We stayed here overnight on our way to the beach. The Edisto River runs by the campground and people were fishing. Campground was small but had what we needed to spend the night with a small camp store on site. The only thing bad was it was in August and the evening temps were around 90. Don’t recommend camping in this part of the world in the hottest part of the summer. We motel‘ it on the way back.
Even though we live at 2500’ in the Smoky Mountains, the temps this summer have been brutal. We decided to escape the heat and head for one of the “cooler” campgrounds in western North Carolina for a weekend. Mt Pisgah Campground is at an elevation of roughly 5300’. When we arrived at 2:00 the temperature was a wonderful 72. There were only 3 sites left and we ended up with an RV site which was ok since we took our van which we sometimes sleep in. There are 3 loops and each loop is designated for either tent, tent or van, or RV. There are no hookups. Hikers can leave from the campground on the Mt. Pisgah Trail which will take you to the summit in approximately 5 miles. Across the street from the campground is the Mt Pisgah Inn and Restaurant as well as a small camp store. Located on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the campground sites are available through reservations with a number of sites available on a first come, first serve basis as well. RV sites are small and on top of each other. Tent sites are laid out with some more private than others. The campground is a great place to base out of for day hikes along the Blue Ridge Parkway or a really nice quiet place to sit around, read a book and enjoy nature’s air conditioning.
LNSP is just a 45 minute drive from Charlotte and 1.5 hours from Asheville. The campsites are spacious, and surrounded by woods with plenty of shade to keep the summer heat in check. The Lakeshore Trail takes hikers around the lake with opportunities to swim along the way. If mountain biking is your thing, there’s plenty of miles of trails for all skill levels just 2 miles away from you campsite. Lake Norman is huge and has a boat launch for everything from motorboats to paddle boards. You can even rent canoes, kayaks, peddleboats and standup paddle boards for $7 per hour. RVers will have to rough it - there’s no hookups but a dump station is available. Reservations are made through the state park website.
If you’re into hiking, water sports and/or mountain biking you’ll love Jackrabbit Campground. Located on Lake Chatuge in both North Carolina and Georgia, you can ride right to the biking trails or launch your paddleboard right from your lakeside site. RVers will have to rough it with no hookups, but there is access to a dump station. There are 95 sites with bathrooms and showers, a beach area and motorboat launch. Make reservations through Reserve America. Open April 1 through October 1.