Best Cabin Camping near Chesnee, SC

This is a brand new tent and cabin campground built by Duke Energy and run by McDowell county on Lake James. There is a boat ramp very close by, a fishing dock, picnic area, trails in and around the campground, and a seasonal Black Bear Marina Restaurant across the inlet or not far by road. All sites have tent pads and 2 parking spots. Many of the sites are a short walk from the car which affords privacy. There is a rental picnic shelter and a group csmping site. The rental camping cabins have 2 cots with a plywood base,( bring a mattress!).

We were staying at a nearby campground in May 2022 and wanted to check out a waterfront campground for our next adventure.  We followed GPS directions accurately and landed at Asheville River Cabins.  

Asheville River Cabins is in the middle of an overhaul.  There appeared to be around 4 original, rentable cabins, while the rest were undergoing major porch additions etc.  There also seems to be a second phase of cabins going up immediately behind the original cabins.  They are brand new and it was not clear from signage if they belong to Asheville River Cabins or not.  

This property is waterfront (French Broad River) and had water/electric at each RV site.  It is a work in progress!

In 2016 we stayed here for the first time in one of the camping cabins and I LOVE how rustic the cabins are here. Typically, the campsite would have been closed but that February it was really warm, so they opened earlier in the year. That weekend was super cold. The warm spell had ended. We bundled under 10 blankets, enjoyed a sweet campfire and basically had the entire campsite to ourselves and it was pretty.dang.cool. Then, this past October (2020) we went back to tent camp here with two of our best friends and although it rained all weekend, we still had the most amazing stay. The sites are well spaced and other campers are always super respectful here. They also have a really good Sunday breakfast brunch that is FANTASTIC and relatively cheap. The folks that run the place are really nice.

This is a pretty cool, laid back place.

This place was a 13 hour drive and so worth it. All of the cabins and trailers available to rent are so reasonably priced and have AC and fully fucntioning appliances. Every cabin or RV rental has its own private gated yard with your own firepit. Several dog parks and a private pond for the pups means days of fun for an active, social dog. Everyone is so kind, the women who run this place are so sweet and they were incredibly accomodating. The camp store has tons of treats and necessities for dogs and people, and a dog washing station and laundry are available communally. We spent our days hiking the nearby Chimney Rock and hanging around Lake Lure (FYI Dirty Dancing was filmed here whoa). We also checked out the Equestrian center which was an awesome recommendation of the staff and also dog friendly. Definitely recommended for people who like day hikes and adventures and coming back to a cozy camp cabin.

This is my favorite place for cabin camping! They are cozy, comfy cabins. The staff are the sweetest! Very helpful and gave us directions to all the waterfalls and hiking we could handle! Everything to cook and clean in the cabins is all provided! I wish I could give them 10 stars!

We had a great time staying here. Some of the sights were rather inclined, but they listed this on the website when booking(it's on a mountain after all). The areas between most of the sites was spacious, we were able to hang 2 hammocks to chill in. The Bathhouses had been remodeled and were kept clean while we were there. (There wasn't hand soap at the sinks that was a little weird for me).  The Large trash bins were located back down across from the Park Center, as was the play ground. It would have been more convenient for campers to have these things closer but were convenient for day use visitors. The park center is a gorgeous stone/log cabin type building with a long porch facing the Swimming area. There are Adirondack chairs on the porch, then between the porch and the lake are wooden lounge chairs and benches to relax on while taking a break from swimming or hanging out. There are miles of trails and streams to explore. We had a lovely time and plan to visit again soon.

This is an absolute top-notch campground.  It just opened in the spring of 2020 and I can already tell this is going to be a very popular place.

First, the staff is incredible.  Everyone is friendly, helpful, and goes out of their way to make you feel at home.  The owner was onsite every day and checked in on us several times.

The camping options are very unique and diverse.  They have your typical RV sites (all full hookups) and tent sites, all of which have green space around them.  Our site backed up to a beautiful stream with some trees for hammocks and shade.  The tent sites are clustered together next to a stream in the woods, providing tons of shade on hot days.  Nearby are a few treehouses that you can rent, similar to old school sleep-away camping cabins.  Around the corner from the tents are several vintage RVs, many from the 50s, that have been completely renovated with beautiful interiors and modern updates.  They each have their own deck, fire pit, and grill.  My mom stayed in one of these while we were visiting and loved it!  There are also camping pods - basically an igloo shaped cabin that is good for a couple people.  Yurts are just up the hill from those, alongside two beautiful tiny homes that are some of the most unique campground rentals I've ever seen.  Book these early - we were here in late June and they were already full until October!

The amenities are very nice as well.  There is a resort style pool with built in seating almost all the way around.  It's next to a pavilion area with picnic tables, corn hole, a community fire pit, outdoor movie screen, and performance stage.  Nearby is an inflatable jumping pad and volleyball net.  I spoke with the owner and he has plans to add many other game such as bocce ball as well as complete construction on a playground and wooded play area for kids.  You can also rent many campground games at the camp store such as spike ball and ladder ball.  More hiking trails are being added, and a large dog park made exercising our pup easy.

Oh and the wifi is off the charts for a campground.  Total coverage everywhere you go.  I was getting 30/30 speeds at my site.  I work remote so it was very important to have good internet, and Emberglow did not disappoint here!  They obviously invested heavily in a quality network infrastructure and it shows.

The location is nice - off the main roads so you get plenty of peace and quiet, but only 20 minutes to Lake Lure and Chimney Rock.  It's easily accessible from Charlotte, Asheville, and Spartanburg, SC.

Every campground owner needs to come take a look at this place.  This is what campgrounds should be aiming for - clean, modern, lots of nature, friendly staff, good prices, and fun activities.  I was not paid or asked or endorsed in any way to do this review, I simply think this is an awesome place that you should come check out!

Lake Powhatan Campground, Asheville, NC 

Tucked quietly away only 10 miles southwest of Asheville, Lake Powhatan Campground(within Pisgah National Forest) is a popular but peaceful campground. 

PROS:

•Quiet, peaceful and clean•Beautiful mountain setting

•Plenty to do in and around the campground

•Spacious sites and spaced apart

•Trails by the miles

•Modern facilities-Hot Showers•

CONS:

•Trail maps would be useful

•Site 28/29 picnic tables were entirely rotted

Three loops off to the left of the main entry(Big John Loop 1-21; Bent Creek Loop 22-35; Lakeside Loop 36-57)...just past Smokey the Bear...and then a 4th larger loop straight down the hill from the Entrance office and to the right(Hard Times Loop 58-97). Which is where the“luxury cabin tents” are located on a separate loop within. These large cabin tents appear nicely appointed, on an elevated wooden platform with tarred porch.

All four loops have a smattering of all types of sites...some that accommodate trailers, some offer pull-thru drives, some electric and water, some have steps up or down to gravel tent platforms. Something for everybody.

The restroom/shower house in each loop offers four(4) doors on one side. Two(2) outer doors are individual unisex bathrooms and the two(2) inner doors are individual showers. All are spacious, well-maintained and stocked. It was in the low 40’s at night and only the restroom and shower on the left side were heated, the right ones were not. I was advised that this campground and facilities are open year round. We stayed at site 28/29(a shared pull-through). Tents must remain on the gravel pull-through...bent a lot of tent stakes on that one. Water spigots are spaces evenly throughout the loops.

Lake Powhatan itself is a dammed reservoir. A picturesque setting, but more the size of a pond than a lake. There is a nice fishing dock and a separate swimming area. The feeder stream is stocked with rainbow and browns.

Trails abound...for hiking, biking and equestrian. Mountain biking seems all the rage. I was dismayed(as a lifelong cyclist) of the lack of common courtesy trail etiquette...like“on your left” or“passing.” Several bombed by without a word and most are narrow trails. Some education needs to take place.

Speaking of trails, the trailhead maps were not adequately informative and the campground was out of the pocket size. Cell service is pretty nonexistent so you can’t utilize some trail apps unless you preload them...Our campground neighbors got lost mountain biking. Locals know the trails intimately, but visitors do not. One trail leads to the NC Arboretum...a very worthwhile visit!...but is quite lengthy round trip. Tuesday was half off entrance at the arboretum for carloads...quite a deal at$8. Several local Craft breweries and Cider Mills close by...and you couldn’t throw a stone in any direction without hitting a bicycle shop. Shameless plug for the Bold Rock Cider Mill and their food truck...the smokehouse bacon burger and apple-grilled cheese sandwiches were excellent. Asheville has a REI and a Sportsman Warehouse nearby, but my favorite is the Frugal Backpacker(which was sadly closed during this visit).

This is one of my favorite places to "camp." The cabins have all of the amenities that you need for a week of hiking, biking, and exploring the South Carolina mountains. It's close to Caesar's Head or Dupont Forest.

The hike to the top of Table Rock is steep, so make sure to bring lots of water (and snacks) and wear appropriate shoes.

I have brought family here, planned a girls trip here, planned just nice getaways here.. etc. And I'll keep on coming back because this camping spot is incredible for the cabin or the rv camping experience. The sites are well spaced. The grounds are well planned. Everyone is so nice. It is just awesome out here.

Table Rock SP offers many camp sites, to include trailer, tent and cabins. The trailer sites are far enough apart that you don't feel like you're on top of your neighbors, but still make good use of a small space to keep from encroaching on the rest of the park. Each trailer site has water and electricity connections and there is a comfort station with toilets and hot showers.

The fee was reasonable for a popular place like this and reservations are definitely needed during peak seasons. I went during the off season so there weren't too many others out with me. The campground as a whole is clean and well-maintained.

South Carolina SPs currently have a ban on bringing in firewood, forcing me to buy some at the camp store, leading to my only criticism: The wood was still very green and required significant work to get lit and constant attention to keep burning.

Overall, though, it was a great experience and I plan on going back many times to check out the other trails and activities in the area.

We stayed in a cabin. The cabins have everything you need. Full kitchen with all utensils included. Very clean and the beds are so comfy. No cell service. Which is grea!

Table rock is a very clean park. My sister and I hiked the Carrick creek trail. We had a great hike. Would highly recommend.

This park has some of the most beautiful views I have ever experienced at a campground. We stayed in one of the cabins and the bathrooms were super clean, the cabin was incredibly nice and we really enjoyed our stay! Black Mountain is a GREAT town and not too far from the campground but also just far enough.

Table Rock park is probably one of my all time favorite places to visit. The backdrop is absolutely gorgeous because mountains surround the entire place. The park is pretty large as well- which is great because it gives ample room for guests. The park offers cabins, which are great. My family of 4 fit into one cabin comfortably. The cabins are equipped with a kitchen, but definitely bring pots/pans to cook with because they do not supply those. Also bring water, sleeping bags, pillows, and warm clothes if you are going in the fall/winter time. My family and I went for Labor Day weekend, and it was a bit chilly at night. One thing we really enjoyed doing here was hiking. My family and I love to hike, and this spot had some awesome hikes. The ranger we talked too said there is about 80 miles of hiking that can be done within the park. The hikes we did ranged from easy to difficult. There were gorgeous views- waterfalls, streams, and of course mountains! Two of the best mountains that are in view are Pinnacle and Table Rock Mountain. I would suggest talking with one of the park rangers if you are interested in doing any hikes. They can direct you to the right hike for your ability. The campground itself is great. There are 2 different lakes (can't remember the names of them), that are great for fishing and swimming. There is also a swimming hole, although it seemed pretty busy so we didn't actually swim in it. I believe there is a cost to come into the park for just the day- $5 for adults and $3 for children. I don't really recall what the cost of the cabins are- my parents are the ones that paid for it :). I would definitely recommend coming here, especially if you like hiking and the "cabin life."

cabins are very nice . The hike up Table Rock was fun and views from the top are breathtaking

Awesome place! Been here a few times now. Has tons of activities for the kids. Fantastic pool with a pool side bar. Great cabins for rent with great views. Can be a little pricey but well worth it.

Be prepared for an encyclopedia of reading all the rules. I found the yurts and cabins to be way too close together for any type of privacy. Maybe they have it set up that way for big groups to come in at once? But it was so noisy with kids and dogs echoing in the valley, and we could even hear the neighboring cabins talking while sitting around their campfire. I suppose if I was there with a group of close friends it would be okay but it seems with all the land they have that they could have given each person more privacy in their spaces. One more thing that may help is we hiked all of the trails and noticed in several places there were 3-4 inch protrusions where small trees where cut down but not cut all the way back to the ground and I almost sprained my ankle. They all did spray paint some of the roots and had the trails nice and cleared but the exposed ends of the small trees throughout the trail are a real hazard. I’m super fit and have good eyesight and hike a lot so I was able to dodge many of them but I’m sure the kids and the older adults may get hurt. Other than the close proximity of the cabins/yurts/RVs and the exposed tree stubs I think they have a great concept (for large group events) and we enjoyed our stay. One more thing the shower handle falls off in the small yurt.

Truly a dog-oriented campground, there are tons of activities and plenty of room to roam for the dogs.

No camper? No problem. They have campers, yurts and tiny cabins for rent.

Everyone is extremely nice and the grounds and facilities (bathrooms, laundry, dog wash, etc) are very clean.

Camped at Wilderness Cove in August 2020 for 2 nights.  Very clean, small, quiet campground.  Tents only, they do have some cabins for rent.  Nice clean bath house.  Was able to access wifi near the tubing office.  Prices are extremely reasonable.  Their website is very accurate.  I will be staying here again next week.

Late last year was my first time here. Cabins and campsites are nice and the hike to the top of the mountain is beautiful and technical. As someone who likes more primitive areas and obscure trails- table rock is a little to congested for me. You must plan your adventure carefully to avoid crowds.