Best Tent Camping near Burnsville, NC
Pisgah National Forest provides multiple tent camping options near Burnsville, North Carolina, with dispersed sites scattered throughout the forest's 500,000 acres. Maple Camp Bald offers a secluded tent camping experience with walk-in sites accessible via a 6-mile hike on the Buncombe Horse Range Trail, featuring remarkable sunrise views of Mount Mitchell. Other established tent campgrounds include Briar Bottom Group Campground, which operates seasonally from April to October, and several private options like Bear Creek Mountain Campground and Waystone Camping Collective that offer primitive tent sites within 25 miles of Burnsville.
Most walk-in tent sites at Maple Camp Bald require packing in essential supplies, as amenities are minimal. The camping area contains 3-4 established tent pads with fire rings, though no designated restrooms or potable water sources exist on site. One natural spring located 0.4 miles from the bald serves as the primary water source, which requires filtering before consumption. Campers planning extended stays should bring sufficient water for drinking and cooking, as accessing this spring requires additional hiking. Forest regulations generally permit campfires where established fire rings exist, though seasonal fire restrictions may apply during dry periods.
Tent campers seeking solitude will find the walk-in tent locations particularly rewarding, as the required hiking effort significantly reduces crowds compared to drive-in campgrounds. Sites positioned at higher elevations provide cooling breezes during summer months when lower elevations experience higher temperatures. The tent-specific campgrounds offer varying levels of privacy, with dispersed sites providing the most isolation. As described in feedback on The Dyrt, "It's a 6 mile hike up Maple Camp Ridge on trail 191 starting from a small parking lot close to Carolina Hemlocks Campground. There are 3-4 areas to set up camp, two of them could accommodate multiple tents." During peak autumn foliage season (October), walk-in tent sites fill quickly, especially on weekends, making midweek visits or advance planning essential for securing prime locations.