Mortimer Campground

National Forests in North Carolina — riverside

Location: Collettsville, NC, NC

Price: From $20 per night

Price range: $20–$30 per night

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (84 reviews)

Season: Year-round

Mortimer Campground is a small campground nestled within the Wilson Creek Wild and Scenic River Corridor south of Grandfather Mountain. Located at the site of an old Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp, the 17 sites campground is surrounded by lush forests, gentle streams, and a large scenic river popular for swimming, fishing, and kayaking. Visitors to the campground can enjoy a variety of activities including fishing, swimming, day hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, picnicking, and scenic d

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Showers, Camp Host

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/mortimer-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Mortimer Campground is a small 17-site federal campground nestled in the Wilson Creek Wild and Scenic River Corridor with lush forests, gentle streams, and a large scenic river popular for swimming, fishing, and kayaking. Campers praise it as a beautiful, spacious campground with hot showers, fire rings with grills, and numerous nearby hiking trails.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear present in area. Also: Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Eastern Milksnake, Eastern Garter Snake, Ring-necked Snake.

Insider tips for Mortimer Campground: Book early — federal campground with only 17 sites fills quickly. Bring a self-contained RV; no hookups available. Access via mountain dirt road suitable for regular cars; small store at Highway 90 turnoff nearby. Multiple trails within 20-minute drive including Thorpes Creek and Schoolhouse Ridge loop trail (7 miles).

Skip Mortimer Campground if: You need RV hookups (water, electric, sewer) — none available at most sites.. You expect frequent bathroom cleaning — campers noted bathrooms could be cleaner..

Best time to visit Mortimer Campground: Year-round — Campground operates year-round, though booking early is essential as it is a federal campground with high demand..

Nearby campgrounds: Linville Falls Campground (Asheville, NC), Julian Price Campground (Asheville, NC), Johns River Road Backcountry Camping (ASHEVILLE, NC), Dennis Cove Campground (Unicoi, TN).

Cell Phone Coverage at Mortimer Campground

Cell signal at Mortimer Campground (Collettsville, NC): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›NC›Mortimer Campground
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National Forests in North Carolina — riversideLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Mortimer Campground

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Collettsville, NC, NC★ 4.3 (84 reviews)From $20/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Mortimer Campground is a small campground nestled within the Wilson Creek Wild and Scenic River Corridor south of Grandfather Mountain. Located at the site of an old Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp, the 17 sites campground is surrounded by lush forests, gentle streams, and a large scenic river popular for swimming, fishing, and kayaking. Visitors to the campground can enjoy a variety of activities including fishing, swimming, day hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, picnicking, and scenic driving.

Best for:CampersNature loversFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonYear-round
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
Pull-throughsAvailable
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsShowers
Recreation
Picnic TablesCamp Host
Family & Pets
Flush Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups (water, electric, sewer) — none available at most sites.✕ You expect frequent bathroom cleaning — campers noted bathrooms could be cleaner.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

federal campground with only 17 sites fills quickly.

Bring a self-contained RV; no hookups available.

Access via mountain dirt road suitable for regular cars; small store at Highway 90 turnoff nearby.

Multiple trails within 20-minute drive including Thorpes Creek and Schoolhouse Ridge loop trail (7 miles).

Best: Year-round

Campground operates year-round, though booking early is essential as it is a federal campground with high demand.

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: American Black Bear present in area. Also: Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Eastern Milksnake, Eastern Garter Snake, Ring-necked Snake.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
828-652-2144· National Forests in North Carolina

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — National Forests in North Carolina fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at National Forests in North Carolina before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Mortimer Campground cost per night?+
Mortimer Campground costs $20–$30 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Mortimer Campground open?+
Mortimer Campground is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Mortimer Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Mortimer Campground?+
Mortimer Campground is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Mortimer Campground?+
Mortimer Campground is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Mortimer Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Mortimer Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Mortimer Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Mortimer Campground is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$20 /night★ 4.3 (84)
SeasonYear-round
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Mortimer Campground cost per night?+
What season is Mortimer Campground open?+
Does Mortimer Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Linville Falls Campground

Asheville, NC

From $30/night

Julian Price Campground

Asheville, NC

From $30/night

Johns River Road Backcountry Camping

ASHEVILLE, NC

From $15/night

Dennis Cove Campground

Unicoi, TN

From $10/night

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