Lake Powhatan
National Forests in North Carolina
Glamping sites are now available at Lake Powhatan! Experience nature and outdoor recreation without sacrificing the comforts and luxuries of home. Choose one of 12 custom designed, fully furnished canvas platform tents in the heart of the national forest for your next mountain adventure, only 10 minutes from downtown Asheville, NC. Learn more about glamping near Asheville . To book your glamping site, click here.
Located just minutes from the popular city of Asheville, North Carolina, Lake Powhatan has something for everyone. The campground is convenient to a variety of cultural and natural attractions, including art and music venues, shopping and dining in Asheville, scenic driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway, numerous hiking trails and lakeside recreation.
The shaded, private campsites are organized into four loops, all within walking distance of the lake. The facility provides picnic tables, tent pads, lantern posts and campfire rings with grills, in addition to restrooms with hot showers and flush toilets. A few sites have full hookups. 12 glamping tents are available in the upper Hardtimes Loop. Campers can purchase ice and firewood from the gatehouse.
Need to Know
Check-In Process:
Winter Gatehouse Hours (Nov. 15-March 24): 10am-5pm.
- During gatehouse hours, stop at the gatehouse to be checked in by a camphost. They will provide you with a map and review the rules.
- Outside the gatehouse hours, stop at the gatehouse to grab a map. Please review the campground rules on the back of the map.
Check-in: 2 pm
Check-out: 12 noon
Quiet hours are from 10:00 pm - 7:00 am.
Generators are not allowed between the hours of 8pm-8am, and may only run for up to 4 hours at a time.
Lake Powhatan is located in black bear territory. Visitors are expected to keep all smellable items locked away inside a camper or locked vehicle. Visitors who do not comply with this rule may be asked to leave the facility due to an increased risk of public safety.
Pets are allowed on-site and must be supervised for the duration of your stay. All pets must be kept on-leash or contained for the duration of your stay. Pets are not allowed on the beach. Dog fences are not permitted by the USFS.
- Limit 8 people and 2 vehicles for single sites and 16 people plus 4 vehicles for double sites; $5 daily extra vehicle fee collected upon arrival
- Swimming area open from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m., Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Campground hosts can be found by clearly marked sites. Hosts are present to provide assistance to visitors should the need arise.
- Fires are only permitted within established fire rings. DO NOT burn material which could contain metal objects such as nails, screws, etc...
- Don't Move Firewood: Help protect our forests! Prevent the spread of tree-killing pests by obtaining firewood at or near your destination and burning it on-site. Moving firewood is illegal in some states. Visit dontmovefirewood.org to learn more.
This campground is managed by Naventure.
Firewood and ice available for purchase during gatehouse hours.
Natural Features
The campground is situated in a heavily wooded area on the banks of Lake Powhatan in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. The elevation is 2,200 feet. The surrounding land boasts mile-high peaks, cascading waterfalls and slopes thickly forested with hardwoods and conifers.
Nearby Attractions
Among the more popular nearby destinations are Sliding Rock, Looking Glass Falls, the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway, The NC Arboretum and the Biltmore Estate.
Recreation
Visitors have a number of different activities to choose from. Kids love the lake's sandy swimming beach and anglers enjoy the calm waters for trout fishing. The French Broad River, popular for fishing, is also nearby. Note that use of personal watercraft is STRICTLY PROHIBITED in the lake due to potential introduction of foreign material to the Lake Powhatan riprarian ecosystem.
The forest is known for its hiking and mountain biking trails, several of which are located near the campground.
Changes & Cancellations
Any cancellations must be taken care of directly with recreation.gov. Note that this facility does not provide refunds for No Shows or incliment weather.
Contact Information
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375 WESLEY BRANCH ROAD ASHEVILLE NC 28806
Phone Number
For campground inquiries, please call: 828-552-8040
Rental Options
Learn more about gear rental options for your trip
Driving Directions
From Asheville, take I-26 to exit 33. Go south approximately 2 miles on State Route 191 to the Lake Powhatan Recreation Area sign. Turn right and follow signs to the campground.
Available Campsites
- Site 046, Loop Lakeside, Type Rv Electric
- Site 034, Loop Bent Creek, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 016, Loop Big John, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 090, Loop Hard Times, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 063, Loop Hard Times, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 072, Loop Hard Times, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 094, Loop Hard Times, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 070, Loop Hard Times, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 060, Loop Hard Times, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 028/029, Loop Bent Creek, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 041, Loop Lakeside, Type Rv Electric
- Site 051, Loop Lakeside, Type Rv Electric
- Site 056, Loop Lakeside, Type Rv Electric
- Site 052, Loop Lakeside, Type Rv Electric
- Site 014, Loop Big John, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 020, Loop Big John, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 007, Loop Big John, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 037, Loop Lakeside, Type Rv Electric
- Site 058, Loop Hard Times, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 022, Loop Bent Creek, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 055, Loop Lakeside, Type Rv Electric
- Site 089, Loop Hard Times, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 025, Loop Bent Creek, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 067, Loop Hard Times, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 039, Loop Lakeside, Type Rv Electric
- Site 013, Loop Big John, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 092, Loop Hard Times, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 033, Loop Bent Creek, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 004, Loop Big John, Type Standard Electric
- Site 097, Loop Hard Times, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 059, Loop Hard Times, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 042, Loop Lakeside, Type Rv Electric
- Site 010, Loop Big John, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 095, Loop Hard Times, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 012, Loop Big John, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 065, Loop Hard Times, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 053, Loop Lakeside, Type Rv Electric
- Site 036, Loop Lakeside, Type Rv Electric
- Site 088, Loop Hard Times, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 087, Loop Hard Times, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 036A, Loop Lakeside, Type Rv Electric
- Site 026, Loop Bent Creek, Type Rv Electric
- Site 091, Loop Hard Times, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 068, Loop Hard Times, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 009, Loop Big John, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 005, Loop Big John, Type Standard Electric
- Site 071, Loop Hard Times, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 45/47, Loop Lakeside, Type Rv Electric
- Site 096, Loop Hard Times, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 038, Loop Lakeside, Type Rv Electric
- Site 069, Loop Hard Times, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 017, Loop Big John, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 035, Loop Bent Creek, Type Standard Electric
- Site 032, Loop Bent Creek, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 011, Loop Big John, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 030, Loop Bent Creek, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 044, Loop Lakeside, Type Rv Electric
- Site 006A, Loop Big John, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 031, Loop Bent Creek, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 018, Loop Big John, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 048, Loop Lakeside, Type Rv Electric
- Site 027, Loop Bent Creek, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 021, Loop Big John, Type Standard Electric
- Site 008, Loop Big John, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 015, Loop Big John, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 024, Loop Bent Creek, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 066, Loop Hard Times, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 019, Loop Big John, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 061, Loop Hard Times, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 050, Loop Lakeside, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 064, Loop Hard Times, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
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