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Dispersed Camping

Blue Valley Dispersed Camping

Blue Valley Dispersed Camping, near Highlands, North Carolina, offers a serene escape into nature with its secluded sites and beautiful surroundings. This area is perfect for those who want to immerse themselves in the sounds of the forest, with many campsites nestled near a lovely creek or river.

The sites here are spacious and private, allowing for a true back-to-nature experience. Campers have noted that while there are no facilities, each site typically features a fire ring and some even have picnic tables, making it easy to enjoy meals outdoors. As one visitor shared, “You couldn’t see our site from the road, huge site, lots of woods surrounding for kids to play and explore.”

For those who enjoy hiking, there are trails nearby that lead to stunning waterfalls, adding a bit of adventure to your stay. The access road can be a bit rough, but it’s worth it for the tranquility and natural beauty that awaits. Just keep in mind that this is a no-frills location—there's no drinking water or restrooms, so come prepared.

Visitors have praised the peaceful atmosphere, with minimal traffic and respectful fellow campers. Whether you're looking to unwind by the creek or explore the nearby trails, Blue Valley Dispersed Camping is a great spot to reconnect with nature.

Description

USDA Forest Service

National Forests in North Carolina

Dispersed camping in the Blue Valley area. Approximately 22 dispersed sites are available, and most have fire rings and picnic tables. A pit toilet is available. Please pack in and pack out. Wilson Lake is a short distance away offering fishing, swimming, a short trail, and wildlife viewing and birding.

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Location

Blue Valley Dispersed Camping is located in North Carolina

Detail location of campground

Directions

From Highlands, NC follow NC28S for 5.5 miles. Turn Right at Sign

Coordinates

35.008368 N
83.220904 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
    Good
  • Verizon
    Unknown
  • AT&T
    Good
  • T-Mobile
    Unknown

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Dispersed
  • Group

Features

For Campers

  • Firewood Available
  • Phone Service
  • WiFi
  • Alcohol

For Vehicles

  • Big Rig Friendly

DISPERSED CAMPING

Enjoy dispersed camping on government land and leave no trace. Pack in and pack out. No (or limited) services at this camping area. Permit may be required.


PERMIT might be REQUIRED

We curate permit requirements across the US for our PRO members. Try PRO to see if Blue Valley Dispersed Camping needs a permit.

Contact

General Info

Drive Time


Reviews

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8 Reviews

Reviewed Sep. 2, 2024

Blue valley

I went in July and it was cool in day and cold at night nice , secluded

Site near the spring
Month of VisitJuly
Reviewed Oct. 17, 2021

We love it here

We have camped at 3 sites at this campground and have loved all of them. We were very secluded and there was very little traffic on the dirt road. Love hearing all the wonderful sounds of nature and nothing else. Wonderful creek/river by every campsite we went to. Some have picnic tables but all have fire rings and lantern posts. There's only about 10-15 sites that you can actually drive up to but I'm sure there's more if you hike in.

Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Blue Valley Dispersed Camping by Kelli , October 17, 2021
  • Review photo of Blue Valley Dispersed Camping by Kelli , October 17, 2021
  • Review photo of Blue Valley Dispersed Camping by Kelli , October 17, 2021
  • (6) View All
Reviewed Apr. 4, 2021

Hidden gem

8 very well kept campsites. Almost all near a creek of some sort. Hiking trails near by. No facilities. Room for larger groups ~40 people max for the biggest site ~6 for the smallest

Reviewed Oct. 19, 2020

Beautiful Dispersed Camping

Beautiful, large, private sites. You couldn’t see our site from the road, huge site, lots of woods surrounding for kids to play and explore, right beside a gorgeous large creek.

  • Review photo of Blue Valley Dispersed Camping by Kristin S., October 19, 2020
  • Review photo of Blue Valley Dispersed Camping by Kristin S., October 19, 2020
  • Review photo of Blue Valley Dispersed Camping by Kristin S., October 19, 2020
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Sep. 20, 2020

Sweet spot with plenty of space

Directions: From Highlands, follow NC 28 south about 5.5 miles and turn right onto Blue Valley Rd. (S.R. 1618) at the sign. The pavement will end in a half mile. Just stay on the main path for just little over 3 or so miles. Once arrive in the campground (information kiosk) turn left for the majority of the sites. Turn right at the kiosk there are only a few sites but the road ends after about half a mile, trailhead leads to waterfalls from there.

Reviewed Aug. 22, 2020

Very nice camping and good trials.

. Location is actually about 1.5. Miles further than shown on map. Just keep going. Stayed for a week. About 7 campsites with fire rings. Great trails and people camping near were respectful. Recommend.

Reviewed May. 16, 2020

Wrong directions

Never found this place but it’s definitely not where the map brings you. Beware

Reviewed Oct. 1, 2018

A Little Hard To Find With No Cell Service

I went to Highlands and found this site listed and really was looking forward to staying here. Said to be near Glenn Falls I found the falls but no turn off to be found and cell signal unless you are right in town is pretty spotty. I returned to town screen shot some directions and headed out toward the unknown.

When I arrived the pavement ended and continued onward a very primitive gravel road. Pretty rough in some places and very narrow, let’s just say I wouldn’t want to end up encountering another car.

After winding around the mountain roads finally I saw the “experimental forest” sign followed by the National Forest sign. Not far ahead was the campground kiosk.

it seemed pretty quiet there and I was happy to settle in only to discover as a solo female traveler it appeared there was a beer bust by some local hunters or good ol boys. They were getting pretty rowdy and while I could have simply moved to a further campsite ani was a little in fear that this wasn’t gonna be a really restful evening if they were going to be up drinking all night.

I opted to use this facility for a few moments as a day use area and really enjoyed the large forest around me but didn’t stay overnight because of the circumstances.

Sites were tree-filled and nice. Picnic tables and fire rings were at each site and sites were pretty well spread out. Very much so a dispersed site, I would be a bit concerned with larger rigs on the small road but small RVs or tents are great.

Sitefirst site to the right when you drive in
  • Review photo of Blue Valley Dispersed Camping by Crystal C., October 1, 2018
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  • Review photo of Blue Valley Dispersed Camping by Crystal C., October 1, 2018
  • (8) View All

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Does Blue Valley Dispersed Camping have wifi?

    Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, Blue Valley Dispersed Camping does have wifi.

  • Is there cell phone reception at Blue Valley Dispersed Camping?

    According to campers on TheDyrt.com, Verizon signal is unknown, AT&T is good, and T-Mobile is unknown.