are provided to guests.  

There are no hookups or showers at the campground, but water is available from the campground spigot.&nbsp;

You MUST have a HORSE to camp in Big Creek Horse Camp!

Natural Features

At a 1,700 foot elevation, Big Creek provides a moderate climate, characterized by mild winters and hot, humid summers. The camp is surrounded by picturesque mountain ranges and pristine mountain streams.   

Nearby Mouse Creek Falls, a 35 foot waterfall forming at the confluence of Mouse Creek and Big Creek, is reachable by horseback or on foot via the Big Creek trailhead located on-site.  

The beautiful falls splits over moss covered rocks and falls about 20 ft. before pooling and falling another 15 ft. into Big Creek. The falls can be reached via the Big Creek Trail, which is covered in wildflowers during spring months.

Nearby Attractions

The Big Creek Group Campground is located nearby, with plenty of space for larger groups.   

Full service grocery stores and medical facilities are located 16 miles away in Newport, Tennessee.

ADA Access: N



Big Creek Horse Camp

Big Creek Campground is located in a remote portion of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The beautiful flowing waters of Big Creek parallel the campground offering the visitor a pleasant soundscape and peaceful beauty.

Recreation

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a hiker's paradise, with over 800 miles of maintained trails ranging from short, leg-stretchers to strenuous treks. The Big Creek area offers some of the most challenging hikes within the Park. Baxter Creek trail begins near the campground and with an elevation gain of 4200' from trail head to the summit of Mt Sterling provides a strenuous work out for the strongest of hikers. The nearby Big Creek trail offers a pleasant hike along the waters of Big Creek with a beautiful waterfall along the way.   
Local anglers agree that Big Creek offers some of the best trout fishing in the area. Fly fishing is particularly good during spring months when aquatic insects hatch in large numbers. Wildlife viewing is a popular pastime, and with around 1,500 black bear living in the park, it is not uncommon for visitors to spot one. The park is a sanctuary for a magnificent array of animal and plant life, all of which is protected for future generations to enjoy.

Facilities

Big Creek Campground offers 12 TENT ONLY campsites for a traditional outdoor camping experience with the added convenience of flush toilets and drinking water. There are no hookups or showers at the campground. There is an emergency phone available at the Big Creek Ranger Station located 1 mile from the campground. No generator use or recreational vehicles are allowed in Big Creek Campground. There is a food storage locker available for public use.

Natural Features

Located at an elevation of 1,700' Big Creek Campground is surrounded by picturesque mountain ranges and a pristine mountain stream. Black Bear sightings are not uncommon and some lucky visitors may spot River Otter playing in Big Creek.

Nearby Attractions

Nearby attractions include the Cataloochee Valley, Newport, TN, Cosby Campground, Hartford Whitewater Rafting, the Appalachian Trail and the Max Patch/Pisgah National Forest.

ADA Access: N



Big Creek Campground 

Big Creek Horse Camp - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Big Creek Group Camp is located in the far northeastern corner of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, near the Tennessee-North Carolina border.   

With the gentle waters of Big Creek running alongside the site, and a handful of trailheads within walking distance, this campsite offers an ideal setting for group camping excursions.

Recreation

Numerous hiking and horseback riding trails are accessible from the campground and in the surrounding areas. Most notably, the Appalachian Trail is easily reached via the Chestnut Branch Trail, a 2.1 mile trail for hikers only, beginning down the road from the campground.  

Nearby Baxter Creek Trail meanders along the water, while equestrian campers might enjoy taking the Big Creek Trail to Mouse Creek Falls or Midnight Hole, an area where Big Creek squeezes between large boulders, forming a deep, beautifully-colored pool.   

Compared to some other areas of the park, Big Creek is not crowded with anglers. Spring provides ideal conditions for fly fishing on Big Creek, with Rainbow and Brook trout looking for the aquatic insects which hatch during this time.

Facilities

Big Creek Group Camp offers an unforgettable outdoor experience combined with the convenience of flush toilets, drinking water and sinks.   

The campsite can accommodate up to 25 guests and tent pads, grills and fire rings are provided. The site is surrounded by a heavy canopy of towering forest, providing plenty of shade for guests.

Natural Features

Big Creek Group Camp is nestled among the scenic mountains and pristine streams surrounding the big creek section of the North Carolina Smokies.  

Nearby Mouse Creek Falls, a 35 foot waterfall forming at the confluence of Mouse Creek and Big Creek, is a stunning geological feature of the area.  

 The falls splits over moss covered rocks and falls about 20 ft. before pooling and falling another 15 ft. into Big Creek. The falls can be reached via the Big Creek Trail, which is covered in wildflowers during spring months.

Nearby Attractions

The Big Creek Horse Camp is located nearby, with horse stables and riding trails available.  

Full service grocery stores and medical facilities are located 16 miles away in Newport, Tennessee.

Charges & Cancellations

Customers who cancel a group overnight facility reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee.

ADA Access: N



Big Creek Group Camp

#35 Gilliland Creek

Fox Fire Riverside Campground

Pigeon River Campground

Nantahala Outdoor Center

**This is a beautiful shelter on the Appalachian Trail. The trail from the parking lot to the shelter is at least 3 miles, so this is a true backpacking trip. The shelter is both logs and stone, lots of personality. It sleeps at least 10 people. There’s a great fire pit, nice water spigot nearby, places to hang bags, caged in to protect from bears. If you are day hiking in, consider being a trail angel and bring some treats for the thru-hikers :)**

Amazing shelter but NOT car camping 

Coming upon Davenport shelter we decided to eat a snack and rest up. The shelter has a cage around it to keep out the bears. (They all did in the smokies until people started feeding bears to coax them to stay for photos. Then the bears showed up to much. It was like a reverse zoo. Now the fences are gone except for this one so it was good to see) I might avoid setting up your tent outside of the fence at this shelter. One of my hiking partners sat in the cage and pulled out his travel guitar. We ate to the sound of beautiful acoustic Bach music. What a perfect day.

While we did not see any bears at the shelter, we read in the hiker's log that a black snake dropped right onto a woman in the middle of the night. This was the night before we arrived. Anything is to be expected out in the Appalachian wilderness.

The hike out of the Smokies leads right to a hostel with bunks, showers, laundry and food available. A welcome location in the wildness of this area. Don't miss out on hiking through the Smokies!

Davenport Shelter

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About This Campground

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2021 Explorer Giveaway

Amazing shelter but NOT car camping

Amazing shelter but NOT car camping

Davenport Shelter on the Appalachian Trail

Location

Coordinates

Nearby Campgrounds

Smoky Mountain Sky Camp

Big Creek Horse Camp

Big Creek Campground

Big Creek Horse Camp - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Big Creek Group Camp

#35 Gilliland Creek

Fox Fire Riverside Campground

Pigeon River Campground

Nantahala Outdoor Center

Is This Your Campground?

About This Campground

Features

Access

Location

Coordinates

Nearby Campgrounds

Smoky Mountain Sky Camp

Big Creek Horse Camp

Big Creek Campground

Big Creek Horse Camp - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Big Creek Group Camp

#35 Gilliland Creek

Fox Fire Riverside Campground

Pigeon River Campground

Nantahala Outdoor Center

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