About Davidson River Campground
Davidson River Campground is in Pisgah National Forest, four miles west of Brevard, North Carolina, roughly 90 minutes from Cherokee and well outside the park's main entrances. It is a large, shaded national forest campground at about 2,150 feet, and the Forest Service says the facility is open year-round. It is a good base for the waterfalls on US-276 rather than for a Great Smoky Mountains trip.
The campground
Sites are organized into eight loops, and some are beside the water. Most are shaded and equipped with picnic tables, tent pads, lantern posts and fire rings with grills. The campground has hot showers and flush toilets in each loop, and you can buy ice and firewood on site and rent bikes nearby. Reserve on recreation.gov; rates and loop openings change by season, so check the listing.
What to do nearby
The Davidson River offers trout fishing, tubing and swimming. Hiking options include the Art Loeb Trail and the North Slope Trail. A short drive up US-276 brings you to Looking Glass Falls, Moore Cove Falls and Sliding Rock. The Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education and the town of Brevard, with its restaurants and shops, are close.
Getting there
The campground is on Davidson River Circle, off US-276 near the Pisgah Forest ranger area. From Gatlinburg, plan on about two and a half hours of mountain driving, and note that the I-40 Pigeon River Gorge route is slow after Hurricane Helene. Asheville is under an hour away. For the latest conditions, contact the Pisgah National Forest.
Know before you go
Black bears live in the forest, so store food and coolers in a vehicle. Check the recreation.gov listing for pet, generator and quiet-hours rules. The national park's parking tag does not apply here.