Graveyard Fields

“Does anyone know if there are designated campsites at Graveyard Fields (located on the Blue Ridge Parkway in NC)? I am looking for a place to take little kids backpacking and everything about that place appears to fit the bill except that campfires aren't allowed in the park. Are there campsites available just outside the park where fires are allowed less than 3 miles from the trailhead?

Or where would be a good place to take kids ranging in age from 5 to 11 in Western NC/Upstate SC/Northern Georgia?”

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• Davidson River CG on 276 in Pisgah NF, NW of Brevard
  
  
• Campground on Blue Ridge Parkway across from Mt. Pisgah Lodge and Restaurant
  
  
• Lake Powhatan CG on 191 S. of Asheville
  

Stop at the Pisgah Ranger Station 2-3 miles NW from Davidson CG for literature.

Some of many attractions: Looking Glass Falls, Cradle of Forestry in America, Sliding Rock, Fish rearing ponds, etc.
last edited: 3/04/05 9:38:51 AM”

“are these car camping sites. I hate those. I want to backpack in a few miles”

“Those are Developed Campgrounds. Jeez, take it easy on the five year old. Don't know when you're planning to go. In warmer weather the children would love to swim/wade at Lake Powhatan and would really enjoy sliding rock, although the 5-year old would probably prefer to watch the sliding. The Cradle of Forestry in America exists for children of all ages and is an educational experience.
last edited: 3/04/05 9:55:12 AM”

“Graveyard Fields is a great place to hike and you can camp there although it's an exposed location. In that I mean the most popular turnout on the whole Blue Ridge Parkway sits right above the fields. You are under a "microscope". The field is at milepost 418. If you head north about 12 miles or somewhere around milepost 406, therebouts, is the Mt Pisgah campground located across from the Inn. You can have a campfire there. They also have rest rooms and water. Plus you are at about the 5000 ft elevation so it's nice and cool. It would be a great place to take children.
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Now if you just have to have a more rugged camping experience just drive 2 miles past Graveyard Fields (towards Cherokee,NC) and turn right at the forestry road at milepost 420. That's the road to the Art Loeb Trail and Shining Rock. But as you said, no campfires allowed.
last edited: 3/04/05 12:06:27 PM”

“There are no fires allowed in the Shining Rock Wilderness, but if the rules are the same as the past several years, then campfires are allowed in Pisgah National Forest....just not in the smaller wilderness area. There are some nice campsites at the junction of the Ivestor Gap Trail and the Art Loeb Trail which lies just outside the border of Shining Rock Wilderness Area. The boundary is clearly marked with a sign. By the way, the views from Ivestor Gap Trail are nice but the trail itself is an old jeep road so not too much in the way of wilderness trail.”

“Maybe I should give a little more detail. Some of us are wanting to introduce our youngun's to the joy of backpacking so thats why am I steering away from commercial campgrounds. On the other hand, we don't want to force them into a Bataan Death March so we are trying to limit it to less than or equal to a 3 mile hike from the trailhead to the campsite where we will basecamp and explore from there.

I personnally like the views, but know from experience with my older girls that they aren't as excited by views as I am. They like waterfalls, rocks to climb on, etc.”

“hyway - I changed the trip title to better reflect where we're headed with this, but can't change the thread title.”

“cool.

we have a trip page ? I better sign up.”

“Yep, the thread is embedded in it.”

“most of the Graveyard Fields area lies inside the BRP corridor. So no camping is allowed except at authorized BRP camp areas. I will add that the area borders PNF so with a good map you should be able to pass through it to the forest and find numerous camp spots. The wilderness area doesn't really start until you reach Ivestor Gap but then again you would need a map with the boundaries added to know from there where it runs. Hope this helps. Have a good one.”

“I have read about campsites on the trail to one of the falls. Am I correct in thinking that once you are into the PNF that you can have a fire? What would you estimate the distance from the parking lot to a place where you can camp with a fire?

BTW, thanks everyone for your help.”

“has anyone camped at graveyard fields?”

“I think not listing the state cut down on folks viewing this. I emailed ghost about some ideas for our trip. I'll post them when I hear back from him.”

“I didn't want to start another trip thread. I was just looking for info on this place. I have only seen it from the parking lot. Awesome place, but the actual park is in the BRP coridor. Plus I didn't want to recommend some place I haven't been and we get their with our kids and it is to difficult or the camping sites suck.

Also, I was hoping to get info on the straightest route to camping outside the corridor. Then again, with all the different sights to see and the rocks to climb on and the creeks to wade in, we could take all day to get to camp and not be bored.

I am still hoping to have other suggestions for a location. I would love to get waterdog interested and maybe get my kids some experience with "real" rock climbing. My 9 yo scoots right up those climbing walls.”

“You have mail.”

“I've never heard fires were illegal in wilderness areas here in the east. Also Graveyard Fields is not NPS land. The ROW is about 500 feet or so either side of the parkway. There are many places to camp/hike with children in Shining Rock (Graveyard Fields, down on Flat Laurel Creek below Sams Knob, Flower Gap, Middle Prong) They can get crowded.Get a copy of USFS map for Shining Rock.

Also Panthertown, Standing Indian, South Mountains, Lost Cove, Mt Rogers area, even Uwharries would be good with kids.

Have fun”

“I thought this was going to be that Polish news story about the worst crash in the history of Poland that just happened yesterday. A two seater Cessna crashed into a cemetary and 826 bodies were found, and they expect to find more when the digging continues:)”

“Just got a call from Wildbill. He and his wife went up to the Graveyard fields area today to camp. They hiked in a little bit from the service road parking area. Found a place to camp then went exploring. When they came back and got the food out to start cooking he said they saw a huge black bear not 20 feet away from them. After yelling at it and some rock throwing, the bear went back about 10 yards. Some more yelling and rock throwing and the bear went back another 10 yards. Finally they got enough room where they could just pack up and get out of there.

So now they are checked into a motel and eating at a Chinese restaurant in Brevard :).”

“My son and I will be visiting the Graveyard fields on Tuesday.”

“They didn't bother to take photos?”

“Here is a video of our encounter. I have seen a lot of bears, but this is my wife's first one.
I had already yelled at it and threw one rock before I picked up the camera. He would only run about 10 feet away and then stop and look at me. A couple of times it started walking toward me again. I would throw another rock and it would do the same thing, so I would just keep throwing rocks and chasing him away a little at a time until he was out of my sight.

I wish I had just kept the camera with me instead of giving it to my wife. She was so scared she didn't move but about 2 feet.




MOV02860.AVI”

“I could just about tell how fast her heart was beating by the way the camera was shaking.”

“This was her first bear sighting ever. I wish it could have been just passing thru or something like that. I hope she doesn't get too afraid to go back out again.”

“It doesn't help that you abandoned her and walked out of sight. :)”

“That's what she said.”