Searching for the best camping near Pisgah National Forest, NC? Pisgah National Forest is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your North Carolina camping adventure.
$50 / night
"As typical of a KOA, they shove you in there so you are very close to your neighbors. The stars of the park are the riverfront sites."
"It’s accessibility to Asheville is great, but the site itself is clean, with tidy grounds and a spotless bathroom (didn’t use showers). Plenty of places to walk and pet friendly."
$28 - $56 / night
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Campground:
Black Mountain Campground in the Pisgah National Forest, is nestled in Burnsville, NC but you must work at it to get there. https://cfaia.org/black-mountain-briar-bottom-campgrounds-in-north-carolina"
"Dogs welcome 🐾 Clean bathrooms Clean hot showers Some electric sites River sites are first come first serve Has group camping {must reserve online} Large tent pads Rv sites Fishing
Can purchase"
$10 / night
"The campsites aren’t very private but you also have plenty of space at each one where you aren’t on top of one another."
"Was able to get two sites right next to each other outside the main campsite area which was great."
$24 - $999 / night
"We have tent camped, cabin camped and RV camped here on several occasions. The cabins are awesome and each site is nice and private with great tree and brush cover separating sites."
"I loved being able to camp in our little Casita in Pisgah National Forest right off the Blue Ridge Parkway. "
$75 - $200 / night
"Tucked away into the mountains not far from the interstate, super quiet and nicely taken care of."
"It had the cleanest laundry room I've even seen at a campground and we are full timers so have been to many places. Washers seem new and large enough for a full load-$2 and dryer$1."
"Really cute campground just a short jaunt to the beautiful multi-level Catawba Falls hike in the Pisgah National Forest. We stayed in a tent site VERY close to a rushing creek of cool water."
"While it is close to a highway it is far enough away not to hear it but convenient to many places to visit including Asheville, The Blue Ridge Parkway and many national Forests and Parks."
$28 - $181 / night
"Let me start out by saying we stayed in a cabin, for a week. The place is in serious need of an upgrade but as it stands is still fun for the kids."
"Limited on golf cart rentals so bring your own if you can. Do however have to pay extra for water slides and paddle boats."
$37 - $135 / night
"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"
"Lake Powhatan Campground, Asheville, NC
Tucked quietly away only 10 miles southwest of Asheville, Lake Powhatan Campground(within Pisgah National Forest) is a popular but peaceful campground. "
"Nice creek running nearby and a few short walking paths. The drive to spruce pine is scenic and long but head back toward bat cave and there ade neat little adventures to have with the kiddos."
"This was a great little spot away from the hustle and bustle of the highway. Very close to Chimney Rock and Lake Lure. Pool was clean. Arcade on site."
$35 - $1000 / night
"In 2016 we stayed here for the first time in one of the camping cabins and I LOVE how rustic the cabins are here."
"Site 3 is a pull through, fairly level, with electric/water/sewer. The owner is very sweet and accommodating."
GuideReally cute campground just a short jaunt to the beautiful multi-level Catawba Falls hike in the Pisgah National Forest. We stayed in a tent site VERY close to a rushing creek of cool water. The sound definitely helped put me to sleep!
The tent sites all have a tent pad, camp ring, trash can, and picnic table provided. This site had a bit more privacy than others we saw and was on the other side of the property from the RV area, which also included a playground, bathrooms, showers, and small store. There are also small tiny cabins to rent out which is great if you had a large group and not everyone was down for roughin' it. Some tent sites were also close to shared pavilions which were very nice to use during the rainy weekend we experienced! We appreciated the hot showers since we were outside hiking all day but wanted to hit up some sights in Asheville that evening without looking too worn out.
The people who run the camp were extremely nice and helpful -- we arrived later than expected in a downpour thunderstorm and they were able to accommodate us and transfer us and our bags from the car to the site via golf cart.
TravelerI found this campground through airbnb. They have tent camping as well as two cottages. The cottages are titled "Paddlers Paradise- Camp Driftwood Cottage" and have cable TV, a laptop friendly work space, heating, air conditioning, and a private entrance. The tent camping sites are titled "Camp Site- Camp Driftwood" and have fire rings, picnic tables, and access to a shared bathhouse and common area. Both of these have free parking and are located right on the French Broad River. The water is easily accessible and tubing is frequently seen along the bank. The entrance to the area is directly off the road, but has a VERY steep decline immediately following. Be cautious in driving too far up the bank as the path becomes soft, especially after a good rain. Overall, a small and personable camping option that is worth a visit!
GuideThis is a brand new tent and cabin campground built by Duke Energy and run by McDowell county on Lake James. There is a boat ramp very close by, a fishing dock, picnic area, trails in and around the campground, and a seasonal Black Bear Marina Restaurant across the inlet or not far by road. All sites have tent pads and 2 parking spots. Many of the sites are a short walk from the car which affords privacy. There is a rental picnic shelter and a group csmping site. The rental camping cabins have 2 cots with a plywood base,( bring a mattress!).
LegendAshley here with The Dyrt. This A-frame cabin comes with 5-gallon refillable solar heated water bag, porch, cooking area, outhouse, gas fire pit, lounge chairs, and a beautiful mountain view! Come check them out and leave them some love!
GuideGravel campsite with paved entrances, 30/50 electric, and picnic table. Situated on the edge of the beautiful Pisgah National Forest. Ranger station nearby. Brevard just outside gate. Waterfalls abound. Sites situated close to bathhouses with warm showers, sinks. This is black bear country. Hiking trails.
LegendPROS
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 large space along with vegetation between sites
Very quiet
Asphalt parking pad surrounded with bean size gravel
Concrete picnic table
Metal fire pit with cooking grate
2 hook lantern pole
Electric at water connection for heated water hose connection
Recycle bins in campground loop
Trash dumpsters immediately out of campground loop
Firewood for sale but gate attendant told us to buy at Ingles (grocery store) where it is $3 bundle cheaper and we did!
Next to North Carolina Arboretum
Close to Asheville Outlet Mall and Camping World
CONS
3 bear sitings a day prior to our arrival in campground, according to gate attendant
No overnight gate closure even tho RULES proved at check-in stated gates closed at 10pm, but no open hours in RULES
Lakeview site 38 not level
Up hill sewer connection at Lakeview site 38
Fire ring not cleared of ash upon our arrival
Non-moveable concrete picnic table and beyond camper awning
2 toilets and 2 showers for entire Lakeview Loop (21 campsites). There were lines!
Low hanging tree branches over roadways and roadside tree branches over roadways so it was a maneuvering obstacle challenge to not scrape camper roof and sides Campground roads narrow with tight curves along with roadway asphalt dropped off to steep shoulders; could be challenging to novice rig drivers (as we witnessed that more than once)
Two-and- a-half-mile drive on a twisty hilly road through residential neighborhood to get to the campground
No WiFi
1 bar Verizon
RangerThis is an absolute top-notch campground. It just opened in the spring of 2020 and I can already tell this is going to be a very popular place.
First, the staff is incredible. Everyone is friendly, helpful, and goes out of their way to make you feel at home. The owner was onsite every day and checked in on us several times.
The camping options are very unique and diverse. They have your typical RV sites (all full hookups) and tent sites, all of which have green space around them. Our site backed up to a beautiful stream with some trees for hammocks and shade. The tent sites are clustered together next to a stream in the woods, providing tons of shade on hot days. Nearby are a few treehouses that you can rent, similar to old school sleep-away camping cabins. Around the corner from the tents are several vintage RVs, many from the 50s, that have been completely renovated with beautiful interiors and modern updates. They each have their own deck, fire pit, and grill. My mom stayed in one of these while we were visiting and loved it! There are also camping pods - basically an igloo shaped cabin that is good for a couple people. Yurts are just up the hill from those, alongside two beautiful tiny homes that are some of the most unique campground rentals I've ever seen. Book these early - we were here in late June and they were already full until October!
The amenities are very nice as well. There is a resort style pool with built in seating almost all the way around. It's next to a pavilion area with picnic tables, corn hole, a community fire pit, outdoor movie screen, and performance stage. Nearby is an inflatable jumping pad and volleyball net. I spoke with the owner and he has plans to add many other game such as bocce ball as well as complete construction on a playground and wooded play area for kids. You can also rent many campground games at the camp store such as spike ball and ladder ball. More hiking trails are being added, and a large dog park made exercising our pup easy.
Oh and the wifi is off the charts for a campground. Total coverage everywhere you go. I was getting 30/30 speeds at my site. I work remote so it was very important to have good internet, and Emberglow did not disappoint here! They obviously invested heavily in a quality network infrastructure and it shows.
The location is nice - off the main roads so you get plenty of peace and quiet, but only 20 minutes to Lake Lure and Chimney Rock. It's easily accessible from Charlotte, Asheville, and Spartanburg, SC.
Every campground owner needs to come take a look at this place. This is what campgrounds should be aiming for - clean, modern, lots of nature, friendly staff, good prices, and fun activities. I was not paid or asked or endorsed in any way to do this review, I simply think this is an awesome place that you should come check out!
TravelerThis place was a 13 hour drive and so worth it. All of the cabins and trailers available to rent are so reasonably priced and have AC and fully fucntioning appliances. Every cabin or RV rental has its own private gated yard with your own firepit. Several dog parks and a private pond for the pups means days of fun for an active, social dog. Everyone is so kind, the women who run this place are so sweet and they were incredibly accomodating. The camp store has tons of treats and necessities for dogs and people, and a dog washing station and laundry are available communally. We spent our days hiking the nearby Chimney Rock and hanging around Lake Lure (FYI Dirty Dancing was filmed here whoa). We also checked out the Equestrian center which was an awesome recommendation of the staff and also dog friendly. Definitely recommended for people who like day hikes and adventures and coming back to a cozy camp cabin.
Legend(As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I am occasionally given the opportunity to stay at campgrounds to help expand the listings on the site. I was given the chance to stay at Greenheart Forest through this program.)
Located in Pisgah National Forest, Greenheart Forest labels itself as a place of healing, and that description could not be more accurate. David and Jeannette, the owners, are both incredibly nice. From our initial phone call, to meeting them, to when we said goodbye, they were so kind and conversational in all of our interactions.I spent a lot of time talking to David about his passion—and the mission of Greenheart Forest—of forest bathing and terra psychology.
The campground itself is both small and large. There are only five sites available for booking, but they are considerably spaced out, and the sites themselves are very large. While the sites are technically“drive-in,” the road to get to them is very difficult to navigate unless you have 4-wheel drive, so when planning the trip, plan to either hike-in(about 200 yards or so), or to pay$5 each direction for David or his wife to provide portage of your gear. When we went it was raining pretty heavily and my front-wheel drive RAV-4 could not make it, so we took advantage of David’s truck.
Site 1 is the closest to the lodge/parking lot, with a covered picnic table. Site 2 is the“glamping” site, available at an upcharge; David has a 10-person tent, 2-room tent set up that includes two cots in one“room,” and a rug and chairs in the other. This site is huge, with a large fire ring, and ample room to set up other tents. We stayed here and were able to set up a second tent and a screen shelter with room to spare. Site 3 is also very large, with wooden benches around the fire ring, a gravel tent pad, and plenty of ground space for additional tents. This is also the site closest to the“privy;” a pop up tent set up around a bucket with toilet paper and a bucket of leaves to aide in decomposition.(There is a bathroom with running water in the lodge as well.) Sites 4 and 5 are the furthest from the lodge, with site 5 being the most private and slightly downhill from the others. This site was occupied when we went so I could not get a good look at it, but the privacy it had was incredible.
These are tent sites only; they will not accommodate RVs, and sites 3 and 5 are not accessible by vehicle, but by short trails past the other campsites. There is no electricity at the sites, and water is available at the lodge but must be carried the rest of the way.
The road that takes you to sites 1 and 2 stretches towards the edge of David’s property, and ends in a trail that takes you to the Max Patch summit via the Buckeye Ridge Trail, about 3 miles round trip from the campground to the summit. We did not get to explore the trail, but have been to Max Patch and it is incredible and well worth the walk if your trip allows time for it.
Even better than the wide and open campsites though, is the overall atmosphere David has created. He has a zen garden for walking and meditation, flowers everywhere, and community places set up both inside and outside the the lodge for talking to other campers. His background in Forest Bathing has led to building a place of love and healing, and it shows in everything from the moment you first turn into the driveway. We came with kids, and while everything was very child-friendly, this would be a wonderful place to come alone if you needed to get into the forest and clear your head, or with a retreat looking for a place to facilitate deeper healing or meditations.
Experience the beauty of cabin camping near Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina, where you can immerse yourself in nature while enjoying modern comforts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do cabin rentals cost in Pisgah National Forest?
Cabin rental prices in and around Pisgah National Forest vary based on size, amenities, and location. Four Paws Kingdom Campground & Dog Retreat offers reasonably priced cabins with AC and fully functioning appliances. Emberglow Outdoor Resort provides various cabin options at competitive rates. Generally, basic cabins start around $65-85 per night, while more luxurious options with additional amenities can range from $100-200+ nightly. Most locations offer discounts for longer stays and may have different seasonal pricing structures, with peak summer and fall foliage seasons commanding premium rates.
When is the best season to rent a cabin in Pisgah National Forest?
The best season for cabin rentals in Pisgah National Forest depends on your preferred activities. Fall (September-November) offers spectacular foliage with comfortable temperatures, making it the most popular and scenic time to visit Lake Powhatan, which provides excellent shade and dark sky viewing. Spring (April-May) brings wildflowers and waterfalls at peak flow near Davidson River Campground. Summer (June-August) is ideal for water activities but tends to be busier and more humid. Winter (December-February) offers peaceful solitude and occasional snow, though some facilities may have limited operations. For the best balance of pleasant weather and smaller crowds, consider visiting during late spring or early fall midweek.
Where are cabins located within Pisgah National Forest?
Cabins are scattered throughout the Pisgah National Forest area. Black Bear Campground offers cabin accommodations on Lake James with convenient access to boat ramps, fishing docks, and trails. Greenheart Forest provides cabin options nestled within the forest itself. Additionally, you'll find cabins at several locations surrounding Pisgah, including near Brevard, Lake James, and along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Many cabins are situated to provide easy access to popular hiking trails, waterfalls, and other natural attractions within the forest.
What amenities are available in Pisgah National Forest cabins?
Cabins in the Pisgah area offer diverse amenities depending on the property. Big Oak Family Farm features A-frame cabins with solar heated water, porches, cooking areas, outhouses, gas fire pits, and mountain views. Camp Driftwood Asheville provides cottages with cable TV, laptop-friendly workspaces, heating, air conditioning, and private entrances. Many cabins include basic furnishings, beds with mattresses, electricity, and outdoor fire rings. More upscale options might offer full kitchens, private bathrooms, WiFi, and porches or decks. Some cabins are rustic with minimal amenities while others provide luxury accommodations with hot tubs and premium furnishings.
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