Looking for a new spot

Danuwoa

Redneck Emperor
I've Hiked from Cherry Hill NF campground up past Ellicotts Rock. Is there any places you can drive to and camp on the river north of Burrell's Ford? It is a very pretty area. I thought about taking a wagon or dolly and camp at Burell's Ford. It seems like not being able to drive down to the camp sites deters a lot of campers.

There were a lot of trout fishermen at the bridge and a bit south and north of the bridge.

Cherry Hill Campground is not very scenic. We only spent one night there before hitting the trail.
Not that I’m aware of and that is part of why it’s nice. The best places are not super easy to access.
 

Fletch_W

Banned
I've Hiked from Cherry Hill NF campground up past Ellicotts Rock. Is there any places you can drive to and camp on the river north of Burrell's Ford? It is a very pretty area. I thought about taking a wagon or dolly and camp at Burell's Ford. It seems like not being able to drive down to the camp sites deters a lot of campers.

There were a lot of trout fishermen at the bridge and a bit south and north of the bridge.

Cherry Hill Campground is not very scenic. We only spent one night there before hitting the trail.

Above Burrell's Ford, the next access is in NC, Bull Pen Rd. Then you could walk yourself South to get to the Ellicot area.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
Check out Davidson River Campground over near Brevard. I think it's just what you're looking for. I've stayed there a good bit over the years. No problem with the road. You'll never know it's there. It's just a two-lane blacktop.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
used to snow ski there...it was around 60 seconds wide open top to bottom before you needed to brake.
The Cataloochee ski slope isn't in Cataloochee Valley.
 

Artfuldodger

Senior Member
Cataloochee Valley is the quiet side of the Smokies. The drive through there is suppose to be real scenic. I would love to see it.
The campground looks nice. Probably not as popular as Smokemont.

The Cataloochee Valley is one of the most remote, and therefore least visited, parts of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The area is of a rural rather than wilderness nature, having once supported a close-knit family community of 1,200 residents, some of whom lived in the valley as recently as the 1960s.

I guess it looks more rural than wilderness? Not sure what that means. Maybe being a Valley by nature means it's old farmland and meadows.

You can search some of these places on You Tube and find where people reviewed the campgrounds.
 

Semi-Pro

Full-Pro
Are you camping in a tent? Do you prefer an actual campground? Not sure what all your needs are. We camped a Smokemont a few times. Lots to do in that area. Cherokee, Gatlinburg, and everything between those two cities on 441.

I've been to the Pisgah a few times but never camped. I did notice as you did the river sites in Davidson are close to the highway or look lake they are.

South of the campground is a Walmart and a few stores for supplies. I didn't find much to do in Brevard. I think there is a kayak/tubing place on the French Broad River. Heading north from Davidson is pretty and the Sliding Rock. The Cradle of Forestry museum is there but sadly we didn't go.
Tent, restrooms would be nice. We are used to taking a bath in the creeks if nessasary. Mainly looking for a place to cool off in the summer and that doesn't get hot in the campground
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
Cataloochee Valley is the quiet side of the Smokies. The drive through there is suppose to be real scenic. I would love to see it.
The campground looks nice. Probably not as popular as Smokemont.

The Cataloochee Valley is one of the most remote, and therefore least visited, parts of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The area is of a rural rather than wilderness nature, having once supported a close-knit family community of 1,200 residents, some of whom lived in the valley as recently as the 1960s.

I guess it looks more rural than wilderness? Not sure what that means. Maybe being a Valley by nature means it's old farmland and meadows.

You can search some of these places on You Tube and find where people reviewed the campgrounds.
They left several houses, barns, churches, and a school instead of tearing them all down. And they keep the bottomlands in part of the valley maintained as fields instead of letting them grow up in woods. Some of my kin lived in there before the Park bought it up and ran them out. They still have a reunion/homecoming over there every August. It's just across the ridge from me, and it's one of my favorite places on earth. It's being loved to death since they turned the elk loose, though. It's full of people on the weekends and you can't hardly get a site at the small campground for love or money.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
What was the Nat. Forest campground we talked about that was near you. I think it was real high, had elk? and was above Maggie Valley. I think there was also a private campground near it.
You're probably taking about Balsam Mountain. It's in the national park, not the national forest.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
Tent, restrooms would be nice. We are used to taking a bath in the creeks if nessasary. Mainly looking for a place to cool off in the summer and that doesn't get hot in the campground
Davidson River and Standing Indian both have bathhouses. Both are nice. There is probably more family-type stuff to do around Davidson River.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
Cataloochee is beautiful, but the ride to it can be a little scary.
???
I can be in there in about twenty minutes from my house. Been driving that road on a very regular basis since I was 16, never found it to be scary at all. Pretty good road, actually, for what it is. The Atlanta beltway is very scary to me.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
I think that's it, Ok, it's a national park campground. Is Mile High near there and who owns it? It looks nice as well.
Mile High isn't far from there, it's on the Rez, and it's a private commercial campground.
 

Artfuldodger

Senior Member
Davidson River and Standing Indian both have bathhouses. Both are nice. There is probably more family-type stuff to do around Davidson River.
Near Davidson River, I've read about some riding stables near there, plus tubing, Sliding Rock, waterfalls, the forestry museum, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Pisgah Inn.
I will say the drive up hwy 276 from hwy 64 to the parkway is one of the most scenic roads in the mountains. Smells like brake pads on the way down,lol.

Oh, and we appreciate the local input, thanks!
 
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NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
Near Davidson River, I've read about some riding stables near there, plus tubing, Sliding Rock, waterfalls, the forestry museum, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Pisgah Inn.
I will say the drive up hwy 276 from hwy 64 to the parkway is one of the most scenic roads in the mountains. Smells like brake pads on the way down,lol.
Dupont State Forest where they filmed the waterfall scenes in Last of the Mohicans is just out the road, too.
 

Semi-Pro

Full-Pro
How far is turtleback falls from davidson's? We have Been to sliding rock and looking glass. Looking to explore more of this area
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
How far is turtleback falls from davidson's? We have Been to sliding rock and looking glass. Looking to explore more of this area
The falls out there at Dupont are well worth a trip. Turtleback is maybe a 45 minute drive from Davidson.
 

deermaster13

Senior Member
Turtle back falls is a very nice place. Plan on all day hiking in and out and take water with you. we went when a lot of rain had hit and it rained on us hiking in. The trail can be slick and take the advise to not climb down in dangerous areas. While we were there a few years ago a chopper flew over back and forth for a couple hours looking for a 16 year old that didn't listen to the warnings and got swept down stream.
 
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