Beach Camping Near Franklin, North Carolina, US: 12 Best Beach Campsites 2026

Franklin draws campers looking for a beach fix, with over 2,100 tent campsites spread along sandy shores, tucked by lakes, and hidden in tree lines. Expect nightly rates that average $102, though you’ll find options starting at $50 if you keep an eye out. Top picks based on camper reviews include Wooded Camping at Pond (93 reviews), The Quack Shack (22 reviews), and Sacred Roots (11 reviews). Showers, pet-friendly sites, and campfires are standard at most spots. You’ll see plenty of folks horseback riding, hiking, or just watching for wildlife between dips in the water. Bring bug spray, keep your food packed up, and don’t count on cell service holding up in the more remote corners.

100% (30)

Top-rated campgrounds near Franklin

Franklin draws campers looking for a beach fix, with over 2,100 tent campsites spread along sandy shores, tucked by lakes, and hidden in tree lines. Expect nightly rates that average $102, though you’ll find options starting at $50 if you keep an eye out. Top picks based on camper reviews include Wooded Camping at Pond (93 reviews), The Quack Shack (22 reviews), and Sacred Roots (11 reviews). Showers, pet-friendly sites, and campfires are standard at most spots. You’ll see plenty of folks horseback riding, hiking, or just watching for wildlife between dips in the water. Bring bug spray, keep your food packed up, and don’t count on cell service holding up in the more remote corners.

100% (30)

Top-rated campgrounds near Franklin

1. The Quack Shack

100%

(25)

38mi from Franklin · 3 sites · Lodging

This site is accessed via a short trail through the trees down a gentle, sloping hill, and finally by a short stairway, and as such it may not be easily accessible for campers with limited mobility. Located on the grounds of the Duckpond Pottery, The Quack Shack is a secluded treehouse perched along the banks of the French Broad River. The structure is an 8x10 A-frame that transforms via a hinged wall into an open-air cabana with a charming deck that affords spectacular views of the French Broad River and surrounding countryside. The interior of the Quack Shack, with its vaulted 11-foot ceiling and earthen plaster walls, provides a warm glow in a rainforest environment. It is furnished with a comfortable seating area surrounding a coffee table that can be easily converted to a full-size queen bed at night. On the outside deck are beach chairs and a chimenea available for use. The quack shack has electric power (1 outlet only). Amenities include a bathroom located a short walk away at the main building as well as an open-air on-demand shower located off the bathroom on a deck overlooking the French Broad River. Morning coffee and tea is available at The Tea Hut located just a hop, skip, and jump from the treehouse. A new two person wood fired hot tub and cold plunge is now located just off the steps of the treehouse. (Contact us if you’d like to reserve it during your stay). NOTE: The Duckpond Pottery is a working studio pottery and gallery that is open to the public. It is also home to occasional open-air house concerts on the deck at the pottery. The host generally blocks concert dates, however, it is worth double-checking with the host that there will not be a concert if you desire a quieter experience.

2. Good Egg Tiny Home & Remodeled Barn

100%

(10)

48mi from Franklin · 4 sites · Lodging

When you go to sleep, there's no light except the moon and stars, no refrigerator or central heating or air conditioning noise -- only the sounds of nature -- the stream, crickets or frogs in the nearby pond, dogs or coyotes in the distance. Without the glow of a nearby city, the hot tub on a clear night, the skies are dazzling. Speaking of which, the wood-fired hot tub is made by a company called Snorkel. It's perfect for 2 and can fit 3, although tight. It's Japanese style hot tub bathing, meaning no chemicals. Also, since we're not grid tied, it relies on a firebox heating fresh spring water, which you fill it with. It takes approx. 35 minutes to fill the tub and between 3 and 3.5 hours to heat (longer when it's really cold!). There's a thermometer in it, so as it gets closer to your liking (don't let it get over 102 degrees), let the existing logs burn down, choke off the air vent sleeve and hop in. With no pump sounds and the stars above, it's incomparable. The $50 fee (per 2 night rentals) covers thorough cleaning between guests and split firewood. You will be very comfortable in Little Good Egg, even in extreme weather, simply by paying attention and taking more time for simple tasks. It sounds corny, but there is a meditative quality to thinking and doing things like heating water, keeping warm, staying hydrated, eating well and choosing to do what you really want. I'm always amazed how busy I am -- and how different this kind of busy feels -- without electronics and my technological "time savers." Odd as it sounds to say this, it's stunning and wonderful to go "offline," even for just a day, and not get hit by little chirps and incoming messages that seem to arrive now 24/7. Note: Since we opened in October, 2014, guest reviews consistently tell us us best thing about staying at Good Egg is being off the grid and the treadmill of modern life, unplugging from the dominant culture and experiencing oneself as humans did 100 years ago and more. Whether it’s the absence of electricity (in the cabin), the quiet of the country, no city glow in the night sky, or the once common experience of the natural world dominating over human-made or human-crafted things, it’s astonishing for many of us to see and feel and experience without constant communications via text and email and the distractions of modern life. Many people write that they’ve learned an enormous amount about themselves, about homesteading or permaculture, and about alternate ways of being. WARNING: Under North Carolina law, there is no liability for an injury to or death of a participant in an agritourism activity conducted at this agritourism location if such injury or death results from the inherent risks of the agritourism activity. Inherent risks of agritourism activities include, among others, risks of injury inherent to land, equipment, and animals, as well as the potential for you to act in a negligent manner that may contribute to your injury or death. You are assuming the risk of participating in this agritourism activity.” N.C.G.S. § 99E-32(b).

3. Nantahala National Forest

95%

(73)

438 sites · Franklin, North Carolina

Discover what the Cherokee call the Land of the Noonday Sun.

Pets

Toilets

Campfires

4. Sumter National Forest

88%

(13)

259 sites · Joanna, South Carolina

Explore the vast South Carolina wilderness on foot, by bike, or by boat

Toilets

Campfires

Showers

5. Black Rock Mountain State Park

100%

(10)

17 sites · Mountain City, Georgia

Mountain top vistas and rugged terrain define this Georgia park.

Pets

Toilets

Campfires

6. Devils Fork State Park

100%

(8)

115 sites · Salem, South Carolina

Mountain gorges and lakeside waterfalls provide stellar views at Lake Jocassee.

Pets

Toilets

Campfires

7. Pisgah National Forest

97%

(156)

251 sites · Burnsville, North Carolina

One of Pisgah's gems is Richland Balsam, the highest peak on the Blue Ridge Parkway at 6,410 feet.

Pets

Toilets

Campfires

8. Keowee-Toxaway State Park

100%

(2)

27 sites · Salem, South Carolina

Discover the natural splendor of Keowee-Toxaway State Park.

Pets

Toilets

Campfires

9. Great Smoky Mountains National Park

98%

(193)

621 sites · Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Forest trails link campsites with waterfalls and reminders of once-bustling Appalachian communities.

10. Lake Barkley

19 sites · Cumberland City, Tennessee

Discover Lake Barkley's scenic beauty and outdoor adventures.

11. Table Rock State Park

100%

(14)

113 sites · Pickens, South Carolina

Towering mountains, creeks and lakes, and miles of trails delight at this historic upcountry park.

Pets

Toilets

Campfires

12. Cherokee National Forest

96%

(48)

625 sites · Mountain City, Tennessee

Follow us to Tennessee and dive into the grandeur of the Cherokee National Forest! It’s filled to the brim with scenic forested trails, rushing rivers, and rainbow trout. During the day you can go rafting, and at night you can bask yourself in moonshine (of various sorts) and brush up on your constellations. If you are in pursuit of some Appalachian Mountain bliss, this is the right place to start. Don’t forget your camera, you're going to want to show these vistas off!

Public campgrounds near Franklin

100%

(2)

Mountain Waters Scenic Byway

1.5mi from Franklin · 26 sites · Tents, RVs · in Nantahala National Forest

100%

(2)

Cullasaja Gorge Campground

5.5mi from Franklin · 25 sites · Tents, RVs · in Nantahala National Forest

Van Hook Glade Campground

10mi from Franklin · 8 sites · Tents, RVs · in Nantahala National Forest

92%

(6)

Standing Indian Campground

11mi from Franklin · 80 sites · Tents, RVs · in Nantahala National Forest

Hurricane Creek Horse & Primitive Campground

100%

(1)

Hurricane Creek Horse & Primitive Campground

11mi from Franklin · 16 sites · Tents, RVs · in Nantahala National Forest

100%

(3)

Cheoah Point Campground

13mi from Franklin · 23 sites · Tents, RVs · in Nantahala National Forest

Wine Spring Horse Camp

13mi from Franklin · 6 sites · Tents, RVs · in Nantahala National Forest

100%

(2)

Blue Valley Dispersed Camping

15mi from Franklin · 22 sites · Tents, RVs · in Nantahala National Forest

100%

(3)

Burrells Ford Camping

16mi from Franklin · 1 site · in Sumter National Forest

Ammons Branch Campground

17mi from Franklin · 4 sites · Tents, RVs · in Nantahala National Forest

100%

(4)

Chattooga Wild and Scenic River

17mi from Franklin · 1 site · in Nantahala National Forest

100%

(10)

Black Rock Mountain State Park Campground

19mi from Franklin · 17 sites · Tents, RVs · in Black Rock Mountain State Park

Recent reviews from the Hipcamp community

M

Mac

November 2025

1 night at The Quack Shack

Traveling solo to mtn bike in the area and enjoyed my stay.

M

Mateo

September 2025

1 night at The Quack Shack

Nick, our host was super welcoming and helpful with the tour of his property and the treehouse. The space had everything you need, so much so that I would say I overpacked for our stay.

Yadkin Valley

June 2025

Weekend Trip to The Quack Shack

Nick is a gracious host and the place is just perfect for a cozy getaway.

C

Christina

June 2025

2 nights at The Quack Shack

Such a fabulous host and overall excellent experience! Just book it and know you are going to experience something truly unique on this property and be well taken care of. Every detail has been very uniquely crafted. During our stay we felt very safe, relaxed and enjoyed the beautiful sounds of the river. The nights came alive with a beautiful moon and the sounds of nature. Coyotes in the far distance, raccoon, and a beautiful herd of deer drinking from the river. I hope all others who visit will respect and appreciate it as much as we did!

M

Maggie

May 2025

1 night at The Quack Shack

We had a wonderful stay at the Quack Shack. Lovely river views. Nick was a kind host and made sure we had everything we needed. The sleeping arrangements were comfy and the place was well maintained. Easy walk from your car to the spot. Weather at night was in the high 40s and we slept comfortably with doors closed, blankets, and warm clothes.

C

Corinne

March 2025

1 night at The Quack Shack

We loved staying at the Quack shack, and had lots of fun learning about the pottery studio and natural building that Nick does :) would love to stay again!

M

Megan

March 2025

With kids

1 night at The Quack Shack

This structure is so well-designed and the hot tea/coffee available and wood fired hot tub made it extra special! We propped open the siding and my son read a book while I cooked our dinner in the chiminea on the deck - so lovely.

H

Hayley

February 2025

1 night at The Quack Shack

We had a great time at the Quack Shack!! Nick was super nice and met us at his pottery studio to show us around and then we had the place to ourselves all night. He was kind enough to leave us with scrap wood to make a fire in the chimnea!!! Everything was clean and the A-frame was super cozy. Absolutely wonderful glamping experience complete with two heaters to keep us warm all night, nearby bathrooms, and a stocked coffee/tea bar. We would absolutely come back and recommend this place to friends!

K

Kendra

January 2025

Weekend Trip to The Quack Shack

I loved staying on Nicks land, the site was beautiful and relaxing. He had all the amenities we needed and then some. He met us at the tea Hut to give us a tour of everything and updates on work he's doing to improve his sight which will include a sauna and another hot tub, So we will definitely be going back. He was a great host and he let us check out a little bit later to give us more time the following day to enjoy the shack.