Camping Sites in North Carolina State Parks
Gorges State Park
Address: NC 281 South, Sapphire NC 28774-0100, Transylvania County NC
GPS Coordinates: 35.1133, -82.9563
Phone: 828-966-9099
Email: gorges@ncdenr.gov
 Gorges State Park is the newest state park and includes gorges, waterfalls, and an elevation that rises to two thousand feet. In Gorges State Park NC visitors can enjoy one of the greatest concentrations of unique and rare animal and plant species in the eastern United States. Gorges State Park includes extensive hiking trails, lake and river fishing, and picnicking. The park also includes some of the most unique backpack Camping Sites in North Carolina State Parks. Of all the NC State Parks, Gorges State Park offers some of the most rugged river gorges, waterfalls, and large rock walls. The park has one of the greatest concentrations of unique and rare species in the eastern United States. The elevation of the park rises 2,000 feet in only four miles and receives more than 80 inches of rain per year. This large amount of rain supports a collection of waterfalls and creates a temperate rain forest environment.
 Thanks to a partnership of the environmental community and the state of North Carolina, 10,000 acres of wonderful Jocassee Gorges were placed in public ownership. The park is in Transylvania North Carolina and is to be preserved for generations of North Carolina visitors and locals to enjoy. The property was purchased by the state from Duke Energy Corporation creating a 2,900-acre game land managed by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. Currently, Gorges encompasses nearly 7,500 acres and is the only state park west of Asheville. The Gorges State Park staff maintains the Grassy Ridge Access and camping within this NC State Park. The park is quite rugged, so Kids Activities Camping is not recommended. It is suggested that visitors wishing to visit Gorges State Park contact the park office for current conditions before visiting.
Hanging Rock State Park
Address: 1790 Hanging Rock Park Road, Danbury NC 27016, Stokes County NC
GPS Coordinates: 36.411906, -80.254122
Phone: 336-593-8480
Email: hanging.rock@ncmail.net
 Hanging Rock State Park has rock outcrops up to two thousand five hundred feet in size, five different cascades and waterfalls, access to a scenic river, and a mountain lake. As you know, Camping Sites in NC State Parks sometimes do not include showers or running water. But, this is something that Hanging Rock State Park does offer. There are more than seventy trailer, tent, and recreational vehicle campsites with showers. There are eight group tent campsites and a total of ten cabins. The park offers some of the best Camping Sites in NC and is revered by many lifetime campers. If you just want a quick getaway weekend, take one of the Very Small Camping Trailers or Walled Camping Tents. If you enjoy Camping Sites in North Carolina State Parks, you will not be disappointed with Hanging Rock State Park.
 Hanging Rock State Park NC visitors love the park due to it having more than fifteen miles of hiking trails which include almost four miles of bridle trails. The park also includes rock climbing which is something that many outdoor enthusiasts look for when searching for park to play in. You can swim or fish in the lake or there are canoe and rowboat rentals on-site with boat access to a nearby river. The Hanging Rock State Park visitor's center has several programs and exhibits, a historic bath house, and three picnic shelters. The park is not very far from the Triad area cities. Some of the other things the park has are sheer cliffs of rock, beautiful waterfalls, natural forest area, and incredible views of the piedmont that can be seen for miles. The trails of Hanging Rock State Park are a lot of fun and vary in difficulty. You can rent a vacation cabin or sign up for an activity program to discover something new about the nature of the park.
Lake James State Park
Address: 2785 NC Hwy 126, Nebo North Carolina 28761, McDowell County NC
GPS Coordinates: 35.728710, -81.901123
Phone: 828-652-5047
Email: lake.james@ncmail.net
 Lake James State Park contains scenic vistas of the surrounding Black Mountains and Appalachian Mountains. The park overlooks a manmade six thousand five hundred and ten acre lake. The lake offers swimming and fishing, a picnic shelter, three miles of hiking trails, various programs, canoe rentals, and two boat ramp areas. Lake James State Park Campground has twenty backpack campsites with showers which are very close to the parking lot. Camping in NC State Parks is a lot of fun. Lake James Campground offers some of the most secluded Campsites in NC and is on the top of the list of NC State Parks Camping options. Lake James State Park North Carolina visitors will thoroughly enjoy the rolling hills at the base of Linville Gorge which end up in the lake.
 Lake James is a 6,510 acre lake that has more than 150 miles of shoreline. This impressive lake is the centerpiece of Lake James State Park and it is only about 20 minutes from the small town of Spruce Pine N C in Mitchell County North Carolina. The nature of Lake James State Park calls out to outdoor enthusiasts and offers incredible views of the Appalachian Mountains. You entire family will enjoy the large variety of activities offered at Lake James State Park, which is a ten to fifteen minute drive from the small mountain towns of Marion NC and Morganton NC. Make sure to go swimming and sunbathing or enjoy a scenic picnic along the many acres of shoreline. Your toughest decision will be whether to water ski, boat around, go fishing in the cool mountain waters, take a hike, or simply enjoy the variety of wildlife along the many park trails. Lake James State Park offers a wide variety of ways to enjoy a day or week in the great outdoors.
Mount Jefferson State Natural Area
Address: PO Box 48, Jefferson NC 28640, Ashe County NC
GPS Coordinates: 36.397660, -81.473466
Phone: 336-246-9653
Email: mount.jefferson@ncmail.net
 Mount Jefferson State park offers wonderful views from the scenic Blue Ridge mountaintop at an elevation of 4,683 feet. This national landmark offers several unique plant communities. The park has a picnic area with shelter, nature programs, and roughly 1.3 miles of hiking trails. Mount Jefferson State Park is close to Twin Rivers Campground which offers Camp Sites in NC. There are quite a few Camping Sites in North Carolina, but Twin Rivers Campground can accommodate Motorcycle Camping Trailers and Screened Tent Camping. Make sure to check out this entire page of our site as it acts as a National Parks Camping Guide and State Park Camping Guide. Mount Jefferson is elevated more than one thousand six hundred feet above the surrounding areas allowing it to serve as a landmark for people visiting the area.
 You can see the mountain from the Mount Jefferson Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It looks like a long and heavily wooded mountain which is dark in color and stands out from the neighboring peaks on the Ashe plateau. Mount Jefferson is fantastic from afar, but is best enjoyed up close. On clear days, you can see for miles and miles from the peak of the mountain. Mount Jefferson State Park is a great part of Ashe County North Carolina and spreads across farms, forest land, and fields. The Blue Ridge Mountains look amazing from Mount Jefferson and will make your visit quite enjoyable. The park offers unique and interesting plant life which is one of the reasons it was allowed the designation of a National Natural Landmark.
Mount Mitchell State Park
Address: 2388 State Highway 128, Burnsville NC 28714, Yancey County NC
GPS Coordinates: 35.7528, -82.2737
Phone: 828-675-4611
Email: mount.mitchell@ncmail.net
 Mountain Mitchell is the highest peak east of the Mississippi River and stands at 6,684 feet in elevation. Mount Mitchell offers wonderful views of up to 100 miles on clear days. Mount Mitchell State Park is proud of the fact that it is North Carolina's first state park. The park offers one of the best Tent Camping Campgrounds with nine tent campsites and eleven miles of hiking trails. Whether you want to go Hunting While Camping or just want to see for yourself why NC State Parks Camping is so special, you will not be disappointed. There are great trails for hikers, backpack enthusiasts, and equestrian lovers. You can use the trail system in Mount Mitchell State Park or the land located on adjacent U.S. Forest Service lands.
 There is a gift shop, exhibit hall, and many different types of programs at the top of the mountain. Programs vary from nature topics on What Kind of Food is Good for Camping to different species of local birds. Also, don’t miss the restaurant or two picnic shelters. Mount Mitchell rises more than a mile high in the sky which makes Mount Mitchell State Park on of the most extraordinary places in North Carolina. The Black Mountains can be seen from the summit of Mount Mitchell as well as incredible views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the surrounding valleys. Mount Mitchell is heavily forested and almost always misty. The 1,946 acre Mount Mitchell State Park will provide you with some of the most wonderful memories you will ever experience.
New River State Park
Address: 358 US Hwy 221 N Access Rd, Laurel Springs NC 28644, Alleghany County NC
GPS Coordinates: 36.467680, -81.340350
Phone: 336-982-2587
Email: new.river@ncmail.net
 The New River which is in New River State Park is believed to be the oldest river in North America. You can canoe past rock outcrops, woodlands, and farmlands while on the river. There is a 26.5 mile stretch which is designated as a National Wild and Scenic River. New River State Park has some of the most scenic Camping Sites in North Carolina State Parks and offers more than 30 canoe-in Tent Camping Sites with many located within hiking distance of the parking lots. Plan your Weekend Camping Menu and hit the river for some adventure fun. Your Pack List for Camping should be light so you can enter via the river access to this NC State Park Camping location.
 The park contains a picnic shelter, a community building, NC Fly Fishing and North Carolina Trout Fishing on the river, nearly five miles of hiking trails, a variety of nature programs, and canoe access. New River State Park consists of meadows, farm lands, and rugged hillsides. The river is thought to be one of the oldest rivers in North America. The waters of the New River are slow and placid and the banks are covered with wildflowers in many areas. The river was dedicated as a National Scenic River in 1976 and is the centerpiece of New River State Park. There are four areas of the 2,200 acre New River State Park that contain river access. The park provides many wonderful spots for picnicking, fishing, canoeing, and camping.
Pilot Mountain State Park
Address: 1792 Pilot Knob Park Road, Pinnacle NC 27043, Stokes County North Carolina
Phone: 336-325-2355
Email: pilot.mountain@ncmail.net
 Pilot Mountain State Park is one of North Carolina’s signature landmarks and has scenic river access and a peregrine falcon habitat. The park has one of the best Tent Camping Campgrounds in the area and offers nearly 50 tent, RV, and trailer campsites. One rare thing for NC State Park campgrounds are showers, but Pilot Mountain State Park has them. There is one group tent camping site and two canoe-in campsites. You will never be bored at the park with rock climbing, NC Trout Fishing on the River, canoe access, a lot of nature programs, picnic shelter, and ten miles of hiking trails which include seven miles of bridle trails. Make sure to visit Pilot Mountain State Park to see why Camping in North Carolina State Parks is so much fun and such a unique experience.
 When you approach Pilot Mountain from any direction, you will see it rising more than 1,400 feet above the Piedmont flatland. Pilot Mountain was dedicated as a National Natural Landmark in 1976 and is the focus of entertainment of Pilot Mountain State Park. You can enjoy a horseback ride through the woods or hit the river in a kayak, raft, or canoe. There is a seven mile woodland corridor that joins two sections of the park with each section offering a ton of activities for outdoor fun. The mountain segment includes the two pinnacles and has most of the visitor options available. There is a more primitive river section as well which centers around the slow and peaceful Yadkin River.
South Mountains State Park
Address: 3001 South Mountain Park Avenue, Connelly Springs NC 28612, Burke County NC
GPS Coordinates: 35.5963, -81.6000
Phone: 828-433-4772 or 828-433-4686
Email: south.mountains@ncmail.net
 South Mountain State Park is one of the best NC State Parks and offers rock outcroppings at up to 3,000 feet and an 80 foot waterfall. There are more than 40 miles of hiking trails which include 29 miles of bridle trails and an 18 mile mountain biking trail. There are eleven of the best Camping Sites in NC State Parks, four group backpack camping sites, twenty average size backpack campsites, and fifteen equestrian campsites. South Mountain State Park also contains a 37 stall horse barn. Visit the park to enjoy a picnic shelter, various nature programs, and stream fishing.
 South Mountain State Park is nestled deep in the woods and is the perfect place to enjoy the nature of the area. You can see a beautiful mountain range over the rolling hills of the Piedmont. South Mountain State Park offers a great 80 foot waterfall, 40 miles of hiking trails, and an elevation of up to 3,000 feet. This park is considered to be one of North Carolina’s most rugged parks and has a trail that leads to High Shoals Falls. High Shoals Falls is a large NC Waterfall that drops into a large pool at the bottom. Backpack through the woodlands for a fun experience of primitive camping.
Stone Mountain State Park
Address: 3042 Frank Parkway, Roaring Gap North Carolina 28668, Alleghany County North Carolina
GPS Coordinates: 36.3873, -81.0273
Phone: 336-957-8185
Email: stone.mountain@ncmail.net
 Stone Mountain State Park has a granite rock dome that rises 700 feet above the valley floor, local Blue Ridge Mountain overlooks, and a few waterfalls. The park contains nature exhibits, historic sites, and Kids Activities Camping. If you are interested in Camping NC State Parks, Stone Mountain State Park offers nearly 40 tent, RV, and trailer campsites. The campground offers showers, five group tent camping sites, and six backpack campsites. Some of the activities available are rock climbing, fishing, more than twelve miles of hiking trails which include a six mile bridle trail, and two picnic shelters.
 Stone Mountain is amazingly enough not immediately visible when you enter the park, but this incredible 700 foot granite dome is well worth the wait until you get into the park. White-tailed deer are prevalent and emerge at dawn and dusk to feed on meadow grasses at the base of the mountain. You can try out your North Carolina Fly Fishing techniques in the more than twenty miles of designated trout waters or you can take one of the more than sixteen miles of trails to enjoy a nice hike. Stone Mountain State Park was designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1975 and is bordered by the Blue Ridge Parkway and Thurmond Chatham Game Lands. Stone Mountain State Park has more than 14,100 acres offering mountain beauty and ample outdoor opportunities of all kinds.
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