Big Creek Campground map (click to enlarge)

See the Big Creek Region web page for an interactive location map.

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GENERAL INFORMATION

The Big Creek Horse Campground at Great Smoky Mountains National Park is located on the northeast side of the park at the end of Big Creek Entrance Road near the Big Creek Campground. Big Creek Road is an extremely rough dirt road with potholes so big that if you hit one your radio will skip. If you have ever seen the movie Escape From New York, driving down Big Creek Entrance Road is like driving over the bridge filled with land mines, as you are constantly swerving left and right to avoid them. However, other than a low-rider, any vehicle can make it—no 4-wheel drive is required.

CAMPING SEASON

Big Creek Horse Campground is usually open from April until the end of October. The exact opening and closing dates change each year, so be sure to visit the National Park Service’s Horse Camps web page for the latest schedule.

TYPE OF CAMPING

Big Creek Horse Campground can accommodate tent campers and RVs and horse trailers up to 35 feet long. No more than a combination of four vehicles and trailers are allowed per site. Campsites 3, 4, and 5 have one, large parking area. Campsites 1 and 2 have two smaller, separate parking areas.

You must have a horse to camp in a horse campground. All horses must have a negative Coggins test.

For those with horses who just want to go riding for the day, there is a day use parking area located before the entrance to the campground.

NUMBER OF SITES

The Big Creek Horse Campground has six campsites, but only five are available to the public. Each site holds up to six people and four horses (horses are kept in provided outdoor stalls near the campsite, not at the campsite).

Campsite 2 is handicap-accessible. This means that it is closest to the restroom and has a tall grill / fire pit, which is good for cooking if you are in a wheelchair, but it sucks for sitting around a campfire because the fire is down at the bottom of the metal container.

Campsite 2 at the Big Creek Horse Campground in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Each campsite has a tent pad, picnic table, and grill / fire pit. Other than the huge parking areas for vehicles, they are just like campsites at the Big Creek Campground.

Typical campsite at the Big Creek Horse Camp

AMENITIES

The Big Creek Horse Campground is the only horse camp within Great Smoky Mountains National Park with drinking water and a modern restroom facility. However, like all campgrounds in the park, there are no showers, but there are private companies that offer fee-based shower facilities outside of the park. Ask the campground host for directions to the closest one.

There are no water or electricity hook-ups at the campsites.

There is no camp store at the campground, but there is a privately owned general store at the intersection of Mt. Sterling and Big Creek Entrance roads.

There is an emergency phone available at the Big Creek Ranger Station located 1 mile from the campground.

Other than the Appalachian Trail, most trails in the area are open to horseback riding.

Horses must be kept in the stalls and not at the campsite. There are two groups of twelve horse stalls. Campsites 3, 4, and 5 are next to the stalls. You cannot see them from sites 1 and 2.

There is a manure wagon at each group of stalls.

Horse stalls and manure wagon at Big Creek Horse Camp

RESERVATIONS

Reservations are required for all campsites at Big Creek Horse Campground and can be made up to six months in advance at Recreation.gov or by calling (877) 444-6777. It is not possible to pay at the campground. If you show up without a reservation, you must leave and find a place with phone service and make one. There is no cell service at the campground.

If you forgot your campsite number, check the camp bulletin board, for each day Rangers post reservation information. Please note that I forgot my site number when camping at another of the campgrounds at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the site information was not available as it should have been. I had to drive back to the nearest town where I could get a cell phone signal so I could log into Recreation.gov and find my number. Lesson learned—don’t forget your site number.

Big Creek Horse Campground bulletin board has reservation information

FEES

Campsites at Big Creek Horse Campground are $29/night. Prices can always change. The most current rates are given on the Recreation.gov web pages.

CAMPGROUND RULES

• Check out time is noon. Check in is 1 PM.

• All food must be stored in food storage boxes (if provided) or in your vehicle.

• Stays within Great Smokey Mountains National Park are limited to 14 consecutive days at any one campground, and no more than 60 total camping days in a year. If you wish to camp more than 14 days at a particular campground, you must leave that campground for at least one day before returning. To do this, you can return home or simply switch to another campground for a day.

• Do not bring your own firewood to Great Smokey Mountains National Park. Firewood is available for sale inside the park, but not at Big Creek Campground. You can also gather wood inside the park that is on the ground and dead.

• Pets are allowed as long as they stay on a leash no longer than six feet. However, no pets are allowed on the hiking trails, other than horses, and you cannot leave them unattended at your campsite.

• Alcohol is permitted in the campground as long as the people drinking are at least 21-years-old, which goes without saying.

• Quiet hours are in effect from 10 pm to 6 am.

• Hammocks are allowed in the campground with the following guidelines: Must be over the footprint of the campsite, limited to trees 10 inches in diameter with adequate padding around the tree and only 2 hammocks are allowed to be suspended from the same tree.

• The horse campground has additional rules. See the National Park Service’s Horse Camp web page for details.

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