33 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Camping areas near Roan Mountain span across Tennessee and North Carolina, with a range of established campgrounds and primitive sites throughout the region. Roan Mountain State Park Campground serves as a central option with tent sites, RV hookups, and cabins available year-round. The surrounding area includes both developed facilities like Spacious Skies Bear Den and Grandfather Campground offering glamping options, as well as backcountry experiences such as Grassy Ridge Bald for dispersed camping along the Appalachian Trail. Most campgrounds in the area provide basic amenities including picnic tables, drinking water, and fire pits, while the RV sites typically feature electric and water hookups.
Weather conditions vary significantly with elevation changes throughout the Roan Mountain region. The higher elevation areas maintain cooler temperatures even during summer months, making them popular destinations during hot weather. Many campgrounds like Julian Price Park and Linville Falls operate seasonally from April through October due to winter conditions at elevation. Reservations are strongly recommended for established campgrounds, particularly during peak rhododendron blooming season in June and fall foliage periods when visitation increases substantially. Cell service remains limited or non-existent at most camping areas, especially in more remote locations. "The campground has a creek between some of the sites. It is not easily accessible, but sounds great from inside your tent," notes one camper describing the natural ambiance at Roan Mountain State Park.
The camping experience in this region centers around access to remarkable mountain scenery and hiking trails. Carver's Gap provides a gateway to spectacular balds along the Appalachian Trail, frequently mentioned in camper reviews as offering "fantastic views" with "amazing 360 views" without requiring extensive hiking. Campgrounds near water features receive particularly positive feedback, with streams and creeks enhancing the camping atmosphere. Most established campgrounds maintain clean facilities with hot showers, though some sites may present leveling challenges due to the mountainous terrain. Several reviews mention the peaceful nature of the area, with respectful quiet hours and natural sounds dominating the experience. Mixed-use campground options typically include both secluded tent sites with more separation between neighbors and more closely arranged RV sections with better access to amenities.
"Roan Mountain is a beautiful campground with wooded sites, some with water views and access! Next time we’d definitely try for a water site."
"We brought our puppy on his first camping trip and it was close to Roan Mountain and lots of great hiking!"
Available this weekend
"Situated on a peninsula, Cardens Bluff has great views and access to the lake for the outer campsites."
"Booked site 13 online for the last weekend before the season ended in October 2021, but the hosts caught us at check-in and moved us to site 32, which was right next to the water."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $12 / night
"This campground is on a beautiful lake. There is no swimming on the lake(its pretty shallow) but awesome for kayaking and paddleboarding."
"The campground is in an excellent location, just 5-10 minutes away from downtown Blowing Rock and of course it’s right on the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway!"
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $30 / night
"Bear den was a perfect location for the Blue ridge parkway. We stayed at a two cabin lot that had a hot tub. Bear den has everything from RV camp sites to a game room."
"The campsite was flat, shaded and distanced well enough from our neighbors for privacy but still an easy walk to the bathhouse or camp store for extra firewood or ice."
from $24 - $999 / night
"The positives: Location: very close to Grandfather Mountain entrance and BRP. There are plenty of stores, restaurants, antiques nearby too."
"We were next to the stream near the entrance. The facilities were very nice and you can hike right around the campground.
The campground is very close to Grandfather Mountain entrance."
from $35 - $42 / night
"Another lovely campground along the BRP, close to Linville Falls and gorge, picnic area and visitor center."
"There are cabins, RV spots and tent sites all with access to newly renovated restrooms and coin operated laundry."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $30 - $45 / night
"Water fill up spots are well positioned and each site has a fire ring. We stayed in spot #2 which is very close to the road, but it felt secluded and traffic is light."
"Really nice, small campground situated near several trails."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $10 - $20 / night
"Doe River Landing is a small, delightful RV and cabin camping park that sits on the banks of the Doe River in the Roan Mountain valley of TN."
"There’s a river just behind our spot and only a handful of RVs and cabins. Our GPS wanted us to pass the turn to the campground, we had to make a U turn to get in…."
from $49 - $79 / night
"Very close to the falls to swim at and hike to (wear hiking shoes to get to the falls) over all great quiet little campground!"
from $20 - $45 / night
"Love this family owned campground tucked away by the Toe River near Spruce Pine NC and the BRP. Linville Falls. Eat at Famous Louise’s."
"This is the kind of campground we would feel good about our kids biking around in the evening as they chase fire flies and meet new friends! "
ScoutNobody was here on Sat. Had gard time finding site. Site reserved did not have 30 amp and could not reach staff. Moved to other site hoping it would not be a problem. We were able to finally reach staff on Mon. Also no pcknick tables or fire rings.
ScoutNice camp and staff friendly. We drive the Blue Ridge Pkwy which was a bit of drive but the ride up to Mt Mitchell was beautiful. Only negative was the laundry rooms were small for a large camp like this but I made it work. Probably a bit more challenging during busy season but all that said this is a nice campground
ScoutGreat camping spot! Road isn’t horrible going up but there are some rougher areas toward the end of the road. Gorgeous sunset and sunrise spot! Fire rings seemed fairly abundant at the pull offs.
TravelerAbsolutely one of the most beautiful campgrounds that we have visited, and super clean. Such a great location for hiking and viewing the Blue Ridge Pkwy!
ScoutLet me first start by saying that this campground is absolutely beautiful. I have lived in this area my entire life and the Doe is one of my favorites. I am a avid camper and have camped all over this area. I decided to give this place a try, I own a small pop-up camper and knew it was going to get cold 10/20/2026-10/22/2026, so me and my sister rented the RV at Doe River. #1 check in is not until 3pm, I always order a load of wood from a local guy who delivers to camp sites, I do all my cooking in a Dutch oven over the fire or burgers and dogs in the fire, what is a camping trip without a nice warm fire. The owner came over to my campsite and asked if I had ordered this wood and I replied yes, she then asked what I was going to do with it all, I replied I am going to burn it. So, I told Carl (the wood guy) where to stack it, the owner then said that I need to leave it in my truck bc if I didn't use it all I would have to put it back on my truck and take it home with me, I said really? It's just a unspoken rule that if you don't use all your wood that you pay it forward and leave it for the next camper?? She said absolutely not, So we moved the wood from his truck and into mine. She then asked again why I needed so much wood and that most ppl just buy small bundles from her. And just like that I understood! Carl the wood man and his wife also made a comment about how rude she was about the wood. It does not end there, Not only does she have camaras on some of the out blds which I get, but I don't get why they are pointing directly at camp sites, We felt like we were in a fish bowl the entire time. Every single time we went to the bathroom she showed up abt 5 mins later, There is a camara right above the bathroom door, One on the pavilion, and one on each side of the bathhouse, at the entrances and who know where else. So much for privacy in the great outdoors. I didn't even feel comfortable hiking, we felt like we were being watched constantly. She was constantly there, walking her dog which was not friendly and so big she could hardly control him on the leash which was really scary, she also was driving through several times throughout the day. Then came the kicker, about 1 o'clock in the morning we were freezing, I had turned the heat on in the camper before going to bed and heard it come on, Well the propane ran out between 11pm and 1am, I called her at least 10 times we had every blanket and was still freezing, We decided we would go to the bath house bc it had a mini split hanging on the wall, Out of luck there, it was set on air conditioning with no way to change it, so we found a blow dryer trying to get warm, still the entire time trying to call the owners, We finally ended up in our car until the husband arrived. He acted so annoyed at us and said all u have to do is fip the switch on the propane tanks outside! We had never stayed in a travel trailer before and according to them all we had to do was show up and start glamping!! So, I was supposed to know to go outside at 1 am and switch over propane tanks?? No, It should have been FULL when I got there!!! With attitude he said,"Its Basic Camping" No sir it's not, what I do is basic camping, I was told on the phone that I was glamping, She, the owner also said we should have called 911 when we could not get hold of them so that Carter County police officers could come and wake them up!!! Not sure if that is putting our tax dollars to good use?? Like I said it is truly a beautiful place and has great potential, we left that second night at 11pm because again the heat was not working, we have not asked for any refund we just took the loss. it would be to much of a hassle. We just know better next time. With owners like that they can keep it. Windy Wells/Debra Price
Traveler3 stars only because it says water hookups but they are far and few between communal. No spigot at individual sites. Need long hose(s)to reach the connection. Good T-Mobile 5G but too wooded for StarLink. Quiet, shady, somewhat level sites were available. $20/night.
TravelerThe road was very bumpy but I got up on my 2WD Honda Odyssey. A couple people came during the day to take photos, but the night was peaceful. A couple campsites on the drive up, less secluded though. View was gorgeous and the sunset was amazing. Amazing spot for stargazing.
ScoutMy husband and I arrived at Doe River Landing for 3 nights and enjoyed everything the resort offered. While there we read the 2 reviews posted by Kylie T, and by Andrew W, who gave the resort a 1 star rating. Not knowing the facts that caused the rating by them, and occurred prior to us, we approach the owner and asked.
The owner showed us videos from their security cameras. These adults has stated in Kylie T review and confirm by Andrew W review that they were a group of 20 adults and "every single one of us is over 21 and family". So why are these adults playing "hide and seek" under the pavilion as they stated? Andrew W stated, "It was not blocked off", yet they had to crawl on the ground and around bushes to get under the pavilion. When the owner yelled at them approximately 10 adults that were under the pavilion crawled out which was captured on the security cameras. Andrew W stated in his review the owner called them hooligans, which is rowdy, destructive persons and from the security cameras, that description is correct. There was no mention of damages in their reviews such as the Adirondack chair they broke or possible damage to the water pipes and electric wires under the pavilion, which the owner was currently checking.
Once we read these two reviews by Kylie T and Andrew W and saw the owners security videos, we felt future customers deserved to know another opinion based on our findings.
These entitled adults justified their review of a 1 star by stating they paid money to use the campground.
I would ask these adults "why do you think it is OK to treat someone else's property in this destructive way?"
GuideSeems to be a well established campground in an off the beaten path location. Roads alternately paved and gravel. The campsite is gravel in a wooded setting. Fair amount of space between sites. The bathhouse is clean but dated.
Camping sites near Roan Mountain, Tennessee range from established campgrounds to dispersed wilderness areas across elevations from 2,500 to 6,200 feet. The seasonal temperature variations between campgrounds can exceed 15°F due to elevation differences, with higher sites like Grassy Ridge Bald experiencing nighttime temperatures below 50°F even in summer. Summer thunderstorms frequently develop in late afternoons, particularly along exposed ridges and balds.
Waterfall exploring: 5-mile round trip to Laurel Falls from Dennis Cove Campground provides access to a 40-foot cascade. "Very pretty sight with a lot of nice hiking trails all around. Fairly close to the Appalachian Trail. There is also a stop-n-go near the road coming into the site," notes Emily Grace M.
Fishing opportunities: Rainbow trout in the Doe River accessible directly from Roan Mountain State Park Campground. "Lovely camp, Doe River runs through so fly fishing is available. Husband did catch a rainbow trout near group tent sites. Several small brookies near the history center," reports Tracy D.
Backcountry camping: Grassy Ridge Bald offers primitive tent sites at 6,000+ feet elevation with panoramic views. "It's a short hike up from Carver Gap. There are several spots on the bald to pitch your tent. There are not too many spots to gather firewood. A few sites already have rock pits made for you. Super windy so dress appropriately!" advises Carissa D.
Lakeside camping: Waterfront sites at Cardens Bluff Campground on Watauga Lake provide direct water access. "Situated on a peninsula, Cardens Bluff has great views and access to the lake for the outer campsites. The interior campsites are nice as well, with vegetation giving enough privacy between campsites," explains Blake E.
Mountain accessibility: Blue Ridge Parkway locations like Julian Price Park Campground offer direct trail access. "Julian Price Park is a beautiful campground just off the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. The campsites are separated into several loops. One loop is closer to the lake, the other loop has more availability and quite a range of campsites," shares Kirsten J.
Stream sounds: Creekside sites available at several campgrounds provide natural white noise. "The tent site we got, we could hear the running water from the stream. Bathroom and shower are clean and has heated water," notes Vic B. from Grandfather Campground.
Weather unpredictability: Mountain elevations experience rapid changes and temperature drops of 20°F from valleys. "After a glorious hike up Roan Mountain and back down I crossed the road and hiked out along the three balds and found a few lonely trees to hang a hammock between. There was an evening thunderstorm over an adjacent mountain," recalls Kelly G. from Grassy Ridge Bald.
Seasonal closures: Most primitive sites and many established campgrounds close during winter months. "Julian Price Park Campground — Blue Ridge Parkway operates from Apr 01 to Oct 29," according to park information.
Facility limitations: Many sites have basic or no amenities. "The bathroom (I think there is just one) is clean. The sites are clean! Lots of exploring around and the short hike is great for kids," explains Jenni O. about Dennis Cove Campground.
Reservation requirements: During peak seasons, advance bookings essential for established sites. "We were in campsite 62. Our loop was very private and shaded. The only negative point was the street light right across from us. It was pretty bright at night," reports Katrin M. about Roan Mountain State Park.
Playground access: Sites with recreation areas provide entertainment for children. "This campground is clean and beautiful. The hosts were very friendly. We brought our puppy on his first camping trip and it was close to Roan Mountain and lots of great hiking!" reports Natalie M. about Roan Mountain State Park.
Cabin options: Alternative accommodations for mixed comfort levels at Spacious Skies Bear Den for families not ready for tent camping. "My two teenage boys and I stayed in a 'Cozy Cabin'. They are bigger than they look in the picture. There is a countertop next to the front door and plenty of room for all of our gear," shares Timothy H.
Accessible trails: Shorter hikes suitable for children under 10. "The campground is surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains...so beautiful! Quiet campground with hiking trails, small fishing lake, playgrounds, an arcade room, and camp store. One of the hiking trails leads to a waterfall," writes Emily B.
Site leveling challenges: Many campgrounds have uneven terrain requiring additional equipment. "The site was quite un-level side to side, and we couldn't get our trailer completely level side to side. The site was a bit tough to maneuver into (doable, though!)," reports Tracy H. about Grandfather Campground.
Access road constraints: Mountain roads present challenges for larger vehicles. "The road up is good but extremely tight and windy at points so beware a wide trailer if you aren't used to this type of mountain driving," warns Nathan F. about Dennis Cove.
Electric/water availability: Limited full hookup sites means early reservations essential. "We stayed at C13 which was right across from the large playground in November. No noise issues, but it was dark by 6:30pm. May be different in the Summer," notes Charles S. about Spacious Skies Bear Den.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Roan Mountain, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, Roan Mountain, TN offers a wide range of camping options, with 331 campgrounds and RV parks near Roan Mountain, TN and 24 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Roan Mountain, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Roan Mountain, TN is Roan Mountain State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 50 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Roan Mountain, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 24 free dispersed camping spots near Roan Mountain, TN.
What parks are near Roan Mountain, TN?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 31 parks near Roan Mountain, TN that allow camping, notably Pisgah National Forest and Cherokee National Forest.
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