Martin's Nest Nantahala
8 acres hosted by Jim K.
1 RV/tent site · 1 tent site
Near Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Within a 60-minute drive from the Clingmans Dome Visitor Center.
Amazing views
Hipcampers say this spot has amazing views.
Staff verified
Accuracy verified by Hipcamp's on-the-ground team.
Activities
Biking
Boating
Fishing
Hiking
Natural features
Forest
River, stream, or creek
Mountainous
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RV/tent sites 1 site
Reviews
100% Recommend66 ratings · 56 reviews
Camping at this site offers a mix of seclusion and convenience, with a standout feature being the treehouse that many guests found delightful. The campsite is well-equipped with essentials like a fire pit, picnic tables, and potable water, making it a comfortable base for outdoor activities. Visitors appreciated the peaceful surroundings, with the sounds of a nearby creek adding to the tranquility. While the steep path to the site and occasional rain in the treehouse were noted, the overall experience was positive, with guests enjoying the proximity to nature and local attractions.
Summary AI-generated from real reviews
Recommends
· May 2025
Beautiful views, big set up. The treehouse is super cool. It was very peaceful. The road is a little rough, but do able. The walk up to the campsite is a bit steep. Be careful collecting firewood, there is a lot of rhododendron around. Overall a wonderful weekend!
M
Mandy P.
1 year on Hipcamp
First Hipcamp experience Group of 6 had a great time close to Gaf at NOC. Close and private..we were able to away from the crowds at the end of the day.
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Matt S.
2 reviews
Recommends
· July 2024
Tent · With kids ·
Site 1 - "Base Camp"
Jim's camp site was described to a T, and even the exact description didn't do it justice.
To be clear, this is not a spot for those who are finicky since it is rather primitive camping. (Flies in the compost/ camp toilet in July are no joke, and also to be expected. Most primitive spots don't even have camp toilets. If ya' know, ya' know. :-)
It was awesome to have the spigot there for doing the washing up as well as to refill our water bottles. Overall, the spot was BEAUTIFUL and very convenient to our happy place, the Nantahala River. We really appreciated Jim's attention to maintaining the trails and wildflowers. Speaking of trails, take the trail to the "sitting area" above the campsite. Sipping very strong camp coffee and watching the sun light up the mountains in the early morning made me repeatedly wish that I was a painter.
Thanks for a lovely trip!!
Ashley M.
6 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· July 2024
Tent ·
Site 2 - "Wildercamp"
Camping on site 2 was a lot of fun! The treehouse was the highlight of the camp spot. Would definitely recommend.
C
Cameron H.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· July 2024
Tent · With pets ·
Site 2 - "Wildercamp"
Everything was as expected. Good directions. Cool spot!
H
Henry C.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· June 2024
Tent ·
Site 2 - "Wildercamp"
#2 is a great camp spot. We chose to stay in the treehouse and didn’t have to set up a tent. There was a lot of room for one if we had wanted to. The hinged grill for the fire pit was helpful, and the views were nice. Also very easy to navigate from.
Patrick C.
3 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· May 2024
Tent · With pets ·
Site 1 - "Base Camp"
This was my first time using Hipcamp and it turned out to be a great success. This site was absolutely perfect and in an amazing part of town for doing excursions and close to the heart of Bryson City, but tucked back for complete privacy. There’s plenty of hiking to do for incredible views less than an hour away. You can hear the creek running below you which is so nice. The viewing overlook is gorgeous. There is a drawn map in the photos associated with the site posting on here I used to find it. The directions were super easy to follow. I highly anticipate us returning to this spot as we didn’t have enough time to get to everything we wanted to do in the area! I would reccomend bringing a good light or two to use as it gets very dark, but it makes for an amazing view of the stars.
Kirsty G.
1 year on Hipcamp
Very private spacious site. Treehouse was an added bonus! Site is up a gravel road but my 2WD car got up fine. You park at the designated spot and walk a minute to the site. The lookout with the chairs was a beautiful place to have breakfast. So lush and so many great birds and foliage. 30mins from Cherokee and 60mins from GSMNP entrance. Highly recommend this spot.
Megan M.
2 reviews
We loved car camping on Jim's base camp one! the location was fantastic with a general store and a gem mine right down the street (would def recommend doing the gem mine perfect activity for a hot day)! The site itself was a very pretty location tucked away in a mountain. You can hear a near by stream running from the site, its very peaceful. There is picnic table and umbrella at the site which cam in super clutch as it was raining some of the days we were there. Jim was very helpful as well answering our questions about getting the water pump to work!
M
Mc M.
3 reviews
Recommends
· April 2024
16 ft car ·
Site 1 - "Base Camp"
A great spot to be surrounded by all sorts of stuff to do! Access to lots of hiking spots, the Smokey Mountains, and a small town (Bryson City) with lots going on.
If you go during autumn/winter, you'll have a beautiful view of the mountains. Even during the spring or summer you'll hear the relaxing sound of the river not far below.
The picnic table and running water was nice, the water tasted great as well. You don't have to go down a hill to access toiletries, and there's a market with anything you could need camp wise within walking distance.
O
Officially C.
3 reviews
Recommends
· April 2024
Tent ·
Site 2 - "Wildercamp"
Jim’s place is gorgeous! Feels like you’re deep in the woods, very tranquil and secluded. We slept in the treehouse and got a little wet with rain but still very much worth it!
The path up to the campsite is definitely steep but we had no issues bringing our things up.
W
Wrenna W.
10 reviews
Recommends
· November 2023
19 ft campervan ·
Site 1 - "Base Camp"
Beautiful view! A bit of a tight left turn onto the road of the campsite. Found the chairs set out up top and sat to enjoy the view. Felt very private!
Laney O.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· November 2023
Tent ·
Site 2 - "Wildercamp"
This was awesome! We went in November and it was great. The bathroom was well set up away from the camping are and it felt pretty far away from the road, just what we wanted.
T
Taylor M.
3 reviews
Recommends
· October 2023
Tent ·
Site 1 - "Base Camp"
I really enjoyed tent camping on Jim's land. The site was very nice and quiet and I will be returning
D
Darren S.
3 reviews
We had the best time at the Wildercamp! Our group of six stayed with three tents and more than enough room, plus we just happened to catch the fall leaves at their peak. Views were lovely, and we felt nice and secluded despite being only a few hundred feet from the road.
Greer M.
2 reviews
Easy to find and very close to any outdoor activity you may want to do. I 100% recommend this place
D
Dillion W.
4 reviews
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at base camp! We were there during the week and had the whole place to ourselves, except for one night. Even with other campers, there is plenty of space and privacy for each site. We looked forward to having our coffee or evening cocktail up on the "terrace", taking in the view. There are enough trails on the property for a little morning walk, and I loved the club moss and found some lion's mane that I left intact. This is a perfect place to stay at the heart of Nantahala National Forest. It was so convenient to be right next to the rafting and zip lining at NOC, and just a short drive into town for dinner and a beer. We would definitely stay here again!
Melissa W.
22 reviews
Recommends
· September 2023
Tent · With pets ·
Site 2 - "Wildercamp"
Wildercamp was the perfect campsite for our group! We loved it.
N
Noah L.
3 years on Hipcamp
Absolutely beautiful and centrally local camp spot! Very unique and we loved our stay! We will be back.
A
Ashley W.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· September 2023
Tent · With kids ·
Site 2 - "Wildercamp"
We had a great stay here this past weekend. The campsite was great, it included an in- ground fire ring, two filled watering cans to put out the fire, two picnic tables, but the treehouse was the best part. We honestly didn’t go up very much, but it provided great shelter over top of our hammocks.
The climb up to the site is a little longer than expected, so if you can bring a folding wagon to carry gear.
E
Evan M.
4 years on Hipcamp
It was a lovely spot super close to the NOC! We thought it was a super nice, clean camping spot. Jim was very kind and accommodating.
Kim B.
3 reviews
We had a wonderful experience on Jim’s land. We appreciated that there was a water source, camping toilet, fire pit with grill, and lights. The view from the ‘3rd level’ was so peaceful. It was a short ride to dog friendly Nantahala Outdoor Center. It was quiet and private. We would definitely camp here again.
Marci J.
4 reviews
This was out second time coming back to Jim's land and it was just as wonderful as the first. The site is thoughtfully laid out and spacious. We could barely hear the road, and only then during peak traffic. Little to no light pollution, so the stars were spectacular
Madeline S.
12 reviews
Recommends
· October 2022
Tent · Group trip ·
Site 1 - "Base Camp"
The camp site was perfect, timed solar lights, flat surface and water access.
Would recommend this site for sure! Just note the gravel driveway does require a steep turn to get the site. Once there is it’s easy to relax!
H
Haylee W.
4 reviews
Recommends
· October 2022
Tent · Group trip ·
Site 1 - "Base Camp"
Kinda hard to collect wood. The hills on either side of road is steep. Although I was able to collect more than enough. The picnic table with umbrella was a nice touch. I liked how the site was dug into the hill side. It makes for a nice windbreak
J
Jake W.
3 years on Hipcamp
Awesome spot that super close to the Nantahala Outdoors Center. Will definitely try to get back here soon!
Christian H.
2 reviews
Recommends
· August 2022
Tent · Group trip ·
Site 2 - "Wildercamp"
Loved it was awesome!!
E
Emmaline B.
2 reviews
Just a short drive to Bryson City, and minutes away from the Nantahala Outdoor Center, Martin’s Nest is ideally situated for relaxation or adventure.
For our night at Martin’s Nest, we opted to set up camp at site #1. The camping plot was well-maintained, and came equipped with a fire ring, picnic table, trash can, simple outhouse facility, solar lighting, and potable water. In short, this Hipcamp offered everything my husband and I could possibly need for an enjoyable camping experience.
The grounds of Martin’s nest have a nice walking trail that meanders throughout the campsite. Hiking up to the top of the trail, you are rewarded with a stunning view of the mountains in the
distance. Chairs have been thoughtfully placed so that you may enjoy the scenic beauty. Further up the trail, the other campsite and a small tree-house are discovered.
The gorgeous views at Martin’s Nest aren’t the only natural highlight here. Several types of birds were spotted during our stay, in addition to a colorful array of regional wildflowers and heaps of blackberries.
For a quiet night in a superb location, Martin’s Nest makes good sense. We thoroughly enjoyed our time here, and would certainly recommend it.
Virginia P.
153 reviews
Recommends
· June 2022
Group trip ·
Site 2 - "Wildercamp"
Had such a great weekend. The camp site was super convenient to all the activities I was able to do. Loved sleeping in the treehouse!
A
Anna M.
3 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· May 2022
Tent · With pets ·
Site 1 - "Base Camp"
The Campsite was private and peaceful. you could hear the stream in the distance. I would definitely recommend this listing for anyone who wants to get away in western NC.
M
Marty K.
2 reviews
Location
Bryson City, Swain, North Carolina, United StatesTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
Hosted by Jim K.
Joined in March 2021Things to do nearby
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