Best Dispersed Camping near Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina

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Best Dispersed Sites Near Nantahala National Forest, NC (65)

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Showing results 1-10 of 65 campgrounds

Recent Dispersed Reviews in Nantahala National Forest

117 Reviews of 65 Nantahala National Forest Campgrounds


  • tyrone T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Upper Cove Creek - UCC2 Dispersed
    Nov. 10, 2024

    Upper Cove Creek - UCC2 Dispersed

    Place to hole up

    Right off 276 on the right as you are going down the mountain. Hard gravel road. As soon as you turn in there is a spot on the left and a little further up there is a bigger spot right on the little creek just before the gate. Not 100% sure it is a spot as it is not marked but signs may have been damaged and it does show a tent symbol on the forest service map. There is a lot of back and forth traffic in the morning but it dies down around 9 pm. There is a fall a few miles up the road and connects to other service roads hence the traffic . We made it down the road in a 30' class A motorhome and made a 180 and was able to level the rig no problem and it's well off the road Did not see any fire rings in this spot or the first one ( pictured in the first image). No cell service, starlink worked enough to stream tv and post this.

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites
    Nov. 10, 2024

    Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites

    Great site, tricky to find

    The sign at the road looks like it was either taken down or blew away. The pin drop doesn’t take you to the turn in on google pr Apple Maps. If you’re coming from Robbinsville it’s on your right after the pin about 1/4 mile. Then at the fork in the gravel road take a right. But all in all it’s a great place. I stayed at 7 in a van. It had level parking and I could walk down to the bank to fish and have a fire.

  • Michele D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Chatuge Dispersed
    Nov. 1, 2024

    Lake Chatuge Dispersed

    Wrong coordinates

    The coordinates take you to Nottley Dam. We had to drive 37 minutes farther to Lake Chatuge and hopefully we find some campground since it is very dark at the moment. We ended up having to spend over $200 for a hotel. I'm going to delete my acct as other friends have similar issues with Dyrt

  • Darwin R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Indian Grave Gap Campsite
    Nov. 1, 2024

    Indian Grave Gap Campsite

    ADV Bike Motocamping

    If you’re anywhere near Helen, GA on an ADV Bike, this summit is for you. There are three routes up the mountain so you never have to double back. There are more primitive sites at the top of the mountain (not where the Dyrt pin was dropped) on both sides of the fork. Suitable for tents and hammocks. There is one site that would support a large group or even a camper (or two) if you can get them up the steep rocky hunting trail. Sites were mostly clean with rock fire pits.

  • LThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Soggy Boot Campground
    Oct. 19, 2024

    Soggy Boot Campground

    good camp sites

    the directions get you to the general area fine. the campsites are hard to find in the dark - we ended up just stopping at the first clearing from a fork on the gravel road we saw to set up a tent. road is very bumpy, there’s a stream near some of the spots , we looked for a fire ring where we stopped in the morning and didn’t see one.

  • Gillian S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Indian Grave Gap Campsite
    Oct. 13, 2024

    Indian Grave Gap Campsite

    Good for Big Groups

    Three campsites in the immediate area. Two are on one side of the road. You have to cross thru one to get to the other. All three have creek access. We picked the single on the other side. Not a lot of flat ground options. Each site is huge. We decided to spread out but that meant having to do a lot of walking back and forth for stuff. You can pull your car into the site easily. It’s about a mile from the High Shoals Trailhead. Both waterfalls are lovely. One has a nice swimming hole. The closest town is Hiawasee. Had a grocery and an outfitters if you need supplies. There’s only two sit down restaurants—one had an hour wait; the other had run out of food.

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Black Balsam Knob - Dispersed Camping
    Aug. 15, 2024

    Black Balsam Knob - Dispersed Camping

    10/10

    I actually cannot stop thinking about my weekend camp here. So beautiful and lots of places to camp. Not a hard hike in either. A lot of day hikers through out the day. Lots of flies bc of dog poop but it’s worth it.

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Mountain Rest Mountain Top
    Aug. 12, 2024

    Mountain Rest Mountain Top

    Hilltop camping with hiking trails

    Great spot with room to turn around. Shaded and at trailhead of a trail down to creek and near a second trail to a waterfall. Had a few people during the day but evenings were totally quiet. A bit of extra vehicle clearance is helpful...slow and steady gets you to a great spot. No services here but good dispersed spot.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from FS 289 Pull Off
    Jul. 3, 2024

    FS 289 Pull Off

    Good location

    Another review recommended an off-road vehicle or a jeep to get here. In dry conditions, I got here just fine in an Outback Wilderness, and 5 minutes later a Prius drove up. There’s a bit of trash but I’ve seen worse. Definitely bring bug repellent. The creek is only a few feet away from the campsite.

  • Dylan S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from 475b
    Jun. 2, 2024

    475b

    Isolated spot for car camping or tent camping

    Road is a little rough but not terrible. 3-4 spots to park around this hairpin with 3 camping spots lotuses in the middle. Little runoff creates a creek that is nice to listen to but only deep enough to get feet in.

  • Forrest S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from 475b
    May. 23, 2024

    475b

    Several walk up sites with easy access

    This is a great first-come-first-serve location with several sites.

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Panther Top Dispersed Site
    May. 17, 2024

    Panther Top Dispersed Site

    Amazing spot with GREAT views

    I had 3 bars of AT&T which worked well. The view from the shore was amazing and in my opinion comparable to some spots in Hawaii. It was nice and quiet, chilly at night, and not too far from murphy. We also hiked up to a nearby fire tower and it was a fun little hike. 10/10 will be returning.

    (I just got a new drone and I made a fun little video of the campsite and the hike we did.)

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Jones Creek Dispersed Campground
    Apr. 21, 2024

    Jones Creek Dispersed Campground

    Beautiful but popular

    Dont park where the map tells you, you can drive to the locations on a decent narrow dirt road.

    When we first arrived, the camp site we chose was on the river, but also off the main road. This area seems to be popular for local dirt bikers, but we seen people fishing and relaxing all the same.

    I would have gave 5 stars, but these sites are well used and has years of careless debris around. We also heard some folks shooting guns( in the distance), which isn’t a problem for us, but reduced the relaxing nature of the visit with all this combined.

    This river is amazing, low current makes its easy to walk in and there are a few little water falls we enjoyed hanging on for a bit.

  • amanda R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites
    Apr. 1, 2024

    Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites

    Great site!

    This was such a nice quiet campground. We arrived around 8am and got the first campsite we saw. This is the most established dispersed campsite that I’ve stayed at as it has a fire circle, a grill and a picnic table. It’s very quiet and very few cars passed. There’s a walking/hiking trail across the lake where we saw some hikers and some people on horseback. The site was very clean minus a few pieces of trash that we later picked up. The dogs loved it because our site was right on the lake. We drove down the gravel road to check out the other campsites and they all seem great if you’re tent camping! We car camped and our campsite was perfect because it had a parking space right in front of it whereas the other sites had parking spaces across the road. Overall a great place. I can’t wait to go back!

  • Jim M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from FS 289 Pull Off
    Mar. 20, 2024

    FS 289 Pull Off

    Great dispersed site in the Pisgah NF

    Great Campsite along the Smoky Mountain 1000 Overland route. You need a good off road capable vehicle to access this site but it is very peaceful with a nice stream running by. Tent camping near the jeep or a high clearance overland teardrop should make it back here ok but not recommended for regular RV's.

  • Natalie R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Santeelah Dispersed
    Feb. 9, 2024

    Lake Santeelah Dispersed

    Quiet, nice spaces, and clean!

    Such a great find! I was hoping to car camp a little closer to NOC but not in a campground but this is the closest I could find in February. I would definitely stay here again! Very quiet and clean and the sites are very well laid out and maintained! No hook ups of any kind but it’s worth it! Highway Patrol and Park Rangers patrol pretty frequently so I felt really safe as a solo female. I still took all the safety precautions but didn’t feel as necessary as some.

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Falls Creek
    Nov. 16, 2023

    Falls Creek

    Nice secluded spot

    There is room for two vehicles and multiple tent spots. Very secluded and fairly level. Overall a great spot. If it had an epic view I would have it at 5 stars. River is about .6 mile hike away and the road is not bad getting in. Basically 2 track forest road.

  • WDRoberson The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Santeelah Dispersed
    Nov. 7, 2023

    Lake Santeelah Dispersed

    Well maintained free camping

    We were fortunate to get a site that allowed us to pull the car right into the site for our roof top tent. Not very far to walk to reach the lake and the fishing wasn’t bad at all. Bass and Bluegills. Fairly quiet besides the rice burners heading to Tail of the Dragon. Very good overall.

  • Robert W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Santeelah Dispersed
    Oct. 27, 2023

    Lake Santeelah Dispersed

    Stunning 😍

    GPS coordinates got me exactly to where I wanted to go. Lots of twists and turns going up the dragon with beautiful scenery of the trees changing colors in late October. There are a handful of Lots located right along the lake with a beautiful view of the mountains in the distance. My dog absolutely loved how much space she had to roam around and how clear the water was excellent for swimming.

    Some of the plots you can only fit one tent others you could fit up to three or four

  • Robert N.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Panther Top Dispersed Site
    Sep. 9, 2023

    Panther Top Dispersed Site

    Panther Top Dispersed

    Great spot right on the little lake. You can hear the gun range from the Camp Spot, but it is barely noticeable. There are two main spots right on the lake that are set up for tent camping. My overland rig fit in the small parking area fine, but I had to find a few rocks to level my truck so the rooftop tent was level. It is obviously a spot that locals come to party on the weekends but I had no issues. There looks like there are only 2 primary camping spots with fire rings and tent pads. My spot had a picnic table and two tent pads, a pole for your lantern and was just feet from the lake. Lots of fish jumping and I caught a 1 pound large mouth bass on a silver spinning lure. Over all a great spot. No bugs, but you will likely need to bring firewood, as all of the fallen trees had been scavenged. Since there are only two spot, definitely have a backup plan, especially on the weekends.

  • NThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Upper Cove Creek - UCC1 Dispersed
    Jul. 20, 2023

    Upper Cove Creek - UCC1 Dispersed

    Very Dispersed

    It was a great site, although there are only a few campsites on the road to it. We ended up driving to the top and someone already claimed it, so we had to go back down to a less convenient spot. The campsites are very secluded and quiet.

  • Steve K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites
    Jul. 16, 2023

    Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites

    Field test truck camping

    First site(L1)was open so I took it. I spent two nights there. First time dispersed camping in National Forest and truck camping. Even though I've been camping my whole life, all my equipment was new so it was a learning experience. 😁 Parking was pretty level, but behind my rear wheels it declined toward the lake. The tent pad, picnic table and fire ring was on level ground. It was really quiet during the day, but there were some very loud frogs(?) during the night, enough to wake you up. 2nd night I played music and I slept good. Lol If your GPS says that you have reached your destination, you probably have passed the gravel road. Once on gravel road, veer to the right and you will pass the cemetery on your left, then you'll see kiosk. Sign shows you have to register there at the kiosk. I enjoyed my time there and hopefully can go back again this year. Hope y'all are enjoying the great outdoors. LIV'N!


Drive Time


Guide to Nantahala National Forest

Dispersed camping near Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in nature without the constraints of traditional campgrounds. With a variety of sites available, campers can enjoy the tranquility and beauty of the wilderness.

Dispersed campers should check out Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites

  • This site features established amenities like a fire circle, grill, and picnic table, making it a comfortable choice for those looking to enjoy a quiet getaway.
  • Located near a scenic walking and hiking trail, visitors can explore the area while enjoying views of the lake, perfect for a day of adventure.
  • Pets are welcome, allowing you to bring your furry friends along for the experience at Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites.

Tips for free and dispersed camping near Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina

  • Always check for road conditions before heading to Lake Santeetlah Dispersed, as the access road can be bumpy and winding, especially in inclement weather.
  • Be prepared for a primitive experience; while some sites have picnic tables and fire rings, others may lack amenities like toilets and running water, so plan accordingly.
  • Arrive early to secure a good spot, as these areas can fill up quickly, especially during peak seasons.

Exploring the beauty of Wesser Bald Fire Tower for dispersed campers

  • Camping near the Wesser Bald Fire Tower provides breathtaking views, making the hike worthwhile for those seeking stunning sunrises and sunsets.
  • The site is accessible via a hike, so be ready for a bit of a trek to reach this picturesque location, which is ideal for those who enjoy a challenge.
  • With no amenities available, campers should bring all necessary supplies, including water and food, to fully enjoy their stay at Wesser Bald Fire Tower.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Nantahala National Forest?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Nantahala National Forest is Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites with a 4.5-star rating from 12 reviews.

  • What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Nantahala National Forest?

    TheDyrt.com has all 65 dispersed camping locations near Nantahala National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.