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Camping in the Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountain Range offers a diverse array of campgrounds, perfect for outdoor enthusiasts seeking adventure and tranquility. Whether you’re looking for rugged terrain or serene lakeside views, these campgrounds provide ideal settings for an unforgettable camping experience.
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Georgia
Black Rock Mountain State Park: Offers stunning views, hiking trails, and a variety of campsites.
Cloudland Canyon State Park: Known for its waterfalls, canyons, and diverse hiking options.
Unicoi State Park & Lodge: Provides a range of activities, including fishing, swimming, and hiking.
Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge: Home to the tallest waterfall in Georgia and access to the Appalachian Trail.
Moccasin Creek State Park: Nestled on the shores of Lake Burton, offering fishing and boating opportunities.
Vogel State Park: One of Georgia's oldest and most popular state parks, featuring a lake and mountain scenery.
Fort Mountain State Park: Rich in history and natural beauty, with a mysterious ancient rock wall.
Victoria Bryant State Park: Offers a peaceful retreat with fishing, camping, and golfing.
Richard B. Russell State Park: Located on the shores of Lake Russell, known for its water activities and golf course.
Tugaloo State Park: Situated on a peninsula in Lake Hartwell, offering water sports and scenic views.
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North Carolina
Mount Mitchell State Park: Offers the highest peak east of the Mississippi and stunning panoramic views.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (various campgrounds): Explore a diverse range of camping options within the park, such as Elkmont or Smokemont.
Pisgah National Forest (various campgrounds): Offers numerous campgrounds with access to hiking and waterfalls.
Nantahala National Forest (various campgrounds): Known for its whitewater rafting and scenic mountain landscapes.
Lake James State Park: Provides a beautiful lake setting with swimming, boating, and hiking opportunities.
Stone Mountain State Park: Features a massive granite dome and cascading waterfalls.
Jockey's Ridge State Park: Home to the tallest active sand dune system in the eastern United States.
Gorges State Park: Known for its rugged terrain, waterfalls, and diverse plant and animal life.
Hanging Rock State Park: Offers scenic hiking trails, waterfalls, and rock formations.
New River State Park: Provides opportunities for paddling, fishing, and exploring the ancient New River.
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Tennessee
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (various campgrounds): Like NC, it has numerous campgrounds with varying amenities.
Fall Creek Falls State Park: Features one of the highest waterfalls in the eastern U.S. and stunning scenery.
Frozen Head State Park: Known for its rugged terrain, challenging trails, and backcountry camping.
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area (various campgrounds): Offers diverse outdoor activities, including hiking, paddling, and horseback riding.
Cumberland Mountain State Park: Features a historic village and scenic hiking trails.
Pickett CCC Memorial State Park: Known for its dark skies and stargazing opportunities.
Rock Island State Park: Offers unique geological features and scenic waterfalls.
South Cumberland State Park: Home to numerous waterfalls, overlooks, and hiking trails.
Tims Ford State Park: Located on the shores of Tims Ford Lake, offering water activities and scenic views.
Reelfoot Lake State Park: Known for its flooded forest and abundant wildlife.
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Virginia
Shenandoah National Park (various campgrounds): Offers stunning views, hiking, and access to the Appalachian Trail.
Grayson Highlands State Park: Features wild ponies, scenic balds, and challenging hiking trails.
Douthat State Park: One of Virginia's oldest and most popular state parks, with a lake and mountain scenery.
First Landing State Park: Located on the Chesapeake Bay, offering diverse ecosystems and maritime history.
Claytor Lake State Park: Provides a beautiful lake setting with swimming, boating, and hiking opportunities.
Hungry Mother State Park: Features a picturesque lake and wooded trails.
Natural Bridge State Park: Home to a stunning natural bridge formation and hiking trails.
False Cape State Park: Offers a remote and pristine coastal environment.
Breaks Interstate Park: Known as the "Grand Canyon of the South" with stunning views and rugged terrain.
Smith Mountain Lake State Park: Located on the shores of Smith Mountain Lake, offering water activities and scenic views.
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West Virginia
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve (various campgrounds): Offers whitewater rafting, hiking, and stunning scenery.
Blackwater Falls State Park: Features a beautiful waterfall and scenic hiking trails.
Seneca State Forest: West Virginia's oldest state forest, with hiking and outdoor recreation.
Canaan Valley Resort State Park: Offers skiing in winter and hiking and biking in summer.
Twin Falls Resort State Park: Features two waterfalls and a variety of recreational activities.
Watoga State Park: West Virginia's largest state park, with a lake and extensive trail system.
Lost River State Park: Offers scenic overlooks and hiking trails in a remote setting.
Babcock State Park: Known for its iconic Glade Creek Grist Mill and scenic beauty.
Holly Gray Park: Offers swimming, canoeing, picnicking and camping in a beautiful, wooded setting.
Stonewall Jackson Lake State Park: Offers a beautiful lake setting with boating, fishing, and hiking opportunities.
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Maryland
Assateague State Park: Famous for its wild horses and beautiful beaches.
Rocky Gap State Park: Features a stunning gorge, lake, and hiking trails.
Cunningham Falls State Park: Home to the highest cascading waterfall in Maryland.
Gambrill State Park: Offers scenic overlooks and hiking trails in the Catoctin Mountains.
New Germany State Park: Features a lake, camping, and hiking trails in a mountain setting.
Patapsco Valley State Park: Offers diverse recreational opportunities along the Patapsco River.
Greenbrier State Park: Features a lake and wooded trails for hiking and camping.
Point Lookout State Park: Offers historic sites and beautiful views of the Chesapeake Bay.
Deep Creek Lake State Park: Located on the shores of Deep Creek Lake, offering water activities and scenic views.
Elk Neck State Park: Offers scenic trails along the Elk River and Chesapeake Bay.
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Pennsylvania
Gettysburg Farm RV Campground: Offers 150 acres of peaceful, family camping near the historic battlefield.
Pine Grove Furnace State Park: Home to the Appalachian Trail Museum and scenic hiking trails.
Worlds End State Park: Features rugged terrain, scenic waterfalls, and hiking trails.
Ohiopyle State Park: Known for its whitewater rafting and outdoor recreation opportunities.
Ricketts Glen State Park: Home to numerous waterfalls and scenic hiking trails.
Kettle Creek State Park: Offers a beautiful lake setting with swimming, boating, and hiking opportunities.
Cook Forest State Park: Features old-growth forest and scenic hiking trails.
Cherry Springs State Park: Known for its dark skies and stargazing opportunities.
Bald Eagle State Park: Offers a large lake and diverse recreational activities.
Presque Isle State Park: Located on a peninsula in Lake Erie, offering beaches, trails, and wildlife viewing.
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New York
Adirondack State Park (various campgrounds): Offers a vast wilderness area with numerous campgrounds.
Catskill Forest Preserve (various campgrounds): Provides scenic hiking trails and camping opportunities.
Watkins Glen State Park: Features stunning gorges and waterfalls.
Letchworth State Park: Known as the "Grand Canyon of the East" with scenic views and hiking trails.
Hither Hills State Park: Located on the eastern end of Long Island, offering ocean beaches and camping.
Minnewaska State Park Preserve: Features scenic lakes, waterfalls, and hiking trails.
Robert H. Treman State Park: Home to Enfield Glen and scenic waterfalls.
Taconic State Park: Offers scenic mountain views and hiking trails.
Allegany State Park: New York's largest state park, with lakes, forests, and hiking trails.
Gilbert Lake State Park: Offers a peaceful lake setting with swimming, boating, and hiking opportunities.
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Vermont
Green Mountain National Forest (various campgrounds): Offers numerous campgrounds with access to hiking and scenic areas.
Smugglers' Notch State Park: Features a narrow pass through the Green Mountains and hiking trails.
Lake Bomoseen State Park: Vermont's largest state park, located on Lake Bomoseen, offering water activities and scenic views.
Branbury State Park: Offers a beautiful lake setting with swimming, boating, and hiking opportunities.
Button Bay State Park: Located on Lake Champlain, offering scenic views and water activities.
Grand Isle State Park: Located on Grand Isle in Lake Champlain, offering scenic views and camping.
Silver Lake State Park: Offers a peaceful lake setting with swimming, boating, and hiking opportunities.
Gifford Woods State Park: Located near Killington, offering hiking and camping opportunities.
Elmore State Park: Features a lake with swimming and boating, as well as hiking trails.
Jamaica State Park: Offers scenic waterfalls and hiking trails along the West River.
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Kentucky
Note: While the Appalachian Trail itself doesn't run through Kentucky, the Appalachian region does.
Red River Gorge (Daniel Boone National Forest): Unparalleled hiking, rock climbing, and natural beauty. Numerous campgrounds and backcountry options.
Natural Bridge State Resort Park: Features a natural sandstone arch and scenic hiking trails.
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park: Home to the "Niagara of the South" and scenic hiking trails.
Carter Caves State Resort Park: Offers cave tours and scenic hiking trails.
Lake Cumberland State Resort Park: Located on the shores of Lake Cumberland, offering water activities and scenic views.
Greenbo Lake State Resort Park: Features a lake, camping, and hiking trails in a wooded setting.
Jenny Wiley State Resort Park:Offers a lake, theater, and hiking trails in a scenic mountain setting.
Breaks Interstate Park: Known as the "Grand Canyon of the South" with stunning views and rugged terrain (shared with Virginia).
Yatesville Lake State Park: Offers a lake with boating, fishing, and hiking opportunities.
Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park: Offers a lake with boating, fishing, and hiking opportunities.
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Alabama
Note: Although the Appalachian Trail does not cross through Alabama, the Appalachian Mountain range does reach into the state.
Cheaha State Park: Known for being the highest point in Alabama, offering scenic views and hiking trails.
DeSoto State Park: Features waterfalls, canyons, and scenic hiking trails.
Lake Guntersville State Park: Located on the shores of Lake Guntersville, offering water activities and scenic views.
Little River Canyon National Preserve: Offers scenic canyons, waterfalls, and hiking trails.
Monte Sano State Park: Features scenic overlooks and hiking trails on Monte Sano Mountain.
Rickwood Caverns State Park: Offers cave tours and scenic hiking trails.
Cathedral Caverns State Park: Features a large cave system with unique formations.
Wind Creek State Park: Located on the shores of Lake Martin, offering water activities and camping.
Joe Wheeler State Park: Located on the shores of Wheeler Lake, offering water activities and scenic views.
Oak Mountain State Park: Alabama's largest state park, with hiking trails, lakes, and a golf course.
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South Carolina
Dreher Island State Park: Located on Lake Murray, offering lakefront campsites and fishing opportunities.
Table Rock State Park: Features a "dramatic mountain feel" with historic Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) buildings and trails. Offers views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Sesquicentennial State Park: Located near downtown Columbia, offering a large lake, hiking trails, and quiet campsites.
Hickory Knob State Park: Located on the South Carolina-Georgia border, on Strom Thurmond Reservoir. Has lakefront sites, a golf course, and an on-site restaurant.
Edisto Beach State Park: (From search result1 and general knowledge) Offers camping on the beach.
Huntington Beach State Park: (From search result and general knowledge) Known for its birdwatching and beautiful beach.
Paris Mountain State Park: (From search result and general knowledge) Offers hiking and lake activities near Greenville.
Travelers Rest / North Greenville KOA Holiday: Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Offers RV sites, tent sites, deluxe cabins, and even covered wagons you can stay in! Campground amenities include a playground, outdoor pool, ping-pong, dog park, outdoor Checkers & Connect Four, gem-mining sluice, and more
Calhoun Falls State Park: Located 35 minutes to the northwest of Hickory Knob State Park.
Hamilton Branch State Park: Located 15 minutes to the southeast of Hickory Knob State Park.
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Ohio
Hocking Hills State Park Campground: Known for direct access to the trails.
Clay's Resort Jellystone Park™: Offers a wide variety of activities including swimming, mini-golf, and a waterpark.
Campbell Cove RV Resort & Campground: Located next to Lake Logan, offering a natural setting with spacious campsites.
Top O' The Caves Campground: Located in the Hocking Hills and offers a variety of accommodations from tent and RV camping to fully equipped cabins.
Mohican Adventures Campground & Cabins: Nestled amidst the Mohican State Forest, this full-service campground provides a perfect retreat for nature enthusiasts and families alike.
Huggy Bear Campground: A family-friendly park with swimming pools, fishing, a splash pad, kangaroo jumper, and putt-putt golf.
The Lost Horizons Family Campground: Located along the Mohican River, offers a lodge-like bar and restaurant called "The Junction".
Olive Branch Campground: A family-owned and operated campground nestled on 25 wooded acres.
Woodside Lake Park: Offers exciting amenities such as a water park.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park: (From search result and general knowledge) Offers hiking trails and scenic views.
BONUS! list of highly-rated private campgrounds and RV Parks for the Appalachian Mountain Range:
Please note: Some Campgrounds, RV Parks and Resorts may border the Appalachia region. Locations listed may include both private and public management/ownership aspects.
Maine
New Hampshire
Vermont
New York
Pennsylvania
Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resort: Quarryville, Quarryville
Maryland
Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resort: Western Maryland, Hagerstown
West Virginia
Virginia
Kentucky
Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resort: Mammoth Cave, Cave City
Tennessee
North Carolina
Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resort: Golden Valley, Bostic
South Carolina
Georgia
This list focuses exclusively on private campgrounds in the Appalachian Mountain Range states. As always, it's recommended to check current conditions, amenities, and make reservations in advance, especially during peak seasons.