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Rattler Ford Group Campground

Open

Open for the season through October 31. Reservations required via Recreation.gov. Check-in at 2:00 p.m., checkout at noon. Quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Nantahala National Forest

Old Fort Picnic Area -- closed Aug. 28-30, 2026

The Old Fort Picnic Area will be closed starting today through the weekend for paving. The area will reopen for parking Monday, August 31. The parking lot, which was damaged during Hurricane Helene, is being repaved as part of a larger project to restore and improve the picnic area. Due to the…

Nantahala National Forest

Commissary Ridge Dispersed Camping Area Temporarily Closed

Due to an increase in bear activity in the dispersed camping area at Commissary Ridge on the Pisgah National Forest near Mt. Mitchell State Park the camping area will be temporarily closed. This measure is to help provide visitor safety and minimize bear encounters.

Nantahala National Forest

Croatan Ranger District Office Relocation

Beginning Friday, August 7, 2026, the current Croatan Ranger District Office building will permanently close as North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) begins its US 70 widening project. Until construction of the new Croatan Ranger District is complete, visitor services will operate…

About

Rattler Ford Group Campground sits near swift-moving Santeetlah Creek in the Nantahala National Forest, roughly 7 miles from Robbinsville, North Carolina. The campground offers four group tent-only sites, each accommodating up to 25 people with ample space for multiple tents. Every site features fire rings, multiple picnic tables, oversized grills, and lantern posts. The campground provides flush toilets, hot showers, horseshoe pits, and a volleyball court. Large trees and thick forests provide moderate shade while meadows allow for open play. The Avey Branch boat ramp at Lake Santeetlah is about 2.5 miles away for fishing, boating, and canoeing. The entrance to Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness and Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, containing nearly 6,000 acres of old-growth forest, lies just a quarter mile from the campground. Nantahala is a Cherokee word meaning "land of the noonday sun," as sunlight only reaches the deep gorges of these western North Carolina mountains at midday.

Directions

From Robbinsville, North Carolina, take Highway 129 north to 143 West/Massey Branch Road. Pass the Cheoah Ranger District office and continue to the stop sign. Turn right to continue on 143 West for about 7 miles. Rattler Ford Group Campground is on the left.

Amenities

Water Yes
Fires Allowed Yes
Toilets Yes
Dump Station No
Wifi No
Pets Allowed Yes
Showers Yes
Electric Hookups
Water Hookups
Sewer Hookups
Camp Store No
Price $75

Vehicle

Max RV Length
Max Trailer Length
Big Rig Friendly No
Pull Through Sites No

Contact

Phone +1 (828) 479-6431

Cell Service

AT&T None
Verizon None
T-Mobile None

Availability

Photos

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