Best Campgrounds near Zirconia, NC

This campground is basic at most. The sites are decent as far as cleanliness and space. It's a rather small campground so you are right on top of your neighbor's and the campground hosts, who in my opinion were nosey and invasive. The "lake" they advertise to be a mere walking distance away, is a very very long trail that you become kind of stuck on due to lack of information. You kind of just start on a little trail that ends up being a 10 minute walk uphill through the woods. It would be completely worth it if it led to a lake to cool off in , but instead you are led to a crappy pond that looks like it's in someone's backyard and convinced that this wasn't the right place I frantically began searching in any and every direction for any sign of this lake we came for, only to be filled with disappointment and then immediate dread knowing you had to trek back to camp . My kids whined and complained the entire walk to the pond and then refused to get in it. I can't say I blamed them

The higher number loop across the street is better for a more quiet experience. Still a very short walk over to the river or the showers. Showers are free for campers and average cleanliness for a campground.

The check-in office is in a weird, poorly signed place that we actually found accidentally when walking to the swimming hole in the river. It’s behind the bathroom and shower building.

Found a water snake with fishing hook stuck in its abdomen and pulling out the muscle as it was stuck in sticks and a toy boat in the river. Tried to free it but it got away with the hook still in it. Be responsible, fishermen.

On our second night, the host was blaring music in their camper that we could hear several sites away. I found that to be extremely strange.

The area seems to be very slowly recovering from the hurricane. It’s a bit sobering. I feel for these people.

We couldn’t hike the trail we were hoping for due to hurricane damage, so we drove to Grandfather Mountain SP and did a really fun hike there (to Calloway Peak). We stopped at Cellucci’s Italian Restaurant in Pineola and the food and service were amazing.

My wife and I stayed a couple weeks ago and had a blast.   We arrived and immediately met Pebbles (My wife's favorite of the Highland cows).  She was the sweetest cow and allowed us to pet, take pictures with her and of course feed her.   We also spent some time with the other cows and loved the experience as we interacted with them and all of the other animals, including the new sheep that recently arrived.   The camp site was way more then expected.   Large tents on a platform, with  everything you need to camp and enjoy the campgrounds and pastures.   Full bathroom onsite, great ponds to enjoy.

Decent spot if you're passing through but staying long isn't bad but not the best. Depending upon what time of year there is a lot of rain, lots of bears (I had my tent ripped open by a bear at least once/ possibly twice or vandals) and there is absolutely no service. Wash creek is accessible at most campsites but not all. Lots of morning mountain bikers and late night drivers so privacy is limited. Dispersed camping is more limited on the Brevard side of the Pisgah forest but I recommend checking that out first if it's not a hassle, if you can't find a spot it's a cool area to see regardless, wash creek is more like a park