Harmon Den Campground

Harmon Den Campground is nestled on a mountainside beneath a forest of mixed hardwoods in the Pisgah National Forest. The camp is in a secluded area off of Cold Springs Road in Haywood County, and the individual sites provide ample privacy. It is an ideal base for exploring the miles of nearby trails and enjoying the beautiful mountain scenery, with nearby access to I-40, Max Patch and Hot Springs, NC. The upper loop is reserved for horse campers and the lower loop for tent or dry trailer campers. Horse sites provide stalls and mangers that accommodate a maximum of 4 horses and 8 people, with a picnic table, tent pad, lantern post, fire ring and parking for a single vehicle with horse trailer. Also within the campground are 2 vault toilets, bear-proof garbage cans, a self-service livestock manure station and a watering tank (non-potable) for livestock. There are no hookups, no dump station and no drinking water at this time. Local attractions include more than 14 miles of trails designated for hiking and horseback riding and about 40 miles for hiking. The area trails are horse and hiking use only, no bikes. Trails include the 5.4-mile Buckeye Ridge, 2.6-mile Cherry Ridge, 2.5-mile Robert Gap and 3.6-mile Cold Springs trails. Equestrians may ride other open roads unless signed closed to horses, with caution due to traffic during busy recreational seasons. Hunting and fishing are other popular activities in the area. The Harmon Den area is located on the Appalachian Ranger District, which stretches westward from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park's eastern boundary to Craggy Gardens on the Blue Ridge Parkway to Roan Mountain near Tennessee. Elevations range from 1,900 feet at Max Patch to 6,684 feet at Mount Mitchell. Visitors to the area will find waterfalls, lush forest undergrowth, forested peaks and miles of cold mountain streams, along with bear, deer, grouse and wild turkey. Great Smoky Mountains National Park makes an ideal day trip from Harmon Den. Max Patch is an open bald area with panoramic views, and other trails for hiking include the Appalachian Trail, Cherry Creek and Groundhog Creek.