41 campgrounds with availability this weekend
The mountain terrain around Deep Gap, North Carolina supports a variety of camping experiences from established campgrounds to primitive sites. Julian Price Park Campground located along the Blue Ridge Parkway accommodates tents, RVs, and offers boat-in access with seasonal operation from April through October. Blue Bear Mountain Camp near Todd provides a more diverse range of options including tent sites, RV spaces, cabins, yurts, and glamping opportunities. Several campgrounds in the area feature developed facilities with electric hookups, picnic tables, and shower houses, while others maintain a more rustic atmosphere with minimal amenities.
Camping seasons vary considerably at higher elevations with most campgrounds operating from April through October. "The elevation is high so weather is nice for those trying to escape the summer heat," notes one camper about Blue Bear Mountain Camp. Road access to some sites requires careful planning, especially for larger RVs and trailers attempting to navigate the narrow mountain roads. The Boone KOA offers more accessible camping with full hookups and level sites, while more remote locations like Blue Bear Mountain Camp require navigating state-maintained gravel roads that can be challenging for larger vehicles. Winter camping options are limited, with few campgrounds remaining open year-round due to freezing temperatures and potential snow at higher elevations.
Campers consistently mention the peaceful atmosphere and scenic mountain views as highlights of the Deep Gap region. A visitor to Blue Bear Mountain Camp described it as having "spacious campsites and a lot of different kinds to choose from! Field sites, wooded sites, large, small AND hike in remote sites!" The region's proximity to outdoor recreation on the New River and access to hiking trails receives positive attention in reviews. Sites range from meadow settings with wildflower fields to more forested locations offering shade and privacy. Campgrounds generally maintain clean facilities with well-kept bathhouses—a feature frequently praised in visitor feedback. The surrounding area provides easy access to Boone for supplies and nearby attractions, making these campgrounds practical base camps for exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains.
"Julian Price Park is a beautiful campground just off the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. We enjoy this campground on the weekends throughout the fall and spring as it is less occupied."
"This campground is on a beautiful lake. There is no swimming on the lake(its pretty shallow) but awesome for kayaking and paddleboarding."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $30 / night
"It offers RV, drive in and hike in tent sites and also teepee camping."
"There is a place to wash dishes outside as well. Fantastic walking trails - some parts quite steep but we got a good workout through the woods on the property."
from $25 - $136 / night
"The campground is tucked away outside of Boone, but not so far that if you really need something you cant get it."
"Check-in was easy at the office at the entrance of the campground."
"When I checked in, the host was very nice, and when I returned later to look at the camp store, another host was behind the desk, and he was friendly. "
"The people running it are very nice and since it right outside boone nc its very close to shops, restaurants and hiking trails."
from $31 - $63 / night
"I enjoyed the drive out to this site, it is far enough off of the beaten path but still close to town. The site is a very easy drive to Boone and Tweetsie Railroad."
"The only down side is that the tent sites are road side…so when the campers pull in and out you hear them hitting the gas."
"You have to walk in but the park provides little carts and wheelbarrows. The sites and the bathhouse are very well maintained. The park host, Tom Keller, was just fantastic."
"We were too far away from the water to walk, so we missed out on that, which we were looking forward to, but overall a really nice experience."
Available this weekend
from $27 - $72 / night
"Swimming, kayaking, boat launch, small hiking trail. Sites have a fire pit, picnic table (it’s really heavy!) and a grill. I loved how each site is fairly unique."
"My wife and I biked/ ran the trails nearby. Our dogs loved walking around the campground. Some nice wooded tent sites that a very large areas. Our spot was a two level site."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $20 - $85 / night
"The campsite is always clean and friendly staff are there ready to answer questions on where to hike, eat and about the wildlife that's in this area of Western North Carolina."
"The positives: Location: very close to Grandfather Mountain entrance and BRP. There are plenty of stores, restaurants, antiques nearby too."
from $35 - $42 / night
"Campground Review: There are two campgrounds in Grayson Highland SP which is located by The Mouth Of Wilson, VA, near the North Carolina border."
"With camping just a moderate day hike away from Mount Rogers, the highest point in Virginia, this campground is a hiker's paradise."
from $27 - $98 / night
"We had a deck at our site which was a but problematic due to our steps folding out, it took some finagling and leveling to get it to where we could close our door."
"This is our first time ever camping and this place feels like home away from home and everyone here is very friendly."
ScoutNobody was here on Sat. Had gard time finding site. Site reserved did not have 30 amp and could not reach staff. Moved to other site hoping it would not be a problem. We were able to finally reach staff on Mon. Also no pcknick tables or fire rings.
ScoutNice camp and staff friendly. We drive the Blue Ridge Pkwy which was a bit of drive but the ride up to Mt Mitchell was beautiful. Only negative was the laundry rooms were small for a large camp like this but I made it work. Probably a bit more challenging during busy season but all that said this is a nice campground
ScoutGreat camping spot! Road isn’t horrible going up but there are some rougher areas toward the end of the road. Gorgeous sunset and sunrise spot! Fire rings seemed fairly abundant at the pull offs.
TravelerAbsolutely 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!
ScoutLet me first start by saying that this campground is absolutely beautiful. I have lived in this area my entire life and the Doe is one of my favorites. I am a avid camper and have camped all over this area. I decided to give this place a try, I own a small pop-up camper and knew it was going to get cold 10/20/2026-10/22/2026, so me and my sister rented the RV at Doe River. #1 check in is not until 3pm, I always order a load of wood from a local guy who delivers to camp sites, I do all my cooking in a Dutch oven over the fire or burgers and dogs in the fire, what is a camping trip without a nice warm fire. The owner came over to my campsite and asked if I had ordered this wood and I replied yes, she then asked what I was going to do with it all, I replied I am going to burn it. So, I told Carl (the wood guy) where to stack it, the owner then said that I need to leave it in my truck bc if I didn't use it all I would have to put it back on my truck and take it home with me, I said really? It's just a unspoken rule that if you don't use all your wood that you pay it forward and leave it for the next camper?? She said absolutely not, So we moved the wood from his truck and into mine. She then asked again why I needed so much wood and that most ppl just buy small bundles from her. And just like that I understood! Carl the wood man and his wife also made a comment about how rude she was about the wood. It does not end there, Not only does she have camaras on some of the out blds which I get, but I don't get why they are pointing directly at camp sites, We felt like we were in a fish bowl the entire time. Every single time we went to the bathroom she showed up abt 5 mins later, There is a camara right above the bathroom door, One on the pavilion, and one on each side of the bathhouse, at the entrances and who know where else. So much for privacy in the great outdoors. I didn't even feel comfortable hiking, we felt like we were being watched constantly. She was constantly there, walking her dog which was not friendly and so big she could hardly control him on the leash which was really scary, she also was driving through several times throughout the day. Then came the kicker, about 1 o'clock in the morning we were freezing, I had turned the heat on in the camper before going to bed and heard it come on, Well the propane ran out between 11pm and 1am, I called her at least 10 times we had every blanket and was still freezing, We decided we would go to the bath house bc it had a mini split hanging on the wall, Out of luck there, it was set on air conditioning with no way to change it, so we found a blow dryer trying to get warm, still the entire time trying to call the owners, We finally ended up in our car until the husband arrived. He acted so annoyed at us and said all u have to do is fip the switch on the propane tanks outside! We had never stayed in a travel trailer before and according to them all we had to do was show up and start glamping!! So, I was supposed to know to go outside at 1 am and switch over propane tanks?? No, It should have been FULL when I got there!!! With attitude he said,"Its Basic Camping" No sir it's not, what I do is basic camping, I was told on the phone that I was glamping, She, the owner also said we should have called 911 when we could not get hold of them so that Carter County police officers could come and wake them up!!! Not sure if that is putting our tax dollars to good use?? Like I said it is truly a beautiful place and has great potential, we left that second night at 11pm because again the heat was not working, we have not asked for any refund we just took the loss. it would be to much of a hassle. We just know better next time. With owners like that they can keep it. Windy Wells/Debra Price
Traveler3 stars only because it says water hookups but they are far and few between communal. No spigot at individual sites. Need long hose(s)to reach the connection. Good T-Mobile 5G but too wooded for StarLink. Quiet, shady, somewhat level sites were available. $20/night.
TravelerThe road was very bumpy but I got up on my 2WD Honda Odyssey. A couple people came during the day to take photos, but the night was peaceful. A couple campsites on the drive up, less secluded though. View was gorgeous and the sunset was amazing. Amazing spot for stargazing.
ScoutMy husband and I arrived at Doe River Landing for 3 nights and enjoyed everything the resort offered. While there we read the 2 reviews posted by Kylie T, and by Andrew W, who gave the resort a 1 star rating. Not knowing the facts that caused the rating by them, and occurred prior to us, we approach the owner and asked.
The owner showed us videos from their security cameras. These adults has stated in Kylie T review and confirm by Andrew W review that they were a group of 20 adults and "every single one of us is over 21 and family". So why are these adults playing "hide and seek" under the pavilion as they stated? Andrew W stated, "It was not blocked off", yet they had to crawl on the ground and around bushes to get under the pavilion. When the owner yelled at them approximately 10 adults that were under the pavilion crawled out which was captured on the security cameras. Andrew W stated in his review the owner called them hooligans, which is rowdy, destructive persons and from the security cameras, that description is correct. There was no mention of damages in their reviews such as the Adirondack chair they broke or possible damage to the water pipes and electric wires under the pavilion, which the owner was currently checking.
Once we read these two reviews by Kylie T and Andrew W and saw the owners security videos, we felt future customers deserved to know another opinion based on our findings.
These entitled adults justified their review of a 1 star by stating they paid money to use the campground.
I would ask these adults "why do you think it is OK to treat someone else's property in this destructive way?"
GuideSeems to be a well established campground in an off the beaten path location. Roads alternately paved and gravel. The campsite is gravel in a wooded setting. Fair amount of space between sites. The bathhouse is clean but dated.
Dispersed camping near Deep Gap, North Carolina puts campers at elevations above 3,000 feet in the Blue Ridge Mountains, creating a climate that's notably cooler than surrounding lower-elevation regions. The area sits at a key junction where the Blue Ridge Parkway intersects with US Highway 421, providing access to both established campgrounds and primitive sites. Winter camping options become extremely limited from November through March when overnight temperatures frequently drop below freezing.
Waterfront activities at Julian Price Park: The 47-acre Price Lake offers kayak and canoe rentals with easy water access. "The lake is hatchery supported, and I did witness someone catching a fish as we walked along the lake trail," notes a visitor to Julian Price Park Campground. Another camper adds that "there is a spot within the park to rent kayaks which was great."
Explore mountain bike trails: The regional trail systems cater to various skill levels with both technical terrain and smoother routes. A camper at Boone KOA mentioned, "Great mountain bike park nearby. We really enjoyed the Booneshine brewery after our hikes and mountain biking."
Fish in mountain streams: The Watauga River and smaller creeks offer trout fishing opportunities throughout the region. A visitor to Grandfather Campground noted, "A creek to fly fish in... very quiet, very outdoorsy, fire pits, close to mast general store, close to restaurant and grandfather mountain!!!"
Cooler summer temperatures: The higher elevations create a natural air conditioning effect during hotter months. One camper at Blue Bear Mountain Camp observed, "The elevation is high so weather is nice for those trying to escape the summer heat." Sites at many campgrounds remain comfortable even in July and August.
Easy access to hiking trails: The proximity of the Appalachian Trail and Blue Ridge Parkway paths makes day hiking convenient. A visitor to New River State Park shared that "there are also 2 beautiful hiking trails starting at the campground."
Campground cleanliness: Visitors frequently note well-maintained facilities throughout the region. A camper at Honey Bear Campground stated, "Campground and shower house were clean. I tent camped on a camper site as they were the only spots available for the weekend."
Winter accessibility issues: Snow and ice can make mountain roads dangerous from November through March. A reviewer at Bandits Roost Campground noted, "We stayed here for a night... would be lots of fun in the summer!" confirming the seasonal limitations.
Varying noise levels: Proximity to highways affects some campgrounds more than others. At Flintlock Campground, a camper observed it's "right off a major road so it's a little noisey but that didn't bother us."
Reservation requirements: Campgrounds fill quickly during peak season (May-October), especially on weekends. "Sites often get booked quickly, so reserve spots well in advance!" advised a visitor to Flintlock Campground.
Creek exploration opportunities: Several campgrounds feature safe water access points for children. One family at Flintlock Campground mentioned, "There's a beautiful mini river running through the campground with a lot of rocks to jump on. My children spent hours every day exploring."
Temperature fluctuations: Pack both warm and cool weather clothing even in summer. At Boone KOA, a camper reported, "Temperature was very comfortable, didn't need the A/C in June!"
Playground availability: Some campgrounds offer better play facilities than others. A visitor to Green Mountain Park noted, "The campground is very large and does have fishing ponds, hiking trails, and a playground."
Narrow access roads: Large RVs face challenges on mountain roads leading to some campgrounds. A camper at Flintlock Campground observed, "Very tight sites. Many long term campers. Right on the main road (Rte 105). Tons of road noise."
Varying pad levelness: Bring extra leveling blocks for uneven sites. A visitor to Bandits Roost Campground mentioned, "The sites can be a bit tricky to park but overall great time."
Electric hookup variations: Not all sites offer the same amperage capabilities. A camper at Grandfather Campground noted the campground has "campsites with full hookups" while others offer "water/electric only," highlighting the importance of confirming specific utility needs when booking.
Frequently Asked Questions
What facilities are available at Deep Gap campground?
In the Deep Gap area, facilities vary by campground. Wagoner — New River State Park offers well-maintained sites and a clean bathhouse. The walk-in sites include park-provided carts and wheelbarrows to transport gear. For a more developed experience, Spacious Skies Bear Den provides clean facilities with friendly staff and family-oriented amenities. Many campgrounds in the region feature picnic tables, fire rings, and access to basic amenities, though specific facilities depend on whether you're choosing a developed campground or a more primitive experience.
What recreational activities are available near Deep Gap, NC?
The Deep Gap area offers abundant outdoor recreation opportunities. Grandfather Campground provides access to numerous hiking trails, with staff ready to recommend local hikes and dining options. Near Old NC 105 - Dispersed Camping, you'll find excellent boondocking spots with breathtaking mountain views and plenty of hiking trails between Lake James and Linville Falls. The region also offers fishing in mountain streams, paddling opportunities, mountain biking, and scenic drives along the Blue Ridge Parkway. In winter, nearby ski resorts provide snow sports, while summer months are perfect for exploring the area's many waterfalls and swimming holes.
How do I get to Deep Gap campground in North Carolina?
Deep Gap is accessible via the Blue Ridge Parkway, which serves as a primary route to many campgrounds in the area. Doughton Park Campground is located directly on the Blue Ridge Parkway in the mountains of North Carolina with well-maintained sites and pads for vehicles. Similarly, Crabtree Falls Campground can be reached via the Blue Ridge Parkway. When traveling to the Deep Gap area, GPS directions may be unreliable in some remote locations, so it's advisable to have a physical map as backup and check road conditions before your trip, especially during winter months.
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