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?

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

M P

Verified

September 24, 2025 Stayed at: 13, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA

5

Great stay with beautiful coooool nights!
Only a couple of disappointing things: 1. The campground hosts didn't police the site between campers, so we had a LOT of cleaning up to do including a big pile of dry dog food (?) and piles of dog feces.
2. There were some people camping one of the nights that must've been in the upper area and were LOUD and obnoxious. Screaming, cursing, loud music well past midnight. It woke many of the neighbors around us, and it didn't seem the hosts cared a bit. Made for a long night.
Otherwise a great triip.

Gary B

Verified

September 18, 2025 Stayed at: 06, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA

4

First time at this campground, but familiar with the location. Loved the campsites we had…on the river, spacious,, easy setup. Sites 2, 4, 6, and 7 are recommended. Enjoyed talking to the camp host and the info she provided.

Noisier than any other campground, not due to campers, but the road traffic. I was awakened around 6am by a construction truck using his extremely loud air brakes. Two roads sandwich the campground, so be aware. Normally the traffic noise is negligible unless your site is on the Hwy 80 side. The water has a yellow tint to it and tasted “treated”. Still, these did not detract from the trip. Loved the access to the river and if I’d brought a swim suit or shorts, I could have done some laps at one of the access sites. We’ll be back to this campground.

Melissa W

Verified

September 18, 2025 Stayed at: 13, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA

5

Absolutely love this campground! One of my favorite getaway spots!

Gary B

Verified

September 18, 2025 Stayed at: 06, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA

4

First time at this campground, but familiar with the location. Loved the campsites we had…on the river, spacious,, easy setup. Sites 2, 4, 6, and 7 are recommended. Enjoyed talking to the camp host and the info she provided.

Noisier than any other campground, not due to campers, but the road traffic. I was awakened around 6am by a construction truck using his extremely loud air brakes. Two roads sandwich the campground, so be aware. Normally the traffic noise is negligible unless your site is on the Hwy 80 side. The water has a yellow tint to it and tasted “treated”. Still, these did not detract from the trip. Loved the access to the river and if I’d brought a swim suit or shorts, I could have done some laps at one of the access sites. We’ll be back to this campground.

Melissa W

Verified

September 18, 2025 Stayed at: 13, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA

5

Absolutely love this campground! One of my favorite getaway spots!

Randy B

Verified

September 14, 2025 Stayed at: 07, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA

4

I camped in site 7. It's a nice site with a view of the South Toe River but it is awkward for tent camping. The picnic table should be moved to the fenced end of the site and turned perpendicular to the river. The fire pit should be moved closer to the table at that end. This will make the open more space and give tent campers more room further away from the fire pit. I didn't use the fire pit because it was too close to the fire pit.

This was the first time I had camped at Carolina Hemlocks and was impressed overall. The restrooms were clean and the showers worked well. I will be planning a return visit.

Randy B

Verified

September 14, 2025 Stayed at: 07, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA

4

I camped in site 7. It's a nice site with a view of the South Toe River but it is awkward for tent camping. The picnic table should be moved to the fenced end of the site and turned perpendicular to the river. The fire pit should be moved closer to the table at that end. This will make the open more space and give tent campers more room further away from the fire pit. I didn't use the fire pit because it was too close to the fire pit.

This was the first time I had camped at Carolina Hemlocks and was impressed overall. The restrooms were clean and the showers worked well. I will be planning a return visit.

Arcada F

Verified

September 7, 2025 Stayed at: 34, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA

5

We absolutely loved it here!

Patricia B

Verified

September 7, 2025 Stayed at: 35, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA

5

We love this campground. It’s beautiful and the campsites are spacious.

Arcada F

Verified

September 7, 2025 Stayed at: 34, Loop: CAROLINA HEMLOCKS REC AREA

5

We absolutely loved it here!

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