12 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Moonshine Creek Campground and Cherokee-Great Smokies KOA offer luxury outdoor accommodations nestled in the scenic mountains surrounding Sylva, North Carolina. These glamping destinations feature premium canvas tents, comfortable yurts, and fully-furnished cabin-style glamping units with electricity, modern amenities, and climate control systems. "Beautiful campground. Walking distance to casino and main street shops. Despite its proximity, it is tucked away enough to still feel like you are camping," noted one visitor about the Cherokee location. Both resorts provide glampers with comfortable beds, private decks overlooking creeks or mountain views, and many units include en-suite bathrooms with hot showers. The glamping sites maintain a balance between wilderness immersion and resort-style comfort, with Moonshine Creek particularly known for its creek-side accommodations where guests can fall asleep to the sound of flowing water in plush bedding.
The Blue Ridge Parkway sits just minutes from these glamping resorts, allowing easy access to scenic overlooks and mountain trails. A visitor described their experience: "Plenty to do in this area, camping, hiking, mountain biking, fishing, rafting or kayaking." Both glamping destinations offer on-site recreational activities including badminton and volleyball courts, while the Cherokee location provides convenient access to cultural attractions including the Oconaluftee Indian Village and Cherokee Museum. Glamping guests can explore nearby waterfall hikes, trout fishing in stocked creeks, or venture into downtown Sylva for local dining and craft breweries. The geodesic domes and safari-style accommodations are most popular during the April to November season when temperatures are mild, though some luxury units remain available year-round. Each resort-style campground maintains a camp store with essential supplies, and many glamping packages include firewood delivery service directly to private fire pits outside each accommodation.
"Nice laundry facilities. Especially nice are the tent sites. They seem to have some of the most scenic spots. The Sanctuary area is awesome and the tent sites are right on the creek."
"We will definitely be back now that we have our A-frame camper. The campground is beautiful with a mountain stream flowing through the entire campground. Immaculate bathhouses and wonderful owners."
from $43 - $83 / night
"The heat did struggle to keep it warm but they had just gone through a pretty severe winter storm. They did provide us with extra linens which helped. The manager on duty, Tonya, was great."
"If I’m not mistaken, the one we were at this time was either the same cabin or one close to it. It is perfectly situated beside the river. "
"Indian Creek offers the most relaxing creekside camping in North Carolina. Every campsite is lush with greenery, private and well maintained after each occupancy."
"Campground: Indian Creek Overall: This is a very nice, small, quiet commercial campground way off of the beaten path."
from $26 - $37 / night
"The only bad part was the non quiet hours- so It was loud at night. But the campsites are far apart, easy walking distance to bathrooms."
"There are no hook ups for electric and sewer here, nor are their showers."
Available this weekend
from $30 / night
"Campground review: Located in Bryson City, N.C. on Deep Creek, this campground has around 50 sites with full hookups."
"We tent camped at an electric site and it was awesome. There’s shelters to camp under, a fire ring, and a picnic table. We were close to the bath house which was welcomed in the middle of the night."
"Our oldest rented a bell tent, and when I say they are the cutest camping spot, I am not exaggerating. The bell tents sit on the river and away from all the RV sites."
"We stayed 3 nights in the Baby Bear bell tent with our small children and it was perfect. We ended up arriving later than expected and the hosts were wonderful. Very nice and helpful our whole stay."
from $35 - $258 / night
"The bathrooms and showers are nice and clean. The pet corral was enjoyed by my dog. The staff is very nice and helpful."
"Well groomed campground in a central location in the mountains of North Carolina. Good amenities. Friendly staff."
from $48 - $54 / night
"The bathrooms are kept clean and most necessities can be found in the camp store. We usually pull our camper, but we have stayed in cabin 116."
"Well kept swimming pool and bathroom areas. Lots of options on lodging. Short drive to downtown Cherokee, North Carolina. River access. Even has the start of a hike that goes to a Mingo falls."
from $33 - $174 / night
"There are several places along the river to play in the water, set up a lawn chair, or float in a tube."
"I stayed here a few years ago for an overnight (without my trailer, I slept in the truck cab), and the owners were very friendly despite that fact that I arrived after dark and really early in the season"
from $50 - $55 / night
"Walking distance to casino and main street shops. Despite its proximity, it is tucked away enough to still feel like you are camping. Family owned with great people. Clean cabins and bathrooms."
"This small campground is conveniently located close to the casino in Cherokee, the town of Cherokee, and along Soco Creek. It is within the Qualla boundary of the Cherokee Reservation."
from $50 - $65 / night
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
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.
ScoutWhatever person or group of persons designed the campground were clueless as to how to develop a campground. Sites are packed in the most preposterous configuration to have tents, trailers motorhomes all jammed together nearly touching each other with zero privacy. Come for the hikes and views of the gorge but come with the lowest expectations for the campground and you’ll be fine
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.
ScoutWalk to trail sites, clean bathrooms, sites close together…water and electric at site. Sites are sloped gravel.
TravelerThis worked well for us while we were visiting Dollywood in our trailer, but we wouldn't stay here if we had been in a different type of site. Cons: Unless you have a site up against the river or on patriot park, you are packed in VERY TIGHT with other people, sometimes with your sliders only a foot or two away from your neighbor's sliders. We were in a site that was "on patriot park", but the few first sites of that type are really just behind the trolley parking lot and pick up with a path behind you (including ours). People are on the other side of the fence walking about two feet behind you all day and pretty late in to the night. Pros: There are lot of trees and campground is very pretty. Super close to Dollywood and other Pigeon Forge points of interest.
TravelerStayed 1 week in site 12. Great small campground, clean and quiet. Jojo was a great host and 5pm happy hour gathering was fun. Will DEFINITELY return. Its a great spot for launching adventures.
GuideWe really enjoyed our stay at Gateway RV Campground! After spending plenty of time on the road, it’s always nice to find somewhere you can park up, relax, and feel at home.
The campground has a lovely, relaxed atmosphere and was a great place to unwind.
One of the real bonuses is the trolley that stops right outside the campground office. What a fantastic convenience! It makes getting out and exploring the local area so much easier without having to pack everything up and take the RV. Such a simple touch, but one that makes a big difference when you’re traveling.
We’ve stayed at plenty of RV parks during our travels, and it’s often the little things that make a place stand out.
All in all, a very enjoyable stay, and we’d happily return if we’re passing through the area again. Definitely worth a stop!
Sylva sits in a valley of the Plott Balsam mountain range at 2,036 feet elevation, creating distinct seasonal camping conditions throughout the year. Summer temperatures typically range from 60-85°F with frequent afternoon thunderstorms, while spring and fall offer milder conditions ideal for camping. Yurt accommodations in the area provide a popular middle ground between tent camping and cabin rentals, especially during the transition seasons when temperatures fluctuate.
Trout fishing in mountain streams: The Tuckasegee River running through the Sylva area offers excellent fishing opportunities. At Indian Creek Campground, "The creek is stocked with trout, so bring your fishing gear!" according to Rich S., who notes that some sites have the creek directly in the backyard where "we could fish sitting right by our picnic table and fire ring."
Explore nearby waterfalls: Within 30 minutes of Sylva, you can access several waterfall trails. Mingo Falls is particularly accessible, as Steve G. notes, "a short 0.44 mile round trip hike up 161 stairs, then a relatively level trail to the base of a beautiful waterfall." The trailhead is located just minutes from Cherokee.
Visit historic ghost towns: The abandoned structures at Elkmont provide a fascinating glimpse into the area's past. "The campground has a wonderful area and the history of the place is amazing," mentions Amy P. from Elkmont Campground, where you can explore Daisy Town, a collection of former vacation homes now preserved as a ghost town.
Creek-side camping spots: Sites along mountain streams are consistently rated as favorites. At Moonshine Creek Campground, Shannon T. describes their experience: "Our tent campsite was very secluded, included a fire pit, picnic table, over looking deck, running water and electric. Loved hearing the running creek from our tent site."
Yurt camping options: Several campgrounds near Sylva offer yurt accommodations as alternatives to traditional camping. The Cherokee-Great Smokies KOA includes yurts among their lodging options, which Crystal C. describes as providing "that rustic mountain feel but with modern amenities" while still allowing you to enjoy "access to every amenity there was to offer."
Clean facilities: Many campers specifically mention the cleanliness of bathhouses as a standout feature. At Indian Creek Campground, Mary B. observes, "The cleanest bathrooms I have seen at a campground," while Shane H. notes the bath house is "extremely clean" with "several spacious sites lining the river."
Site selection matters: Not all sites are created equal, especially for tent campers. At Deep Creek Tube Center & Campground, Andra S. advises, "Try to get a spot on the river, sites 1-10, but we stayed in 12 and it was fine. There are plenty of trees for shade, and this area of WNC rains a good amount, so everything is very green."
Seasonal considerations: Most smaller campgrounds in the area operate seasonally. Moonshine Creek Campground only operates "April to November," according to their listing, making advance planning essential during peak periods. Fall color weekends book months in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Sylva, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Sylva, NC is Moonshine Creek Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 22 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Sylva, NC?
TheDyrt.com has all 108 glamping camping locations near Sylva, NC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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