USDA Forest Service · North Carolina
Horse Cove Campground
USDA Forest Service · North Carolina, United States
- Cost
- Overnight Use: Single Site: $15 per night
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 2,185 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- HORSE COVE RECREATION AREA (NFSR 409) · asphalt · high degree of user comfort
- Nearest town
- Robbinsville, NC
- Activities
- Bicycling
Season dates aren't confirmed for this campground yet - opening and closing dates haven't been verified. Check the operator's page or call ahead before you plan a trip.
Site map
The imagery of the campground. Press and hold the map to drop your own pins and notes; the operator publishes no site points here. Your ratings, notes, pins and photos are kept with the campground on your Saved list, the same list the camping map and the drive page keep.
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About
US Forest Service campground. The campground is located near the entrance to Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest. The main portion of the campground is closed indefinitely due to a water system issue. The lower 6 sites are open year-round. These sites are primitive with access to a vault toilet, but no running water. There is a creek nearby. Not reservable through Recreation.gov, so plan on first-come, first-served; check with the ranger district for current conditions and fees.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 45° | 30° | 2° | 66° | 10 of 11 |
| February | 54° | 35° | 18° | 69° | 10 of 11 |
| March | 63° | 44° | 18° | 77° | 5 of 11 |
| April | 69° | 48° | 33° | 81° | 0 of 11 |
| May | 76° | 59° | 42° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 81° | 65° | 52° | 92° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 84° | 69° | 62° | 92° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 84° | 69° | 60° | 91° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 79° | 64° | 53° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 68° | 48° | 34° | 82° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 59° | 40° | 23° | 72° | 3 of 10 |
| December | 52° | 33° | 19° | 66° | 9 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.
Trails nearby
- Snowbird Backcountry Area · 5.3 mi as the crow flies
Santeetlah Lake Trail South 9.0 mi Hike · Drive there - Twentymile Trail Trailhead · 7.4 mi as the crow flies
Twentymile Trail 5.0 mi Hike · Drive there - Appalachian Trail Trailhead · 8.7 mi as the crow flies
Appalachian Trail 71 mi Hike · Drive there - Fairfax/Old Payne (Palmer) Access Trailhead · 8.8 mi as the crow flies
Fairfax/Old Payne (Palmer) Access 0.1 mi Hike · Drive there - Appalachian Trail Trailhead · 9.0 mi as the crow flies
Appalachian Trail 71 mi Hike · Drive there
All 611 trails in National Forests in North Carolina · All 244 trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Trailheads the Park Service and the Forest Service map, within 10 miles as the crow flies; each trail's page has its length, climbing and the Service's description.
Nearby campgrounds
- Rattler Ford Group Campground · USDA Forest Service · 0 mi · 4 sites
- Rattler Ford Campground · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi
- Cheoah Point Campground · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi · 23 sites
- Deep Creek Hunter Shelter · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi
- Bear Creek Hunter Shelter · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi
All public campgrounds in North Carolina · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-08-06. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.