Asheville campgrounds offer different ways to plan a mountain stay, from public-land camping to privately run RV parks and glamping. This guide compares the options in our Asheville campground directory and points you to official booking information. Start with our WNC mountains camping guide for the wider region.
Looking for a specific property? The Lake Powhatan Campground listing, phone and map and the other Asheville listings linked below carry the contact details, so this guide does not repeat them.
Camping near Asheville NC: overview
Camping near Asheville NC falls into three groups: Forest Service campgrounds in Pisgah National Forest, National Park Service campgrounds on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and privately run parks. Choose the setting and camping style first, then compare the specific sites and rules below.
Our directory currently lists seven campgrounds in the city of Asheville itself. It also lists campgrounds in nearby towns that people often include when they look for campgrounds around Asheville NC: Candler, Swannanoa, Fletcher and Mills River. This is a count of what the directory contains, not a count of every campground in the area.
Campgrounds near Asheville NC: options in the directory
Campgrounds around Asheville, as the directory classifies them by camping type:
- Lake Powhatan Campground (RV and tent camping)
- Lake Powhatan Glamping (glamping)
- Campfire Lodgings (glamping, RV and tent camping)
- Wilson’s Riverfront RV Park (RV camping)
- Asheville Bear Creek RV Park (RV camping)
- Taps RV Park (RV camping)
Traveling with an RV? Our RV parks in Asheville, NC guide focuses on RV trip planning. This page covers the broader mix of tent camping, glamping and RV options.
Public-land camping near Asheville NC
National park camping near Asheville NC
For national park camping near Asheville NC, the National Park Service manages the Blue Ridge Parkway. Its camping page says the closest developed campground to Asheville is Mt. Pisgah Campground at Milepost 408.8, the southernmost of the eight Parkway campgrounds. The National Park Service says Parkway campgrounds operate May through late October, that reservations can be made up to six months ahead through Recreation.gov, and that all sites have a picnic table and fire ring. Its Mount Pisgah page (Milepost 408) describes a 126-site campground that operates seasonally.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a separate park; see our Great Smoky Mountains camping guide.
Lake Powhatan Campground, Pisgah National Forest
The Forest Service describes Lake Powhatan Campground as a wooded site on the banks of Lake Powhatan, in the Pisgah National Forest, with a swimming lake and beach where boats are not allowed. It lists standard sites, electric hookup sites, full hookup sites and 12 glamping tents. Picnic tables, tent pads and lantern hooks are provided, and flush toilets and showers are in a bath house. Ice and firewood are available for purchase. The Forest Service lists the campground as open year-round with limited services from November through March, and directs visitors to Recreation.gov to book.
The campground borders the 6,000-acre Bent Creek Experimental Forest, which the Forest Service calls a haven for bicyclists. Its page on the experimental forest says it is a very popular area for mountain biking and hiking, with 17 named trails, and gives access as Highway 191 South from Asheville, turning left at Bent Creek Road near the NC Arboretum. Pets must be leashed there. See the Forest Service pages for Lake Powhatan Campground and Bent Creek Experimental Forest.
Private campgrounds near Asheville NC
Private campgrounds near Asheville NC range from RV parks to mixed tent, cabin and yurt properties. Names below come from the directory, and any detail given comes from the property’s own website.
Campfire Lodgings, Asheville
The Campfire Lodgings listing provides contact details. The operator offers RV and tent sites, yurts, log cabin duplexes and a cliff house. Its website describes full-hookup RV sites, a bathhouse and laundry, and places the property 7 miles from downtown Asheville. Check the official Campfire Lodgings website for the accommodation and availability that fit your trip.
Yurt camping Asheville NC
For yurt camping Asheville NC, Campfire Lodgings lists yurts on its own website. Confirm availability and rules with the property.
River camping Asheville NC
For river camping near Asheville, compare the Wilson’s Riverfront RV Park listing with the operator’s current information. The status of French Broad River Campground has not been confirmed, so it should not be treated as a verified booking option in this guide.
Rutledge Lake campground, Asheville NC area
The Rutledge Lake RV Resort listing is in Fletcher, which is in the wider Asheville area; it is classed as cabins and RV camping. Searches for rutledge lake campground asheville nc land here. A second Fletcher listing is Oak Fern RV Park.
Mama Gertie’s campground, Swannanoa
Searches for Mama Gertie’s campground Asheville or Mama Gertie’s RV park Asheville NC refer to Mama Gertie’s Hideaway in Swannanoa, listed for cabins, RV and tent camping. Also in Swannanoa is Asheville East KOA; Asheville West KOA is in Candler. See our KOA campgrounds near Asheville page.
Campgrounds near Asheville NC with pool
For campgrounds near Asheville NC with pool, note that the Forest Service describes a swimming lake and beach at Lake Powhatan, not a pool. For private parks, check each property’s own site for a pool, as we have not verified pools for this guide.
Camping spots, sites and resorts around Asheville
For places to camp near Asheville, compare the same camping style across nearby towns. A tent campsite, a full-hookup RV site and a yurt serve different needs; use the directory filters to narrow the choice.
The same applies to campgrounds close to Asheville NC and camping close to Asheville NC. This guide does not compute driving times. For a western edge option, North Mills River in Pisgah National Forest has its own guide, and the directory lists North Mills River Campground as tent camping. For the Brevard side of Pisgah, see our Brevard camping guide.
Camping near downtown Asheville NC
If downtown is part of your trip, compare the operator’s address with the places you plan to visit. Campfire Lodgings states it is 7 miles from downtown Asheville; check each property’s website rather than assuming a driving time.
Campgrounds near Biltmore Estate Asheville NC
For campgrounds near Biltmore Estate Asheville NC, use the official Biltmore website for the estate’s location, then compare with a listing’s address on its page. We have no verified distances between the estate and listed campgrounds.
Finding a campground outside this guide
If a property is not listed here, check its operator’s website directly. A missing directory listing does not establish whether a campground is open, closed or available to book.
Season and reservations
Dates differ by operator. The Forest Service lists Lake Powhatan as open year-round with limited services from November through March, with reservations through Recreation.gov. The National Park Service lists Parkway campgrounds as operating May through late October, with reservations up to six months ahead on Recreation.gov. For private parks, rely on the property’s own site. Confirm before you go.
Rules to know
- Recreation.gov’s Lake Powhatan page says pets must be on leash or contained and are not allowed on the beach.
- Recreation.gov says quiet hours run 10:00 pm to 7:00 am, and generators are not allowed between 8pm and 8am and may run no more than 4 hours at a time.
- Recreation.gov says visitors must keep all smellable items locked inside a camper or locked vehicle (bear safety).
- Recreation.gov lists a limit of 8 people and 2 vehicles for single sites, and 16 people and 4 vehicles for double sites.
- The National Park Service says only USDA or state-certified heat-treated bundled firewood may be brought onto the Parkway; campers may collect dead and down wood in the immediate vicinity of campgrounds.
Best campgrounds near Asheville NC: how to compare
The best campgrounds near Asheville NC for your trip depend on how you camp. Compare tent or RV suitability, the setting, season, reservation method and the operator’s current rules. This guide does not assign a ranking or promise that one campground suits every traveler.
Camping near Asheville NC: common questions
How should I plan camping near Asheville NC?
Choose your camping style, compare the area’s listings, then confirm dates, availability and rules with the operator. Use the RV guide for hookup-focused planning.
Is Lake Powhatan open year-round?
The Forest Service lists it as open year-round with limited services from November through March.
How do I reserve Lake Powhatan?
The Forest Service page directs visitors to Recreation.gov to book.
What is the closest Blue Ridge Parkway campground to Asheville?
The National Park Service says it is Mt. Pisgah Campground at Milepost 408.8.
Are pets allowed at Lake Powhatan?
Recreation.gov says pets must be on leash or contained, and are not allowed on the beach.
Can I rent a yurt near Asheville?
Campfire Lodgings lists yurts on its own website. Confirm with the property.
Details and fees change, so confirm before you go. For this guide’s sources, see the Forest Service, Recreation.gov and National Park Service pages. Contact details are on each Asheville campground listing.
Ready to plan camping near Asheville NC? Compare Asheville campgrounds, choose your camping style and confirm your stay with the operator before traveling.
