Best Tent Camping in North Carolina

From the shores of Cape Hatteras to the ancient mountains of Great Smoky Mountain National Park, North Carolina is a state that is as beautiful as it is diverse in natural wonders. Whether you fancy a day of surfing in the waves of the Atlantic Ocean or a climb up Mount Mitchell, the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi, there’s an outdoor adventure waiting for you. So grab your bathing suit or your hiking poles (or both!) and find the best camping in North Carolina.

The pristine beauty of North Carolina’s Outer Banks have always drawn vacationers looking for a respite from the hustle and bustle of their daily lives. Fortunately for those that like sleeping under the stars, camping in North Carolina at one of the state’s many beaches is a great way to experience the sun and sand without the expense of a vacation rental. With over 300 miles of coastline, there are dozens of state and private campgrounds to choose from.

If pitching your tent in coastal sand dunes isn’t your cup of tea then pack your bag and head to the mountains of Western North Carolina—a region known throughout the southeast for its abundant opportunities to recreate outdoors. Whether you’re rafting down the Nantahala River that winds through the beautiful and remote Nantahala National Forest or hiking on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, a 1,175 mile footpath that spans the width of North Carolina, you won’t run out of reasons to be outside.

North Carolina has 40 mountains that rise above 6,000 feet (aforementioned Mount Mitchell is the tallest, clocking in at 6,684 feet) and 100 that stand more than 5,000 feet. Camping in the shadows of these peaks is just one thing that makes camping in North Carolina so special. And with 2.1 million acres of public land in the state, finding a campground is as easy as pulling out a map.

Whether it’s saltwater waves, pristine peaks or rushing rivers that excite you, let The Dyrt help you discover the best camping in North Carolina.

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Best Tent Sites in North Carolina (164)

    1. Hot Springs Campground

    29 Reviews
    Hot Springs, NC
    Website
    +1 (828) 622-7676

    "Situated along the beautiful French Broad River."

    "Beautiful campground with great campstore right at the entrance that sells everything. Large campsites with great privacy foliage, picnic tables, & fire rings."

    2. Blue Bear Mountain Camp

    27 Reviews
    Todd, NC
    Website
    +1 (828) 406-4226

    $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."

    3. Eno River State Park Campground

    21 Reviews
    Hillsborough, NC
    Website
    +1 (919) 383-1686

    $17 - $47 / night

    "My partner and I camped at Fanny’s Ford at one of the primitive sites. The sites are well spaced but not a lot of privacy. We didn’t mind and everyone was cordial."

    "Eno River State Park has amazing backpack in camping that is well worth the beautiful walk through the woods. The last trip here was so wonderful that we extended it by two nights! "

    4. William B. Umstead State Park Campground

    18 Reviews
    Morrisville, NC
    Website
    +1 (919) 571-4170

    $27 / night

    "Primitive camping has drive in, picnic table, fire ring, tent spot, and trails starting at your back door ⛺️"

    "My friend and I have been trying to learn the manly outdoors skills we never picked up as kids (because we're nerds), starting with hiking, climbing, and backpacking."

    5. Crowders Mountain State Park Campground

    15 Reviews
    Bessemer City, NC
    Website
    +1 (704) 853-5429

    $17 - $47 / night

    "This is a hike in campground so we were in a hurry. The campground had lockers with firewood and you could leave the money in the envelope at the trailhead."

    "I visited Crowders Mountain in December, and the weather only required a sweatshirt. My brother and I spent the day rock climbing."

    6. Onslow Beach Campsites

    15 Reviews
    Hubert, NC
    Website
    +1 (910) 440-7502

    "We set up, after about an hour a guy came by on a riding mower and mowed around the area. Leaving a lot of grass near our area."

    "Full hook ups, very clean, friendly staff, and many sites have a shelter area for the picnic table (all sites have a table). WiFi isn’t great but that doesn’t bother us; cell signal is decent."

    7. Pisgah National Forest Dispersed

    13 Reviews
    Barnardsville, NC

    "Definitely some disrespectful neighbors but sites aren't closely packed. Get there early as possible as people can post up for a week there. Great launch pad for hiking and mountain biking."

    "It wasn't officially designated but it was used as a campsite. You'll need four wheel drive to get in and out of it though."

    8. Fort Fisher Air Force Recreation Area

    11 Reviews
    Kure Beach, NC
    Website
    +1 (910) 500-6465

    "No shade in this campground, but the location is everything! Basically a manicured field with cement pads and hookup poles."

    "Nice tent sites. Very close to the beach. Great view of the river. Has shop, rental center, and fishing pier within walking distance of the camping area."

    9. Chalk Banks — Lumber River State Park

    10 Reviews
    Wagram, NC
    Website
    +1 (910) 628-4564

    $17 - $47 / night

    "It was a little tricky finding the entrance to this campsite, but when we managed to Google map our way in into the park, we were very happy with our selection!"

    "There was a path walkable to the river, and each campsite was clean, had plenty of space on level ground to set up camp, a fire pit, and very clean toilet. I would definitely go back!"

    10. Mortimer Campground — National Forests In North Carolina

    10 Reviews
    Collettsville, NC
    +1 (828) 652-2144

    $20 - $30 / night

    "The 5 upfront are walk in, and more private. The about to be 12 in the back are pull in and much closer together. Two shower houses, one on both ends, no hookups."

    "Had some friends stay next to us in a class b. A small trailer would fit, nothing big. No W/E/S but great place. Come early to reserve. You must set up camp immediately. No reservations."

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Tent Camping Reviews in North Carolina

4145 Reviews of 164 North Carolina Campgrounds


  • Michael G.
    Mar. 8, 2021

    Gateway to the Smokies

    Small Family Owned Campground with two very large and private campsites.

    Gateway to the Smokies is a small family owned and operated campground with two very large and private campsites on over an acre of land. It is located right off of US Highway 441 just 7 miles to the North Carolina Entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There is a Dollar General located right across the highway which was very convenient for refilling coolers with ice. They also sold propane, charcoal for the grill, drinks, snacks and any thing you'd need for camping! Site 1 sits along the creek and is a walk-in Tents Only campsite with a 16' tent pad. Site 2 is up the hill on a nice grassy area large enough to turn around a 1/2 ton size pickup truck and 20' travel trailer without having to back up. Both sites have a fire pit, park style grill, and a picnic table. There is also a shared portable toilet located near the site 1 parking area. There is no potable water and no hookups but I'm sure you could boil water from the creek. Generators are allowed with no restrictions unless there is other campers on property then quiet times are from 10pm- 7am. Verizon service worked fine w 3 bars of service. Great spot for exploring the NC side of the Smoky Mountains. Saved money using Dyrt Pro Discount compared to other apps the property is listed on.

  • Myron C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 9, 2019

    Julian Price Park Campground — Blue Ridge Parkway

    Older Campground with Great Location

    Julian 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.

  • Myron C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 30, 2019

    Balsam Mountain Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park

    National Park Campground with Roadside RV Parking

     I camped at this campground about fifteen to twenty years ago, and I loved the coolness of the high altitude. That has not changed. When I camped at Balsam Mountain last night, there were things I didn’t remember from my first visit long ago. Now there are tent pads, and some of them are within spitting distance of each other. Fortunately, I got a site that was a good distance away from the next site. However, the site was small and sloped. If you have a large tent, just know that you might have to stake guy lines outside of the tent pad. The picnic table was not level, and the fire pit was very close to the picnic table. That wasn’t too bad, but almost every site was such that you had to park on the campground road, except for sites 26-31. Those were tent sites in which you had to park in a designated parking area and walk in a short distance. There are no hookups at this campground, which is okay with me since I am in a tent and carry my own water, and the restrooms have no showers. The worst part about the restrooms, however, is that you have to remember to take a towel/paper towel with you, and at night, make sure to take a lantern/headlamp/flashlight to the restroom. This may be TMI, but I am glad I had tissue in my pocket. Both rolls of toilet paper were empty. The men’s urinals are placed fairly high, so if you have small children, you will definitely want to let them use the toilet in the stall. There is no electricity at the restrooms, which means there is no light—not even outside. I enjoyed the campground for it being away from towns, but it was a little crowded anyway. Beware. If you are in an RV, you will have to park it on the campground road. There are no back-in sites, nor are there any pull-through sites. The RV sites are literally on wide sections of the paved campground road. Each site does have a picnic table and a fire pit, but there are no lantern poles. I did like it that there was a separate building for washing dishes. Also be aware that the campground is in a bear habitat, and you have to take precautions. I actually saw a huge pile of bear scat(poop) on the nature trail fewer than 100 yards away from the campground. Make sure when you go that you take everything you need, including ice, kiln-dried firewood, etc. The nearest town is fifteen miles away. Finding downed wood is hard to come by. I found just enough to have about a twenty-minute fire, and bringing wood from outside the park is not allowed unless it is sealed and certified. There is one nature trail that is about a half mile long, and it takes you to Heintooga Overlook, which is at the picnic area. To me, this is the best part about the campground, although it’s not really part of the campground. There is another trail not accessible directly from the campground, and years ago, you could hike to a waterfall. That is no longer the case. The trail has been re-routed, and several people have tried to find the waterfall without any luck. I came upon a small amphitheater while I was looking for wood, not that it would interest the camping overnighter, but it is interesting. Overall, I was disappointed in the campground. I was hoping to give it at least three stars, but the fact that you have to park in the road, there are not real RV sites, the restrooms are disappointing, and the site I was on was really small, I cannot give it three stars. Some of the campers I talked to loved the campground and come back every year. For me, there are better national park campgrounds in the Smokies.

  • Dave V.
    Aug. 29, 2017

    Mount Mitchell State Park Campground

    Lofty Blue Ridge Experience

    Mount Mitchell State Park, highest peak east of the Mississippi...6,684ft elevation... is located on The Blue Ridge Parkway, but it is still a bit of a climb (for foot or vehicle traffic) to get to the summit. https://www.ncparks.gov/mount-mitchell-state-park

    Getting here the day after the solar eclipse, it was still pretty busy...and if you are traveling the Blue Ridge Parkway...speed is only 45 mph, so do your calculations. There are only nine, yes, count them...nine tent camping sites. So reservations are a must if you want a site! The campground is open from May 1 to Oct 31...but if you walk-in to the sites, as in via the trails, you can rent a site amost all year.

    Tent sites are small, but nice. You get a timber lined tent pad, a crushed limestone area with picnic table, wooden lantern post, and a fire ring with flip grate...and a bear secure food storage bin. There are flush toilets between sites 3 and 7... and two water spigots nearby.

    If campsites are full and you desire to hike the trails, you can register your vehicle with office, leave it there in the parking lot and locate a place to make camp along the trails. There are also several free roadside sites marked with a brown plastic post with a small tent emblem on them. Ordinarily these are along a stream where you can gather water (filter it!)...but it is primitive (LNT!).

    The park has a restaurant, a museum, gift shop and an observation tower at the summit. Pretty cool that the observation tower is ADA...but steep.

    Check weather reports. These mountains make their own weather. And remember, for every 1,000 feet of elevation gain, temperature decreases by 3 degrees (roughly...there is constant debate). So pack wisely. Surprisingly, though reports called for rain...we saw none.

    Great hiking and long mountain views are one of the draws. The walk up the Observation trail is paved but steep, so give yourself some time if you are wanting to capture the sunset. If hiking, there are a myriad of sites that offer maps, levels of difficulty and recommendations. Did I mention that if you are planning to hike for the day...plan and pack for weather?

    A worthwhile place to pitch your tent, but there are also several other campgrounds at lower elevations that also have great trails and more amenities.

  • Katy S.
    Aug. 4, 2020

    MST Section 23 Falls Lake Camping

    A great spot for MST hikers

    This is a hidden gem for a MST hiker. The campground is located on a private land, has a shelter, a fire pit, and a number of tent sites. It's a hike in only campground, located approximately 1 mile from the roadside parking on Red Mill Road, Durham NC. 

    The information can be found here:

    There is an authorized camping area available on private property in this section of the Falls Lake Trail(between Red Mill Road and Old Oxford Road). Follow the blue-blazed trail off the MST approximately 1 mile west of Red Mill Road. NOTE: This campsite is on private property. It is a HUGE PRIVILEGE to be allowed to camp at this location. Vandalism, neglect or any trash left at this campsite could result in closing of this campsite by the landowner. No water or toilet facilities are provided. There are seven established campsite pads for 2-person tents. Campsite rules:(1) Practice Leave No Trace ethics.(2) Do NOT leave any trash. Pack it in= Pack it out.(3) There is a 2-night maximum stay.(4) Do NOT explore past a 75 yard radius of the Shelter.(5) NO FIRES except in the established fire pit.

  • Joe B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 10, 2022

    Jones Lake State Park Campground

    Nice spot with lake and trails

    I stayed here the night before a mountain bike race at Brown’s Creek. I only needed one night, but wished I would have stayed a couple more. When I got to my site, I didn’t realize that I reserved a handicap spot (my mistake). The site was on concrete so I couldn’t stake down my awning. I rode my bicycle around the park and found the hiking trail right by the campground. It went around the lake, but since it said hiking, I stopped at the trail head. After dinner I started a fire, pulled out the guitar and played for a bit. I would have had a beer, but there is a no alcohol policy. (Still don’t understand this policy at state parks). The bathrooms/showers were great. Clean, heated, private showers. Quiet hours start at 10pm, but there were kids running around the park yelling. No too bad though. Never had to talk to anyone from the office. Just reserved online, pulled into my spot and left in the morning. I’ll come back to stay longer and hike the trail, check out the lake and go mountain biking down the road.

  • Myron C.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 31, 2021

    Appalachian Pond Campground

    Back to Nature Campground to Get Away from it All

    For tent campers, I would rate this campground with five stars. For RV campers, I would rate it with one star. There are no hookups for RV campers, but there is a place to park a small RV camper that is self-contained. I loved this campground. It is everything you need for tent camping. It is remote in the mountains of western North Carolina and has lots of shade. It has a small pond, it is quiet, and the owners are very nice. One of the owners apologized for the grass being so high, but I assured him it was all right(and it wasn’t really that high). 

    There are several tent sites back in the woods, but they are spacious and not on top of each other. Some of them have access to running water, and at least one has electricity.  There is also a small cottage by the pond, and a camper that can be rented.   At night, all you will hear are crickets, the wind through the trees, birds, and frogs—just the way I like it. This campground truly is off the beaten path. 

    As far as facilities, it has a shower. There is a portable toilet across the path. Although it sounds primitive, which it is, the quaintness of the shower house and the fact that it has both a shower and a portable toilet is good enough unless you are looking for luxury accommodations. This campground may be remote, but it is not far from many hiking trails and sites, including but not limited to Purchase Knob, Hemphill Bald, the old Ferguson Cabin, Cataloochee Valley, the Great Smoky Mountains, and much more. 

    An additional feature is the old barn owned by the same people, which can accommodate special events, such as weddings and other venues in a beautiful rural setting. Would I recommend this campground? Absolutely!!!!… especially for tent campers.

  • Napunani
    Jun. 23, 2022

    Lake Powhatan — National Forests In North Carolina

    Shade, Shade and more Shade!

    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 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

  • Stephanie J.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 30, 2018

    Balsam Mountain Campground — Great Smoky Mountains National Park

    Foggy, Quiet, and Away From the Crowds

    We chose this campground specifically for the elevation, knowing we would be camping in late August and wanting an escape from the heat. It definitely delivered--at over 5300' elevation, it is much, much cooler at the campground than many of the trails lower in the Smokies. It is also extremely foggy--we did not spend much time here during the day as we were hiking, but both morning and nights we were there, clouds settled in over the entire campground, creating a very cool effect. (It also rained on us both nights, so make sure your tent is properly sealed against water!) 

    We stayed in sites 38 and 39, which had been booked in advance by the friends we went with. These are very close to the entrance, to other sites, to the bathrooms, the campground hosts, and the dishwashing station, and they are right on the road. It made these sites very convenient, but not the best for us as we had 5 small children with us. The tent pad at site 38 was also a little too small for our 6 person Coleman Evanston—one corner was hanging off the wooden platform.

    While our campsite was not as private as we normally would choose for ourselves, the campground itself was very quiet and very peaceful, and nowhere near full occupancy, despite the crowds on the trails below us. It is very wet, so if you want a campfire be sure to buy some of the heat-treated wood available for purchase down the mountain, and be prepared to secure anything you don't want to get wet in your cars overnight. 

    My only complaint here was the interaction the campground hosts had with our children--a bear had been seen at the entrance to the campground our first night there, and one of the hosts attempted to scare one of our toddlers into staying close to her mom, which is a decision I found highly inappropriate, and the hosts in general acted annoyed anytime our children wanted to play more than a few feet away from the adults. However that is not a fault of the campground itself, and I think if we had not been so close to the host site that would not have been an issue, and would have made this a very family-friendly place to go--provided you prepare for temperatures 10-20 degrees cooler than it is at lower elevations!

    **Other things of note with this campground: **

    -For privacy, sites 32-37 looked to be the best, although they require a couple of steps down from the car so are not ADA compliant. These sites are very grassy, with a lot of room for kids and dogs to run around without being right on the road. Site 23 was also very private compared to the others, although small; I don’t think anything larger than a 4 person tent would fit here.

    -The tent-only sites, 26-31, are clustered together and very open to each other, but offer privacy from the road and the other sites in the campground, and are considered the "walk-in" sites. The walk is very short, and I did see bear boxes to store food, as proper food storage is extremely important in the Smokies--within a few miles of the campsite we saw elk, bears, wild turkey, and deer. 

    -There is a dishwashing station behind site 38, with two sinks. There was some dish soap in there on our trip, but as always, be prepared with your own, and the water was cold water only. 

    -Site 38 is next to an open field rolling down the mountain; the hosts told us there is a bear family that likes to cross the campsite between sites 7 and 38, so be prepared to see one if you choose a site near this crossing!

    -There is a trail along the edge of this campground that is supposed to have wonderful sunset views, although we did not get to take advantage of this due to the fog.

    -Because of the high elevation, Balsam Mountain has a shorter operating season that the other GSMNP campgrounds; plan your trip accordingly. 

    -There are no electric or water hook-ups here, although RVs and campers may park at the sites. 

    -The bathrooms have solar-powered lights for nighttime, but they are very dim, so flashlights/headlamps are encouraged.


Guide to North Carolina

North Carolina offers a diverse range of tent camping experiences, from serene riverside spots to lush forest settings, perfect for nature lovers seeking adventure and tranquility.

Tent campers appreciate these amenities

Tent campers like these nearby activities

Tent campers should check out the unique features

  • Freeman Park offers the unique experience of beach camping, allowing you to wake up to the sound of ocean waves and enjoy stunning sunrises.
  • The Uwharrie Hunt Camp is a hidden gem with rustic charm, providing access to off-road trails and a peaceful environment for nature enthusiasts.
  • At Black Bear Campground, you'll find a cozy atmosphere with clean facilities and a beautiful setting near Lake James, perfect for a relaxing retreat.