Bear Creek, NC is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. Bear Creek is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. Find the best campgrounds near Bear Creek, NC. Read reviews from campers like you and find your perfect campsite.
$30 / night
"There’s a river that runs a long the outside of the campground. Good swimming holes. A store that sells food (the best ice cream), firewood & camping supplies."
"The sites were pretty close to each other but the store was convenient and awesome proximity when we biked the loop. Far drive from all of the other hikes and adventures we did."
$30 / night
"Right outside of Gatlinburg so plenty to do and see if you feel like exploring outside of the park."
"I had the most fantastic campsite right next to the river in Elkmont."
$36 - $100 / night
"The owner’s at Turkey Creek are very kind and inviting... water and electric at nearly every campsite, very clean bath facilities... small creek runs through the campground offering sweet sounds to fall"
"The location? Magical. Nestled in a quiet valley surrounded by mountains and trees in the Nantahala National Forest, just south of the Smokies."
"Each has a picnic table, fire pit/grill, and level area for 1-2 tents (a few can accommodate more if you’re ambitious), and lake views (most have lake access if you want to put in a kayak or canoe)."
"There are nine lakeside campsites along a smooth gravel road off of NC-143. Each of the campsites have fire rings and some had picnic tables."
$10 - $20 / night
"Sites are first come, first serve, most sites are in the open with a few more private sites around the edge."
"Great for accessing the mountain bike trails at Tsali. The entire campground is first come first serve, never had a problem finding a spot, but does fill up by the weekend."
"It's an absolutely beautiful lake in the forest. The trees are turning and the sky is blue. Only drawback is the Pine Ridge Rd dispersed camping is along the roadside. Not really private."
"There are a handful of Lots located right along the lake with a beautiful view of the mountains in the distance."
$26 - $100 / night
"The entrance to this park is right across the street to an entrance to the Appalachian Trail. A beautiful trout stream runs through the park, close to all the campsites."
"Our site was about 30 feet away from the Nantahala river. The bathrooms and showers were spotless. Keep in mind that it’s far from any store or restaurant so bring food along. No cell service."
"Nice lakeside side with good lake views. Park next to site. Toilet facility available, site next to marina on north side. Cellphone service with Verizon ok 1or 2 bars."
"Campsite L8 was one of 30 something dispersed primitive sites scattered around Lake Santeetlah, and it was an amazing place to spend 4 nights."
"There was also a large field next to the camping area that could be used for various activities. The facilities (covered picnic area, bathrooms) were great."
"It's in a beautiful location, very close to the mountains and the Nantahala river. Definitely worth it!"
$18 - $32 / night
"HOT nice shower, close to town and the Dragon! Cabins have heat and air and some have bathrooms. Glad I brought my own grate for campfire cooking. Did not take a lot of pictures."
ScoutWe were truck tent camping and used an RV site with water/electric hookup...... it was close to our gold panning and Brian taught us the proper technique. If there was not a fire pit at your site, they would make one or have one set up at the Pavilion. The picnic table would be at the pavilion, but overall it is a peaceful more rustic campground.
TravelerThe Staff was very friendly and helpful. The facilities were nice and clean. Our neighbors were respectful of quiet hours, but not so much of other camping etiquette. The sites are very narrow and on the weekend we were there it was very busy. There appears to be quite a lot of permanent residents. We did have an attractive, clean creekside view. Overall we enjoyed our stay, just would have preferred a little more space and privacy.
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.
GuideFrente al parking lot hay un gran espacio como una cueva y en la parte superior se puede acaparar sin tener vista directa, prácticamente si no se sube una cuesta no se ve. Los baños están al 1 minuto ero no tienen shower.
GuideI highly recommend this campground. I stayed at site 38 in Loop 1. The host is a very friendly man, he greeted me every morning. At site 38 there is more privacy than in others and I liked that. It is next to a hill so it is easy to find wood for the bonfire. It is very close to the entrance and the bathroom. The bathrooms are very large and there is hot water, in the three days that I bathed it did not run out, it lasts a long time. The bathrooms are very clean and there is a garbage container outside. I recommend going to the Angel waterfall. And to the lake that is in front of the entrance of the camp. It was from October 24 to 27, 2024 and it was already fall. But on the 27th it was much more intense than the first day.
GuideHay como 3 sitios para casas de campaña pequeñas. Es en la cima de una montaña, la subida son unos 40 minutos, al final se vuelve más exigente si lleva mochila grande. No hay agua cerca. Y los baños están 40 minutos montaña abajo.
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.
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.
Camping near Bear Creek, North Carolina, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor fun. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled getaway, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Bear Creek, North Carolina, has something for everyone. With beautiful campgrounds and plenty of activities, it’s a great spot for your next outdoor adventure!
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, Bear Creek, NC offers a wide range of camping options, with 791 campgrounds and RV parks near Bear Creek, NC and 68 free dispersed camping spots.
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Bear Creek, NC is Cades Cove Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 97 reviews.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 68 free dispersed camping spots near Bear Creek, NC.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 25 parks near Bear Creek, NC that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
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