0
Pull-thru
NPSGreat Smoky Mountains National Park · North Carolina
Balsam Mountain Campground
Overview Balsam Mountain Campground is located in a relatively remote part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Sites4342 reservable
Elev.5,338ft
Comf.Apr-Oct7 months
Max rig24 ft
Electricnonesites
From Asheville1h22real road time
The honest read
Synthesized from
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
At 5,338 ft, Balsam Mountain Campground has a 7-month comfortable window (Apr-Oct). Winter nights average around 22°F, so the shoulder seasons turn cold fast. 43 sites total: 42 reservable and 1 first-come, first-served. Of the sites, 6 walk-in, and the longest takes a 24-ft rig. Within about 4 miles: 1 named hiking route, 18 peaks, lake or river access.
The campground at a glance
01 · CHARACTER
Reads strongest on reservability and shade. Softest on roomy sites.
Six axes, each scored relative to every other federal campground in the region: quiet (miles to a major road), cool (elevation), roomy (average site spacing), shade, RV-fit (longest rig), and how reservable it is. All six come from data, nothing hand-tuned.
When to go
02 · CLIMATE
avg highavg lowfrost-freedriest · Nov
Apr-Oct
Comfortable window: nights stay above 35°F, days below 90°F.
59%
Of summer weekend-days are dry.
May 3
Last spring frost; first fall frost Oct 15.
57°F
Average July low. Bring a fleece.
Getting there
03 · ACCESS
01
Asheville
50 mi
1h22
02
Charlotte
165 mi
3h42
03
Raleigh
295 mi
6h07
By drive time
Routed road time (OSRM). Nearest major highway 4.2 mi away.
Picking your site
04 · 43 SITES
Color byShow only
43 mapped sites · dot color = seclusion · click a dot for details. Basemap © OpenStreetMap.
6
Walk-in
0
50-amp
1
Accessible
9
Prime
43
Sites
★ The standout
Site 07
BALSAM MOUNTAIN CAMPGROUND · prime location · shaded.
To neighbor
111 ft
Location
Prime
Max rig
24 ft
Type
Standard
What's within four miles
05 · TRAILS · PEAKS · WATER
Trails & Peaks
Named hiking routes
1
Trail segments
7
Peaks
18
Viewpoints
5
Water & Access
Lake / river access
yes
To nearest major road
4.2 mi
Method
We synthesize public data layers: RIDB and Recreation.gov facility and site records, Open-Meteo climate normals, OpenStreetMap roads, trails, and water, OSRM drive times, and USGS elevation. We take no bookings, no ads, and no paid placements. Independence is the entire point.