Cave camping near Banner Elk

Discover and reserve the best campgrounds, cabins, RV parks, and more.

93% (899 reviews)

United States
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North Carolina
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Banner Elk

93% (899 reviews)

Popular camping styles for Banner Elk

Public campgrounds near Banner Elk

Worth the stop on the way out of the Gorge

100%

(39)

Stories from the community

From the main road at the lower entrance, the motor coach "near the middle" is on site #1.

Donald

3 weeks ago

8 nights at Dark Ridge Hide Out (Adults Only)

We loved camping here in our 20' travel trailer. Curtis is a fantastic host and we enjoyed talking to him. Every morning we hiked up to the top of the field and played ball with our dog until he was exhausted. Sitting by the creek and listening to the peaceful water was a great way to pass the time. What started out as a short stay turned into an eleven night stay. We are sad to leave this peaceful place and we will return next year for a longer stary. Thanks Curtis we enjoyed our time here.

8 nights at Rose Creek Retreat

Great spot with excellent full hookups on a serene stretch of creek. Thomas is accommodating and friendly. Amazing place to stay.

1 night at the Sandbox

We enjoyed our spot by the river. Other campers not too close, and other than the occasional barking dog, it was quite peaceful. Sandy bottom river, would be great for swimming in warmer weather. Wading was cold at first but warmed up after a few minutes. We did not investigate the bathroom area as we are independent/self contained and it looked like they may have been under construction as the doors were off the hinges. All in all, a great spot for what we needed - a quiet spot to sleep and prepare breakfast. Two nights this trip and will definitely be back if we are in the area again. Emerald Hollow Mine was a short drive away and very fun place to visit.

3 nights at Rose Creek Retreat

We loved this camp area, i highly recommend here..

1 night at Dark Ridge Hide Out (Adults Only)

easily accessible, secluded, and very peaceful land. i woke up to several deers grazing outside. campsite came with a table and grill. it felt safe and Curtis was gracious to give me instructions to the site, as long as you messaged him before 9pm.

Weekend Trip to Dark Ridge Hide Out (Adults Only)

Great place for an outdoor get away. Unique spot to hammock with all of your best friends ! Would definitely recommend!

2 nights at Dark Ridge Hide Out (Adults Only)

Great spot, Curtis is one of the most welcoming people I’ve ever met! Me and the boys had a great time in his hammock sites and loved the guidance he gave us to the local spots.

1 night at Dark Ridge Hide Out (Adults Only)

Quiet, tranquil scenery! Curtis was incredibly hospitable and gave me a rundown on the area to help me settle in. Highly recommend!

5 nights at Rose Creek Retreat

The site is next to a beautiful gurgling creek. Our dogs loved the freedom of exploring the site and being able to cool off in the water

5 nights at Rose Creek Retreat

This was a great private spot right on the creek! Your turn right off of rose creek road into the spot. It was super easy to set up and was quiet during our entire stay. 10/10 would stay again :)

3 nights at Dark Ridge Hide Out (Adults Only)

Curtis was super nice and met us on arrival. The site is about a 33 minute drive to Sugar Mountain.

Weekend Trip to Dark Ridge Hide Out (Adults Only)

First and fore most let me say that when I booked this trip I did not think about what the area had been through several weeks prior with hurricane Helene. We pulled a 12' cargo trailer that we actually slept in and our first day up there was the day after the first snow. So it was a little slick in places. But like everyone has mentioned, Curtis was an amazing host. Making sure we had what we needed and recommendations on how to get around after the after math of the storm. We went looking for an adventure and we found one. The grounds were quiet except for us 😉, and the sites were level despite being on an uphill meadow and we'll taken care of. The nearby falls are a must and I can on imagine what we could of seen if some of the roads weren't blocked at the time to do construction, which crews are working diligently on to restore. The hike down to the nearby falls was steep and rocky but we'll worth the trip. I would recommend this place to others anytime. Plenty of all types of nature to be seen.

December 2024

Tent

5 nights at Dark Ridge Hide Out (Adults Only)

Curtis has such a lovely plot of land and our campsite was perfect! perched right at the top of a hill and you have a nice bit of tree coverage and a pretty view! I would definitely love to come back to this site some time in the future and check out the near by hiking trails (hurricane helene did some damage to them and there was a notice not to use them on all trails)! Also I would like to shout out Curtis for his kindness :D My buddy and I were on his land for thanksgiving and he brought us both up a thanksgiving meal! It was delish and greatly appreciated! <3

4 nights at Rose Creek Retreat

This was so quiet and relaxing. My dog was able to be off leash. Got to see some deer and the location is so close to a lot of areas. We will for sure be back.

Weekend Trip to Rose Creek Retreat

We had a wonderful weekend at Rose Creek Retreat. It was peaceful, quiet, and right on the creek. We loved being able to hear the running water during our stay. There is no cell phone service (Verizon user) but the host provided WiFi via starlink so we could still receive calls and texts while we were there. We plan on coming back and staying again!

Weekend Trip to Dark Ridge Hide Out (Adults Only)

Curtis was incredibly nice and accommodating. He had a great spirit and gave us some great tips about the area. We had a great time exploring on his recommendation, and the property was beautiful, private and quiet.

3 nights at Rose Creek Retreat

What a little slice of heaven! We enjoyed ourselves so much!

4 nights at Rose Creek Retreat

Host was nice. We ended up not being able to go at the last minute.

6 top cave campgrounds near Banner Elk

99%

(1356)

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.

74%

(43)

the Sandbox

6 sites · Tents37 acres · Hiddenite, NC

A local tradition that is being remodeled due to November 2020 flood. Learn more about this land: Near the emerald hollow gem mine 2 miles by crow 5 miles by car Berry picking (in season) 37 acres on the South Yadkin river picnic table and fire ring provided Rock Hunting in creek and river. Also many indian artifacts have been found. Pool Closed for season explore what nature can do Porta potty on site Build sand castles

98%

(100)

Rose Creek Retreat

1 site · RV2 acres · Morganton, NC

In 2018 we purchased this property to enjoy a little freedom, privacy and relaxation. We have slowly been updating the property over the years and in the end of 2019 we decided to create the site and share it with everyone. After beginning to camp ourselves, a year later. we realized that so many campgrounds resembled the HOA like atmosphere our guests want to escape. We then decided to start our own and we hope you enjoy it!

99%

(168)

The Waldhaus Resort

4 sites · Lodging60 acres · Barnardsville, NC

Waldhaus Resort is a special place surrounded by the Pisgah National Forrest. Pure nature close to a thriving metropolitan area. We offer the Sawmill and the Summit!I have been an engineer, corporate executive and world traveler all my life. Born and raised in Switzerland I speak German, French, English and a little Spanish. My passion is the outdoors, hunting, fishing and cooking . My other calling is to entertain people which share the same passions. That’s why I created the Waldhaus resort.During the past years, the Sawmill has become my favorite place to spend quality time in what I call "Cabin Living" which I love so much. Nearly every day there is a small challenge, nothing comes easy, but all the coziness and comfort is there. The water is supplied by a spring above the mill. Electricity is generated by solar technology and a generator. All refrigeration and cooking appliances are propane; and so is the basic heat (propane again) - and a very old Jotul wood stove will do the rest. I sleep a lot on the day bed in the living room so the Sawmill can be comfortably rented for up to 4 guests. The outhouse is a thing of the past, just recently I installed a compositing toilet besides the bedroom.We also offer The Summit which is a high elevation, 2-story cabin surrounded by national forest which has evolved into an off-grid living and play space located at nearly 3300 feet elevation on a 1/2 acre flat with an incredible view. There are very private old forest service trails leading directly into the Pisgah National Forest.

96%

(14)

Head of the Creek Ranch

4 sites · Tents59 acres · Roan Mountain, TN

Learn more about this land:Welcome to our ranch where you can pitch a tent under the stars. This is the last ranch on the county road, so it offers a wonderful quiet and relaxing getaway! There is a beautiful mountainside view right from your campsite. We are 4,000 ft. above sea level where you get a nice cool mountain breeze later in the day.Our property has a brand new picnic table, a fire-pit with all the firewood you could want, a hammock for your enjoyment, and a creek that runs through the property with fresh mountain water. We also have a port-o-john on the property.We are within walking distance to the Appalachian Trail, with great hiking. We also offer horse back riding right here on our ranch - check it out in the extras below!We look forward to your stay.

Booked 1 time

The Cabin at Squirrel Creek

1 site · Lodging8 acres · Newland, NC

Escape to a magical mountain getaway at the Cabin at Squirrel Creek. Cascades, waterfalls and 1200 feet of hatchery-supported trout stream make this cozy cabin a unique experience. Unplug and recharge as you listen to the bold rushing creek from the two-level deck. Outdoor enthusiasts will love the proximity to hiking, skiing and waterfalls, including the Appalachian Trail and Elk River Falls. Grandfather Mountain, Linville Falls and Sugar Mountain are all around 20 minutes from the cabin.

Nearby parks

Explore the area’s public lands.

96%

(148)

Pisgah National Forest

Burnsville, North Carolina

100%

(4)

Grandfather Mountain State Park

Seven Devils, North Carolina

96%

(42)

Cherokee National Forest

Mountain City, Tennessee

100%

(9)

Mount Mitchell State Park

Montreat, North Carolina

Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Cave camping near Banner Elk guide

Overview

Welcome to Hipcamp, your ultimate guide to camping in the United States! Whether you're an experienced outdoors enthusiast or a first-time camper, we've got you covered. With over 180 available options near Banner Elk, North Carolina, specifically tailored to your cave exploration preference, you'll find the perfect campsite for your adventure. Looking for highly recommended campsites? Check out Dark Ridge Hide Out (422 reviews), The River Life (138 reviews), and The Waldhaus Resort (103 reviews). And don't worry about amenities - our popular campsites offer showers, potable water, and toilets. Plus, you'll have plenty of activities to enjoy like paddling, hiking, and even surfing. So pack your gear, get ready to explore, and book your next camping trip with Hipcamp. Prices start as low as $20 per night with an average price of $34 per night. Happy camping!