Camp Observer1 of 9 photos
Mount Pisgah Campground
Overview
One of the most popular of the Parkway's campgrounds, Mount Pisgah Campground is perched in the rolling mountains of western North Carolina on the southernmost end of the famous Blue Ridge Parkway. Surrounded by dense hardwood forests at an elevation of 4980 feet, it offers shady, cool respite from the summer heat. Whichever end of the day appeals, spectacular sunrise and sunset panoramic views can be enjoyed from nearby overlooks. Several popular hiking trails, ranging from moderate to strenuous, are accessible from the campground. Drenched in history, this area was once part of the holdings of George Vanderbilt and the site of his hunting camp house, Buck Springs (no longer standing), is close by.
Recreation
Several popular hiking trails, ranging from moderate to difficult, are easily accessible from the campground. The Frying Pan Trail leads adventurers 1.6 miles (2.6 km) south to the Fire Tower at Frying Pan Mountain. Hiking north on the trail you'll arrive at the Pisgah Inn and from there, the Buck Spring Trail leads visitors through the thick hardwood forest and along rocky terrain to the Mt. Pisgah Parking Area. From the parking area it is a 1.6 mile (2.6 km) uphill trek to the top of Mt. Pisgah.
The Shut-In Trail is the original route from the Biltmore Estate to the Buck Spring Lodge, and heads north along the Blue Ridge Parkway toward Asheville. The Buck Spring Lodge was a mountain getaway for George Vanderbilt, owner of the famous Biltmore Estate.
The North Carolina Mountains to Sea Trail follows both the Buck Spring and Shut-In Trails, and connects to trails in Pisgah National Forest.
Facilities
Both RV and tent sites are available at this campground. Modern amenities like flush toilets, drinking water, dump station, and a country store create a comfortable camping experience. Sites come with picnic tables and fire rings, perfect for barbecues and marshmallow roasting. In addition to the sites available for advance reservation, several campsites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The availability of first come, first served sites cannot be tracked through Recreation.gov. These sites must be booked in person at the campground kiosk. Mt. Pisgah campground is oftentimes full each weekend and holidays.
Natural Features
Mount Pisgah is part of the Appalachian Mountain Range, an area of the country with scenery that never disappoints, whether blanketed in wildflowers in the spring or bursting with red, orange, and yellow hues in the fall. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a scenic byway that follows the high crests of the central and southern Appalachians for 469 miles from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. At an elevation of 4,980 feet (1,518 m), Mount Pisgah offers moderate to cool temperatures during camping seasons.Nearby Attractions
The beautiful Pisgah Inn is located adjacent to the campground and offers a restaurant and country store. Additionally, historic Asheville, North Carolina is about 20 miles away, offering grocery stores, fuel and medical facilities. The Blue Ridge Parkway is also surrounded by 2 other national parks. Shenandoah National Park is to the immediate north of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is south of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Mt. Pisgah Campground is closer to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Camp site features
Across 126 camp sites:
- Picnic table: 63 of 126 sites
- Pets allowed: all 126 sites
- ADA accessible: 4 of 126 sites
- Longest rig: 80 ft
- Largest party: 6 people
Directions
From Interstate 40 west, take exit 47 and turn south onto Highway 191. Stay in
the right hand lane and turn south again onto the Blue Ridge Parkway at the
North Carolina Arboretum; enjoy the amazing views and nine tunnels along the
Blue Ridge Parkway for 15 miles (24 km). You will pass the Mt. Pisgah Parking
Area, the Country Store and the Pisgah Inn on the left. The campground is on
the right immediately after the Pisgah Inn. From Waynesville, North Carolina,
take Highway 276 for about 22 miles to The Blue Ridge Parkway. Turn north onto
the parkway and continue four miles to the campground on the left.
Stay Limit
Check in from 3 PM, check out by 12 PM.
Reviews
Ratings (602)
5 stars
438
4 stars
112
3 stars
25
2 stars
20
1 stars
7
Danielle B
Loop:Loop D
Site:D21
Reviewed 3 days ago
Great place to escape the summer heat, and get away to the mountains. The camp store was within easy walking distance and provided fire wood and ice. Lots of trails nearby with beautiful trees and scenery, and not long driving distance from a couple good swimming holes. It did rain a couple of days, but that’s to be expected at the higher elevation. Overall a great camping spot!
Rebecca H
Loop:Loop C
Site:C31
Reviewed 4 days ago
The campground is huge, but most campsites feel very private. Walk across the street in the morning to see the view from the Pisgah Inn. The campground will be literally in a cloud, and as the sun rises, the cloud flows across the road. sinks into the valley, and dissipates. Magical!
Susan J
Loop:Loop A
Site:A16
Reviewed 4 days ago
Our favorite campground for 40 years. The park staff are just lovely—very helpful, kind, and friendly but also very conscientious and watchful of the park. If you are in an RV you need to be prepared to be creative in leveling—many old sites are definitely charming but usually sloping.
Mt Pisgah wraps her rhododendron arms around you and you just hate to leave.
Robert E
Loop:Loop D
Site:D24
Reviewed 5 days ago
Had a fantastic time in spite of torrential rains. Tent camping site was perfect for our needs. Some sites have bear boxes. Tent areas are beautifully treed-in, meaning you'll need to take a walk or drive or hike to see mountain views. Nearby country store has marshmallows, fire starters, wood, batteries, and other camping mainstays. Plenty of locking dumpsters to allay wildlife curiosity. Frying Pan Trail begins within the campground, but draws drivers to a lot down the road to start the ascent to its lookout tower. Recommend a drive to Looking Glass Falls, is roadside, has staircase. Recommend a drive to, then hike down Graveyard Fields Trail to lower falls and for wading on sunny or rainy day, partial staircases, lot has bathrooms. Recommend drive to, then hike up to The Devil's Courthouse on a perfectly sunny day, fog comes in quickly, multi-state and infinity mountain views from top, crosses The NC Mountain to Sea Trail. All trails labeled with disagreeing levels of skill on internet. None are outright rock climbs or rock scrambles, but be prepared for even the trails marked as "easy" to include intermittent, lengthy inclines of up to 55 degrees and for some inclined portions to be either gravelly or rocky. Campsites have fire pits and paved parking. Recommend stopping at every overlook on The Blue Ridge Parkway multiple times of day as the sun will change the views dramatically. Recommend Pisgah National Forest Ranger Station and Welcome Center for up-to-date closures and info. Must bring and plan to wash dishes in basin/s in forest away from campsites and dump "gray water" in deep woods. Dishwashing not allowed in bathrooms, showers, or at potable water spigots for very good reason. Otherwise, certain establishments in driving-distance towns have outdoor water spigots to use with permission. Friendly informative rangers. Wish I could just live there.
Donald T
Loop:Loop A
Site:A27
Reviewed 5 days ago
I have liked using the Mt Pisgah for my small trailer when prepared to boon-dock. In the past year have been there 5 times and enjoyed the location in a higher cooler elevation. The staff has always pleasant and helpful. The trailer sites are a bit small and some are close to other campers. All sites have a personal fire pit and table, some of which are nested into the woods but adjacent to your parked vehicles. There is only one restroom in the center of the campground loop and are acceptable for being clean. They only have flush toilets and sinks, no showers in this loop. However the drive thru loops designated for tent only sites do have a shower that are available. Most sites are well covered by the shade of trees and underbrush.
Additionally a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway flows through the high elevations for wonderful vistas from the roadside stops. To the north is the city of Ashville with many available variety of shopping experiences. To the south is the city of Cherokee and the Smokey Mountains and National Park. The Indian Reservation there has exhibits and a Casino to enjoy.
Donnie L
Loop:Loop B
Site:B06
Reviewed 8 days ago
Great campground , friendly campers and rangers . Could use more showers .
Robert K
Loop:Loop B
Site:B21
Reviewed 9 days ago
Some of my favorite hikes start from the Mt Pisgah campground. I like the fact that the campground has no electricity. Water is easily accessible. Tent campsites are very attractive, although a few are bunched up together. Trailer sites are a bit short, but that weeds out the coaches and fifth wheels. This campground is definitely not for everyone, but I find it very enjoyable and rewarding.
William P
Loop:Loop A
Site:A03
Reviewed 9 days ago
The rangers (Terra and Greg) there are fantastic as are the campground hosts (Riley and Sue). Outstanding week there once again. We do miss Ranger Jim though but a guy has to retire eventually, right?
If you have a dog make sure you get them in the Bark Ranger program with Terra.
Teresa S
Loop:Loop B
Site:B06
Reviewed 12 days ago
It was ok. Disappointed that not all restroom locations did not have showers. So there was waiting time.
Floyd T
Loop:Loop A
Site:A30
Reviewed 12 days ago
All was great. The cg is on the side of the mountain and hard to find a level site which I am used to in western NC. Just bring plenty of leveling blocks. The staff was very helpful compared to other Blue Ridge Parkway cgs.
Joseph L
Loop:Loop C
Site:C01
Reviewed 13 days ago
Nice campground, shower works, good hot water and pressure, awesome time, even with rain,rangers were helpful
Michele H
Loop:Loop D
Site:D28
Reviewed 14 days ago
Loves this campground. The sites look like they were landscaped by 🧚♂️ 🧚♀️ fairies and had flowers intertwined into the foliage. Beautiful. My site was at a bridge and it would have been amazing, but they need to plant some privacy trees so you don't see all of the people walking by. I car camp, so it was really awkward because people kept walking my my SUV. Showers need updating, but location was prime.
Robert J
Loop:Loop A
Site:A13
Reviewed 15 days ago
Mt. Pisgah Campground is one of our favorites for a quick getaway. Yes, the sites are often tight, close and somewhat unlevel but on the 4th of July weekend it was wonderfully absent of fireworks, it was easily 10 degrees cooler than sweltering Asheville and the rangers are all great. Plus they've added wifi at the check-in which is a bonus because cell service is spotty at best. Loop A seems to be for bigger rigs although really big ones would be better off elsewhere. Loop B is labeled as vans and pop-ups but there were plenty of towables and the sites seemed to be similarly sized to Loop A (and generally more level). The other loops are for tents and generators are not allowed in those. The Pisgah Inn is located near the campground entrance and is worth a visit or a meal. And there's plenty of hiking nearby including several trails right from the campground.
Bruce B
Loop:Loop B
Site:B01
Reviewed 15 days ago
I always enjoy my stays here. It is a wonderful escape from the heat at the coast and the campground is in the perfect location for day hikes. Sites are always clean and well kept and the rangers are friendly.
Sarah D
Loop:Loop C
Site:C28
Reviewed 15 days ago
highly recommend! we went camping last week (July) and the weather was amazing. it's so much cooler here than it was in Asheville. around 60 degrees at night so we were almost chilly. everything was perfect. C28 was a good spot! didn't hear road noises that i noticed. quite a bit further to walk to the camp store than I expected so we drove to buy fire wood there. but check in was easy, loved the stay, bathroom/shower was fairly clean, everyone was friendly. I would definitely stay here again!
Treena E
Loop:Loop C
Site:C11
Reviewed 16 days ago
Bathrooms need updating very much , only 1 shower in loop C bathroom the floor in the entire bathroom saturated with water.
Claudia T
Loop:Loop D
Site:D22
Reviewed 18 days ago
It’s a beautiful campground with an assortment of bird songs to wake you up.
Rachel A
Loop:Loop D
Site:D12
Reviewed 18 days ago
Love this campground. It is so close to a lot of awesome trails and sights.
Christina C
Loop:Loop A
Site:A27
Reviewed 20 days ago
Beautiful area. Bathrooms need to be updated, lack of showers is disappointing. Staff and other facilities were great.
John T
Loop:Loop B
Site:B03
Reviewed 20 days ago
Excellent! I’ve recommended this campground to several people since my stay.
John T
Loop:Loop B
Site:B03
Reviewed 20 days ago
Excellent! I’ve recommended this campground to several people since my stay.
Patricia M
Loop:Loop A
Site:A03
Reviewed 22 days ago
Stayed in 3A. Great spot, great campground. Bathrooms clean. Privacy between spots.
Alexandria S
Loop:Loop C
Site:C05
Reviewed 23 days ago
Beautiful spot tucked away, lots of activities in the area. Breakfast at the Inn was lovely.
tom c
Loop:Loop C
Site:C28
Reviewed 24 days ago
Nice campsite. Bathroom facilities were in good, clean condition. Camp manager friendly & helpful.
Barbara A
Loop:Loop B
Site:B21
Reviewed 25 days ago
Rosie and I enjoyed the campground very much because it was much cooler than home, quiet and private. The restsroom and showers were kept very clean as well as the campground. The ravens were raucous and other wildlife were enjoyable. We hiked on the MST, Pink Beds and other trails. The restaurant at the lodge was enjoyable as always especially our server. The mountain views are magnificent.
David J
Loop:Loop B
Site:B04
Reviewed 25 days ago
Nice and quiet. Walkable (bikeable too) to the Pisgah Lodge. The meals there are wonderful! Some of the loops have a shower in the bathrooms. And, the temperature there was much cooler than anywhere else in NC this week!
Lisa L
Loop:Loop B
Site:B21
Reviewed a month ago
My site was beautiful and private. I stayed at a time of year when the mountain laurel were blossoming right there at the site. Lovely!
Lindsay L
Loop:Loop D
Site:D06
Reviewed a month ago
We loved our spot and the ranger was delightful, friendly and helpful.
joe f
Loop:Loop A
Site:A26
Reviewed a month ago
Clean facilities, friendly staff, beautiful views close by. What else could you want?
Lashann B
Loop:Loop B
Site:B26
Reviewed a month ago
Beautiful campground. Clean and litter free. Campers are courteous and helpful.
Joshua H
Loop:Loop C
Site:C18
Reviewed a month ago
Beautiful view. Amazing location. Everything about it was great. Dont expect a Koa. If you want a nice primitive spot with quiet surroundings and peacefulness, while still being able to shower and what not, this is your place. We loved it.
Garrett M
Loop:Loop D
Site:D01
Reviewed a month ago
Overall the campsite is in a good location, close to trails and beautiful overlooks. Site D1 was fine, not our favorite we’ve stayed at though. It’s a bit cramped- I wouldn’t recommend for more than 2 people. It also isn’t the most private, although it’s probably more private than most sites in the campground.
Dorothea S
Loop:Loop B
Site:B11
Reviewed a month ago
We tent-camped in B11. It was a very private site, with lits of vegetation between us and the next site. The bathrooms were clean and the two showers had good pressure and hot water. Campers obeyed the quiet hours. We were close to many goid hiking spots and gorgeous views
Tom H
Loop:Loop A
Site:A24
Reviewed a month ago
We were fortunate to have a fairly level site, but the bathrooms were in need of update, possible cleaning.
Terry F
Loop:Loop C
Site:C09
Reviewed a month ago
Wonderful campsites, and many are private. Lots of hiking close by. Cool summer temps, usually 10 degrees cooler than down in Asheville. My only complaint is that the shower & shower curtains were very moldy.
James W
Loop:Loop B
Site:B27
Reviewed a month ago
Beautiful campground. The store and restaurant nearby were great. The campground staff were very nice and helpful. The Blue Ridge Parkway is very pretty. The Brinegar Cabin and the interpretive talk given was great.
John M
Loop:Loop C
Site:C05
Reviewed a month ago
Everything was perfect. The rangers were friendly and professional. The campground was clean and well maintained. The comfort stations were excellent. We had a wonderful week and enjoyed the trails and fresh air. We plan to return again in the Fall and again next Summer. Thank you.
Melissa G
Loop:Loop B
Site:B11
Reviewed a month ago
We live locally and thought we'd try camping at the Mt. Pisgah campground and treat ourselves for dinner at the Pisgah Inn. It was my sister's birthday.
The reservation process was difficult and required that we show up on the day we wanted to stay to get the site we wanted.
How does this work for anyone? Loading up the vehicle with all our camping gear in hopes of there being a spot available??
Compared to Mills River and Davidson River campgrounds, this campground pales in comparison. The weeds and poison ivy were overgrown and the fire ring was such that you couldn't sit around it. There was one shower for many, many people camping. With the campground being full, you'd think some of the $ could be spent on upkeep.
The meal we had at the Inn was subpar. The meatloaf which was pricey had very little taste.
Honestly, I'm not a complainer but this experience was a major letdown.
Sherri L
Loop:Loop A
Site:A26
Reviewed a month ago
Great campround at elevation so stays cool compared to Davidson River. It does have a lot of hills, so if you have limited mobility it may not be ideal for you as getting to the bathrooms can be difficult and getting to our picnic table was up a hill, but not all campsites are like that, there's plenty that aren't. Be aware there is only one shower stall for men and women so especially if you are a woman, you may have a wait. Also, if you are disabled and camped far away there is no designated parking for the showers which you can work around but is not ideal. It is a nice campground with respectful campers. We were there two weeks as there is a lot of hiking even if you have limitations. Cradle of Discovery is fun and great picnic sites. The Pisgah Visitor Center is a must stop if you want accurate information and suggestions for things to do, the staff is VERY good at helping you. Beautiful views, highly recommend grabbing a couple camp chairs and having lunch at a turn out. The North Carolina Arboretum was absolutely lovely and we recommend a trip there. The forest does get crazy busy on weekends, popular spots are best left for weekdays.
Maureen C
Loop:Loop B
Site:B27
Reviewed a month ago
Great campground with many hiking trails to explore. Most sites are not level, so kind of tough in an RV. Cell service can be spotty, you can hike up to the camp store or Pisgah Inn for decent coverage.
Popularity
Quiet · 36%
Busiest in July, when about 36% of sites are booked. Based on 11 years of reservations.
Location
Canton, NC 28716
Phone: 828-648-2644 (MAY - OCTOBER)
Email: blri_campgrounds@nps.gov