About Balsam Mountain Campground
Balsam Mountain Campground is the highest campground in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, at 5,310 feet, with 43 sites among spruce and fir on the North Carolina side. Summer daytime temperatures rarely top 70 degrees, so it is a welcome escape from valley heat. It is not a USFS campground, as some listings say; the National Park Service runs it.
Status for 2026 and 2027
The Park Service lists the campground as closed from October 12, 2026 to May 15, 2027, an earlier fall closure than most park campgrounds. The road to it, Heintooga Ridge Road, is open only part of the year (the 2026 season ran May 15 to October 31), and it is reached from the Blue Ridge Parkway, which has had Helene repair work. Call the Parkway information line at 828-298-0398 for closures. Reservations are required and open up to six months ahead on recreation.gov.
The campground
Sites take tents and RVs up to 24 feet, with paved driveways. There are flush toilets (the restrooms have no lights, so bring a headlamp) and drinking water, but no hookups, showers or dump station. The fee is $30 per site per night. An amphitheater hosts ranger programs in season, and the camp is quiet at night.
Getting there
From Cherokee, take the Blue Ridge Parkway north to Heintooga Ridge Road at Black Camp Gap, then follow the signed road to the campground. The drive is slow and winding. Plan for cell service gaps, and carry fuel and supplies, because the nearest town is Cherokee.
What to do nearby
Heintooga Picnic Area and Balsam Mountain Road offer a cool, high-country drive, and trails here pass through spruce-fir forest. Several trails in the area have damage from Hurricane Helene: the closures page says to use extra caution on the Balsam Mountain Trail. Pets are allowed on a leash in the campground but not on trails. Federal passes do not cover the parking tag.
Good to know
- How many sites does Balsam Mountain Campground have?
- 43 sites. Season: Seasonal. Closed since Oct 12, 2026; reopens around May 15, 2027..
- How do I reserve a site?
- Reservations for national park campgrounds are made on recreation.gov. Summer and October weekends book up early.
- Do I need a parking tag?
- A Park It Forward parking tag ($5 a day, $15 a week or $40 a year) is required for any vehicle parked more than 15 minutes inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Entry is free, and federal passes such as America the Beautiful do not replace the tag.
