Free camping near Cullowhee, NC
Yes. 42 of the 48 camps within 25 straight-line miles of Cullowhee, NC are listed as free; 6 charge a fee. The closest free one is Bear Creek Lake Dispersed Campsite, 11 miles southeast, on U.S. Forest Service land.
Dave has slept at one of these camps. The circle crosses a state line: NC and SC.
All 48 camps near Cullowhee, NC
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Creek Lake Dispersed Campsite | 11 | Free | Neddie Creek (stream) | 0.9 mi to Island Ford | — |
| Wolf Creek Lake Dispersed Campsites | 12 | Free | Wolf Creek Lake (water) | 1.1 mi to Wolf Mountain | — |
| Tanasee Lake Dispersed Campsites | 12 | Free | Tuckaseigee River (river) | 0.8 mi to Wolf Mountain | — |
| Panthertown Shelter | 13 | Free | Panthertown Creek (stream) | 2.1 mi to Canaan | — |
| Lickstone Dispersed Campsites | 14 | Free | Right Hand Prong West Fork Pigeon River (river) | 1.8 mi to Burnett Siding | — |
| Sunburst Campground | 14 | Fee | — | 8.3 mi to Waynesville | — |
| Van Hook Glade Campground | 16 | Fee | — | 3.0 mi to Highlands | — |
| Van Hook Glade Campground | 16 | Fee | Long Branch (stream) | 2.8 mi to Lickskillet | — |
| USFS dispersed camp — NC #3 | 17 | Free | Kiesee Creek (stream) | 3.0 mi to Balsam Grove | — |
| USFS dispersed camp — NC #2 | 17 | Free | Beetree Fork (stream) | 2.0 mi to Balsam Grove | — |
| Deep Gap Shelter | 18 | Free | — | 8.2 mi to Brevard | — |
| USFS dispersed camp — Macon County, NC | 20 | Free | Brooks Creek (stream) | 2.5 mi to Highlands | — |
| Ammons Branch Camp | 20 | Free | — | 3.7 mi to Highlands | — |
| Blue Valley Camp | 21 | Free | Brooks Creek (stream) | 2.6 mi to Satolah | — |
| Upper Cove Creek Roadside Campsites | 21 | Free | — | 6.4 mi to Brevard | — |
| Toxaway Game Land camping area #3 | 21 | Free | — | 8.2 mi to Cashiers | Open |
| Toxaway Game Land camping area #2 | 21 | Free | — | — | Open |
| Butter Gap Shelter | 21 | Free | Grogan Creek (stream) | 2.9 mi to Laurel Falls | — |
| Cove Creek Group Campground | 22 | Fee | — | 4.9 mi to Brevard | — |
| Toxaway Game Land camping area #4 | 22 | Free | — | 9.1 mi to Cashiers | Open |
| Headwaters Roadside Campsites | 22 | Free | — | 7.2 mi to Brevard | — |
| A.T. Cold Spring Shelter | 22 | Free | Burningtown Branch (stream) | 2.3 mi to Burnett Fields | — |
| Toxaway Game Land camping area #5 | 22 | Free | — | — | Open |
| Toxaway Game Land camping area #1 | 22 | Free | — | — | Open |
| A.T. Wesser Bald Shelter | 23 | Free | Wesser Creek (stream) | 2.2 mi to Briertown | — |
| Jocassee Gorges primitive campsite | 23 | Free | Bearcamp Creek (stream) | 3.6 mi to Bohaynee | Check |
| Toxaway Game Land camping area #6 | 23 | Free | — | 8.2 mi to Rosman | Open |
| Jocassee Gorges primitive campsite | 23 | Free | — | 9.1 mi to Cashiers | Check |
| USFS dispersed camp — Transylvania County, NC | 23 | Free | Avery Creek (stream) | 3.0 mi to Wolf Ford | — |
| A.T. Rufus Morgan Shelter | 23 | Free | Silvermine Creek (stream) | 0.6 mi to Wesser | — |
| A.T. Wayah Bald Shelter | 23 | Free | Little Laurel Creek (stream) | 2.3 mi to Slickrock Ford | — |
| Jocassee Gorges primitive campsite | 23 | Free | Bear Creek (stream) | 3.2 mi to Cane Brake | Check |
| Jocassee Gorges primitive campsite | 23 | Free | Toxaway River (river) | 3.1 mi to Cane Brake | Check |
| Jocassee Gorges primitive campsite | 24 | Free | Mill Creek (stream) | 4.2 mi to Bohaynee | Check |
| Kuykendall Group Campground | 24 | Fee | — | 3.2 mi to Brevard | — |
| Jocassee Gorges primitive campsite | 24 | Free | Mill Creek (stream) | 4.5 mi to Bohaynee | Check |
| Tsali Campground | 24 | Fee | — | 8.0 mi to Bryson | — |
| Burrells Ford | 24 | Free | King Creek (stream) | 3.7 mi to Moody Cove | — |
| Buckhorn Gap Shelter | 24 | Free | Clawhammer Creek (stream) | 1.4 mi to Wolf Ford | — |
| Jocassee Gorges primitive campsite | 24 | Free | — | 9.6 mi to Salem | Check |
| A.T. Long Branch Shelter | 24 | Free | Long Branch (stream) | 3.5 mi to Teresita | — |
| Macon CountyDave slept here | 24 | Free | Shope Fork (stream) | 4.1 mi to McDonald Mill | — |
| A.T. Rock Gap Shelter | 24 | Free | Little Rock Branch (stream) | 2.4 mi to Rainbow Springs | — |
| Jocassee Gorges primitive campsite | 24 | Free | Wright Creek (stream) | 4.8 mi to Bohaynee | Check |
| USFS dispersed camp #2 — Transylvania County, NC | 25 | Free | Avery Creek (stream) | 2.5 mi to Wolf Ford | — |
| A.T. Siler Bald Shelter | 25 | Free | Right Prong Rough Fork (stream) | 3.5 mi to Rainbow Springs | — |
| A.T. Standing Indian Shelter | 25 | Free | Bearpen Creek (stream) | 4.4 mi to McDonald Mill | — |
| USFS dispersed camp #4 — Transylvania County, NC | 25 | Free | Avery Creek (stream) | 2.7 mi to Mine Mountain Estates | — |
Who manages the camps near Cullowhee, NC
Who manages them: 33 on the Forest Service; 8 on SCDNR; 6 on NCWRC; 1 spread across 1 other manager.
- National Forests in North Carolina — 39 camps: 33 free, 6 fee
- Francis Marion and Sumter National Forests — 6 camps: 6 free
- SCDNR — 3 camps: 3 free
Season read for these camps, today
Today's season read covers 14 of the 48: 6 open, 0 closed, 8 worth a call. It comes from each camp's own record, so a camp with no season word is not counted either way.
Forecast near Cullowhee, NC
This is the Weather Service forecast for the town, fetched when the page opens. It is not a forecast for any camp in the table; ground higher up or in a canyon can run colder or windier. It needs JavaScript; without it, see weather.gov.
Camping near other towns close by
The nearest towns that have their own page, with the straight-line miles between the towns.
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Cullowhee, NC, not a driving distance — a camp four miles out across a canyon can be an hour of road. Cost is the audited three-state verdict on each camp's own record: free, fee, or unpriced where we could not confirm a price. A blank column is a gap in the record, not a statement that the thing is absent. Camps come from state and federal agency records, not from a visit, except the ones marked. Seasons, permits and fire rules change: confirm with the managing office before you go. Found a fee where we show free? Tell us on the contact page.