Saved Account Join
A dark green Toyota pickup with a roof tent parked in tall dry grass as mist closes in.

National Park Service horse camp

Anthony Creek Horse Camp

National Park Service horse camp in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Blount County, Tennessee. About 1,800 feet. 5.2 miles from Townsend.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
National Park Service Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Elevation
About 1,800 ft As the National Park Service states
Sites
3 3 equestrian non-electric
Longest rig
24 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Blount County

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.

The description, directions and fees are the National Park Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • historic & cultural site
  • horseback riding
  • interpretive programs
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Anthony Creek Horse Camp

The ringed pin is this horse camp; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated August 14, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.

Join Overlanding Life
Saved Account

Start with a region

Browse the directory