Carolina Hemlocks Rec Area

River
Entrance
CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA 2
CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA
CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA 1

Featured amenities

General Store General Store
Pet Friendly Pet Friendly
Restrooms Restrooms
River Access River Access
Showers Showers

Sites & Rates

Average nightly rates

20 total sites

RV Sites

17 sites

Tent Sites

3 sites

About Carolina Hemlocks Rec Area

Carolina Hemlocks Recreation Area sits in the scenic mountains of Pisgah National Forest. This is a great place for small to medium-sized groups to swim, fish, tube, hike, camp, picnic and simply relax in the cool shade of the forest.

Number of accommodations: 20

Activities & Attractions

Nearby

Fishing

Fishing

Year-round
Hiking

Hiking

Year-round
Swimming

Swimming

Summer
Tubing

Tubing

Spring Summer Fall

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Currently open - Apr 4 to Oct 31

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

General Store General Store
Pet friendly Pet friendly
Restrooms Restrooms
River Access River Access
Showers Showers
Water and Hygiene

Water and Hygiene

  • Restrooms
  • Showers
On Site Services

On Site Services

  • General Store
Water Access

Water Access

  • Lake Access
  • River Access
Pets and Policies

Pets and Policies

  • Pet friendly
Missing information? Let us know

Rates, Sites & Availability

Select check-in and check-out dates to see real-time availability for each site.

20 Sites Available

Site
Price
🚐 01, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 02, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 03, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 04, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 05, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 06, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA RV
No Hookups
Price not available
07, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA Tent
8 guests · Campfire · Pet Friendly
Price not available
🚐 08, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 09, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 12, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 13, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA RV
No Hookups
Price not available
28, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA Tent
8 guests · Campfire · Pet Friendly
Price not available
🚐 29, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 30, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 31, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 32, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 33, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 34, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA RV
No Hookups
Price not available
35, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA Tent
8 guests · Pet Friendly
Price not available
🚐 36, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA RV
No Hookups
Price not available

Reviews (327)

What Guests Are Saying

Carolina Hemlocks Rec Area is praised for its beautiful location near the river, well-maintained facilities, and friendly hosts. Many visitors enjoy the campground's relaxing atmosphere, ample opportunities for swimming and tubing, and the accessibility of nearby trails. While some issues with noise and management have been noted, the overall experience remains positive, with many campers expressing a desire to return.

Review Summary

4.3
327 reviews
5
61.2%
200
4
20.8%
68
3
9.5%
31
2
4.9%
16
1
3.7%
12

Ann M

Verified

August 16, 2020 Stayed at: 32, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA

4

Our site was very big and lots of shade. The staff were very helpful and friendly. There was a lot of noise from road traffic, which brought it down a star. We enjoyed tubing on the river in the park. Lots of little rapids, was super fun!

Ann M

Verified

August 16, 2020 Stayed at: 32, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA

4

Our site was very big and lots of shade. The staff were very helpful and friendly. There was a lot of noise from road traffic, which brought it down a star. We enjoyed tubing on the river in the park. Lots of little rapids, was super fun!

Jennifer R

Verified

July 28, 2020 Stayed at: 32, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA

4

I have been coming to Carolina Hemlocks for 22 years give or take a few years. In past years we have had very few issues but this year was different. The new Hosts have instituted their own rules and are not following Cradle rules. For example, telling people that there are no first come first serve sites and that all sites are assigned, saving sites for out of town friends and others, telling people that the river closes at 9;00 pm, changing the generator rules as to duration of running time and hours that generators can be used. The lead host was also very rude to me and many others. I went to the office to ask a simple question and was met with a rude, smart reply and no answer to my question. This experience was repeated with others that were camping. The bathrooms were not clean and the campsites were not checked and cleaned between guests. Also maintenance is desperately needed, gravel has been washed away and many campsites have drainage issues that need to be addressed. I hate to see my this special place go downhill from willful neglect. The Cradle needs to step in and get a handle on this before it gets worse.

Jennifer R

Verified

July 28, 2020 Stayed at: 32, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA

4

I have been coming to Carolina Hemlocks for 22 years give or take a few years. In past years we have had very few issues but this year was different. The new Hosts have instituted their own rules and are not following Cradle rules. For example, telling people that there are no first come first serve sites and that all sites are assigned, saving sites for out of town friends and others, telling people that the river closes at 9;00 pm, changing the generator rules as to duration of running time and hours that generators can be used. The lead host was also very rude to me and many others. I went to the office to ask a simple question and was met with a rude, smart reply and no answer to my question. This experience was repeated with others that were camping. The bathrooms were not clean and the campsites were not checked and cleaned between guests. Also maintenance is desperately needed, gravel has been washed away and many campsites have drainage issues that need to be addressed. I hate to see my this special place go downhill from willful neglect. The Cradle needs to step in and get a handle on this before it gets worse.

Emily W

Verified

July 23, 2020 Stayed at: 07, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA

2

I love this Campground, I've been coming for 50 years and the staff is great and very helpful.
But the rules need to be clarified for the campground.
The rules and the printouts are too nebulous at this point .
There were many dogs that were not on leashes and intimidated some of the guests and interfered with the enjoyment of the park.
Also the day visitors and campers played music that was invasive and did not allow many campers to enjoy or hear the river.
Also dogs that were with campers repeatedly barked early in the morning. So perhaps the campground would benefit from very clear rules
No music playing, if your dog barks repeatedly then you must rectify the situation or not bring your dog and if you don't you will be asked to leave.
And dogs should not be allowed in any of the swimming areas and certainly not free to roam without being on a leash.
Also I think the campground would benefit from having a limit on numbers a person's for day visitors.
I hope the Campground can update the rules on the printouts so that these will be clear and create more enjoyment for everyone.
Thank you!

Emily W

Verified

July 23, 2020 Stayed at: 07, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA

2

I love this Campground, I've been coming for 50 years and the staff is great and very helpful.
But the rules need to be clarified for the campground.
The rules and the printouts are too nebulous at this point .
There were many dogs that were not on leashes and intimidated some of the guests and interfered with the enjoyment of the park.
Also the day visitors and campers played music that was invasive and did not allow many campers to enjoy or hear the river.
Also dogs that were with campers repeatedly barked early in the morning. So perhaps the campground would benefit from very clear rules
No music playing, if your dog barks repeatedly then you must rectify the situation or not bring your dog and if you don't you will be asked to leave.
And dogs should not be allowed in any of the swimming areas and certainly not free to roam without being on a leash.
Also I think the campground would benefit from having a limit on numbers a person's for day visitors.
I hope the Campground can update the rules on the printouts so that these will be clear and create more enjoyment for everyone.
Thank you!

Christina R

Verified

July 18, 2020 Stayed at: 31, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA

1

Water from water spigots around campsites, and water from bathroom sinks and showers REEKED with rust. It was so nasty to wash your hands and take a shower with that smelly water. I witnessed six campers bathing themselves with soap and shampoo in the river for this reason. All the pipes need to be replaced! This wasn’t an issue when I camped here in Spring 2019. Also, the dumpster was 3 feet high with garbage so that the top bin door could not be closed and a lot of it spilled over on the street. It reeked badly within a 20 foot distance. I feel sorry for the bears that get shot digging thru garbage when it’s not even bear-proof! All the bathrooms were always filthy no matter what time of day you went in there and my campsite had a lot of litter on the ground when I checked in at 4 pm...but the fire pit was clean. This campground was well-maintained in the past five years I’ve been here and this time around was a complete shock to me. I hope something will be done about it.

Christina R

Verified

July 18, 2020 Stayed at: 31, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA

1

Water from water spigots around campsites, and water from bathroom sinks and showers REEKED with rust. It was so nasty to wash your hands and take a shower with that smelly water. I witnessed six campers bathing themselves with soap and shampoo in the river for this reason. All the pipes need to be replaced! This wasn’t an issue when I camped here in Spring 2019. Also, the dumpster was 3 feet high with garbage so that the top bin door could not be closed and a lot of it spilled over on the street. It reeked badly within a 20 foot distance. I feel sorry for the bears that get shot digging thru garbage when it’s not even bear-proof! All the bathrooms were always filthy no matter what time of day you went in there and my campsite had a lot of litter on the ground when I checked in at 4 pm...but the fire pit was clean. This campground was well-maintained in the past five years I’ve been here and this time around was a complete shock to me. I hope something will be done about it.

Michelle O

Verified

January 24, 2020 Stayed at: 34, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA

5

This campsite was so great! I love that there was a river side (which would be nice in the summer!). The bathrooms were individual and clean. We had a large campsite - the only downside was the cement table. It rained and they never dried out, but hey, we're camping, right? Camp host was great too with lots of info and delivering woood in the rain. I love this site.

Andrew S

Verified

January 24, 2020 Stayed at: 04, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA

5

Had a lovely time just what we were looking for

Location Carolina Hemlocks Rec Area

Address:
8516 Highway 80 South
Burnsville, NC, 28714
United States

Highway access

Carolina Hemlocks Recreation Area is accessible via I-26, with exit 9 leading to Highway 19, which connects to State Highway 80. Highway 80 provides direct access to the campground.

Elevation: 842 feet

Distance to downtown

14 mi drive to downtown Burnsville (about 21 min)

Nearby Campgrounds

Nearby destinations


Last updated: September 7, 2026

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Managed by USDA Forest Service