Cool Place to Hang in Southeast with Swimming?

[Str1der]

Greetings, all.

I'm looking for a cool place to hang somewhere in the southeast US, preferably in the Carolinas, N GA, or Tn. I have a ton of locations I know of that are backpacking friendly, but I want to take my new in-laws out to experience camping for the first time, and they're just not equipped for backpacking yet. Plus I want to break them in gently!

Does anyone have any recommendations for cool places to go with either no hike in or possibly a very short hike in? Specifically, something with swimming nearby would be awesome since it's going to be so hot! Wish I could get them to visit Lake Jocassee on the Foothills Trail, but they're not up for carrying all their gear 5 miles to reach it.

Thanks in advance!

[Junebugdawn]

Davidson River Campground (Pisgah Forest in Brevard) has the river running through it. From the pics I found on YouTube, the sites look they have plenty of trees.

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[Junebugdawn]

https://youtu.be/1O3dIFdsjJc

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[Str1der]

Good suggestion. I'm hoping to avoid established campgrounds, but we may be forced to stay at one if everyone isn't willing to hike-in.

[Foxpoop]

Davidson River Campground (Pisgah Forest in Brevard) has the river running through it. From the pics I found on YouTube, the sites look they have plenty of trees.

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Plenty of trees at Davidson River Campground, but you have to reserve sites and pay for them.

Head on past that site on 276 and many, many places to hike, swim and camp. I live 20 miles from there and spend most of my free time in either Pisgah or DuPont (no camping there, unfortunately).

Head another 30 minutes down to Panthertown State Park (near Lake Toxaway) and you can have camping, hiking and easy access to waterfalls and swimming holes. Much less crowded, too.

[Junebugdawn]

Plenty of trees at Davidson River Campground, but you have to reserve sites and pay for them.

Head on past that site on 276 and many, many places to hike, swim and camp. I live 20 miles from there and spend most of my free time in either Pisgah or DuPont (no camping there, unfortunately).

Head another 30 minutes down to Panthertown State Park (near Lake Toxaway) and you can have camping, hiking and easy access to waterfalls and swimming holes. Much less crowded, too.

Are you saying that you cannot show up at the campground, choose a site and then pay for it? I can't imagine that the only take reservations.

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[rallywagon]

Look into Panthertown Valley near Lake Toxaway....lots of swimming options with several large camp sites less than 2 miles from parking. Gets crowded on the weekends when the weather is nice, but Tuesday through Thursday morning you could count on a site.

You could camp at the junction of Panthertown Valley Trail and Powerline Trail or even closer to the western trailhead near the junction of Panthertown Valley Trail and Mac's Gap Trail. Lots of swimming holes within the valley.

http://www.romanticasheville.com/sit...ley_hiking.pdf

We love it so much for backpacking and river play that I almost don't tell others about it!

[BigCRO]

Big South Fork NRRA. The angel falls trail for leatherwood ford goes along the river and there are plenty of places to hang. You might have to hike a mile or two though (it's a pretty flat trail). Backcountry permits are only $5 for up to 6 people for up to 14 days and you can camp anywhere.


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[Caminante]

Wilson Creek, NC. Short hikes to Harpers and Hunt Fish falls, both have great swimming holes. If they don't want to hike, there is a FS campground in Mortimer. In that case, you can day hike to Harpers or Hunt Fish, or just jump in Wilson Creek almost anywhere.

[MrPickl]

Panthertown Valley will Always be my goto camping location whether it be tent or hammock. That Valley is truly a magical carolina forest! And the swimming at school house falls is Un comparable

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