434 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Camping near Burnsville, North Carolina spans riverside tent sites and mountain campgrounds throughout the surrounding national forest land, from dispersed sites to developed facilities with full hookups for RVs. Pisgah National Forest offers dispersed camping opportunities for tent camping with minimal amenities, while established campgrounds like Carolina Hemlocks Recreation Area provide more developed facilities along the South Toe River. Mount Mitchell State Park Campground operates seasonally at higher elevations from May through December. Several campgrounds feature cabin accommodations, including Spacious Skies Bear Den and Roan Mountain State Park, which combine traditional camping with more comfortable lodging options. The region sits at the base of the Black Mountains, providing access to some of the highest peaks in eastern North America.
Seasonal closures significantly affect camping availability in the Burnsville area, with most established campgrounds operating from spring through fall. The Carolina Hemlocks Recreation Area typically opens from April through October, offering riverside camping with fire rings and picnic tables. Mount Mitchell State Park's camping season runs May through December, though weather at higher elevations can be unpredictable even in summer months. Many campgrounds operate on a first-come, first-served basis, particularly on weekends when sites fill quickly. The region experiences variable weather conditions based on elevation, with mountain areas remaining notably cooler than surrounding lowlands. As one visitor noted, "We stayed at Carolina Hemlocks campground while taking a road trip down the Blue Ridge Parkway. Very private campground that borders the South Toe River."
The South Toe River features prominently in camping experiences around Burnsville, with several campgrounds providing direct river access. Carolina Hemlocks Recreation Area receives consistently positive reviews for its swimming holes and fishing spots along the river. Campers particularly value the water access for recreation, with reviews highlighting opportunities for tubing, swimming, and fishing for trout. The campground's proximity to Mount Mitchell and the Blue Ridge Parkway makes it a popular base for exploring the wider region. Sites along the river tend to be more sought-after but often fill quickly. A reviewer mentioned that "Great camping sites right along the River. Beautiful views and clean bathrooms. Tubing, swimming and fishing. Family friendly." While some campgrounds offer full hookups for RVs, others focus primarily on tent camping with more primitive amenities, giving visitors options based on their preferred camping style and comfort level.
"Spacious Skies Bear Den in North Carolina offers an ideal blend of relaxation and adventure for families."
"Bear den was a perfect location for the Blue ridge parkway. We stayed at a two cabin lot that had a hot tub. Bear den has everything from RV camp sites to a game room."
from $24 - $999 / night
Check Availability"There are wonderful sites for families big and small around the central "soccer" field and sites for small-medium trailers and tents and camper vans in "Bear Alley" around the outside."
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Campground:
Black Mountain Campground in the Pisgah National Forest, is nestled in Burnsville, NC but you must work at it to get there. https://cfaia.org/black-mountain-briar-bottom-campgrounds-in-north-carolina"
from $28 - $56 / night
Check Availability"The campground is open from May 1 to Oct 31...but if you walk-in to the sites, as in via the trails, you can rent a site amost all year. Tent sites are small, but nice."
"There are plenty of tent camping sites along the Mountain to Sea trail and throughout the park. I camped by Commissary Ridge next to a small Creek and an excellent view of sunrise."
from $27 / night
Check Availability"Fire pits you had to walk up to but were away from tents, which I liked. Bathhouse was clean, well lit, pretty warm showers. Campground was very clean and has a lot of amenities."
"Great tent pads with running water located right next to every pad. Plenty of hiking and biking to do. Pool and playground for the kids to enjoy, a great place for easy camping."
"We stayed for two nights, a little away from the main camp area but was kinda glad for it. Had a great spot tucked into the woods near the water. Great path to skip rocks and just enjoy."
"It is tucked in next to the South Toe River with an excellent swimming hole, rapids for tubing, great trout fishing, and a good launching off point for hikes into the Black Mountains and Mt Mitchell."
from $28 - $70 / night
Check Availability"As typical of a KOA, they shove you in there so you are very close to your neighbors. The stars of the park are the riverfront sites."
"My only gripe (and I know it’s not a huge deal) is the trailer park situated right by the fence that separates from the KOA."
from $50 / night
Check Availability"On the Blue Ridge Parkway, nestled in the trees and mountains of North Carolina, this campground is an older style NPS campground, but has been well maintained."
"This review (just as future reviews to this page should be) is about the Crab Tree Falls Campground that is in North Carolina along the Blue Ridge Parkway and is managed by the National Park Service."
from $10 - $20 / night
Check Availability"I am from the area, but I love to go up the hill and get away from everything. If you get there early in the week, you should have the place to yourself."
"Trails out the wazoo! Our doggies love the trails & there are quite a few family friendly paths."
"I would not recommend this for someone unfamiliar with driving a rig but once we got there it was amazing."
"Was able to get two sites right next to each other outside the main campsite area which was great."
from $10 - $20 / night
Check Availability"We went to downtown Burnsville and were pleasantly surprised. It had restaurants, a cute downtown, and neat playground called kid mountain."
ScoutNobody was here on Sat. Had gard time finding site. Site reserved did not have 30 amp and could not reach staff. Moved to other site hoping it would not be a problem. We were able to finally reach staff on Mon. Also no pcknick tables or fire rings.
ScoutNice camp and staff friendly. We drive the Blue Ridge Pkwy which was a bit of drive but the ride up to Mt Mitchell was beautiful. Only negative was the laundry rooms were small for a large camp like this but I made it work. Probably a bit more challenging during busy season but all that said this is a nice campground
TravelerAbsolutely one of the most beautiful campgrounds that we have visited, and super clean. Such a great location for hiking and viewing the Blue Ridge Pkwy!
ScoutLet me first start by saying that this campground is absolutely beautiful. I have lived in this area my entire life and the Doe is one of my favorites. I am a avid camper and have camped all over this area. I decided to give this place a try, I own a small pop-up camper and knew it was going to get cold 10/20/2026-10/22/2026, so me and my sister rented the RV at Doe River. #1 check in is not until 3pm, I always order a load of wood from a local guy who delivers to camp sites, I do all my cooking in a Dutch oven over the fire or burgers and dogs in the fire, what is a camping trip without a nice warm fire. The owner came over to my campsite and asked if I had ordered this wood and I replied yes, she then asked what I was going to do with it all, I replied I am going to burn it. So, I told Carl (the wood guy) where to stack it, the owner then said that I need to leave it in my truck bc if I didn't use it all I would have to put it back on my truck and take it home with me, I said really? It's just a unspoken rule that if you don't use all your wood that you pay it forward and leave it for the next camper?? She said absolutely not, So we moved the wood from his truck and into mine. She then asked again why I needed so much wood and that most ppl just buy small bundles from her. And just like that I understood! Carl the wood man and his wife also made a comment about how rude she was about the wood. It does not end there, Not only does she have camaras on some of the out blds which I get, but I don't get why they are pointing directly at camp sites, We felt like we were in a fish bowl the entire time. Every single time we went to the bathroom she showed up abt 5 mins later, There is a camara right above the bathroom door, One on the pavilion, and one on each side of the bathhouse, at the entrances and who know where else. So much for privacy in the great outdoors. I didn't even feel comfortable hiking, we felt like we were being watched constantly. She was constantly there, walking her dog which was not friendly and so big she could hardly control him on the leash which was really scary, she also was driving through several times throughout the day. Then came the kicker, about 1 o'clock in the morning we were freezing, I had turned the heat on in the camper before going to bed and heard it come on, Well the propane ran out between 11pm and 1am, I called her at least 10 times we had every blanket and was still freezing, We decided we would go to the bath house bc it had a mini split hanging on the wall, Out of luck there, it was set on air conditioning with no way to change it, so we found a blow dryer trying to get warm, still the entire time trying to call the owners, We finally ended up in our car until the husband arrived. He acted so annoyed at us and said all u have to do is fip the switch on the propane tanks outside! We had never stayed in a travel trailer before and according to them all we had to do was show up and start glamping!! So, I was supposed to know to go outside at 1 am and switch over propane tanks?? No, It should have been FULL when I got there!!! With attitude he said,"Its Basic Camping" No sir it's not, what I do is basic camping, I was told on the phone that I was glamping, She, the owner also said we should have called 911 when we could not get hold of them so that Carter County police officers could come and wake them up!!! Not sure if that is putting our tax dollars to good use?? Like I said it is truly a beautiful place and has great potential, we left that second night at 11pm because again the heat was not working, we have not asked for any refund we just took the loss. it would be to much of a hassle. We just know better next time. With owners like that they can keep it. Windy Wells/Debra Price
TravelerThis place is a nice campground, quiet and the guests (during our stay) respect others by keeping the noise down. The spaces are set up to maximize privacy between sites. There is no cell phone service (to do this report we are in a picnic area by a small lake and I can get cell as well as internet on my travelfi device) sos is the only access. I normally listen to audio books but not while here. On my computer I could see three others with low signals; they might have had a better device/provider. The spots tend to the small back in typically found in campsites built before RVs got really big, type. There is another camping area I haven’t been to yet and I did see a large over lander (looks indestructible and tall/long) towable head that way and the campground attendant didn’t predict any problems so perhaps there are larger spots elsewhere. This place has single person shower rooms and nice flush toilets. The whole place is set in woodland so it isn’t like a commercial RV place that was more concerned with volume over aesthetics. This is a lovely spot with ample amenities (my space had no hookups) for our type of camping (toilets, trash, quiet neighbors, semi private spaces) just zero phone or internet.
TravelerThis campground has a great location in maggie valley, close to Waynesville with plenty to do in close proximity. While it is a traditional campground, they have very competitive rates for weekly and monthly stays. For us its the perfect getaway destination for the summers and fall. The staff is super welcomming and friendly. You find a cute creek on the backside of of the campground with trout as some fisherman told me. The staff takes pride in all the flowers, landscaping and seasonal decorations. Also nice to know is you are not being looked down to with an older camper. As long as your rig is decent and functional you are admitted.
ScoutLovely spot on the river. Freeway was loud but not too bad.
ScoutMy husband and I arrived at Doe River Landing for 3 nights and enjoyed everything the resort offered. While there we read the 2 reviews posted by Kylie T, and by Andrew W, who gave the resort a 1 star rating. Not knowing the facts that caused the rating by them, and occurred prior to us, we approach the owner and asked.
The owner showed us videos from their security cameras. These adults has stated in Kylie T review and confirm by Andrew W review that they were a group of 20 adults and "every single one of us is over 21 and family". So why are these adults playing "hide and seek" under the pavilion as they stated? Andrew W stated, "It was not blocked off", yet they had to crawl on the ground and around bushes to get under the pavilion. When the owner yelled at them approximately 10 adults that were under the pavilion crawled out which was captured on the security cameras. Andrew W stated in his review the owner called them hooligans, which is rowdy, destructive persons and from the security cameras, that description is correct. There was no mention of damages in their reviews such as the Adirondack chair they broke or possible damage to the water pipes and electric wires under the pavilion, which the owner was currently checking.
Once we read these two reviews by Kylie T and Andrew W and saw the owners security videos, we felt future customers deserved to know another opinion based on our findings.
These entitled adults justified their review of a 1 star by stating they paid money to use the campground.
I would ask these adults "why do you think it is OK to treat someone else's property in this destructive way?"
GuideSeems to be a well established campground in an off the beaten path location. Roads alternately paved and gravel. The campsite is gravel in a wooded setting. Fair amount of space between sites. The bathhouse is clean but dated.
Camping sites near Burnsville, North Carolina provide access to some of the highest terrain in the eastern United States, with elevations ranging from 2,000 to over 6,600 feet above sea level. The area experiences distinct seasonal changes with temperature differences of up to 20 degrees between valley floors and mountain summits. Winter nights frequently drop below freezing at higher elevations, while summer evenings rarely exceed 70°F even during July and August.
Hiking to waterfalls: 2.5-mile loop trail at Crabtree Falls Campground offers moderate terrain leading to impressive cascades. "I recommend you hike in a clockwise direction, starting from the B loop and ending in the A loop. This leaves the bulk of the strenuous climbing for the end, rather than descending sharply at the beginning," notes one visitor who appreciates the trail layout.
Creek-side relaxation: South Toe River at Carolina Hemlocks Rec Area provides multiple swimming and fishing spots. A camper reports, "My family and I have been camping at Bearden since 1995 and it has always been great," while another states, "This campground is small and comfortable. It is tucked in next to the South Toe River with an excellent swimming hole, rapids for tubing, great trout fishing."
Mountain summit exploration: 4,000-foot elevation gain when hiking from lower campgrounds to Mount Mitchell's peak. According to one hiker at Black Mountain Campground, "From here you can climb 4000ft to the summit of Mt Mitchell. It's a great, challenging hike with many rewards along the way."
River access for recreation: Many campers value riverside sites for the constant sound of flowing water and recreational opportunities. At Toe River Campground, "Best campsite in the place for a small rv or tent is site 56! It's short and wide but lots of River front access and two trees to hang a hammock from! You can fish right off your camp site for trout!"
Clean facilities: Well-maintained bathrooms and showers rank high on camper satisfaction. A visitor to Roan Mountain State Park noted, "The campground is very well maintained, and the bathroom was spotless. The staff, rangers and volunteers, were super friendly. If you forgot something, there is a little camp store on the property."
Star-gazing opportunities: Higher elevations offer exceptional night sky viewing with minimal light pollution. A Mount Mitchell camper shared, "Our first night on this trip, the sky was clear and we could see the milky way! We left home and the temperate was well into the high 90's, however the temperate on top of the mountain never came above 62!"
Campground closures are widespread: Many camping areas near Burnsville have been affected by recent hurricane damage. A camper reported about Mount Mitchell State Park Campground: "If you are looking for camping around Mount Mitchell, check out Black Mountain Family Campground at the base of the mountain."
Weather variations by elevation: Pack for temperature swings of 10-20 degrees between day and night, regardless of season. "Check weather reports. These mountains make their own weather. And remember, for every 1,000 feet of elevation gain, temperature decreases by 3 degrees," advises a camper.
Limited cell service: Most campgrounds have minimal to no mobile reception. One visitor noted, "There is no cell service on T-Mobile or Verizon inside the camp (small victory for nature). BUT, let's say you have a Verizon phone, and you really really need to talk to someone - well, here's the hint of the day. Walk down the main access road toward the junction with your phone on."
Playground access: Several campgrounds offer dedicated play areas for children. A visitor to Roan Mountain State Park shared: "They have a very nice playground area and the beach access by the river was also very nice. Very well maintained campground."
Kid-friendly water areas: Look for designated swimming holes with gradual entry points. "The camp has a swimming hole on the South Toe River in the campground just beyond the end of the riverside sites. It has a small sandy 'beach' area and a neck deep refreshing hole," reports one camper.
Nearby town attractions: Burnsville offers family activities within a short drive. A visitor mentioned, "We went to downtown Burnsville and were pleasantly surprised. It had restaurants, a cute downtown, and neat playground called kid mountain."
Site selection for larger vehicles: Not all campgrounds accommodate big rigs. At Spacious Skies Bear Den, a visitor advises, "Hint here if pulling a camper, don't follow the Bearden sign, go to Linville to get on the parkway and go left. This way you will avoid the steep curvy road going up a mountain."
Road access challenges: Mountain roads can be steep, narrow, and winding. "The road to get to the campground made me nervous, but once there, I could have stayed for weeks!" notes a camper about Curtis Creek Campground. Another adds, "The road is a little rough to get there, but even a car should have no problems - just might need to dodge a few potholes."
Advance planning for hookups: Most campgrounds offer limited or no hookups. "The sites come with a nice fire pit and picnic table, there is water available and the pit toilets were immaculate on that visit. There is good access to Curtis Creek for fishing or hanging out, and the little bit of traffic on the adjacent road was not obtrusive," shares an RV camper.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best campgrounds in Burnsville, NC?
Burnsville offers excellent camping options, with Mount Mitchell State Park Campground standing out for its stunning elevation and access to the highest peak east of the Mississippi. The Black Mountain / South Toe River Area is another top choice, featuring well-maintained roads along the South Toe River with peaceful, uncrowded trails. Both offer a perfect blend of natural beauty and outdoor recreation opportunities, with Mount Mitchell providing reservable sites and Black Mountain offering more secluded experiences in the Pisgah National Forest region.
Are there RV rental options available in Burnsville, North Carolina?
While Burnsville itself has limited RV rental services, several RV-friendly campgrounds in the area accommodate rented vehicles. Lake Powhatan — National Forests In North Carolina offers spacious sites with asphalt parking pads suitable for RVs, along with hookups and clean facilities. Julian Price Park Campground off the Blue Ridge Parkway also welcomes RVs. For rentals, check with RV rental companies in nearby Asheville (about 30 miles south) that offer delivery services to campgrounds. Most renters will need to arrange delivery or pickup from these larger towns.
What camping options are available near Burnsville, NC?
Near Burnsville, you'll find diverse camping experiences from developed sites to backcountry adventures. Grassy Ridge Bald - Dispersed BackCountry offers beautiful 6000' elevation dispersed camping along the NC/TN state line with spectacular views, though firewood is scarce. For more amenities, Spacious Skies Bear Den provides clean facilities, friendly staff, and family activities. Additional options include the serene Green Willow Farm Camping and the stunning dispersed sites along Old NC 105, perfect for boondocking with mountain views.
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