Laurel Creek Dispersed — Pisgah NF (FS 3520)

Deep in the forested hollows of Pisgah National Forest near the Great Smoky Mountains, this spot sits alongside Laurel Creek off a rough unpaved spur of FS 3520, about a mile from the Mount Sterling exit on I-40. Two informal sites share the clearing — one with a fire ring on relatively flat ground, the other closer to the creek — with enough quiet and creek noise to feel genuinely removed from the highway corridor. The access track is potholed and high-clearance is strongly advised; RVs should not attempt it, though smaller trailers have made it through.