Camping & Cabins
There is nothing quite like spending an evening away from home at one of America’s thousands of public land recreational area campsites. Whether you seek the solitude of a backcountry camping site or a convenient place for you and your family to pitch a tent or park an RV, there are plenty of places to camp in our forests. Campsite fees and seasonal restrictions vary from site to site. In some cases, campsites can be reserved in advance.
For reservations, call 877-444-6777 or visit www.recreation.gov.
Call our TDD Line at 877-833-6777 from 10 a.m. – 12 a.m. (Eastern Time Zone).
For campgrounds not listed on rec.gov, see more information under site specific passes.
You can book up to 6 months in advance of the arrival date for campsites, look-outs, and cabins. You can book up to 12 months in advance of the arrival date for group campsites.
Call the ranger station if you have additional questions about facilities and activities.
For information on campfires, bear canisters, outdoor safety and ethics, visit here.
Camping is limited in the following ways (see general camping forest order here):
- Visitors may only camp for 14 days or less in a 30-day period.
- Visitors may not move campsites to a spot within 10 miles of the previous site just to start a new 14 day stay. Total time in the area must not exceed 30 days.
- Someone must be physically present at the campsite on the first night after setting up.
- Visitors may not leave camping gear unattended for more than 24 hours.
- Visitors must remove all camping gear and personal belongings prior to leaving.
- Possessing, parking or leaving more than two vehicles, except motorcycles or bicycles per designated camp unit is prohibited.
Area Specific Camping Forest Orders
- Camping is not permitted within 1,000 feet of a road open to public vehicle traffic. Camping is only allowed in areas depicted as a campsite on this map. Other areas on the map would be within 1,000 feet of a roadway on the Pisgah Ranger District, and therefore not allowed. See Pisgah Ranger District forest order and map here.
- Camping is restricted in the Graveyard Fields area. See forest order here.
Camping and building a fire or using a camp stove is restricted on:
Wayah Bald Picnic Area. See forest order here.
Finger Lake Area. See forest order here.
Whitewater Falls Recreation Area, Foothills Trail, Whitewater River Corridor from NC Highway 281 to the South Carolina State Line. See forest order here.
Whiteside Mountain Recreation Area. See forest order here.
Balsam Lake Day Use Area, the Tom aMalonee Fishing Trail and Wolf Creek Fishing Trail. See forest order here.
Within 500 feet of the Wayehutta ORV Parking Area. See forest order here.
Wilson Lick Ranger Station. See forest order here.
Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory. See forest order here.
Posted or maintained wildlife fields on the Upper Nantahala River Area. See forest order here.
- Camping is restricted along the boundary of the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area, camping is restricted within 20 feet of the following trailhead parking areas: Pine Gap Trail, Conley Trail, Bynum Bluff Trail, Pinch In Trail, Cabin Trail, Hawksbill Trail, Babel Tower Trail, Spence Ridge Trail. See forest order here.
- In the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area, camping is restricted to 3 days and 2 nights. See forest order here.
- In Linville Gorge Wilderness Area, camping without a permit is restricted on weekends and federal holidays between May 1st through October 31st. See forest order here.
- Camping within 200 feet of National Forest System Road #458 from the Kistler Memorial Highway to the Wiseman's view parking lot. See forest order here.
- Camping our building a fire within 500 feet of Wilson Creek. See forest order here.
Camping or building a fire is restricted at:
Max's Patch. See forest order here.
Elk River Recreation Area. See forest order here.
Ammons Branch Campground
Appletree Group Campground
Arrowhead Campground
Badin Horse Camp
Badin Lake Campground
Badin Lake Group Camp
Balsam Lake Lodge
Black Mountain Campground
Blue Valley Dispersed Camping
Briar Bottom Group Campground