Camp at Mt. Pisgah

The Mt. Pisgah campground is nestled right off of the Blue Ridge Parkway near Canton, NC.  Since it is at an elevation of 4,980 feet the campground is a perfect destination to beat the heat and humidity that the region can be known for in the summer months.  Reservations and information can be found on their website, they do have 74 first-come first-served sites so reservations aren't really necessary.  It is a really large campground but the NPS has done a really great job of creating as much separation as possible between sites.  Also, every tent site comes with its own built in bear box so you don't need to worry about packing your own or paring down all your food to fit in a small one. 

There are two great hiking trails right from the entrance to the campground. In one direction heads the Mt. Pisgah trail which winds 1.5 miles to the summit (5,721 ft) of the namesake mountain. In the other direction is the Frying Pan trail which goes 1.6 miles through dense woods to the now-defunct forest fire lookout tower. Although the tower is no longer used you can still climb to the top of it to get a really great view of the surrounding area.

The hikes are great and nearby are a myriad of other fantastic options like Looking Glass Falls, or Laurel Mountain.  Once you are done hiking grab a beverage and go take in the sunset across the street at the beautiful Pisgah Inn which has rocking chairs to relax or a full bar/restaurant if you're feeling fancy.