Camping

JTA · Unread post by **JTA** » Wed Oct 17, 2012 7:18 pm

Drove up to Pisgah Forest a couple weekends ago. From what I hear there are many places to camp. Has anyone been camping up there?

Tertius · Unread post by **Tertius** » Wed Oct 17, 2012 7:24 pm

My son and I camped there often. It has bee 20 years but my guess it it is even better now.

keyboarder · Unread post by **keyboarder** » Wed Oct 17, 2012 7:29 pm

My favorite place to go is in or around Bryson City, NC. Fontana Lake is beautiful any time of the year. This particular place we go is always a place to spot bears. Husband is from Jackson County and we spend alot of time between there and where my relatives are in Madison County, NC.

JTA · Unread post by **JTA** » Wed Oct 17, 2012 7:34 pm

keyboarder wrote:My favorite place to go is in or around Bryson City, NC. Fontana Lake is beautiful any time of the year. This particular place we go is always a place to spot bears. Husband is from Jackson County and we spend alot of time between there and where my relatives are in Madison County, NC.

Are these primitive camping areas that are free? Or do you have to pay?

JTA · Unread post by **JTA** » Wed Oct 17, 2012 7:35 pm

Tertius wrote:My son and I camped there often. It has bee 20 years but my guess it it is even better now.

Nice. I might check it out this weekend. A few months ago I camped near Black Balsam Knob/Graveyard Fields off the blue ridge parkway and had a blast.

From what I could tell there were quite a few places to camp along the forest service roads, plus many trails you could hike down.

keyboarder · Unread post by **keyboarder** » Wed Oct 17, 2012 7:59 pm

JTA wrote:
keyboarder wrote:My favorite place to go is in or around Bryson City, NC. Fontana Lake is beautiful any time of the year. This particular place we go is always a place to spot bears. Husband is from Jackson County and we spend alot of time between there and where my relatives are in Madison County, NC.
Are these primitive camping areas that are free? Or do you have to pay?

There's plenty of both types. The most secluded are non pay. There's lots to do around the more established ones, live water sports.
There are cyclists and bikers galore there. My husband and sometimes some of our grands stay way back in the sticks in a great big cabin with wrap around porches. We play instruments and have music hobbies. It's a good place there to enjoy whatever you like.

A good place to contact about your preferences would be to start with mountainfamilyvacations.com. If they don't know, they'll be able to direct you further. Good luck!

O Really · Unread post by **O Really** » Wed Oct 17, 2012 11:27 pm

If you're into primitive camping and want a nice place with easy access, try the road that goes up to the horse stables in Pisgah Forest. Not more than four miles or so up 276 from 64, but there's some nice campsites that probably aren't crowded at all this time of year. The campsite close to the Pisgah Inn is a bit of an upgrade - take your RV, but there's no electric. For about the same distance, depending on where you live, you can go to Oconee State Park in SC, that is one of the best parks around - anywhere. All options available - nice primitive sites, nice RV sites. Good hiking, lake, whitewater, whatever.

Apache · Unread post by **Apache** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 3:50 pm

We use to camp years ago there. Beautiful area. and yes, there are free areas all over. My eldest son attended Montreat, part of his degree required that they "live" off the land for two weeks. Their camp was attacked by a bear, one of the student was clawed on her ankle.The bear wanted her sleeping bag and she didnt get outta of it in time! She was taken to a local hosp. treated and insisted she be taken back to her camp site, so she could run down Mt. Pisgah with her group. The sight of all those stinky smelly dirty youngsters running in the rain coming off that mountain, is one I will always cherish.

JTA · Unread post by **JTA** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 5:14 pm

O Really wrote:If you're into primitive camping and want a nice place with easy access, try the road that goes up to the horse stables in Pisgah Forest. Not more than four miles or so up 276 from 64, but there's some nice campsites that probably aren't crowded at all this time of year

I actually checked those out last time I was up there. I'm definitely going to hit that place up a few times next year for sure.

JTA · Unread post by **JTA** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 5:15 pm

How about any trail loops that would be good for a three-day, two night trip?

O Really · Unread post by **O Really** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 11:48 pm

JTA wrote:How about any trail loops that would be good for a three-day, two night trip?

It's not a loop, but you could do an in/out or get someone to pick you up if you took a hike on the Foothills Trail. http://www.alleneasler.com/foothillstrail.html There are several places to start, and you can go as many of the 75 miles as you feel up to.

Tertius · Unread post by **Tertius** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 10:15 pm

Went to the mountains today colors were great. I cannot see how they can be better next weekend. Go if you can. Go early we did. I-26 got very backed up later in the day.

JTA · Unread post by **JTA** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 11:29 pm

Tertius wrote:Went to the mountains today colors were great. I cannot see how they can be better next weekend. Go if you can. Go early we did. I-26 got very backed up later in the day.

No camping this weekend. Looks like I'll instead hit up Lake Johnson for some fishing.

Tertius · Unread post by **Tertius** » Sat Oct 20, 2012 1:40 am

JTA wrote:
Tertius wrote:Went to the mountains today colors were great. I cannot see how they can be better next weekend. Go if you can. Go early we did. I-26 got very backed up later in the day.
No camping this weekend. Looks like I'll instead hit up Lake Johnson for some fishing.

they reopened that quick. I thought it would be another year before reopening. Did they restrict the bait or are they going to repeat the same mistake?

JTA · Unread post by **JTA** » Sat Oct 20, 2012 9:06 am

Tertius wrote:
JTA wrote:
Tertius wrote:Went to the mountains today colors were great. I cannot see how they can be better next weekend. Go if you can. Go early we did. I-26 got very backed up later in the day.
No camping this weekend. Looks like I'll instead hit up Lake Johnson for some fishing.
they reopened that quick. I thought it would be another year before reopening. Did they restrict the bait or are they going to repeat the same mistake?

Same here. I read on their website it wouldn't be until January, but apparently it was opened last July.

I don't think you're allowed to use minnows.

I caught a few medium sized bass out there on a top water crank bait last month, nothing too spectacular though. Also saw a decent sized carp swimming around.

JTA · Unread post by **JTA** » Sat Oct 20, 2012 4:45 pm

JTA wrote:
Tertius wrote:
JTA wrote:
Tertius wrote:Went to the mountains today colors were great. I cannot see how they can be better next weekend. Go if you can. Go early we did. I-26 got very backed up later in the day.
No camping this weekend. Looks like I'll instead hit up Lake Johnson for some fishing.
they reopened that quick. I thought it would be another year before reopening. Did they restrict the bait or are they going to repeat the same mistake?
Same here. I read on their website it wouldn't be until January, but apparently it was opened last July.

I don't think you're allowed to use minnows.

I caught a few medium sized bass out there on a top water crank bait last month, nothing too spectacular though. Also saw a decent sized carp swimming around.

Saw a bunch of nice sized carp out there today. No bites from them unfortunately.

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