USDA Forest Service · North Carolina
Harmon Den Campground
USDA Forest Service · North Carolina, United States
- Sites
- 22
- Hookups
- 13 with water, 22 no hookups
- Season
- May 1 to October 31
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 2,949 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 2
- Cell coverage
- Verizon weak · T-Mobile none · AT&T none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- BRADY ROAD (NFSR 3526) · crushed aggregate or gravel · high clearance vehicles
- Lake
- National Forests in North Carolina
- Nearest town
- Mars Hill
- Address
- 632 Manor RD, Mars Hill, NC, 28754
- Phone
- 828-689-9694
- Activities
- Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Hunting, Wildlife Viewing
10 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Harmon Den Campground is nestled on a mountainside beneath a forest of mixed hardwoods in the Pisgah National Forest. The camp is in a secluded area off of Cold Springs rd. in Haywood County, and the individual sites provide ample privacy.
The upper loop is reserved for horse campers while the lower loop is reserved for tent camping and small trailers. There are no hookups, no dump station, and no drinking water at this time. There is a vault toilet facility for each camping loop as well as bear-proof garbage cans. The area trails are horse and hiking use only, NO bikes.
The campground is an ideal base for exploring the miles of nearby trails and enjoying the beautiful mountain scenery, with nearby access to I-40, Max Patch, and Hot Springs, NC
Recreation
Local attractions include more than 14 miles of trails designated for hiking and horseback riding and about 40 miles for hiking. Equestrians may ride other open
roads unless signed closed to horses with caution due to traffic during busy recreational seasons.
Trails include the 5.4-mile Buckeye Ridge, 2.6-mile Cherry Ridge, 2.5 mile Robert Gap and 3.6-mile Cold Springs Trails. Hunting and fishing are other popular activities in the area.
Facilities
Harmon Den Campground has an upper loop for Horse campers and a lower loop for tent or dry trailer campers. Facilities provided include horse stalls and mangers that accommodate a maximum of 4 horses and 8 people at each site with a picnic table, tent pad, lantern post, fire ring and parking for a single vehicle with horse trailer. Also located within the campground are 2 vault toilets, a self-service livestock manure station and watering tank (non-potable) for livestock.
Natural Features
The Harmon Den Area is located on the Appalachian Ranger District, an area that stretches westward from the Great Smoky Mountain National Park's eastern boundary to Craggy
Gardens on the Blue Ridge Parkway to Roan Mountain near Tennessee. Elevations range from 1,900 feet at Max Patch to 6,684 feet at Mount Mitchell.
Visitors to the area will find waterfalls, lush forest undergrowth, forested peaks and miles of cold mountain streams. Wildlife in the area include bear, deer, grouse
and wild turkey.
Nearby Attractions
Great Smoky Mountains National Park makes an ideal day trip from Harmon Den. Max Patch is an open bald area with panaramic views and other trials for hiking include the Appalachian Trail, Cherry Creek and Groundhog Creek.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 41° | 24° | 1° | 62° | 10 of 11 |
| February | 51° | 30° | 13° | 71° | 10 of 11 |
| March | 59° | 38° | -3° | 73° | 8 of 11 |
| April | 66° | 42° | 27° | 79° | 4 of 11 |
| May | 72° | 54° | 37° | 84° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 78° | 60° | 48° | 88° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 81° | 63° | 54° | 86° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 80° | 63° | 55° | 86° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 75° | 59° | 47° | 87° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 65° | 42° | 27° | 78° | 2 of 10 |
| November | 56° | 36° | 16° | 69° | 6 of 10 |
| December | 48° | 29° | 10° | 65° | 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
- Round Mountain Campground · USDA Forest Service · 6 mi · 4 sites
- Big Creek Horse Camp · National Park Service · 7 mi · 5 sites
- Big Creek Group Camp · National Park Service · 7 mi · 1 sites
- Big Creek Campground (Great Smoky Mountains National Park) · National Park Service · 8 mi · 12 sites
- Cataloochee Group Camp · National Park Service · 9 mi · 3 sites
All public campgrounds in North Carolina · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.