Montreat Family Campground

Review

Montreat Family Campground is popular for car camping close to the city, especially for families of young children who want a quick, risk-free getaway. There are 28 sites along or across from the rocky Flat Creek each with a fire pit, grill and picnic table. Two sites can accommodate small pop-up campers. The bathroom area has electricity and hot water showers. Around the campground and on the site of the Montreat Assembly (a Presbyterian retreat center), there are 20 trails of varying degrees of difficulty, plus a lake with boat rentals, playground and other recreational options. The Graybeard Trail goes up Graybeard Mountain, one of the "Seven Sisters" in the Black Mountain range. From there, there are views to Asheville's reservoir and Mt. Mitchell. Shorter, less strenuous trails also leave from the campground. Montreat is also interesting from a historical perspective: the retreat was built in the 1890s and many of the original houses and structures still stand.