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A dark green Toyota pickup with a roof tent parked in tall dry grass as mist closes in.

Forest Service cabin or lookout

Lake Powhatan Glamping

Forest Service cabin or lookout in National Forests in North Carolina, Buncombe County, North Carolina. 2,253 feet. 6.4 miles from Biltmore Forest.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
Forest Service National Forests in North Carolina
Elevation
2,253 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
12 12 yurt
Longest rig
26 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Buncombe County

Overview

Located just minutes from the popular city of Asheville, North Carolina, Lake Powhatan Glamping is the perfect, all inclusive getaway. The campground is convenient to a variety of cultural and natural attractions, including art and music venues, shopping, breweries, restaurants, and scenic drives on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Onsite you'll enjoy numerous hiking and biking trails as well as lakeside recreational opportunities. Learn more to prepare for your trip HERE .

The custom designed glamping sites are brand new at Lake Powhatan! Choose one of 12 fully furnished canvas platform tents in the heart of the national forest for your next mountain adventure. Experience nature and outdoor recreation without sacrificing the comforts and luxuries of home. Learn more about glamping near Asheville .

Recreation

Visitors have a number of different activities to choose from. Kids love the lake's sandy swimming beach and anglers enjoy the calm waters for trout fishing. The French Broad River, popular for fishing, wading and tubing is also nearby. The use of personal watercraft in the lake is STRICTLY PROHIBITED due to potential introduction of foreign material to the Lake Powhatan riprarian ecosystem.

The forest is known for its hiking and mountain biking trails (44 miles of them!), several of which are located near the campground.

Facilities

Check-in time begins at 4pm. Check-out time is 11am. Glamping check-in is two hours later and check-out an hour earlier than regular campsites. This is to ensure proper cleaning of the glampsites.

The shaded, private campsites are organized into four loops, all within walking distance of the lake. The 12 glamping sites are available in the upper Hardtimes Loop. The facility provides fully furnished platform tents, picnic tables, charging station, lantern posts and campfire rings with grills, in addition to restrooms with hot showers and flush toilets. Visitors can purchase ice and firewood at the gatehouse.

The power units have approximately 1000Wh (12.0V, 1,000Ah). They are excellent for recharging phones, laptops, and tablets, illuminating small lights, etc. They are not intended for heavy uses of heaters, large fans, cooking equipment or other heavy electronics. Units cannot be recharged quickly (once the power unit is drained it takes 18 hours to re-charge), so guests should use the power available conservatively. Charge times for various devices are located on the units and if damage or impairment of the normal operation of the unit occurs guests will be liable.

Group parties or special events are not permitted. Be aware that quiet hours begin at 10:00 p.m.

Due to the natural outdoor environment and the fabrics and canvas of the tent, as well as comfort for future guests, we do not allow smoking inside the tent or on the tent porch.

Please also be considerate and remove dirty/muddy shoes or boots on the tent porch.

Natural Features

The campground is situated in a heavily wooded area on the banks of Lake Powhatan in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. The elevation is 2,200 feet. The surrounding land boasts mile-high peaks, cascading waterfalls and slopes thickly forested with hardwoods and conifers.

Nearby Attractions

Among the more popular nearby destinations are Sliding Rock, Looking Glass Falls, the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway, The NC Arboretum and the Biltmore Estate.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • accessible swimming
  • antiquing
  • biking
  • camping
  • day use area
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • mountain biking
  • mushroom picking
  • photography
  • picnicking
  • scenic drive
  • star gazing
  • swimming
  • swimming site
  • wilderness

The land around Lake Powhatan Glamping

The ringed pin is this cabin or lookout; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated June 6, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.

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