Hiking

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

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

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

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 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

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

Creekwood Farm RV Park

Creekwood Farm RV Park in Waynesville, NC, offers full-hookup RV sites carrying water, sewer, and electric, with site-delivered WiFi, a fire pit, and a picnic table at each site. Both pull-thru and back-in layouts are available. The park is open all year, with laundry, a bathhouse with showers, a general store, firewood, propane fills, a clubhouse, a recreation center, a pavilion, and a community fire pit. Cabins are available for guests without a rig. Contact the park for site count, amp service, and maximum rig length, since those specifics aren't published here — worth a call before committing a long coach to a mountain road. Jonathan Creek runs alongside the property, and that's the draw: creek-side sites good for fishing and tubing, with a barn, a dog park, corn hole, birding, and planned activities on the grounds. The park sits on Jonathan Creek Road one mile off Interstate 40 at Exit 20 in Haywood County, 30 minutes from both Asheville and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with Maggie Valley, whitewater rafting, and the Haywood Arts Theater close by. Skiing is nearby in winter. Rates and availability are on the booking page. Fall foliage weeks in these mountains book furthest ahead.

from $48/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

Ash Grove Mountain Cabins and Camping

Ash Grove Mountain Cabins and Camping in Brevard, North Carolina, nestles into the hardwood forests of Transylvania County, offering both rustic log cabin accommodations and traditional tent camping in the southern Blue Ridge Mountains where western North Carolina's concentration of waterfalls, old-growth forest, and wilderness trails makes it one of the most biodiverse and scenically rewarding outdoor destinations in the eastern United States. The property's understated, forest-immersed character attracts guests who prioritize natural setting over resort infrastructure, and its location between two major public land units gives it an unusually strong position for serious trail users. Guests choose between fully appointed cabins suited to families and couples seeking shelter and privacy or established tent sites set beneath a canopy of tulip poplars, white oaks, and second-growth hemlocks recovering from woolly adelgid damage that reshaped the forest understory in recent decades. On-site walking trails wind through the property's wooded grounds, and communal fire pits provide evening gathering spaces that encourage the quiet, unhurried social culture that distinguishes campground stays from hotel travel. The overall atmosphere is deliberately low-key—cell signal is limited, evenings are genuinely dark, and the sounds are forest sounds. The landscape surrounding Brevard is defined by the layered ridges of Pisgah National Forest, a 512,000-acre protected wilderness that encompasses more than 600 miles of hiking trails, multiple designated wilderness areas, and some of the best trout streams and single-track mountain biking in the Southeast. Transylvania County receives over 80 inches of rain annually—among the highest precipitation totals in the eastern US—feeding more than 250 waterfalls within the county boundaries, a concentration so extraordinary that the county markets itself as the Land of Waterfalls. Black bears, white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and the occasional river otter inhabit the surrounding forest with a density that makes wildlife sightings a routine part of any extended stay. DuPont State Recreational Forest, just south of Brevard, protects the famous cascades used as filming locations for The Hunger Games—High Falls, Triple Falls, and Hooker Falls—all accessible from connected trail systems that allow visitors to link multiple waterfalls in a single outing without backtracking. The Blue Ridge Parkway's historic motor road runs along the ridge crests to the north, providing access to scenic overlooks, higher-elevation meadows, and the cultural heritage of Appalachian communities preserved along the route. Asheville's vibrant arts district, nationally recognized restaurant scene, craft brewery culture, and the Biltmore Estate's elaborate Victorian architecture are approximately 30 minutes northeast. Ash Grove operates from spring through late fall, with the summer waterfall season and October's hardwood foliage drawing the heaviest visitation. The property books steadily with hikers using it as a base for multi-day Pisgah Forest itineraries and families returning annually for cabin stays during Brevard's Music Center summer festival season. For guests whose primary goal is deep immersion in the forest landscape of the southern Appalachians, Ash Grove's combination of genuine woodland setting and strategic location between Pisgah National Forest and DuPont State Recreational Forest makes it one of the better-positioned campgrounds in the region.

White Sands RV Resort

2 RV Sites

White Sands RV Resort in Greeneville, TN, offers 2 full-hookup pull-thru RV sites with 20, 30, and 50-amp service. Both sites are pull-thrus carrying water, sewer, and electric with a fire pit. The resort is rated big rig friendly and is built for long rigs — but the published maximum length is inconsistent in the record, so call with your dimensions before booking. Laundry, a bathhouse with showers, a clubhouse, and WiFi cover the essentials. Pets are welcome, with a dog park. The property covers 65 acres with a pond and hiking, and two sites on that much land means you effectively have the place to yourself. Greeneville sits in Greene County's Nolichucky River valley in east Tennessee, with Great Smoky Mountains views and a genuinely deep local history — this is Andrew Johnson's town. Rates and availability are on the booking page. Two sites means calling is the way to book, and it's the right call anyway for confirming length.

Meraki Escape

2 Cabins

Meraki Escape in Brevard, NC, offers 2 luxury Nordic Spruce log cabins. This is an adults-only cabin retreat rather than a serviced RV park — no children, and the published record shows no RV sites or hookups, so contact them directly if you're traveling in a rig. Laundry, a bathhouse, on-site dining, a general store, a spa, a hot tub and sauna, a library, a concierge, and EV charging serve guests. Pets are welcome. The property also hosts weddings. One practical note the property makes itself: print or download the driving directions before you set out, because cell and GPS coverage drops through these mountains. Creek frontage, walking trails, hiking, fishing, kayaking, and birding fill the forested grounds, with wine tasting, golf, and a state park nearby. Brevard sits in Transylvania County in the southern Blue Ridge — the self-styled Land of Waterfalls, with Pisgah National Forest, DuPont State Forest, and more than 250 named falls in the county. Rates for the cabins are on the booking page. Two cabins, adults only — book early, and download the directions.

from $319 $278/night

Halls Top Hangout

5 Cabins

Hall's Top Hangout in Hartford, Tennessee, offers five cabins in the Pigeon River gorge, with walking trails, restrooms, showers, and firewood on a mountain property in Cocke County. The setting at the confluence of Big Creek and the Pigeon River puts guests at the launching point for the Upper Pigeon's commercial rafting corridor. Five cabins make up the accommodations — this is cabin lodging rather than an RV park, so there are no sites or hookups here. Restrooms, showers, and firewood serve the property. With five cabins, book well ahead rather than counting on availability. Walking trails run the mountain property, with hiking and birding from the grounds and a creek and river close by. Off-roading and skiing are nearby. The setting is the offering — this is a genuine mountain retreat rather than a programmed resort. Hartford sits where I-40 crosses the Pigeon River in a gap between the Bald Mountains and the Smokies' main ridge. That position gives access to the most intense whitewater rafting in the Tennessee Smokies, and it is also the gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park's most remote and least-visited northern access at Cosby — a genuinely different park experience from the Gatlinburg corridor's crowds. The property serves the Smokies season. Summer rafting and October foliage drive the heaviest demand in the gorge, with the Cosby side of the park staying quieter than the main corridor throughout. Reserve well ahead for fall color weekends.