Balsam Mountain Campground, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NC

Balsam Mountain Campground is part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina (1 hr 7 min west of Asheville, NC) with an elevation of 5,310 feet. There are a total of 43 campsites. The campground is normally open from the end of May to the beginning of September. 23 sites can accommodate RVs and trailers between 12 and 31 feet. All sites are currently reservable. Reservations can be booked up to 6 months in advance. There is a fee of $30.00 per night. Some amenities include restroom, amphitheater. Activities include biking, hiking trails.

Make a Reservation

Campsite Reviews (178)

4.4 out of 5

5 star		65%
4 star		22%
3 star		5%
2 star		4%
1 star		2%

@KidronLAAA4C2A · Camped on Sep 22, 2024 at Campsite #24

Very beautiful, quiet site. Some of the cleanest bathrooms.

@DavidB5075483 · Camped on Sep 20, 2024 at Campsite #3

Great no thrills spot. Not intended for large campers but my small one was perfect

@JoeyABDEE52694 · Camped on Sep 16, 2024 at Campsite #17

More of a tenters campground. great location but just wasnt for me.

@ForrestS3C0E7A · Camped on Aug 31, 2024 at Campsite #2

Not crowded and an awesome host.

@GarretL3995664 · Camped on Aug 26, 2024 at Campsite #7

A nice little campground. The description on Recreation.gov is pretty good. NOT big rig friendly. You need a tent or smaller camper for this one. The bathrooms were cleaned every day we were there. Just remember, there are no showers there. The camp host was friendly. The wash station for your dishes was nice. I would camp here again.

@JerryE1949127 · Camped on Aug 23, 2024 at Campsite #12

This is a beautiful and enjoyable campground. The only issue is that the sites are super close. If you are looking for privacy, this is not your spot.

@CathyW5299700 · Camped on Aug 16, 2024 at Campsite #7

A lovely, quiet campground near the Mountain to Sea Trail which we have been hiking.

@danb6262240 · Camped on Aug 14, 2024 at Campsite #2

I dont want to admit it because the less people that know about how beautiful this place is the better, I love it here

@howards5966886 · Camped on Aug 13, 2024 at Campsite #43

Always enjoyable here.

@NolanB2970213 · Camped on Aug 12, 2024 at Campsite #26

I love coming up here every year. Its the best campground in the Smokies!!!

@BetsyL30495070 · Camped on Aug 11, 2024 at Campsite #23

This is usually such a quiet campground, one of the reasons we love to come here every year. But this year we were next to campers who ran a loud generator every moment they could while they were in the campsite and they stayed outside their camper talking very loudly to hear each other over the noise. It is allowed, so there was no reason I could complain, but it sure ruined the entire stay. They also violated several other campground rules (they had two trucks and a camper, left food out all day while they were gone). There was not a regular campground host there, and the fill in host did not seem to be around much of the time we were there. Other than that, it was a perfect stay

@JohnnyDC31812F · Camped on Aug 10, 2024 at Campsite #31

I really like Balsam Mountain. It's high enough in the mountains that it gets nice and cool in the summer and there's plenty of fallen wood for fire along with nice trails all around.

@MorganR8509083 · Camped on Aug 9, 2024 at Campsite #43

Beautiful campsites with a decent amount of privacy, most were bordered with wildflowers! The camp host was so kind and helpful. The bathrooms were the cleanest campsite bathrooms I've ever experienced, which was a huge relief to us camping with a newly potty trained toddler. We couldn't have asked for a better weekend and will definitely be back!

@GregoryV787337 · Camped on Jul 29, 2024 at Campsite #23

Stayed at site 23. Camp hosts were great. Site was well maintained, but the table had too much of a slope to be able to use my camp stove. Site was well shaded, which made relying on solar a bit problematic.

@CherylM3564547 · Camped on Jul 29, 2024 at Campsite #32

Campground host E and J were so gracious and made me feel welcome. Bathrooms were clean, campground was peaceful and there was a lovely walk to an overlook right up the road.

@RuthC12914E560 · Camped on Jul 27, 2024 at Campsite #13

Very nice and quiet. Lovely and cool at this elevation even though late July. Never saw the campground host and the campground was only about a third full. I do wish they would have hand wash soap in the bathrooms.

@MichaelH990269 · Camped on Jul 23, 2024 at Campsite #7

Quiet, peaceful, and much cooler temps than other places due to the very high elevation. Camp hosts Ed and Judy were great!

@MaraV260953854 · Camped on Jul 21, 2024 at Campsite #9

Beautiful mountain site, a great reprieve from the summer heat.

@NickA5023435 · Camped on Jul 18, 2024 at Campsite #35

nice place to camp

@MariO3508C81D1 · Camped on Jul 18, 2024 at Campsite #23

Quiet, small campground. Enjoyed 55-62 degree temperatures there since it's recently been in the 90 degree range at home. Saw elk, met nice folks, and didn't even mind the rain and fog. I'll be back!

@RobinH9361387 · Camped on Jul 14, 2024 at Campsite #39

The campground hosts were very helpful and kind.

@RebeccaF466555 · Camped on Jul 13, 2024 at Campsite #12

The campground hosts, Ed and his wife (we didn't catch her name), were so kind and knowledgeable about the history of the area. They shared a few stories with us that we would not have known otherwise. The campground was quiet and the sites were well maintained.

@DougM2170925 · Camped on Jul 10, 2024 at Campsite #15

If you live in the south and looking for a place to cool down try the beautiful mile high Balsam Mountain National Park campground. Forest bathing at its best! Great hosts too very accommodating.

@PavloP73710F50 · Camped on Jul 5, 2024 at Campsite #13

The only campground at high elevation. no electricity at all. not too much places to go on foot from here.13 average spot, in the open14 trees for hammock open area33 down stairs 1 car, ok pad15 corner open area, lacks privacy32 right next to rest room, bad31 corner too close, in the open, bad30 people walk right next to it, fire place good27 people walk right next to it fire place with close to walkway29 people walk right next to it fireplace close to walk way26 next to road, 3rd best of tent walk in28 last , good privacy best of tent walk in.16 next to cornet open area.17 up against trees, tent pads close ok18 myroslavs good25 close to road and next to steep hill but ok19 good privacy good site.24 next to road near steep hill better than 25 , bit more privacy20 ok no tent pad trees around, privacy21 ok trees for hammock22 cool spot on hill23 very private away 7 secluded not to big tent pad but ok38 ok next to dish washing, openish39 private good40 private good5 weird spot, no tent pad,near road on hill open4 bad, near road, lack of space for everything42 private good, shady2 private good, shady1 near road, ok, not too much space 43 private good3 private good might not have a tent pad8 great spot9 hard to place chairs around fire ring ok, roots hill37 private ok 10 private ok11 private ok36 downhill private less trees12 less trees openish35 ring is next to 34 ring, tent pad is away. Bad34 ring in on a hill, dumb. Bad

@JAMESS8693241 · Camped on Jun 25, 2024 at Campsite #17

The camp host was good, restrooms were clean. The bugs were bad but that's no fault of the park system.

See other campgrounds near Cherokee, NC with availability Tonight
See other campgrounds near Cherokee, NC with availability This Weekend

Other Campgrounds Nearby

We track all the sites so you don't have to.

Reservation Systems

Campsites Tracking

Campsite Reviews

Available Tonight

Available this Weekend

Cancellations Today

PRO $2.50/month

You're in Control. We never save credit card information or auto-renew subscriptions.

Availability Map Search
3000+ Interactive Campground Maps
Campground Virtual Tours
Save Your Favorite Campsites
Favorite Campsites Availability
Campground Mobile Speed Test Maps
National Parks, Forests & Ranger District Layers
Wildfires & Air Quality Map Layer
Satellite View Map Layer
Campsite SMS Cancellation Alerts
Rent your Property & Cabins
Love's & Super Walmart Map Layers
Cracker Barrel & Bass Pro Shop Map Layers
Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUM) Layer
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Map Layer
RV Propane, Parking, Dump, Water Map Layer

Pro is FREE for 7 days. (No credit card information required!)

Thanks to all our Supporting Members

@BranJen - Santa Clara, CA

I wanted to thank you for this site and especially for the notifications feature. Thanks to your site and my subscription I was able to book a campsite I've been annoyingly trying to book for 5 years unsuccessfully. So thank you.

@Wondering - Oregon

Wow! Woke up this morning to a notification that a favorite had opened at Paulina, and when I went to check, it was there. This membership just paid for itself in the first 24 hours I owned it. Couldn't take the site it conflicted with a trip already set, but it truly was there. Thanks Tons.

@CarlaLThompson - Colorado

I just love this site and I tell everyone about it! It's so competitive to secure desired campsites and the alerts really help track when sites free up. The best part of this story is our alert notified a cancellation the next day!!!!!! Just incredible!!!