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

Davidson River

Davidson River Recreation Area offers camping and outdoor activities for the whole family. The campground boasts several loops of shaded campsites, as well as access to hiking trails, fishing spots, waterfalls and several nearby attractions within Pisgah National Forest. It lies just four miles west of the town of Brevard and less than an hour from the city of Asheville. The facility is open year-round.

Open nowReservable · Recreation.gov144 sites67 ft maxElectric hookupsPets okFires ok

More like this: electric hookups in North Carolina · reservable in North Carolina · big rigs in North Carolina · pets allowed in North Carolina

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Davidson RiverDAVIDSON RIVERDAVIDSON RIVERDAVIDSON RIVER
Photos courtesy of USFS · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups102
Standard with electric30
Host/management12
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

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 67 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

132 sites in 9 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteLoopTypeEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePowerPeople / vehiclesFires
033APPLStandardPull-through38GravelPartialNo8 / 2Yes
034APPLStandardBack-in38GravelPartialNo8 / 2Yes
035APPLStandardBack-in42GravelPartialNo8 / 2Yes
036APPLStandardBack-in36GravelPartialNo8 / 2Yes
037APPLStandardBack-in40GravelPartialNo8 / 2Yes
038APPLStandardBack-in34GravelPartialNo8 / 2Yes
039APPLStandardBack-in38GravelPartialNo8 / 2Yes
040APPLStandardBack-in28GravelPartialNo8 / 2Yes
041APPLStandardBack-in42GravelPartialNo8 / 2Yes
043APPLStandardPull-through30GravelPartialNo8 / 2Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsElectric
Max vehicle length67 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
Tent padsYes

Campsites are organized into eight loops and some are adjacent to the water. Sites are mostly shaded and equipped with picnic tables, tent pads, lantern posts and campfire rings with grills. The facility also provides hot showers and restrooms with flush toilets in each loop. Campers can purchase ice and firewood on-site and rent bikes nearby.

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

Season & status

StatusOpen
SeasonYear-round
ForestNational Forests in North Carolina
BookingReservations required March 23- November 15. Same day walk up permitted November 15-March 23 for 1 night at a time. Reservations can be made by visiting Recreation.gov. or by phone at (877) 444-6777.
FeesStandard campsite: $35. Electric campsite: $43

National Forests in North Carolina recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Davidson River30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 6.98 inches of precipitation, 1.7 inches of snowFebruary: 5.38 inches of precipitation, 1.4 inches of snowMarch: 5.88 inches of precipitation, 0.8 inches of snowApril: 5.83 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowMay: 5.63 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 6.83 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 6.30 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 7.56 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 6.07 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 6.15 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 5.87 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowDecember: 7.09 inches of precipitation, 3.0 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 37.0°F averageFebruary: 39.9°F averageMarch: 46.5°F averageApril: 55.0°F averageMay: 62.5°F averageJune: 69.5°F averageJuly: 72.5°F averageAugust: 71.7°F averageSeptember: 66.0°F averageOctober: 56.3°F averageNovember: 45.7°F averageDecember: 39.3°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Brevard, 4 miles from the campground at 2,175 feet, station USC00311055 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 76 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 7 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From Asheville, North Carolina, take I-40 West to I-26 East to Exit 40 (Airport Road/Asheville Regional Airport), onto State Highway 280. Continue south 15.5 miles on 280 to Pisgah National Forest. Turn right at the intersection of Highway 280/64/276. Go north on 276 for 1 mile. Follow signs to the campground.

Nearest townPisgah Forest, North Carolina
Coordinates35.2808° N, 82.7225° W · Directions ↗

Charges and cancellations

Note that this facility does not provide refunds for No Shows or incliment weather.

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗0.1 mi
Outdoor gearThe Hub ↗1.1 mi
RV sales & serviceCamping World ↗14.4 mi

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

Explore

Video

Davidson River Campground: Campsite 118 Near The Water!

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.1 mi
    Art Loeb NRT ↗
    30.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike · national_recreation_or_other
  • 0.2 mi
    North Slope Loop
    4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.4 mi
    Sycamore Cove
    3.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.4 mi
    Black Mountain ↗
    9.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more · national_recreation_or_other
  • 0.4 mi
    Andy Cove Nature NRT ↗
    0.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike · national_recreation_or_other
  • 0.4 mi
    Exercise Trail
    1.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

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.

Natural features

The campground is located in Pisgah National Forest at an elevation of 2,150 feet. The surrounding land boasts mile-high peaks, cascading waterfalls and slopes thickly forested with hardwoods and conifers. The group camping area is adjacent to the beautiful Davidson River.

Recreation

The forest is known for its hiking trails, several of which are near the campground. Hikers can challenge themselves with the 12.3-mile Art Loeb Trail, the 3.7-mile North Slope Trail or a 1.5-mile walking trail. The Davidson River offers excellent trout fishing, plus tubing and swimming, which are kid-friendly favorite activities. Visitors wishing to learn more about the area can attend educational programs in summer and fall.

Nearby

Several natural and cultural attractions are within close proximity to the campground. Sliding Rock, Looking Glass Falls and the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway are among the more popular sites. The small town of Brevard offers various amenities and services, and visitors can take a trip to Asheville to visit art galleries, shops and restaurants.

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 Davidson River?

Sites at Davidson River are reservable on Recreation.gov. Reservations required March 23- November 15. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Davidson River?

Standard campsite: $35. Electric campsite: $43

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Davidson River?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Davidson River open right now?

Open as of Oct 16, 2026. Season Year-round.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Davidson River have?

144 sites, including 102 standard sites without power and 30 standard sites with power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Davidson River?

The longest site here provides 67 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Does Davidson River have hookups?

Yes, electric hookups at some sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there showers or a dump station at Davidson River?

The facility also provides hot showers and restrooms with flush toilets in each loop.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Davidson River?

Yes, pets are allowed at Davidson River. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Davidson River?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is there cell service at Davidson River?

FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE, AT&T 4G LTE, and T-Mobile 5G at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Davidson River?

The forest is known for its hiking trails, several of which are near the campground. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation