First rate campground, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. I made reservations in advance, knowing how popular October is for fall colors. The reservation process was easy. I received a confirmation email, with directions (follow them closely, as it would be very easy to miss the unmarked road). When we arrived, we were escorted to our campsite, which was large, level and fairly secluded. The grounds and facilities are fairly clean and well kept. The only concern was a pack of four dogs who roamed the campground in the morning. They were on the picnic tables and a bit of a nuisance. I mentioned them to the owner. She's aware but apparently not getting support from local authorities, sadly. I'd still recommend this stop as you're exploring the Blue Ridge Parkway. read more

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While I could see this Campground really being amazing, unfortunately it seems like it's just not being maintained. The hiking trails weren't even open for use (was told ownership is "working out the details" whatever that means). The lake was NASTY and beach a disaster. The sites were level and spacious but full of weeds and needed fresh gravel. Roads in were full of pot holes and ill maintained. It just felt very tired and needed some love and for the price we paid, I don't think it was worth it. read more

Love the camp ground but seems like it's being let go a bit by upper management roads are in bad shape about half the golf carts need work/ new batteries the local office employees there are very accommodating it seems as if the corporate office of spacious skies don't care about this camp ground like they used too we love this place and hate to see it like this I'm giveing 3 stars not due to the employees there but to spacious skies them selfs for not investing in this place read more

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I really enjoyed this campground. The staff were very nice and helpful! My spot was level and the utilities worked well. There was a beautiful waterfall and pond, lots of hiking trails, lots for the children to do and dog friendly. My only complaint was trying to unlock the bathroom door. The code wouldn't always work. I would definitely go back! Thank you to you all at the campground for working so hard to make it great! read more

Our family of 6 counting our fur babies were looking to get away from the everyday hustle and bustle of everyday life - several years ago a friend recommended Bear Den Campground Well to say the my family is campers would not be a true statement intact at this point my teenagers don't really like going outside BUT this campground provides many options for your visit including houses, cabins, cleared areas for tenting, as well as RV setups. We decided to go with the primitive cabin and it was perfect for our family. Our site included our cabin and a fire pit area. When arriving the little store was adorable and included everything you could possible think of that you may have forgotten or souvenirs galore that you never knew you needed. Campground included a neat game building with old school arcade machines, rented out golf carts, and had a large fishing and swimming pond. It was the perfect weekend getaway to take you back in time - even my teenagers enjoyed! We will be visiting again! read more

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Bear Den is the campground to use if you are in Spruce Pine, NC. We camped there during the Thanksgiving Holidays, after Hurricane Helena blew through, with all the flooding and devastation and the campground crew managed to clear out enough tree and debris the make our stay possible We would have understood if they had cancelled however, they made a family gathering possible. Very nice crew, Brandy especially, was very accommodating. The cabins were nice with all the convinces of home including games and puzzles in each cabin, an outdoor fire pit and hot tub in one of the cabins. We look forward to camping with Bear Den in the near future. read more

I was shocked to see that Bear Den only has 3 stars, then I realized that it is due to older post prior to the new owners. This place was PERFECT!! My husband and I stayed for 3 nights. Not one single complaint. Staff is extremely helpful and friendly. Plenty of privacy between sites. We will be returning every year with our grandchildren and making it a tradition... THANK YOU BEAR DEN FOR A PERFECT GET AWAY! read more

Spacious Skies Campgrounds - Bear Den - Campgrounds Near Me - Spruce Pine, North Carolina

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We had a great stay. Our campsite was very private and there was a lot for the kids to do. They loved the giant bouncing pillow. The campground is a short drive to alot of fun stuff (Grandfather mountain, gem mining, great hikes like crabtree falls, and floating down south toe river.) The staff was absolutely amazing. We had some truck issues on the morning we were supposed to be leaving and the general manager went above and beyond to help us out. We had the kind of morning where everything goes wrong and i may have broke down in tears if it wasnt for her kindness. read more

Very beautiful. Everyone was extremely nice and helpful. The maintenance crew were on point. We will definitely be making another trip here. read more

Spacious Skies Campgrounds - Bear Den - We were in campsite A2. - Campgrounds Near Me - Spruce Pine, North Carolina

The new owners have really "spruced" up the place and are constantly improving or adding new features. They are also wonderful people. We loved our charming cabin. It was very clean, in good condition, and nicely appointed. And you can't beat the location. We highly recommend Bear Den Campground. read more

As seasonal workamper I think that I can give a honest review on this campground. I love it here. We are tucked away in a beautiful wooded location, on the Blue Ridge Parkway, surrounded by the Pisgah National Forest. This makes a great basecamp for all the area natural attractions like, waterfalls, caverns and on site hiking trails. As a receptionist here I asked each guest how their visit was. Always I am given positive feedback. This Sunday, a guest told me that this has to be the best campground in North Carolina. I can honestly say it is, you will love it here. We'll be back next summer again. read more

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We stayed here for a week in site A8 and had a wonderful time! Very well maintained and clean. Lots of trails right there at the campground. Plenty to keep the kids busy and entertained. Would stay again for sure read more

Great campground in the beautiful woods. Sites are well spaced and terraced. Fire pits, table, all kinds of amenities. The only trouble is getting to it. Narrow winding roads. Also no tv or WiFi. But it is worth it. read more

Great family campground. Camp store has a little bit of everything and the staff are nice and helpful. Bathrooms were kept clean but showers do need small repairs. (They worked, just were kind of run down) perfectly located on the BRP. I would call ahead before booking to make sure the spot you are looking at will accommodate you. (Some spots were larger than others, some would only fit cars or small vehicles) The workers will help make sure it's the best choice for you! read more

Spacious Skies Campgrounds - Bear Den - Walking/riding path near the pond. - Campgrounds Near Me - Spruce Pine, North Carolina

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We returned to this campground in October, and what a difference! New owners have invested heavily in this facility and now it's a great place. The bathrooms have had a total makeover and now are as nice as you will find anywhere. They are very clean, with very nice countertops and modern fixtures. The playgrounds have been upgraded. The pond is now catch-and-release, but they have stocked it well and we had a very nice time fishing there. They have re-graded most of the campsites and even removed some of them, giving you more space at your site, and easier maneuvering of your rigs through the campsite. They now have pretty good Internet at every campsite. They are now rated highly with Good Sam. The new owners are super friendly and helpful. The store has been remodeled and is well stocked. This is now our first choice in campgrounds in the Linville Gorge area. read more

Great family environment and super staff! I would hope that they can upgrade their boathouses soon. Not bad but they have a lot of age to them. They should also change the listed "lake" to the title of pond. We had the best weekend there and their staff are A+! I would like to check out one of their nice looking cabins next time but this time we had a perfect place to tent camp. read more

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This was a great find with their access road from the Blue Ridge Parkway. We were happily surprised with how quiet the place was and it is very clean. Each site is fairly private and we enjoyed every minute. We were two be there for only one night but stayed for two. read more

Spacious Skies Campgrounds - Bear Den - Campgrounds Near Me - Spruce Pine, North Carolina

This place has various cabins and camp ground locations... We stayed in their Mountain View Cabin over a weekend while attending a funeral. The cabin was fantastic... Very clean, great view and nice hot tub, always heated so don't have to wait... What I didn't like: 1) Towels were worse than the rags I use at home many had what appeared to be bleach holes.(The bed linens were nice and in good condition) 2) Although I received a confirmation, I arrived a little later than I wanted, and the registration office was closed. This was a very remote site,, so I was getting very frustrated, however in my attempt to find a phone number I ran across an "information center" that had my package and keys in it... 3) Never did figure out how to get the fireplace to work. Saw the keypad and tried both manual and automatic modes. It was cool the first night. I will say I called them the next day and they said if I had issues, I can call maintenance and someone would come over. 4) They require you to wash and empty the dish washer before leaving. This was fine, but couldn't get the dishwasher to run. No instructions in their welcome book. Finally found a "light swith" located across the kitchen labeled DISHWASHER. Their welcome book was very good, (Except for answering the above questions). read more

I would give this no stars if I could. We planned and paid for a family cabin stay for the 4th of July back in April. My wife called a few days before to make sure we were good to go and found out that we did not have the reservation. After speaking to two of the staff members there..we were out of luck unless we wanted to stay in 2 different cabin/trailers and party an extra $250. What??? I asked to speak to the owner but never heard back. They made us feel like it was our fault. Then I had to fight to get a full refund. read more

I took what little time I had off of work to stay at bearden it was the worst experience we have had as a famely most of the staff was very frendly but the manger is over bering and stalky in short if you have a daughter over 12 THIS PLACE IS NOT FOR YOU and fishing we stayed 4 days im a decent angler every morn and every evening we caught 2 small yellow catfish and 1 decent blue you can chance it or there's a better camping place a few miles farther called springmaid they have much better facilities and staff and lots more for the kids to do and we felt safe the whole time at springmaid mt if you go to bear den my prayers go with you good luck. read more

We spent 5 days at Bear Den for a family gathering of 18. Never have been here before we were in for a suprise driving up the mountain....us Flordian do not have hills and our cars struggled to get up that mountain thank goodness for manual shifting. We actually drove pass the entrance the first night because the signs are so small BUT in their defense the parkway does not allow for large signs to be posted. The road leading into the campground is very curvy and hardly big enough for two cars to be on and it is not really paved so in rain or snow you better have a great set of brakes and a good transmission. Check in was a breeze and the our cabin was ready early, very thankful to all the staff in the office who handle our multi family check in very well. Our cabin FC-2 held 4 kids and 4 adults...the cabin sleeps 6 normally but with small children we made it work. This is by far the bigger of the two cabins are family that we had, my inlaws had FC-1 and it was tiny. We were able to host all 18 of us in FC-2 during meal times. The kitchen needed more utensils, pots and pans and dishes....very sparce so if you like to cook I suggest bringing your own as we did. Fridge leaked water, the sink got plugged in the kitchen but one call to maintanence fixed that, the t.v. broke the 3rd night but the came first thing and replaced it. Light by the stairs was hanging off the wall and they were aware of it. The second bedroom is a loft so little to no privacy and the main bedroom is nice but the noise from above is serious, when ever someone is in the loft you new it...no sleeping in for us. The screen on the slider was torn but easily fixed with duct tape. They provide one roll of toliet paper so bring or buy more. The towels are small hotel ones so bring extra. The ac worked great during the day. The rocking chairs were perfect outside on the porch. Kids loved the jacquzi but disappointed they couldnt go down to the creek...the drop off was to steep and the only other access point was gated and for use of the BIG cabin guest only. The fire pit at the end of the road was great but only one family/group could use at a time Also there was only one grill for 5 cabins so it took awhile to cook meals on. The campground is very spaced out so we ended up renting the gas powered golf carts to get back and forth with and at $50 a day it kept the kiddos happy. The lake was always empty, the game room was nice and entertaining and the laundry facility got the job done only wish they had more than one washer and dryer at each bathhouse. The staff is super friendly and knowledgable. Walmart is 15-20 mins away and open 24 hours, but note everything else seems to shut down by 6 so be prepared. Spruce pines is right up the road and doesn't offer much but has a really good coffee shop across from the train tracks. Litle Switzerland was just as the name says "little" but great shops and super friendly shopkeepers. Our overall stay was amazing, the memories a lifetime and we can't wait to go back next year for another adventure! read more

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I was looking for a place to camp for one night along the Blue Ridge Parkway and a friend mentioned this place. It was exactly what we were looking for. I made a reservation online on Friday night and checked in on Saturday night. We were expected, the staff was friendly and while the tent space we rented was a little small - it was just perfect for two people. The bathhouse was clean, there was free wifi near the campground office, accessible hiking trails that lead to a cute little waterfall. This place was just lovely, clean, well maintained. I will be going back..! read more

Last weekend my family and I had the opportunity of staying several nights at Bear-Den Campground. On my second day after exploring Linville Falls and Grandfather Mountain on the Blue Ridge Parkway, my truck unexpectedly broke down and left my family stranded in the middle of nowhere! I called the campground and the owner himself drove 20 minutes out of his way and picks us up. When he took us back to the Bear-Den he gave us a complementary golf cart to use for the rest of our visit so I would have some means of transportation around the campground. He even offered to take me grocery shopping in the event I would be without a vehicle for an extended period of time. The next morning the campground host offered to give me a ride into town (about 20 minutes away) to the dealership where my truck was towed so I could get a rental car for my family. At the end of my stay the dealership stated to me the repairs would be lengthy and my truck would not be ready for several more days. I asked the managers of Bear-Den if it was possible for me to leave my camper until I could get a vehicle to tow it home. Without hesitation they stated that was no problem. I offered to pay them for storage and gas money for driving me into town but it was refused. None of them would take my money. They all said they just wanted to help. Bear-Den made what could have been the worst vacation I have ever been on a pleasant experience. It's great to know that money is not the root of all business. Customer service and compassion for the job was spot on with Bear-Den Family Campground, its owner, and managers. The campground was clean, up-kept, had great amenities and facilities, all with a rustic atmosphere. If you are looking for an A+ campground on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Bear-Den Family Campground's hospitality can't be beat! Thank you Bear-Den for your AWESOME hospitality and experience! I'll be back! read more

Surprised to see all of the bad reviews here. I've been going to Bear Den for about 15 years now and I've loved it every time. I used to stay on the camp sites, but now we rent a creekside cabin every year. Everyone is very nice. I have never had a single issue. Love this place! read more

My family and I have been camping at Bear's Den once a year for eight years. We've had a great time, every year. We go to Bear's Den for a simple camping experience: unfurnished cabins and tents. The facilities are basic, clean, and serviceable. We have had great times hiking, swimming in the lake, and enjoying the playgrounds. There are lots of great places to explore nearby. If one desires to commune with nature this is the place for you! If you are seeking Mountain luxury, maybe not a first choice. read more

Been visiting this site for over 20 years. Nothings been changed except the addition of the cabins. Same ole' bathrooms with toilets that work half the time. However rates have over doubled in 20 years. Now they added a $2 a night pet fee for a campsite and went to a rate to charge more on weekends. Guess they think it's Disneyland.. WON'T BE BACK AGAIN THIS YEAR!! read more

I loved staying here. Staff is friendly. Though the campground is older, been in business for 60+ years, it is well maintained and clean. The waterfalls are beautiful. Golf carts are available for those that need them. The pond was not bitting on our days but my kids loved trying. We rented a cabin and it was perfect for us. The only downsides I saw are the tent sites are all next to each other. You can talk to the people next to you easily without walking over. The arcade needed repair several games were out of service. I can't wait to go back. read more

Positives first. Very nice RV site, and playground across from us. Staff was very friendly. Beautiful location. On the downside the lake is pretty disgusting looking, and I would never swim in it, and they charge (and a good penny) for their games in the game room. I would think at the rate they charge the games would be free, especially since there are really no other amenities since the lake is gross. I would not stay there again because the price does not match amenities. read more

I stayed at Bear Den 2 times in 2018:Oct and Nov. In both instances I loved the experience! First time in a beautiful, furnished (with full kitchen) cabin with a screened porch overlooking a rushing stream. The second time in what they call Campin' Cabins, two real beds and electricity which to me was just fine. The campground was spotless. Super quiet at night. Clean bathhouses. Cool general store. Staff very professional and friendly. The road leading from the Parkway was lovely and winding through woods, you get the idea you re in for a true getaway. Which Bear Den is. And why I will go back. If you are a true nature lover who enjoys the peace and quiet of the forest, visit this place. read more

It was ok at best. Their website makes it sound like the lots are huge but honestly these are the smallest campsites I've ever stayed in. The NC state parks have beautiful well maintained sites for about 1/2 the cost. There was no grilling ability at any of the sites we saw, only a fire pit and it was VERY small. We've camped a lot and I was concerned about having a fire in such a small pit. There was no obvious space to put our tent, we did the best we could. It was Memorial Day weekend and very busy, and very loud but once quiet hours went into effect (10pm) things settled down nicely and we had a VERY quiet night's sleep (which was nice). The shower/restroom facilities were fine - pretty clean, lots of soap for handwashing which was good. The small lake was more like a pond. There was a nice dock area to fish (which my kids loved) but the "beach" was VERY small and completely packed full of people. We only saw 1 canoe and 1 paddleboat to rent and the area was so small to boat in, it didn't make any sense to rent it. Overall it was fine - we won't go back but it was fine to try for one night. read more

We stayed here this past weekend with our large family reunion. We had several sites and were basically quite comfortable. The tent site was small, very small. There weren't any BBQs at the site, but there were a few within the campground, just not in abundance. The camping cabin was just a double bed and a bunk bed, like a tent, but with 4 walls, a roof and beds. The door doesn't lock. I can't tell you when it was last swept clean and I didn't notice the broom until the morning, but since it's basically a hard tent, I didn't expect much. The bathroom facilities were dated, but clean. This isn't the Hilton, its camping, so we get it. We also had FC 1, FC 2 and the Honeymoon cabin. FC 2 is considerably larger than FC 1, both are considered 2 bedrooms, but the 2nd "bedroom" is a loft, there isn't a door or walls for privacy. The cabins are supposedly "fully stocked", but it isn't quite the case... All dishes, flatware, pots/pans appear to be someone's throwaways and there isn't a set amount of them either. One cabin had a cookie sheet, the other, a roasting pan. The ovens are quite small and there aren't any BBQs at each cabin, just 1 for 5 cabins ant it is located in the parking area. Cabins are creekside, but are only accessible by 1, unless you choose to walk an extremely step embankment. Our family stayed in FC 1 and the floors were quite dirty and huge cobwebs were spotted on the high ceiling. There was a damp smell in the cabin and what looks like mold, is in the hot tub room. The hot tub was quite nice, especially after a long day exploring, though I wonder how clean the water stayed with our dirty feet. The campground itself is huge. The game room kept our kids occupied for quite awhile, at least until the quarters ran out. The lake IS small and I never witnessed anyone use it for swimming, fishing or boating. The store had very basic necessities, but Walmart is open 24 hours and is located nearby. The hosts were superbly nice and made our stay very pleasant. Nascar's Jeff Gordon stayed in a mountain view cabin just recently also. The location is ideal with Boone an hour to the north and Asheville an hour to the south. Despite the things I described, we are planning to stay again next year. : ) read more

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We were expecting to have a great trip to bear den campground. Instead, we were very disappointed. We reserved a family tent spot that had two combined 8&10, hoping that we were going to be sharing the electricity with only our family. Instead, we ended up having to share the electric socket with the tent next door. The first night when we turned on our heater, it kept going off because of it. So we let them have it, and we were freezing the whole night.They could make their power outage stronger, it's not enough power for the campers to share! Cheap bums! The site was way over priced for a tent spot! 148$ to be correct!...They kept closing the recreation area, and the hot water to the bathroom! This place was not cool! We don't recommend it, and won't be coming back!! read more

There may be such a place, but after an hour of trying to find it, we gave up. I talked to a guy named Eric, who is apparenltly manager-owner, told him where I was and he could not give directions to get there even though it was only apparently about 5 minutes away! A guy name Eric is also the developer of the Bear Den resort Web Site. Looks like a small-time operation that cannot deal with customers' needs. I also asked if I could see a cabin and he said they were too busy, but there were pictures on the web site! There is another place nearby in the Spruce Pine area that we have stayed at, nice. Go there. read more

Horrible place, unfriendly, unhelpful staff. Paid for one type cabin were given a prison camp cabin- just beds nothing else. Told didn't have what we wanted because of wedding that was there had all of the good cabins- we were there to attend said wedding. Left to go to a hotel. This was one step above being homeless. Some people might enjoy this experience but a cabin should have ac, toilet and shower. As I said, staff was so unwilling to help us in anyway. STAY AWAY, is all I can say. Others in our group had similar experiences. I would give them no stars if this would let me. read more

Awful place really. Tiny campgrounds, fire pits are really just a shallow dip barely surrounded by rocks. Contrary to their website, there isn't power or water at each site. We had to walk 5 campsites over to get to the water spigot. They advertise wifi, yes - for 5$/day in a barely covered shed full of bugs. Speaking of bugs. Ah, the great outdoors. Especially in August. What else could you expect? I would hope that my campground would not be covered with a swarm of spiders and yellow jackets. The "bathhouse" is laughable. Prisoners have better facilities. The water barely trickles out of the showers and you have to dodge the various insect life to get to the tepid stream. They state they clean with bleach. Yes they do, they wipe the floors with it and that's about it. Stayed here three days out of a planned week and was terrified the entire time. Plus, they state no refunds for weather or health related issues. What they don't say is that they don't give refunds for ANY reason. Even if you are totally unsatisfied with the campground. It takes a LOT to be dissatisfied by a campground and this place has managed to do it. By the time I left I felt like I had just escaped an episode of the Walking Dead. read more

Friends recently stayed at this campground. They shortened their stay because it was so unpleasant. Staff was not helpful and just rude. Some things never change. read more

Stay away! Campground is filthy and staff is rude and not helpful!

I'm surprised to see all of the bad reviews too. I've been going to Bear Den for over 20 years and absolutely love it! I've never had any issues with staff or amenities there and find the rates to be quite reasonable. Our family has always enjoyed hiking to the waterfall (beautiful!) and there are some new trails to explore this year. We've always enjoyed swimming in the lake, the playground- nothing but fun at Bear Den! We'll continue to go as often as we can! read more

Been going here for years. In the beginning it was great. Over the years it's gotten worse.Spent this past weekend there with our family.So much dust on the rafters and spider webs, it looked like they had not dusted in at least a year. Vents in the cabin were covered in spider webs and a large spider fell into my son and daughter-in-laws bed. There were yellow stains on the bed sheets. When we left we told them we should not have to pay the clean-up fee and she asked why.I told her why and she asked if we left a complaint letter in the box,we told her yes. She apologized and said she would look into it and take care of the problem,but we did not get a refund of the $50.00 clean-up fee. We had to pay for something they did not clean up from the people who stayed in FC-1 before we did. And I'm sure from the looks of things it looked like that for them, too. Left a day early and won't be back again... read more