Looking for the best campgrounds near Nantahala National Forest, NC? There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Find the best campgrounds near Nantahala National Forest, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
$26 - $100 / night
"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."
"Our site was about 30 feet away from the Nantahala river. The bathrooms and showers were spotless. Keep in mind that it’s far from any store or restaurant so bring food along. No cell service."
$20 - $255 / night
"We chatted about travel and places to go not just her in Georgia but also around the United States."
"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. "
$36 - $100 / night
"The location? Magical. Nestled in a quiet valley surrounded by mountains and trees in the Nantahala National Forest, just south of the Smokies."
"The owner’s at Turkey Creek are very kind and inviting... water and electric at nearly every campsite, very clean bath facilities... small creek runs through the campground offering sweet sounds to fall"
$30 / 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."
"The sites were pretty close to each other but the store was convenient and awesome proximity when we biked the loop. Far drive from all of the other hikes and adventures we did."
$20 - $40 / 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. "
"Parking is right above the steps that go down to the tent pad. This site has direct water access for swimming and fishing. This particular site has no shade between noon and 4."
$30 / night
"Right outside of Gatlinburg so plenty to do and see if you feel like exploring outside of the park."
"I had the most fantastic campsite right next to the river in Elkmont."
"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!"
"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."
$10 - $20 / night
"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."
$22 - $100 / night
"This is a really large and very nice campground near Franklin, NC that caters to both RV and tent campers. They have a ton of sites and several bathroom facilities."
"There is a small pond for fishing and some amazing waterfalls nearby to walk too! We used our pop up camper and the campsites were gravel and level."
GuideOwners are wonderful. The grounds are well maintained and kept there is a strict policy of no parking or driving on the grass and when you see it, you’ll understand. I thoroughly enjoyed walking, barefoot through it to the fields and appreciated highly the effort they put into keeping it so beautiful. You can enjoy a day lounging on the little river. They offer free lounge, chairs, canoes, and kayaks to use for campers. If you’d like to tube you can bring your own or swim across the river to River Rage and rent a tube which is what I did. You can have a fire at night either bring your own pit or they will supply you one free of charge and deliver it to your site. They sell bundles of firewood for five dollars, which is half the price of other places. There are no picnic tables; however, many bring their own foldable table. The sites are very spacious. My site was C3 on the creek which was dry but still wonderful. They offer Riverside sites as well. I highly recommend this campground.
TravelerShowed up around 2:30-3 o’clock on a Sunday afternoon and most of the spots were already called for. Seems you gotta get there early if you want easy water access. Spots are mainly flat for tent camping. Some are able to get a camper as there were a couple spots that looked like full time camper people. I pulled into the first spot after driving all the way to the end, camping in my RoofNest. Was a beautiful place. Serine and quiet. Will be back for sure.
TravelerThis campground has a few tent campsites near the office/shower building but a great number of remote sites up on the side of a mountain. 4WD required due to steep inclines and rough road conditions. Each site had a picnic table and fire ring and some shade during different times of the day. Fireworks were an issue the first night because it was 4th of July but other nights it was quiet.
Management was mostly absent and check in was easy. Tent site selection is first come first served. Manager did pick up the phone to hear my complaint about fireworks (midnight) but shooters were coming from outside of the campground.
Lot of cabins and RVs But I didn't see any pull throughs.
TravelerWe booked the camp because it had trolley access and was relatively convenient to the parkway and restraunts. We were very happy with the amenities for the price and time of year. Pool area was nice though not used by us. Bathrooms are very nice and clean. Clean roomy lockable showers. Laundry room was clean with all working washers and dryers 2.75 load and takes a card. Some sites including ours are very shady. We'll kept and level.
Trolley stop is great. Use it to go to transit hub and pick up the trolley to gatlinburg. We travel without a car in tow. So we move a 30' motorhome when we park so convenience is priority. Sugarlands is not to hard of a drive in the mornings to go for all day trail hikes in the park. Gatlinburg is just a few miles away. Great rv park. We enjoyed our stay and urban hikes I the morning for breakfast. We will return.
ScoutThe creek was beautiful and the restrooms were clean... but the sites were so small that our awning came out just to the edge of the site and the next camper slide was just inches away from the awning. Our slide on the other side reach to the edge of that side of the site. The owner told us there were no mosquitos because they were so high in the mountains..... I was bitten by no-see-ums over both legs and arms and so were the other campers. There was no internet, the TV sporadically worked with a few channels, and we had intermittent cell service with only 1 bar. We forfeited our deposits and a few days of rent to leave and go to Cross Creek in Maggie Valley. We are still there and it is lovely with everything that Moonshine Creek wasn't. Oh, and Moonshine Creek is the most expensive over other camp grounds in the area. Shame on you Moonshine Creek!!!
TravelerWe stayed here for our girls getaway(adults and children). We booked the Alice’s Queen Cottage and Alice’s White Bunny Cottage to accommodate all of us. It was the“best weekend ever” according the little girls and big girls alike! Shannon was the best host you could ask for and every detail of our stay was truly magical! I highly recommend booking a stay. Very close to town(10 minute drive) but far enough away to enjoy nature and tranquility. We will be booking all our future getaways here!! I love the attention to detail that makes everything come to life! My favorite activities were coffee by the stream every morning, relaxing in the hammock every evening, exploring the grounds(adventures), being around the 4 legged residents at the fairytale farm and our own tea party.
ScoutThis place is amazing. Very clean. People are very courteous
ScoutMy dad and I visited in may and had a great time. Lots of bathrooms that were all clean. The grounds were very green and shaded, each site had a flat mulch spot for the tent, a firepit, and a picnic table. Very close to lots of different trails. Only problem is that there are a lot of sites and you’re pretty close to your neighbor (like your tent is 10 feet away and usually no brush between).
TravelerVery clean campground,l creek near by for lots of fun .
Camping near Nantahala National Forest, North Carolina, offers a fantastic escape into nature with stunning views and plenty of outdoor activities. Whether you're looking to hike, fish, or just relax by a campfire, this area has something for everyone.
Camping near Nantahala National Forest, North Carolina, is a great way to enjoy the outdoors. With beautiful campgrounds and plenty of activities, it’s a perfect spot for families, RVers, and nature lovers alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, Nantahala National Forest offers a wide range of camping options, with 802 campgrounds and RV parks near Nantahala National Forest and 67 free dispersed camping spots.
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Nantahala National Forest is Standing Indian Campground with a 4.8-star rating from 19 reviews.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 67 free dispersed camping spots near Nantahala National Forest.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 25 parks near Nantahala National Forest that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
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