The Asheville area of North Carolina is one of the best places in the country for outdoor enthusiasts because of the awesome trails, beautiful scenery, and local spots to grab a craft brew at the end of your adventure. Fortunately, there are also some great places to camp at RV resorts as well as state and national parks in the area. Rustic, luxurious, or a little bit of both — the choice is yours!
Here are some of the best camping spots near Asheville to start planning your next outdoorsy vacation.
Mama Gertie’s Hideaway Campground
Mama Gertie’s Hideaway Campground is an excellent place to camp in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains and near Asheville. This campground has full hookup RV sites, as well as tent camping sites and cabin rentals. It’s near lots of outdoor recreation and has an online reservation system to book your site. There are different tiers of camping here and also four sites with private decks. Pets are welcome here as long as you follow the pet rules. Amenities offered at Mama Gertie’s include laundry facilities, a camp store, dog park, fitness center, rec room with pool table, library, cable TV, and Wi-Fi.
Wilson's Riverfront RV Park
For a riverfront camping experience near Asheville, consider booking a site at Wilson’s Riverfront RV Park. The campground is just five miles from downtown Asheville. The RV park offers riverside sites, full hookups, concrete pads, tent camping, and a bathhouse. It’s been family-owned and -operated for over 30 years and in a location where you can access the river right from your campsite. Pets are welcome here, and the campground is open year-around.
Asheville Bear Creek RV Park & Campground
It’s fun to stay at the Asheville Bear Creek RV Park & Campground when you’re in this part of North Carolina because of the seasonal outdoor pool and many amenities. The campground has large sites with 30/50-amp hookups that are back-ins and pull-throughs. Free Wi-Fi and cable TV is available here, as well as two laundry facilities, showers, a clubhouse, kids’ play areas, and dog walk areas. This is a highly rated campground that’s easily accessible from I-40, I-240, and I-26.
Rutledge Lake RV Park Resort
The Rutledge Lake RV Park Resort is 15 miles south of Asheville and provides you with a great home base while exploring the area. This campground accommodates big campers with full hookups, 30/50-amp service and laundry facilities. There is Wi-Fi here, as well as a heated pool, camp store, cable TV, and catch-and-release fishing. You can hang out in the rec room too and play some pool or ping pong. In addition to RV sites, there are also cabins here available to rent. Pets are welcome here too.
Lake Powhatan Recreation Area & Campground
You’ll be close to the downtown action and right by the water when you book a site at the Lake Powhatan Recreation Area & Campground. This is a fun place to cool off with a swim in the lake and take a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway. From March through November, there are 75 campsites here for RVs and tents. During the rest of the year, there are 39 campsites available. The park also has flush toilets, hot showers, a dump station, water fill station, and picnic tables. Campers should be mindful that they are in black bear territory and keep all food safely locked away.
Asheville East KOA Holiday
There are two KOA campgrounds in the Asheville area, including the Asheville East KOA Holiday along the Swannanoa River. This campground offers RV sites with pull-through, back-in, and full hookup options. There are also cabins for rent and tent sites. Amenities at the KOA East include an outdoor pool that’s open from May to September, camp store, cable TV, basic Wi-Fi, fishing, tubing, a game room, dog park, and pavilion. The campground can accommodate RV setups up to 70 feet long. Bike and boat rentals are available for extra fees.
Asheville West KOA Holiday
The other local KOA in this area is the Asheville West KOA Holiday, which is right off I-40 and has large, level sites for your RV. It offers 30/50-amp pull-through sites, tent camping, and cozy cabins and lodges for rent. You’ll be close to downtown Asheville from here, as well as the Biltmore Estate, Pisgah National Forest, and other attractions. This is a family-friendly option with a dog park, pool, cable TV, Wi-Fi, and camping kitchen. There are themed weekends at this KOA that feature activities like horseback riding, ice cream, zip lining, lawn games, and hot air balloon rides.
North Mills River Recreation Area & Campground
The North Mills River Recreation Area & Campground has campsites that are close to the river for your swimming, tubing, and fishing activities. It’s within 30 minutes of downtown Ashville. People often stay here to fish and hike while they camp. Between late-March and mid-November, there are 26 standard sites and one full hookup site. At this time, you’ll also have hot water and flush toilets in the bathhouses. During the rest of the year, there are 12 first-come, first-serve standard sites available.
Mount Pisgah Campground
You’ll be among the rolling mountains of western North Carolina and not far from Asheville when you book a site at the Mount Pisgah Campground. Asheville is about 20 miles away. It’s a great place to camp along the Blue Ridge Parkway and southern end of the route. You’ll find shaded sites for RVs and tents here. There are 53 sites available to reserve in advance and 71 sites that are first-come, first-served. Guests have basic amenities, such as flush toilets and drinking water here. There are hiking trails accessible from right at the campground to make your outdoor recreation very convenient.
Creekside Mountain Camping
Pop-ups, travel trailers, and motorhomes are all welcome at Creekside Mountain Camping. There are pull-through and back-in sites here that have water, electric, and sewer facilities. The campground also offers a dump station, restrooms, clubhouse with games, 40-foot swimming pool, laundry facilities, and camp store. There are tent sites and cabins for rent here too. Pets are welcome to join you here as long as you clean up after them and pay a one-time pet fee for your stay.
Linville Falls Campground
Linville Falls Campground is a family camping destination along the Blue Ridge Parkway and near Asheville. It’s by the Linville Gorge, which you can hike to from here and that’s known as the “Grand Canyon of North Carolina.” There are 39 sites that you can reserve in advance and 25 sites available as first-come, first served. The campsites here are suitable for both RVs and tents. However, visitors should know that there are no water, electric, or sewer hookups at the sites. It’s also fun to take a guided tour of the Linville Caverns nearby when you camp here.
Mountain Stream RV Park
You’ll be surrounded by gorgeous mountain scenery when you stay at the Mountain Stream RV Park less than an hour from Asheville. This is a park that’s just for RVs but not tents. However, there are a few yurts available for rent. All of the RV sites have full hookups and 30/50-amp service. There is no cell phone service here due to the mountainous setting, but the RV park offers Wi-Fi and cable TV. This is a small, pet-friendly campground where you’ll feel right at home. It’s typically open from February through early December with a closure in the winter.
Fort Tatham RV Resort & Campground
The Fort Tatham RV Resort & Campground is in the Asheville area (a little over an hour away) and also gives you great access to the Great Smoky Mountains. There are two streams and a stocked pond onsite, as well as planned activities like potlucks and holiday cookouts. The pet-friendly campground has back-in and pull-through RV sites with 50-amp service and picnic tables. Amenities provided include Wi-Fi, laundry facilities, and campfires allowed. If you don’t have an RV but still want to camp, you can pitch a tent here or rent a cabin.
The Great Outdoors RV Resort
Here’s a top-rated RV resort in the Great Smoky Mountains with a friendly staff and awesome views. The Great Outdoors RV Resort is a little more than an hour from Asheville, so this is a good choice if you’re exploring the broader area on an extended vacation. The RV sites here are up to 95 feet long and offer 30/50-amp power, full hookups, picnic tables, cable TV, Wi-Fi, and fire pits upon request. When you stay here, you’ll also have laundry facilities, an exercise room, a pool, gift shop, dog park, and dog wash station.
Creekwood Farm RV Park
Less than an hour from Asheville, you’ll also find the Creekwood Farm RV Park, which offers full hookups, Wi-Fi, cable TGV, a dog park, and a large recreation hall. RVs and tents are welcome here, and there are cabins for rent as well. Book this RV park to be in a farm-type setting to enjoy a slower pace of life. The campground has laundry facilities, showers, picnic tables at all the sites, planned activities, a dog play park, and camp store. There’s even a car wash area and yard games to play at this year-around campground. Check the RV park website to see what events will be going on during your trip.
