30 campgrounds with availability next weekend
Davidson River Campground's pet-friendly sites accommodate tent, RV, and cabin camping within Pisgah National Forest. Four Paws Kingdom Campground offers a dedicated dog retreat with 18 acres of fenced areas including an agility park, puppy park, main dog park, private park, lure run, ball park, and pond for water-loving dogs. Most campgrounds in the area maintain clean facilities with bathhouses and trash pickup. The sound of Davidson River provides a peaceful backdrop for camping, with many sites positioned along creekside locations. Lake Powhatan allows pets and offers electric hookups, water access, and picnic tables at each site. Campers report the Davidson River Campground serves as an excellent base camp for mountain sports activities while still allowing pets to enjoy the outdoor experience.
Pisgah Forest trails provide numerous dog-friendly hiking options with waterfalls accessible within 5-15 minute drives from most campgrounds. North Mills River Campground features electric hookups and accommodates pets with walking trails throughout the property. The Asheville West KOA includes multiple walking paths of easy to moderate difficulty and a designated dog park for off-leash play. Many campgrounds require pets to remain leashed except in designated areas, with some sites offering fully-fenced accommodations for added security. Wildlife is abundant in the region, so campers should maintain awareness when walking dogs, especially during early morning and evening hours. Mountain biking trails accessible from Davidson River Campground provide additional exercise opportunities for active dogs and their owners, with the Art Loeb trailhead located just outside the campground entrance.
"Great location in the Pisgah Forest and also close to Dupont Forest. We will definitely return."
"Located in the heart of Pisgah Forest within the town limits of Brevard NC adjacent to the Davidson River."
Available next weekend
from $37 - $84 / night
"We decided to escape the heat and head for one of the “cooler” campgrounds in western North Carolina for a weekend. Mt Pisgah Campground is at an elevation of roughly 5300’."
"Very well kept, clean and quiet (except for a couple of dogs that kept going at it). Site was semi-secluded and perfect for our truck tent. Nice restrooms and showers close by."
Campground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $30 / night
"The sites are spacious and well spaced, offering more privacy than many locations. The showers and bathrooms were very clean. There are numerous hikes that are on the grounds or just outside."
"PROS Discounted camp fee with senior pass
Reserved 169 days prior to arriving
Friendly and helpful gate attendant
Nearly 100% shade at each site
Excellent dark sky viewing
Private sites with"
from $37 - $135 / night
"The alternatives #5 and #6 were close to the entrance and therefore exposed to the road, and #49 was next to the restrooms, but similar to #60, so stayed with #60."
"Stayed in tent saturday night with wife and 2 kids and a dog. Tons to do for everyone. Safe, clean and quiet."
Campground full next weekend
Get a text when available"Small campground, but there are free off road sites not too far down the road. Cell service disappears but I love that kind of disconnect."
"I thoroughly enjoy bringing my dog and spending time here. Know that there are fees for parking and camping."
Campground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $31 - $62 / night
"Bathrooms were quite a walk from our site, so we drove to it when needed. The campground is pet friendly!! Dump station on site was convenient!"
"The cabins have electricity, but the water pump is outside and the bathrooms and showers are communal (but clean). There is a full size bed and two bunk beds in each one."
"On-site ****LOCATION
The location is incredible!"
"A little close to neighbors but not too bad. Some sites in Riverbend offer more privacy. Can’t beat location, mountain bike trails easily rideable from campground."
from $32 - $71 / night
"We fished right next to our camp site and then relaxed with a camp fire listening to the sound of the River."
"We were looking for a place that was wooded and near a river or stream and lucked up at Lazy J. The staff answered our call right away and were both friendly and informative."
from $20 / night
"Easy off the highway but far enough to be quiet. Lots of dining options close by"
"campground was decent Fishing pond has a lot of ducks and seaweed
Laundry room was nice and large - easy and quick to get 3 loads done
Waterfront site was fairly level and loved being able to walk"
"We had reserved a walk-in tent sight and absoulty loved it."
"This hidden gem is a few miles off a major highway but well worth the journey. I would consider it among my top ten 'near a lake' spots in the entire US."
Available next weekend
ScoutWe stayed for a week in late October. Quiet and secluded but right outside of Franklin. Very. Nicely decorated. Has small campstore, very nice laundryroom, and a guest event center. Rick, the campsite host, helped me get backed in and asked if I needed any more help. Some pull-throughs. Some sites are a little tight but others really nice. We will definitely come back.
TravelerMy son, daughter-in-law, and twin grandchildren, and I camped here to watch the full solar eclipse in 2017. We had a beautiful tent site. There was a little playground that the kids really enjoyed and abundant shade at the camping site. Bathrooms were clean, wood for campfires was available, and we had a wonderful time.
TravelerThis place is a nice campground, quiet and the guests (during our stay) respect others by keeping the noise down. The spaces are set up to maximize privacy between sites. There is no cell phone service (to do this report we are in a picnic area by a small lake and I can get cell as well as internet on my travelfi device) sos is the only access. I normally listen to audio books but not while here. On my computer I could see three others with low signals; they might have had a better device/provider. The spots tend to the small back in typically found in campsites built before RVs got really big, type. There is another camping area I haven’t been to yet and I did see a large over lander (looks indestructible and tall/long) towable head that way and the campground attendant didn’t predict any problems so perhaps there are larger spots elsewhere. This place has single person shower rooms and nice flush toilets. The whole place is set in woodland so it isn’t like a commercial RV place that was more concerned with volume over aesthetics. This is a lovely spot with ample amenities (my space had no hookups) for our type of camping (toilets, trash, quiet neighbors, semi private spaces) just zero phone or internet.
GuideVery nice spot! I imagine it gets full in the summer and on weekends, but just two groups today. Wish we could stay longer. People left a lot of trash at the day use areas sadly but sites were clean. No T-Mobile service.
TravelerThis campground has a great location in maggie valley, close to Waynesville with plenty to do in close proximity. While it is a traditional campground, they have very competitive rates for weekly and monthly stays. For us its the perfect getaway destination for the summers and fall. The staff is super welcomming and friendly. You find a cute creek on the backside of of the campground with trout as some fisherman told me. The staff takes pride in all the flowers, landscaping and seasonal decorations. Also nice to know is you are not being looked down to with an older camper. As long as your rig is decent and functional you are admitted.
ScoutLovely spot on the river. Freeway was loud but not too bad.
ScoutGreat spot to pull in last minute. There are multiple spots along this stretch of road. Would not recommend if you want to post up somewhere private, decent amount of traffic pulling through for a mountain road.
ScoutBeautiful Campground, but Absolutely NOT Family-Friendly! I rarely leave negative reviews this strongly, but our experience at Turkey Creek Campground was so disappointing that I feel compelled to warn other families. First, I’ll give credit where it’s due. The campground is beautifully maintained, and the creekside sites are incredibly peaceful and serene. It’s a lovely setting, and during the day, the owner is friendly enough and seemingly hospitable. Unfortunately, the hospitality comes to a screeching halt the moment the clock strikes 10 PM.
We were two families camping together with six well-behaved kids who absolutely love the outdoors. We understand and respect campground quiet hours. We weren’t looking to throw parties, blast music, or disturb anyone. But apparently, at Turkey Creek,“quiet hours” doesn’t mean keeping noise to a respectful minimum. It means absolute silence, complete darkness, and seemingly no normal human activity whatsoever.
I’m not exaggerating.
* We were told to turn off ALL our lights at 10 PM.
* We were confronted for opening our vehicle’s trunk because it made a brief beeping sound.
* Our children were startled by a large spider near the bathhouse, and the owner actually yelled at them to be quiet.
* One evening around 11 PM, we were talking quietly INSIDE OUR OWN TENT, barely above a whisper, when the owner approached our tent door to reprimand us for talking.
* On another occasion, he approached us to complain that our children had left TWO STICKS on the ground near the bathrooms. Two sticks! At a campground surrounded by woods, where the kids had just walked down a wooded trail to reach the bathhouse!
And don’t even think about enjoying a little background music while sitting around your campsite. Music of any kind played through a speaker is prohibited, regardless of volume. Apparently, even a little John Denver played quietly while enjoying the mountains is too much to ask. I fully appreciate that some people camp specifically for peace and quiet. We respect that, too. But there is a massive difference between enforcing reasonable quiet hours and making paying guests feel like they’re constantly being watched, monitored, and reprimanded for simply existing. The owner’s enforcement of these rules felt excessive, confrontational, and completely out of proportion to what was actually happening.
Instead of relaxing and enjoying our family vacation, we found ourselves walking on eggshells, worried that the smallest sound, light, or ordinary childhood behavior would result in another confrontation. What makes this particularly frustrating is that our kids were doing exactly what we’d hope children would do on a camping trip: spending time outside, exploring nature, enjoying each other’s company, and making memories away from screens. Yet somehow, even that seemed unwelcome. If we hadn’t already paid for five nights, we would have packed up and left after the very first night. That’s how uncomfortable the experience became.
If you are someone who wants a meticulously maintained campground where everyone retires to complete silence and darkness by 10 PM, Turkey Creek might be perfect for you. But if you’re a family hoping to enjoy a campfire, share some laughs, quietly socialize in the evening, and let your children experience the simple joys of camping, I cannot recommend this place strongly enough AGAINST it.
There are so many beautiful campgrounds in this area, and I cannot imagine choosing to return somewhere that made our families feel so unwelcome. Beautiful property. Extremely disappointing hospitality. Absolutely terrible experience for families. We will never return.
ScoutHospitality and attention to detail can't be beat. Rates were very reasonable for the quality of facility and grounds.
Davidson River Campground in Pisgah National Forest sits at approximately 2,150 feet elevation, creating cooler camping conditions than nearby Asheville. The area experiences frequent afternoon rain showers during summer months with average July temperatures ranging between 65-85°F. National Forest campgrounds maintain strict generator hours, typically limited to 8am-8pm, with complete quiet hours from 10pm-6am.
Fly fishing opportunities: Several campgrounds offer direct access to prime trout waters. North Mills River Campground features excellent fishing spots. "Just a stone's throw from the bustle of Asheville, yet secluded enough to forget it all, this little gem is conveniently located at the entrance to Pisgah National Forest... My pooch also enjoyed the area, and I was grateful for the free bags to pick up after her."
Waterfall exploration: Table Rock State Park provides access to multiple waterfalls within a 45-minute drive. "In the park, you can swim, hike, camp, fish and kayak. You will see some excellent views of the mountain ranges... There are many waterfalls in the area and many places to hike."
Mountain biking trails: Access numerous biking paths directly from Davidson River Campground. "We enjoyed the accessibility of hiking, biking and fishing right from the campground. ART LOEB trailhead is right outside the campground entrance and is excellent for hiking and mountain biking."
Riverside sites: Many campers appreciate water-adjacent camping spots. "Stayed at campsite #10. It sits about 50 yards up the hill from the main river running through the valley... The river is a great soundtrack for a nights sleep."
Pet-friendly atmosphere: Lazy J Campground welcomes dogs and features unique animal attractions. "Really nice people, but a bit pricy if you don't care about the showers etc... fun animals like ponys and chickens in the area."
Winter camping options: Several dog-friendly campgrounds near Pisgah Forest remain open year-round. "We were the only campers there. It was very quiet. The stream ran right by the campsite so listening to the stream as we went to bed was wonderful. Bathroom was clean. Site was clean. Only one side of campground is open in winter."
Limited cell service: Many campgrounds have spotty connectivity. "Even though it's only 10 minutes or so away from the edge of Asheville, it has the feel of being much further away - including no Verizon service."
Bear activity: Wildlife precautions are essential at Mount Pisgah Campground. "Spacious sites arranged for privacy. Over 5000 ft in elevation which means cool nights in Summer... Keep all food secure in bear box provided at each site. Rangers patrol often so have always felt secure."
Reservation requirements: Popular sites fill quickly, especially in summer months. "This area has become over run with tourists and the 'free' campsites have mostly been comandeered by squatters who rotate from site to site every 14 days... This place is packed most all of the summer now so you don't want to show up without a spot."
Lakefront options: Lake Powhatan Campground offers water activities suitable for children. "Lake Powhatan campground is well maintained and peaceful. Bathrooms are clean and there's hot showers. Firewood and ice are available for purchase by the gate. There's a good amount of trails to hike at and the lake is good for fishing."
Swimming spots: Natural water features provide cooling options during hot summer days. "Slide Rock is a natural water slide that is fun for the whole family. Yes… it's COLD and honestly worth every moment of chilly suffering."
Playground access: Several campgrounds offer dedicated play areas. "They have a playground which is cool and the staff is very friendly. Unfortunately, they do not allow hammocks any more since people were cutting off tree branches to make hanging hammocks easier."
Site selection considerations: Rutledge Lake RV Resort offers waterfront options but with some limitations. "There are a few sites along the creek on the back left that are a little wooded and have some separation, we were in site 86 which was one of them, but most sites are very close together, many probably less than 15' apart."
Weather preparedness: Mountain elevations create unpredictable conditions. "We used this as an overnight stay on our way from SC to MI. We initially planned to disperse camp nearby, but due to the cold weather, we decided to get a site with electric instead."
Leveling requirements: Many campsites in the Pisgah area require additional equipment. "There are decent 3 bar verizon coverage. Sites are all gravel. We have hammocked camped here, and this last trip, I camped in my Motorcycle trailer... You will likely need to level anything you bring."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Pisgah Forest, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Pisgah Forest, NC is Davidson River Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 82 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Pisgah Forest, NC?
TheDyrt.com has all 384 dog-friendly camping locations near Pisgah Forest, NC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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