Are you in need of a campground near Wilkesboro, NC? Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Wilkesboro is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Find the best campgrounds near Wilkesboro, NC. Read helpful reviews and tips to find the perfect camping option for you and your crew.
$40 - $200 / night
"What a magical experience floating in the trees surrounded by fire flies! Elizabeth and Mark were exceptional hosts. There is so much to do on property, and they are working on more!"
$25 - $190 / night
"Location is private and secluded, yet within reasonable driving distance to stores and other attractions like hiking/biking/kayaking."
$50 / night
"Great trails for all levels of mt bikers About 13 miles one way and return to visitors center"
$25 - $136 / night
"It offers RV, drive in and hike in tent sites and also teepee camping."
"We had a neighbor nice enough to give us his site because he was leaving early and I would have stayed another night there. It was C3 backed into the woods on level ground. It made for a cozy morning."
"You have to make a reservation with the park office for your site and drop by the ranger station to pick up your permit."
"Easy hike in, but far enough that you won’t find High-maintenance campers or crowds. Maybe some horseback people. Campground has tent pads, picnic tables, fire pits, pit toilets, water pump."
$75 - $200 / night
$25 - $50 / night
"There is a 5 mile long trail that goes through the campground called Boone Fork Trail. This trail leads to Hebron falls where you can explore giant boulders and have a picnic."
"The terrain is also flat and easy to hike through, making it a good long trail for beginners or children."
$15 - $95 / night
LegendJulian Price Campground is part of the Julian Price Memorial Park, which is along the Blue Ridge Parkway in the northern part of North Carolina. I have heard about this park for many years, so I wanted to finally camp there. It is an older park, and it shows. We stayed at site A4, and I chose this site for a few reasons. It was close to the lake, but unfortunately, we couldn’t see the lake from the site. Many of the sites in the A loop are reservable, and they have been reserved for several weeks(maybe months) in advance. They are the best sites as far as seeing the lake and sometimes because they are larger. The worst part I discovered about sites in the A loop is that you can hear traffic from the Blue Ridge Parkway all day long except for two to three hours in the middle of the night(about 1:30 to 4:30). On average, you can count on about twenty-five vehicles every five minutes(I know because I counted). It doesn’t help that the parkway is under construction and the road is gravel, which makes the sounds of vehicles even louder. The restrooms in A loop are old and need updating. There are no showers in A loop. The only showers are between B and D loops, which are on the other side of the Blue Ridge Parkway. On the positive side, the showers in a new bath house, and they are private shower/restroom units. We rode through all of the loops to see what the other sites were like, and some of the sites are seldom used if the picnic tables and surrounding vegetation is any indication. Some of the picnic tables are covered in moss. Those were mostly in the sites that were small or sloped. For that reason, it is a good idea to look at the photos on the website for each site before reserving. Many of the sites are walk-in sites and you can set up before the 3:00 time for reservable sites. As far as activities, there is no swimming, but fishing is allowed. There is also a boat ramp, and you can rent canoes, kayaks, and SUPs. The lake is hatchery supported, and I did witness someone catching a fish as we walked along the lake trail. While we were in this area, we saw several small deer, including one that came through our campsite. Our campsite was spacious, and it had a concrete picnic table, a fire ring, a lantern pole, and a tent pad. The tent pad needed some maintenance since the dirt had washed onto it and made it slightly sloped. Not until later did I discover that there was a tall dead tree next to our tent. Only the top part was dead, but it could be a potential danger. The site next to ours was sectioned off because of a dead tree. If you are staying in A loop, I give it two stars, especially since the sites and bath house need maintenance, and because of the road noise. If you are staying in B or D loop, I would give it three or four stars. The sites in E loop are mainly for RVs and have less shade. One section in the A loop also is an open field and has limited shade. Overall, it’s not a bad choice for a campground, but it needs updating. What it has going for it is location. It is along the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Cone Memorial Park is down the road, which is a great destination in itself. There are lots of hiking trails and the beauty of the mountains is spectacular.
TravelerThis campground is minutes from Blowing Rock NC, which makes it super popular. There are restaurants and grocery stores nearby. There are two sides: the A-side is next to the lake but has no showers, just flush toilets, water spigots, and a food storage area. The other side has newer bathhouses.
RV spots have electric hookups, tent spots do not. Many on lakeside have to be reserved in advance and are not as isolated as they may appear on the recreation.gov website. If you are thinking the “first come first served campsites” that are lakeside will be up for grabs at any given time you will be disappointed. I would recommend reserving one if possible. Tent pads are decent and will have some small gravel in them, they will for a standard six persons tent but that’s about it. Fire rings are standard size and sites have a lantern post, along with a cement top picnic table.
Note that if you are towing a trailer and tenting you may have issues finding a place to park. Solid campground with friendly staff.
LegendAt the intersection of the North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia state lines, sits this national forest which offers multiple dispersed camping areas along Bear Creek. Opportunities for hiking, cycling, fishing, and paddling are abundant. The Appalachian Trail and Virginia Creeper Trail are just minutes away, as well as some easy whitewater paddling fun on the White Top Laurel Creek.
Most of campsites are large, very shaded, along a beautiful treelined road, and surrounded by mountains. There is no drinking water, picnic tables, or even pit toilet, so come prepared. The only major problem is that folks tend to leave a ton of trash around, so we often spend about 20-30 minutes cleaning these sites upon arrival. Please Leave No Trace!
Our site had a good fire ring, and was on the edge of a creek that we could filter water from with ease. We stayed at this camp for 3 weeks during the pandemic shutdown and it was a perfect place to ride out this crazy storm and decompress from some anxiety.
The closest town is Damascus, VA, about 12 miles away. The town is small, but draws thousands of tourists each year who are either hiking the Appalachian Trail or cycling the famous Virginia Creeper bike path. It is equipped with a decent sized grocery store, gas, and couple of restaurants, and a cute downtown area. There is absolutely no cell service at this camp, you have to go into town or hike a local mountain to get service up high.
GuideHad a great time at Julian Price Campground! ⛺️ 🌲
We had 2 groups and reserved sites B29 & B30 because they seemed more remote with water, restrooms, and trail access nearby. I could not have been happier about our sites!
LOVELY trees, shade, and close to everything we needed. This is a BIG campground and some sections have sites all smooshed together – we had plenty of room to ourselves at the edge of the woods by the start of the Boone Fork Trail. This trail connects to several others and is an awesome spot for wanderers to go for a walk or pick up some fallen branches to process while you mess around at camp or cook dinner.
We had a fantastic time and would love to go again!
Notes:
We went August 2021, so it was really busy. People getting in a bit of camping before school starts… and maybe also looking to escape being cooped up during the pandemic.
Weather was low 80's daytime, 60's nighttime. Rained a couple of hours one evening, but clear otherwise.
Very peaceful & beautiful woods. Great trails! Lots of trees to hang a rain cover or hammocks. Plenty of down branches up the trail to use for extra wood. Stumps at the site for sitting or chopping up some kindling. Saw deer and rabbits about!
Some of the tent sites looked small and hilly, but B29 & 30 were big & pretty level.
Sites had big fire rings with grills that come down over them. Ours was not exactly level, but got the job done. Stone picnic table with wood-top benches seat 4-6. Lots of space for extra chairs, etc around the campfire.
These sites were really great, but got a bit of traffic because of the water access, restrooms, and trail that ran between the sites. People were walking and driving by often – which wasn't a problem, but it might be good to know beforehand.
SOUND CARRIES here! It was a bit noisy some nights.
Tent pad is dirt & rocks – we picked out any big ones before setting up and had yoga mats under our sleeping bags, but the ground was still hard. Definitely think about bringing a thicker pad or something inflatable if you prefer that.
The lake is nearby and fun for canoes & kayaking! People fishing, too. The boathouse sells snacks, drinks, firewood, and bait.
The campground is well maintained and the hosts were around often to clean the bathrooms, check on campers, etc. Very friendly!
Hard to tell from the map, but the bathroom by B29 & B30 is NOT the one with showers. Showers are located at the larger facility in the middle of loop D, but there is a short path that runs from the back of this restroom to that area. The folks in our group that used them said they were wonderful.
Loop B's bathroom does not have lights, so bring a lantern
EASY drive in & out, right on the blue ridge parkway. A short drive (20 min?) from Grandfather mountain which was AWESOME!!
AT&T had really spotty connection – OK for intermittent texting & I got sporadic emails… but on-demand internet usage was basically nonexistent. The boathouse has wifi, though!
Check in@ 3pm, Check out@ 12pm.
LegendJust across the Virginia state line, this national forest offers multiple dispersed camping areas along Beaver Dam Creek. Opportunities for hiking, cycling, fishing, and paddling are abundant. Most of campsites are large, very shaded, along a beautiful treelined road, and surrounded by mountains.
There is no drinking water, picnic tables, or even pit toilet, so come prepared. The only major problem is that folks tend to leave a ton of trash around, so we often spend about 20-30 minutes cleaning these sites upon arrival. Please Leave No Trace! Our site had a good fire ring, and was on the edge of a creek that we could filter water from with ease. Would not recommend for any vehicle larger than 20 feet as the potholed road and the tight turns to get up to the camp from the road would be tough. 4WD highly recommended, especially in mud season or winter.
We stayed at this camp for 10 days during the pandemic shutdown and it was a lovely place to ride out this crazy storm. Some road noise from the motorcycles that cruise the road, but only occasionally. The closest town is Damascus, VA, about 5 miles away. The town is small, but draws thousands of tourists each year who are either hiking the Appalachian Trail or cycling the famous Virginia Creeper bike path. It is equipped with a decent sized grocery store, gas, and couple of restaurants, and a cute downtown area. There is absolutely no cell service at this camp, you have to go into town or hike a local mountain to get service up high.
RangerPrimitive tent camp site. Water but no electric. Nice grassy area around the gravel tent pad. We had one tree for shade. Fire ring and table. Clean showers and bathrooms. We stayed here specifically for the sliding rock at widow creek falls. But we did hike Stone Mountain falls trail. There are 432 steps going up to the parking area from the bottom of the falls. Beautiful shaded trail. Mountain to sea trail runs through for a little bit. Dogs welcome leashes. Fairly busy trail.
GuideWe’ve primitive camped in the Linville Gorge Wilderness for many years and absolutely love it. It’s peaceful and secluded and the views are absolutely gorgeous. My photos are from the Linville Falls side of the old highway that goes past the falls parking lot. Spaces are first come, first served dispersed camping. Leave no trace! We clean up after folks every time we camp up here and it’s just too sad that people will leave their trash. This area used to be the best kept secret in the NC mountains but is quickly gaining popularity.
GuideAnother lovely campground along the BRP, close to Linville Falls and gorge, picnic area and visitor center.
Erwin’s View Trail: Moderate Linville Gorge Trail: Strenuous {amazing view of falls}
Get a map at the visitor’s center.. redundant: the gorge is rather crowded on the weekends.
Check online for road closures when visiting the parkway.
$20 per night
There are 70 sites, some reservable sites and walk ins -and an RV loop {dump station} All sites non electric, generators permitted before quiet hours.
Lovely rangers and camp host that I found to be pleasant and helpful.
Open field sites, with decent sized pads, fire pits & picnic tables. Some of the sites are more secluded, the ones nearest to the parkway road.
Dog friendly for leashed puppers 🐾 Kid Friendly
There are bear lockers, keep food and supplies in the locker and in car at night.
Alcohol is prohibited
No showers but access to clean water and flush toilets.
You may collect dead wood or bring in HEAT TREATED firewood that is certified with a federal seal.
Local stores that sell wood and/or other supplies: Linville Falls Visitor Center/Park store Linville Falls General Store {8896 NC-183, Linville Falls, NC 28647- trinkets, camp supplies, cold drinks, non perishable food, Hunt Brothers Pizza etc} Walmart Supercenter, Spruce Pine, Ingles Food Store, Newland
Nearby Attractions
Linville Falls Linville Gorge “Grand Canyon of the Southern Appalachians”
Falls Trail - 1.6 mi RT/easy The Gorge Trail - 1.4 mi RT/ strenuous. The Plunge Basin Trail- 1mi RT/ moderate. Leashed dogs permitted 🐾
BRP Linville Canverns Crabtree Falls, Burnsville Grassy Creek Falls NC Gem Museum
The campground is laid out well, spacious, clean and located near awesome trails, falls, look outs and shops and restaurants.
GuideJacob Branch: Three sites arranged around a clearing. Two pit privies and a BEAR BOX! Woot!! The sites are a bit difficult to pitch on, due to the abundance of roots, hardpan earth, and slope, but you’ll find a spot. I didn’t hang, but there are certainly spots that would be suitable. Water is just down the hill. It’s ample and clear, as of May 2023. There are several ways to hike in, as many of the South Mountains SP trails intersect and wander around a bunch giving a bunch of options for how to get in and out. The variety makes for a nice loop instead of just an in-and-out. Get inventive. Trails are broad and veeeeeery hilly in places. If your knees complain, bring the trekking poles. You’ll thank me.
Shinny Creek: Perfect trip if you have kids…or just want something close by. It’s only a bit over a mile to these four sites (see video tour) nestled by a stream. Clear, flat sites. Bear box. Critter-proof trash bin. Pit privy. Water access from every site within ten paces, so water and entertainment are always available. The trail here is easy peasy rolling hills that follows the river past Bear Falls all the way up to the sites.
Tent camping near Wilkesboro, North Carolina, offers a blend of serene nature and outdoor adventure, perfect for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Wilkesboro, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Wilkesboro, NC is Self Sufficient Holler with a 5-star rating from 1 review.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Wilkesboro, NC?
TheDyrt.com has all 52 tent camping locations near Wilkesboro, NC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
