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Brandi M.
Scout
ScoutThree Peaks RV Resort
Absolutely 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!
Camping near Canton, NC
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The region surrounding Canton, North Carolina features multiple camping areas spanning from established campgrounds to more remote options. Visitors find a mix of accommodation styles including tent sites, RV hookups, and cabin rentals at locations like Asheville West KOA and Lake Powhatan. The area's camping landscape includes campgrounds within the nearby Great Smoky Mountains National Park at Cataloochee Campground, offering primitive sites approximately 15 miles northeast of Canton. National Forest campgrounds provide additional developed options with varying levels of amenities and hookups for different camping styles.
Seasonal availability significantly impacts camping options near Canton, with most campgrounds operating from spring through fall. Cataloochee Campground typically operates from late March through October, while others like Davidson River Campground remain open from mid-March through November. Winter camping is limited primarily to year-round facilities like Asheville West KOA and Stonebridge RV Resort. Elevation differences between valley campgrounds and mountain sites create notable temperature variations that campers should consider when planning visits. Cell service can be spotty in more remote camping areas, particularly within the national park boundaries. A reviewer noted: "The location is amazing with very short drive into town, hiking spots, and I highly recommend you take a walk around Lake Junaluska."
Proximity to Interstate 40 affects the camping experience at several developed campgrounds in the region. Reviews frequently mention highway noise at Asheville West KOA, with one camper stating "the interstate was particularly loud, a bridge on the interstate made for some very loud 'ka-booms' when trucks went over." Despite this, many campgrounds receive positive feedback for their convenience to both outdoor recreation and urban amenities in Asheville. Mixed-use campgrounds offering RV hookups alongside tent sites and cabin rentals are common throughout the area, providing diverse accommodation options. Several camping areas feature trail access, with some campgrounds maintaining walking paths within their boundaries and others serving as basecamps for exploring nearby hiking destinations in Pisgah National Forest or Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Best Campgrounds near Canton (648)
1. Lake Powhatan — National Forests In North Carolina
"The sites are spacious and well spaced, offering more privacy than many locations. The showers and bathrooms were very clean. There are numerous hikes that are on the grounds or just outside."
"PROS Discounted camp fee with senior pass
Reserved 169 days prior to arriving
Friendly and helpful gate attendant
Nearly 100% shade at each site
Excellent dark sky viewing
Private sites with"
from $37 - $135 / night
Check Availability2. Mount Pisgah Campground
"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’."
"Pisgah National Forest on the outskirts of Asheville, NC is a must stop for all ages."
from $30 / night
Check Availability3. Asheville West KOA
"The only reason for the four star rating is due to the highway noise from I-40, which is located adjacent to the campground."
"It was an ideal location since it was between downtown Asheville and Waynesville which is where we split our time. The staff was friendly."
4. Davidson River Campground
"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."
from $37 - $84 / night
Check Availability5. Cataloochee Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park
"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."
from $30 / night
Check Availability6. Creekwood Farm RV Park
"This park is conveniently located between Maggie Valley and Waynesville with access to lots of western NC attractions. The staff is excellent and cares about the campers' experience here."
"The staff, the location, the park itself. This is probably the best place we've ever stayed. It's beyond clean, staff is beyond friendly and accommodating."
7. North Mills River
"Small campground, but there are free off road sites not too far down the road. Cell service disappears but I love that kind of disconnect."
"State stocked river is close by for trout fishing, and the bathrooms are always clean being for what they are."
from $31 - $62 / night
Check Availability8. Cosby Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park
"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."
from $50 / night
Check Availability9. Winngray Family Campground
"We called on the day of and were able to secure two primitive campsites right next to each other with a great view along the river. She even brought us firewood after showing us our spot."
"This campground has a great location in maggie valley, close to Waynesville with plenty to do in close proximity."
from $20 - $80 / night
Check Availability10. Stonebridge RV Resort
"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.”"
from $60 - $90 / night
Check Availability
Drive Time
- 14 min from Asheville, NC
- 1 hr 13 min from Greenville, SC
- 1 hr 52 min from Morristown, TN
Recent Camping Photos near Canton, NC
1086 Photos of 648 Canton Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Pause || Eco-Retreat
Asheville West KOA
Riverhouse RV Resort & CampgroundD
Smoky Mountain Mangalitsa FarmC
The Cabins at Sandy Mush BaldL
Appalachian Pond CampgroundJ
Brand New! Camp #4 with Bathhouse
Turkey Creek Cove CabinsA
Creekwood Farm RV Park
Pride RV Resort
Winngray Family Campground
Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground - TEMPORARILY CLOSED
Recent Reviews near Canton, NC
2869 Reviews of 648 Canton Campgrounds
- aangela J.Scout
Lake Powhatan Glamping — National Forests In North Carolina
This 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 showers 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.
- MMalte S.
TravelerWinngray Family Campground
Great family run campground
This 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.
- C
Charles K.ScoutWilson's Riverfront RV Park
Lovely spot on the river. Freeway was loud but not too bad.
- NNPTraveler
Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg KOA Campground
Busy but Nice
This worked well for us while we were visiting Dollywood in our trailer, but we wouldn't stay here if we had been in a different type of site. Cons: Unless you have a site up against the river or on patriot park, you are packed in VERY TIGHT with other people, sometimes with your sliders only a foot or two away from your neighbor's sliders. We were in a site that was "on patriot park", but the few first sites of that type are really just behind the trolley parking lot and pick up with a path behind you (including ours). People are on the other side of the fence walking about two feet behind you all day and pretty late in to the night. Pros: There are lot of trees and campground is very pretty. Super close to Dollywood and other Pigeon Forge points of interest.
K W.ScoutWash Creek Dispersed Pull-Off
Pull off along well used access road
Great spot to pull in last minute. There are multiple spots along this stretch of road. Would not recommend if you want to post up somewhere private, decent amount of traffic pulling through for a mountain road.
Alicia B.ScoutTurkey Creek Campground
NOT FAMILY FRIENDLY
Beautiful Campground, but Absolutely NOT Family-Friendly! I rarely leave negative reviews this strongly, but our experience at Turkey Creek Campground was so disappointing that I feel compelled to warn other families. First, I’ll give credit where it’s due. The campground is beautifully maintained, and the creekside sites are incredibly peaceful and serene. It’s a lovely setting, and during the day, the owner is friendly enough and seemingly hospitable. Unfortunately, the hospitality comes to a screeching halt the moment the clock strikes 10 PM.
We were two families camping together with six well-behaved kids who absolutely love the outdoors. We understand and respect campground quiet hours. We weren’t looking to throw parties, blast music, or disturb anyone. But apparently, at Turkey Creek,“quiet hours” doesn’t mean keeping noise to a respectful minimum. It means absolute silence, complete darkness, and seemingly no normal human activity whatsoever.
I’m not exaggerating.
* We were told to turn off ALL our lights at 10 PM.
* We were confronted for opening our vehicle’s trunk because it made a brief beeping sound.
* Our children were startled by a large spider near the bathhouse, and the owner actually yelled at them to be quiet.
* One evening around 11 PM, we were talking quietly INSIDE OUR OWN TENT, barely above a whisper, when the owner approached our tent door to reprimand us for talking.
* On another occasion, he approached us to complain that our children had left TWO STICKS on the ground near the bathrooms. Two sticks! At a campground surrounded by woods, where the kids had just walked down a wooded trail to reach the bathhouse!
And don’t even think about enjoying a little background music while sitting around your campsite. Music of any kind played through a speaker is prohibited, regardless of volume. Apparently, even a little John Denver played quietly while enjoying the mountains is too much to ask. I fully appreciate that some people camp specifically for peace and quiet. We respect that, too. But there is a massive difference between enforcing reasonable quiet hours and making paying guests feel like they’re constantly being watched, monitored, and reprimanded for simply existing. The owner’s enforcement of these rules felt excessive, confrontational, and completely out of proportion to what was actually happening.
Instead of relaxing and enjoying our family vacation, we found ourselves walking on eggshells, worried that the smallest sound, light, or ordinary childhood behavior would result in another confrontation. What makes this particularly frustrating is that our kids were doing exactly what we’d hope children would do on a camping trip: spending time outside, exploring nature, enjoying each other’s company, and making memories away from screens. Yet somehow, even that seemed unwelcome. If we hadn’t already paid for five nights, we would have packed up and left after the very first night. That’s how uncomfortable the experience became.
If you are someone who wants a meticulously maintained campground where everyone retires to complete silence and darkness by 10 PM, Turkey Creek might be perfect for you. But if you’re a family hoping to enjoy a campfire, share some laughs, quietly socialize in the evening, and let your children experience the simple joys of camping, I cannot recommend this place strongly enough AGAINST it.
There are so many beautiful campgrounds in this area, and I cannot imagine choosing to return somewhere that made our families feel so unwelcome. Beautiful property. Extremely disappointing hospitality. Absolutely terrible experience for families. We will never return.
- jjeanne A.
GuideTwo Rivers Landing RV Resort
Premium Campground
This is a really nice place, my only issue is that I think $110 with Good Sam is too expensive. I needed a place to stay, so I did. They have laundry and restrooms but I didn't use them.
- CCindyTraveler
Blue Ridge Falls RV Resort
Great base camp for adventures
Stayed 1 week in site 12. Great small campground, clean and quiet. Jojo was a great host and 5pm happy hour gathering was fun. Will DEFINITELY return. Its a great spot for launching adventures.
Guide to Canton
Camping near Canton, North Carolina offers access to both Pisgah National Forest and Great Smoky Mountains National Park at elevations ranging from 2,600 to over 5,000 feet. Temperature variations can be significant, with mountain sites often 10-15 degrees cooler than valley locations. Many campgrounds in this area feature creekside sites that provide natural white noise to mask highway sounds or neighboring campers.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: Jonathan Creek at Winngray Family Campground is known for excellent trout fishing. "This campground is privately owned and not part of a franchise. It is good to see that they still welcome tent campers," notes a camper who appreciated the creek access.
Mountain biking trails: The area around Davidson River Campground has extensive trail systems. A visitor explains, "Located right inside Pisgah National forest this campground is perfectly set for all adventures... if you're thinking of riding the mtb trails you're in luck. They start literally across the davidson river from the campground."
Wildlife viewing: Early morning elk viewing is possible at Cataloochee Campground. One camper shares their experience: "If you want to see the elk, you're going to have to be up early. I use to be in the park at 5 AM with night vision gear, I saw some very nice elk. If you go in the winter, the elk are out eating most of the day."
Historical exploration: Visit preserved structures near camp. "There are historical homesteads, a school, churches and cemetery to take you back in time. Trails by creeks there to hike. Bears, turkeys, deer and the Elk," writes a visitor who spent five nights at Cataloochee.
What campers like
Privacy between sites: Lake Powhatan Campground offers good site separation. "I loved my stay at Lake Powhatan. It was incredibly clean, the campground hosts were very friendly and helpful, and the quick access to both the Blue Ridge Parkway and downtown Asheville are unbeatable. Lots of campsites, but far enough apart to still feel private," explains a satisfied camper.
Creekside camping: Multiple campgrounds offer water-adjacent sites. At Winngray, "The tent sites along the creek are beautifully arranged in a line with enough space not to be crowded... My favorite part about the tent sites is that you can sit facing the creek and look at the mountains in the background."
Heated facilities: Some campgrounds maintain comfort during colder months. A visitor to North Mills River Campground noted, "The bathroom facilities may be limited in the off-season due to being unheated, but they were open during my stay."
Off-season camping: Winter options exist with reduced crowds and rates. "Just a stone's throw from the bustle of Asheville, yet secluded enough to forget it all, this little gem is conveniently located at the entrance to Pisgah National Forest... after November 1st the prices get cut in half, so I stayed for $11 (hard to beat)!" reports a North Mills River visitor.
What you should know
Road access limitations: Some campgrounds have challenging access roads. For Cataloochee Campground, "Access to Cataloochee is via a narrow, winding, mountain road. A 3-mile stretch of gravel road contains many narrow, blind curves. Though many campsites will accommodate large rigs, motorhomes over 32' and trailers over 25' in length are not recommended due to the access road."
Highway noise: Proximity to I-40 affects some camping experiences. A camper at Asheville West KOA explains, "The interstate was particularly loud, a bridge on the interstate made for some very loud 'ka-booms' when trucks went over."
Cell service limitations: Connectivity varies widely across the area. A Lake Powhatan visitor notes, "Even though it's only 10 minutes or so away from the edge of Asheville, it has the feel of being much further away - including no Verizon service."
Bear safety requirements: All campgrounds in the area require proper food storage. "This is bear country, so put your food up, along with any scented health and beauty items," advises an experienced Cataloochee camper.
Tips for camping with families
Creek play areas: Stonebridge RV Resort offers water recreation for children. "The creek at the back is beautiful and a great place for kids to play and tube from one end of the campground to the other. There is a large play area at the end that has plenty of play equipment and room to run."
Family-friendly campground layouts: Some campgrounds are designed with families in mind. "Stonebridge RV Resort and Campground, Maggie Valley NC. This one gets 4 ⭐️ from me. The good: this is a clean, well kept campground right in Maggie Valley. It's close to everything."
Child-friendly fishing spots: Accessible water areas allow easy fishing for kids. A Davidson River camper notes, "There is a short walking trail within the camgpground, and the Art Loeb trail starts right at the beginning of the campground as well. There are miles and miles of hiking/running and mountain biking trails in the surrounding area, as well as numerous waterfalls."
Educational ranger programs: Check schedules for special programs. A visitor to Cosby Campground shared, "Within the campgrounds are several hiking trails for a variety of hiking abilities. The hike to Hen Wallows is nice with some rugged patches, but worth it in the end. On Fridays they have special Ranger programs."
Tips from RVers
Winter camping options: Year-round operations at some sites make off-season visits possible. At Stonebridge RV Resort, one camper reports, "Staff is very friendly and helpful. Beautiful location next to the Blue Ridge mountains. Old school but touristy at the same time."
Site spacing considerations: Some RV parks have tight arrangements. A camper at Stonebridge explains, "The sites are extremely close together. Extremely close. The sites (Premium Creekside) along the creek have plenty of room behind your site to enjoy your site and the creek. The pull through sites, though, are so close the sewer hookup is literally right beside the next site's picnic table."
Elevation effects on temperature: Higher campgrounds offer cooler summer camping. At Mount Pisgah Campground, a visitor appreciates "Spacious sites arranged for privacy. Over 5000 ft in elevation which means cool nights in Summer."
Food storage regulations: Bear boxes are provided at many campgrounds. "Trees all around for privacy. Drinking water located not far from any site. Been staying here for over 30 years and love the privacy and access to many hiking trails. Bears occasionally enter campground but I have never had trouble with them. Keep all food secure in bear box provided at each site."
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Canton, NC?
What camping is available near Canton, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, Canton, NC offers a wide range of camping options, with 648 campgrounds and RV parks near Canton, NC and 40 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Canton, NC?
Which is the most popular campground near Canton, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Canton, NC is Lake Powhatan — National Forests In North Carolina with a 4.7-star rating from 68 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Canton, NC?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Canton, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 40 free dispersed camping spots near Canton, NC.
What parks are near Canton, NC?
What parks are near Canton, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 27 parks near Canton, NC that allow camping, notably National Forests in North Carolina and Cherokee National Forest.
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