Lake Powhatan

National Forests in North Carolina

🏕️ CampgroundGreat Smoky Mtns / Bryson CityNorth Carolina⭐ 4.6 (1449)

🟢 8 open windows right now — soonest Mon Aug 24–Thu Aug 27

3 of the last 55 openings here were gone within 6 hours. That is shorter than the gap between the scheduled scans free alerts ride.

Availability checked 8h ago · changes fast, verify before you drive

📈 CampSage caught 7 cancellations here in the last 7 days — set an alert below to catch the next one.

Book / check availability →🧭 Directions

💡 In short

Lake Powhatan in North Carolina has 8 open booking windows on Recreation.gov right now, the soonest Mon Aug 24–Thu Aug 27. Reserve directly through the booking link above — cancellations go fast. To catch future openings the instant they appear, set a free CampSage cancellation alert.

📍 Approximate location — this campground shares a map point with others in the same park, so the pin marks the park rather than the exact site. Check the booking page before navigating.

📅 Open dates

Mon Aug 24 – Thu Aug 273 nightsbook these dates →sites Bent Creek #022, #027, Big John #010, Hard Times #063, #066, #092, #097

Mon Aug 24 – Wed Aug 262 nightsbook these dates →sites Lakeside #046

Tue Aug 25 – Fri Aug 283 nightsbook these dates →👥 Big John #006A & Big John #007 next to each othersites Bent Creek #031, #033, Big John #006A, #007, #014, #018, #020, Hard Times #067, #096

Thu Aug 27 – Sun Aug 303 nights🗓 weekendbook these dates →sites Big John #011

Tue Aug 25 – Thu Aug 272 nightsbook these dates →sites Big John #005, Hard Times #061

Wed Aug 26 – Sat Aug 293 nightsbook these dates →sites Bent Creek #032, Hard Times #065, #095

Wed Aug 26 – Fri Aug 282 nightsbook these dates →sites Bent Creek #026, #030, Big John #004, #019

Fri Aug 28 – Mon Aug 313 nights🗓 weekendbook these dates →👥 5 in a row, Hard Times #063–Hard Times #067 next to each othersites Bent Creek #024, #032, #033, #034, Big John #010, #011, #017, #018, Hard Times #059, #060, #063, #064, #065, #066, #067, #069, #070, #071, #087, #089, #091, #092, #094, #095, #096, #097

📷 What these sites look like

Photos of sites that are open right now, from recreation.gov. Angles vary by park — usually the site and its parking pad.

Campsite Bent Creek #022 — Lake Powhatan #22 Campsite — **Site Bent Creek #022** · Lake Powhatan #22 CampsiteEthan Calloway/ Pisgah Hospitality Partners

Campsite Bent Creek #022 — Lake Powhatan #22 Campsite - picnic table — **Site Bent Creek #022** · Lake Powhatan #22 Campsite - picnic tableLake Powhatan

Campsite Bent Creek #027 — Bent Creek Loop Bathhouse Exterior — **Site Bent Creek #027** · Bent Creek Loop Bathhouse ExteriorLake Powhatan - Mariah Grimes

Campsite Bent Creek #027 — Lake Powhatan #27 Campground — **Site Bent Creek #027** · Lake Powhatan #27 CampgroundEthan Calloway/ Pisgah Hospitality Partners

Campsite Big John #010 — Lake Powhatan #10 Campsite — **Site Big John #010** · Lake Powhatan #10 CampsitePisgah Hospitality Partners

Campsite Big John #010 — Lake Powhatan, Big John Bathhouse exterior — **Site Big John #010** · Lake Powhatan, Big John Bathhouse exteriorLake Powhatan

Campsite Hard Times #063 — Lake Powhatan Hard Times #63 Campsite - next to water hydran — **Site Hard Times #063** · Lake Powhatan Hard Times #63 Campsite - next to water hydranLake Powhatan

Campsite Hard Times #063 — Lake Powhatan Hard Times #63 Campsite - fire pit and picnic — **Site Hard Times #063** · Lake Powhatan Hard Times #63 Campsite - fire pit and picnic Lake Powhatan

Campsite Hard Times #066 — Lake Powhatan Hard Times #63 Campsite - trail to bathhouse — **Site Hard Times #066** · Lake Powhatan Hard Times #63 Campsite - trail to bathhouseLake Powhatan

Campsite Hard Times #066 — Lake Powhatan Hard Times Site #66 — **Site Hard Times #066** · Lake Powhatan Hard Times Site #66Pisgah Hospitality Partners

Campsite Hard Times #092 — Lake Powhatan Hard Times #92 - trail to bathroom across from — **Site Hard Times #092** · Lake Powhatan Hard Times #92 - trail to bathroom across fromLake Powhatan

Campsite Hard Times #092 — Lake Powhatan Hard Times #92 — **Site Hard Times #092** · Lake Powhatan Hard Times #92Ethan Calloway/ Pisgah Hospitality Partners

⚡ EV charging nearby

Nearest DC fast charging: 3.6 mi away.

⚡ Rivian3.6 midirections →

⚡ Tesla Supercharger3.7 midirections →

⚡ EVgo4.1 midirections →

From OpenStreetMap — community-mapped, so plug types can lag reality. Verify on your charging network’s app before counting on a charger.

🔭 Planning further ahead?

We watch the next 60 days closely — that's where cancellations show up. recreation.gov takes bookings out to about February 2027, so there may be 2+ night stays past our window.

📊 How often sites open up here

CampSage's scans caught 36 openings at Lake Powhatan over the last 30 days, on 29 separate days, most of them for stays 3–19 days out and the openings typically covered 2–3 nights.

These are the openings our own scans saw — not a figure the booking system publishes. We re-check availability several times a day, so the real number can be higher.

🏕️ About this campground

💵 $37–$130/nightRv ElectricStandard ElectricStandard Nonelectric🎒 backcountry🎒 biking🎒 car camping🎒 fishing🎒 hiking🎒 swimming

Ratings

4.6★★★★★1,449 ratings

5★1,051

4★267

3★82

2★31

1★18

Star ratings from recreation.gov (they don't publish written review text). Read & leave reviews on recreation.gov ↗

📶 Cell coverage camper-reported

AT&T1.6/4

Verizon1.4/4

T-Mobile1.1/4

Sprint retired0.9/4

💡 Insider tips from campers

❓ Lake Powhatan FAQ

How do I reserve a campsite at Lake Powhatan?

Lake Powhatan in North Carolina takes campsite reservations through Recreation.gov. On this page, use the “Book / check availability” button to open the live booking page, see which dates are free, and reserve your site.

How much does it cost to camp at Lake Powhatan?

Campsite fees at Lake Powhatan run about $37–$130/night, as listed by Recreation.gov. Exact rates vary by site type, number of campers, and season.

How can I get a spot at Lake Powhatan when it's fully booked?

Popular campgrounds like Lake Powhatan often fill months ahead, but campers cancel every day and those sites reopen for booking. CampSage checks availability for you and sends a free email the instant a cancellation opens — set an alert on this page and you can grab the spot before anyone else.

How often do campsites open up at Lake Powhatan?

CampSage's scans caught 36 openings at Lake Powhatan over the last 30 days, on 29 separate days, most of them for stays 3–19 days out and the openings typically covered 2–3 nights. These are the openings our own scans saw — not a figure the booking system publishes. We re-check availability several times a day, so the real number can be higher.

Is Lake Powhatan a good campground?

Lake Powhatan holds an average rating of 4.6/5 from 1,449 camper ratings on Recreation.gov. The full star breakdown is shown above.

Is there cell service at Lake Powhatan?

Of the carriers campers have reported on at Lake Powhatan, AT&T rates highest at 1.6 out of 5 from 322 reports. See the carrier-by-carrier breakdown above — service can still vary by campsite, terrain, and weather.

Where is Lake Powhatan located?

Lake Powhatan is located in Great Smoky Mtns / Bryson City, North Carolina. Tap “Directions” above for driving directions, or see nearby campgrounds lower on this page.

🔔 Get a free opening alert

We'll email you the moment a site opens at Lake Powhatan.

📡 Follow these cancellations

Subscribe in your calendar or RSS reader to get openings here automatically.

📆 iCal feed · 📡 RSS feed

Running a camping/RV blog? Embed this widget free →

A live cancellation widget for Lake Powhatan that updates itself — free, no account, no API key. The snippet includes a one-line credit under the widget; leaving it in is what keeps this free for everyone, and it tells your readers what they are looking at. Preview it.

<iframe src="https://campsage.app/camp/embed/lake-powhatan-231995" width="340" height="280" loading="lazy" style="border:0;border-radius:14px" title="Lake Powhatan cancellations"></iframe>
<p style="font:12px/1.5 system-ui,sans-serif;margin:6px 0 0">Live campsite availability for <a href="https://campsage.app/camp/site/lake-powhatan-231995">Lake Powhatan</a> · powered by <a href="https://campsage.app">CampSage</a></p>