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Cardens Bluff Campground

In

Cherokee National Forest

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100%

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28 sites · RV, Tent

Get high at Cardens Bluff Campground, which sits at nearly 2,000 feet of elevation and looks over the glassy waters of Watauga Lake. Bring out the kayak and fishing rod or throw on the swim trunks and get to enjoying the pure refreshment that only the lakes of Tennessee can provide. Surrounded by forested beauty and undeveloped mountain ranges, this haunt offers a bit of everything. Looking for some more rugged, natural beauty? Sneak off to do some backcountry hiking to Big Laurel Branch or Pond Mountain Wilderness. Whether you stay on the lake all day or do some exploring, you’ll love this spot.

What this place offers

No campfire allowed

No pets allowed

No showers

No toilets

No potable water

No picnic tables

No sewage hookups

No electric hookups

28 sites

RV, Tent

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Top-rated for location, privacy, and amenities near Cherokee National Forest

Blue Bear Mountain Camp

26mi from Cardens Bluff Campground · 46 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Boone, NC

Blue Bear Mountain Camp offers year-round camping experiences for every type of outdoor enthusiast. Car-accessible tent and RV sites in a natural setting. Hike-in sites for those looking for a little more adventure and privacy. Stargazer Domes and Cabin rentals for guests wanting a rustic, mountain getaway while staying in comfort. Located just 8 miles north of Boone, NC on over 150 acres of pristine mountain land, miles of hiking trails, a trout pond, and spacious low-density sites allow the guest to get away from it all in a rustic, remote setting. In the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. At 4,000 feet elevation, come enjoy cool mountain breezes and mild temperatures. Blue Bear Mountain is a scenic location for large events such as weddings, corporate events, and family reunions. Come Get away from it all at Blue Bear Mountain! Blue Bear Mountain offers spacious, Low-Density RV camping, spacious, private, rustic car-accessible tent camping, and spacious, private remote tent camping. Blue Bear Mountain also offers luxury Stargazer Domes and Cabin rentals to provide you with more choices of how to experience your mountain getaway. In a beautiful mountain setting with incredible views, the Stargazer Domes are a great way to enjoy the camping experience without really roughing it. Great for a romantic getaway or bringing the family. Furnished with a queen size bed, complete with high-quality linens, a bistro table, and chairs, you will stay in complete comfort. Conveniently located near the bathhouse with private bathrooms, a Laundry room, and a dishwashing station. You can drive right up to the handcrafted stargazer dome. Relax and take in the views while sitting around your stone fire ring. A park grill, picnic table, and free bundle of firewood are also provided to complete your glamping getaway.

TangleWood Creekside Campsites

33mi from Cardens Bluff Campground · 28 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Marion, NC

16 miles North of Marion and closer to "Linville Gorge", "Linville Falls" and "The Blue Ridge Parkway" area, we are a perfect jump off point for all your adventures including "The Apple Orchard" at Altapass, "Linville Caverns" in addition to the ones mentioned above. TangleWood Creekside Campsites offers a rocky creek winding 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 North 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.

Romantic, hot tub, pet friendly

22mi from Cardens Bluff Campground · 5 sites · Lodging · Bakersville, NC

Our pods (arched cabins) are tiny homes, well situated for both spectacular views as well as romantic privacy. Each home has an arched cabin style, cozy, yet well-appointed with a bedroom (queen bed), full bathroom, full kitchenette and living area with sofa and Roku TV. Homes are located close enough to enjoy a campfire with neighbors, but separated enough to enjoy that special romantic evening on your own large deck with spectacular views, or late at night enjoying the stars above. Each cabin has its very own fire pit. All cabins are outfitted with an outdoor hottub. Property is over 60 acres of onsite hiking trails, or find your special spot to sit and enjoy the view. We are just up the road from the Toe River. The famous Appalachian Trail is just minutes away, as are the Gem mines that made Mitchell County famous. Our property is historic and once a famous location for moonshine production, detailed in the book "Red Hill" available on Amazon. Or Google the "Bakersville Riots". Truly a place to enjoy hiking, or just relaxing on the beautiful large decks.

E-volving Hearts Wellness Farm

47mi from Cardens Bluff Campground · 2 sites · Tents · Old Fort, NC

The E-volving Hearts Wellness Farm is 14 acres of mostly wooded land in Old Fort, NC. Just a short drive to Black Mountain and approximately a 30 minute drive to Asheville. Here at the farm we provide a sanctuary setting for humans and animals and provide Equine Facilitated Wellness with our two mini rescue horses. We are offering our small, semi private (we and two other tenants live on the property), primitive campsite area to the public this fall in order to generate income to support our mini horses in their continued rehabilitation process. While you are simply renting the campsite, if you desire to participate in some Equine Facilitated Wellness I'd be grateful to discuss adding this to your stay. The campsite is a small tent area carved into the woods near the front of the property and is next to our cleared pasture area and Ceremonial Grounds. It is a short walk from the outhouse and while there is no running water, we will happily fill up jugs. While the property is 14 acres, due to the private dwellings, any private wellness sessions that might be happening on the property, and the fact that we have not recovered our trails after Hurricane Helene, we will ask that you limit your activity to the space provided. Please note that we have many roosters who enjoy celebrating the coming of the morning light! We also have the friendly, mostly free-ranging "Bird Herd". There are coyotes that hunt in the fields around us and bring their celebrations at night and we aren't sure if Little Bear has moved along or not. Overall, this is a great place for those who want more privacy than a campground but don't want to haul yourself deep into the wilderness. You are safe and secure on the property but do know that wildlife is all around. We welcome those who are quiet, peaceful, with an open mind and open heart who are willing and able to honor this sanctuary. We cannot have dogs on the property. PLEASE DO NOT ASK. This isn't about your dog, this is about ours. Finally, we also have a 2 person tent that can be rented for $10 a night if needed.

Outercamp, Blue Ridge Falls Retreat

32mi from Cardens Bluff Campground · 7 sites · Lodging · Marion, NC

You've been given the key. Come experience 60-acres of private mountain land off the Blue Ridge Parkway with big mountain views, lush Appalachian forest, & our very own waterfall! Inspired by the tale of a young gnome who discovers the power of gratitude in the forest. We bring Hoot Owl Ridge to you with in the same spirit. We are within 15 min of three magnificent waterfalls (Crabtree, Grassy Creek, & Tom's Creek), and only 25 mins from Linville Gorge! Though we are very secluded in the mountains, Walmart is only 5 mins down the road. Spruce Pine is 10-15 mins and has food, grocery, gas, hospital, and a brewery. Marion is a bigger town with mostly anything you could be looking for and is about 20mins away down the mountain. If you want some city buzz, head to vibrant Asheville under an hour away, where you'll find endless art, restaurants, breweries, live music, and more. Live closer to the earth, the mountains, the curious creatures, and return home with some gratitude!

Campgrounds at Little Switzerland

32mi from Cardens Bluff Campground · 15 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Spruce Pine, NC

Welcome to the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina! At approximately 3,455 feet elevation we enjoy mountain breezes all summer PLEASE DO NOT ‘photo book’! We ask guests to please read through the details BEFORE booking a site. For example: not all tent sites are park at sites. Some of our more secluded sites in the woods are far from bathrooms etc. Sites near the winery/bathrooms are not secluded and you can see/hear ‘people’. The ‘wildlife’ sites require parking in guest parking and a 5 minute walk. As of Jan 2025 we change to an age 13+ campground. No one under the age of thirteen years old is permitted to camp overnight. Younger children will still be permitted to visit the winery next door to the campground during open hours but must have an adult (18 years plus) with them at ALL times! Due to an incident that could have ended in tragedy we have a zero tolerance policy of unsupervised children. You will be asked to leave if your young child is unattended by an adult. 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 sodas. Firewood is for sale. You may bring your own firewood as long as it’s not from out of state. We 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. 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. Our cantina next door at 539 blue ridge gem mine road is 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 and club house 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. Anything sold by us may be legally consumed at your campsite and is covered under our winery ABC permit. Camp host can’t go to bed until all campers are checked in so no late night arrivals please! Thank you for your understanding. Adult horseback trail rides are available at nearby Springmaid Mountain Retreat. Maps provided to Springmaid Mountain. All minors must have ADULT supervision at all times at the winery next door (older siblings do not qualify as adult supervision). With farm animals and 140 acres of woods nearby and three deep ponds in those woods it can be a dangerous situation for young, unsupervised children. If we are babysitting your children to keep them out of danger or from damaging our property you’ll be asked to leave. We want everyone to be safe. 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. 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. 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! HipCamp now offers rainy day insurance Watch for our special events like ghost story campfire tales/walk with local guest authors, mountain yoga, herbal remedies classes, trail treasure hunts with prizes, mushroom identification classes etc. 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 any extra cars. We have a hot/cold shower and modern style flush toilets available in large cargo container. We also now have free Starlink WiFi in the Cantina/clubhouse area and some of the closer tent sites. Our clubhouse stays open for campers 24/7 with a microwave available, games, television and comfortable seating areas. Note: The 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 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. No fighting! This includes couples fighting. Settle it 'off property'. We are pretty mellow, yet take bad behavior and disrespect for others very seriously. Unsupervised children has been a huge problem lately and we simply won’t tolerate very young children wandering the woods, running across other folks campsites, deliberately damaging our property etc. It is up to the parents to fully supervise their children and keep them safe! 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. Summer of 2025 will be our third year open and there have been many wonderful improvements! ❤️ We made it through Hurricane Helene with minimal damage and with the help of some kind volunteers we have some great updates!

Mountain Haven

21mi from Cardens Bluff Campground · 1 site · Tent, RV · Banner Elk, NC

Glamping doesn’t get better than this! Perfectly situated location. 5 mins from Sugar Mtn Ski Area. 10 mins from Banner Elk. 15 mins to Grandfather Mtn and Boone/App State. 20 mins to Beech Mtn and Blowing Rock. PLEASE NOTE: There is a slight slope to the property. Tents/Campers are best located at the top/top left of the property for flattest ground. Secluded paved lot in Banner Elk. PLEASE NOTE: it is best suited for 4x4 vehicles in Winter Months. Do not recommend tow campers, nor Class A or Class C vehicles due to skinny roads and significant elevation changes. Additionally, there is a slight slope to the property (which can be seen in the pics). Tents/Campervans are best located at the top/top left of the property for flattest ground. ). Easy access to the ski slopes, dining, shopping, App State College, Boone and Blowing Rock.

Creekside Park - w/ Wifi!

44mi from Cardens Bluff Campground · 5 sites · RVs · Weaverville, NC

Come and enjoy the convenience of Creekside. We provide a clean, flat, full hookup (30/ 50 amp) with FREE WIFI! Its a great location for your RV or travel trailer while you're out enjoying the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains. We are conveniently located right off of HWY 26 in Weaverville. We are 5 min to Mars Hill and Weaverville. 15 min to Asheville and 20 min to the Blue Ridge Parkway. (MONTHLY STAYS AVAILABLE FOR QUALIFIED RENTERS!)

Farmhouse Gallery & Gardens

13mi from Cardens Bluff Campground · 7 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Unicoi, TN

Learn more about this land:You’ll cross the covered bridge (clearance 11’6” ) as you enter our farm, a 73 acre small family farm, nestled in the Buffalo Valley of Northeast TN, and featuring a down home country atmosphere. What makes our farm special are all of the unique extras: a working log cabin blacksmith shop, log cabin art gallery, certified commercial kitchen, lots of watchable wildlife, and walking trails. We have a one acre wildlife pond and a smaller pond fed by springs and Buffalo Creek, which runs through the farm. Our small buffalo herd is pastured not far from the campsites and our friendly peacocks and chickens roam the grounds. We also offer classes in blacksmithing, art, foraging and cooking periodically. We are rural but not remote and are minutes away from state parks, fishing, hiking, rafting and other recreational activities as well as downtown Johnson City and Historic Jonesborough with breweries, shops, and many restaurants. As purveyors of Appalachian culture and cuisine, we invite you to stay a day , or longer, to share our friendly and relaxing small farm atmosphere in the mountains.

Loafers Joy Meadow

21mi from Cardens Bluff Campground · 3 sites · Tents, RVs · Zionville, NC

10/9/2024 NOTICE: We had some damage to our road due to Hurricane Helene that made it impassable. It has since been repaired and is opened to traffic. There are still some remaining rough areas, but the road is easily passable by passenger vehicles and RV's up to 28ft. Our site was once part of a much larger farm growing tobacco and raising cattle and other farm animals. The existing tobacco barn was built in the early 1960's. The concrete pad used for RV camping was used to store silage for the cows. The non-potable water source is a mountain spring that has been used on the farm since the 1930's. While many tobacco barns in the area have been torn down for their rusted tin roofing and rustic siding, we have worked to restore the barn and preserve its history.

Spacious Skies Bear Den - RV/Tent Sites

30mi from Cardens Bluff Campground · 100 sites · Tents, RVs · Spruce Pine, NC

Escape to Spacious Skies Bear Den, your ultimate Blue Ridge Mountain adventure nestled within the breathtaking Pisgah National Forest. Choose from fully equipped campsites, rustic tent spots, or cozy cabins. Hike miles of scenic trails leading to hidden waterfalls, let the kids loose in our playgrounds and rec hall, or relax by the swimming lake. With all the comforts of home and the beauty of nature, Spacious Skies Bear Den is where memories are made. Discover your ideal getaway at Spacious Skies Bear Den. Our full hook-up sites offer all the connections you need for your RV, while our water/electric spots provide a touch of rustic charm. Prefer the coziness of indoors? Choose from our selection of cabins – we have the perfect size and amenities to suit your group. Once settled in, it’s time to explore! Hike our private trails winding through the Pisgah National Forest, uncover hidden waterfalls, and soak up the mountain serenity. Kids and adults alike will love our playgrounds, rec hall, arcade, sports courts, and our pristine swimming and fishing lakes. Spacious Skies Bear Den isn’t just about nature – we make your stay comfortable too. Our camp store keeps you stocked, modern bathhouses and laundry facilities provide convenience, and WiFi keeps you connected. Ready to make this your next adventure? Book your campsite or cabin today and start creating unforgettable memories!

Mystic Pass

22mi from Cardens Bluff Campground · 1 site · Tent, RV · Green Mountain, NC

Ultimate privacy. Gorgeous, long range views and incredible sunsets in the Blue Ridge mountains! Located one hour from Asheville, NC and Johnson City, TN. Twenty-five minutes from Burnsville, Bakersville and Spruce Pine. Enjoy the serenity of nature with an unobstructed, ever-changing view of clouds, beautiful mountains and the most incredible sunset in 5 counties! Take a walk along the ridge, with 360-degree long-range mountain views. Many unique art galleries nearby, plus river tubing, hiking, biking, kayaking etc. The South Toe River has put-ins within five minutes drive. Restaurants, breweries and shops within 25 minutes. Campsite includes a large, smokeless Solo Stove fire pit to cozy up to, as the stars fill the evening sky!

More to explore nearby

100%

2 ratings · 1 review

Recommends

· May 2017

There are three perfect campgrouds right by this cove, and then there is one absolutely perfect spot that is kind of secluded and has its own little peninsula. All in all a solid 9/10

Savannah W.

8 years on Hipcamp

LocationCardens Bluff Campground, Cherokee National Forest, Tennessee, United States

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What this place offers

No campfire allowed

No pets allowed

No showers

No toilets

No potable water

No picnic tables

No sewage hookups

No electric hookups

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The view from Wautuga Dam, looking towards Carden Bluff Campground.

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Cardens Bluff Campground