Best Dispersed Camping near Cullowhee, NC

Looking for the best dispersed camping near Cullowhee? Here you'll find a diverse selection of places to camp, including remote dispersed camping to boondocking, and everything in-between. Each dispersed site offers quick access to one or more of Cullowhee's most popular destinations.

Best Dispersed Sites Near Cullowhee, NC (57)

    Camper-submitted photo from Blue Ridge Roadside Campsites
    Camper-submitted photo from Blue Ridge Roadside Campsites
    Camper-submitted photo from Blue Ridge Roadside Campsites
    Camper-submitted photo from Blue Ridge Roadside Campsites
    Camper-submitted photo from Blue Ridge Roadside Campsites
    Camper-submitted photo from Blue Ridge Roadside Campsites
    Camper-submitted photo from Blue Valley Dispersed Camping
    Camper-submitted photo from Blue Valley Dispersed Camping
    Camper-submitted photo from Blue Valley Dispersed Camping
    Camper-submitted photo from Blue Valley Dispersed Camping
    Camper-submitted photo from Blue Valley Dispersed Camping
    Camper-submitted photo from Blue Valley Dispersed Camping

    2. Blue Valley Dispersed Camping

    8 Reviews
    16 Photos
    157 Saves
    Highlands, North Carolina

    Dispersed camping in the Blue Valley area. Approximately 22 dispersed sites are available, and most have fire rings and picnic tables. A pit toilet is available. Please pack in and pack out. Wilson Lake is a short distance away offering fishing, swimming, a short trail, and wildlife viewing and birding.

    • Phone Service
    • Tents
    • Group
    • Standard (Tent/RV)
    • Dispersed
    • Firewood Available
    Camper-submitted photo from Black Balsam Knob - Dispersed Camping
    Camper-submitted photo from Black Balsam Knob - Dispersed Camping
    Camper-submitted photo from Black Balsam Knob - Dispersed Camping
    Camper-submitted photo from Black Balsam Knob - Dispersed Camping
    Camper-submitted photo from Black Balsam Knob - Dispersed Camping
    Camper-submitted photo from Black Balsam Knob - Dispersed Camping
    Camper-submitted photo from Upper Cove Creek - UCC1 Dispersed
    Camper-submitted photo from Upper Cove Creek - UCC1 Dispersed

    4. Upper Cove Creek - UCC1 Dispersed

    3 Reviews
    2 Photos
    146 Saves
    Balsam Grove, North Carolina

    Within the Pisgah Ranger District there are 65 disbursed roadside camping sites that are available on a first come - first serve basis. These campsites are located alongside gravel roads throughout the district and include a parking area, tent pad, and fire ring. Toilet facilities and drinking water are not available. Trash pick-up is not provided. Trash must be collected and disposed of properly. Failure to remove or properly dispose of trash is a crime and law enforcement officers will issue citations for littering if trash is strewn about or not properly disposed of. The following regulations must be adhered to and are strictly enforced by Law Enforcement Officers. • Roadside camping is allowed at designated campsites only. Signs designating a legal campsite show a camping_ symbol and a site number (for example "AC-3" for Avery Creek site 3). • The National Forests in North Carolina have a policy which allows for campers to occupy a roadside campsite for a maximum of 14 days out of a 30 day period. If a camper changes locations or moves to another campsite, it cannot be within 10 miles of previous site, the maximum stay limit of 14 days applies to all sites occupied. • All vehicles must be parked along road shoulders without blocking traffic. • Campfires are allowed only within the metal fire ring provided on the site, Building of additional fire rings is not allowed. AJJ camping equipment and tents must remain on the designated tent pad. • Collecting 'dead and downed' :firewood in the forest is permitted for camp fires. It is illegal to cut, chop, or saw live or standing trees or other live growth. Do not chop into or drive nails into live trees. • It is illegal to establish and set up a campsite for the purpose of reserving a camping place. The campsite must be occupied on the night it is set up by a minimum of one person. • It is illegal to leave a camp unattended for period of more than 24 hours. • It is illegal to fail to remove all camping equipment, personal property, trash, and refuse from a campsite when vacating or leaving that area or site. • It is mandatory that all human waste be buried at least 6 _inches deep and a minimum or 200 feet from a stream. trail, or campsite. • Alcoholic beverages are prohibited on Avery Creek Road (FSR 477) and Lickstone Road (FSR 97). Prohibition is 1000 feet to either side of the road, campsites, trails or roads leading off of either of the aforementioned. Warning: Unattended property and equipment in these areas can be an easy target for criminal activity. Protect your property by locking valuables out of site. Access to these campsites is easy by any vehicle. If you see anyone stealing anything from a roadside campsite or parking area near a public trailhead, picnic, or recreation area please call 911 to report it or call USPS Law Enforcement at the Pisgah District Ranger Station at 828-877-3265

    • Pets
    • Fires
    • Phone Service
    • ADA Access
    • RVs
    • Tents
    Camper-submitted photo from Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites
    Camper-submitted photo from Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites
    Camper-submitted photo from Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites
    Camper-submitted photo from Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites
    Camper-submitted photo from Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites
    Camper-submitted photo from Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites
    Camper-submitted photo from Whiterock Mountain Backcountry Campsite
    Camper-submitted photo from Whiterock Mountain Backcountry Campsite
    Camper-submitted photo from Whiterock Mountain Backcountry Campsite
    Camper-submitted photo from Whiterock Mountain Backcountry Campsite
    Camper-submitted photo from Whiterock Mountain Backcountry Campsite
    Camper-submitted photo from Whiterock Mountain Backcountry Campsite
    Camper-submitted photo from Wesser Bald Fire Tower
    Camper-submitted photo from Wesser Bald Fire Tower
    Camper-submitted photo from Wesser Bald Fire Tower
    Camper-submitted photo from Wesser Bald Fire Tower
    Camper-submitted photo from Wesser Bald Fire Tower
    Camper-submitted photo from Wesser Bald Fire Tower
    Camper-submitted photo from 475b
    Camper-submitted photo from 475b
    Camper-submitted photo from 475b
    Camper-submitted photo from 475b
    Camper-submitted photo from 475b

    8. 475b

    2 Reviews
    8 Photos
    33 Saves
    Brevard, North Carolina

    Within the Pisgah Ranger District there are 65 disbursed roadside camping sites that are available on a first come - first serve basis.

    Toilet facilities and drinking water are not available. Trash pick-up is not provided. Trash must be collected and disposed of properly. Failure to remove or properly dispose of trash is a crime and law enforcement officers will issue citations for littering if trash is strewn about or not properly disposed of.

    • Pets
    • Fires
    • RVs
    • Tents
    • Standard (Tent/RV)
    • Dispersed
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Santeelah Dispersed
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Santeelah Dispersed
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Santeelah Dispersed
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Santeelah Dispersed
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Santeelah Dispersed
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Santeelah Dispersed
    Camper-submitted photo from Albert Mountain Firetower Dispersed Campsite
    Camper-submitted photo from Albert Mountain Firetower Dispersed Campsite
    Camper-submitted photo from Albert Mountain Firetower Dispersed Campsite
    Camper-submitted photo from Albert Mountain Firetower Dispersed Campsite
    Camper-submitted photo from Albert Mountain Firetower Dispersed Campsite
    Camper-submitted photo from Albert Mountain Firetower Dispersed Campsite
Showing results 1-10 of 57 campgrounds

Recent Dispersed Reviews in Cullowhee

115 Reviews of 57 Cullowhee Campgrounds


  • tyrone T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Upper Cove Creek - UCC2 Dispersed
    Nov. 10, 2024

    Upper Cove Creek - UCC2 Dispersed

    Place to hole up

    Right off 276 on the right as you are going down the mountain. Hard gravel road. As soon as you turn in there is a spot on the left and a little further up there is a bigger spot right on the little creek just before the gate. Not 100% sure it is a spot as it is not marked but signs may have been damaged and it does show a tent symbol on the forest service map. There is a lot of back and forth traffic in the morning but it dies down around 9 pm. There is a fall a few miles up the road and connects to other service roads hence the traffic . We made it down the road in a 30' class A motorhome and made a 180 and was able to level the rig no problem and it's well off the road Did not see any fire rings in this spot or the first one ( pictured in the first image). No cell service, starlink worked enough to stream tv and post this.

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites
    Nov. 10, 2024

    Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites

    Great site, tricky to find

    The sign at the road looks like it was either taken down or blew away. The pin drop doesn’t take you to the turn in on google pr Apple Maps. If you’re coming from Robbinsville it’s on your right after the pin about 1/4 mile. Then at the fork in the gravel road take a right. But all in all it’s a great place. I stayed at 7 in a van. It had level parking and I could walk down to the bank to fish and have a fire.

  • Michele D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Chatuge Dispersed
    Nov. 1, 2024

    Lake Chatuge Dispersed

    Wrong coordinates

    The coordinates take you to Nottley Dam. We had to drive 37 minutes farther to Lake Chatuge and hopefully we find some campground since it is very dark at the moment. We ended up having to spend over $200 for a hotel. I'm going to delete my acct as other friends have similar issues with Dyrt

  • Darwin R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Indian Grave Gap Campsite
    Nov. 1, 2024

    Indian Grave Gap Campsite

    ADV Bike Motocamping

    If you’re anywhere near Helen, GA on an ADV Bike, this summit is for you. There are three routes up the mountain so you never have to double back. There are more primitive sites at the top of the mountain (not where the Dyrt pin was dropped) on both sides of the fork. Suitable for tents and hammocks. There is one site that would support a large group or even a camper (or two) if you can get them up the steep rocky hunting trail. Sites were mostly clean with rock fire pits.

  • LThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Soggy Boot Campground
    Oct. 19, 2024

    Soggy Boot Campground

    good camp sites

    the directions get you to the general area fine. the campsites are hard to find in the dark - we ended up just stopping at the first clearing from a fork on the gravel road we saw to set up a tent. road is very bumpy, there’s a stream near some of the spots , we looked for a fire ring where we stopped in the morning and didn’t see one.

  • Gillian S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Indian Grave Gap Campsite
    Oct. 13, 2024

    Indian Grave Gap Campsite

    Good for Big Groups

    Three campsites in the immediate area. Two are on one side of the road. You have to cross thru one to get to the other. All three have creek access. We picked the single on the other side. Not a lot of flat ground options. Each site is huge. We decided to spread out but that meant having to do a lot of walking back and forth for stuff. You can pull your car into the site easily. It’s about a mile from the High Shoals Trailhead. Both waterfalls are lovely. One has a nice swimming hole. The closest town is Hiawasee. Had a grocery and an outfitters if you need supplies. There’s only two sit down restaurants—one had an hour wait; the other had run out of food.

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Black Balsam Knob - Dispersed Camping
    Aug. 15, 2024

    Black Balsam Knob - Dispersed Camping

    10/10

    I actually cannot stop thinking about my weekend camp here. So beautiful and lots of places to camp. Not a hard hike in either. A lot of day hikers through out the day. Lots of flies bc of dog poop but it’s worth it.

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Mountain Rest Mountain Top
    Aug. 12, 2024

    Mountain Rest Mountain Top

    Hilltop camping with hiking trails

    Great spot with room to turn around. Shaded and at trailhead of a trail down to creek and near a second trail to a waterfall. Had a few people during the day but evenings were totally quiet. A bit of extra vehicle clearance is helpful...slow and steady gets you to a great spot. No services here but good dispersed spot.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from FS 289 Pull Off
    Jul. 3, 2024

    FS 289 Pull Off

    Good location

    Another review recommended an off-road vehicle or a jeep to get here. In dry conditions, I got here just fine in an Outback Wilderness, and 5 minutes later a Prius drove up. There’s a bit of trash but I’ve seen worse. Definitely bring bug repellent. The creek is only a few feet away from the campsite.

  • Courtney R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Moon Hill Bridge
    Jun. 7, 2024

    Moon Hill Bridge

    Moon Hill Bridge

    It's a cute cozy spot that is on either side of the road. Every spot has an area for a fire and also your car and tent. The only downside is that sometimes it does get trashy and there are a few people who live here.

  • Dylan S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from 475b
    Jun. 2, 2024

    475b

    Isolated spot for car camping or tent camping

    Road is a little rough but not terrible. 3-4 spots to park around this hairpin with 3 camping spots lotuses in the middle. Little runoff creates a creek that is nice to listen to but only deep enough to get feet in.

  • Forrest S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from 475b
    May. 23, 2024

    475b

    Several walk up sites with easy access

    This is a great first-come-first-serve location with several sites.

  • Adam B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Mills River Dispersed
    Apr. 20, 2024

    Mills River Dispersed

    Theft

    They have a long term camper they refuse to run off and he will steal from you. Camp at your own risk, watch your stuff like a hawk. I'd really recommend Sunburst or Big Ivy instead of North Mills really.

  • Jake C.The Dyrt ADMIN User
    Camper-submitted photo from Wash Creek Dispersed Pull-Off
    Apr. 1, 2024

    Wash Creek Dispersed Pull-Off

    Great overnight stay near Blue Ridge Parkway

    Although this is not an official camp site, I arrived later than intended and with no other campsites open, I stayed the night here. There’s a stream that runs along the clearing, making some great natural white noise for sleeping. The forest road is very bumpy and narrow, but high clearance is not needed. Very low light pollution and the bare trees allowed for some great star gazing.

  • amanda R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites
    Apr. 1, 2024

    Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites

    Great site!

    This was such a nice quiet campground. We arrived around 8am and got the first campsite we saw. This is the most established dispersed campsite that I’ve stayed at as it has a fire circle, a grill and a picnic table. It’s very quiet and very few cars passed. There’s a walking/hiking trail across the lake where we saw some hikers and some people on horseback. The site was very clean minus a few pieces of trash that we later picked up. The dogs loved it because our site was right on the lake. We drove down the gravel road to check out the other campsites and they all seem great if you’re tent camping! We car camped and our campsite was perfect because it had a parking space right in front of it whereas the other sites had parking spaces across the road. Overall a great place. I can’t wait to go back!

  • Jim M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from FS 289 Pull Off
    Mar. 20, 2024

    FS 289 Pull Off

    Great dispersed site in the Pisgah NF

    Great Campsite along the Smoky Mountain 1000 Overland route. You need a good off road capable vehicle to access this site but it is very peaceful with a nice stream running by. Tent camping near the jeep or a high clearance overland teardrop should make it back here ok but not recommended for regular RV's.

  • HThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Wash Creek Dispersed Site #2
    Mar. 10, 2024

    Wash Creek Dispersed Site #2

    Roomy spot in middle of nowhere

    It is a roomy site immediately off the road, a surprisingly well maintained gravel road. My class C had no problems making its way along and fitting in the roomy semicircle next to the tent and fire pit pad. There is a babbling brook next to the site for great ambience. We were able to fit our 30ft motorhome and car into the site with no problem. But avoid blocking the emergency access road to the side. Also, be prepared to completely disconnect from civilization since you can't even make calls here. Beautiful site to relax!

  • AThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Paint Creek Corridor
    Mar. 4, 2024

    Paint Creek Corridor

    Paint Creek Dispersed Camping

    The national forest service website says there are dispersed camping site throughout the corridor; however, I was only able to locate one and luckily it was vacant. There are several spots along the road that may have been for dispersed camping as some point but are now clearly marked with no camping signs. I did enjoy my stay here but I’m a little disappointed in the website saying there were multiple sites … i has to drive almost 4 hours to get there and would have been super disappointed if I arrived to no spots. Also a lot of trash in the area of the site sadly.

  • Natalie R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Santeelah Dispersed
    Feb. 9, 2024

    Lake Santeelah Dispersed

    Quiet, nice spaces, and clean!

    Such a great find! I was hoping to car camp a little closer to NOC but not in a campground but this is the closest I could find in February. I would definitely stay here again! Very quiet and clean and the sites are very well laid out and maintained! No hook ups of any kind but it’s worth it! Highway Patrol and Park Rangers patrol pretty frequently so I felt really safe as a solo female. I still took all the safety precautions but didn’t feel as necessary as some.

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Falls Creek
    Nov. 16, 2023

    Falls Creek

    Nice secluded spot

    There is room for two vehicles and multiple tent spots. Very secluded and fairly level. Overall a great spot. If it had an epic view I would have it at 5 stars. River is about .6 mile hike away and the road is not bad getting in. Basically 2 track forest road.

  • WDRoberson The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Santeelah Dispersed
    Nov. 7, 2023

    Lake Santeelah Dispersed

    Well maintained free camping

    We were fortunate to get a site that allowed us to pull the car right into the site for our roof top tent. Not very far to walk to reach the lake and the fishing wasn’t bad at all. Bass and Bluegills. Fairly quiet besides the rice burners heading to Tail of the Dragon. Very good overall.

  • Robert W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Santeelah Dispersed
    Oct. 27, 2023

    Lake Santeelah Dispersed

    Stunning 😍

    GPS coordinates got me exactly to where I wanted to go. Lots of twists and turns going up the dragon with beautiful scenery of the trees changing colors in late October. There are a handful of Lots located right along the lake with a beautiful view of the mountains in the distance. My dog absolutely loved how much space she had to roam around and how clear the water was excellent for swimming.

    Some of the plots you can only fit one tent others you could fit up to three or four



Frequently Asked Questions

  • Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Cullowhee, NC?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Cullowhee, NC is Blue Ridge Roadside Campsites with a 3.6-star rating from 8 reviews.

  • What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Cullowhee, NC?

    TheDyrt.com has all 57 dispersed camping locations near Cullowhee, NC, with real photos and reviews from campers.