Balsam Mountain Campground

Has bathroom with toilets and running water. No electricity. Had cell service (Verizon). Biggest disappointment with our tent ⛺️ site was that it had very little buffer and no tree cover. At least 5 trees had recently been cut down and zero had been planted. Too hot to stay at the site in the afternoon and evening.

Not impressed. For $30 a night I feel a bit ripped off. We have a camper van but are not allowed to park at the campsite, only on the road, which is on an incline. The spots are so close together I can hear the conversations happening in other tents. I see no mountains and no Balsam trees. Of all the beauty in this park I have no idea why they chose to make a campground here, especially so out of the way.

We Rv dry camped here( thats all they have) on a weekday after Memorial weekend. We didn't know we needed reservations but were able to call number and they had sites open. They have 43 sites and they are park on the side of the road but that blocks the firepit and table for a little more privacy. I think small rvs would be best .We had the only site you can back into site # 23 that was a little more private but it would only fit a small rv. flushable toilets and a dishwashing station. They had trails and there are trails close by. Its up in elevation so its cool.There is a camping world in Ashville for a dump station and I believe an rv campground for a dump station but forgot the name.

We camped here one night and enjoyed it. We only slept here and didn't spend any time on the grounds since we found parking lots with a view to make our backpacking meals. The bathrooms were very clean and the hosts were very kind. We would stay here again when we visit the Smokey's next time. (Photos of wildlife were from the drive up to the campground.)

Wonderful experience. Stayed at site #10. Tent pads are flat and solid. Site comes with a very large picnic table, and a fire ring with grate to cook on. Plenty of room for a canopy to go over top. A nice mix of RV's and tents. Many folks had large 3-8 person tents that the sites accommodated nicely. Some sites have perfect trees to set up a hammock, too. There are bathroom facilities on each end of the grounds, so not far to walk in either direction. Keep in mind, no shower facilities. Small and quaint. The camp hosts were so incredibly pleasant and helpful. Lots of hiking either a short walk or short drive from the grounds. Dogs are allowed, but must be kept on a leash/tie-out. The grounds had full reservations, but I never felt like it was overcrowded. All the other campers were very pleasant and friendly. This was my first experience camping at a campground, and I'm happy I chose this location to be my first.

This is an amazing place to get a break from the intense heat of the summer in NC. During the day if you stay up in the mountain it will never get pass the 80’s and the night will drop in the 50-60’s, making it ideal to have a little fire and sleep comfortably. I would give 5 stars if they had showers and if the camp site had more space between them. 17$ a night very quiet campsites with clean toilet bathrooms it’s perfect for a 2-3 days adventures. Plenty of trails and you can bring your fishing poles too. This is a campsite that you will want to comeback too!

Beautiful campground. Wonderful camp hosts. Very nice and helpful people. The campsites are really cramped however. Temperatures are cool, which feels good. Bring some fall clothing for chilly nights which is between 50 - 60 degrees in July. Bathrooms clean. No showers, but hey... This is camping. Lots of elk, wild turkey. Grounds well cared for.

It is the best campground in GSMNP for those who like elevation, hiking, cool days and nights, cell phone signal, and wildlife. It is very small. Has several sites without tent pad and rangers may let you put two tents in one site. Some sites are extremely close to each other. Very clean and beautiful place with spectacular views on the way to the campground!