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Bald Eagles have been seen on April 27th, 2026! The views are hypnotic, looking down and out over the continental divide. Good morning, and sunsets can be seen from the same spot. Your car is parked within feet of your deck, so Car Campers and experienced campers can enjoy. Designed with campers and dogs in mind. The deck is large (384 square feet) with a tin roof. Some are two-thirds, and some are one-third, depending on what one wants for tent size or sun exposure. (See pictures of each site/deck) Each deck features sun and rain curtains to help keep you comfortable in both sunny and rainy weather. Dogs enjoy a two-gate system that allows guests and dogs to be leash-free and away from the road. All dog owners know to pick up after their pets. The human Private Porta John is cleaned frequently. Lights and electrical outlets are 110V (3 prongs) for YOUR coffee pots, electric grills, mattress inflators, crockpots, electric blankets, fans, etc. I do not provide any electrical appliances, other than counter area lighting and low-level string lights, so one can see the night sky. PMany of my campers will "Pay it Forward" and leave coffee pots, hot plates, fans and such, so count yourself lucky to find a deck with them. I provide chairs, 5 gallons of fresh water in containers, a fickle solar shower, and a pop-up changing room, along with an assortment of camping supplies from dog bowls to antimicrobial. I provide various-size garbage bags to manage your garbage. Your parking area is next to the deck. Black Mountain’s tasty restaurants are 4 miles away, and All Trails is an excellent app for finding trails suited for your interests. Be respectful, please.
Private Glamping Decks with a view that pictures do not do justice. Private decks on a dead-end gravel road mean hopefully the sounds will only be of nature. The conveniences of electricity, porta john, water, chairs, table, roof, cleaning supplies, rain curtains, and astounding views have my Glampers coming back often. Designed with Dogs in mind with a two-gate system and no need for a leash when on the deck. Obnoxious, barking dogs are not welcome, so bring only controlled and well-socialized dogs. Help me keep it dog-friendly. Never block the road with a park car.
Select a site
Lodging
6 sites
283 Built 2022
98%
(142)
Treehouse · Sleeps 6
This deck's full roof feel spacious at 384sf. Plenty of furniture to lounge and watch the stars, moon and sun rotate. Parking is very convenient and there is ample counter space and electrical outlets. Most people decide to skip the visit to Biltmore and waste the day reading a listening to nature sounds such as the resident redtail hawk, the ever present family of crows or hopefully a whipporwill at dusk.
No campfires
Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Showers
Picnic table
269 RV
99%
(75)
Glamping pod · Sleeps 6
This site has parking accomodation for a Class B Van (no bigger) and a 110 power cord is available. This has a 2/3 rd roof so those who want to have sun. Plenty of sturdy supports for hammock lovers. Park next to your deck. Limited to one Class B van or two normal size vehicles. Private Glamping Decks with a view that pictures do not do justice. Private decks on a dead-end gravel road mean hopefully the sounds will only be of nature. The conveniences of electricity, porta john, potable water, chairs, table, roof, cleaning supplies, rain curtains, and astounding views have my Glampers coming back often. Designed with Dogs in mind with a two-gate system and no need for a leash when on the deck. Obnoxious, barking dogs are not welcome, so bring only controlled and well socialized dogs. Help me keep it dog friendly.
No campfires
Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Showers
Picnic table
Western/Southern views. 271
98%
(73)
Treehouse · Sleeps 6
This is a roomy full roof deck with a wide western view of the mountains that run along the continental divide. Plenty of chairs and furniture to lounge about. Your parking is next to your deck. The view is to the West and South high enough from the ground to look down on raptor birds from above, which is a very cool perspective. The 271 Deck has a large number of steps (45), so it could be in such a more sucluded viewing spot. This is where I have my private kit for sleeping overnight spontaniously.
No campfires
Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Showers
Picnic table
View Like No Other, Glamping. 279
97%
(71)
Treehouse · Sleeps 6
Mountainsides and sunsets are captivating, such that you decide not to go into town, but laze about on an easy chair and work on that lifelong bird list from this 384 square foot deck. Private portajohn, lights, electrical outlets, chairs, table, 5 gallons of freshwater, and other items to make camping a Glamping experience. Good dogs are welcome and there is a two gate system to let dogs be free. Parking for two cars steps away from your deck. Trip time to Black Mountain and I-40 is 14 minutes away.
No campfires
Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Showers
Picnic table
Faces South room for 14x14 tent 285
98%
(58)
Treehouse · Sleeps 6
The 285 deck has a southern exposure and a short and long range view of a pasture valley and mountains. It measures 24x16 and 1/3rd of it is roofed with rain curtains. Lots of room for those with a big tent. This deck is sheltered from the prevailing winds and has just a few steps to your car. The electricty and private porta john is available at each deck. Bring any 110 eletric device, such as fans, griddle, crockpot, blenders, etc. The two gate system makes managing dogs easy. Parking is in the large shared parking area next to deck 283. Do not block road as EMS vehicles need to get by.
No campfires
Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
Showers
Picnic table
Lovely views at 275.
98%
(43)
Treehouse · Sleeps 6
Far and close Western views with your car parked nearby. This has a 2/3 roof and plenty of supports for hammocks. Same size as all the other decks 16x24 or 384sf. Please study the pictures.
Doug's campsite, 'Above the Fray', offers stunning mountain views and a peaceful retreat into nature, with many campers appreciating the convenience of amenities like electricity, water, and clean facilities. The setup caters to both traditional campers and those seeking a more comfortable glamping experience. While most reviews are positive, noting the well-maintained decks and thoughtful extras like rain curtains, there is one mention of neglect regarding mold on site. Overall, the site is praised for its tranquility, proximity to nature, and being a short drive from town.
We loved camping here. It was so amazing and had 10/10 views. The host was super communicative and we had no questions during our stay because of this. Perfect get away. We will be back!
Above the Fray was such a great location! Views amazing, the double gate was great for our doggo! Just an overall really great site. Doug was super thoughtful and responsive. We plan to definitely be back someday
We absolutely enjoyed our time at Above the Fray. The shelter was perfect and easy to find. Town was easily accessible and very close to get supplies or dinner. The views were unmatched and it was a perfect place for a quiet weekend getaway with our dog. We hope to return.
Beautiful views, quiet, great location. We loved waking up to the mountains and hearing nature as we fell asleep to. Short drive into town and hiking trails.
Doug's place was incredible! He provided the water and trickle shower which made our stay much easier. We hooked our hammocks up, turned the string lights on, and enjoyed the amazing views. As long as you take the drive slow and pay attention to traffic around the bend, it's easy enough to get to. It rained quite a bit during our stay, but with the rain/wind tarps our stuff stayed dry. Would absolutely stay again!
We were very happy staying on the deck here and I would definitely recommend it to others interested in the outdoors! There is already a table, chairs, shower, porta potty, and access to electricity on the deck. And with a roof over the deck, it was not necessary to set up my tent for the whole week we were there.
Lovely and was a nice blend of my love of camping (nature, peace and quiet) and my partner’s love for glamping (he had access to electric and phone service). Will definitely be back!
I really enjoyed my stay. It’s very beautiful there. The platforms are great in that they contain everything you need to make your camping experience more enjoyable.
This is honestly my favorite place to camp. I needed a break from life. It is so quiet and peaceful. The view is amazing. The rain on the tin roof was the perfect setting for a weekend filled with reading and recharging.
I loved staying here so much! I'm normally a tent camper, so this felt like straight luxury. Everything was so well thought of. It was so considerate of Doug to have water for us there and even a little picnic table to sit and eat at. I enjoyed the views so much I could never bring myself to close the curtains. But I'm sure of you needed to you could use them to block the sun if it gets too warm. There was also an electric fan already there to use which did come in hand even though I did bring a small camp one. My stay was mid August and it was about on the 80s mid day and in the 60s at night. I never felt too hot, but this Texas gal got cold at night. I never found the bugs to be too bad either, but bring big spray if you attract mosquitoes like I do. Overall, my pup and I enjoyed the stay so much and definitely plan on coming back. This place is such a treat.
Camping with comfort! Beautiful view, excellent platform space - partially covered and with rain curtains provided. Feels luxurious to plug in the coffee maker and have string lights to light the way to the very clean personal port-a-let! Yes, the road to get to them is narrow and bumpy, but it's worth it! Quiet, in nature, fantastic vista, private, but in a well organized and cared for little community.
We had such an amazing time here! The view was so beautiful. The platform is right on the side of the mountain, with stairs leading you a short distance from your car. The platform is covered in case of rain, and Doug even has rain curtains to close in the shelter! There's a folding table and four chairs provided! Each site has its own porta john, and it was super nice and clean! It has electricity, and we brought a big fan that was nice for the summer!
I had a great overnight stay at Above the Fray site 285. I knew it was going to be a raining day/evening so it was so nice to have a partial covered deck and rain curtains. My dog and I were able to get cozy and had a lovely night listening to the rain. Waking up to the beautiful Mountain View was such a treat. We had everything we needed and I look forward to another stay here in the future.
An amazing hidden gem in the mountains. It’s the perfect mix of camping and glamping. Doug has the platform ready with water, electric, bag shower, and a very clean portapotty. The double gate system was very helpful with my pups. Grab your coffee maker, a hammock, and spend some time on the deck watching the sun rise. 10/10! I’m shocked this place isn’t booked a year in advance.
I stayed on deck 279 for two nights... wow, I already miss waking up there this morning. Yesterday morning, the fog slowly rolled in and the night before, there was a sliver of a moon just as the sky was getting really dark. Each morning, I was treated to a whip-poor-will's song and the evening sunsets were colorful and exquisite.
In the afternoons when the sun is setting, it did get bright and hot on the deck so it was a perfect time to sit on the bench up the stairs and read in the shade for an hour or so (no potty odor!).
The outdoor shower, a bag suspended by a pulley (which I filled with the water jugs left for my stay), was an unexpected delight.
If you want a very memorable experience in a spectacularly beautiful setting, this is the place.
We stayed 4 nights so we could spend extra time just hanging out, enjoying the views, reading, playing cards and relaxing. This place is outstanding! The full roof and curtains were great for the rain storm that rolled in. Loved sleeping on the air mattress without a tent, listening to the rain.
The deck had a lot of room for us to enjoy and was very peaceful. We didn’t hear any other guests at the other decks.
The sunny days, again we utilized the curtains and the box fan we brought at night.
This place is truly a gem and a fairly easy drive.
With Downtown Black Mountain a very close trip for dining or bringing food back, this is going to be my go to place to stay!
We’re already discussing when we can return again and definitely will!
Thank you for sharing this treasure of a place with us and our dogs.
Staying at Above the Fray camping site, was an absolutely perfect experience. Even though we had some unfortunate rain during our trip, the covered area and rain curtains made all the difference. We were still able to relax and fully enjoy our time away without any worry about the weather. Doug was incredibly helpful, both as we prepared for our visit and while we were there, making the entire stay smooth and stress-free. I highly recommend Above the Fray for anyone looking for a peaceful and well-thought-out camping experience.
This was our third trip to Above the Fray! We love staying here and will continue to come back as much as we can. The location is super convenient to town but also feels very secluded and private. The view is stunning. It was really hot the weekend we stayed but having access to electricity and a fan helped keep our tent comfortable through the night. We can't wait to return in the fall!
Loved Doug's camping decks, you cant beat that view and being out in nature with the bears and whippoorwills, it was a very much appreciated and wonderful relaxation time, Doug is responsive and very helpful, his decks have enough to get you started with tables, chairs and a solar camping shower, the only downside which didnt effect the experience is the steps leading down to the decks can be rough carrying a bunch of gear
Location
Black Mountain, Buncombe County, North Carolina, United StatesTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking