This North Carolina camping spot ranks among the nation’s best. Why visitors love it
A North Carolina destination is brimming with mountain views — and visitors can’t get enough of them.
So much so, the outdoor space now ranks among the nation’s best places to camp, according to results that the review website Yelp published in March.
Pisgah National Forest ranked as the No. 12 camping spot after Yelp said it studied comments that visitors left on camping-related pages. It “ranked those spots using a number of factors, including the total volume and ratings of reviews,” including a maximum of three places “per state for geographic diversity.”
Pisgah National Forest, in the Asheville area, was the only place in North Carolina to land a spot on the national list. On Yelp, some visitors said they couldn’t get enough of the varied landscape, which offers opportunities for biking, rock climbing and other activities.
“The Pisgah National Forest is a land of mile-high peaks, cascading waterfalls, and heavily forested slopes,” the U.S. Forest Service said on its website. “Comprised of over 500,000 acres, the Pisgah is primarily a hardwood forest with whitewater rivers, waterfalls and hundreds of miles of trails.”
For campers wanting amenities, Pisgah has about a dozen places to settle for the night, including some that are next to waterways. But you might want to check ahead of time at 877-444-6777, as many of the locations are closed during the colder months.
Some Yelp users raved that the campgrounds were well-maintained, helping Pisgah earn five out of five stars. The national forest also has designated dispersed camping sites, known for having few to no amenities.
The results come as North Carolina’s outdoor attractions have been making their marks this spring. Chimney Rock was named one of the nation’s favorite state parks, and the Outer Banks barrier islands ranked among the top destinations for travelers seeking an affordable spring break trip, McClatchy News reported.
Overall, the nation’s top-ranking place to camp was Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Rounding out the top five:
- Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada
- Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona
- Haleakala National Park in Hawaii
- Cloudland Canyon State Park in Georgia
This story was originally published April 19, 2023 at 8:16 AM with the headline "This North Carolina camping spot ranks among the nation’s best. Why visitors love it."
