River Valley Campground
Myron C.The Dyrt PRO User
Reviewed Aug. 1, 2021

Peaceful RV park right outside of Cherokee

A rating for this campground can be ambiguous. For tent campers, I would give it two stars. For RVs and travel trailers, I would give it at least four stars. With that said, it gets three stars, but with considerations of how you are camping. 

Many of the sites have concrete pads, so there is very little grass to deal with. The sites have very little space between them, so there is not much privacy. Some of the sites have gravel. If you are tent camping, there is a small area that has grass, but many of the sites with hookups are on gravel. The good thing is that even though many of the sites are gravel, they are beside the river. If you want to camp beside the river in a tent, take my advice: put a couple of ground cloths under your tent. Otherwise, if you are in a small camper, you will be all right. 

As far as amenities, this campground has the largest laundry I have ever seen at a campground. There is also an arcade and a game room. The biggest attraction, other than its proximity to places like Mingo Falls, is the fishing and to see the elk. As a matter of fact, I saw one beside the road on the morning when I left. However, if you really want to see the elk, there will be plenty at the Oconaluftee Visitors Center during the evening, which is only a ten minute drive. You can also see them farther down the river sometimes. 

I felt secure staying at this campground since there is somebody at the entrance to check to see who is coming in. I’d rather have somebody there than not. 

Overall, I would recommend this campground for those who are staying in RVs or travel trailers. As far as tent camping, it would not be my first choice.

Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of River Valley Campground by Myron C., August 1, 2021
  • Review photo of River Valley Campground by Myron C., August 1, 2021
  • Review photo of River Valley Campground by Myron C., August 1, 2021
  • Review photo of River Valley Campground by Myron C., August 1, 2021
  • Review photo of River Valley Campground by Myron C., August 1, 2021
  • Review photo of River Valley Campground by Myron C., August 1, 2021
  • Review photo of River Valley Campground by Myron C., August 1, 2021
  • Review photo of River Valley Campground by Myron C., August 1, 2021
  • Review photo of River Valley Campground by Myron C., August 1, 2021
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