Looking for the best campgrounds near Balsam, NC? Enjoy the scenic camping, fun activities, and sights and sounds of Balsam. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Balsam and user-submitted reviews.
$30 / night
"Smokemont is a great campground in the North Carolina side of the Smoky Mountains. It is a perfect base camp to enjoy this amazing national park."
"We only stayed for 1 night but really enjoyed the campgrounds proximity to activities on the North Carolina side of the park."
$30 / night
"If you want to put some distance between you and the masses at Great Smoky NP than head to Balsam Mountain Campground. Quieter and greater chance of seeing bears and other wild life."
"And this campground is in a fabulous location. When you stay here, you are tucked in a lush green mountain about a mile above sea level."
$26 - $37 / night
"Indian Creek offers the most relaxing creekside camping in North Carolina.
Every campsite is lush with greenery, private and well maintained after each occupancy."
"The site was pretty large, level, and had unparalleled views and access to Bunches Creek."
$37 - $84 / night
"Once again, interested in checking out as many waterfalls and cascades we could locate, the water flow will be so much more dramatic amidst heavy rainfall."
"We had a quick nights stay in Davidson River Campground after picking up our new SylvanSport GO tent trailer in nearby Brevard, North Carolina."
$30 / night
"The North Carolina part has a slightly different feel. Less of a circus and less crowded and more laid back. Loving it! Beautiful. Just wish there were showers here....lol."
"This:
“Access to Cataloochee is via a narrow, winding, mountain road. A 3-mile stretch of gravel road contains many narrow, blind curves."
"Minutes from the parkway for hiking, 2 miles away from a creek on the WNC fly fishing trail, and plenty of space to get out and walk around the grounds."
"My site was right next to the stream and little covered bridge. It sounded like it was always raining. We used the pavilion for get togethers, it has a nice kitchen area with a grill."
$60 - $90 / night
"Easy access to everything needed. Tent sites were a little small. But overall very friendly management. Close to Waynesville and all the cute places in Maggie Valley."
"Not having to walk to the bath house in the middle of the night was a welcome relief, but RV camping is not my favorite way to“camp.”"
"If I’m not mistaken, the one we were at this time was either the same cabin or one close to it. It is perfectly situated beside the river. "
"But if you’re a tent camper, be aware that the tent sites are located near the road (I will never understand why campsites do this, since we are the ones with no soundproofing)."
$30 / night
"We decided to escape the heat and head for one of the “cooler” campgrounds in western North Carolina for a weekend. Mt Pisgah Campground is at an elevation of roughly 5300’."
"First of all, the location is awesome. You descend into the campground directly from the Blue Ridge Parkway, which provides for a beautiful drive to the site."
$50 / night
"Cosby is great if you want to explore the eastern section of North Carolina sections of the park."
"Cosby is about half an hour outside of Gatlinburg and worth every minute.
A16 was big and shady. There were a few steps down to it. Plenty of trees and distance to the nearest neighbors."
TravelerMore a long-term RV/permanent living in very old campers. The area has no cell service in the area. During the stay, the wifi was in and out. But when it was working, sreaming videos was very poor, always buffering. The owners are very nice and are working to update the property.
GuideWe traveled in a Class C, so I chose this CG because the bus stop is just outside the CG. Unfortunately, the bus route was suspended due to a lack of drivers just 2 weeks before we arrived. (Not the CG's fault, but it did complicate our trip a bit.) The CG is nice, sites are regularly spaced somewhat close to each other but level. There are many seasonal campers here. Restrooms are clean, laundry is convenient. There are many things to do in the CG, pools, arcade and lots of kids. There is a gas station/convenience store on the property. Staff in the office can answer questions about the area.
We would stay here again if the bus is running.
ScoutWe stayed at Site 1 and it was lovely. The rushing water (mini waterfall?) is the highlight of the site and our stay. There is much privacy between sites and the hosts visited and made us feel welcome. The obvious tent site is quite sloped and if we stay again, we will set up closer to the road to find a more level spot. The tree canopy by the water allowed us to enjoy a bonfire even in a light rain. The composting toilet is a bit of a walk so we mostly took care of business at our site in our luggable loo. There did not seem to be a trash receptacle on site so we took our garbage home for disposal. Apparently this site is also listed on Hip Camp and there seems to be a reservation integration challenge. They were double booked for the site on the second night but the second party was accommodated by a space in the pasture.
ScoutNice clean and very quiet.
TravelerHorse cove was a gorgeous campsite. There are two “areas”, the campground near the check in station and dispersed camping along the road. We stayed in May 2025.
We chose to camp in the campground. It had a picnic table, fire ring, and lantern poles. It was a rainy weekend so we didn’t have many neighbors which made it perfect. The campground use to have two sections to camp but one has been closed down for quite a bit of time (there have fallen trees). There were only about 6-8 campsites all close to each other on the campground along the river.
The other option is to find campsites along the river. There were maybe 3-4 rv friendly sites from the campground to the boat dock (mostly tent options). There’s probably more past the boat dock but we didn’t check.
There’s probably river was loud but beautiful. No electric. There was a water pump but I didn’t see if it worked. There was an abundance of firewood in the campground and along the road. We decided to go hike Joyce Kilmore Forest which was a small trek from the campground. Felt like we were camping in a rainforest!
Toilet: enclosed toilet with thin toilet paper just like a porta potty. Smelled bad.
GuideLoved this place by the river! Walking trails surround the CG and high quality mountain bike trails nearby. The owner is a cool guy and staff are friendly. Lots of different sites to choose from (of course riverside are in demand). The sites themselves vary in privacy and space but overall acceptable. Fire pits, picnic bench, some sites with bear boxes, warm showers, clean toilets, tent pads, very shady, firewood and ice available, WiFi only available near a trailhead parking lot, catch and release fishing. Most visitors are here for mountain biking from what I could tell. I do however have one critique: the morning I checked out a tree cutter company came out at 8 AM to cut some trees down right next to me. I understand the need to maintain forestry but it would’ve been nice to have a heads up a day before. Other than that I still highly recommend this place for camping and enjoying the National Forest surrounding you.
GuideIf you need a decent place to tent camp in the city for brief period, this is a quaint tucked away place. The host managers are extremely nice. The tent campground itself is quite small and sites are very close to each other. Fire pits, tent pads, shady, WiFi, water, power, hot showers, firewood available, relatively quiet from road noise, secure. Buffering the campground from the main busy road is an RV section. $30 night for tent camping.
TravelerThis is the "meet up" point for us and many of our camping friends. The sites are fairly level and they have added more gravel to the roads. The bathrooms are kept clean and most necessities can be found in the camp store. We usually pull our camper, but we have stayed in cabin 116.
Cabins 116 and 117 have dishes, cookware, etc. furnished.
135 and 135A are Jack and Jill sites, which we have used often with close friends. Sites along the river go fast, so make your reservations early.
If you can get by with 30 amp service, site 25 allows you to face your camper towards the swimming hole.
GuideSpring camping at Davidson River is always good, usual intermittent rain storms but great location. Campground is close to Brevard and easily accessible via a bike / walking trail with a new bridge over the Davidson. The Hub is just down the road, usually has a food truck, always has cold beer and a great bike shop. Some camping supplies as well. Site 037 in Apple Loop has a nice long parking spot with a large grass area. Decent privacy, site 036 to the left is kind of close, site 039 to the right is buffered by trees, brushes.
Camping near Balsam, North Carolina, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled getaway, this area has something for everyone.
Camping around Balsam, North Carolina, is a fantastic way to enjoy the great outdoors. With beautiful campgrounds and plenty of activities, you're sure to have a memorable experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, Balsam, NC offers a wide range of camping options, with 649 campgrounds and RV parks near Balsam, NC and 55 free dispersed camping spots.
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Balsam, NC is Smokemont Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park with a 4.3-star rating from 51 reviews.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 55 free dispersed camping spots near Balsam, NC.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 27 parks near Balsam, NC that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
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