Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Highlands, NC is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in. Experience some of the most stunning views that North Carolina camping has to offer. You're sure to find the perfect campground for your Highlands camping trip.
$20 - $255 / night
"Just a short 30 minute drive over the mountain takes you to Highlands, NC....this little town was fantastic. Tons of great restaurants and also lots of boutique & antique shopping."
"We chatted about travel and places to go not just her in Georgia but also around the United States."
"This hidden gem is a few miles off a major highway but well worth the journey. I would consider it among my top ten 'near a lake' spots in the entire US."
"We had reserved a walk-in tent sight and absoulty loved it."
"There are primitive, walk-in sites that had the benefit of added privacy, but with 3 little kids, bathroom proximity was a higher priority this time around. "
"There are multiple cabins scattered around the lake but they are a good distance apart from each other so you won't be disturbed by your neighbors."
"Our plan was to start on the north end of River trail and hike for a few days camping in between. The Ranger there sold us a map of the trail since the ones online were not so great."
"Arrived to parking lot with bathroom (outhouse) with about a mile walk to campsites and river. We found semi secluded campsite beside the river equipped with firepit lantern post."
$24 - $40 / night
"There are many sites to visit nearby. Western North Carolina is hard to beat for natural beauty."
"Great, small campground near Highlands, NC. Private sites, nice hosts, and clean bathrooms."
$36 - $45 / night
"This was our second visit, we always stop here when we are traveling between North Carolina and Alabama."
"And the steps back up will challenge the most fit among us. But the views and experience is well worth the pain."
"Directions: From Highlands, follow NC 28 south about 5.5 miles and turn right onto Blue Valley Rd. (S.R. 1618) at the sign. The pavement will end in a half mile."
"Almost all near a creek of some sort. Hiking trails near by. No facilities. Room for larger groups ~40 people max for the biggest site ~6 for the smallest"
$10 / night
"Access to the campground is a narrow partially-paved but well-maintained single lane road with only one area to pull over, so be careful when entering and exiting because if you meet another vehicle one"
"Definitely not a road to drive for those who aren't skilled in off road driving.
We stayed in one of the back sites near the creek (I can't recall the number). Most of the sites were VERY secluded."
$7 - $26 / night
"There are 3 trailside primitive campsites that are on a peninsula overlooking Lake Keowee."
"The trail was relatively short, but the hills were bigger than expected. However, the payoff at the trailside campground is incredible. The sites are out on a point on Lake Keowee."
$15 / night
"Winding Stairs trail connects to the campground and offers good hiking. Just across the street is the Big Bend trail which takes you to Big Bend falls on the Chattooga River."
"Hiking the entire trail is a definite must do."
TravelerThe Staff was very friendly and helpful. The facilities were nice and clean. Our neighbors were respectful of quiet hours, but not so much of other camping etiquette. The sites are very narrow and on the weekend we were there it was very busy. There appears to be quite a lot of permanent residents. We did have an attractive, clean creekside view. Overall we enjoyed our stay, just would have preferred a little more space and privacy.
TravelerMore a long-term RV/permanent living in very old campers. The area has no cell service in the area. During the stay, the wifi was in and out. But when it was working, sreaming videos was very poor, always buffering. The owners are very nice and are working to update the property.
GuideI highly recommend this campground. I stayed at site 38 in Loop 1. The host is a very friendly man, he greeted me every morning. At site 38 there is more privacy than in others and I liked that. It is next to a hill so it is easy to find wood for the bonfire. It is very close to the entrance and the bathroom. The bathrooms are very large and there is hot water, in the three days that I bathed it did not run out, it lasts a long time. The bathrooms are very clean and there is a garbage container outside. I recommend going to the Angel waterfall. And to the lake that is in front of the entrance of the camp. It was from October 24 to 27, 2024 and it was already fall. But on the 27th it was much more intense than the first day.
ScoutWe stayed at Site 1 and it was lovely. The rushing water (mini waterfall?) is the highlight of the site and our stay. There is much privacy between sites and the hosts visited and made us feel welcome. The obvious tent site is quite sloped and if we stay again, we will set up closer to the road to find a more level spot. The tree canopy by the water allowed us to enjoy a bonfire even in a light rain. The composting toilet is a bit of a walk so we mostly took care of business at our site in our luggable loo. There did not seem to be a trash receptacle on site so we took our garbage home for disposal. Apparently this site is also listed on Hip Camp and there seems to be a reservation integration challenge. They were double booked for the site on the second night but the second party was accommodated by a space in the pasture.
ScoutNice clean and very quiet.
TravelerHorse cove was a gorgeous campsite. There are two “areas”, the campground near the check in station and dispersed camping along the road. We stayed in May 2025.
We chose to camp in the campground. It had a picnic table, fire ring, and lantern poles. It was a rainy weekend so we didn’t have many neighbors which made it perfect. The campground use to have two sections to camp but one has been closed down for quite a bit of time (there have fallen trees). There were only about 6-8 campsites all close to each other on the campground along the river.
The other option is to find campsites along the river. There were maybe 3-4 rv friendly sites from the campground to the boat dock (mostly tent options). There’s probably more past the boat dock but we didn’t check.
There’s probably river was loud but beautiful. No electric. There was a water pump but I didn’t see if it worked. There was an abundance of firewood in the campground and along the road. We decided to go hike Joyce Kilmore Forest which was a small trek from the campground. Felt like we were camping in a rainforest!
Toilet: enclosed toilet with thin toilet paper just like a porta potty. Smelled bad.
GuideLoved this place by the river! Walking trails surround the CG and high quality mountain bike trails nearby. The owner is a cool guy and staff are friendly. Lots of different sites to choose from (of course riverside are in demand). The sites themselves vary in privacy and space but overall acceptable. Fire pits, picnic bench, some sites with bear boxes, warm showers, clean toilets, tent pads, very shady, firewood and ice available, WiFi only available near a trailhead parking lot, catch and release fishing. Most visitors are here for mountain biking from what I could tell. I do however have one critique: the morning I checked out a tree cutter company came out at 8 AM to cut some trees down right next to me. I understand the need to maintain forestry but it would’ve been nice to have a heads up a day before. Other than that I still highly recommend this place for camping and enjoying the National Forest surrounding you.
GuideIf you need a decent place to tent camp in the city for brief period, this is a quaint tucked away place. The host managers are extremely nice. The tent campground itself is quite small and sites are very close to each other. Fire pits, tent pads, shady, WiFi, water, power, hot showers, firewood available, relatively quiet from road noise, secure. Buffering the campground from the main busy road is an RV section. $30 night for tent camping.
TravelerThis is the "meet up" point for us and many of our camping friends. The sites are fairly level and they have added more gravel to the roads. The bathrooms are kept clean and most necessities can be found in the camp store. We usually pull our camper, but we have stayed in cabin 116.
Cabins 116 and 117 have dishes, cookware, etc. furnished.
135 and 135A are Jack and Jill sites, which we have used often with close friends. Sites along the river go fast, so make your reservations early.
If you can get by with 30 amp service, site 25 allows you to face your camper towards the swimming hole.
Camping near Highlands, North Carolina, offers a fantastic escape into nature with stunning views and plenty of outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled getaway, there are several campgrounds in the area that cater to all types of campers.
Camping near Highlands, North Carolina, is a great way to enjoy the outdoors, whether you're in a tent, RV, or cabin. With beautiful scenery and plenty of activities, it's a perfect spot for families and adventurers alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, Highlands, NC offers a wide range of camping options, with 565 campgrounds and RV parks near Highlands, NC and 57 free dispersed camping spots.
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Highlands, NC is Black Rock Mountain State Park Campground with a 4.8-star rating from 57 reviews.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 57 free dispersed camping spots near Highlands, NC.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 22 parks near Highlands, NC that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
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