U.S. Forest Service · National Forests in North Carolina · North Carolina

Kimsey Creek Group Campground

A pleasant setting for a group camp. It is bordered by the Nantahala River, a native trout stream, and numerous hiking trails to adjoining mountain peaks are present. Three group sites with a maximum of 25 people per site are available on a reservation basis only. Kimsey Creek Group Campground is a group area within Standing Indian Campground. Big and small game hunting occurs in the surrounding area.

Open nowTakes reservationsFrom $75 per nightTents only

More like this: reservable in North Carolina · tent only in North Carolina

Kimsey Creek Group Campground
Photo from the area. Scott Morris (CC BY 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons
2fires
active
Rx Bird Dog (prescribed burn) · 34 mi away · 34 acres
1 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents
Fees$75 per group site with a minimum of 10 and maximum of 25 people per site.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusOpen
SeasonApril 1 to November 30
ForestNational Forests in North Carolina
BookingSites are available by reservation only. Reservations are available by contacting the National Recreation Reservation System at 1-877-444-6777 or visit www.recreation.gov.
Fees$75 per group site with a minimum of 10 and maximum of 25 people per site.

National Forests in North Carolina recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Kimsey Creek Group Campground30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 7.08 inches of precipitation, 0.4 inches of snowFebruary: 6.50 inches of precipitation, 0.3 inches of snowMarch: 6.67 inches of precipitation, 1.1 inches of snowApril: 6.12 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowMay: 5.30 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 5.92 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 5.11 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 5.33 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 5.68 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 5.07 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 6.14 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowDecember: 7.25 inches of precipitation, 0.8 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 38.6°F averageFebruary: 41.9°F averageMarch: 48.5°F averageApril: 56.6°F averageMay: 64.0°F averageJune: 70.2°F averageJuly: 73.4°F averageAugust: 72.5°F averageSeptember: 67.2°F averageOctober: 57.3°F averageNovember: 47.5°F averageDecember: 41.3°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Coweeta Exp Stn, 6 miles from the campground at 2,247 feet, station USC00312102 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 72 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 3 inches a year on the same inches scale. The shaded span is the published season, April 1 to November 30.

Getting there

Coordinates35.0708° N, 83.5325° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Rx Bird Dog

    34 mi from the campground · 34 acres

  • Prescribed
    Rx - Buck Branch

    43 mi from the campground · 652 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearOutdoor 76 ↗11.5 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗21.7 mi
RV sales & serviceBlairsville RV Sales ↗22.2 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Worth a stop

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.1 mi
    Kimsey Creek Connector
    0.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.3 mi
    Park Ridge
    3.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.3 mi
    Kimsey Creek
    3.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.4 mi
    Lower Trail Ridge
    4.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.5 mi
    Park Creek ↗
    4.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.6 mi
    Blackwell Gap Loop
    3.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside National Forests in North Carolina.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Guidebooks for North Carolina

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Best Tent Camping: the Carolinas
    Johnny Molloy, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Camping North Carolina
    Melissa Watson, 2013
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Great Day Hikes on North Carolina's Mountains-To-Sea Trail
    Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail and Jim Grode, 2020
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Kimsey Creek Group Campground?

Sites at Kimsey Creek Group Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Sites are available by reservation only. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Forest Service

How much does it cost to camp at Kimsey Creek Group Campground?

$75 per group site with a minimum of 10 and maximum of 25 people per site.

Source: Forest Service

Is Kimsey Creek Group Campground open right now?

Open as of Oct 26, 2026. Season April 1 to November 30.

Source: Forest Service status

Can I bring an RV to Kimsey Creek Group Campground?

Kimsey Creek Group Campground is listed for tents only.

Source: Forest Service

What if Kimsey Creek Group Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Standing Indian Campground (0.5 mi, partly first-come), Tate Branch Campground (8.1 mi), and Wine Spring Horse Camp (8.7 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby