Rock Bottom Horse Camp

Campground in Ewing, VA • 8 RV Sites

Rock Bottom Horse Camp in Ewing, Virginia, offers a rare and specialized camping experience adjacent to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, providing dedicated equestrian facilities—horse pens, horse paddocks, and gated access—alongside traditional hiking and camping infrastructure at the doorstep of one of the most historically significant mountain passes in American history. Situated in Lee County at the convergence of Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee, the camp serves horse-camping enthusiasts who want to ride the national historical park's backcountry trail system with their own animals in the same landscape that Daniel Boone and the Wilderness Road's first American settlers passed through in the 1770s. The camp's equestrian infrastructure is its defining distinction: horse pens and paddocks that allow riders to bring their own animals, a dump station for clean-up, and gated access that provides the security that horse campers with valuable animals need when leaving stock overnight. Walking trails on the property connect to the broader trail network, and the pet-friendly and open-access character of the facility suits the self-sufficient camping style typical of the equestrian camping community that travels with horses, trailers, and all necessary gear. The camp's primitive character relative to RV resorts is entirely appropriate for guests whose primary experience is horseback exploration of the mountain terrain. Cumberland Gap National Historical Park preserves the natural mountain pass in the Cumberland Mountains where the Warrior's Path—the ancient migratory corridor used by elk, bison, and the Indigenous peoples who hunted them—became the Wilderness Road, the primary route of American westward expansion in the late eighteenth century. An estimated 300,000 settlers passed through the gap between 1775 and 1810, making it one of the most consequential geographic features in the story of the United States' territorial expansion. The park's 24,000 acres encompass the gap itself, Pinnacle Overlook's panoramic vista of three states, and the Hensley Settlement—a remarkably intact early twentieth-century mountain farm community restored to operating condition on the ridge above the gap. The park's 85 miles of trails provide equestrian access through a landscape of Appalachian hardwood forest, ridge-crest meadows, and the historical features—road traces, fortification sites, and pioneer homestead foundations—that give the terrain historical depth alongside its natural beauty. The Cumberland Gap town of Middlesboro, Kentucky, just across the state line from Ewing, provides the nearest commercial services including fuel, grocery, and dining options for guests making supply runs during multi-day stays. The surrounding Powell Valley's agricultural character and the Lee County countryside's Appalachian heritage provide a rich cultural backdrop for guests exploring this corner of far southwestern Virginia. Rock Bottom Horse Camp operates seasonally from spring through fall in the southern Appalachian climate that delivers comfortable trail riding temperatures through most of the outdoor season. The spring wildflower bloom in the national park's hardwood forests and the October foliage season represent the most visually rewarding windows for equestrian exploration, and these periods generate the highest demand among riders who time their visits to the landscape's seasonal highlights. Guests planning to bring horses should contact the camp well in advance to confirm paddock and pen availability, as equestrian camping facilities in the Cumberland Gap corridor are limited and in consistent demand from the horse-camping community.

Campground rules and policies

Check In Policy:
- If you have an emergency while in the camp, call 911 and give your site number then notify camp staff.
- Check-in is at 2 pm. If arriving after 8 pm, please let us know.
- Check-Out is 12 pm. If your spot is not booked we will allow a late checkout.
- While each park attempts to accommodate your exact spot request, the on-site manager has the ultimate decision for spot placement.Quiet Time:
- Quiet Time is from the hours of 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM.
- Radios/TVs and other electronic equipment volume must be so as not to disturb neighbors.
- Fighting or any other disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Anyone that participates in any of these types of behavior will be asked to leave and not return without a refund.Alcohol Policy:
- Drinking alcoholic beverages is allowed, however, excessive rowdiness or loudness will not be tolerated.Fire Policy:
- All fires must be in fire rings. Do not put glass or cans in the fire pits.Trash Policy:
- Whatever you take into the park with you (water bottles, cans, etc…), please bring them back out with you or deposit your trash into the trash cans that are provided on the trails. Help us keep our park beautiful!
- Garbage must be deposited in the trash cans.Pet Policy:
- Dogs are allowed. However, they must be on a leash or in your vehicle or camper at all times. Do not tie them to or around water or electric hookups.
- Do Not bring aggressive dogs. We understand your dog may be good around horses but these are not your horses. Please respect your fellow campers.
- Only one verbal warning will be issued. If you cannot follow this rule you will be asked to leave without a refund.
- Owners are responsible for cleanup after their pets. All animal waste must be cleaned up in plastic bags and deposited in the dumpster.Kids Policy:
- Children 10 and under age must be attended by an adult in the barns. Children 16 and under are not allowed to drive ATVs, golf carts, or any motorized vehicles on the premises.General Rules:
- All guests must register and sign a liability waiver.
- If you need us, and we aren't out, please call us at 229-445-6676, or use the call box at the gate located at the entrance of the campground.
- We ask that you respect our privacy and not come to our home.
- Management reserves the right to refuse or cancel service.Horse Rules:
- All horses must have a current negative Coggins Test and provide it to camp staff prior to unloading.
- Halters must be removed from all equine while equine is in stalls.
- Do not tie your horses to anything other than hitching posts. Owners will be responsible for any damages.
- If you rinse down your horse, use the wash area only and please help conserve water.
- All campers must clean up after themselves and their horses.
- Campers using small pens, hitching posts, stalls, or pickets are responsible for cleaning up these areas prior to your departure at the end of your stay.
- Sawdust or shavings must be used and cleaned up in all stalls.
- Please put all hay strings in the trash can.