North Carolina State Parks · North Carolina
Grandfather Mountain State Park
North Carolina State Parks · North Carolina, United States
- Sites
- 13
- Hookups
- 13 no hookups
- Group sites
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 4,032 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 3
- Cell coverage
- AT&T weak · Verizon weak · T-Mobile none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Nearest town
- Banner Elk
- Address
- 4198 Highway 105, Banner Elk, NC 28604 (Profile Trailhead)
- Phone
- (828) 963-9522
- Activities
- Camping, Group Camping
About
Grandfather Mountain State Park offers backcountry-only camping reached by hiking trail - 9 individual primitive sites and 4 group sites scattered across the mountain's rugged terrain, with no facilities, water, or car access at any site. This is true wilderness camping; come prepared to carry in what you need. Dogs must stay on a 6-foot leash.
Fees
Individual backcountry sites run about $17/night; group sites run about $37/night. Confirm current rates when booking.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 36° | 22° | 1° | 56° | 10 of 11 |
| February | 44° | 28° | 2° | 68° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 54° | 34° | 10° | 69° | 8 of 11 |
| April | 60° | 40° | 25° | 77° | 7 of 11 |
| May | 68° | 51° | 34° | 79° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 73° | 57° | 46° | 84° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 77° | 61° | 51° | 83° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 76° | 61° | 52° | 82° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 71° | 57° | 43° | 80° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 60° | 41° | 27° | 73° | 3 of 10 |
| November | 51° | 33° | 16° | 63° | 8 of 10 |
| December | 42° | 27° | 4° | 58° | 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
- Julian Price Campground · National Park Service · 3 mi · 194 sites
- Johns River Road Backcountry Camping · National Park Service · 3 mi · 2 sites
- Mortimer Campground · USDA Forest Service · 9 mi · 17 sites
- Mortimer Campground · USDA Forest Service · 9 mi
- Boone Fork Campground · USDA Forest Service · 12 mi
All public campgrounds in North Carolina · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-08-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.