1
Pull-thru
NPSGreat Smoky Mountains National Park · North Carolina
Cataloochee Campground
Overview Cataloochee campground is located in the historic Cataloochee Valley--a relatively remote part of Smoky Mountain National Park.
Sites27all reservable
Elev.2,700ft
Comf.Feb-Nov10 months
Max rig34 ft1 pull-thru
Electricnonesites
From Asheville1h25real road time
The honest read
Synthesized from
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
At 2,700 ft, Cataloochee Campground has a 10-month comfortable window (Feb-Nov). Winter nights average around 31°F, so the shoulder seasons turn cold fast. All 27 sites are reservable in advance, so plan ahead. Popular weekends book out. Of the sites, 1 pull-through, and the longest takes a 34-ft rig. This is bear country, and food-storage lockers are provided. Within about 4 miles: 3 named hiking routes, 14 peaks, lake or river access.
The campground at a glance
01 · CHARACTER
Reads strongest on shade and reservability. Softest on roomy sites.
Six axes, each scored relative to every other federal campground in the region: quiet (miles to a major road), cool (elevation), roomy (average site spacing), shade, RV-fit (longest rig), and how reservable it is. All six come from data, nothing hand-tuned.
When to go
02 · CLIMATE
avg highavg lowfrost-freedriest · Nov
Feb-Nov
Comfortable window: nights stay above 35°F, days below 90°F.
68%
Of summer weekend-days are dry.
Apr 16
Last spring frost; first fall frost Oct 30.
64°F
Average July low. Bring a fleece.
Getting there
03 · ACCESS
01
Asheville
41 mi
1h25
02
Charlotte
156 mi
3h45
03
Raleigh
286 mi
6h11
By drive time
Routed road time (OSRM). Nearest major highway 4.3 mi away.
Picking your site
04 · 27 SITES
Color byShow only
27 mapped sites · dot color = seclusion · click a dot for details. Basemap © OpenStreetMap.
0
Walk-in
0
50-amp
0
Accessible
10
Prime
27
Sites
★ The standout
Site 3
CATALOOCHEE CAMPGROUND · prime location · shaded.
To neighbor
96 ft
Location
Prime
Max rig
24 ft
Type
Standard
What's within four miles
05 · TRAILS · PEAKS · WATER
Trails & Peaks
Named hiking routes
3
Trail segments
29
Peaks
14
Water & Access
Lake / river access
yes
To nearest major road
4.3 mi
Method
We synthesize public data layers: RIDB and Recreation.gov facility and site records, Open-Meteo climate normals, OpenStreetMap roads, trails, and water, OSRM drive times, and USGS elevation. We take no bookings, no ads, and no paid placements. Independence is the entire point.