Best Tent Camping near Hays, NC

Tent campsites near Hays, North Carolina offer a mix of primitive and established options in the Blue Ridge Mountain region. Basin Cove Campground on the Blue Ridge Parkway provides walk-in tent sites that require a one-mile hike from the parking area. Blue Bear Mountain Camp in nearby Todd features spacious tent sites with varying levels of seclusion, while Self Sufficient Holler offers unique tent camping experiences including suspended tree tents. Dusty Trails Outfitters in Crumpler provides riverfront tent camping with basic amenities along the New River.

Most tent-only sites in the area feature fire rings and primitive facilities. Basin Cove requires campers to filter their own water from nearby streams, as no clean water source is available on site. Many campgrounds provide pit toilets or portable facilities, but lack showers or running water. Blue Bear Mountain Camp maintains clean bathhouses, though the access road requires careful navigation. A camper noted, "When they say that 4WD is recommended, they aren't joking. The road back into the camp is long and VERY rough." Walk-in tent sites often require carrying all gear from parking areas, sometimes up to a mile on established trails.

The region's tent camping experiences vary from riverside settings to mountain meadows. Sites at Basin Cove are well-spaced for privacy, with each featuring wood log seats and food storage lockers. The surrounding area offers excellent hiking trails, making it an ideal base camp for day hikes. Tent campers at Dusty Trails enjoy riverfront sites with private portable toilets and hand-washing stations. During summer months, fireflies create spectacular natural light displays at riverside campsites. One visitor described the experience at Blue Bear Mountain Camp: "The campsites are very spaced out. The elevation is high so weather is nice for those trying to escape the summer heat." Most tent areas provide good tree cover for shade and protection from elements, with many sites situated near creeks or rivers for ambient sound and water access.

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Best Tent Sites Near Hays, North Carolina (39)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Hays, NC

944 Reviews of 39 Hays Campgrounds


  • Myron C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 9, 2019

    Julian Price Park Campground — Blue Ridge Parkway

    Older Campground with Great Location

    Julian Price Campground is part of the Julian Price Memorial Park, which is along the Blue Ridge Parkway in the northern part of North Carolina. I have heard about this park for many years, so I wanted to finally camp there. It is an older park, and it shows. We stayed at site A4, and I chose this site for a few reasons. It was close to the lake, but unfortunately, we couldn’t see the lake from the site. Many of the sites in the A loop are reservable, and they have been reserved for several weeks(maybe months) in advance. They are the best sites as far as seeing the lake and sometimes because they are larger. The worst part I discovered about sites in the A loop is that you can hear traffic from the Blue Ridge Parkway all day long except for two to three hours in the middle of the night(about 1:30 to 4:30). On average, you can count on about twenty-five vehicles every five minutes(I know because I counted). It doesn’t help that the parkway is under construction and the road is gravel, which makes the sounds of vehicles even louder. The restrooms in A loop are old and need updating. There are no showers in A loop. The only showers are between B and D loops, which are on the other side of the Blue Ridge Parkway. On the positive side, the showers in a new bath house, and they are private shower/restroom units. We rode through all of the loops to see what the other sites were like, and some of the sites are seldom used if the picnic tables and surrounding vegetation is any indication. Some of the picnic tables are covered in moss. Those were mostly in the sites that were small or sloped. For that reason, it is a good idea to look at the photos on the website for each site before reserving. Many of the sites are walk-in sites and you can set up before the 3:00 time for reservable sites. As far as activities, there is no swimming, but fishing is allowed. There is also a boat ramp, and you can rent canoes, kayaks, and SUPs. The lake is hatchery supported, and I did witness someone catching a fish as we walked along the lake trail. While we were in this area, we saw several small deer, including one that came through our campsite. Our campsite was spacious, and it had a concrete picnic table, a fire ring, a lantern pole, and a tent pad. The tent pad needed some maintenance since the dirt had washed onto it and made it slightly sloped. Not until later did I discover that there was a tall dead tree next to our tent. Only the top part was dead, but it could be a potential danger. The site next to ours was sectioned off because of a dead tree. If you are staying in A loop, I give it two stars, especially since the sites and bath house need maintenance, and because of the road noise. If you are staying in B or D loop, I would give it three or four stars. The sites in E loop are mainly for RVs and have less shade. One section in the A loop also is an open field and has limited shade. Overall, it’s not a bad choice for a campground, but it needs updating. What it has going for it is location. It is along the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Cone Memorial Park is down the road, which is a great destination in itself. There are lots of hiking trails and the beauty of the mountains is spectacular.

  • D
    Sep. 25, 2020

    Julian Price Park Campground — Blue Ridge Parkway

    Great high country campground

    This campground is minutes from Blowing Rock NC, which makes it super popular. There are restaurants and grocery stores nearby. There are two sides: the A-side is next to the lake but has no showers, just flush toilets, water spigots, and a food storage area. The other side has newer bathhouses.

    RV spots have electric hookups, tent spots do not. Many on lakeside have to be reserved in advance and are not as isolated as they may appear on the recreation.gov website. If you are thinking the “first come first served campsites” that are lakeside will be up for grabs at any given time you will be disappointed. I would recommend reserving one if possible. Tent pads are decent and will have some small gravel in them, they will for a standard six persons tent but that’s about it. Fire rings are standard size and sites have a lantern post, along with a cement top picnic table.

    Note that if you are towing a trailer and tenting you may have issues finding a place to park. Solid campground with friendly staff.

  • Shari  G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 30, 2020

    Washington & Jefferson National Forest Dispersed Sites

    Creekside Camping

    At the intersection of the North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia state lines, sits this national forest which offers multiple dispersed camping areas along Bear Creek. Opportunities for hiking, cycling, fishing, and paddling are abundant.  The Appalachian Trail and Virginia Creeper Trail are just minutes away, as well as some easy whitewater paddling fun on the White Top Laurel Creek.

    Most of campsites are large, very shaded, along a beautiful treelined road, and surrounded by mountains. There is no drinking water, picnic tables, or even pit toilet, so come prepared. The only major problem is that folks tend to leave a ton of trash around, so we often spend about 20-30 minutes cleaning these sites upon arrival. Please Leave No Trace! 

    Our site had a good fire ring, and was on the edge of a creek that we could filter water from with ease. We stayed at this camp for 3 weeks during the pandemic shutdown and it was a perfect place to ride out this crazy storm and decompress from some anxiety. 

    The closest town is Damascus, VA, about 12 miles away. The town is small, but draws thousands of tourists each year who are either hiking the Appalachian Trail or cycling the famous Virginia Creeper bike path. It is equipped with a decent sized grocery store, gas, and couple of restaurants, and a cute downtown area. There is absolutely no cell service at this camp, you have to go into town or hike a local mountain to get service up high.

  • Holly H.
    Aug. 10, 2021

    Julian Price Park Campground — Blue Ridge Parkway

    Large Wooded Campsites + Tons of Trails & Beautiful Lake!

    Had a great time at Julian Price Campground! ⛺️ 🌲 

    We had 2 groups and reserved sites B29 & B30 because they seemed more remote with water, restrooms, and trail access nearby. I could not have been happier about our sites!

    LOVELY trees, shade, and close to everything we needed. This is a BIG campground and some sections have sites all smooshed together – we had plenty of room to ourselves at the edge of the woods by the start of the Boone Fork Trail. This trail connects to several others and is an awesome spot for wanderers to go for a walk or pick up some fallen branches to process while you mess around at camp or cook dinner.

    We had a fantastic time and would love to go again! 

    Notes: 

    • We went August 2021, so it was really busy. People getting in a bit of camping before school starts… and maybe also looking to escape being cooped up during the pandemic. 

    • Weather was low 80's daytime, 60's nighttime. Rained a couple of hours one evening, but clear otherwise. 

    • Very peaceful & beautiful woods. Great trails! Lots of trees to hang a rain cover or hammocks. Plenty of down branches up the trail to use for extra wood. Stumps at the site for sitting or chopping up some kindling. Saw deer and rabbits about! 

    • Some of the tent sites looked small and hilly, but B29 & 30 were big & pretty level.

    • Sites had big fire rings with grills that come down over them. Ours was not exactly level, but got the job done. Stone picnic table with wood-top benches seat 4-6. Lots of space for extra chairs, etc around the campfire. 

    • These sites were really great, but got a bit of traffic because of the water access, restrooms, and trail that ran between the sites. People were walking and driving by often – which wasn't a problem, but it might be good to know beforehand. 

    • SOUND CARRIES here! It was a bit noisy some nights. 

    • Tent pad is dirt & rocks – we picked out any big ones before setting up and had yoga mats under our sleeping bags, but the ground was still hard. Definitely think about bringing a thicker pad or something inflatable if you prefer that. 

    • The lake is nearby and fun for canoes & kayaking! People fishing, too. The boathouse sells snacks, drinks, firewood, and bait. 

    • The campground is well maintained and the hosts were around often to clean the bathrooms, check on campers, etc. Very friendly! 

    • Hard to tell from the map, but the bathroom by B29 & B30 is NOT the one with showers. Showers are located at the larger facility in the middle of loop D, but there is a short path that runs from the back of this restroom to that area. The folks in our group that used them said they were wonderful. 

    • Loop B's bathroom does not have lights, so bring a lantern

    • EASY drive in & out, right on the blue ridge parkway. A short drive (20 min?) from Grandfather mountain which was AWESOME!! 

    • AT&T had really spotty connection – OK for intermittent texting & I got sporadic emails… but on-demand internet usage was basically nonexistent. The boathouse has wifi, though!

    • Check in@ 3pm, Check out@ 12pm.

  • Shari  G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 2, 2021

    Backbone Rock Recreation Area Pavilions and Campground

    Easy Access, Close to Town

    Just across the Virginia state line, this national forest offers multiple dispersed camping areas along Beaver Dam Creek. Opportunities for hiking, cycling, fishing, and paddling are abundant. Most of campsites are large, very shaded, along a beautiful treelined road, and surrounded by mountains. 

    There is no drinking water, picnic tables, or even pit toilet, so come prepared. The only major problem is that folks tend to leave a ton of trash around, so we often spend about 20-30 minutes cleaning these sites upon arrival. Please Leave No Trace! Our site had a good fire ring, and was on the edge of a creek that we could filter water from with ease.  Would not recommend for any vehicle larger than 20 feet as the potholed road and the tight turns to get up to the camp from the road would be tough.  4WD highly recommended, especially in mud season or winter.

    We stayed at this camp for 10 days during the pandemic shutdown and it was a lovely place to ride out this crazy storm.  Some road noise from the motorcycles that cruise the road, but only occasionally. The closest town is Damascus, VA, about 5 miles away. The town is small, but draws thousands of tourists each year who are either hiking the Appalachian Trail or cycling the famous Virginia Creeper bike path. It is equipped with a decent sized grocery store, gas, and couple of restaurants, and a cute downtown area. There is absolutely no cell service at this camp, you have to go into town or hike a local mountain to get service up high.

  • Rachael H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 11, 2020

    Stone Mountain State Park Campground

    Loved it

    Primitive tent camp site. Water but no electric. Nice grassy area around the gravel tent pad. We had one tree for shade. Fire ring and table. Clean showers and bathrooms. We stayed here specifically for the sliding rock at widow creek falls. But we did hike Stone Mountain falls trail. There are 432 steps going up to the parking area from the bottom of the falls. Beautiful shaded trail. Mountain to sea trail runs through for a little bit. Dogs welcome leashes. Fairly busy trail.

  • Ashley M.
    Sep. 17, 2019

    Table Rock Campsites (Linville Gorge Wilderness)

    Linville Gorge is Gorgeous

    We’ve primitive camped in the Linville Gorge Wilderness for many years and absolutely love it. It’s peaceful and secluded and the views are absolutely gorgeous. My photos are from the Linville Falls side of the old highway that goes past the falls parking lot. Spaces are first come, first served dispersed camping. Leave no trace! We clean up after folks every time we camp up here and it’s just too sad that people will leave their trash. This area used to be the best kept secret in the NC mountains but is quickly gaining popularity.

  • Melissa  W.
    May. 30, 2019

    Linville Falls Campground — Blue Ridge Parkway

    BRP Mile Marker 316

    Another lovely campground along the BRP, close to Linville Falls and gorge, picnic area and visitor center.

    Erwin’s View Trail: Moderate Linville Gorge Trail: Strenuous {amazing view of falls}

    Get a map at the visitor’s center.. redundant: the gorge is rather crowded on the weekends.

    Check online for road closures when visiting the parkway.

    $20 per night

    There are 70 sites, some reservable sites and walk ins -and an RV loop {dump station} All sites non electric, generators permitted before quiet hours.

    Lovely rangers and camp host that I found to be pleasant and helpful.

    Open field sites, with decent sized pads, fire pits & picnic tables. Some of the sites are more secluded, the ones nearest to the parkway road.

    Dog friendly for leashed puppers 🐾 Kid Friendly

    There are bear lockers, keep food and supplies in the locker and in car at night.

    Alcohol is prohibited

    No showers but access to clean water and flush toilets.

    You may collect dead wood or bring in HEAT TREATED firewood that is certified with a federal seal.

    Local stores that sell wood and/or other supplies: Linville Falls Visitor Center/Park store Linville Falls General Store {8896 NC-183, Linville Falls, NC 28647- trinkets, camp supplies, cold drinks, non perishable food, Hunt Brothers Pizza etc} Walmart Supercenter, Spruce Pine, Ingles Food Store, Newland

    Nearby Attractions

    Linville Falls Linville Gorge “Grand Canyon of the Southern Appalachians”

    Falls Trail - 1.6 mi RT/easy The Gorge Trail - 1.4 mi RT/ strenuous. The Plunge Basin Trail- 1mi RT/ moderate. Leashed dogs permitted 🐾

    BRP Linville Canverns Crabtree Falls, Burnsville Grassy Creek Falls NC Gem Museum

    The campground is laid out well, spacious, clean and located near awesome trails, falls, look outs and shops and restaurants.

  • Myron C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 1, 2019

    Hanging Rock State Park Campground

    This is a great state park for hiking, seeing waterfalls, and for views!

    There are a lot of reasons to love Hanging Rock State Park. That’s why it is probably my favorite state park in North Carolina.  However, I am torn between giving it two stars and giving it five stars.  In general, I would give the park five stars, but for the camping facilities, I would rate it two stars.  There is so much to do without having to leave the state park.  First, let’s look at the park itself, and close to the end I will discuss the campground.

    To get to the park, you drive through beautiful rolling hills. The park has a modern visitor center with a nature center and friendly rangers.  There are lots of trails to explore, but they are not just trails to nowhere.  There are five waterfalls to see, a climbing access area, Cook’s Wall, and much more.  Moore’s Wall Loop Trail is a 4.3 mile strenuous hike, and it begins by walking by the lake.  There is a platform about halfway through the hike in which you can see the skylines of Greensboro and Winston-Salem.  My favorite trail is the Hanging Rock Trail, which is listed as moderate.  Parts of it are moderate, very short stretches are easy, and much of it is strenuous.  The last part of the Hanging Rock Trail is the most difficult, but the view at the end is worth the hike because it is spectacular.  From the hanging rock (I should say rocks since there are more than one), you can see for many miles across several counties.  The shortest hike to see a waterfall is relatively easy and is only three-tenths of a mile one way.  The lake has a swimming beach with mountains in the background, and there are also rowboats and canoes for rent.  According to what I understand from their website, canoe rentals and concession stands at the lake are open weekends only in the spring and fall (10am - 5:30pm).   I was hoping to take my kayaks next time, but unfortunately, private boats are not allowed.  Two large picnic shelters are also close to the lake. 

    Here is why I would give it two stars.  The camping sites are shaded and spacious with picnic tables, lantern poles, and fire rings, but the bathroom facility is outdated (built in the 1960s).  Even though it has hot water, it is NOT handicap accessible, and the shower doors are narrow.  If you are not a skinny person, you might have trouble squeezing through the shower doors.  There are no electrical, water, or sewer hookups; however, there is access to water by way of frostproof hydrants. The campground hosts were very helpful and answered my questions.  You can also purchase bundles of firewood since taking your own firewood into the park is frowned upon.  If you are like me, however, and camp to experience the outdoors, you will not want to stay at your campsite very long.  There are just too many things to explore at this state park.  If you are going and want to truly experience the park, plan to camp at least three nights.  One day you can explore Upper Cascades falls and the hanging rock.  On another day, you can hike the Moore’s Wall trail and cool off in the lake.  On another day, see a couple more waterfalls or hike the Reuben Mountain Trail.

    There is also a group camping area.  I took the Boy Scouts there once, so I decided to visit this time to see if it was still the same.  They have added bathrooms and more well-defined tent sites—quite an improvement since the last time.


Guide to Hays

Tent camping near Hays, North Carolina, offers a variety of scenic locations and outdoor activities for nature enthusiasts. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventurous getaway, there are several well-reviewed spots to pitch your tent.

Tent campers should check out local activities

  • Enjoy canoeing and kayaking at the picturesque New River Alleghany Access Primitive Paddle-in, where you can paddle along the serene waters and soak in the natural beauty.
  • Experience the tranquility of hiking at Basin Cove, which features excellent trails that follow the river, perfect for both beginners and seasoned hikers.
  • For a unique camping experience, visit Dusty Trails Outfitters, where you can rent canoes and kayaks while enjoying a beautiful riverfront location.

Amenities that enhance your camping experience

  • At Riverside Canoe and Campground, you'll find convenient amenities like drinking water, showers, and a market for all your camping needs.
  • The Hiddenite Family Campground offers essential facilities such as picnic tables and firewood, making it a comfortable spot for families.
  • For a more rustic experience, Prathers Creek Paddle-in provides a primitive setting with fire pits and a peaceful atmosphere, ideal for those looking to disconnect.

Unique features to explore while camping

  • Experience the magic of fireflies at Self Sufficient Holler, where you can enjoy a suspended tree tent and a fully equipped camp kitchen.
  • The Boomer Park Shelter offers a boat launch access to Kerr Scott Reservoir, perfect for kayaking and canoeing, along with a swim beach for family fun.
  • At Marleys Ford, you can enjoy a peaceful environment with access to hiking trails and beautiful views of the surrounding nature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Hays, NC?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Hays, NC is Basin Cove — Blue Ridge Parkway with a 4.7-star rating from 3 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Hays, NC?

TheDyrt.com has all 39 tent camping locations near Hays, NC, with real photos and reviews from campers.