This Eastern US National Forest Is A Perfect Spot For A Riverside Camping Adventure

While visiting the southeastern United States, particularly western North Carolina, many visitors opt to explore the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, especially for its diverse wildlife. But for more adventurous visitors, the lesser-known Pisgah National Forest offers a wealth of opportunities centered around the many rivers that run through it. Nestled along one such tributary is the Davidson River campground inside the Davidson River Recreation Area, a mountain getaway that acts as the perfect base for your Pisgah adventure.

The campground is aptly named due to its location on the banks of the Davidson River. Open year-round, with limited sites available during the winter, the campground lies within the boundaries of the national forest and is just three miles away from scenic Brevard, North Carolina, and an hour from Asheville. Even better? Many of the shaded campsites are located right on the river's edge. Without leaving the campground, visitors can lounge in secluded sites, swim in the clear water of the Davidson, or access one of the multiple hiking trails running through the grounds. For those looking to explore, the campground is a gateway to everything Pisgah has to offer, including world-class fly fishing and multiple breathtaking waterfalls within a short drive.

A range of amenities complements the campground's picturesque location. Each tent site comes equipped with a picnic table, fire pit, tent pad, and lantern pole. Additionally, all sites offer easy access to potable water on-site and bathrooms with hot showers. Notably, while many sites allow limited generator use, sites 99 through 113 do not.

Unfortunately, the Davidson River campground is currently closed for renovations, with the site reopening in May 2026. If you are still looking to explore Pisgah and its beautiful camping, the North Mills River Campground is located north of the Davidson Recreation Area, with easy access to the artsy town of Asheville.

Ranked by Trout Unlimited as one of the top one hundred best fly fishing rivers in the U.S., the Davidson River is an artery that runs east through the national forest. The secluded nature of some sections of the river, combined with its clear flowing waters, makes it ideal for both brown and rainbow trout fishing. For those looking to unlock the fishing opportunities of the river, Davidson River Outfitters is a five-minute drive from the campground, offering guided fly-fishing trips, gear, and instruction. 

If fishing isn't your thing, there are multiple sections of Davidson River offering whitewater kayaking opportunities. While access to these sections is more remote, lying farther into the national forest and requiring substantial rain to bring the river to a safe level, it offers class II-IV rapids.

For hiking enthusiasts, the Art Lobe Trail is a rugged trail passing directly through the Davidson Recreation Area. While the whole trail is nearly 30 miles long and tallies 8,100 feet of elevation gain, the latter half of the trail passes through the Davidson River Campground. This allows for the robust trek to be more of an adventurous day hike when starting from campgrounds. If you opt for this day trek, be sure and bring the essential items for a comfortable exploration of Pisgah National Forest.

For those looking to explore beyond the variety of activities near the Davidson River campground, Pisgah National Forest has several must-see waterfalls. Sliding Rock Recreation Area is home to one such falls, where waters of a local tributary roll gently down a 60-foot rock face, creating a natural waterslide, into a 10-foot deep pool below. The recreation area is open year-round, weather-dependent, with lifeguards on duty from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Sliding Rock is not the only option for visitors to experience the many waterfalls of Pisgah. The iconic Looking Glass Falls is a nearly 100-foot falls just off Highway 276. Visiting Looking Glass comes with a level of danger that must be mitigated to experience waterfalls safely. The falls, open year-round, features a top observation deck and a set of stairs leading to the base, as well as to the creek bed below.