Best Campgrounds near Highlands, NC

Nice state park. If you are into water sports (kayaking, Paddle boarding, boating or fishing) this is a perfect park. No sewer hookups but each loop has a dump station. We stayed at site 42 lake view and level with a little incline to pad. Best sites 38, 39, 41 and 5. These are right on water with level pads and access to your play toys that you can pull up to the coast. Rangers are very friendly and are okay but clean. Will make this a future revisit park.

We thoroughly enjoyed staying on the river. The Manager, Deb, is so sweet and helpful! The area came alive with Spring Beauty & yet the storm damage is still very evident. On one hand, it was a bit depressing to see all of the loss - on the other hand, it felt good to give back to the local community.

Trees scraped camper on entry ,poor roads. Expensive for what you get.

Even though our trip was cut short (bears and this mommas fear for her little ones), this campground was amazing. We had access to the creek even though it was kinda steep. It was always quiet even though we had quite a few tents around us. They have a washing station at the bathrooms, but no showers. Close to gatlinburg and other trails but groceries are almost an hour away. Would definitely stay again with another adult to help watch for bears. We were told there was a bear in the area of our loop just before we came and we also ran into several bears on multiple trails. BRING BEAR SPRAY!

We stayed for six days in March. We loved everything about this campground. The sites are spacious and well spaced, offering more privacy than many locations. The showers and bathrooms were very clean. There are numerous hikes that are on the grounds or just outside. The staff was very helpful and friendly. The campground is 15 minutes from downtown Asheville and 5 minutes from the North Carolina arboretum.

General: 81-site RV park. Some sites are paved, and some are gravel. They are rated Economy, Premium, or Super Premium, although it was difficult for me to see the difference between some of these sites. 

Site Quality: We chose a Super-Premium Site (the same price on the Dyrt as the other sites so why not?) but I was surprised to find out our camper pad was gravel and not paved. We had water and electric, but not sewer (not needed). Our site also had a picnic table. 

Bath/Shower House: All-in-one contained clean units with sink, toilet, and shower. Nice towel rack and hook. Did not use the shower so cannot comment on its quality. 

Activities/Amenities: There are many activities to keep family members occupied, including a playground, basketball, corn hole, soccer nets, community fire pit (you can rent a private firepit), and in-season, a pool. There is also a clean laundry room with three reasonably priced washers and dryers. 

We arrived just after the office closed at 4 pm and had to leave before the office opened at 9 am the following morning but we did meet the resort manager who was very welcoming. We chose this location because it was the most convenient for where we needed to be the following morning. 

While this RV park was clean and well-maintained, it was also located on a busy road, so road noise was always present. There was no foliage/separation between sites although there was a reasonable amount of space between sites. 

For us personally, I would give it three stars because we prefer more rustic camping with trees and less/no road noise, but if you like RV parks with many activities, I would recommend this one.

Dog friendly and beautiful views from most of the sites. Plenty of hikes nearby too. Hot showers and clean bathrooms!

We arrived pretty late, close to midnight after hitting a lot of traffic traveling from Fl. The coordinates took us directly here, and upon first arriving we did see a campsite to the left which was being used. Continuing on for about another twenty minutes down a one-way gravel road we did not see anymore sites until the end of the road which has a beautiful sunrise view. There are hundreds of downed trees, I am assuming from Hurricane Helene. Which were chopped up, perfect for a firering.

We went almost to the end of the road before turning around and just pulling over onto a little 'shoulder' to set up the tent for the night.

Pros- Dead silent and relaxing Great view of the stars during early spring/late winter

Cons- Not car accessible (road is narrow and very bumpy. 4x4 recommended but I made it down in a 2x4 fullsize pickup) Have not seen nor heard any creek despite one being in the photos.

Definitely would come back

Staff is awesome. Any trailer longer than 25 feet is tight getting to back sites

We booked Turkey Creek Campground through their website after finding them on TheDyrt—super easy and completely contactless, which was a great start.

The location? Magical. Nestled in a quiet valley surrounded by mountains and trees in the Nantahala National Forest, just south of the Smokies. If you know, you know—the area where the forest and mountains meet is ethereal.

We showed up a little early for check-in and met Rick, the owner and host. Let me tell you, this man radiates good vibes. He’s funny, welcoming, and you can immediately tell he loves what he does. We were tent camping in the off-season and had plenty of sites to choose from—Rick let us drive around to pick our favorite. We landed on Site 18 (highly recommend!) but sites 22, 8, and 9 also stood out.

The roads are well-maintained gravel. The entrance is a steep gravel hill, but our 2WD Camry handled it just fine.

The clubhouse/office? ADORABLE. Airy, bright, and Rick sells a few camping essentials and some Turkey Creek merch (super soft shirts, FYI) inside, and a single-serve coffee machine ready to go—a lifesaver for our chilly March mornings. There’s also ice and firewood available for a small fee.

Behind the clubhouse, a covered wooden deck with bistro tables and rocking chairs overlooks the campground. It rained during our stay, and sitting out there, listening to the rain with a cup of Joe? Perfection.

The sites: Clean, well-maintained, and thoughtfully placed. Our tent site sat along a babbling creek that lulled us to sleep at night—absolute A+. Every site has an in-ground rock firepit and wooden picnic table, with a mix of tent, RV, and van sites spread across 10 acres, a handful of which are creekside like ours was.

And the bathhouses… Y'ALL. Located under the clubhouse, they have hot water (😍), rain showerheads, and are hands-down the cleanest campground facilities I’ve ever seen. I felt safe and comfortable showering here.

Bonus: There’s a ¾-mile hike to Fontana Lake right from the campground. Heads up—it can be marshy or underwater in spots, so wear hiking boots or waders. In March, the lake is so low we could walk on the lakebed and even found what might be an old homestead foundation from before the dam was built in the ‘40s! Mind-blowing to think that spot is 50+ feet underwater in the summer.

Bottom line: Turkey Creek is the best campground we’ve ever stayed at. Rick puts his heart into this place, and it shows. If you’re thinking about booking, DO IT. It’s already fully booked for major summer holidays—and it’s only March! Get on the cancellation list if you have to, because it’s 1000% worth it. Rick owns two other campground's too, one in Indiana and one in Illinois, which I assume are both equally as stunning and clean.

We immediately confirmed another weekend in 2 weeks, and absolutely plan to be back in summer... If we can even get a spot 😭

You MUST camp outside of 1000ft from road. You WILL get investigated by park Rangers, which stepped up enforcement of this stupid, pointless law around 2 years ago.

Otherwise, wonderful, awesome spot. If you wanna ignore the rules, I advise the topmost pullout. Best sunrise views.

This is my favorite SC park (so far). Several waterfalls are in the area, plus fishing lakes and swimming beach. Lots of outdoorsy things to do, and beautiful views of Table Rock from the Mountain Laurel Campground. The White Oak Campground is hillier. I stayed here over New Year's and did a ranger-led First Day Hike.

This shelter is a two-room rock shelter at the top of blood mountain. Just behind the shelter is a great spot for a nice view and milestone photo.