National Park Service · North Carolina
Round Bottom Horse Camp
National Park Service · North Carolina, United States · in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Sites
- 5
- Hookups
- 5 no hookups
- Season
- May 25 to September 7
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 3,166 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 2
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Lake
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Nearest town
- Cherokee
- Address
- Mailing address is c/o Oconaluftee Ranger Station, 60 Enloe-Floyd Bottoms Road, Cherokee, NC, 28719
- Phone
- 865-436-1261 OR 828-497-9270
- Activities
- Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Historic Sites, Horseback Riding, Wildlife Viewing
5 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Saddle up your horses for a camping trip in the stunning Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Located in the North Carolina portion of the park, this campsite offers miles of horse trails with a breathtaking backdrop. Whether blanketed in bright spring wildflowers or vivid fall colors, the scenery at Round Bottom never disappoints.
World-renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian culture, Great Smoky Mountains is America's most visited national park.
You MUST have a HORSE to camp at Round Bottom Horse Camp!
Recreation
With access to several of the Smokies' popular horseback riding trails, equestrians will never be bored.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a hiker's paradise, offering over 800 miles of maintained trails ranging from short, leg-stretchers to strenuous treks, with a number of those trails easily accessible from the picnic area. But hiking is not the only reason for visiting the Smokies: Fishing, picnicking, wildlife viewing and auto touring are also popular activities.
Campers can enjoy high-quality backcountry fishing in the cool waters of the countless streams and rivers that snake through the mountains, with trout available in abundance.
Wildlife viewing is a popular pastime, and with around 1,500 bears living in the park, it's 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.
The park also holds one of the best collections of log buildings in the eastern United States. Over 90 historic structures, including houses, barns, outbuildings, churches, schools and grist mills, have been preserved or rehabilitated in the park.
Facilities
Round Bottom offers a traditional outdoor camping experience
You MUST have a HORSE to camp at Round Bottom Horse Camp!
Natural Features
Round Bottom Horse Camp is surrounded by picturesque mountain ranges, pristine mountain streams and rivers and clear blue skies that set the backdrop for your camping and horseback riding adventure.
At 3,060 feet elevation, the campground provides a moderate climate, typified by mild winters and hot, humid summers.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park preserves a rich cultural tapestry of Southern Appalachian history. The mountains have had a long human history spanning thousands of years, from the prehistoric Paleo Indians to early European settlement in the 1800s to loggers and Civilian Conservation Corps enrollees in the 20th century. The park strives to protect the historic structures, landscapes, and artifacts that tell the stories of people who once called these mountains home.
Nearby Attractions
Cherokee, North Carolina, located about 13 miles away, offers fuel and grocery stores.
Fees
Individual Campsites: A customer who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation). Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. Customers that check out early or do not plan to use their reservation MUST contact the campground office the day they leave or are due to check in, in order to receive a refund. Refund requests for early departure or non use of the site made AFTER the reservation has ended will be denied. Office phone numbers are given in the Facility Contact information for each campground.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44° | 26° | 3° | 62° | 10 of 11 |
| February | 53° | 33° | 15° | 71° | 10 of 11 |
| March | 60° | 40° | 2° | 74° | 7 of 11 |
| April | 67° | 44° | 29° | 80° | 3 of 11 |
| May | 72° | 55° | 38° | 83° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 78° | 61° | 48° | 88° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 80° | 65° | 57° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 80° | 64° | 56° | 86° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 76° | 60° | 48° | 86° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 67° | 45° | 30° | 78° | 1 of 10 |
| November | 57° | 38° | 21° | 69° | 4 of 10 |
| December | 49° | 32° | 14° | 65° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Balsam Mountain Campground · National Park Service · 4 mi · 43 sites
- Balsam Mt. Campground · National Park Service · 4 mi · 43 sites
- Cataloochee Horse Camp · National Park Service · 5 mi · 7 sites
- Smokemont Group Camp · National Park Service · 7 mi · 3 sites
- Smokemont Campground · National Park Service · 7 mi · 142 sites
All public campgrounds in North Carolina · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-08-14. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.