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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Community favorites near Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park

Top-rated campgrounds reviewed by the Hipcamp community.

Top-rated campgrounds near Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park

83%
(6)

Red Banks Campground

31 sites · RVs, Tents5 acres · TN
Our unique property encompasses two acres of primitive camping with riverfront beach access. You will find naturally crafted landscaping from driftwood, native plant species and rocks. Enjoy activities like beach volleyball, rafting, caving, rock climbing and more. Camping guests have access to a community bathhouse with showers and restroom.
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$45
 / night
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(45)

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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99%
(245)

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
 / night
95%
(11)

3feather Sanctuary

8 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
 / night
94%
(631)

Haw Ridge

5 sites · Tents1 acre · Mars Hill, NC
****READ THROUGH ENTIRE LISTING BEFORE BOOKING**** Haw Ridge is a mountain top camp site with a total of only two campsites. At a 4,550 foot elevation and with nearly 360 degree views, there is a perfect sunrise and sunset experience. With no light pollution the stargazing is amazing. You must have a 4WD with high clearance to reach the site. Please list what vehicle/vehicles you will be taking to site when you are booking. There is no parking at the bottom or anywhere else - only at the sites. On foggy mornings, the mist rolls right over the ridge top. There are 2 sites on one acre so plenty of space for social distancing! Rocky Fork State Park Tn. is just a short drive away for some great additional hiking , swimming and fishing. Enjoy the view and your stay!!
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$39
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97%
(72)

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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(16)

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
 / night
93%
(270)

Rusty's Roost River Glamping

16 sites · Lodging63 acres · Green Mountain, NC
Rustys Roost River Camp with great views on the Cane and Toe River. Surrounded 360 degrees by the Great Smokey Mountains as far as you can see. Short Drive to Downtown Burnsville (20min) and 3 minute drive to Petersons General store. Primitive tent sites right on the Toe River next to our popular Glamping tents! Rusty’s Roost property rentals is the ultimate glamping escape destination in western North Carolina. Located in Green Mountain, about 40 min. outside Asheville, N.C., Rusty’s Roost offers camping options for couples, families, large groups, retreats and more. Veteran owned and operated, Rusty’s Roost was built with two goals in mind: encouraging people to connect with each other and with the outdoors. Step away from the day to day and escape to Rusty’s Roost River Camp- you’ll be glad you did. All of our Canvas Wall Tents are 16'x20' that offer PLENTY of room! Great for individuals, couples, groups, weddings, or events. Quiet, remote, and a more kid friendly river access. All sites have access to hot water showers in Men and Womens bathhouses.Picnic table and fire ring provided. Firewood available for purchase on site or bring your own. 
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$115
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99%
(1162)

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
 / night
Booked 1 time

Creekside Boondocking

2 sites · RVs, Tents5 acres · Flag Pond, TN
Our campsite is perfect for those who have their own camper and are fully self-contained. There are no hookups, but you will be able to camp directly in front of Devil Creek, and listen to the relaxing sound of the water. There is also some area along the creek where you can hike and/or fish. A picnic table and fire ring are provided. Rocky Fork State Park is just two miles away.
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$30
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(266)

The Baying Hound Campground

2 sites · Tents2 acres · Asheville, NC
THE CAMPGROUND The Baying Hound Campground is where rural Appalachia meets “keep Asheville weird.” You’ll see sleeping pods decorated by professional artists, structures made from upcycled building materials and permaculture experiments in the making. We’ve been described as “if a European hostel and an Appalachian campground had a baby.” Not quite glamping and definitely not KOA, we're happy to offer you a more social alternative to cookie-cutter lodging without breaking the bank. *Van-lifers, truck-top-tenters and other vehicle dwellers* Y'all are welcome to book this spot! Note that the parking area is SEPARATE from the site pictured and you can NOT drive down to the site. You'll be sleeping in the parking area and still have access to all our facilities. SHARED CAMPGROUND AMENITIES: - Indoor bathroom and sinks with hot and cold running water - Indoor hangout area with couch, books and outlets - Charging station for your phones and tablets behind our graffiti’d garage - A re-imagined, yet decidedly old-school pit latrine - Outdoor sink with cold running water (seasonal = April-October) - Outdoor shower with solar-heated water* Mother Nature can be a little stingy with the sun, so unfortunately we can not guarantee that this will provide warm water. If nothing else, it'll be refreshingly brisk. :) (seasonal = April-October, CLOSED Nov-March) - Community fire pit with wood for sale for $5 a packet - Community charcoal grill (be sure to bring your own charcoal) + picnic table - Omoplata Overlook hangout area with deck furniture, table, hammock and solar lights - Multiple picnic tables where you can hang out & eat - Wi-Fi zone with varying quality of internet (but you’re camping, so you should enjoy the outdoors and company of your friends :)) - Nearby Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gym! Ask us more if you’re interested. - Curiosity Trail :) THE NEIGHBORHOOD The campground is located in the "Emma" area of Asheville. Also known as "Wild Wild West Asheville" (to distinguish it from regular West Asheville which is about 5 minutes' drive away), this is the last bastion of non-gentrified Asheville. Emma is completely un-zoned, so you get an interesting mixture of mostly residential and agricultural properties that scatter the area. The campground itself is tucked away in a 2-acre wooded valley. We're about 10-15 minutes' drive away from downtown Asheville and a $12-$15 Uber ride. Unfortunately, public transportation is not very accessible from the campground. WHAT'S NEARBY? - There are approximately a bajillion breweries in Asheville, many of which are within 5-15 minutes away. - Downtown Asheville (~10-15 minutes), West Asheville (~5-10 minutes) and the River Arts District (~5 minutes) are full of city life fun - amazing restaurants, live music, shopping, art galleries and did we mention breweries? -So much hiking! Choose your own adventure - waterfalls, mountain-top views, fog-drenched valleys, rambling rivers. There are some trails about 20 minutes away, but to get to the good stuff, you'll drive 40-90+ minutes. - White water rafting ~60-90 minutes away - Tubing down the French Broad River is the ultimate way to chill out in the sun. French Broad Outfitters, Zen Tubing and Lazy Otter are some companies that can take care of all the details for you. These are all 10-20 minutes away. OUR HISTORY We discovered this property in 2017, and quite by chance! We had finished working a seasonal job in Colorado and were on our way out to the coast to look into starting our own business. We happened to come through Asheville and casually stumbled across this property. Long-story-short, we put in a bid on the property. It was accepted, and now we have a real fixer-upper on our hands! Here's some history on the property as reported by the previous owners: The road you park on was the old county road, a long, long time ago. The couple who sold us the property is elderly, and the blue house you pass on the left on the way to park was where the wife grew up. In fact, that enormous pine tree on your right as you come up the road was the old lady's Christmas tree as a child. The jiu-jitsu gym used to be an auction house. Then it was used as a dance hall. Then it became a cabinet-making space and finally a timber frame-making space. Over the past year we've converted it into a jiu-jitsu gym, although you can still see plenty of "upcycled" remnants of previous uses, all around the gym. The campground area itself was slated to be turned into a trailer park. You can tell that the area was partially graded at one point or another. Thanks to that initiative, we have some convenient paths all around! They decided not to follow through on setting up trailer pads since it was more money than they had bargained for. After that, the space was used as a black-market dump! Luckily the city shut it down, and after two spring seasons of cleaning up back there, we're left with what you see! We're going to continue to pour our hearts, souls, creativity and probably more than just a little money into making "The Baying Hound Campground" a fun place to crash for a couple days while taking in all that is Asheville. Thanks for reading!
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$22
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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
 / night

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

  1. You can reserve the park's three backcountry, primitive campsites in advance via the Tennessee State Parks website. Reservations are available all year round.
  2. Campsite reservations open 12 months in advance.
  3. 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.

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