Harmon Den Campground

Location

632 Manor RD
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Policies

Check-in

02:00 PM

Check-out

10:00 AM

Max stay

14 nights

Pets

Allowed (per listing)

About

Harmon Den Horse Campground sits on a forested mountainside in the Pisgah National Forest beneath a stand of mixed hardwoods, offering a quiet, private feel among the trees and easy access to mountain scenery waterfalls, cold streams and forested summits typical of the Appalachian Ranger District. The site is roughly south of Hot Springs, North Carolina, reached by a series of county and forest roads from Highway 209, and it can also be approached from I-40 (Exit 7) via Cold Springs Road and Falls Branch Road; note that travel involves several miles on secondary roads. Wildlife in the area includes deer, bear, grouse and wild turkey, and the broader region spans elevations from about 1,900 feet up toward the high peaks of the parkway corridor. Great Smoky Mountains National Park and open balds such as Max Patch are within day-trip distance, and the Appalachian Trail, Cherry Creek and Groundhog Creek trails are all nearby for longer excursions. The campground contains 10 total campsites, and all 10 are equestrian sites designed for riders and their stock: each site can accommodate up to 4 horses and 8 people and provides a horse stall or manger, a picnic table, tent pad, lantern post, fire ring and parking space for a single vehicle with horse trailer. Camp amenities are basic but practical a centrally located hand-pump provides potable water, there is a double vault toilet, a self-service livestock manure station and a non-potable watering tank for animals but there are no listed hookups or RV services, so plan for primitive-style camping. Harmon Den is a good base for trail riding and hiking: the local trail system includes more than 14 miles designated for both hiking and horseback riding (and roughly 40 miles of hiking trails in the surrounding area), with named routes such as Buckeye Ridge (5.4 mi), Cold Springs (3.6 mi), Cherry Ridge (2.6 mi) and Robert Gap (2.5 mi). Riders may use other open roads unless posted closed, but should exercise caution where recreational traffic is present; hunting and fishing are also common nearby. For current fees, reservation rules, seasonal closures and road conditions, contact the Forest Service before you go.