Best RV Parks & Resorts near Balsam Grove, NC

OVERVIEW

• No Water/Sewer Hookups on Any Site

• Electric Hookup Sites Limited 

• WiFi/Cell Signal Limited[Booster Recommended]

• Kid Friendly

• Dog Friendly

• Bath Facilities On-site

LOCATION

The location is incredible! We enjoyed the accessibility of hiking, biking and fishing right from the campground. ART LOEB trailhead is right outside the campground entrance and is excellent for hiking and mountain biking. Several loops and even sites provide access to the river for fishing. Just outside the campground are endless trails and several beautiful waterfalls that can be accessed within a 5-15 min car ride. Convenient to a few restaurants, grocery stores and even a Walmart (which is slightly dodgy so be warned).

SITE

014 WOAK site is an RV site. It’s spacious and very private. We loved how much room we had to spread out and entertain as we were traveling with several other camping families. Our site was the go to spot! Backing in wasn’t difficult. It was convenient that the pull through site across from us was vacant, this made backing in super easy. There are no hookups on this site. So be sure you have a generator! One bonus on the location of this site is the water access just feet away. We needed to fill up and had forgot to do so when we pulled in to the campground. What a relief to see a water access just steps from the campsite! The only downside was that generator hours are very limited. If you are traveling during warmer months or must have AC, this is not the site for you. We felt that the tree coverage really provided us protection from the heat and did very well without AC in early August.

ACTIVITIES

• Slide Rock is a natural water slide that is fun for the whole family. Yes… it’s COLD and honestly worth every moment of chilly suffering.

• Hiking is abundant and all levels are accessible within minutes to a few miles of the campsite. Our favorites are: Looking Glass Falls (steps going down make this a breeze), Moore Cove Falls is a MUST and an easy trail that leads to the perfect waterfall for a good photo, Looking Glass Rock is a moderate to difficult hike and worth it. Looking Glass Rock is a long hike so be prepared to go early and bring a rain jacket.

• Fishing right within the campground makes it perfect for an early morning or late afternoon activity. The hatchery is nearby and offers some wonderful opportunities to catch and release. Be sure to look in to a guided tour for a hands on experience filled with lots of educational info on local fish.

• Biking is a top activity for lots of overnight and day campers. The Art Loeb Trail provides endless miles that proves fun for the whole family.

• Ice Cream at Dolly’s should make your list if you love a refreshing treat. This iconic little stop if right by the entrance to the Pisgah Forest and just around the corner from the campground. Also a great spot for a cell signal!

• Breweries aren’t hard to find nearby. Small microbreweries are within a few minutes and Sierra Nevada Brewery is 25 minutes away.

DON’T FORGET

• Generator (in case your site doesn’t offer electric)
• Headlamps and Flashlights (tree coverage is heavy so it gets darker faster)
• Fishing Poles
• Rain Jackets (it rained almost daily in the afternoon)
• Cordless Leaf Blower (for removing leaves from slide outs)

Having lived in South Carolina most my life, I haven't seen it all.. but have seen a lot of it. Mile Creek Campground is a string of 3 islands connect by narrow straights and surrounded by water. It's hard to get a spot here without great views of Lake Keowee and the Blueridge Mountains.

The spaces a are a mix of full concrete pads or gravel sites. We've stayed in several sites and while some are very close together (that RV park feeling), there are many which have lots of breathing room, and things feel more natural. The pics in this review are for site 51, which is on the "3rd island," which is the furthest out and offers the best views. This is a very level concrete spot and we only had to use the electric tongue jack on our trailer to level front to back. Got set up in under 5 minutes.

There is one oddity to some of the concrete sites. Because it's concrete, your fire pit is off to the side. And since most of the sites are raised, your fire pit may be level with the concrete pad, but you can't sit next to it as there is too much slope.

It's a county park and is well maintained. Bath houses are clean. With it having a public day use area with a nice boat dock, you can expect almost every morning @ 6am to hear the diehard fishing folks blasting out of the boat launch area. 

We have Verizon and our cell signal has always been 4 to 5 bars on the outside third island.

All sites have 30amp electric and water hookups. Dump station at the front of campground entrance up on a hill. BE AWARE, pulling into the dump station is easy, but the steeper exit will have longer RV's and Trailers dragging their bag end on the asphalt.

We've always felt safe and relaxed here. And though we prefer more dispersed camping with less neighbors, this is still one of the best and most affordable ($25 in off season) places in South Carolina to camp. 

We rarely give 5-stars, but due to the awesome views,  trees between the sites and being well wooded & surrounded by water... it really is a very nice place.

From what I can tell, all but two sites are back in. We had no problem backing in our 23'8" (total length) camper in.

This campground sets on a peninsula into Lake Keowee and offers gorgeous views of the lake and mountains in the distance.  While possible for big rigs, it can be a challenge in some areas.  The sites are mostly in the 30-35 foot range and most are back in, fairly level and offer 30/20 electric and water.  Picnic tables and fire rings are on the sites, but unfortunately most of the sites do not offer a lot of usable area around the site.  A few sites near the boat ramp are unparalleled in their view of the lake and mountains and reservation planning is a must if these are wanted.  Being far out in the country the cell service isn't so good and according to where you are even over the air TV is spotty.  A nice boat ramp and swimming beach are available, as are bath houses centrally located.  The camp store was closed due to Covid when we stayed, but there are kayak and canoe rentals.  The dump station was easily accessed and very clean. There are cabins, but we did not look at them.  All in all, this is a very nice campground for families or couples wanting a getaway.