About this campground
The small, historic visitor center and America's National Parks store is nestled in the gap between the rocky, Craggy Mountains. At over 5,000 feet elevation, harsh weather often invades these exposed ridges, resulting in the gnarled forests of beech, birch, and buckeye. These summits have been home to some of the most spectacular rhododendron displays along the Parkway corridor.
Getting there
Craggy Gardens is located 20 miles north of our Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center (MP 384) and 18 miles north of the Folk Art Center (MP 382), with the drive taking about a half hour. If you take Ox Creek Rd (MP 375) up from Weaverville it takes about 15 minutes on the Parkway.Craggy Gardens is about a half hour drive south of Mount Mitchell, the tallest mountain in eastern North America. Mount Mitchell's access road (NC-128) turns off the Parkway at MP 355.
Nearby federal campgrounds
- Pisgah National ForestNational Forests in North Carolina5 mi
- Folk Art Center (Milepost 382)Blue Ridge Parkway9 mi
- BLACK MOUNTAIN CAMPGROUNDNational Forests in North Carolina10 mi
- BRIAR BOTTOM GROUP CAMPGROUNDNational Forests in North Carolina10 mi
- Catawba FallsNational Forests in North Carolina10 mi
- Curtis Creek AreaNational Forests in North Carolina10 mi
Explore more North Carolina camping
Craggy Gardens Visitor Center (Milepost 364) doesn't take campsite reservations — but plenty of nearby North Carolina campgrounds do, and we'll alert you the moment a sold-out site opens up.
Browse North Carolina camping →Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.