USDA Forest Service · North Carolina
Lake Powhatan
USDA Forest Service · North Carolina, United States
- Sites
- 84
- Hookups
- 21 electric, 37 with water, 50 no hookups
- Season
- Year-round
- Max RV length
- 50 ft
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Showers
- Yes
- Dump station
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 2,267 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 4
- Cell coverage
- Verizon weak · T-Mobile none · AT&T none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- POWHATAN ACCESS (NFSR 481) · crushed aggregate or gravel · moderate degree of user comfort
- Lake
- National Forests in North Carolina
- Nearest town
- ASHEVILLE
- Address
- 375 WESLEY BRANCH ROAD, ASHEVILLE, NC, 28806
- Phone
- 828-552-8040
- Activities
- Backpacking, Birding, Camping, Day Use Area, Fishing, Hiking, Mountain Biking, Mushroom Picking, Photography, Picnicking, Star Gazing, Swimming
83 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Glamping sites are now available at Lake Powhatan! Experience nature and outdoor recreation without sacrificing the comforts and luxuries of home. Choose one of 12 custom designed, fully furnished canvas platform tents in the heart of the national forest for your next mountain adventure, only 10 minutes from downtown Asheville, NC. Learn more about glamping near Asheville . To book your glamping site, click here.
Located just minutes from the popular city of Asheville, North Carolina, Lake Powhatan has something for everyone. The campground is convenient to a variety of cultural and natural attractions, including art and music venues, shopping and dining in Asheville, scenic driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway, numerous hiking trails and lakeside recreation.
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, is also nearby. Note that use of personal watercraft is STRICTLY PROHIBITED in the lake due to potential introduction of foreign material to the Lake Powhatan riprarian ecosystem.
The forest is known for its hiking and mountain biking trails, several of which are located near the campground.
Facilities
The shaded, private campsites are organized into four loops, all within walking distance of the lake. The facility provides picnic tables, tent pads, lantern posts and campfire rings with grills, in addition to restrooms with hot showers and flush toilets. A few sites have full hookups. 12 glamping tents are available in the upper Hardtimes Loop. Campers can purchase ice and firewood from the gatehouse.
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.
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.
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (828) 577-7278.
Charges & Cancellations
Any cancellations must be taken care of directly with recreation.gov. Note that this facility does not provide refunds for No Shows or incliment weather.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44° | 26° | 7° | 65° | 10 of 11 |
| February | 51° | 32° | 17° | 73° | 10 of 11 |
| March | 60° | 39° | 15° | 76° | 7 of 11 |
| April | 68° | 45° | 29° | 83° | 2 of 11 |
| May | 74° | 56° | 38° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 80° | 62° | 51° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 84° | 66° | 57° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 83° | 66° | 60° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 77° | 62° | 49° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 66° | 44° | 30° | 81° | 1 of 10 |
| November | 56° | 37° | 20° | 70° | 5 of 10 |
| December | 48° | 30° | 11° | 63° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Lake Powhatan Glamping · USDA Forest Service · 0 mi · 12 sites
- Wash Creek Roadside Campsites · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi
- Hendersonville Reservoir Rd Roadside Campsites · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi
- Wash Creek Horse Camp · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi · 1 sites
- North Mills River · USDA Forest Service · 5 mi · 29 sites
All public campgrounds in North Carolina · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-03-21. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.