Dispersed camping along the Blue Ridge parkway, in the Fall?

[joe_julie81]

One of the target adventures I have for using the TC is driving the Blue Ridge parkway this Fall, and just being able to camp roadside, or dispersed, wherever we happen to land, or get trapped due to traffic. I have not utilized the parkway since I was a kid with my parents. So for those of you who are doing it, what are the prospects? Can you just ramble, not worrying about reservations, with some confidence of finding a place to spend the night along the way, despite the high traffic, or is this unrealistic? And I'm aware there are National Forest service aware there are National Forest service campgrounds with part "first come, first served " and part reserved. What are some tricks or recommendations?

[BradW]

The best end of the BRPKWY is the southern end. We seldom go north of Mabry Mill any more.

The BRPKWY has gotten MUCH more crowded over the last 20 years, especially during the Fall leaf season. Don't expect to pull into any of those developed CGs along the parkway late in the afternoon and find a spot for your TC; you will need to get there earlier in the day. Places like Mt Pisgah CG have the reservation system and most of those sites are booked months in advance during the leaf season. Davison River CG is another great CG, but also gets booked well in advance. They leave some first come sites, but not that many and Fri-Sun are very tough. There are also lots of drivable nat forest roads near DRCG and I assume some dispersed camping.

[kohldad]

he Rangers are VERY protective of the BRP. They don't want you parking in the grass or anything like that.

Your are right in regard to camping, but pulling off to site see is totally allowed unless marked specifically (usually with boulders) that pulling off is not allowed. The key is you must have the vehicle completely off the pavement if there isn't a white line or completely past the white line if there is one present. There are also a couple of watershed areas where you are not allowed to pull off, but these areas are marked with a sign at the beginning and end of the restricted zones.

I often camp in the fall during leaf peeping season and do so without reservations. The only campgrounds that tend to fill up on the weekend are pisgah, linville, and Julian Price. From Sunday through Thursday, I've never had a problem finding a place to park in any campground. One advantage with the BRP and TCs, they will allow you to park in the "tent" section as long as you fit in the parking space. I have done this several times at Julian Price when the rv section is full. I do ask the ranger if I can find one though before setting up just to make sure policy hasn't changed.

I'm also sending you some other info in a PM with some other info about the area. .

[DownTheAvenue]

There is NO repeat NO dispersed camping on National Park land along the Blue Ridge Parkway. There are designated campgrounds all along the parkway, but fall is a popular time of the year, so stopping early in the day would be a good strategy. You may find dispersed camping off the Parkway, however. You cannot park overnight anywhere on the Parkway except in the campgrounds, and as previously mentioned, the law enforcement rangers are vigilant.

[Terryallan]

joe&julie81 wrote:
I am open to driving any section of the parkway, especially if the camping/boondocking possibilities are favorable. I have been interested in the sections near My Mitchell, Grandfather Mtn, and Asheville NC, and since I live in TN the sections closest to me would be preferred.
Thanks

you may not consider them dispersed. but there are National Park CGs on the BRP. They are primitive. NO hookups of any kind. Pretty peacful really. Although they finally did put lights in the rest rooms.

Crabtree Meadows on the BRP is close to MT Mitchell. Carolina Hemlock is not far off the BRP on HWY 80, and Black Mountain CG is off 80 near the BRP. there is also Linville Falls near Granfather.

thing is. The Rangers are VERY protective of the BRP. They don't want you parking in the grass or anything like that. Truth is. The land / shoulder on the BRP is pretty narrow. Not a lot of room to pull off. And as I say. The Rangers are pretty strict as to where you can park. plus the land on either side of the BRP is private property.

[narcodog]

I have been up and down the Parkway several times and to get to any boondocking areas you have drop down off the Parkway. There is a SP at Grandfather mountain.Each time I have ridden the Parkway I have had to stay in CG's all public no private.

[TxGearhead]

jimh425 wrote:

TxGearhead wrote:
Cades Cove in Smoky Mtn Nat Park? That is 60 miles from the southern end on the Blue Ridge Parkway. May be a different Cades Cove somewhere else.

Yes, it sure is, but it’s worth it.

Yes it is very nice. I was there this morning.
I just thought the poster wanted places along the parkway.

[joe_julie81]

I am open to driving any section of the parkway, especially if the camping/boondocking possibilities are favorable. I have been interested in the sections near My Mitchell, Grandfather Mtn, and Asheville NC, and since I live in TN the sections closest to me would be preferred.
Thanks

[jimh406]

TxGearhead wrote:
Cades Cove in Smoky Mtn Nat Park? That is 60 miles from the southern end on the Blue Ridge Parkway. May be a different Cades Cove somewhere else.

Yes, it sure is, but it’s worth it.

[TxGearhead]

jimh425 wrote:
There is dispersed camping in the national forests. If you want to boondock those are good. Keep in mind that people hunt and fish the forests, so look up the regulations as well. You don’t want to be surprised in the early AM before light.

Otherwise, there’s beautiful spots along the lakes and rivers and in the National Park at Cades Cove.

Finally, there are some trip reports, so look those up here.

Cades Cove in Smoky Mtn Nat Park? That is 60 miles from the southern end on the Blue Ridge Parkway. May be a different Cades Cove somewhere else.

[stumper92]

Which section of the BRP are you looking to travel? There are a few places off the parkway in Va that I know of that are dispersed. Some of the spots may be a bit of a challenge to get to with a truck camper but doable if you are adventurous. Research Shoe Creek and Big Levels in Nelson County for a couple of examples of dispersed camping right off the parkway.

[Terryallan]

There are CG all along the BRP. You should not need reservations. But you are not allowed to camp on the side of the road or in overlooks

[jimh406]

There is dispersed camping in the national forests. If you want to boondock those are good. Keep in mind that people hunt and fish the forests, so look up the regulations as well. You don’t want to be surprised in the early AM before light.

Otherwise, there’s beautiful spots along the lakes and rivers and in the National Park at Cades Cove.

Finally, there are some trip reports, so look those up here.