Hiking

Buck Creek RV Park

31 RV Sites

Buck Creek RV Park in Marion, NC, offers 31 full-hookup RV sites with 20, 30, and 50-amp service and room for rigs up to 45 feet. Sites come in several categories — back-in 30/50-amp with cable, premium back-in 30/50-amp, pull-thru 30/50-amp, and waterfront back-in 30/50-amp without cable — all carrying water, sewer, and electric with a fire pit and picnic table. One booking note: your specific site number is not guaranteed and is assigned at check-in. The park is rated big rig friendly, with laundry, a bathhouse with showers, firewood, a dump station, a community fire pit, and both RV and boat storage. Pets are welcome. The property covers 48 acres with swimming and hiking from the site. Marion sits in McDowell County at the base of the Blue Ridge, where the Appalachian escarpment drops from Mount Mitchell — the highest peak in the eastern United States — toward the Catawba River valley. Rates by site category are on the booking page. Waterfront back-ins are the ones to request, though the exact site is assigned on arrival.

from $59/night

Spacious Skies Hidden Creek

108 RV Sites, 18 Cabins, 26 Tent Sites

Spacious Skies Hidden Creek in Marion, North Carolina, offers 108 RV sites, 18 cabins, and 26 tent sites at the base of the Black Mountains, with 20, 30, and 50-amp full hookups and rigs accepted to 60 feet behind a gated entrance. Premium creek-front pull-through and lakeview categories join standard back-in sites, with a pool, mini-golf, and gem mining. One hundred eight sites span back-in 20/30-amp, back-in 30/50-amp, premium creek-front pull-thru, premium lakeview back-in, and premium lakeview pull-thru categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric, sized to 60 feet. The creek-front and lakeview premiums are the ones to request. Eighteen cabins and 26 tent sites round out the lodging. A general store, laundry, propane fills, restrooms, and firewood handle the practical side. All guests and visitors check in at the main office on arrival and sign the terms. An outdoor pool anchors the summer, with a lake and creek supporting fishing, boating, and swimming. Mini-golf, gem mining, a jumping pillow, arcade, recreation center, billiards, basketball, volleyball, horseshoes, and corn hole fill the grounds, with walking trails, hiking, golf cart rentals, a playground, pavilion, community fire pit, and dog park besides. Pets are welcome. McDowell County's gem mining tradition is genuine rather than a novelty, and the surrounding hollow-and-ridge terrain marks the Blue Ridge's steepest eastern escarpment. Summer and fall foliage drive demand in the North Carolina mountains. Reserve well ahead for October.

from $25/night

Barefoot Landing Camping Resort

19 RV Sites, 9 Cabins

Barefoot Landing Camping Resort in Marion, North Carolina, offers 19 full-hookup back-in RV sites and nine cabins near Lake James, with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 45 feet behind a gated entrance. A single back-in category means every guest gets the same spec, with an outdoor pool, boat ramp, boat storage, and golf cart rentals. Nineteen back-in sites carry water, sewer, and electric on 30 and 50-amp with site WiFi, sized to 45 feet, with picnic tables. One consistent category and no guesswork. Nine cabins round out the lodging. Restrooms, showers, RV storage, and boat storage handle the practical side. An outdoor pool anchors the summer, with a boat ramp opening the lake for boating, canoeing, kayaking, water sports, swimming, and fishing. A pavilion, dog park, sports courts, volleyball, basketball, gem mining, golf cart rentals, and biking fill the rest, with productive birding and a state park nearby. Lake James is one of the clearest and most naturally beautiful lakes in the southern Appalachians — 6,800 acres in the mountain foothills of McDowell County, fed by cold streams draining off Linville Gorge and the Table Rock massif. Water clarity like that is genuinely uncommon in the Southeast, and Lake James State Park protects a good stretch of the shoreline. Marion sits close by, with the Blue Ridge Parkway, Linville Falls, and the Black Mountains all within a short drive north, and Asheville about 45 minutes west. Summer lake season drives the heaviest demand, with fall foliage in the surrounding mountains drawing a strong second wave. Reserve well ahead for June through October.

from $49/night

Spacious Skies Bear Den

68 RV Sites, 20 Cabins, 31 Tent Sites

Spacious Skies Bear Den in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, offers 67 RV sites, 20 cabins, and 31 tent sites directly off the Blue Ridge Parkway at Milepost 324.8, with 20, 30, and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 40 feet. Premium pull-through and full-hookup back-in categories join water-and-electric tiers, with a lake, beach, jumping pillow, and gem mining. Sixty-seven sites span back-in 30-amp, back-in 30/50-amp, back-in water-and-electric 30-amp, premium pull-thru 30/50-amp, and pull-thru 30-amp categories, carrying water, sewer, and electric where noted, sized to 40 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. Confirm your tier, as the water-and-electric category does not carry sewer, and note the 40-foot cap — mountain terrain sets the limit here. Twenty cabins and 31 tent sites round out the lodging. A general store, laundry, propane fills, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. One safety note: the adjacent trail system belongs to the Foothills Conservancy and crosses public and private land with known logging and hunting activity — those trails are not supervised by the campground. A lake and beach anchor the summer, with a jumping pillow, arcade, game room, recreation center, sports courts, basketball, ping pong, horseshoes, corn hole, gem mining, golf cart rentals, walking trails, hiking, a playground, and dog park filling the rest. The property sits inside Pisgah National Forest at the base of the Black Mountains, the highest range in the eastern United States. Fall foliage drives the sharpest demand. Reserve well ahead for October.

from $21/night

Mama Gertie's Hideaway Campground

18 RV Sites

Mama Gertie's Hideaway Campground in Swannanoa, North Carolina, offers 18 RV sites in the Swannanoa River valley east of Asheville, with 30 and 50-amp service, cable TV, and rigs accepted to 60 feet. Tiered categories including partial mountain view back-in sites join full-hookup and water-and-electric tiers, with a fitness center, library, recreation center, and on-site dining. Eighteen sites span Tier 1 back-in 30-amp, Tier 1 back-in water-and-electric 30-amp, Tier 1 pull-thru 30-amp, and Tier 3 partial mountain view back-in 30-amp categories, carrying water, sewer, and electric where noted with cable TV and site WiFi, sized to 60 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. Confirm your tier, as the water-and-electric category does not carry sewer at the site. One seasonal note: the premium mountaintop and mountain view sites are open April 1 through October 31 and closed the rest of the year — call 828-686-4258 for details. Cabins round out the lodging. A general store, laundry, propane fills and exchange, dump station, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. A fitness center, recreation center, library, community fire pit, pavilion, dog park, walking trails, biking, and on-site dining fill the grounds. Pets are welcome. Swannanoa sits in the Blue Ridge east of Asheville, where mountain character and small-community authenticity meet. Asheville's Biltmore Estate, River Arts District, and brewery scene are minutes west, with the Blue Ridge Parkway and Mount Mitchell close. Fall foliage drives the sharpest demand around Asheville. Reserve well ahead for October, and confirm mountain view site availability.

from $75/night

Jellystone Park™ Golden Valley

112 RV Sites, 157 Cabins, 26 Tent Sites, 6 Glamping Sites, 29 Cottages, 4 Lodges

Jellystone Park Golden Valley in Bostic, North Carolina, offers 112 full-hookup RV sites, 190 cabin, cottage, and lodge units, 26 tent sites, and six glamping sites across more than 600 acres, with 30 and 50-amp service, cable TV, and rigs accepted to 80 feet behind a gated entrance. Creekside premium and Creekside Red Carpet categories join a water park, zip line, mountain coaster, and disc golf course. One hundred twelve sites span Creekside premium back-in, Creekside premium pull-thru, Creekside Red Carpet back-in, and Creekside Red Carpet pull-thru categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric with cable TV and site WiFi, sized to 80 feet, with fire pits, picnic tables, and BBQ pits. Every RV category is creekside, which is unusual — there is no inferior inland tier. One hundred ninety cabins, cottages, and lodges, 26 tent sites, and six glamping sites make the lodging inventory extraordinary. A general store, laundry, propane fills, restrooms, showers, firewood, and RV storage handle the practical side. A daily resort fee covers mini-golf, the playground, and the amenity program. A water park and outdoor pool anchor the summer, with a hot tub and sauna alongside. A zip line, disc golf course, mini-golf, laser tag, a jumping pillow, sports courts, tennis, pickleball, volleyball, basketball, ping pong, golf cart rentals, walking trails, hiking, a lake, creek, playground, pavilion, dog park, on-site dining, and a bar fill the rest. Six hundred acres at the base of the Blue Ridge makes this one of the Southeast's most expansive family resorts. Summer and fall foliage drive demand. Reserve well ahead.

from $57/night

The Barlow RV Elk Park

4 RV Sites

The Barlow RV in Elk Park, North Carolina, offers 4 full-hookup RV sites in the Blue Ridge Mountains, with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 70 feet on a big-rig-friendly layout, open all year behind a gated entrance. Each site is named individually — In The Trees, The Granddaddy, The Mountain Wall, and The Rock — with a general store, community fire pit, walking trails, and on-site dining. Four sites are named rather than numbered, all carrying water, sewer, and electric on 30 and 50-amp with site WiFi, sized to 70 feet, with fire pits, picnic tables, and BBQ pits. Naming each site tells you exactly what you are booking — trees, a rock face, a mountain wall, or the big one — which is a level of specificity no tiered system achieves. Seventy feet accommodates a long coach with a tow. A general store, firewood, RV storage, and on-site dining handle the practical side. Pets are welcome, with a maximum of two per site. A community fire pit, walking trails, and dog park fill the grounds, with mountains all around and genuinely dark skies for stargazing. Wine and beer tasting is nearby, and planned activities run through the season. Four sites is boutique by any measure, and the curation shows. Avery County sits in the North Carolina high country near Banner Elk, with Beech Mountain, Sugar Mountain, and Grandfather Mountain all close — skiing in winter, the Mile High Swinging Bridge and Linville Gorge in summer, and the Blue Ridge Parkway running along the ridgeline. Fall foliage and ski season both drive demand. Reserve as early as you can.

from $110/night

Wilderness Cove Campground

3 RV Sites, 7 Tent Sites, 8 Glamping Sites, 2 Cottages, 1 House

Wilderness Cove Campground in Saluda, NC, offers 3 RV sites, 3 cottage and house rentals, 7 tent sites, and 8 glamping sites, with 20, 30, and 50-amp service and back-in sites for rigs up to 45 feet. Sites come in two categories, 30/50-amp full-hookup back-ins carrying water, sewer, and electric, and 30-amp water-and-electric back-ins, each with site-delivered WiFi, a fire pit, and a picnic table. With 18 non-RV accommodations against 3 RV sites, this is a glamping and cottage property that also takes RVs. The grounds are gated, with a bathhouse with showers, a general store, firewood, on-site dining, and visiting food trucks. Pets are welcome. A zip line, a marina, a beach, inflatable water toys, and walking trails fill the riverfront property, with kayaking, boating, swimming, fishing, hiking, biking, and picnicking on the lower Green River. Saluda sits at the base of the Blue Ridge Escarpment, where the mountains drop dramatically from the Appalachian highlands to the Carolina Piedmont. Rates for every accommodation type are on the booking page. Three RV sites means booking early is essential.

from $31/night

Doe River Landing

5 RV Sites, 1 Cabin, 1 Onsite RV/Trailer

Doe River Landing in Roan Mountain, Tennessee, offers six RV sites with water and electric on 20, 30, and 50-amp service, plus a cabin and a travel trailer rental, in the Doe River gorge of Carter County. Sites take rigs to 45 feet with fire pits and picnic tables, and site WiFi reaches the property. At six sites this is a small, modern operation minutes from Roan Mountain State Park. Six back-in sites carry water and electric on 20, 30, and 50-amp, in premium and standard configurations sized to 45 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. A cabin and a travel trailer rental serve guests without a rig. A dump station is on site for guests without sewer connections, and a general store, firewood, laundry, restrooms, and showers cover the practical side. The property makes good use of its river frontage and mountain setting. Walking trails run the grounds past a community fire pit and a pavilion, with a dog park and playground for families and pets. Fishing, swimming, hiking, volleyball, horseshoes, corn hole, and picnicking all run from the property, and the mountain and creek terrain makes for good birding. A barn on site doubles as a wedding venue. Pets are welcome. Roan Mountain State Park and the Appalachian Trail's Roan Highlands balds are minutes away. Bristol Motor Speedway, Grandfather Mountain, and Sugar Mountain Ski Resort are all within day-drive range, and skiing and snowboarding are nearby in season. Office hours run 9am to 6pm Monday through Thursday and Sunday, and 9am to 8pm Friday and Saturday, seasonally. The June rhododendron bloom on Roan Mountain and October foliage are the two peak windows — with six sites, book as far ahead as you can.

from $57/night

Black Bear Resort

Black Bear Resort in Hampton, Tennessee, offers cottages, cabins, a bunkhouse, tent sites, and RV camping four-tenths of a mile from the Dennis Cove Trailhead, with a breakfast cafe, laundry, and shuttle service to Appalachian Trail access points. It is an Appalachian Trail Passport stamp location, and the section-hiker infrastructure is what the resort has built its identity around. Accommodations span the range. Cottages and cabins provide enclosed lodging, a bunkhouse offers hostel-style dormitory space for thru-hikers and groups, and tent sites and RV sites cover the rest. Laundry and restrooms serve guests coming off multi-day sections, and the on-site dining room handles meals — the breakfast cafe in particular is a fixture for hikers heading out. Pets are welcome. Walking trails run from the property, and the resort's shuttle service to multiple AT trailheads is the practical amenity that sets it apart in this corridor. Hiking, fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking, and biking are all accessible from camp, and a playground serves families. Firewood is available on site. The Dennis Cove Trailhead, four-tenths of a mile away, enters the Appalachian Trail near Laurel Fork waterfall. Watauga Lake's 6,430 acres provide warmwater and tailwater fishing across the Big Creek inlet, the Laurel Creek embayment, and the Watauga River below the dam. The Roan Highlands' rhododendron balds bloom in June, visible for miles from the surrounding ridges. The resort serves the Carter County mountain season. Thru-hiker traffic peaks in spring as northbound hikers come through, and the June rhododendron bloom and October foliage draw the general visitor market. Reserve ahead for all three.