570 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Lake Toxaway in western North Carolina serves as a gateway to numerous camping options within the Blue Ridge Mountains region. Gorges State Park offers a newly developed campground with full hookup RV sites, tent camping areas, and primitive cabins, while Blue Ridge Falls RV Resort provides a more upscale camping experience with spacious sites along a creek. The surrounding area includes several state parks within driving distance, including Keowee-Toxaway State Park just across the South Carolina border, offering additional camping opportunities with tent sites, RV hookups, and cabin rentals.
Road conditions and accessibility vary throughout the region, with many campgrounds situated along winding mountain roads. Most developed sites in the area operate seasonally, with peak availability from May through October. "The area is known for having over 250 waterfalls," noted one visitor to Blue Ridge Falls RV Resort, highlighting the natural attractions that draw campers to this mountainous region. Weather patterns can change quickly in the higher elevations, with cooler temperatures even during summer months and potential for heavy rainfall. Many campgrounds require reservations, particularly during leaf-viewing season in autumn when visitation peaks across the region.
Campers consistently mention the waterfalls and hiking opportunities as primary attractions in the Lake Toxaway area. The proximity to Rainbow Falls and Turtle Back Falls from Gorges State Park makes it a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Several reviewers highlighted the peaceful atmosphere and natural beauty of the region's campgrounds. "We loved this RV park so much, we kept adding nights," shared one camper at Blue Ridge Falls RV Resort. Primitive backcountry camping options can be found in nearby Panthertown Valley, though visitors should be prepared for wildlife encounters, including bears. The combination of mountain views, water features, and forest settings creates diverse camping experiences within a relatively compact geographic area.
"Once again, interested in checking out as many waterfalls and cascades we could locate, the water flow will be so much more dramatic amidst heavy rainfall."
"We had a quick nights stay in Davidson River Campground after picking up our new SylvanSport GO tent trailer in nearby Brevard, North Carolina."
from $37 - $84 / night
Check Availability"We had reserved a walk-in tent sight and absoulty loved it."
"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."
"The alternatives #5 and #6 were close to the entrance and therefore exposed to the road, and #49 was next to the restrooms, but similar to #60, so stayed with #60."
"One drawback is that from the campground there is no easy access to the lake- you can either drive and park (and hope to find parking) or walk on a busy road . "
"There are 3 trailside primitive campsites that are on a peninsula overlooking Lake Keowee."
"Like most other campgrounds, the tent areas are right next to each other."
"We fished right next to our camp site and then relaxed with a camp fire listening to the sound of the River."
"We were looking for a place that was wooded and near a river or stream and lucked up at Lazy J. The staff answered our call right away and were both friendly and informative."
from $20 / night
Check Availability"This is one of North Carolina’s best waterfall parks. Rainbow Falls, Turtel Back Falls and Bust your Ass Falls."
"There are six designated backpack sites along the Foothills Trail near the southern boundary of the park."
from $27 - $75 / night
Check Availability"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."
"This is a small campground near Lake Toxaway. The people were great. They had happy hour everyday at five."
"We were greeted by Jojo and escorted to our spot by Daegan who helped us get our camper situated. The campground was clean and tidy, and had firewood and ice available for purchase."
from $65 / night
Check Availability"We decided to escape the heat and head for one of the “cooler” campgrounds in western North Carolina for a weekend. Mt Pisgah Campground is at an elevation of roughly 5300’."
"Pisgah National Forest on the outskirts of Asheville, NC is a must stop for all ages."
from $30 / night
Check Availability"The first campsite we stayed at was on the Green Valley Trail, the second one was on the Panthertown Valley Trail right near the Schoolhouse Falls Trail, and the third was on Mac's Gap right past the Granny"
"The sites near the middle of Macs Gap trail are huge and there is easy access to a couple streams. Bring a good map and stick to the trails that your map covers."
ScoutThis was a really lovely campground. We were greeted by Jojo and escorted to our spot by Daegan who helped us get our camper situated. The campground was clean and tidy, and had firewood and ice available for purchase. The happy hour at 5 is a great way to meet your fellow campers. Nearby there are restaurants and a few shops. The location is very close to several waterfall hikes.
RangerJust a quick stay for us. The roads are a little narrow for a big rig but that's to be expected. Really helpful staff and endless hiking opportunities.
RangerWe drove up to check out a fishing spot. We didn’t drive across the concrete creek crossing to the main part of camp. The campsites at the entrance looked clean and the creek was nice. Did see a copperhead on the way out.
ScoutThis camping park is very well maintained, clean quiet and just beautiful. Even the restrooms are air-conditioned in the summertime.
ScoutAwesome place to camp. Quiet and cozy. Pet and people friendly. Have been several times. Clean and refreshing.
ScoutThis rv park is limited in some ways. There's a club house that's more like a small child's play room, and the play ground has a basketball hoop but no court. However it does offer a small laundry room. The bath house is great! Always clean and stocked, it has good AC/heat, a big spacious shower, hooks for towels and a little table to put your shower stuff on. My least favorite about the park is that pretty much ALL of the sites are under constant sun until it drops behind the trees in the evening which makes the RV super hard to keep cool during the day
ScoutHarmony Glen is a lovely place to camp in western North Carolina with a welcoming host to greet you. It is beautiful, green, spacious, and quiet. Only one site on owners' property, so no noisy neighbors. The site is a gravel pad within a green grove of birch and pine trees. Host has a notebook of information to share of surrounding area with notable sites. They include Judaculla Rock, a petroglyph of unknown Native American origin; Great Smoky Mountains National Park; Whitewater Falls, the highest natural waterfall east of the Mississippi River; and the delightful towns of Cashiers, Sylva, and Dillsboro to explore nearby. Come and see!
GuideSo fortunate to have stumbled upon this gem. All sites are along the river. RV sites are equipped with electric and water. There is an outhouse and dish wash station. We tent camped and our site was a grassy spot along the river. We had had a picnic table and bbq. Nearby there is a large social fire pit with chairs where we roasted s’mores with our neighbors. There are two rope swings and we brought innertubes. The stairs to the water was perfect for swimming. We stayed for 3 days and it was wonderful!
RangerThe campground is VERY remote with challenging access. We have a 4x4 pickup and still not sure how comfortable we would be attempting to take our 21' travel trailer to it.
I'll estimate that the access road is a very rough 4-5 miles and while it starts out as paved the road becomes packed dirt (red clay) and quickly narrows and winds through the hills at a sometimes steep incline. The opportunities to pull over should someone approach from the other direction are few and would mean a lengthy backup for someone. Not sure I would recommend the road in a passenger vehicle.
The campsites we visited were nice and well trimmed, many were creekfront and there were bear-proof trash receptacles and vault toilets. Each site also had a picnic table, fire ring, and lantern pole.
During our visit it was peaceful and mostly empty.
Campsites near Lake Toxaway, North Carolina sit at elevations ranging from 2,800 to 3,200 feet in the Blue Ridge Mountains, creating cooler temperatures even during summer months. The region receives over 90 inches of annual rainfall, contributing to the abundance of streams and waterfalls throughout the camping areas. Most primitive campsites have limited or no cell service, requiring advance planning for navigation and emergency contacts.
Explore Panthertown Valley: Panthertown Valley Backcountry Area offers extensive hiking opportunities with numerous unmarked side trails requiring proper navigation tools. "It is imperative to purchase a decent map for these trails and I highly recommend using the one available via the Friends of Panthertown website," advises one camper who warns that getting lost is common due to unofficial trails.
Fishing opportunities: Lazy J Campground provides direct access to the North Fork French Broad River with fishing spots adjacent to several campsites. A camper noted, "We fished right next to our camp site and then relaxed with a camp fire listening to the sound of the River."
Waterfall viewing: Davidson River Campground serves as a gateway to numerous waterfalls in Pisgah National Forest. "There are tons of hiking opportunities in the area with tons of waterfalls. We did get to hike to a few, but wish we had more time to spend there," reports a visitor who traveled 4 hours to reach the area.
River access: Lazy J Campground offers riverside sites with convenient water activities. "You can tube down and get out right at your site. Three Falls waterfall is just up the road. You can get tubes at the office," explains a regular visitor who appreciates the direct water access.
Lake swimming: Devils Fork State Park Campground provides access to Lake Jocassee with exceptionally clear water. "So much for family's to do here. Water is so clear. Site is so clean," notes one visitor who initially stopped to check out the campground and wished they had a reservation.
Secluded camping: Mount Pisgah Campground offers sites with greater privacy than many public campgrounds. "Spacious sites arranged for privacy. Over 5000 ft in elevation which means cool nights in Summer. Trees all around for privacy," explains a long-time visitor who has camped there for over 30 years.
Bear activity: Panthertown Valley Backcountry Area has significant bear presence requiring proper food storage. "Be aware that the bears here are extremely bad. I actually had an encounter with a very large bear who charged my group and destroyed at tent, and heard similar stories from other campers," warns one visitor who still rated the experience highly despite the encounter.
Reservation requirements: During peak season (May-October), most campgrounds fill completely, especially on weekends. "This place is packed most all of the summer now so you don't want to show up without a spot," advises a Davidson River visitor.
Electrical reliability: Some campgrounds experience infrastructure challenges due to their remote location. At Keowee-Toxaway State Park, one camper reported, "Twice in one week this campground experienced a complete and total power outage each of which lasted for hours."
Primitive camping options: Keowee-Toxaway State Park offers trailside primitive sites accessible via moderate hiking. "There are 3 trailside primitive campsites that are on a peninsula overlooking Lake Keowee. Although only one of them is considered on the shore, they are all within walking distance (down a little hill) from the shore," explains a regular visitor who notes costs are only about $12 per night.
Kid-friendly facilities: Oconee State Park provides well-maintained facilities for families. "Bathrooms are super nice and clean," notes one visitor, while another explains there are "nice hiking area and swimming area" suitable for children of various ages.
Animal encounters: Several campgrounds feature resident animals that children enjoy watching. At Lazy J Campground, "Chickens and horses on site. Playground and lots of fun," reports a regular visitor who appreciates the entertainment value for children.
Road access considerations: Gorges State Park Campground has challenging access roads requiring careful driving. "The last 10 miles out of Brevard were curvy and had some grades. And the last 2 miles into the campground had I would guess a couple of 10% grades both up and down," cautions an RV driver who still found the campground "super nice" despite access challenges.
Campsite selection: At Blue Ridge Falls RV Resort (formerly Riverbend), site selection significantly impacts experience. "Stayed 7 days in #1 from 6/25 to 7/1 with two other RVers and was a romantic peaceful time with our own waterfall and creek running around us," reports one visitor who also warns, "Just a word on getting there- don't follow the gps onto Kim Miller Rd. Stay on Rt 64 and turn onto 281 past firehouse. Much easier!"
Pad conditions: Tent sites and RV pads vary significantly in quality and levelness across campgrounds. At Mount Pisgah Campground, one visitor notes, "Camper pads on the odd-numbered tent sites (5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15) are not level, but Sites 1 and 3 plus the even-numbered sites have level parking pads."
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Lake Toxaway, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, Lake Toxaway, NC offers a wide range of camping options, with 570 campgrounds and RV parks near Lake Toxaway, NC and 50 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Lake Toxaway, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Lake Toxaway, NC is Davidson River Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 82 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Lake Toxaway, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 50 free dispersed camping spots near Lake Toxaway, NC.
What parks are near Lake Toxaway, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 23 parks near Lake Toxaway, NC that allow camping, notably National Forests in North Carolina and Nantahala National Forest.
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