Posted 2010-11-11 7:41 AM (#126931) Subject: horse camps
Veteran
Posts: 114
We are looking for a place to ride in the Smokey Mts that has electric and water. We went to Bryson City, NC, was wonderful but just too far away. We are looking for something close to Pigon Forge, Severville, Cades Cove, or that general area. Anyone out there have suggestions? Townsend and Jamestown are 7 hours away for us.
Posted 2010-11-14 4:24 PM (#127060 - in reply to #126934) Subject: RE: horse camps
Regular
Posts: 65
Location: Southern Il
We went to Orchard Cove two years ago for a week. Had a wonderful time! Owners are great. A great place to camp with water/elec, great stalls (clean/concrete with mats/he best stalls we have ever seen/they pick up the manure in fromt of them in a muck bucket every day) and a covered riding arena if you want to use it. We did trailer our horses two times (with a stock trailer of theirs you can rent to get to other trail heads.) They have plenty of trails from the camp also. We went in June and the flowers are beautiful. I would get on their web site a check it out!!!!
Posted 2010-11-18 3:20 PM (#127256 - in reply to #126931) Subject: RE: horse camps
Member
Posts: 37
I live within 1 hour of Pigeon Forge/Sevierville area, so I never really thought about horse camps in the area. Most of them are primitive, but a couple come to mind right off that I think would offer water & electric. They are:
Gilbertson's Lazy Horse Retreat - http://www.lazyhorseretreat.com/ They are located in Townsend, TN (just outside of Cades Cove area). I know they have stalls and paddocks, but don't know what they offer regarding camping. There are a couple of rides you can take into the Park directly from their place, or you can trailer to nearby trailheads to ride.
Arnold Estates - http://www.arnoldestates.com/ They are located in Sevierville, TN (just outside of Pigeon Forge area). They have campsites with water and electric and stalls and paddocks for the horses. They have 10 miles of their own trails (on their private land) or you can trailer to the Park (no direct access to the Smokies from the campground).
Martin Stables - Can't find a website, phone # (423) 487-4371. They are located in Cosby, TN (very near the entrance to Cosby Campground). I haven't heard anything about this place in a while, so I don't know what amentities they offer, or if they are even still in business.
Lil Ponderosa Campground & Stables - Again, couldn't find a website, phone # (865) 428-9398. They are located in Pigeon Forge. I have never heard of this place before, so I don't know what they offer, other than it says they have camping and overnight stable accomodations.
The GSMNP has five horse camps inside the Park itself - Anthony Creek; Big Creek; Cataloochee; Round Bottom and Towstring. All of these are primitive camps with no electric. Some of the camps (like Big Creek) do have bathrooms with cold running water (no showers). Each of these facilities offer pipe stalls/tie stalls for horses.
I'll try and think of any other campgrounds in the area.