Laurie C
VerifiedJuly 7, 2023 Stayed at: 020, Loop: Big John
Very friendly staff , clean , beautiful location
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764 reviews
Lake Powhatan offers a fantastic location near Asheville and the Blue Ridge Parkway, with well-maintained, private campsites and friendly staff. Campers appreciate the beautiful, serene environment and the variety of outdoor activities available, including hiking and biking trails. While some noted issues with the swimming area and occasional noise disturbances, overall, guests had a positive experience and expressed a desire to return.
Based on guest feedback
4.6
Based on 764 reviews
Showing 764 reviews
July 7, 2023 Stayed at: 020, Loop: Big John
Very friendly staff , clean , beautiful location
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July 7, 2023 Stayed at: 050, Loop: Lakeside
Great little campground. Great location. Decent amenities. The only downside was the slant of the parking at tent sites. We wanted secluded which we got but had we known you needed an rv site to not sleep at a 45° angle, we would have booked differently.
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July 6, 2023 Stayed at: 051, Loop: Lakeside
Sites have nice separation with tree canopy. Lots of trails and beautiful lake.
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July 6, 2023 Stayed at: 034, Loop: Bent Creek
Our family of 4 (2 adults, 2 kiddos under 7) tent camped at Bent Creek site #34 over the July 4 long weekend. A few things weren’t great for us. #34 is quite hot since it gets lots of afternoon sun (would be great if using solar though). Often waits to use 2 restrooms and 2 showers. A bear did walk right beside our campsite picnic table so take the bear warnings seriously. There are no dishwashing sinks/areas, so washing dishes is a challenge, especially if you are trying to avoid food scraps at your campsite to prevent bears. Riding bikes in the campground was hard for us due to the hills (because our kiddos are still working on braking and bike control). The worst part was the noise and disrespectful campers. Every night, we had to deal with rowdiness past 10:00 quiet hours, one night until 12:30. The Bent Creek loop doesn’t have a Campground Host and no staff patrols in the evenings. At checkout we found out that we should have gone to a different loop and asked a Campground Host for help with the noise.
The good things are that the gatehouse staff are super nice, the restrooms/showers are clean, there is ice and firewood for purchase, the beach and the lake are really fun, the campsites have good spacing/privacy. We enjoyed biking to the NC Arboretum but it was a challenge getting from our campsite to the trails by bike. We never found a great way to bike to the lake/beach. (Again, our kiddos are still mastering balancing and braking, so this would not apply to everyone.)
By car, we explored the Cradle of the Forestry, the NC Arboretum, and the Blue Ridge Parkway. All three were wonderful. We tried to visit The Sliding Rock water slide three times but it was too crowded (full parking lot) probably due to the holiday weekend.
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July 5, 2023 Stayed at: 051, Loop: Lakeside
Sites are level and easy to back into. Bathroom facilities very clean and comfortable
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July 3, 2023 Stayed at: 072, Loop: Hard Times
Very pleasant experience. Nice and quiet, restful. Electricity at more sites would be very helpful.
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July 1, 2023 Stayed at: 032, Loop: Bent Creek
This is a great spot. Love that it is right across from the path to the restroom and the water supply spigot. 2nd time I have stayed at the campground. The staff are very friendly & helpful. The restrooms are always clean. The sites are well maintained too and the tent pad is nice and level.
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June 30, 2023 Stayed at: 044, Loop: Lakeside
Great cg
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June 26, 2023 Stayed at: 013, Loop: Big John
Tent camped on site 13. The site was very clean and well maintained before arrival. The site itself is in a good location, with no one behind or to the right (looking at the site), which made for quiet atmosphere. The host on our loop was very nice and helpful. No bear boxes on our loop, but saw ones on other loops. I would definitely utilize the same site again, but also thought site 8 was a good location for a tent. We drove around the entire campground and the glamping tents looked nice, but did not see them inside. Very close to Asheville and easy to get in/out campground to other things (if that interests you). Ingles close by and a discount shoe place you must check out! Hope this helps!
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June 25, 2023 Stayed at: 012, Loop: Big John
What a lovely, peaceful place! And, just 15 minutes from downtown Asheville! Staff at the park were extremely friendly and helpful!
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375 Wesley Branch Road, Asheville, NC 28806 United States
Elevation: 686 ft
From Asheville, take I-26 to exit 33. Go south approximately 2 mi on State Route 191 to the Lake Powhatan Recreation Area sign. Turn right and follow signs to the campground.
Lake Powhatan Campground is accessible via I-26, with exit 33 located approximately 2 miles from the campground on State Route 191.
The closest entrance is: Cataloochee Entrance
Approximate drive: 32.2 mi · 55 min
Last updated: October 23, 2026