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  1. #1

    Default High Elevation (Above 3,500 Ft.) Car Camping in Western North Carolina?

    Backpacker here, but I have some friends coming up who just want to do some car camping. I'm not crazy about campgrounds though and I was wondering if anybody could share some good car-camping spots within an hour or so of Asheville. The spots along Yellow Gap Road in Pisgah are my backup plan, but I would like to see what else is out there.
    Thank you very much for any help with this.

  2. #2
    Registered User The Cleaner's Avatar
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    At Rich Mtn Firetower there is a good campsite& concrete picnic table right below the tower.Also over at Camp Creek Bald you can car camp at several places or park at the AT access trail and walk about 100yds to a spring&campsite on the AT....

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    Registered User bwb49's Avatar
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    I think you can car camp off of Black Balsam Knob Rd off of the Blue Ridge Parkway. This is the access road to Shining Rock Wilderness. This is not far south from Graveyard Fields, great day hiking here.

    Black Balsam Rd.jpg

  4. #4
    wookinpanub
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    Balsam Mtn Camground in the Smokies is around 5,000 ft. Very very sites, though, and they are first-come-first-served.

  5. #5
    wookinpanub
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    Quote Originally Posted by wookinpanub View Post
    Balsam Mtn Camground in the Smokies is around 5,000 ft. Very very sites, though, and they are first-come-first-served.
    Very FEW sites, that is.

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    Standing Indian basin area. At about 4000 feet. Probably more than an hour away. Plenty of places down the forest service road to pull off and camp.

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    Quote Originally Posted by daddytwosticks View Post
    Standing Indian basin area. At about 4000 feet. Probably more than an hour away. Plenty of places down the forest service road to pull off and camp.
    Another vote for Standing Indian Campground. If they are looking for a primitive camping spot, consider going past Standing Indian Campground and the forest road pass right by a place called Hurricane Lake.
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  8. #8
    Registered User Duramax22's Avatar
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    balsam in gsmnp is cool, drove there but never camped looks likes sites are limited tho

  9. #9
    Registered User johnnybgood's Avatar
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    Black Mountain Campground ~ Burnsville, N.C.
    Elevation ~ 3,400 ft.
    $16 per night

    I highly recommend this campground, about an hours drive from Asheville. All good camping sites , I like the more secluded sites on the back loop.

    Mt. Mitchell (over 6,600 ft.) can be reached from the campground which makes a great day hike. Also a small campground on top of Mt. Mitchell.
    Last edited by johnnybgood; 07-30-2012 at 20:59. Reason: additional information
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  10. #10

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    Thank you very much for the suggestions!

  11. #11

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    That is a nice campsite, unfortunately last time we tried to camp there, there was trash everywhere at the bottom of the tower and some "shady" folks were driving and parking in the middle of the loop that goes around the base of the tower, during the night. This was a few years ago though so maybe we should give it another shot since it is beatiful up there.

  12. #12

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    The above post was in response to The Cleaner. Can't figure out how to delete posts.

  13. #13
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    Free car camping in NC/TN is my hobby. This is a place we found on Unaka Mountain Road near Erwin last month. We stayed for a week.

    http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/file...7/110_0189.jpg

    You can find spots on almost any forest service road. Sunday night or early in the week is the best time to find a place since the good spots get taken for the weekends. Above 3500 feet I would suggest Snowbird Mt right on the AT with a great vista of the Smokies and Max Patch.

    http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/file...7/110_0184.jpg
    I'm not really a hiker, I just play one on White Blaze.

  14. #14

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    Mile high campground next off the blue ridge parkway. Great views of the Smokies at 5400'. Showers and campsites with views.

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by rastraikis View Post
    Mile high campground next off the blue ridge parkway. Great views of the Smokies at 5400'. Showers and campsites with views.
    Been wanting to hit that one up.

    Thanks for the replies!

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    Registered User Tennessee Viking's Avatar
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    Graveyard Fields/Black Balsam area..just make sure you are camping way off the Parkway corridor.
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  17. #17

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    Mount Mitchell State Park Campground - 6,000 feet plus.
    Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.

  18. #18
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    I'm in for Mount Mitchell campsite, or Carolina Hemlocks. Either one will have a path up to the Black Mountains.
    Mount Mitchell campsite, take the trail directly up to Mt. Mitchell. Carolina Hemlock will get you to Deep Gap Here is the link http://www.nchighpeaks.org/. Can't beat it for car camping for $18.

    Driving the car up, and staying at the campsite at MT. Mitchell may be hard not many sites.

    Graveyard fields in Shinning rock wilderness off of the BRP is okay. Lots of people this time of the year, and lots of trash, everytime I go there, there is nothing there but garbage......

    For car camping there is Julian Price campground right off the BRP, if you follow the Tanawa trail it will lead you right up to Grandfather Mountain 5,900 feet. Great view. Not a hard trail but what makes it fun is the ladders that are in place to help you to the elevation.

    Julian price has a nice sized lake across from it to rent a canoe of sorts.

    Floyd

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    Try Hot Springs area - there are a few spots you can park and hike to close campsites. Bluff mountain might be best to start. That way you can come back into town if they are dying for breakfast but don't have to car camp.

  20. #20
    Registered User Joey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wookinpanub View Post
    Balsam Mtn Camground in the Smokies is around 5,000 ft. Very very sites, though, and they are first-come-first-served.
    At the edge of the Shining Rock Wilderness in Pisgah National Forest (5500-5800ft) To sum it up, you might as well pack your own parcel of land and bring it with you nowdays! Heavily overused!!!

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