Campfire Lodgings

The Great Outdoors

The Florence Nature Preserve is a wonderful way to explore the great outdoors with your rental motorhome near the Campfire Lodgings campground. Special places in the preserve include Rattlesnake Rock, Little Pisgah Point, and the remains of an old homestead. The preserve is home to wildflowers (including yellow and pink lady slippers), birds, salamanders, and other wildlife. There are five miles of interconnected trails marked with yellow, white, red, and blue blazes. The trail network connects to the Wildcat Rock Trail and part of the Hickory Nut Gorge State Trail.You can also experience the great outdoors and a great sense of community with your Asheville camper rental when you spend time at any of the Buncombe County parks. Lake Julian Park features a 300-acre lake with fishing, paddleboats, water trikes, disc golf, outdoor games, a playground, picnic areas, and restrooms. The Collier Cove Nature Preserve covers 29 acres of hills and woods and offers two miles of hiking trails as well as mountain views. Charles D. Owen Park features two fishing ponds, a fitness trail, walking trails, sports and recreation fields, and picnic shelters, tables, and grills. There are also seven river parks with picnic tables, grills, and access to the French Broad River.Pisgah National Forest is easily accessible when you are RV camping at the Campfire Lodgings. This is the home of the country’s first school of forestry, which has been preserved as the Cradle of Forestry. Other special places in the forest include the Forest Heritage National Scenic Byway, the Horsepasture Wild and Scenic River, and the Sliding Rock Recreation Area. The Pisgah Ranger Station and Visitor Center offers information, interpretive displays, trails, and programming, including day hikes. Other recreational activities in the forest include hiking, climbing, biking, hunting and fishing, water sports, picnicking, scenic drives, and geocaching and letterboxing.

Exploring the Area

Asheville itself has much to offer when you rent a camper near the Campfire Lodgings. You’ll be in the Blue Ridge Mountains, so there are spectacular scenery and outdoor recreation opportunities. Downtown Asheville is renowned for food and drink, live music, historic architecture, an indie vibe, and the Downtown Art District and the River Arts District. The Biltmore Estate was once the largest private residence and now displays original artwork and breathtaking gardens. Other highlights include the Folk Art Center, the North Carolina Arboretum, the Thomas Wolfe Memorial, the Asheville Pinball Museum, and the Botanical Gardens at Asheville. Special events that you may want to plan your visit around include the Asheville Amadeus Festival, Swannanoa Gathering, the Brewgrass Festival, the Foraging Tour, and the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival. Be sure to check out Explore Asheville and Visit North Carolina for up-to-date information on area attractions, events, and travel guides.Great Smoky Mountains National Park is America’s most visited national park, and you too can appreciate the scenery and history here when you camp in an RV near Asheville. Learn about and celebrate southern Appalachian mountain culture, including the historic homes, churches, barns, and a working grist mill in Cades Cove. The Cades Cove Visitor Center offers information, guides, restrooms, and a book and gift store. The self-guided Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail will direct you to an authentic mountain farmstead and other historic structures. There is a snack bar at the Cades Cove campground store and concessions at the Elkmont campground. Park stores feature merchandise, maps and guides, books and games, Appalachian music, traditional mountain foods, and more. You can download the Free Smokies Visitor Guide app for a park map and information on trip planning, recreation, and services.Asheville is a foodie paradise, so you’ll have a plethora of choices when you come down from the RV campgrounds. Choose from classic and contemporary Southern fare, craft breweries and brewpubs, bakeries and cafes, and just about anything else that you could ask for. You will also probably need to refill your rig, and you can find both gasoline and diesel fuel easily at any of the area truck stops, service stations, or convenience stores.