Best Campgrounds near Lansing, NC

The Lansing area in North Carolina features several campgrounds along mountain streams and scenic woodland areas. Helton Creek Campground, located in Ashe County, provides tent and RV camping with electric hookups alongside a trout stream. Mountaineer Campground in Lansing offers primitive camping with 13 sites operated by the city. Other options include New River State Park's Wagoner access, with walk-in tent sites and RV accommodations near the water. The region includes a mix of privately operated campgrounds and state park facilities within a 30-minute drive of Lansing.

Seasonal considerations affect camping experiences throughout the area, with most campgrounds operating from spring through fall. "Small campground away from everything," notes one visitor about Helton Creek Campground, highlighting the remote nature of sites in this region. Limited or no cell service is common in many camping areas around Lansing and neighboring Ashe County. Mountaineer Campground provides basic amenities including fire pits and porta-potties but no water on site. Campers should prepare for variable weather conditions, especially in spring when rain can create muddy access roads. Highway noise affects some sites, particularly those at Mountaineer Campground which backs up to Highway 1353.

Trout fishing represents a primary attraction at several campgrounds near Lansing. A camper observed that Helton Creek features "great trout fishing" with a "delayed harvest trout stream, well stocked in spring, larger fish stocked in fall." The New River provides additional recreational opportunities, with some campsites offering river access for paddling and tubing. Private sites with riverfront views tend to be the most popular, especially during summer months. Most developed campgrounds in the area maintain clean facilities and level camping pads. The natural setting allows visitors to enjoy mountain scenery while having access to small towns like Lansing and West Jefferson for supplies. Nearby attractions include the Virginia Creeper Trail for hiking and biking, accessible from several campgrounds in the northern part of the region.

Best Camping Sites Near Lansing, North Carolina (232)

    1. Hickory Ridge Campground — Grayson Highlands State Park

    56 Reviews
    Troutdale, VA
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (276) 579-2374

    $25 - $40 / night

    "Campground Review: There are two campgrounds in Grayson Highland SP which is located by The Mouth Of Wilson, VA, near the North Carolina border."

    "With camping just a moderate day hike away from Mount Rogers, the highest point in Virginia, this campground is a hiker's paradise."

    2. Wagoner — New River State Park

    17 Reviews
    Jefferson, NC
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (336) 982-2587

    $27 - $72 / night

    "You have to walk in but the park provides little carts and wheelbarrows. The sites and the bathhouse are very well maintained. The park host, Tom Keller, was just fantastic."

    "We were too far away from the water to walk, so we missed out on that, which we were looking forward to, but overall a really nice experience."

    3. Grindstone

    21 Reviews
    Troutdale, VA
    13 miles
    Website

    $24 - $36 / night

    "Woodsy sites, access to hiking trails. Spacious camp sites with all the amenities."

    "We like to hike and there are TONS of trails in this area. One trail leaves directly from the campground and will bring you to the top of Mt. Rogers, also intersecting with the Appalachian Trail."

    4. Blue Bear Mountain Camp

    27 Reviews
    Todd, NC
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (828) 406-4226

    $25 - $136 / night

    "It offers RV, drive in and hike in tent sites and also teepee camping."

    "There is a place to wash dishes outside as well. Fantastic walking trails - some parts quite steep but we got a good workout through the woods on the property."

    5. Helton Creek Campground

    7 Reviews
    Crumpler, NC
    5 miles
    Website
    +1 (336) 384-2320

    $10 - $50 / night

    "Small but wonderful campground that sits right next to a trout stream. Definitely the place to go if you just want to get away from it all!"

    "Any outside noise is washed away by the stream. Good bathhouse/restroom. Excellent fishing on site and plenty more in walking distance."

    6. Hurricane Campground

    15 Reviews
    Troutdale, VA
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (276) 783-5196

    $20 - $40 / night

    "This camp ground is located well off any main roads under a nice quiet canopy of Hemlocks and Laurel trees. Easy walking distance to several well maintained and very clean outhouses."

    "Two nearby campgrounds were closed for the season so we were lucky to come across this one. Loved having the sound of the river right next to our site."

    7. Twin Rivers Family Campground

    7 Reviews
    Crumpler, NC
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (336) 982-3456

    "Twin rivers campground is located in Crumpler NC on the river.  It is a primitive campground with both RV and tent sites. "

    "It seems a little bit of a sketchy drive into the primitive sites, but no one had any problems as far as I know—we certainly didn’t!"

    8. Chestnut Hollow Horse Campground — Grayson Highlands State Park

    6 Reviews
    Whitetop, VA
    9 miles
    +1 (276) 579-7092

    "It was blowing up all over the trails at some points! But it's all worth it. The views are amazing! The ponies are great, they're come right up to you and check you out."

    "Great facilities and located very close to Wilbur ridge where the wild ponies are! The AT is very close and waterfall hikes can be accessed from camp.also lots of great bouldering in the area"

    9. Jefferson National Forest Beartree Campground

    12 Reviews
    Whitetop, VA
    15 miles
    Website

    $24 - $85 / night

    "Large secluded campsites surrounded by rhododendron bushes with a mountain spring creek meandering through the campgrounds."

    "We use the lake for paddle boarding or kayaking and we bike on the Va Creeper trail, the local mountain bike and hiking trails adjacent to the campground or just bike down to the lake and back."

    10. Creeper Trail Campground

    5 Reviews
    Whitetop, VA
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (276) 388-3426

    $45 - $55 / night

    "It is steps away from Creeper trail in Whitetop"

    "There is no cell phone reception anywhere around until you get to Damascus about 30 minutes away. The office/cafe does has WiFi."

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Recent Reviews near Lansing, NC

1237 Reviews of 232 Lansing Campgrounds


  • ARTHUR
    Oct. 24, 2025

    Royal Oak Campground — Hungry Mother State Park

    ROYAL OAK CAMP GROUND

    ROYAL OAK CAMPGROUND is one of three camping areas in the Hungry Mother VA state park. It has 11 car camping platforms for tent only camping . There is no electric or water at each site. There is a bath house for the 11 sites.

    Other campgrounds in the park offer RV, and cabin sites.

  • eThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 24, 2025

    Upper Creek, Pisgah National Forest NC

    Great Sites on the Creek

    Some of the sites are pretty close but they’re separated enough to get some real quiet in the woods. Great time! Would love to come back in the summer and take average of being on the creek

  • N
    Oct. 14, 2025

    Cedar Rock Campground

    Great spot!

    Very clean and taken care of. Owners are friendly and check in daily. The creek is very nice and creates the perfect amount of ambient noise. I found ample amount of space between spots. We had all the space we needed and some. We have an 8person tent. We will definitely be coming back.

  • Ethan H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 10, 2025

    Julian Price Park Campground — Blue Ridge Parkway

    Great Primitive Campsite

    Most campsites have good privacy and is quiet most hours. All have easy access, but bathrooms are small for number of campers. Some campsites are a little confusing about site areas as it seems they overlap into each other some. The view of the lake is one of the best parts. More campgrounds should separate rv and primitive like they do.

  • C
    Oct. 5, 2025

    Steele Creek Park & Campground

    Extra fees

    Sooo...went to book online. Selected my site and started the payment process. I was greeted by a pop-up stating that if I want to lock in my site, I'd have to pay an additional $20 fee.

    Okay, let me get this straight: I reserve a specific site for specific reasons, then the campground tells me they have the right to move me to a site of their choosing unless I pay them an additional $20?

    No thanks. Just lost my business. I'm sure it's a nice place, but really?

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 5, 2025

    Pioneer Village

    Convenient but Hilly

    We only stayed for one night and this location is very convenient for this area when traveling Interstate 81. Easy access to pull through sites, needed one inch block on one side to level off. Rest rooms were so so, men’s room has one stall out of order. Grounds are clean and fair amount of spacing between sites. Needed extra hose to reach water spigot. But it is a hilly location. The access road in and out of the campground is a hill. Stopping at the office and you’re on a pretty steep incline. It’s on my list of repeat stops for this area.

  • S
    Oct. 4, 2025

    Observation Knob Park

    On the water

    Beautiful, popular park. Not all sites are level. Sites are fairly close together. Excellent scenery.


Guide to Lansing

Campsites near Lansing, North Carolina sit at elevations between 2,700-3,500 feet in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Seasonal temperature swings are moderate with summer daytime highs typically around 80°F and nighttime lows in the 60s. The higher elevation camping areas experience more rainfall and cooler temperatures than lower elevations, with fall bringing colorful foliage and crisp nights.

What to do

Trout fishing access points: The delayed harvest section of Helton Creek offers excellent fishing with seasonal stocking patterns. At Helton Creek Campground, one angler notes it's "a great place on a Blue Ribbon Trout stream" with "probably 2-3 miles of good fishable water."

Virginia Creeper Trail biking: Located just across the state line from Lansing, this 34-mile former railroad bed provides gentle grades ideal for family cycling. A camper at Creeper Trail Campground mentioned "access to Creeper trail right around the corner," making it convenient for cyclists who want quick trail access.

Wildlife viewing hikes: Several campgrounds offer opportunities to observe local wildlife in their natural habitats. At Grayson Highlands, a camper reported seeing "a Family of black bear about a mile from camp then a bobcat in camp later that day!" demonstrating the rich biodiversity of the area.

River paddling: The New River provides gentle paddling opportunities with multiple access points. Many campgrounds like Twin Rivers offer direct river access where "tubing was great, the river is awesome" according to one visitor who enjoyed time on the water.

What campers like

Privacy between sites: Many campgrounds feature natural barriers between campsites. At Jefferson National Forest Beartree Campground, one camper appreciated that "sites were built in a forest of rhododendron and there is so much privacy compared to most other campgrounds."

Clean facilities: Campground cleanliness receives consistently high marks. One camper at New River State Park noted "extremely clean bath house and very helpful rangers" while another commented on "super clean restrooms and showers, amazing visitors center."

Cooler mountain temperatures: The higher elevation provides relief from summer heat. A camper at Blue Bear Mountain Camp enjoyed that "the elevation is high so weather is nice for those trying to escape the summer heat," reporting "70-80 in July!"

Level camping pads: Several campgrounds feature well-constructed sites. A visitor to Hurricane Campground appreciated that "sites are large and wooded and first come, first serve" with good site preparation making setup easier.

What you should know

Limited cell service: Most campgrounds in the area have poor or no cell reception. A camper at Hurricane Campground warned there's "no cell service anywhere around until you get to Damascus about 30 minutes away," advising visitors to "download your maps and music, etc." beforehand.

Road conditions: Access roads to some campgrounds can be challenging. One visitor to Hurricane Campground noted they "took 650 from the north west, which turns out to be a 4 mile stretch of gravel road - which my little car had a rough time handling."

Weather variability: Mountain weather can change quickly. A visitor to Grindstone Recreation Area said to "pack a raincoat and warm clothes just in case," as conditions can shift rapidly even in summer.

Campground access limitations: Some campgrounds require walking to sites. At New River State Park, a camper mentioned "no cars allowed. You cart your stuff to the site," but added the park "provide[s] little carts and wheelbarrows" to assist campers.

Tips for camping with families

Kid-friendly water features: Several campgrounds offer safe water access for children. A camper at Beartree Campground shared that "the kids really enjoyed the playground and walking near the lake," providing entertainment away from the campsite.

Playground options: Some campgrounds include dedicated play areas. A visitor to Grindstone Recreation Area described it as "very clean, calm and somewhat private... It felt safe and family friendly."

Educational opportunities: Nature centers provide learning experiences for children. New River State Park's "nature center was very interactive and great for kids," according to one family that visited.

Wildlife encounters: Campgrounds with wildlife viewing opportunities fascinate children. A camper at Grayson Highlands mentioned "wild horses and ponies" are a "great hikes close by with sweet wild ponies that let you get close for pictures."

Tips from RVers

Limited hookup availability: Full hookups aren't available at all campgrounds. At Blue Bear Mountain Camp, a camper noted "they do not have water hookups- you fill your camper tank with water at the office area. They have spots with electric hookups."

Dump station access: Some campgrounds offer dump stations even if you aren't staying there. One traveler mentioned that at New River State Park, they "didn't stay but did use the dump station for $17," providing an option for RVers passing through.

Site selection strategy: RV sites vary widely in quality and accessibility. At New River State Park, a visitor recommended "take a look at Google satellite map when booking. Sites 3, 7, 10 are among the best" due to their layout and space.

Site leveling considerations: Some campgrounds have uneven terrain. A visitor to Creeper Trail Campground appreciated that "the site was nice and level with a beautiful view," making setup easier for larger rigs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Lansing, NC?

According to TheDyrt.com, Lansing, NC offers a wide range of camping options, with 232 campgrounds and RV parks near Lansing, NC and 16 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Lansing, NC?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Lansing, NC is Hickory Ridge Campground — Grayson Highlands State Park with a 4.8-star rating from 56 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Lansing, NC?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 16 free dispersed camping spots near Lansing, NC.

What parks are near Lansing, NC?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 28 parks near Lansing, NC that allow camping, notably Blue Ridge Parkway and W. Kerr Scott Dam & Reservoir.