The best camping near
Laurel Park , NORTH CAROLINA

First, make sure you have everything packed, cause you DON’T want to have to go back to the car! You are camping next to the river at the top of High Shoals Falls. It’s hard to suggest which way to go on the loop trail to get there. The stairs(left) are a workout, tall steps, slippery and steep. But your crisscrossing the falls so scenery on the way up. There were a lot more people descending on this part of the trail. The right side is steep, all dirt and does the zig zag up to the top. Some scenery. So pick your torture:D This dispersed area is not totally off the beaten path however it’s a pretty sweet area. Site 4 is back by itself and has room for a small group. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. Several are right by the stream. A plus is there are two pit toilets, complete with resident mice;)

We finally made it to Emberglow in early November 2020. It was perfect. It didn’t feel like a parking lot with RVs and campers but had enough space in between each spot with plenty to do for kids and adults.

We camped at Table Rock State Park in SC in October 2020. It's a beautiful park, clean and well maintained. The weekend was a little crazy. The park was packed and many sites were filled to overflowing. I'm glad we were able to stay past the weekend to enjoy the peace and quiet. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Kayak rentals are very inexpensive, but 30 - 60 minutes is all you'll need. They were a little short staffed due to Covid, so the check-in location near the campground was closed. We had to check in at the Visitor Center, which is quite inconvenient if you're towing a rig. But all in all, it was a great stay!

For a private organized campground, this really is one of the best spots in Brevard.

Sites are all gravel. We have hammocked camped here, and this last trip, I camped in my Motorcycle trailer. Great spot to be for riding around the blue ridge mountains.

Most sites have electric and water. You will likely need to level anything you bring.

There is decent wi-fi, though it can be spotty when everyone gets on at night.

Decent 3 bar verizon coverage.

Bathhouses are super clean and the entire place has a friendly vibe. Sites are fairly close, but the trees help it feel secluded. Can be a bit noisy at night as sound carries, especially on weekends when there is more campers coming in.

Roads are tight and twisty, I had a tough time backing in my 10' utility trailer into spot 220.

No online reservation system. Not really any views. Just a nice solid campground with decent rates. About a 20 minute drive to Brevard and area attractions. But you can hit Ceasars Head Park about 5 minutes due south on 276 for some great hiking.

This is a second review after another week long stay at Mile Creek Campground. This time in a gravel spot #49.

Had 5G access entire time and easy to do business as digital nomads.

Have already spoken about how awesome this place is, but want to share inforabout site #49

This spot is the highest on the third "island" out from the mainland. It has epic 360 views. But, a lot of tree canopy and it is dirt/gravel. While the spot is very level, be very weary that the drive up to this spot is steep and curved, We barely made clearance with a 23' trailer that has a lift kit on it. This spot requires backup skills and the right equipment.

The tree canopy is nice, but when it rains, forest stuff sticks all over your rig, you'll be waxing off the debris and stains. Plus, you're solar is a no go here, but with electric and water hookups, solar not needed.

We also learned this is some really amazing mountain biking 25 minutes away in the Clemson Experimental Forest… the Isaqueena Trail system. Ranges from easy/intermediate to advanced when you get to the lower waterfall area in the southern part of the forest.

As the other reviews have said, this is a great basecamp for both hiking and mountain biking for many levels. Hiking easy to difficult / extreme (Art Lobe Trail) and mountain biking from mellow on the flat trails to expert up and around Thrift Cove to Black Mountain.  

Spots are well spaced out for an organized campground with plenty of trees.

The campground is primitive, but very well cared for. Bathhouses only have one shower, and there's only one per "loop" of campsites, which is about 20-30 pending on the loop. So, if it's busy you may be waiting. Other than that, we felt very Covid Safe.

We stayed in a pull through spot #43, right next to a bathhouse, and only about 50 yards from the river. Site was crazy level, and did not even need to pull out leveling blocks.

While there is a dump station with potable water you can fill up, there are no hookups at most of the sites. A few, which are usually reserved for campground hosts, have electric and sewer.

NOTE that if even if you have good solar, you are in a valley with lots of tree canopy. We got maybe 2-3 hours of light hitting our panels a day. Not enough to fully charge the batteries.

There is NO wi-fi.

We are digital nomads, so connectivity is key. While we could make phone calls on Verizon, anything data related was not happening. But all you have to do is jump in the car, drive 2 minutes towards Brevard and pull off into the day use area. 4-5 bars consistently.  

Drive another mile and you have a Wal-Mart parking lot with a cell tower across the street. Plus, a fantastic MTB shop with a bar… and breweries across the street.

Davidson River is overall an epic spot to really get out and enjoy what the Pisgah National Forest has to offer. Secluded, but 5 minutes from civilization.

We wanted a last minute, quick drive from Asheville and got lucky with a spot! It was a double which we didn’t need but could see really enjoying with some friends and family. Girls loved being near the water. It was fairly quiet and think would be fun for kids to play post covid. Quick ride to some great hiking! I would have liked a little more foliage around our spot especially as it was at the turn for the loop (56). We will be back!

We have been trying to find campgrounds close to home to make a quick weekend and Curtis Creek didn’t disappoint! Fairly quick drive, groceries in Old Fort, gravel road and you are there. Not very big but that was great for us. Several hikes right from the campground. We stayed near the road which was fine at night but was really busy during the day with hunters so that was kind of a bummer and probably the only reason I knocked it a star. Kids loved playing at the creek and will try to get a site on that side next time!

Being right on the Parkway was awesome and provided some great driving and hiking close by.  The staff were very helpful.  We camped at C13 which was right across from the large playground in November.  No noise issues, but it was dark by 6:30pm.  May be different in the Summer.  My daughter had a blast and we could keep an eye on her while we worked/played at the site.

Super clean grounds at the south edge of the Pisgah. Friendly hosts, and great hiking all around.

If you are feeling adventurous and don’t mind a dirt road, leave the campground and go north, up the hill. Five miles of gorgeous mountain switchbacks along the creek. And just when you think the road doesn’t go anywhere, you turn onto the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The sites are very clean, but the standard and RV sites are not private. If you want some privacy right on the creek bank, get Primitive site 1.