Lake Powhatan Recreation Area & Campground

This campground is located in the Bent Creek area of Asheville NC in the Pisgah National Forest We had a friend visiting w/ her 3 dogs and we had our 2 dogs. Two campsites were reserved but we were able to park both our camper van and her Mini Winnie RV on the one loop RV campsite. On the extra site we parked the pickup for quick trips to town. She used the electric and we used our solar. If you need electric/ water you must reserve early since those sites go fast! There are also glamping options on the Hard Times loop. Although I didn’t see the interior, on the outside is a large canvas tent with a front porch and chairs. Reservations should be made through recreation.gov. If you have a senior pass for National Parks you can also get the discount @ National forest sites like Lake Powhatan. The staff at this campground is friendly and helpful .

We love staying here! So close to Asheville and Hendersonville. There are full hookup spots in the lakeside loop. We stayed at 35 which is nice. Bathrooms are private. Hiking is good. Beach is fun and that’s the best place to get phone coverage.

I recently stayed at Lake Powhatan campground, and my experience was far from enjoyable. Here are some of the issues I encountered. The campground was littered with dog feces, making it unsanitary and unpleasant to walk around.The bathroom lights were out, making it difficult to use the facilities, especially at night. The water had a disturbing black substance in it, raising serious concerns about its cleanliness and safety. Dogs were running free throughout the campground, which was both annoying and potentially dangerous.Overall, I was extremely disappointed with my stay and would not recommend this campground to others until these issues are addressed.

This campground is the worst I’ve ever been to. Hikers who don’t even camp here walk the roads with unleashed dogs. People fly through here and go the the wrong way. There are people who sit in the campground’s pads at night without reservations and snoop around. They were concerned about my fence and asked me to take it down, but what about my safety if a dog ran up to me? I’ve encountered many dogs that haven’t been on a leash while I’ve been staying here at Lake Powhatan. Not only was it very annoying to have dogs roam around, but it was also dangerous for me and other campers that stay here.The bathhouse/restroom had lights that didn’t work, making it difficult to use throughout the day, especially at night. The showers got cold very fast and the heaters didn’t even work. I do not recommend this campground, unless you wanna kick somebody’s dog in the face.

This campground is fabulous. I wish I could give it 10 stars. We stayed in the Big John loop during October. The site was roomy and level, the bathrooms were always clean, and the management team is super nice and helpful. The location is a quick drive to downtown Asheville and just minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway. Lots of hiking and biking trails, a lovely little lake area, lots of wildlife and beautiful plants and fungi, quiet, peaceful… Literally the only challenge was a lack of cell service but in some spots we were able to get a great signal.