★ Field-verified · Dave's ownPublic land · dispersedFree
McDowell County
Drive-up · public land · McDowell County, NC · 35.91331, -81.91921
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Ask about this camp →Dave's been here. A spot from Dave's own travels on public land — free to camp. Conditions still change, so confirm access, stay limits and fire rules before you go.
Nice! A secluded campsite next to Linville Gorge, just off of forest road, down a short 4x4 trail and very well hidden. Enough room for one or two vehicles. Fire ring. It is in a wooded valley, adjacent to a grassy pasture and a trickling stream. Very poor cell service. Might be popular in peak season. Recommended.
USGS topo — contours & terrain
Aerial — USGS / NAIP
Weather outlook
Loading the latest forecast…
Live NWS area forecast (~2.5 km grid, not elevation-corrected). Camp sits at 3,652 ft.
Fire & smokeNIFC · AirNow
Checking active fires & air quality…
Active wildfires from NIFC (within ~50 mi); air quality from AirNow. Always confirm current fire restrictions with the managing office before you go.
Everything you need — measured from camp
Straight-line miles · bearings approx · roads run longer
Nearest of each
- GGrocery3 mi
- @Mail3 mi
- ShShower4 mi
- FFuel5 mi
- MMechanic6 mi
- RxPharmacy8 mi
- HHardware8 mi
- +Urgent care8 mi
- OOutfitter8 mi
- LLaundry11 mi
- WWater12 mi
- AAir-up25 mi
- PPropane44 mi
- DDump50 mi
≤30 mi30–4545+water
The read: water's a short hop out, fuel & food sit about 3 mi out.
One dot per need — the nearest of each kind, straight-line from camp. Places from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors). Open in Google Maps ↗
The site
Access
Drive-up
Land
public land · dispersed
Elevation
3,652 ft
County
McDowell County, NC
Coordinates
35.91331, -81.91921
Cost
Free
Nearby & resupply (OpenStreetMap)
- Resupply lookup unavailable — try the map links below.
From the field — what Dave saw, in person
Cell service
No signal
Getting there
High clearance / 4×4
Fire ring
Yes
Toilet on site
No
Tent friendly
Yes
Verdict
Recommended
Nearby restrooms — pit toilets, restrooms & rest areas (government data)
- RestroomLfal Mp 316.4 B794 Lf Vc · ~2.9 mi N · NPS
- RestroomLFAL MP 316.4 B436 LF CG Loop A (Back) CS · ~3.7 mi N · NPS
- RestroomLFAL MP 316.4 B363 LF CG Loop B (Front) CS · ~3.8 mi N · NPS
- RestroomLFAL MP 316.5 B118 LF PA Front CS · ~4.4 mi N · NPS
Open this spot elsewhere
Other camps nearby
If this one is full, gated or washed out.
- Brown Mountain Cua Roadside Campsites~10.1 mi
- A.T. Stan Murray Shelter~16.0 mi
- A.T. Overmountain Shelter~16.4 mi
- Victor Road Dispersed Camping Site 1~16.5 mi
How we know this
Source
Dave's own travels
Confidence
Researched — The record is detailed and internally consistent, and the coordinates land where the managing agency says this site is.
How it was placed
FIELD VERIFIED by Dave Lalande -- he has stood on this site. Coordinates are his own GPX track point, not a geocode. County and state confirmed against the FCC Census Block API (McDowell County, NC). Everything under 'From the field' is a direct observation; nothing here is inferred from a land record.
Field check
Verified on the ground. Dave has stood on this one. Conditions still change — confirm before you commit.
What we don’t know
A land record can put you within a few metres of a spot. It cannot tell you any of this — so check it yourself, and treat anything below as the open question it is.
- How many rigs actually fit
- Seasonal & winter access
- Current fire restrictions
- Whether any water here is drinkable
- Shade & wind exposure
- Noise and who else shows up
Before you go
Water on public land →Dumping grey & black →Stay limits →First-night troubleshooting →All field notes →
Been here? Tell us what changed. This page is built from public records, so the fastest way it gets better is somebody who has actually pulled in. Road washed out, site gone, gate locked, or it is exactly as described — all of it useful. Send a report →