Free camping near Forest Hills, NC
Within 25 straight-line miles of Forest Hills, NC there are 48 camps: 39 free, 9 fee. The closest is Bear Creek Lake Dispersed Campsite, 11 miles south-east of town. The closest one our audit calls free is Bear Creek Lake Dispersed Campsite, 11 miles out. One of them is a camp Dave has slept at. Today's season read covers 14 of them: 6 open, 0 closed, 8 worth a call. The circle crosses a state line: GA and NC and SC.
Who manages them: 33 on the Forest Service; 8 on SCDNR; 6 on NCWRC; 1 spread across 1 other manager.
| 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 | 15 | Free | Right Hand Prong West Fork Pigeon River (river) | 1.8 mi to Burnett Siding | — |
| Sunburst Campground | 15 | Fee | — | 8.3 mi to Waynesville | — |
| Van Hook Glade Campground | 15 | Fee | — | 3.0 mi to Highlands | — |
| Van Hook Glade Campground | 15 | Fee | Long Branch (stream) | 2.8 mi to Lickskillet | — |
| USFS dispersed camp — NC #2 | 17 | Free | Beetree Fork (stream) | 2.0 mi to Balsam Grove | — |
| USFS dispersed camp — NC #3 | 18 | Free | Kiesee Creek (stream) | 3.0 mi to Balsam Grove | — |
| Deep Gap Shelter | 19 | Free | — | 8.2 mi to Brevard | — |
| USFS dispersed camp — Macon County, NC | 19 | Free | Brooks Creek (stream) | 2.5 mi to Highlands | — |
| Ammons Branch Camp | 19 | Free | — | 3.7 mi to Highlands | — |
| Blue Valley Camp | 20 | Free | Brooks Creek (stream) | 2.6 mi to Satolah | — |
| Toxaway Game Land camping area #3 | 21 | Free | — | 8.2 mi to Cashiers | Open |
| Toxaway Game Land camping area #2 | 21 | Free | — | — | Open |
| A.T. Cold Spring Shelter | 21 | Free | Burningtown Branch (stream) | 2.3 mi to Burnett Fields | — |
| Toxaway Game Land camping area #4 | 21 | Free | — | 9.1 mi to Cashiers | Open |
| Upper Cove Creek Roadside Campsites | 22 | Free | — | 6.4 mi to Brevard | — |
| A.T. Wesser Bald Shelter | 22 | Free | Wesser Creek (stream) | 2.2 mi to Briertown | — |
| Toxaway Game Land camping area #5 | 22 | Free | — | — | Open |
| Butter Gap Shelter | 22 | Free | Grogan Creek (stream) | 2.9 mi to Laurel Falls | — |
| Toxaway Game Land camping area #1 | 22 | Free | — | — | Open |
| A.T. Wayah Bald Shelter | 22 | Free | Little Laurel Creek (stream) | 2.3 mi to Slickrock Ford | — |
| Cove Creek Group Campground | 22 | Fee | — | 4.9 mi to Brevard | — |
| A.T. Rufus Morgan Shelter | 22 | Free | Silvermine Creek (stream) | 0.6 mi to Wesser | — |
| Jocassee Gorges primitive campsite | 22 | Free | Bearcamp Creek (stream) | 3.6 mi to Bohaynee | Check |
| Jocassee Gorges primitive campsite | 23 | Free | — | 9.1 mi to Cashiers | Check |
| Toxaway Game Land camping area #6 | 23 | Free | — | 8.2 mi to Rosman | Open |
| Headwaters Roadside Campsites | 23 | Free | — | 7.2 mi to Brevard | — |
| Burrells Ford | 23 | Free | King Creek (stream) | 3.7 mi to Moody Cove | — |
| A.T. Long Branch Shelter | 23 | Free | Long Branch (stream) | 3.5 mi to Teresita | — |
| Jocassee Gorges primitive campsite | 23 | Free | Bear Creek (stream) | 3.2 mi to Cane Brake | Check |
| Macon CountyDave slept here | 23 | Free | Shope Fork (stream) | 4.1 mi to McDonald Mill | — |
| Jocassee Gorges primitive campsite | 23 | Free | Toxaway River (river) | 3.1 mi to Cane Brake | Check |
| A.T. Rock Gap Shelter | 23 | Free | Little Rock Branch (stream) | 2.4 mi to Rainbow Springs | — |
| Jocassee Gorges primitive campsite | 23 | Free | Mill Creek (stream) | 4.2 mi to Bohaynee | Check |
| Tsali Campground | 23 | Fee | — | 8.0 mi to Bryson | — |
| Jocassee Gorges primitive campsite | 23 | Free | Mill Creek (stream) | 4.5 mi to Bohaynee | Check |
| A.T. Standing Indian Shelter | 24 | Free | Bearpen Creek (stream) | 4.4 mi to McDonald Mill | — |
| A.T. Siler Bald Shelter | 24 | Free | Right Prong Rough Fork (stream) | 3.5 mi to Rainbow Springs | — |
| USFS dispersed camp — Transylvania County, NC | 24 | Free | Avery Creek (stream) | 3.0 mi to Wolf Ford | — |
| Jocassee Gorges primitive campsite | 24 | Free | — | 9.6 mi to Salem | Check |
| West Fork Campground | 24 | Fee | — | 7.3 mi to Highlands | — |
| Jocassee Gorges primitive campsite | 24 | Free | Wright Creek (stream) | 4.8 mi to Bohaynee | Check |
| Kuykendall Group Campground | 24 | Fee | — | 3.2 mi to Brevard | — |
| Hurricane Creek Horse & Primitive Camp | 24 | Fee | — | 5.9 mi to Tate | — |
| Kimsey Creek Group Campground | 24 | Fee | — | 6.7 mi to Tate | — |
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Forest Hills, 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.