U.S. Forest Service · National Forests in North Carolina · Canton, NC

Sunburst

This is a relatively small facility with campsites organized into one row. The facility provides picnic tables, tent pads, lantern posts and campfire rings with grills, in addition to restrooms with flush toilets. Campers can purchase firewood on-site.

Open nowReservable · Recreation.gov10 sitesPets okFires ok

More like this: reservable in North Carolina · pets allowed in North Carolina

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Sunburst Campground entrance sign.Sunburst CampgroundSunburstSunburst campground picnic area
Photos courtesy of Naventure · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups9
Host/management1
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Amenities & rules

PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusOpen
SeasonSpring to Fall
ForestNational Forests in North Carolina
BookingReservations available March 23 through November 15. Same day walk up sites available for 1 night at a time.
FeesStandard campsite: $20 Day use: $2 per person Extra Vehicle Parking: $5

National Forests in North Carolina recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Sunburst30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 4.62 inches of precipitation, 2.6 inches of snowFebruary: 4.31 inches of precipitation, 1.6 inches of snowMarch: 4.45 inches of precipitation, 3.0 inches of snowApril: 4.54 inches of precipitation, 0.4 inches of snowMay: 4.18 inches of precipitation, 0.3 inches of snowJune: 4.18 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 4.12 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 4.25 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 4.25 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 3.00 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 3.62 inches of precipitation, 0.5 inches of snowDecember: 4.71 inches of precipitation, 2.5 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 35.0°F averageFebruary: 38.2°F averageMarch: 44.2°F averageApril: 52.6°F averageMay: 60.5°F averageJune: 67.5°F averageJuly: 70.8°F averageAugust: 69.8°F averageSeptember: 64.3°F averageOctober: 53.9°F averageNovember: 44.1°F averageDecember: 37.9°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 in5 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Waynesville 1 E, 8 miles from the campground at 2,658 feet, station USC00319147 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 50 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 11 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Nearest townCanton, North Carolina
Coordinates35.3737° N, 82.9415° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗13.9 mi
Outdoor gearThe Hub ↗15 mi
RV sales & serviceCamping World ↗24.1 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Sunburst Campground in Canton NC. A boondockers Paradise!

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →

Trailheads within three miles

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside National Forests in North Carolina.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Guidebooks for North Carolina

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Best Tent Camping: the Carolinas
    Johnny Molloy, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Camping North Carolina
    Melissa Watson, 2013
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Great Day Hikes on North Carolina's Mountains-To-Sea Trail
    Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail and Jim Grode, 2020
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Sunburst?

Sites at Sunburst are reservable on Recreation.gov. Reservations available March 23 through November 15. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Sunburst?

Standard campsite: $20 Day use: $2 per person Extra Vehicle Parking: $5

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Sunburst?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Sunburst open right now?

Open as of Oct 16, 2026. Season Spring to Fall.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Sunburst have?

10 sites, including 9 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Sunburst?

Yes, pets are allowed at Sunburst. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Sunburst?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is the nearest town to Sunburst?

Canton, North Carolina.

Source: Getting there

What if Sunburst is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Cove Creek Upper Group Camp (8.7 mi), Cove Creek Lower Group Camp (8.7 mi), and Cove Creek Group Campground (9.1 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby