The best camping near Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park

Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park adventure.

Retreat into the peaceful mountains of Tennessee at Rocky Fork.  

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Community favorites near Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park

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Top-rated campgrounds near Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park

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Smoky Mtn Mangalitsa River Ranch

15 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents95 acres · Waynesville, NC
Voted 2nd in NC!! We are a Mangalitsa farm in The Smoky Mountains of western NC. The entire property is oriented toward private farmland views, a half mile of river and surrounding mountains. It's really quite remarkable to be so accessible yet feel so remote! Come swim, fish, cook and play! Check out www.smokymtnriverranch.com for more information. PLEASE NOTE, our rate is based on the number of vehicles in your group. The first vehicle is included in the nightly rate and admits 4 campers. WE CHARGE FOR ADDITIONAL CARS. The charge will be added to your booking once you select the number of vehicles at checkout. Please note that each additional car admits four campers. For EXAMPLE, 2 cars = 8 campers total. If you only have two cars but more than eight people, YOU MUST select the "Extra Person" Extra for each night they are camping. Please select these extras at checkout. If you have questions about this PLEASE message me prior to booking. Our 95-acre farm was once owned by the Davis family who predominantly raised dairy cattle. We now raise the wooly Mangalitsa pig and sell to the best chefs and restaurants. We sell our pork at the farm too! All of our campsites are next to running water except the two hilltop sites. Two porta-potties are on the farm and private porta-potties are available for rent. Groups of eight or more are required to rent a porta potty should you not bring your own toilet system with you. We do not allow the use of our small wooded areas as toilets. Please review the Extras options as we offer river lifts, firewood and dog stays; thank you! Quiet hours are from 10pm to 9am. Checking in before 5 pm is requested. Later times may be available with prior arrangements. Our farm is very dark and navigating at night is difficult. Please contact Catherine directly so you can be checked in safely and accommodate your schedule. NO CHECK-INS AFTER DARK. We are 1 mile off of I 40, 17 minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway, 15 min. to Maggie Valley, 10 min to the Elk at Cataloochee, 25 min to Cataloochee ski area, 10 min to Lake Junaluska and 15 min to downtown Waynesville. Asheville is 20 miles to our East.
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$51
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The River Life

18 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents9 acres · Cosby, TN
Our location is phenomenal we are an hour from Knoxville and Asheville and just about 1/4 mile off I-40. Right at the foothills of the Smoky Mountains and 35 minutes from Gatlinburg about 40 minutes to Pigeon Forge (Dollywood), also about 45 minutes to Sevierville and one of my favorite Tanger Outlets!! The beautiful Smoky Mountains the National Park is filled with hiking trails and horse stables and trails. Some of the best white water rafting is less then 5 miles up the road along with zip lining and a lil taste of moonshine here and there. This property is primitive with no electric and has a camping style bathhouse. IT’s recommended for outdoor lovers and people that are not to needy. Site 7, 1 and 9 are the only direct riverfront.
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$32
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TangleWood Creekside Campsites

21 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents170 acres · Marion, NC
A rocky creek winds through the woods at the base of several hikable peaks hidden just minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway. Wildlife enthusiasts are encouraged to explore, on foot or mountain-bike, anywhere within our 170 acres (or the adjoining 250 acres owned by the US Forestry Service off our Western border) and are likely to catch glimpses of turkey, beaver, deer, fox, eastern box turtle and the many species of songbird and raptor. The location is convenient to tons of local attractions for sightseeing and outdoor activities as well as shopping, dining, even wine tasting. We would be happy to supply a comprehensive list of the various local attractions upon request but the following are a few of our favorite things to do within a short drive: visit Linville Falls, Caverns, Gorge and/or Winery; drive the Blue Ridge parkway; tube/kayak down the Catawba river; hike beautiful Crabtree Falls; cross Grandfather Mountains mile high bridge and explore the nearby towns of Spruce Pines or Little Switzerland. The scenic drives to Asheville, Blowing Rock or Banner Elk make them each wonderful day-trip destinations.
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$40
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The Baying Hound Campground

7 sites · Tents3 acres · Asheville, NC
THE CAMPGROUND The Baying Hound Campground is where rural Appalachia meets “keep Asheville weird.” You’ll see sleeping pods decorated by professional artists, structures made from upcycled building materials and permaculture experiments in the making. We’ve been described as “if a European hostel and an Appalachian campground had a baby.” Not quite glamping and definitely not KOA, we're happy to offer you a more social alternative to cookie-cutter lodging without breaking the bank. *Van-lifers, truck-top-tenters and other vehicle dwellers* Y'all are welcome to book this spot! Note that the parking area is SEPARATE from the site pictured and you can NOT drive down to the site. You'll be sleeping in the parking area and still have access to all our facilities. SHARED CAMPGROUND AMENITIES: - Indoor bathroom and sinks with hot and cold running water - Indoor hangout area with couch, books and outlets - Charging station for your phones and tablets behind our graffiti’d garage - A re-imagined, yet decidedly old-school pit latrine - Outdoor sink with cold running water (seasonal = April-October) - Outdoor shower with solar-heated water* Mother Nature can be a little stingy with the sun, so unfortunately we can not guarantee that this will provide warm water. If nothing else, it'll be refreshingly brisk. :) (seasonal = April-October, CLOSED Nov-March) - Community fire pit with wood for sale for $5 a packet - Community charcoal grill (be sure to bring your own charcoal) + picnic table - Omoplata Overlook hangout area with deck furniture, table, hammock and solar lights - Multiple picnic tables where you can hang out & eat - Wi-Fi zone with varying quality of internet (but you’re camping, so you should enjoy the outdoors and company of your friends :)) - Nearby Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gym! Ask us more if you’re interested. - Curiosity Trail :) THE NEIGHBORHOOD The campground is located in the "Emma" area of Asheville. Also known as "Wild Wild West Asheville" (to distinguish it from regular West Asheville which is about 5 minutes' drive away), this is the last bastion of non-gentrified Asheville. Emma is completely un-zoned, so you get an interesting mixture of mostly residential and agricultural properties that scatter the area. The campground itself is tucked away in a 2-acre wooded valley. We're about 10-15 minutes' drive away from downtown Asheville and a $12-$15 Uber ride. Unfortunately, public transportation is not very accessible from the campground. WHAT'S NEARBY? - There are approximately a bajillion breweries in Asheville, many of which are within 5-15 minutes away. - Downtown Asheville (~10-15 minutes), West Asheville (~5-10 minutes) and the River Arts District (~5 minutes) are full of city life fun - amazing restaurants, live music, shopping, art galleries and did we mention breweries? -So much hiking! Choose your own adventure - waterfalls, mountain-top views, fog-drenched valleys, rambling rivers. There are some trails about 20 minutes away, but to get to the good stuff, you'll drive 40-90+ minutes. - White water rafting ~60-90 minutes away - Tubing down the French Broad River is the ultimate way to chill out in the sun. French Broad Outfitters, Zen Tubing and Lazy Otter are some companies that can take care of all the details for you. These are all 10-20 minutes away. OUR HISTORY We discovered this property in 2017, and quite by chance! We had finished working a seasonal job in Colorado and were on our way out to the coast to look into starting our own business. We happened to come through Asheville and casually stumbled across this property. Long-story-short, we put in a bid on the property. It was accepted, and now we have a real fixer-upper on our hands! Here's some history on the property as reported by the previous owners: The road you park on was the old county road, a long, long time ago. The couple who sold us the property is elderly, and the blue house you pass on the left on the way to park was where the wife grew up. In fact, that enormous pine tree on your right as you come up the road was the old lady's Christmas tree as a child. The jiu-jitsu gym used to be an auction house. Then it was used as a dance hall. Then it became a cabinet-making space and finally a timber frame-making space. Over the past year we've converted it into a jiu-jitsu gym, although you can still see plenty of "upcycled" remnants of previous uses, all around the gym. The campground area itself was slated to be turned into a trailer park. You can tell that the area was partially graded at one point or another. Thanks to that initiative, we have some convenient paths all around! They decided not to follow through on setting up trailer pads since it was more money than they had bargained for. After that, the space was used as a black-market dump! Luckily the city shut it down, and after two spring seasons of cleaning up back there, we're left with what you see! We're going to continue to pour our hearts, souls, creativity and probably more than just a little money into making "The Baying Hound Campground" a fun place to crash for a couple days while taking in all that is Asheville. Thanks for reading!
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$22
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LAKESIDE GETAWAY ON DOUGLAS

34 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents5 acres · Dandridge, TN
Lakeside Getaway is a seasonal peninsula on Douglas Lake of primitive camping sites in historic Dandridge, Tn just 30 min from Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area. Come enjoy your boat, jet ski, or kayaks from our 75 foot boat dock and new concrete boat ramp for launching. Our large pavilion is a nice commons area with a wood burning stove and can be reserved for private parties. Call for more details and questions: 423-231-4094 or 423-231-9399 We have a new road not yet shown on maps. A very long gravel driveway between 2 houses, with a RED mailbox with blue reflective 1689 on post (looks residential from road)
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$10
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Dark Ridge Hide Out (Adults Only)

16 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents20 acres · Elk Park, NC
"Adults only" doesn't mean anything other than just "no children", so as to preserve the natural peace and quiet, and assurance that there won't be loud and unruly children on the property. Inquiries and booking requests received after 9: pm may not be answered until the next morning. Dark Ridge Hide Out, is a 20 acre parcel in the Blue Ridge Mountain's on the back side of the Beech Mt Ski Resort in a secluded quiet and safe community with less than a dozen homes in a one mile radius. Away from light and sound pollution. Except for an occasional passing vehicle "and often none at all from 10pm to 6am" all you will hear is the sound of the creek which runs through the lower section by the RV sites, cricket's and frogs at the nearby fish pond and only the light from the moon and star's in the clear mountain sky and fire flies. It is my home place with a tobacco barn and a big combination cattle/tobacco barn built almost entirely just by my Mom and Dad in early 1940"s. My parents and grand parents lived off of the land here and raised cash crops like cabbage, corn and tobacco, we also raised sugar cane and made molasses, we had free range chickens, as many as 50 honey bee hives and over 50 head of cattle, two or three hog's and of course a horse. There was four main fields; two for cow pasture, one meadow to grow hay "now Christmas trees" and the main one on my part where all crops were grown is where the camp sites are. I grew up helping with the crops and other farm chores, one was to go to the pasture and bring the milk cows in and do the milking every day before and after school, feed the hogs and chickens, gather the egg's, let the chickens out in the morning and close the chicken house in the evening to protect them from critters like opossums, raccoons and wildcats. This is where I grew up, my dad grew up and, near where my mother and both of my grandparents grew up. My house was built in 1905 the same year my dad was born. The campsites are on my 20 acre section section of the original 82 acres with the house and barns, the remainder went to my brother but now is out of the family. The section of Elk River with the Compression Falls "45 ft high" and Twisting Falls which is part of Pisgah National Forest is less than two miles from here, and an old logging road going around the mountain above the river for about three miles to another Falls "Elk River Falls, 65 ft high" is a great place to hike or mountain bike. You will be free to explore and hike any part of my property except the house and out building's. The pond's are full of Trout and Blue Gill fish that are like pet's they love little pieces of bread. You can feed the fish but no fishing.
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$25
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Mountain Paradise

5 sites · RVs, Tents27 acres · Marshall, NC
Enjoy a campsite to yourself on top of a mountain with beautiful mountain and sunset views. Situated near the charming and historic town of Marshall, nearby Hot Springs, Mars Hill and Asheville, you'll have access to a variety of delightful experiences. Despite being close to these attractions, our location is tucked away at the end of a dead-end, low-traffic road. With easy access off the paved road. You’ll have the camp area to yourself although there are some other homes in the neighborhood around our land. Tag us and follow our Instagram @mountainparadisecampground Outdoor enthusiasts will be thrilled with the proximity to the Pisgah National Forest, the Appalachian Trail, and numerous other beautiful hiking trails, recreational activities, and tourism opportunities.
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$33
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Farm Away From Home- Asheville area

5 sites · RVs4 acres · Weaverville, NC
We offer five pet-friendly, full hook-up RV sites(30 amp only at this time)and WiFi located just 15 minutes from downtown Asheville. Our sites are situated adjacent to a hobby farm featuring a unique herd that includes a Scotland Highland cow, sheep, goats, chickens, and ALPACAS! This is more than just camping, it's an unforgettable experience! Wake up each morning and have a hands-on experience interacting with our furry friends! Help yourself to eggs laid fresh each day, and forage from our organic garden (available seasonally). Dip your toes in the creek running behind each site, which is furnished with a fire ring and picnic table for your enjoyment.
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$59
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CreekStone in Candler, NC

6 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents25 acres · Candler, NC
Awesome 360° Mountain Views at CreekStone’s three VISTA360 campsites for small to large RV’s/campers, a tiny home and two tent camping spaces in Candler, North Carolina. Enjoy the mountains and lots of space to roam, hike, pitch horseshoe, enjoy fires in fire pit or simply relax and enjoy the views. All three of the RV/camper spaces have both 30/50 amp electrical power, sewer and water hookup. The tent camping space has toilet facilities, access to water and trash disposal. The tiny home accommodates 2-3 people - perfect for those who want to be close to their camping friends/families but don’t have campers. This property was my childhood home and after retiring, my husband and I moved back to one of the homes on this farm where I grew up. He has since passed and my son, Todd, now helps me maintain the property and assists with ensuring the best experience for our guests. We wanted to offer this space for campers to share the awesome views and this part of North Carolina with others who enjoy nature, outdoors, and all the great things to experience in the surrounding towns. Only a 20 minute drive to Asheville where you can tour Biltmore House, Grove Park, breweries, eat at many great restaurants, enjoy rafting, zip lining and many other outdoor activities. We are 15 minutes from Blue Ridge Parkway with 2-lane, less traveled access road to get there. Bring your bikes and hiking equipment - plenty of room to ride and roam. The old red barn on property has been restored and offers relaxation loft for your enjoyment.
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Campgrounds at Little Switzerland

13 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents7 acres · Spruce Pine, NC
Welcome to the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina! At approximately 3,455 feet elevation we enjoy mountain breezes all summer long, especially in the evening! We have a total of 11 tent sites available with a fire pit at almost each site. Raised bed style flat tent sites divert water during rain storms so there is no water or mud flowing into your tents. PLEASE DO NOT ‘photo book’! We ask guests to please read through the details BEFORE booking a site and do not book by photos alone. For example: not all tent sites are park at sites. Some of our more secluded sites in the woods are far from bathrooms etc. PLEASE Do your research!!! Sites near the winery/bathrooms are not secluded and you can see/hear ‘people’. The ‘wildlife’ sites require parking in guest parking lot and a 5 minute walk. During the summer months we often have free range chicken eggs and organic produce and herbs available for our campers. We are next to our own winery/cidery that features home brew wines and beer. We also offer coffee and sodas. We also have a few primitive sites in our woods for those who love more seclusion and places to hang hammocks. Again, PLEASE read through all the descriptions of each particular site to make certain you choose the right fit for your camping needs. Do not book by ‘photos’ alone! We cannot stress this enough and it has been problematic to many hipcamp hosts. We offer Hiking/jogging trails at the campground with more trails on the nearby blue ridge parkway. We are just around the corner from the famous Emerald Village Mines and only a 5 minute drive to downtown Little Switzerland. We are also only a 5 minutes drive to the famous Diamondback scenic mountain road. Approximately 20 minutes drive to Crabtree Falls on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Many weekends we have live music from local musicians. Our cantina next door at 539 blue ridge gem mine road is now open for the season and serving home brew beers and small batch ciders for ages 21 and older. Photo ID required. Sodas available for purchase as well. We now have a well lit covered porch area with free WiFi and available 24 hours to our campers. Note: absolutely no outside alcohol or underage alcohol consumption permitted on premises. Anyone not in compliance with North Carolina state laws and federal laws will be evicted from campgrounds without refunds. If the campgrounds happen to be under a burn ban please understand that we can’t and will not break the law for you! All campers must obey the burn ban if in effect or face possible penalties under state law! This is for your own safety as well. This is a family friendly campground and we do have neighbors, so no late check ins please. Latest check in permitted is 11:30 pm at night out of courtesy to our neighbors and other campers. Camp host can’t go to bed until all campers are checked in so no late night arrivals please! Thank you for your understanding. There are free 15 minute Lead line pony rides available for guests at our campground for children age 2 - 12 years old. Adult horseback trail rides are available at nearby Springmaid Mountain Resort. Maps provided to Springmaid Mountain Resort. Up to 2 dogs are allowed per campsite. Dogs Must remain on leash at all times and have proof of up to date rabies vaccination. A rabies tag or photo of certificate is fine. We have chickens and horses on our mini farm. So please keep dogs under control at all times. Also, please do not feed our chickens, horses or any of the wildlife on our property. As a working farm we have fresh eggs and seasonal organic raised produce all summer available to our campers. Campfires are permitted at the fire pits unless there is a burn ban. Some Firewood is provided. Better wood is available for sale. It is the responsibility of our campers to check the weather conditions, noting any burn bans for the area or rain etc, looking at all the rules and property details, before booking is the campers responsibility. Please do not blame the host! We have a very forgiving cancellation policy of 24 hours. Watch for our special events like ghost story campfire tales/walk with local guest authors, yoga, herbal remedies classes, trail treasure hunts with prizes, mushroom identification classes etc. Our next campfire ghost stories event is September 15th and 16th 2024. Additional parking is available for added cars in the guest parking lot area if campers have no more room at their campsite for visitors or extra cars. We have a hot/cold shower and modern style flush toilets available in large cargo container. We also now have WiFi in the Cantina area and some of the closer tent sites. Hot tub is for RV and RV space rentals only. If the RV spaces are not reserved we often invite tent campers to use the hot tub. Note: One quarter mile of gravel drive is steep but I drive my two wheel drive car up and down it every day. However, if you have a vehicle that chugs and struggles up hills (older RV etc) you may find it a challenge. We are working on getting that section paved to help out the older RVs and buses. Note: The gray building and pond area is NOT our property. Please be respectful of our neighbors and the family that lives there. Do not wander around our neighbors pond /barn area. Thank you! All campers are expected to read and follow the HipCamp guidelines. This is not just a ‘business’, it is also a family home that we are graciously sharing with you for a small fee so we expect campers to respectful of our land, our neighbors and your fellow campers. Anyone who can’t show some integrity, maturity and be responsible and respectful of this will be asked to leave and/or permanently banned from both the winery and our campgrounds. We are pretty mellow, yet take bad behavior and disrespect for others very seriously. Caught without a last minute hotel room and rather not park your family in Walmart lot? We offer car camping in our parking lot for $15.00 a night. You’ll have access to bathrooms and a hot shower! We also have tents, sleeping bags and camping mats for rent. This is our second year open and there have been many wonderful improvements! ❤️
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Tri Mountain View

15 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents27 acres · Shady Valley, TN
Tri Mountain View Campground is located in the Northeast corner of Tennessee in the town of Shady Valley. With an elevation of 2,800 feet, Shady Valley is the second highest town in Tennessee. It is just 26 miles from the Bristol Raceway and the Bristol Caverns. It is just a 15 minute drive to Backbone rock and a short drive to the Appalachian Trail. The property was a Dairy Farm and went out of business in the late 90’s and since then there has been over 3,000 trees planted. Some of these trees include the rare Butternut and Hazelnut, but mostly White Pine, Walnut and Oaks. The property has approximately 1,000 feet of fishing on Beaver dam creek, so we recommend bringing waders. There is also a shower house, washer and dryer. https://trimountainview.com/ trimountainview.com
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The Confluence

4 sites · Tents21 acres · Mills River, NC
The Confluence campsite is situated on 21 acres between the north and south forks of Mills River. This serene campsite borders native trout water and an an additional 45 private acres that have been passed down in the Brittain family since the 1790s. The upper meadow provides canoe, kayak and fishing access to South Mills River as well as shaded private mountain trails. This very private campground is a five minute drive from Pisgah National Forest and 10 minutes from the Asheville Airport and the Sierra Nevada Brewing company.
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$36
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The best camping near Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park guide

Overview

About

Located near the Cherokee National Forest and the Appalachian Trail, Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park is an excellent destination for nature lovers. Visitors can go hiking along old beds or explore them on a mountain bike, while anglers can enjoy fishing for both white and black crappie in Rocky Fork and South Indian creeks. At the same time, rock climbers can conquer the impressive quartzite cliffs towering over 200 feet. Backpackers are also in luck—Rocky Fork camping means hiking out to one of the three primitive backcountry campsites, each of which is limited to for people. If you’re looking for a mountainous getaway along the Tennessee-North Carolina border, look no further than Rocky Fork State Park.

Notable campgrounds

  • Best for veggie lovers: Mountain Cove Farm is happy to share their garden produce with guests.
  • Best for glamping: Bee Our Guest offers a covered dome with a cozy bed and other amenities. 
  • Best for history buffs: Stay in the Root Cellar Tiny House on a historic tobacco farm that dates back to the 1890s.

Tips for snagging a campsite

  1. You can reserve the park's three backcountry, primitive campsites in advance via the Tennessee State Parks website. Reservations are available all year round.
  2. Campsite reservations open 12 months in advance.
  3. Because there are only three sites, reservations can be challenging to get. So book well in advance, especially during peak seasons, holidays, and weekends.

When to go

Experience Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park's weather at its best from March until May and from September to early November. At that time, temperatures range from the upper 50s to mid-70s and are perfect for outdoor exploration. Spring brings vibrant blooms and green trees, while fall dazzles with colorful foliage. Summer allows for easy camping and hiking, but be prepared for occasional hot and humid days. Winters in this mountainous location can be cold with the possibility of snow.

Know before you go

  • Rocky Fork State Park sits about 30 minutes from Johnson City, TN, and Asheville, NC. 
  • The park features a visitor center, picnic shelters, and a playground.
  • Carpooling to Rocky Fork is recommended since the parking area is small with limited spaces.

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