U.S. Forest Service · Pisgah National Game Refuge · NC

Lake Powhatan Glamping

ReservableBookable through November 15, and from March 19 through April 16.
Book on recreation.govWe make nothing when you book
Right now
Taking bookingsSites offered on 30 of the next 30 nights read 15:21 UTC
A night
$100From, per site
Sites
12All of them booked ahead
26 ftLongest rig
2,250 ftElevation
347 ftWater · an unnamed stream
1.1 miSW of Bent Creek, NC
92%Tree cover

The place

the agency’s own description · what’s there · 12 notices

In the agency’s own words

Located just minutes from the popular city of Asheville, North Carolina, Lake Powhatan Glamping is the perfect, all inclusive getaway. The campground is convenient to a variety of cultural and natural attractions, including art and music venues, shopping, breweries, restaurants, and scenic drives on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Onsite you'll enjoy numerous hiking and biking trails as well as lakeside recreational opportunities. Learn more to prepare for your trip HERE . The custom designed glamping sites are brand new at Lake Powhatan! Choose one of 12 fully furnished canvas platform tents in the heart of the national forest for your next mountain adventure. Experience nature and outdoor recreation without sacrificing the comforts and luxuries of home. Learn more about glamping near Asheville . Keep reading

Recreation

Visitors have a number of different activities to choose from. Kids love the lake's sandy swimming beach and anglers enjoy the calm waters for trout fishing. The French Broad River, popular for fishing, wading and tubing is also nearby. The use of personal watercraft in the lake is STRICTLY PROHIBITED due to potential introduction of foreign material to the Lake Powhatan riprarian ecosystem. The forest is known for its hiking and mountain biking trails (44 miles of them!), several of which are located near the campground.

Facilities

Check-in time begins at 4pm. Check-out time is 11am. Glamping check-in is two hours later and check-out an hour earlier than regular campsites. This is to ensure proper cleaning of the glampsites. The shaded, private campsites are organized into four loops, all within walking distance of the lake. The 12 glamping sites are available in the upper Hardtimes Loop. The facility provides fully furnished platform tents, picnic tables, charging station, lantern posts and campfire rings with grills, in addition to restrooms with hot showers and flush toilets. Visitors can purchase ice and firewood at the gatehouse. The power units have approximately 1000Wh (12.0V, 1,000Ah). They are excellent for recharging phones, laptops, and tablets, illuminating small lights, etc. They are not intended for heavy uses of heaters, large fans, cooking equipment or other heavy electronics. Units cannot be recharged quickly (once the power unit is drained it takes 18 hours to re-charge), so guests should use the power available conservatively. Charge times for various devices are located on the units and if damage or impairment of the normal operation of the unit occurs guests will be liable. Group parties or special events are not permitted. Be aware that quiet hours begin at 10:00 p.m. Due to the natural outdoor environment and the fabrics and canvas of the tent, as well as comfort for future guests, we do not allow smoking inside the tent or on the tent porch. Please also be considerate and remove dirty/muddy shoes or boots on the tent porch.

Natural Features

The campground is situated in a heavily wooded area on the banks of Lake Powhatan in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. The elevation is 2,200 feet. The surrounding land boasts mile-high peaks, cascading waterfalls and slopes thickly forested with hardwoods and conifers. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (828) 577-7278.

Nearby Attractions

Among the more popular nearby destinations are Sliding Rock, Looking Glass Falls, the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway, The NC Arboretum and the Biltmore Estate.

What the agency tells you

Rule

Sleeping & Site Capacity Each glamping tent sleeps 3 people (1 queen bed + 1 cot). Sites accommodate up to 6 guests in keeping with Lake Powhatan's campground-wide policy. Additional sleeping arrangements beyond 3 are not included with the tent. For groups larger than 3, you're welcome to bring your own cot, air mattress, or sleep in your vehicle. An extra cot may be requested in advance but is first-come, first-served and not guaranteed. Site limit: 6 people & 2 passenger vehicles (no trailers or travel trailers). Review site and driveway dimensions carefully — some sites fit only one vehicle.

Rule

Quiet hours are from 10:00 pm - 7:00 am. Group parties or special events are not permitted. Be aware that quiet hours begin at 10:00 p.m.Gate closes, but is not locked, at 8 p.m. and opens at 8 a.m.

Rule

The power units have approximately 1000Wh (12.0V, 1,000Ah). They are excellent for recharging phones, laptops, and tablets, illuminating small lights, etc. They are not intended for heavy uses of heaters, large fans, cooking equipment or other heavy electronics. Units cannot be recharged quickly (once the power unit is drained it takes 18 hours to re-charge), so guests should use the power available conservatively. Charge times for various devices are located on the units and if damage or impairment of the normal operation of the unit occurs guests will be liable.

Everything else this campground posts · 9
Rule

Due to the natural outdoor environment and the fabrics and canvas of the tent, as well as comfort for future guests, we do not allow smoking inside the tent or on the tent porch. Please also be considerate and remove dirty/muddy shoes or boots on the tent porch.

Rule

Pets are allowed on-site. Dogs must be kept on-leash or contained and supervised for the duration of your stay. Dog fences are not allowed in the campground. Pets are not allowed on the beach.

Rule

Campground hosts are available to glampers, and their sites are clearly marked. Hosts are present to provide assistance and guidance to visitors at any time.

Rule

Fires are only permitted within established fire rings. DO NOT burn material which could contain metal objects such as nails, screws, etc...

Rule

No personal boats are allowed on the lake.

Rule

This campground is managed by Naventure.

Rule

Don't Move Firewood. Help protect our forests! Prevent the spread of tree-killing pests by obtaining firewood at or near your destination and burning it on-site. Moving firewood is illegal in some states. Visit dontmovefirewood.org to learn more.

Rule

Swimming area open from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m., Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Rule

Lake Powhatan is located in black bear territory. Visitors are expected to keep all smellable items locked away inside a camper, vehicle, or provided bear box. Visitors who do not comply with this rule may be asked to vacate the facility due to an increased risk of public safety.

Read them on the agency’s own page →

Tents and rigs

Sites
12 · 12 cabin
Hookups
None
Longest rig
26 ft
Accessible sites
None listed
Pets
Allowed
Campfires
Allowed, barring fire bans
Shade
Every site
Source: Recreation.gov campsite records · Aug 23, 2026

Facilities

Toilets
Flush Toilets
FLUSH TOILETS on 12 of 12 campsite records
Showers
Yes, the record doesn’t say what kind
SHOWERS on 11 of 12 campsite records
Drinking water
Yes
DRINKING WATER on 10 of 12 campsite records
Dump station
Yes
recreation.gov lists “Dump Station”
Firewood
Sold here
Camp host
On site
recreation.gov lists “Host”
Stay limit
14 nights
recreation.gov facility rule maxStay
Source: Stated in the agency description · Aug 23, 2026
Water, toilets and showers: counted from this campground’s own campsite records, shown above · Sep 12, 2026

Around the campground

On the water
Waterfall, Lake, River, Beach
Accessible Swimming
Antiquing
Biking
Fishing
Hiking
Mountain biking
Mushroom Picking
Picnicking
Scenic drives
Stargazing
Swimming
Wilderness access
Night sky · 82nd darkest of 84 in NC
Bortle 4
Fall color · reported 4 days ago, 15 km away
Patchy color
Source: Recreation.gov activity records · Aug 23, 2026
Fall color: More Than Just Parks foliage tracker, joined to this campground by distance (15 km) · Oct 13, 2026

1 of 23 site-nights open this Friday and Saturdayread 15:21 UTC

Every site here is reservable, and the record lists none held back for anyone who drives up.

OpenBooked

Booking windowThrough November 15Bookable now through November 15, 2026, the end of this reservable season, and again for March 19, 2027 through April 16, 2027. Today at 10 AM ET, availability opens through April 17, 2027.recreation.gov
Max stay14 nightsthe facility record
A night$100plus $8 to reserve, once per bookingthe agency’s rate schedule
A weekend$268DerivedFriday and Saturday, everything includedours, from the lines above
If plans change$10 to cancel$10 to change a reservationrecreation.gov’s schedule
Runs itU.S. Forest ServiceBooked through recreation.govthe agency’s record
Watch for a cancellation

Full? Watch it.

One email when a night opens, plus More Than Just Parks dispatches. Unsubscribe any time.

We read recreation.gov once an hour, at 40 minutes past, and write the first time a site in your window is free for the nights you asked for.

Scanners that check every few minutes exist, and most of them charge. This one is free, it reads the same calendar, and it won’t always be first.

Free forever, no booking kickbacks.
Tell me when the season opens

Watch for the season to open

One email when the season goes on sale, plus More Than Just Parks dispatches. Unsubscribe any time.

We check once an hour, at 40 minutes past, and write the first time the agency has that season on sale.

Scanners that check every few minutes exist, and most of them charge. This one is free, it reads the same calendar, and it won’t always be first.

We’ll write once, when the season that starts Fri, Mar 19 2027 is open for booking.

Free forever, no booking kickbacks.
Book on recreation.gov

We make nothing when you book. The link goes straight to the government.

Every line of the receipt · 13

What you actually pay

The sign priceU.S. Forest Service
A night$100
Glamping$100
Friday and Saturday, added$30
Rates for the season the campground is in now, Mar 20, 2026 to Nov 15, 2026.
The booking feerecreation.gov
Reservation fee, booked online$8
One fee per reservation, however many nights you book, and it’s non-refundable. $9 if you book by phone, $3 in person.
Pass discounts only apply to the recreation (or use) fee for the facility. Other charges such as electricity or water hookups, reservation or other fees are not eligible for a discount.
What a stay costs
One nightDerived$108
A weekend, Friday and SaturdayDerived$268

Derived by CAMPANAC: the agency’s published rate for this season, $100 a night, plus one $8 recreation.gov reservation fee for the booking, plus the agency’s published $30 weekend rate on Friday and Saturday. A weekend here means Friday and Saturday night, booked once. Optional charges (an extra vehicle, a second tent, a dump-station fee) are listed separately and aren’t in this total.

If your plans changerecreation.gov
Change fee, moving to dates outside your booking$10
Cancellation fee$10
Cancelling the day before, or the day of$10 + your first night
No-show$20 + your first night

Who keeps the booking fee

The agency’s own policy text says the reservation fee and the cancellation processing fee are “retained by the reservation service contractor”, and that a campground concessionaire will decline to refund them because “they did not receive these fees”. Recreation.gov is run under contract by Booz Allen Hamilton. What share of your booking fee the contractor keeps isn’t published in any federal dataset we can read, so we print no number for it. Our reporting on the contract →

How we know this receipt · 5

recreation.gov availability, read 15:21 UTC · rules read Sep 9, 2026 · rates Sep 10, 2026 · How we know all this

Seen something wrong here? Tell us.

The sites

12 sites

All 12 sites

Sleeps
Glamping73yurt26 ft
Glamping74yurt
Glamping75yurt
Glamping77yurt
Glamping78yurt
Glamping80yurt
Glamping81yurt
Glamping82yurt
Glamping83yurt
Glamping84yurt
Glamping85yurt
Glamping86yurt

Getting there

the map and the coordinate · the agency’s directions · the phone number
Coordinate35.48167, -82.63000
The agency’s pageOfficial page ↗

Where it is

Getting there

From Asheville, take I-26 to exit 33. Go south approximately 2 miles on State Route 191 to the Lake Powhatan Recreation Area sign. Turn right and follow signs to the campground.

The agency publishes this point for 2 campgrounds; it’s likely a district office, not the campground. Use the agency’s own page for directions.

The weather

the next four days · the thirty-year normal

Next four days, and the thirty-year normal

Forecast

Overnight44°Chance Rain Showers41% rain
Saturday54°Mostly Sunny7% rain
Saturday Night33°Clear then Areas Of Frost
Sunday61°Sunny

NWS forecast for Bent Creek, NC

Typical weather

Typical October night 42°F, day 68°F.

Coldest month of the year: typical January night 25°F, below freezing. Bring a bag rated colder than that, and expect ice in the water bottle.

90°32°20°

Daily high and lowDays with 0.10 in or more

A normal is the 1991-2020 average for the month, not a forecast: about half of all Julys are colder than the July line. The seven-day forecast above answers the other question.

Measured at: ASHEVILLE 8 SSW, NC (USW00053877), 1 mile away and 99 ft lower

The land, and who answers for it

what threatens it · who answers for it

What threatens this place

developing
Roadless
Laurel Mountain5,683 acres · 7 mi · inventoried roadless area
Roadless
South Mills River8,588 acres · 9 mi · inventoried roadless area

You’re camping on ground somebody wants. We track the threats and the comment deadlines.

Source: MTJP Threatened Lands map · Oct 3, 2026

Who answers for this land

Chuck Edwards, official portrait

Lake Powhatan Glamping is in North Carolina’s 11th congressional district. Its representative, Chuck Edwards (R), votes on the laws that decide what happens to this land. Public-lands grade so far: F. See every public-lands vote →

Seen something wrong here? Tell us.

How we know

every fact on this page, and where it came from
Right now: recreation.gov is offering sites on 30 of the next 30 nights, which isn’t something a closed campground does.
Fall color: More Than Just Parks foliage tracker, joined to this campground by distance (15 km) · Oct 13, 2026
Cell signal: the Forest Service’s own campground description, read as text by CAMPANAC. None of this is a measurement. It’s what the land manager published about the place, and phones, carriers and weather all disagree with each other; treat it as a warning, not a promise.