Anthony Creek Horse Camp

Show on map 865-448-4103 helen_mcnutt@nps.gov

c/o Cades Cove Ranger Station<p>10042 Campground Drive</p>
Townsend, TN 37882

Overview

Anthony Creek Horse Camp is located near the gently rolling waters of Anthony Creek. Whether blanketed in bright wildflowers in the spring or vivid colors in the fall, the scenery at Anthony Creek never disappoints.

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

Recreation

With access to several of the Smokies' popular horseback riding trails, equestrians will never be bored. Anthony Creek Trail intersects the campground and takes travelers up Bote Mountain, a 3,000 foot altitude gain. Although the trek is fairly strenuous, the trail is one of the most popular in the area due to the extraordinary views.

For access to the Appalachian trail, visitors can take the Anthony Creek Trail to either the Bote Mountain Trail or the Russell Field Trail, both of which intersect with the Appalachian Trail.

During spring, stopping to see the pink Mountain Laurel blooms on Spence Field is a must for anyone in the area.

The nearby horse stable provides one-hour horseback rides as well as hay rides and carriage rides from March through October, providing recreational activities for the entire family.

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.

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, a few of which are easily accessible from Anthony Creek via the Cades Cove Loop Road.

Facilities

Anthony Creek offers primitive-woods camping. There are no hookups or showers at the campground.

Potable water is available from the campground spigot, about 1/2 mile away, and water for horses can be collected from the nearby stream. However, visitors must bring their own drinking water.

The nearby Cades Cove area offers additional amenities.

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

Natural Features

Anthony Creek Horse Camp is surrounded by picturesque mountain ranges, pristine streams and rivers and clear blue skies that set the backdrop for your camping and horseback riding adventure. At 1,800 feet elevation, Anthony Creek provides a moderate climate, typified by mild winters and hot, humid summers.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park preserves the rich cultural history of Southern Appalachia. The mountains have a long human history spanning thousands of years, from the prehistoric Paleo Indians to early European settlements 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 all the people who once called these mountains home.

Nearby Attractions

The Cades Cove Campground, Group Campground and Picnic Area are located just a short walk away, providing additional camping for larger groups without horses.

The area offers a popular 11-mile loop road, where campers often bike and hike. A camp store offers basic supplies as well as bicycle rentals, and three historic churches are all located along the loop.

Townsend, located about nine miles away, offers full service grocery stores and fuel.

Charges & Cancellations

• If you plan to arrive at a date later than your arrival date you MUST contact the campground office 865-448-4103 in order to avoid a cancellation to your reservation. If you wish to cancel your reservation the day of your arrival you MUST contact the campground office 865-448-4103 in order to receive a refund.

• Rules and reservation policies can be found at https://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policies

Camp site features

Across 3 camp sites:

Fire pit: all 3 sites
Picnic table: all 3 sites
Longest RV: 24 ft
Largest party: 6 people
Equipment: Horse

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.

Directions

From Maryville, TN: Take U.S. 321 North (you'll actually be driving south!) from Maryville to Townsend, TN (about 22 miles). At the traffic light in Townsend, continue straight on TN 73 and follow signs to Cades Cove. From Pigeon Forge, TN take US 321 South (you'll be driving westerly) to Townsend, TN. Turn left (south) at Townsend onto TN 73. Follow signs to Cades Cove. The horse camp is accessed through the back of the Cades Cove picnic area, through an unlocked gate.

Stay Limit

Check in from 1 PM, check out by 12 PM.

Reviews

8 reviews

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

Michael H

Loop:Sites 001-003

Site:

Reviewed a month ago

There are only three campsites. If there are other rigs at the camp, it is challenging to turn around so I suppose you would have to ask someone to move their truck or rig. Each campsite has a four-horse metal "stalls" each just large enough for a horse with no movement possible. The website says there are paddocks for horses but generally cannot be seen from the campsites. When I inquired as to the location of these paddocks, no one knew what I was talking about. I couldn't possibly put my horses in these "stalls" so I tied them to my trailer, even throughout the night. The trails were rockier than I was expecting but maybe that is Tennessee. The setting was very private and peaceful.

Steve A

Loop:Sites 001-003

Site:

Reviewed a year ago

Anthony Creek has access to several trails. The stalls are narrow and the horses stand on concrete. I have seen several horses who would not go in them and were difficult to get out. The road comes through the picnic area and is narrow and crowded during the busy season. Turning a trailer longer than 24 feet (3 horse slant) will be difficult. Water has to be carried from the creek about 100 yards away. Staff is great and bathrooms are clean.

Stephen S

Loop:Sites 001-003

Site:

Reviewed a year ago

There is not enough room to turn a full-length trailer around even staying within the 24ft limit. If there were 2 other campers set up when I arrived, it would have been almost impossible to turn around. Good otherwise. Book all three sites and take your buddies. That will allow you to get positioned safely.

Julie S

Loop:Sites 001-003

Site:

Reviewed 3 years ago

The horse camp is not really set up for horses….. the stalls were horrid! They reminded us of a stock at the vets office where they perform procedures on the horses. The horses could not turn around or move at all and the stalls were on cement! Horrible to expect a horse to stand on cement all night! If a bear wanted to kill a horse, it would be easy since they would be trapped in the stupid excuse for stalls! Another problem is the lack of water at the campsite for the horses….carrying it from the creek is not a good option for older riders. The bathroom was clean and well maintained and the campsite was very nice…table and fire pit The road leading in and out of the horse camp could be wider to permit people with larger trailers to get in and out. The turn to leave the camp barely left me enough room to get out. The trails out of the camp were very nice and well maintained.

Steve A

Loop:Sites 001-003

Site:

Reviewed 3 years ago

We have stayed at Anthony Creek horse camp several times and have always had a good experience. There are usually not many people at the campsite. There are several trails you can ride from camp and hikers occasionally pass through. The only 2 negative things about the camp are the fact you have to drive through the picnic area, which is usually crowded and difficult to get your rig through, and you have to carry water a short distance to camp from the creek for your horses. We see wildlife often, and make sure food is put away because bears frequent the area. We had a bear vist one night we were there.

Steve A

Loop:Sites 001-003

Site:

Reviewed 4 years ago

You must check in at visitor center upon arrival. At other horse camps in GSMNP you simply fill out a card and put it on the board at the camp, which you have to do here also. The horse camp is reached by driving through the picnic area and turning through the gate at the upper end. The road is in good shape, but one lane for about 1/4 mile to camp. Trailers longer than a 3 horse slant with be difficult to turn in the camp. The stream that goes right by the camp was dried up this fall, but water for horses can be gotten from Anthony Creek about 100 yards above or below the camp. The camp has vault toilet, and 4 metal stalls at each camp. The trail goes right through camp and hikers pass frequently. The camp is very nice and only has 3 camp spots. Several trails can be ridden from the camp.

Availability

See the Camp Sites section below to find detailed booking availability.

Reserve

Popularity: Very quiet

Busiest in November, when about 15% of guest capacity is reserved. Based on 4 years of reservations.