Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Croatan National Forest, NC is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. Enjoy the scenic camping, fun activities, and sights and sounds of Croatan National Forest. Get the dirt on all the best camping near Croatan National Forest. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.
$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."
$20 / night
"The lake is great for kayaking and swimming, with an easy trail around the perimeter. The gorgeous Cherohala Skyway is very close by (highly recommend!)."
"The surrounding mountains and water were breathtaking. This camp ground is close to the water if you stay in loop A. Just a short walk the water and beach."
$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."
$30 / night
"We were in site 11, nice but next to a group site so a little louder than I like. There are trails near by but I was unable to experience. Bear boxes and trash bins. Centrally located water."
"Sites are close to one another, but arranged great. My family of 5 had plenty of room for two tents, chairs, picnic tables, etc."
"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."
$50 - $94 / night
"There is a camp store with firewood (you are required to buy it from an authorized location!). Nice roomy campsites, but not as much plant cover as at Elkmont in my experience."
"I wanted to see if there was a difference in the camping experience at the two locations."
"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."
"This cute little national forest roadside campground is situated in the Nantahala National Forest, just due south of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park."
"It is right off a lake for access to water, (must purify yourself) because we werent close to the purified water. We loved swimming in the lake daily."
"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."
"But driving a stake more than 4 inches is almost impossible. There are very few trees actually on sites for hammock campers."
"The best way to experience Fontana Lake is to kayak to the north side which is the border for the great Smoky Mountain National Park. You can park and put in at the marina and pack in food and water."
ScoutI made a deposit of $250, NEVER told this was not refundable, but plans changed and no paperwork was signed, or sent. I cancelled with over 2 weeks notice, and I can see keeping $25 for inconvenience, but Rasar’s kept the FULL AMOUNT. Just be aware of who you’re doing business with…
TravelerLovely little spot next to a very swimmable and warm crystal clear river - very popular with locals, and I imagine would be packed on weekends. Accessible easily from a 2WD just off of a long gravel road. There are about 5 or 6 good spots, also bring your river walking shoes or a fishing rod!
GuideWe ran into this campsite while looking for dispersed sites around Lake Santeelah. Several of the free dispersed sites were already taken so we decided to camp here since there was only one other group of campers. My main disappointment is the price to camp here is $15, but the upper half of the campground is closed and so is the bathroom/bath house. I think $15 is cheap if there’s a restroom facility, but it was the most expensive primitive site we we paid for all week and with the least amount of amenities. That’s the only reason I give this 4 stars. I paid with the envelope system and slept great.
The campsites are fairly close to one another, but everyone was quiet and respectful. The tent pad and fire ring were great!
GuideWe had a great stay at a $12 campsite in Loop C! The bath house was very nice and the showers were warm! We even took a dip at the swimming area just a short drive from the campsite and loved that too! The best part was how quiet it all got after dark and the frogs just lulled us to sleep.
TravelerCampground has been open at least since June 2025. Nice, secluded campground. Some sites are a bit close, but as long as campers observe quiet hours (10 PM - 6 AM) and are aware that generators are allowed (60 dB max) to be run from 8 AM to 8 PM, all should be good. Wildlife is present and being over a mile high, temperatures can be cool, even in summer, for a great relief from temperatures in lower elevations. There are two sets of restrooms and a dishwashing station. There's no electricity, so no lights or hot water, so be ready to rough it a bit.
ScoutThis place is right down the road from Nantahala wedding venue, which made it very convenient for the wedding we were attending! It was comfortable, clean, cozy and unique! We would stay here again!
GuideOwners are wonderful. The grounds are well maintained and kept there is a strict policy of no parking or driving on the grass and when you see it, you’ll understand. I thoroughly enjoyed walking, barefoot through it to the fields and appreciated highly the effort they put into keeping it so beautiful. You can enjoy a day lounging on the little river. They offer free lounge, chairs, canoes, and kayaks to use for campers. If you’d like to tube you can bring your own or swim across the river to River Rage and rent a tube which is what I did. You can have a fire at night either bring your own pit or they will supply you one free of charge and deliver it to your site. They sell bundles of firewood for five dollars, which is half the price of other places. There are no picnic tables; however, many bring their own foldable table. The sites are very spacious. My site was C3 on the creek which was dry but still wonderful. They offer Riverside sites as well. I highly recommend this campground.
TravelerShowed up around 2:30-3 o’clock on a Sunday afternoon and most of the spots were already called for. Seems you gotta get there early if you want easy water access. Spots are mainly flat for tent camping. Some are able to get a camper as there were a couple spots that looked like full time camper people. I pulled into the first spot after driving all the way to the end, camping in my RoofNest. Was a beautiful place. Serine and quiet. Will be back for sure.
TravelerWe booked the camp because it had trolley access and was relatively convenient to the parkway and restraunts. We were very happy with the amenities for the price and time of year. Pool area was nice though not used by us. Bathrooms are very nice and clean. Clean roomy lockable showers. Laundry room was clean with all working washers and dryers 2.75 load and takes a card. Some sites including ours are very shady. We'll kept and level.
Trolley stop is great. Use it to go to transit hub and pick up the trolley to gatlinburg. We travel without a car in tow. So we move a 30' motorhome when we park so convenience is priority. Sugarlands is not to hard of a drive in the mornings to go for all day trail hikes in the park. Gatlinburg is just a few miles away. Great rv park. We enjoyed our stay and urban hikes I the morning for breakfast. We will return.
Camping near Croatan National Forest, North Carolina, offers a unique blend of natural beauty and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking to pitch a tent or park your RV, there are plenty of options to explore.
Camping near Croatan National Forest, North Carolina, has something for everyone. With beautiful scenery, friendly staff, and plenty of activities, it’s a great spot for your next outdoor adventure!
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, Croatan National Forest offers a wide range of camping options, with 718 campgrounds and RV parks near Croatan National Forest and 52 free dispersed camping spots.
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Croatan National Forest is Cades Cove Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 97 reviews.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 52 free dispersed camping spots near Croatan National Forest.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 27 parks near Croatan National Forest that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
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