25 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Standing Indian Campground welcomes pets throughout its drive-in sites for tent and RV camping. Located in Franklin, NC, this pet-friendly established campground operates from April 1 to October 30 with standard amenities including drinking water, toilets, and trash disposal. Primitive campsites close to water near Standing Indian provide additional options for those camping with dogs. Tsali Campground in Whittier permits pets at its reservable drive-in sites with electric hookups, showers, and water access. Appletree Group Campground offers spacious pet-friendly group sites with pavilions and access to the Nantahala river for fishing where dogs can cool off after hiking. Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites provide free, primitive camping with pets allowed, though these sites lack facilities like toilets or water hookups. The Bartram Trail runs through many of these areas, offering numerous hiking opportunities for campers and their canine companions.
Backcountry sites at Siler Bald welcome pets on its hiking trails and camping areas, providing spectacular 360-degree mountain views from its grassy summit. The climb to the bald can be steep with no water source nearby, requiring hikers to fill bottles before leaving trailheads when camping with dogs. The nearby Siler Bald Trail Shelter along the Appalachian Trail serves as an alternative pet-friendly overnight option. Black Rock Mountain State Park Campground in neighboring Clayton, GA accepts pets at its tent, RV, and cabin sites, providing access to drinking water, electric hookups, and showers. Many sites across Nantahala National Forest experienced fires in recent years, so campers should exercise caution with campfires when visiting with pets. Backside Campground at Nantahala features tent sites with creek access, though visitors report the portable toilets may be problematic and no water supply is available, requiring preparation when bringing dogs.
"My kids love walking around the loops and playing in the river. My kids always make sure to stop by the little store to get an ice cream cone. Our dog loves it too!"
"You could hear generators running in the distance and lots of dogs barking. The site right next to ours had people up playing music and singing until midnight. "
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $26 - $100 / night
"I camped here with a friend and the dogs. The road is a steep grade up to the campground. There are several overlooks on the way."
"Camped with my daughter and our two dogs for 2 nights and really loved this park. We had a large, multilevel campsite that was just perfect for tent camping."
Available this weekend
from $20 - $255 / night
"The location? Magical. Nestled in a quiet valley surrounded by mountains and trees in the Nantahala National Forest, just south of the Smokies."
"Owner has a really cool dog that will hike to the lake with you. They serve coffee at the house and have a nice back deck to drink it on. Wifi was an unexpected luxury."
from $36 - $100 / night
"Located on Lake Chatuge in both North Carolina and Georgia, you can ride right to the biking trails or launch your paddleboard right from your lakeside site. "
"Not only was the drive there a beautiful place to see, the campgrounds were amazing as well. There were plenty of amenities, bathrooms and showers included."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $20 - $40 / night
"There’s a river that runs a long the outside of the campground. Good swimming holes. A store that sells food (the best ice cream), firewood & camping supplies."
"There is a beautiful drive to get to this campground once you get through the traffic jam of Sevierville. Enjoy the scenic and winding river road! Only loop C is open in the off season."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $30 / night
"Right outside of Gatlinburg so plenty to do and see if you feel like exploring outside of the park."
"Pets are allowed in the campground, but not on the trails. This campground has great access to hiking and fishing, as well as wildlife viewing."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $30 / night
"There was also a large field next to the camping area that could be used for various activities. The facilities (covered picnic area, bathrooms) were great."
"It's in a beautiful location, very close to the mountains and the Nantahala river. Definitely worth it!"
"Each has a picnic table, fire pit/grill, and level area for 1-2 tents (a few can accommodate more if you’re ambitious), and lake views (most have lake access if you want to put in a kayak or canoe)."
"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."
"Just head to the right when you get to the bottom of the bald where the trail splits and follow it around the mountain staying left at each fork. It joins the forestry road at one point."
"This is a classic bald where you get to the top and there are no trees around so you can see for miles. This also makes for great open space to set up a tent."
"Sites are first come, first serve, most sites are in the open with a few more private sites around the edge."
"Great for accessing the mountain bike trails at Tsali. The entire campground is first come first serve, never had a problem finding a spot, but does fill up by the weekend."
from $10 - $20 / night
ScoutWe have stayed here several times over the years. It's nothing fancy but it is on the creek, sites are level and spaced fairly good. Kids have a pretty good play area and like to feed the goats. Love the tubing access!
ScoutVisited in October of 2025 to go to Dollywood. Close to everything yet feels private. VERY well maintained and super friendly hosts. Nighttime activities like bingo, games for kids, large tv area, loved the creek. Would stay there again.
TravelerMy family and I stayed here for our first ever family trip since we’ve all been grown - 5 kids, 3 boyfriends/husbands, 2 parents, 1 dog, so much fun. My parents stayed in one of the rentable RVs and my mom booked the 2 campsites next to each other on the little “island” for the kids, which gave us awesome privacy. The running water was amazing to listen to at night. My biggest complaint is the road noise, it’s close to an occasionally busy road for that area. Big 18 wheelers and motorcyclists using the road at times. But the campsite itself was beautiful and had so much open sunshine. They had recently added a bathhouse with 2 toilets and a shower, which was great. I will be back here.
ScoutSuper clean park, friendly hosts that had planned activities for evenings, close to most everything but yet felt out of the hub. would stay again
TravelerShowers give you maybe 20 seconds of warm ish water. The. Pretty much tap temps. Amazingly it’s still completely fogs up the bathhouse mirrors due to the inadequate exhaust. That may. Be due to the temp, exhaust, and venting strings are easily manipulated by one of the million children in the “Resort”. It’s not a resort in any way. It’s a campground that has really nice pads. Marginal hookups. Lots and lots and lots of bears. Big BIG bears. I’m a bear hunter. There isn’t one I’ve seen that isn’t a legit Pope and Young. The toilets are clean. The floor and showers are gross. The lazy river is cold. Hot tube warm. If you are a camper spending $250 a night and a resort fee per person, you still don’t get given a towel to use the pool. Front desk actually said the towels were NOT for campers but for “ hotel resort” guest. So why am I paying the fee? We stayed here because it was a Margaretaville property. There are many other nicer and cheaper options in town. It’s expensive. The bar car does not exist. There is wood delivery. But it’s a bundle of twigs for $10. It is dry. The food is Sysco crap and the inside bars are just part of the kids arcade or cafeteria. Live music was super strange. The guy literally was standing in the doorway to the cafeteria bar. Don’t waste your money here. If you do anyway, plan on bears digging thru your stuff every night. Kids? Dogs? And Bears……not good.
LegendWe took US-321 into the back side of Gatlinburg to avoid the downtown craziness. RV Life GPS guided us directly to Twin Creek RV Resort, while Waze suggested a few shortcuts that we wisely passed on. The campground (CG) entrance was a little tight and downhill, but we had no trouble getting to the office for check-in. One of the very friendly and helpful staff members escorted us to back-in site 14, where backing in was easy. We wanted to lower our toy hauler patio to enjoy the creek running behind the sites, and the staff kindly allowed us to park our F-450 in site 38 across the road to give us more room. Our site had a nice patio area with a long bench, picnic table, and nearby fire pit. CG Wi-Fi was so-so at 6.17 Mbps download. Verizon had 2 bars and T-Mobile had 3 bars, while our T-Mobile Home Internet delivered a respectable 106 Mbps download. There was considerable road noise from US-321, especially during daylight hours, although evenings were noticeably quieter. The fenced dog park was small, but there was plenty of room around the CG to walk our pup. Overall, we enjoyed our creekside site, the helpful staff, and the convenient location away from the busiest part of Gatlinburg.
TravelerBeautiful spot in the smoky mountains. State park style amenities, no showers. No hookups. Very busy very open campground. Nice that some trails are walking distance from campground. I would not camp here again as I prefer more separation and privacy. No cell service. STARLINK is usable but obstructed with tree canopy
GuideLeft Pigeon Forge Tn. GPS took us on an adventure, route 129 The Tail of the Dragon 318 curves switchback and hairpins I was nervous but slayed it. Lol. Peachtree Cove RV Park is perfect for quiet camping. Dog run area stream or river at most sites. I had a reservation at Andrew’s Valley Railway Tour highly recommend both of these
GuideDrove 5 hrs from our last campground to here for event Campground was very well maintained and liked the site. Wasn’t overly crazy about the event not a lot of vendors mainly jeeps went to a few local shops in town had a great lunch at the cookie dough monster.
Nantahala National Forest covers over 531,000 acres across western North Carolina, with elevations ranging from 1,200 to 5,800 feet. The forest experiences four distinct seasons with summer temperatures typically 10-15 degrees cooler than surrounding lowlands, making it a popular destination for campers seeking relief from heat. Camping options include both established campgrounds with facilities and primitive sites along forest roads that allow dogs to explore alongside their owners.
Mountain biking at Tsali Recreation Area: The Tsali Campground offers direct access to one of the region's premier biking trail systems. "I've been going here for the last 25 years and enjoying the intermediate Mountain trails. As a flatlander I love to come to tsali to get my legs into shape for the mountains," reports Don K. The campground alternates trail access between cyclists and equestrians on different days, so check schedules before planning your ride.
Fishing access: Many campsites in the Nantahala area provide water access for fishing enthusiasts. At Turkey Creek Campground, visitors appreciate the proximity to various fishing spots. "Perfect place for tent camping with great bath facilities, plenty of firewood, and close to Fontana Lake, NOC, Bryson City, and GSMNP," notes Jason L. The campground includes a ¾-mile trail leading directly to Fontana Lake.
Historical exploration: The Elkmont area features the remnants of an early 20th century vacation community. "The campground has a wonderful area and the history of the place is amazing," shares Amy P. about Elkmont Campground. Several historic structures remain accessible for exploration, providing context about the region's development before the national park was established.
Creek-side camping: Many campers specifically seek sites with water features. "We could hear the stream from our site at night. Exactly what we were looking for," reports Chrissy R. about Standing Indian Campground. The sound of moving water creates a natural white noise effect that enhances sleep quality and masks other campground sounds.
Clean facilities: Pet-friendly campers consistently mention facility cleanliness as a key factor. At Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites, despite being primitive sites, campers find well-maintained areas. "Amazing primitive campsites! Each has a picnic table, fire pit/grill, and level area for 1-2 tents, and lake views," notes Kaylee D. This attention to basics makes camping with pets more comfortable.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: The region offers excellent chances to observe native species. "This is a very unique spot in the smokies. I have never seen more black bear. It was a very safe distance we watched them about a football field away across a field pretty amazing experience," says Ashley Y. about Cades Cove Campground, highlighting the importance of maintaining safe distances when camping with dogs.
Limited cell service: Most camping areas have minimal or no connectivity. At Jackrabbit Mountain, campers should prepare for spotty coverage: "Lakefront camping sites on A and B loops, lots of shade on C loop. No hook ups but decent bath houses and plenty of potable water spigots around," notes John R. Download offline maps before arrival.
Weather variability: Mountain conditions change rapidly, even in summer. "This is my favorite campground for escaping the heat in August. If you must have electricity stay home," shares Nancy R. about Standing Indian. Pack layers and rain gear regardless of forecast, as temperatures can drop significantly at night.
Reservation requirements: Many established campgrounds require advance planning. "Make your reservations far in advance this is a destination!" advises Ashley Y. During peak seasons (May-October), weekend spots at popular campgrounds can fill months ahead, especially for pet-friendly sites.
Choose campsites with open play areas: Appletree Group Campground offers expansive spaces ideal for families with pets. "There are 4 group sites that are all pretty big with plenty of space to spread out...Near the campsites is a large field that all the kids ran in from sunrise to sunset," notes Jeffrey S. These open areas provide room for both children and dogs to burn energy safely.
Consider tent-only sections for quieter experiences: Some campgrounds separate tent and RV areas, creating quieter environments for families. "We love this campground, especially the B loop as nearly all campsites on the waterfront side have access. The views are beautiful, the lake is awesome, and kiddos always have a great time," shares Brooke M. about Jackrabbit Mountain.
Check for junior ranger programs: Many parks offer educational programs. "The ranger led activities have always been enjoyed by my kids," mentions Chris H. about Black Rock Mountain. These structured activities provide learning opportunities while giving parents time to manage pet care duties.
Size restrictions matter: Many forest campgrounds have limited space for larger vehicles. "The entrance to this park is right across the street to an entrance to the Appalachian Trail. A beautiful trout stream runs through the park, close to all the campsites," notes John K., adding, "The road to this campground is very narrow, the hill is very steep, and there is at least one very tight hairpin turn."
Generator policies vary: Black Rock Mountain State Park Campground provides electric hookups at some sites. "We stayed in one of the tent-only, walk-in sites. This was our first (and so far, only) walk-in tent camping experience as a family. I gotta say - there were challenges," reports Mark D., highlighting the importance of checking amenities when camping with pets that may need climate control.
Arrival timing impacts site selection: For pet-friendly camping near Nantahala National Forest, timing can determine the quality of your stay. "Be sure to reserve far in advance, as this is a very popular campground!" advises Bart about Tsali, where the first-come, first-served policy means weekday arrivals get better selection of pet-appropriate sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Nantahala National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Nantahala National Forest is Standing Indian Campground with a 4.8-star rating from 19 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Nantahala National Forest?
TheDyrt.com has all 473 dog-friendly camping locations near Nantahala National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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