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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Top-rated campgrounds near Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park
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Creek side
4 sites · Lodging, Tents18 acres · Hot Springs, NC
Picturesque meadow on what once was a tobacco farm. All campsites are waterfront along the year round babbling creek. Stocked with trout three times a year. Property located very close to Max Patch for hiking or just to watch the amazing sunset. Each site comes with a fireplace, picnic table and charcoal bbq. Porto potty and outdoor shower on property.
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$25
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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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TangleWood Creekside Campsites
19 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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Secret Garden of Eden
4 sites · Lodging, RVs20 acres · Weaverville, NC
Closest experience to Hot Springs you'll find just 15 minutes from Asheville! Our hot tubs and pool are constantly refreshed with mountain spring water! Retreat into nature on our 20-acre organic food forest! Take a hot soak under the stars. Swim laps in our saltwater pool. Take a barefoot hike. Pick berries in the summer, apples in the fall. Have a campfire. Sleep to the sound of crickets, and wake to the sound of birds.
**Secret Garden of Eden is a Private Membership Association (PMA). We are not open to the general public, nor are our glamping cabins permitted by or regulated by any government entity. Your reservation includes a $1 lifetime membership to our Private Membership Association.
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$60
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Inner Wolf Retreat Space
8 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents6 acres · Mars Hill, NC
A Sound Healing Retreat Center for you to find renewal and unplug on 6 peaceful acres with a large creek running through the whole property, several ponds, and a large field of flowers. Our property is a healing space , complementing the sounds of nature and meditative sound healing instruments like gongs and crystal singing bowls to help you find your inner compass. Please ask us if you'd like to add a sound healing session to your camping experience.
As you enter the property, flow downstream, leaving worries behind, pass the Sound Healing Pyramid Barn, set up for events and sound healing sessions, in addition to retreats. Under the eaves of the back of the barn you'll find a picnic table to enjoy in the shade while listening to the babbling large creek running along side you and leading you to your peaceful campsite in the field, under the trees, and under the stars. Van and small RV camping spots are located by the workshop and small cabin and the portajon.
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$35
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Mountain Paradise
2 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, and nearby Hot Springs 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.
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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$42
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3feather Sanctuary
7 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents16 acres · Hot Springs, NC
Welcome to 3Feather Sanctuary, tucked away amidst our more-than 16 acre beautiful property. This is the perfect peaceful getaway near great outdoor activities and some of the best that North Carolina has to offer!
3Feather Sanctuary is surrounded by beautiful, stately trees and has a creek meandering through it. The closest town is Hot Springs, which is 20 minutes away and the Hot Springs are a definite must-see if that peaks your interest! The town itself is also pretty cool. There are some good shops, restaurants & our favorite hardware store!! Downtown Marshall is also close, about 25 minutes and has a lot to offer! Gr8 restaurants, thrifting and cute shops along the river.
Our property is about an hour away from the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the adorable city of Asheville - which makes for a fantastic day trip with delicious restaurants, breweries, cool shops, and more! The Great Smokey Mountains and Deep Creek are about 1.5 hours away from the campsite. The Appalachian Trail is closeby and there are countless opportunities for stunning hikes. There's also kayaking, tubing, white water rafting opportunities as well as zip lining and horseback riding. There is something for everyone to enjoy and we can't wait to share it with you!
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$28.50
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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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$15
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Mystic Pass
1 site · RV, Tent27 acres · 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!
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$45
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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 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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Honeysuckle Springs
10 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents40 acres · Cosby, TN
Welcome to our beautiful campground nestled in the heart of the Smoky Mountains! This enchanting getaway offers breathtaking mountain views that will leave you in awe. Whether you're a nature lover, an avid stargazer, or a hiking enthusiast, this spot has it all.
One of the standout features of our campground is its unbeatable panoramic view of the majestic Smoky Mountains. Imagine waking up to the sight of rolling peaks and vibrant colors painted across the sky as the sun rises. The evenings are equally mesmerizing, with a clear night sky perfect for stargazing. Be prepared to witness a dazzling display of stars that will leave you feeling connected to the universe.
Nature enthusiasts will be delighted by the abundant wildlife surrounding the campsite. Keep your camera ready, as you may spot deer gracefully grazing in the nearby fields or catch a glimpse of a majestic eagle soaring through the skies. It's an opportunity to truly immerse yourself in the wonders of nature.
For adventure seekers, there are numerous hiking trails nearby, allowing you to explore the natural beauty of the Smoky Mountains up close. Whether you're looking for a challenging trek or a leisurely stroll, you'll find the perfect trail to suit your preferences.
We understand the importance of comfort during your experience, which is why we provide a well-maintained bathhouse with hot running water. Freshen up after a day of outdoor activities and relax in the clean and inviting facilities.
Convenience is key, and our campground is ideally located near two entrances to the Smoky Mountain National Park. This means you'll have easy access to all the park has to offer, from its picturesque trails to its awe-inspiring waterfalls.
Adding to the charm of our campground is its historical significance as an old farm. You'll have the opportunity to explore the charming barns and learn about the area's rich agricultural heritage. It's a glimpse into the past that adds a unique touch to your camping experience.
We understand the importance of staying connected, even while surrounded by nature. That's why we provide Wi-Fi access, allowing you to share your adventures with friends and family or simply stay connected to the world if needed.
While our campground provides a serene and secluded environment, we are just a short 30-minute drive away from the vibrant towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. You'll have the best of both worlds – a peaceful retreat in nature and the option to indulge in the attractions, restaurants, and entertainment that these bustling towns have to offer.
Come and experience the beauty, tranquility, and adventure of the Smoky Mountains at our camoground. It's a truly unforgettable experience that will leave you with cherished memories and a deep appreciation for nature's wonders.
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$30
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The River Life
17 sites · Lodging, 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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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
- You can reserve the park's three backcountry, primitive campsites in advance via the Tennessee State Parks website. Reservations are available all year round.
- Campsite reservations open 12 months in advance.
- 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.
Top cities near Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park
- Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park
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