Whether your idea of a mountain camping trip is roughing it in the backcountry, enjoying improved tent camping, or exploring the great outdoors in your recreational vehicle, you'll be able to find a number of Appalachian campsites that meet your needs.
Where to Find Appalachian Campsites
When people talk about camping in the Appalachians, they are usually referring to areas in the southern part of the mountain range, including the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina and the Blue Ridge Parkway of North Carolina and Virginia. However, the Appalachians actually span a much larger area throughout the eastern part of North America.
The Appalachian Trail runs through the entire Appalachian mountain range, beginning in northern Georgia and meandering northward through Maine and into the southern part of eastern Canada. The trail spans more than 2,000 miles, and there are campsites located at various places along the trail and throughout the entire mountain range.
No matter where you plan to travel in the Appalachians, you'll likely be pleasantly surprised by the wide variety of camping options available to you. If you're a tent camper, you'll be able to choose among various improved and backcountry camping opportunities. There are plenty of ways for RVers to enjoy the Appalachians, but there are areas not accessible to travel trailers or motor homes. If traveling by RV, it's very important to verify ease of access before selecting your accommodations.
Backpacking Opportunities
There are multiple areas to set up camp when you're backpacking through the Appalachian Trail; spanning states and sections of the ancient mountain range, here are some of the best places to stay the next time you find yourself on the Appalachian Trail.
The Great Smoky Mountains
There are numerous places to enjoy backcountry camping in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The National Park Service requires campers to stay in designated shelters and campsites while enjoying the backcountry. All of the shelters and many of the camping areas within the park require reservations, and spots must be booked at least thirty days in advance by calling the Backcountry Reservation Office at 865-436-1231. Online reservations are not available. Keep in mind that only 8 people are permitted to stay at a single campsite and you and your party can't stay at a campsite for more than three consecutive nights.
Various Locations Along the Trail
There are 125 designated camping sites and 260 shelters located along the Appalachian trail that backcountry campers may use. Unfortunately, these campsites and shelters are first-come, first-served, but campers can use dispersed camping techniques where you pitch tents in numerous locations along the trail provided that you leave no noticeable trace. Those interested in detailed information about backcountry Appalachian campsites may want to order state specific trail guidebooks from the Conservancy's online store.
Developed Appalachian Campsites
Since the Appalachian Trail extends through 14 states, it's inevitable that you're going to need to find places to stay during the months-long trek. Thankfully, the National Park Service has cultivated a number of campsites throughout some of the highest traffic sections of the trail that you can plan on using. Take a look at these developed campsites along the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Great Smoky Mountains.
The Blue Ridge Parkway
The National Park Service operates a number of Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) campsites designed to accommodate both tents and RVs. Online reservations may be made for some of the campgrounds on Recreation.gov, but many accept visitors only on a first-come, first-served basis. Additionally, given that anybody can reserve sites on these campgrounds, they do require a small fee per reservation.
Virginia Blue Ridge Parkway camping accommodations include:
- Otter Creek - Located at the BRP's lowest elevation (649 feet), Otter Creek is temperate and has great access to hiking trails like the Trail of Trees. There are 39 reservation sites and 29 first-come, first-served sites, with many of them offering RV and tent accommodations at $20 a night. There are restrooms, dump stations, and drinking water nearby to support your stay.
- Peaks of Otter - Situated between two large mountains, Peaks of Otter sits just near the 24-acre Abbott Lake which is filled with small mouth bass and bluegill. There are 132 sites available to house both tents and RVs, and while there aren't electric, water, or sewer hookups, there are dump stations there and the site only costs $20 a night.
- Roanoke Mountain - Right off milepost 120.4 is the Roanoke Mountain campgrounds, which have 74 tent campsites and 30 RV/trailer sites, with 3 handicap accessible sites, and all of them are first-come, first-served while costing $16 a night. While there aren't any hookups, Roanoke Mountain is the only parkway campground located close to an urban area (downtown Roanoke), and has many trails, defunct iron mines, and seasonal music performances to enjoy during your stay.
- Rocky Knob - Located near Floyd, Virgina, Rocky Knob has 44 reservation sites and 62 first-come, first-served sites which all cost $20 a night, as well as primitive campgrounds located nearby at Rock Castle Gorge. Equipped to handle RVs and tents, these sites come with picnic tables, lantern poles, and fire rings/grills. While there you can take the popular Rock Castle Gorge Trail - a steep elevation gain hike which comes to the ravine carved by Rock Castle Creek.
North Carolina camping options along the Parkway include:
- Doughton Park - Originally known as the Bluffs, the Doughton Park campgrounds offers 24 reservation sites and 97 first-come, first-served sites which cost $20 a night, and some primitive camp sites at Basin Cove. This 7,000-acre area is a great place to see natural fauna like foxes, white-tailed deer, and bobcats. With 30 miles of hiking trails, there are tons to do and see at Doughton Park.
- Julian Price Park - Julian Price Park offers 75 reserve sites and 115 first-come, first-served sites that are both RV and tent friendly which cost $20 a night. There is also primitive camping available off of Johns River Road. Adjacent to Price Lake, the extensive campgrounds are surrounded by a forest of different species of trees which transform into a blanket of orange and red during the fall.
- Linville Falls - A very popular campground for its proximity to Boone, North Carolina and the Linville Falls & Gorge for which it was named, Linville Falls campground has 39 reserve campsites and 25 first-come, first-served sites that cost $20 a night. Perfect for family trips, while in the area you can visit Grandfather Mountain, a gem mine, the Linville Falls, the Linville Gorge, and the camp store.
- Crabtree Meadows - Crabtree Meadows campground has 27 reserve sites and 54 first-come, first-served sites ready to withstand both tent and RV campers each of which costs $20 a night. With modern amenities like flush toilets, dump stations, and drinking water, as well as picnic tables and grills/fire rings, the campgrounds are pretty cozy. Whilst there, you should take some time to visit the impressive 70-foot waterfall, Crabtree Falls.
- Mount Pisgah - A highly trafficked, incredibly popular campground on the BRP, Mount Pisgah has both RV and tent sites, with 53 reserve sites and 71 first-come, first-served sites which cost $20 a night. Similarly to the other BRP sites, there are flush toilets, drinking water, and dump stations, as well as a country store. There are multiple hiking trails to explore and the dense forest cover will keep you shaded in the hot summer months.
Great Smoky Mountains Campgrounds
There are ten developed campsites located throughout the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The entire park's front country campgrounds accommodate tent campers, and many of them can accommodate RVs. If you are traveling in a recreational vehicle, be sure to verify that the campground can accommodate your particular camper. During the summer months, make reservations for a few of the campgrounds in the park online or by calling 877-444-6777. The other sites are available to campers only on a first-come, first-served basis.
Reservations are available for:
- Cades Cove - This year-round campground offers sites for $25 a night, with there being electric, nonelectric, and tent only sites available. During peak season, the camp store is open and fun events are held at the nearby amphitheater. Since this is bear country, you've got the potential to encounter bears and other wildlife like coyotes, turkeys, skunks, and racoons; you might even see them on your hike to the 20 feet high Abrams Falls.
- Cosby - At $17.50 a night and with both tent and RV campsites, Cosby is a great option for people to enjoy "back country camping in a developed front country campground" according to the National Park Service. As a smaller campground, the area isn't as busy as higher traffic ones in the area, allowing you to enjoy the hiking trails, wildlife, and temperate climate of the 2,460 feet high campground.
- Elkmont - Just eight miles from the popular tourist town, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Elkmont is considered one of the busiest campgrounds in the Smokies. There are 200 reserve sites that are tent and RV compatible and 20 walk-in tent sites, all at $25 a night. Note that the campgrounds don't have any hookups as well as no dump station. Much of its appeal comes from its location to Gatlinburg and the Smokies' natural landscape.
- Smokemont - Near the border between Tennessee and North Carolina, Smokemont is a 2,200 foot high campground with tent and RV campsites that have grills, fire rings, flush toilets, drinking water, sinks, and tent pads available. Near Cherokee, North Carolina, the campgrounds offer a unique look at the flora and fauna of the southern Appalachia region. Like most campgrounds along the Appalachian Trail, it costs $25 a night to camp here.
Some first-come, first-served campsites include:
- Abrams Creek - This more remote campground costs $17.50 a night and emulates a traditional style of camping void of flush toilets and drinking water, and other modern conveniences. With close access to hiking trails and fishing streams, and its moderate 1,125 feet elevation, Abrams is a great place for hikers to stay.
- Balsam Mountain - Unlike Abrams Creek, Balsam Mountain does have flush toilets and drinking water, though it doesn't have hookups or showers, or lighted restrooms. At a high elevation of 5,130 feet, you can stay at one of 42 campsites for $17.50 a night and visit trails like Flat Creek Trail or Hemphill Bald.
- Big Creek - With only 12 tent-only campsites, Big Creek is a small campground. There aren't any hookups or showers, but there are flush toilets and drinking water available. At $17.50 a night, Big Creek is an easy place for thru-hikers to rest before heading out again on their trek.
- Cataloochee - Experience the historic Cataloochee Valley when you stay at one of the remote campsites in the Cataloochee campgrounds. At $25 a night, the campgrounds offer flush toilets and drinking water, but not hookups or showers. Unlike most other campgrounds on the trail, Cataloochee does have camping accommodations for horseback riders to stay at.
- Deep Creek - Another $25 a night campground, there are 92 campsites at Deep Creek with flush toilets and drinking water available. Like most remote campgrounds, Deep Creek doesn't have hookups or showers available.
Resources for Locating Additional Appalachian Campsites
Some of the best campsites throughout the vast expanse of the Appalachian Mountains are ones rarely advertised or promoted. Because the area is so large, one of the best ways to identify off-the-beaten path camping options is through guidebooks written by those who have hiked and camped the trail themselves, like these here:
- Appalachian Trail Guide to Tennessee-North Carolina by V. Collins Chew
- Appalachian Trail Guide to Massachusetts-Connecticutpublished by the Appalachian Trail Conference
- Hikes in Northern New England (Exploring the Appalachian Trail) by Mark Condon, Glenn Scherer, Andrew Weegar, and Michael Kodas
- Hikes in the Virginias (Exploring the Appalachian Trail) by David Lillard
- The Best in Tent Camping: Tennessee & Kentucky: A Guide for Car Campers Who Hate RVs, Concrete Slabs, and Loud Portable Stereos by Johnny Molloy
Enjoy Your Appalachian Camping Trip
Regardless of which portion of the mountain range your travels include, you're sure to enjoy the breathtaking scenery that awaits you in the Appalachians. Whether you spend your time hiking the backcountry or relaxing in improved Appalachian campsites, your trip to this beautiful outdoor paradise is sure to become one of the best outdoor adventures of your lifetime.
