Balsam Mountain Campground

Balsam Mountain Campground is located in a relatively remote part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The secluded setting offers visitors the ability to enjoy a multitude of recreational activities without the crowds which are sometimes common in other parts of the park. The park is a hiker's paradise, with over 800 miles of maintained trails ranging from short, leg-stretchers to strenuous treks, and the Balsam Mountain area features several trails that are less heavily used than elsewhere in the park. A short nature trail is located beside site 43. The hiker-only Flat Creek Trail is a pleasant walk through a hardwood forest, and for the adventurous hiker the Hemphill Bald and Rough Fork trails provide a 14-mile loop with outstanding views and old growth trees. Campers can enjoy high-quality backcountry fishing in the cool waters of the countless streams and rivers that snake through the mountains; some of the best trout fishing in the area is along the Balsam Mountain and Straight Fork Roads, and fly fishing is particularly good during spring months when aquatic insects hatch in large numbers. Wildlife viewing is a popular pastime, and with around 1,500 bears living in the park it is not uncommon for visitors to spot one. Elk are common in this part of the park during the spring and fall. The park also holds one of the best collections of log buildings in the eastern United States, with over 90 historic structures preserved. For the auto touring enthusiast, the 14-mile Heintooga Round Bottom Road, a one-way unimproved gravel drive, offers spectacular scenery with mountain vistas and the occasional bear or elk sighting; buses, motorhomes, vans longer than 25 feet and any vehicle towing a trailer are prohibited on this road. The campground offers 42 campsites for a traditional outdoor camping experience with the added convenience of flush toilets and drinking water. There are no hookups or showers, and no lights in the restrooms, so a flashlight, lantern or headlamp is recommended after daylight hours. Surrounded by picturesque mountain ranges and pristine mountain streams at 5,310 feet elevation, Balsam Mountain's daytime temperatures rarely exceed 70 degrees F and night time temperatures may dip into the low 50s. Nearby attractions include Maggie Valley and Cherokee, NC, the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, the Mountain Farm Museum, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Nantahala Outdoor Center, the Bryson City Railway and Asheville.