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In addition to being one of the best Western NC small towns to live in, Boone NC is also a haven for nature lovers and outdoor adventurers of all ability levels.
So naturally the area is home to a surplus of Boone campgrounds, ranging in comfort levels from primitive backcountry campsites to luxury glamping.
Each of these campsites in the heart of the NC High Country provides excellent access to many of the region’sbest hiking trails and mountain overlooks.
Our guide to the best campgrounds in Boone includes an array of unique RV parks and campsites that offer campers an opportunity to connect with nature and experience the beauty of Western North Carolina in an immersive way.
Note that our list of Boone NC campgrounds includes their geographic proximity to the downtown area.
READ MORE:The 20 Best Things to Do in Boone NC (Blue Ridge Parkway MM 291.8)
Best Campgrounds In Boone NC Guide
- Boone Cocoon
- Boone KOA Holiday Campground
- Flintlock Family Campground
- Honey Bear Campground
- Vanderpool Campground
- Glamping Unplugged
- Blue Bear Mountain Camp
- Grandfather Campground RV Resort and Cabins
- Elk Knob State Park
- Julian Price Campground
1. Boone Cocoon
Hanging pod • 1 king bed
Located off Winklers Creek Rd, Boone NC • $$$
The Boone Cocoon, which is located off Winklers Creek Rd in Boone, aims to offer “an elevated glamping experience in the heart of the High Country.”
This campground offers a variety of activities, like roasting s’mores on a private terrace, crossing a hanging bridge in the forest, and cooking over a fire pit.
This utterly unique camping experience provides glampers with a large, circular hanging pod (with a plush king-sized bed), which is connected to their private terrace by the hanging bridge. .
When you arrive at the Boone Cocoon, you’ll find awesome amenities such as a canoe, private garden, charcoal BBQ grill, fireplace, and free parking.
With such an impressive array of amenities and activities, this one-of-a-kind “glamping” experience takes traditional camping to a whole other level.
The Boone Cocoon is located less than 10 minutes from the Blue Ridge Mountain towns of Boone and Blowing Rock. The price range for bookings is $125-$175 per night.
READ MORE: The 10 Best Restaurants in Boone NC
2. Boone KOA Holiday Campground
RV sites • Tent sites • Cabins
123 Harmony Mountain Lane, Boone NC • $$
KOA (Kampgrounds of America) is the world’s largest system of privately-owned campgrounds.
TheBoone KOA Holiday Campgroundis the highest KOA campground east of the Mississippi, with an altitude of almost 4,000 feet.
At Boone KOA, campers will find long pull-thru RV sites, campsites, cabins, a pool, an arcade, a mini-farm animal zoo, mini-golf, and a playground.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is just minutes away from the campground, so there are plenty of greathiking trailsin the area. Boone KOA is also located near the New River, where campers may go tubing, canoeing/kayaking, or fishing.
Amenities at this Boone campground vary by the campsite. Each one may include wi-Fi, cable TV, firewood, tour shuttles, firewood, and/or a hot tub.
The serene, peaceful countryside location makes the Boone KOA a perfect place to relax and unwind while enjoying the beauty of nature.
READ MORE:The 15 Best Boone NC Hiking Trails to Explore
3. Flintlock Family Campground
RV sites • Tent sites • Cabins
171 Flintlock Campground Dr, Boone NC • $$
The Flintlock Family Campground is a seasonal campground located on a mountain stream in Boone NC. This scenic site reaches 3,500 feet in elevation, and is surrounded by the beauty of the North Carolina mountains.
This campground offers free wi-fi, private hot showers, cable TV, electricity and water, a camp store, and a laundry station.
There are plenty of activities at the campgrounds. Children may enjoy the play area, and families will be enjoy sharing a meal together at the camp’s numerous picnic tables.
Guests at Flintlock may stay in a tent, RV, or a one-room log cabin that’s approximately 13’ X 13’. All of their cabins are pet-friendly, and each includes one full-sized bed and twin-sized bunk beds.
Note that linens such as sheets and towels are not provided.Guests should also be aware that these rustic cabins include electricity, but do not have heating or air conditioning.
The cabins do not include bathrooms either, so campers will need to walk to a nearby bathroom facility from their cabins.
Prices range from $32-$66, with pop-up tent sites being the cheapest and cabinsbeing the most expensive. The camping season at Flintlock lasts from April through early November.
READ MORE:The 10 Best Waterfalls Near Boone NC
4. Honey Bear Campground
RV sites • Tent sites • Cabins
229 Honey Bear Campground Rd, Boone NC • $
The Honey Bear Campground is another popular spot for camping in Boone. It’s located less than three miles from the Appalachian State University campus, and just over four miles from downtown Boone.
This beautiful Boone campground holds seasonal events for the entire family to enjoy, such as BBQs, karaoke, cornhole tournaments, haunted trails in the fall, and even zombie paintball!
They also have year-round fishing, outdoor movies under the stars, and a full-service coffee shop.
The Honey Bear Campground’s 4-person cabins offer amenities such as cable TV, cooking utensils, a small grill, heat, and A/C.Campers should note that Honey Bear does not provide pillows in any of their cabins.
The Honey Bear Campground’s season lasts from May 15 to Oct. 31.
Their rates range from $27/day for primitive camping to $115/day for a fully furnished RV, plus $3 per day for children and $5 per day for adults. There’s a 10% military discount for service members with a valid military ID.
READ MORE: The 15 Best Treehouse Rentals in the North Carolina Mountains
5. Vanderpool Campground
RV sites • Tent sites
120 Campground Rd, Vilas NC • $$
7.6 miles from Boone
The Vanderpool Campground is a year-round campground conveniently located near snow skiing hotspots such as Appalachian Ski Mountain, Seven Devils, Sugar Mountain Ski Resort, and Beech Mountain Ski resort.
This scenic campground near Boone NC lies in a tranquil countryside setting, with a cow pasture right across the street.
It’s a peaceful, quiet spot where visitors can congregate, walk their pets, or just relax in the beauty of nature.
The campground offers high-speed wi-fi, bean bag toss games, volleyball, a heated bathhouse and laundry room, and 37 full RV hookup sites.
Vanderpool Campground is an excellent RV park for “big rig” RVs. Parking is normally spacious, but guests should be cautious during rainy weeks, as RVs can easily get stuck in the thick mud.
READ MORE: The Top 10 Treehouse Rentals near Asheville NC
6. Glamping Unplugged
Insulated dome tent
Deep Gap NC • $$$
12.7 miles from Boone
Glamping Unplugged is the ultimate “Instagram-worthy” camping experience in the North Carolina mountains.
Glamping– a combination of “glamorous” and “camping”– aims to give guests the most comfortable and upscale camping experience possible.
Boone’s Glamping Unplugged site is located in Deep Gap, next to a trout stream on 8.5 acres of land. So it’s the perfect spot for nature enthusiasts, with multiple geodesic dome tents to choose from.
Campers stay in a fully insulated dome tent that includes a king or queen-sized bed, stove, charcoal grill, and fire pit. There are also battery packs, a selection of board games, and hammocks.
This campground near Boone is a great option for inexperienced campers, or for regular campers who want to try something a bit more posh. The relaxingmountain getaway is a perfect place to relax, recharge, and simply enjoy nature.
The campground is located just 12 minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkwayand 20 minutes from downtown Boone, making it a great location for campers who want to hike and explore the area during their trip.
READ MORE:The 20 Best Western North Carolina Waterfalls for Hiking
7. Blue Bear Mountain Camp
Teepees • Cabins • Tent sites • RV sites
196 Blue Bear Mountain Rd, Todd NC • $$$
9.4 miles from Boone
The Blue Bear Mountain Campis a one-of-a-kind campground near Boone NC, offering unique camping opportunities for nature enthusiasts in the High Country.
The campground is located near Elk Knob State Park, Green Valley Community Park, and Rocky Knob Mountain Park.
At this camp, visitors can stay in a Native American-style teepee, which is furnished with a queen-sized bed and bistro table. There are also cabins and spacious tents that campers can stay in.
Amenities at the Blue Bear Camp include picnic tables, a rock fire ring, and a park grill. Visitors may also go fishing or explore one of the many nearby hiking trails.
Campers at Blue Bear can bring dogs with them, as long as they are kept on a leash. The campsite also offers amenities such as hot showers, on-site garbage disposal, 30- and 50-amp RV hook-ups, and laundry rooms.
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8. Grandfather Campground RV Resort and Cabins
RV sites . Tent sites . Cabins .
125 Profile View Rd . Banner Elk NC . $$
11 miles from Boone
Grandfather Campground RV Resort & Cabins is year-round campground in Banner Elk NC that offers visitors a place to camp with spectacularviews of the iconicGrandfather Mountain looming overhead.
This campground near Boone offers tent and RV camping, as well as cozy cabin rentals. There’s an on-site laundromat, campground store, playground, picnic tables, and BBQ grills.
The location of Grandfather Campground makes it the perfect spot for hikers, since there is a surplus of hiking trails nearby.Nature enthusiasts may also enjoy the neighboring stocked trout pond and fishing in the Watauga River.
Grandfather Campground is located approximately 10 minutes away from Sugar Mountain Ski Resort, so it’s also an ideal spot for campers who want to hit the slopes in winter.
Rates range from $18 to $42 per day, and children ages five and under are given free admission.
READ MORE:The 10 Best Things to Do in Banner Elk NC
9. Elk Knob State Park
Individual, Group, and Zone Campgrounds
5564 Meat Camp Rd, Todd NC • $$
10.7 miles from Boone
Elk Knob State Park offers numerous backcountry campsites in Todd NC. Campers will need to hike 1 to 2 miles into a cove forest filled with streams in order to reach them.
There are three individual campsites, two group campsites, and one zone camping area. All offer an opportunityto truly be one with nature, as they include no facilities except for one pit toilet shared by the two group campsites.
Elk Knob campers will have to drink water from nearby creeks and streams, so a water filter will be among the hiking essentials you’ll need to pack. You’ll also have a chance to fish for trout, watch for North Carolina birds, and explore a variety of trails.
The Elk Knob State Park campgrounds provide easy access to Elk Knob, Snake Mountain, and The Peak. There are also four hiking trails in the park, which offer a total of 5.5 miles to explore.
The cost for staying at Elk Knob State Park’s campgrounds ranges from $15-$55 per night. The price varies by the campsite, and by the time of year.For more information, check out the official NC Parks website here.
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10. Julian Price Campground
RV sites • Tent sites
Milepost 297 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Blowing Rock NC • $$
11.7 miles from Boone
Julian Price Memorial Park is a picturesque spot located right along the Blue Ridge Parkwayin Blowing Rock.
The park is best known for the 47-acre Price Lake, which many visitors consider one of the most beautifulLakes in the North Carolina mountains.
At this scenic lake, visitors can rent canoes and kayaks, or go fishing. There’s also an easy, mostly flat trail that loops around the beautiful lake and gives hikers a variety of amazing lake views.
The campgrounds are located near Hebron Falls, which can be accessed from the Boone Fork Trail. Campers will also want to check out Moses Cone Memorial Park, which is just three miles away and offers a beautiful lake of its own (Bass Lake).
In addition to Price Lake, the park has year-round picnic areas where visitors can relax and enjoy the breathtaking scenery. During the daytime, the park also offers ranger programs, fishing, and hiking.
There is a 197-site campground at Price Park that is open seasonally, but reservations are required for the primo sites in Loop A. The rate is just $20 per night, and there are options for both tent camping and RV camping.
This is the perfect place for visitors who want to camp out under the awe-inspiring blanket of stars at night, surrounded by the peaceful nature of the Blue Ridge Parkway.–by Maggie Watts; all photos by Maria Smith unless otherwise noted
