0
Pull-thru
NPSGreat Smoky Mountains National Park · North Carolina
Cataloochee Group Camp
Overview Cataloochee Group Camp in the remote and historic Cataloochee Valley, is surrounded by some of the most rugged mountains in the park, providing excellent hiking opportunities as well as ideal
Sites3all reservable
Elev.2,572ft
Comf.Feb-Nov10 months
Max rigtents
Electricnonesites
From Asheville1h31real 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 2,572 ft, Cataloochee Group Camp has a 10-month comfortable window (Feb-Nov). Winter nights average around 31°F, so the shoulder seasons turn cold fast. All 3 sites are reservable in advance, so plan ahead. Popular weekends book out. Within about 4 miles: 2 named hiking routes, 13 peaks, lake or river access.
The campground at a glance
01 · CHARACTER
Reads strongest on reservability and shade. 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.
66%
Of summer weekend-days are dry.
Apr 14
Last spring frost; first fall frost Nov 1.
65°F
Average July low. Bring a fleece.
Getting there
03 · ACCESS
01
Asheville
43 mi
1h31
02
Charlotte
157 mi
3h50
03
Raleigh
287 mi
6h16
By drive time
Routed road time (OSRM). Nearest major highway 3.2 mi away.
Picking your site
04 · 3 SITES
Color byShow only
3 mapped sites · dot color = seclusion · click a dot for details. Basemap © OpenStreetMap.
0
Walk-in
0
50-amp
0
Accessible
0
Prime
3
Sites
What's within four miles
05 · TRAILS · PEAKS · WATER
Trails & Peaks
Named hiking routes
2
Trail segments
15
Peaks
13
Water & Access
Lake / river access
yes
To nearest major road
3.2 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.