The best dog-friendly campgrounds in North Carolina

For dog owners seeking an adventure-packed playground for their four-legged companions, North Carolina offers so many possibilities and a wide array of dog-friendly camping opportunities. In the Blue Ridge Mountains, ideal for spring through fall outdoor stays, pups and people can hike, splash, swim, and camp under the stars. For the Piedmont, coast, and Outer Banks, swimming, kayaking, and hiking are best enjoyed fall through spring, as the summer months bring high heat and crowds. North Carolina has some pet-friendly beaches, though beaches are more so in the off-season. Across the Tarheel State are many public campgrounds and state parks, as well as private camping spots on farms and wooded properties that can accommodate tents or RVs with electric hookups. There are also some truly unique camp experiences as well—all dog-friendly. Campers can pitch a tent at a mountain biking retreat near Asheville, stargaze from their campsite atop a mountain, or RV camp under live oaks near the coast. Rustic stays range from a barn loft to a riverside platform camping deck to creekside campsites with a firepit. More comfy stays include an adorable A-frame cabin with a queen-size bed and private privy, a tiny house for glamping, or an overnight stay in an orchard house complete with a clawfoot tub.

97% (26.7K)

Top-rated campgrounds

For dog owners seeking an adventure-packed playground for their four-legged companions, North Carolina offers so many possibilities and a wide array of dog-friendly camping opportunities. In the Blue Ridge Mountains, ideal for spring through fall outdoor stays, pups and people can hike, splash, swim, and camp under the stars. For the Piedmont, coast, and Outer Banks, swimming, kayaking, and hiking are best enjoyed fall through spring, as the summer months bring high heat and crowds. North Carolina has some pet-friendly beaches, though beaches are more so in the off-season. Across the Tarheel State are many public campgrounds and state parks, as well as private camping spots on farms and wooded properties that can accommodate tents or RVs with electric hookups. There are also some truly unique camp experiences as well—all dog-friendly. Campers can pitch a tent at a mountain biking retreat near Asheville, stargaze from their campsite atop a mountain, or RV camp under live oaks near the coast. Rustic stays range from a barn loft to a riverside platform camping deck to creekside campsites with a firepit. More comfy stays include an adorable A-frame cabin with a queen-size bed and private privy, a tiny house for glamping, or an overnight stay in an orchard house complete with a clawfoot tub.

97% (26.7K)

Top-rated campgrounds

1. Sugarneck Glamping Resort, NC

99%

(67)

4 sites · Lodging · Broadway, NC

Situated on over 400 acres, Sugarneck has private and communal gathering areas to stay put and soak in the escape or take a short drive to great things to and places to eat. Private Amenities include: Bathrooms, Mini Refrigerators, Heat & A/C, Luxury Bedding and Private Solo Stove Campsites. Communal Amenities include: TV/Game room, Grill, Fire Pit, Walking trails and lawn games.

2. Kerr Lake Glamping at Holly Forest

100%

(36)

5 sites · Lodging · Henderson, NC

Tucked into a quiet corner of our working farm called Heritage Farm, Holly Forest offers a peaceful retreat with easy access to shared amenities. Guests have access to water, electricity, and our centrally located Bathhouse, which includes showers, restrooms, and parking. Each day, we provide battery boxes for running a fan or charging small electronics. Heritage Farm is rooted in natural, sustainable practices and hands-on learning experiences. Depending on the season, you may find the farm bustling with activity—especially during flower season as we cultivate our blooms for Cultivate Flower Co., or while we care for our animals and craft small-batch products like our Kinda Crunchy Goat Milk Soap. No matter the time of year, you'll see us tending to the land and the animals we love.

3. Raven Ridge

99%

(269)

2 sites · Lodging · Marshall, NC

Raven ridge is a 5.0 acre property with plenty of botanical appeal, Appalachian charm and mountain views. James landed on the property in 2009, built a small dairy barn and milked 3 cows for a couple years before building the two cabins. In 2015 he was joined by Sofi, originally from Sweden and together they have three daughters. Together they manage a botanically interesting hobby hill farm and are happy to host travelers and seekers in their cabins. Hilltop was a joint project that James built in 2012 with a talented woodworker and friend in 6 months. We have maintained the original vibe of the place, rustic simplicity and elegance a notch or two above glamping, well-described by the zen koan, "chop wood, carry water" Orchard House was built entirely by James from the block up to the roof, averaging 1 hour/day for 3 years or 1,000 hours. Some of the Hilltop photos are a bit dated, we have a more private outhouse behind the cabin, and have made a few improvements here and there. Reach out anytime for any reason. We love hosting and nearly everyone enjoys their stay.

4. Kinderhook Hollow Ponds/Brook

92%

(107)

16 sites · RVs · Swannanoa, NC

Lower end 4 acres of the Property (3 acres of ponds and pasture)  is available for camping. 3 stocked ponds (for catch-n-release) and a mountain brook wrap around the bottom of the property.We are just 3 miles to Warren Wilson College equidistant between Asheville and Black Mountain. We are on a Private Rd. with no light or noise pollution.

5. Honah Lee Farms

99%

(478)

5 sites · Tents · Rougemont, NC

(Notice - Our driveway was damaged by heavy rains from hurricane Helene. We have been working to make repairs. For those return campers and all new guests to Honah Lee Farms, we are no longer accepting trailers or RVs longer than 12 ft. due to the narrowing of our driveway from the recent flood-waters. We apologize for any inconvenience and will post updates here if the circumstances change. Also, we are totally off-grid, which means we do not have RV hook-ups or empty stations. Thank you for your understanding. - Brian) Our camp is the shared vision of Brian and Lee and son Michael. We fell in love with this beautiful property where we plan to build our eco-friendly, off-grid homestead and farm. Lee's favorite song and the inspiration behind our name is "Puff the Magic Dragon" by Peter, Paul and Mary. A land of whimsical imagination, beauty and maybe a dragon or three is our shared vision for the farm. The camping options are flexible, ranging from prepared campsites along both Little and Deep creeks with composting outhouses nearby, to "Camper's Choice" options where you may hike in or drive in and create your own camping experience. Please note that since the "Camper's Choice" options allow freedom to select hike-in or drive-in options, the exact distance to nearest outhouse may vary. There are 144 acres to explore so campers can set up a secluded getaway or cluster together in a group. We are flexible and can work with you to create a camping experience that suits your needs. Learn more about this land: Honah Lee Farms has over 140 acres of woods with open fields distributed throughout. We are bordered to the south by the Flat River, to the west by Deep Creek, and to the north by Little Creek. Most of our campsites are nestled in the trees along one of these bodies of water and all campers have access to the 10 foot waterfall area where Deep Creek runs into the Flat River.

Public campgrounds in North Carolina

100%

(6)

New River Campground

81 sites · Tents, RVs · in New River State Park

100%

(2)

Elk Knob Campground

13 sites · in Elk Knob State Park

100%

(7)

Grandfather Mountain Campground

1 site · in Grandfather Mountain State Park

100%

(3)

South Mountains Campground

86 sites · Tents, RVs · in South Mountains State Park

100%

(2)

Flanners Beach Campground

39 sites · Tents, RVs · in Croatan National Forest

Stories from the community

K

Katrina

2 weeks ago

With kids

3 nights at Kerr Lake Glamping at Holly Forest

We stayed at this cabin at Holly Forest for a few nights over thanksgiving. The cabin held our little family (2 adults 2 young kids) well on the loft bed and the pull-out couch. The grounds are beautiful and we had a ton of fun at the basketball court and the field next to it. We cooked food in the provided toaster oven/air fryer but could have easily used the common area equipment too (grill, griddle pan, pizza oven). Hosts were responsive to our needs. Bathrooms were clean and close to our cabin. We would come back!

H

Heather

3 weeks ago

With pets

2 nights at Sugarneck Glamping Resort, NC

Loved your facility! Everything was so neat,clean, had everything you could need. Absolutely beautiful property and very accomodating! Can't wait to come back.

Pre hurricane. Everything you could want.

Kristen

November 2025

Tent

With pets

5 nights at Honah Lee Farms

Fantastic camp site! Very private! We felt super safe the entire time. Beautiful place to stay. I could have easily stayed another 5 nights on top of the 5 nights we did stay! We will be back for sure!

H

Helena

November 2025

With kids

Weekend Trip to Sugarneck Glamping Resort, NC

We were four families who spent a weekend at Sugar Neck, and honestly, it was such a perfect escape. Having the entire place to ourselves made it feel extra special — it’s an amazing setup for a group getaway. The tents are beautiful, super comfortable, and the bathrooms are neat, private, and way nicer than you’d expect for glamping. We couldn’t have asked for more. In fact, we loved it so much we’ve already booked another weekend for next week! The host was excellent at communicating and made everything smooth from start to finish. Highly recommend Sugar Neck for anyone looking for a peaceful, cozy, group-friendly glamping spot.

A

Andrew

November 2025

Tent

5 nights at Honah Lee Farms

Camper's Choice #1 comes with a secondary site that is more secluded than the primary. There is a small hike so pack lightly because the trail isn't exactly smooth. Once at the site though it is completely private, except for a few cows across the creek that are pretty nosey. We said multiple times during our stay that it is the best site on the property so check it out. The site doesn't have a picnic table like the others and the outhouse is a 5 minute hike away, but it's manageable. There is a table and fire pit provided. Also Mike is very helpful and always available if we needed anything. 10/10

Jordan

November 2025

Tent

With kids

Weekend Trip to Honah Lee Farms

This spot was great for us with kids. Easy to access, felt worlds away to them but not that far from town. Mike was great showing us in and everyone was easy to communicate with.

E

Elaine

November 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Honah Lee Farms

Absolutely loved camping here! Mike (Brian's son) was our main point of contact and so nice and helpful. He sold us some firewood after we ran out for a great price. Being right next to the water was so peaceful. They have two super friendly donkeys that you're able to go up and pet which was a blast! Would definitely love to come back during the spring or summer to forage some.

K

Kenny

November 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to Honah Lee Farms

Always a pleasure to stay here. Very private. I’ve been a handful of times over the last few years. The sites always look nice and Mike is always around if needed.

C

Catherine

November 2025

Weekend Trip to Raven Ridge

Talk about a slice of heaven! James was so accommodating and gave great directions and fast communication. The cabin is so magical, clean, and has the best books! Would recommend for anyone looking to unwind or find creative inspiration. We only got to stay one magical night but will be back for a long weekend retreat! Also birding paradise

D

DeMartre

November 2025

1 night at Kerr Lake Glamping at Holly Forest

Amazing Stay!!! Jim and Becky really do think about their guests! Amazing spot for family functions as well!

D

Dania

November 2025

With pets

Weekend Trip to Sugarneck Glamping Resort, NC

This was the perfect place for a little getaway and relaxation! Everything was beautiful and comfortable. We can't wait to come back!

L

Linda

November 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to Honah Lee Farms

The land was amazing. The spot was amazing. They were very hospitable. They checked up on you made sure everything was good if you needed something I did their best to accommodate you. I’m definitely gonna go back.

C

Clarissa

November 2025

With pets

Weekend Trip to Kerr Lake Glamping at Holly Forest

It was quite cold at night but we were given a space heater and the mattress had heating pads on both sides of the bed. The common areas had large space heaters and the showers gave us super nice hot water. It was so very cozy. We enjoyed fishing on their pond. The bathroom was so close to the lodge, we really didn’t need the golf cart they gave us, but it was fun to have anyways. They had huge jackery batteries that they made sure were full daily. This was genuinely a glamping experience. I loved it because we still definitely felt like we were “camping” just with high end amenities. We envisioned the entire space would be so perfect for any kind of weekend event just with all the different facilities within the sight. We stayed with our pups and they loved seeing the cows in the morning!! First time we took them camping and they did so great. We had a great stay :)

Ian

October 2025

Tent

With kids

Weekend Trip to Honah Lee Farms

Mike was great checking us in and showing us around. Spot was perfect for tents, 2 small and 1 large. Wooded area on a “peninsula” with the creek wrapping around you. Was just Dad, his daughters and their dogs and we all had a great time. Especially the dogs in the creek. Outhouse is easy and quick to get to, kids could go in their own without worry. Saw some vehicles at another spot up from us, but never saw the campers or heard them. Great spot.

S

Shaun

October 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Honah Lee Farms

My brother and I had a great time camping at Honah Lee Farms. The campsite was right beside the stream and had plenty of space for us to set up our tents. We would go back again!

Looking east toward the blue ridge parkway and Mt Mitchell

S

Shea

October 2025

3 nights at Raven Ridge

Ravens Ridge was a beautiful getaway. With rustic charms and spectacular views.... Even from bed! Cantral to places to explore. Went to Bryson City for the train ride through the mountains. Gatlinburg is so close as well to find fun to get into. Definitely be prepared for the walk up to the cabin but it was a beautiful and well needed retreat.

Marlon

October 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Honah Lee Farms

views were beautiful & the land was very well kept. outhouse was conveniently located walking distance from the site & clean. loved the privacy & ability to explore down the creek. greeted by mike who was helpful and provided a thorough layout of the property. thankyou

M

Mary

October 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Honah Lee Farms

Great campsite! Host was great, and site was quiet and private. Outhouse was clean. Will visit again!

E

Emily

October 2025

3 nights at Kerr Lake Glamping at Holly Forest

Jim and Becky have a fabulous place! They are very accommodating and the location is perfect! Will definitely be back!

Miriam (Mimi)

October 2025

Tent

With pets

1 night at Honah Lee Farms

Beautiful, great place with friendly hosts. Lush green, well cared for fields, well marked walking paths and fishing beach... There was even some starter firewood for us. Our dog loved the fields and the water, and so did we. What more could we ask? We absolutely hope to return.