The Cashiers area sits at approximately 3,500 feet elevation in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains, creating notably cooler summer temperatures than surrounding lowland areas. Cabin camping options near Cashiers range from primitive forest service cabins to fully equipped mountain retreats with modern amenities. Weather patterns in this region can change rapidly, particularly during spring and fall, making weather-appropriate packing essential.
What to do
Waterfall exploration: 4 miles from Gorges State Park Campground, visitors can hike to multiple cascades on a single trail. "The best one is to Rainbow and Turtle Back Falls, a somewhat challenging 4-mile round trip hike, but well worth it," notes a Gorges State Park visitor.
Mountain biking: 25 minutes from Mile Creek County Park offers access to the Clemson Experimental Forest trail system. "We learned this is some really amazing mountain biking 25 minutes away in the Clemson Experimental Forest... the Isaqueena Trail system. Ranges from easy/intermediate to advanced when you get to the lower waterfall area in the southern part of the forest," shares one camper.
Lake activities: Swimming and boating at Devils Fork State Park Campground provide excellent warm-weather recreation. According to a camper, "This is a wonderful spot to access the absolutely gorgeous Lake Jocassee. There are some fantastic places to swim connected to the campground. The tent spots are by far the best and just a short walk in from the parking area. There is a place to rent kayaks and canoes within the campground."
What campers like
Primitive options: Walk-in tent sites offer greater privacy and natural settings. At Black Rock Mountain State Park, "The tent-only, walk-in sites... are awesome. The pad was in great shape, flat, clean and plenty large enough for our 9-person tent and all our gear. Other campsites could barely be seen through the woods so it felt very private and secluded."
Full hookup cabins: Gorges State Park Campground provides newly developed camping options with modern facilities. "The park has had primitive camping for years, but this year is the first season with an area for RVs/trailers and a separate area tent campers. All sites are level with concrete pads, except for the tent site. Fire pit is on bricks. Bathhouse is immaculate," reports a 2023 visitor.
Mountain views: Sites with elevation offer scenic perspectives unavailable at lower elevations. "The highest state park in Georgia has two general camping sections with power and water. Some of the sites are small-ish, and since this is literally on the top of a beautiful mountain, the sites are close in proximity to each other... In the summer when there are leaves and green on all the trees, it's breathtaking with the views," notes a Black Rock Mountain visitor.
What you should know
Advance planning: Many sites require booking months ahead, especially during peak seasons. "We booked our trip in February so we got all the spots we wanted. We had 5 spots in a culdesac surrounded by the lake on all sides. The only regret we had was that we didn't stay longer!" says a Mile Creek County Park visitor.
Road conditions: Davidson River Campground and other mountain campsites can involve challenging access roads. A Gorges State Park visitor warns, "CAUTION: steep grades and curvy road... The last 10 miles out of Brevard were curvy and had some grades. And the last 2 miles into the campground had I would guess a couple of 10% grades both up and down."
Wildlife encounters: Rustic camping cabins near Cashiers may have animal visitors. "You could also access these sites by hiking if you chose. We only paid $12 for a one night stay at the campsite," notes a Keowee-Toxaway visitor about primitive camping experiences.
Tips for camping with families
Cabin selection: Consider bathroom access when booking with children. At Oconee State Park Campground, "The cabin itself was very well kept. There was air conditioning, 2 bedrooms, 1 full kitchen, 1 full bathroom, and a fire place. We stopped at a Walmart in one of the towns before the park to stock up on food."
Swimming locations: Lake-based parks offer varying swimming experiences. A Mile Creek County Park visitor advises, "You need water shoes for swimming in the lake as it is rocky, but it has a perfect shallow end for little ones and very deep for kayaking and stuff like that."
Terrain considerations: Elevation changes affect mobility for young children. "Lots of hills so it was a little hard for the little kids to get around on bikes. We had kids with us age 14 and down to 5 yrs old," notes a Mile Creek County Park reviewer.
Tips from RVers
Site selection: Table Rock State Park Campground requires careful consideration of surface conditions. "Campsites are often uneven with alot of tree roots running throughout. It does require consideration before parking your trailer or RV," advises a camper.
Power reliability: Electrical infrastructure varies between parks. One Keowee-Toxaway camper reports, "Twice in one week this campground experienced a complete and total power outage each of which lasted for hours. The facilities were clean and rangers were nice, however the electrical infrastructure needs some work at the very least."
Connectivity: Working remotely is possible at some locations. "Had 5G access entire time and easy to do business as digital nomads," notes a Mile Creek County Park visitor about their camping cabin experience near Cashiers.
