2 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Tent campgrounds surrounding Hayesville, North Carolina offer backcountry and primitive tent camping within the Nantahala National Forest region, ranging from forested streamside sites to high-elevation ridgeline camps with panoramic views. Bristol Fields Horse Camp provides tent sites in a forested setting with pit toilets and cold stream access, while nearby Siler Bald offers more remote backcountry tent camping with spectacular 360-degree mountain views. Snowbird Camping area provides dispersed tent sites along mountain streams approximately 30 miles northwest of Hayesville.
Most primitive tent setups in the area include basic amenities like fire pits with cooking grills and picnic tables, but campers should plan to bring their own water or have filtration systems for creek water. Many sites require hiking or driving on gravel forest roads with potential drop-offs, making high-clearance vehicles beneficial for reaching more remote tent campgrounds. Bristol Fields Horse Camp features a pit-style latrine, while many backcountry tent sites like Shuckstack and Siler Bald have no toilet facilities. Several primitive tent areas maintain physical distance between sites, with Snowbird Camping offering spaces "far enough from the next to give you a feeling of being alone."
The backcountry tent camping near Hayesville provides excellent opportunities for stargazing and nature immersion. Tent campsites at higher elevations like Wayah Bald and Siler Bald offer expansive mountain views with established camping areas that can accommodate multiple tents. Creek access is a common feature at lower elevation tent sites, providing natural cooling and ambient sound. A review of Bristol Fields noted, "Total black at night meant excellent star gazing and the creek was the loudest thing out there." Snowbird Camping provides a particularly secluded tent camping experience with sites positioned along a mountain stream. As described in feedback on The Dyrt, Snowbird offers "a riverside paradise" where "each site is far enough from the next to give you a feeling of being alone."
"I’ve camped at this location multiple times and each time was better than the last. It feels like a very primitive spot with the ease of car camping."
"Its on one one of the most scenic highways and s in a great location if you want to venture into Helen, Brasstown, Bald, or Hiawassee."
"I visited Bristol Fields for a planned primitive camping event with a group."
"To reach the Shuckstack Fire Tower you will follow the Appalachian Trail as it heads north into the Great Smoky Mountains. The tower is about 3.5 miles from the trailhead."
"This is a classic bald where you get to the top and there are no trees around so you can see for miles. This also makes for great open space to set up a tent."
"In terms of the campground there is a nice large space up at the top and also a smaller area halfway up to the peak that are good for setting up tents."
"Wonderful dispersed camping site, up a winding mountain road."
"However, people seem to be unable to pick up their own trash. Every year there's abandoned tents and parts of tents left to rot. It's a shame. "
from $40 - $50 / night
"The owners have leveled out 6 amazing sites - perfect for tent camping and hanging a hammock. The one mile gravel/dirt road is so picturesque! We found ourselves just hiking it each morning. "
from $25 - $75 / night
"The cabin was spotless and comfortable The picnic table, fire pit and park style grill were all well maintained. Owners were friendly and responsive."
"It’s a small place with limited space, but everyone has enough room. I’d call ahead at least a few days. They seem to stay busy."
from $18 - $32 / night
"Makeshift fire rings and tent spots are at most sites. No water so get some on the way in. No cell service either. Great stargazing, lots of trees/shade and hammock spots."
"This area is great for 2 reasons- it tend to be cooler in temps in the summer because of the shade and higher elevation."
"We got engaged on a 4 day 50 mile backpacking trip along the Bartram trail and our last night was spent at the campground at Wayah Bald."
"Though the wind blew and gave us a few seconds of view!"
"Multiple flat areas for tents and/or trees for hammocks alongside the trail as it crests the ridge just north of the GA/NC border. Running water out of a pipe (it's a spring I guess?)"
TravelerBeautiful spot in the smoky mountains. State park style amenities, no showers. No hookups. Very busy very open campground. Nice that some trails are walking distance from campground. I would not camp here again as I prefer more separation and privacy. No cell service. STARLINK is usable but obstructed with tree canopy
ScoutI camped here with a friend last weekend and absolutely loved this place! It's a cute little site with a great host, clean bathrooms, free firewood, and super friendly dogs, goats, and people. I would for sure stay here again and recommend.
GuideParksville Lake RV Campground is an absolute gem! I had a fantastic stay here. The campground is beautifully maintained, and the sites are nice, spacious, and wonderfully shaded by the trees. We loved the layout of the RV loop, especially the outer section where a peaceful creek flows right past the sites—the sound of the water at night was perfect. The restrooms and showers were exceptionally clean and well-kept. I had Starlink connectivity at my site and my WeBoost cell signal booster gave me up to three bars on AT&T. The campground host was incredibly nice, welcoming, and helpful. It's a wonderful, relaxing spot, and I will definitely be back!
ScoutWe stayed for a week in late October. Quiet and secluded but right outside of Franklin. Very. Nicely decorated. Has small campstore, very nice laundryroom, and a guest event center. Rick, the campsite host, helped me get backed in and asked if I needed any more help. Some pull-throughs. Some sites are a little tight but others really nice. We will definitely come back.
ScoutWhatever person or group of persons designed the campground were clueless as to how to develop a campground. Sites are packed in the most preposterous configuration to have tents, trailers motorhomes all jammed together nearly touching each other with zero privacy. Come for the hikes and views of the gorge but come with the lowest expectations for the campground and you’ll be fine
TravelerFantastic National Park! Elkmont is really nice but lacking in hookups and there are no showers. Hard to stay too long without power, water, sewer and showers. Still, an amazing site along the river!
TravelerMy son, daughter-in-law, and twin grandchildren, and I camped here to watch the full solar eclipse in 2017. We had a beautiful tent site. There was a little playground that the kids really enjoyed and abundant shade at the camping site. Bathrooms were clean, wood for campfires was available, and we had a wonderful time.
GuideA sign on the gate says that the area has been closed "due to vandalism and unauthorized activity".
GuideThis is one of several USFS campgrounds that are within a few miles of each other. The cost is only $8/night, first come first served. The sites are fairly large with about half of them on a wide, clear creek. There is no running water, but there are bear proof trash cans and vault toilets that were fairly clean, but didn't smell great.
There is free potable water and an RV dump station about a mile away at the North River Game Checking Station on River Road near the Spivey Cove campground..
The campsite was clean with picnic table, fire ring, and a lantern post. The fire ring was almost full of ashes and it appears that campers have to clean them out themselves.
The Green Cove Angler store is a couple miles away and has ice, firewood and other camper things.
Unfortunately, while we were there, it was bear hunting season and another camper had multiple barking and baying dogs that went on and on for hours.
Dispersed camping near Hayesville, North Carolina offers outdoor enthusiasts access to the vast Nantahala National Forest terrain at elevations ranging from 1,800 to 5,000 feet. Most primitive campsites lack running water and electrical hookups, requiring proper preparation with water filtration systems and sufficient supplies. Forest service roads accessing these areas typically remain open April through November, with seasonal closures during winter months depending on weather conditions.
Fishing local streams: At Snowbird Camping, campers find excellent trout fishing opportunities directly from their campsites. "A gorgeous creek with a bunch of trout. A lot of campsites are really close to the creek for easy fishing," notes Savannah Cade.
Hiking forest trails: Multiple hiking options exist within 30 minutes of Hayesville, particularly around Siler Bald and Wayah Bald. "I took a different route hiking back this time that made it a loop and I would highly recommend it. Just head to the right when you get to the bottom of the bald where the trail splits and follow it around the mountain staying left at each fork," advises Asher K.
Water activities: Rent kayaks or cool off in natural swimming areas when temperatures rise. At Wildcat Creek Campground #2 Upper, visitors find refreshing water features. "The water is crystal clear and cool and best of all, there is a cool water slide for adults and kids to have fun and cool off with," shares Anna R.
Natural sound barriers: Campers consistently mention the calming effect of flowing water at sites. William S. observed at Snowbird Camping that "the mountain stream next to each site provides a relaxing soundtrack to the evening."
Site separation: Many dispersed camping areas provide substantial privacy between sites. "Each site is far enough from the next to give you a feeling of being alone," notes William S. about Snowbird Camping.
Nighttime darkness: The lack of light pollution creates exceptional stargazing opportunities. At Bristol Fields Horse Camp, Shelly S. reported, "Total black at night meant excellent star gazing and the creek was the loudest thing out there."
Multiple tent spaces: Many sites can accommodate larger groups with multiple tents. Meredith P. described Wildcat #2 saying, "Spots are huge and spread out, great for groups as multiple cars and tents can easy fit. Makeshift fire rings and tent spots are at most sites."
Road conditions: Many forest service roads require careful navigation. Approaching Bristol Fields Horse Camp, Shelly S. noted, "My first drive in on the approximately 4 mile stretch of dirt and gravel road was a little nerve racking. Mostly because I wasn't 100% sure I was going the correct way and second because there are some nice drop offs from the road."
Water planning: Most sites lack potable water sources. At Wildcat Creek, Meredith P. advises, "No water so get some on the way in."
Bear awareness: Wildlife encounters require proper food storage. At Raven Cliff Falls, D & Jess W. cautions, "We were visited by a bear two of the nights. The bear took our neighbors dog food they forgot to pack out. So pack out all food items and trash or hang a bear bag."
Limited cell service: Most camping areas have no connectivity. Ashley N. mentions about Wildcat, "If you want to hike the area, do some homework before arriving because there is no service."
Find natural water features: Children enjoy sites with safe water access. At Wildcat Creek, Anna R. notes, "This area is great for 2 reasons- it tends to be cooler in temps in the summer because of the shade and higher elevation. It's about as far south as you can go and still get that nice cool NC shaded air."
Consider drive-in accessibility: For family camping with small children, choose sites with shorter carrying distances. "We stayed in the parking lot in our small rig. (Under 26 ft) we had our super quiet generator running and had no issues," shares abraham B. about Simple Life Mountain Retreat & Campground.
Look for established facilities: Some sites offer basic amenities that help with family comfort. Todd C. notes about Simple Life Campground, "The cabin was spotless and comfortable. The picnic table, fire pit and park style grill were all well maintained."
Length restrictions: Many forest roads can't accommodate larger RVs. When visiting Raven Cliff Falls, abraham B. advises, "We stayed in the parking lot in our small rig. (Under 26 ft)."
Limited hookup options: Most sites near Hayesville are primitive with no utilities. Nicole L. at Simple Life Mountain Retreat notes, "Cabins have heat and air and some have bathrooms. Glad I brought my own grate for campfire cooking."
Site leveling challenges: Terrain often requires creative parking solutions. Molly A. points out that Simple Life Campground "is on a steep incline with leveled out parking spaces."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Hayesville, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Hayesville, NC is Raven Cliff Falls with a 4.5-star rating from 29 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Hayesville, NC?
TheDyrt.com has all 128 tent camping locations near Hayesville, NC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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