North Mills River
Mills River, North Carolina
| GPS: |
35°24'30.8"N 82°38'55.1"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | North Carolina |
Swim
North Mills River is a refreshing mountain playground in the Pisgah National Forest of western North Carolina, where the clear North Mills River winds through the forest just a short drive from Asheville and Hendersonville. With easy river access for tubing and swimming, miles of trails, and a riverside campground, it's a favorite warm-weather escape for families and outdoor lovers in the Blue Ridge.
The river is made for lazy summer fun. Gentle, kid-friendly stretches are perfect for tubing and splashing, with cool pools for a swim and easy access right from the recreation area. Anglers prize the North Mills for its trout fishing, while the surrounding national forest laces the area with excellent hiking and mountain-biking trails, several starting right from the campground.
The North Mills River Campground makes a comfortable basecamp: a relatively small, rustic forest campground with around 31 sites split into two loops on opposite sides of the river, each with a picnic table, fire ring, and tent pad, plus hot showers and flush toilets. It's open year-round, with full services from spring through mid-November and walk-up, limited-service camping in winter.
Summer is prime for tubing and swimming, while spring and fall bring milder hiking weather and beautiful color. Follow North Mills River Road into the forest from the Mills River area to reach it. Bring water shoes for the rocky riverbed, keep an eye on the current and depth after rain, and pack out everything you carry in. Close to Asheville yet wonderfully woodsy, North Mills River is one of the Pisgah's most easygoing river escapes — and a great launch point for nearby gems like Sliding Rock and Looking Glass Falls.
More Information
North Mills River - Recreation.gov
We’re here to help you dream up your next trip, figure out the details, and reserve experiences at over 3,600 facilities and 103,000 individual sites across the country.
https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232380swimmingholes.org North Carolina Swimming Holes and Hot Springs rivers creek springs falls hiking ca
THE web site for beautiful, natural places for a cool dip or hot soak.
https://www.swimmingholes.org/nc.html
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel & camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
Directions
From Mills River, North Carolina
- Head north on NC-191 N/NC-280 E toward Goode Dr (0.9 mi)
- Turn left onto N Mills River Rd (5.2 mi)
From Hendersonville (south of Asheville) follow RT 191 northwest to where it meets RT 280 in town of Mills River. Go north (right turn) on RT 280/191 a short distance then turn west (left) on Mills River Rd. (See signs for North Mills River Rec. Area) Continue on this road until you come to the campground (right on the road). Park in the day use area (pay fee). The river and swimming places are right across the road from the campground.Courtesy of swimmingholes.org
Other Swimming Holes Nearby
Davidson River Campground
Pisgah Forest, North Carolina
9.7 miles SWA year-round campground in Pisgah National Forest just four miles from Brevard and less than an hour from Asheville, with shaded loops, hiking trails, waterfalls, and fishing spots nearby.
Camp, Hike, Swim
Big East Fork
Canton, North Carolina
10.0 miles WHeavy forest, multiple waterfalls, and a river that shifts from white rapids to calm swimming holes along Big East Fork in Pisgah National Forest — great for kayaking, camping, and swimming year-round.
Backpack, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Looking Glass Falls
Brevard, North Carolina
10.3 miles SWA cascading 60-foot waterfall over mossy stone with a wading pool below — just a short, beautiful walk from Pisgah Highway in Brevard, stunning in any season.
Hike, Swim 0.1 mi
Looking Glass Falls
Brevard, North Carolina
10.3 miles SWOne of North Carolina's most popular and accessible waterfalls — the 60-foot Looking Glass Falls drops roadside along the Forest Heritage Scenic Byway in Pisgah National Forest, with easy viewing from the parking area or a short walk.
Swim
Coontree Recreation Area
Brevard, North Carolina
10.5 miles SWA scenic picnic area on the Davidson River with direct access to calm, deep water for swimming and fishing — plus the 3.7-mile Coontree Loop Trail through Pisgah National Forest.
Hike, Mountain Bike, Swim 0.8 mi
Daniel Ridge Falls
Brevard, North Carolina
11.8 miles SWAn easy half-mile hike in Pisgah National Forest near Brevard to a 150-foot waterfall known by three names — most impressive after rain, modest in dry spells, with an optional 4-mile loop to the top.
Hike, Mountain Bike, Swim
Skinny Dip Falls
Brevard, North Carolina
12.0 miles SWA cascading waterfall with multiple clear pools for wading and swimming, a 6-foot jumping spot, and an easy 3/4-mile forested walk from the Blue Ridge Parkway — swimmers should mind fast water and slippery rocks.
Hike, Swim
Cove Creek Tubs
Brevard, North Carolina
12.7 miles SWThree perfectly rounded pot holes — the Pisgah Forest's finest — stack up to 12 feet deep in sun-drenched pools that are best described as nature's own jacuzzi collection.
Swim 0.2-2.8 mi
Graveyard Fields
Brevard, North Carolina
12.7 miles SWTwo cascading waterfalls — a swimmable Lower Falls just 1/3 mile from the road, and a more challenging Upper Falls on a 3.5-mile wildflower loop — make this a must-see hike.
Hike, Swim
Whaleback Swimming Hole
Asheville, North Carolina
12.9 miles SWA horseshoe of massive bedrock around a deep, green swimming hole where Cove Creek meets the Davidson River — locals' quiet answer to crowded Sliding Rock.
Swim
Dupont State Park
Wallace, North Carolina
14.3 miles SSwim near Wallace, North Carolina
Swim 1.8 mi
Flat Laurel Creek
15.7 miles W
A 3.18-mile multi-use trail following Flat Laurel Creek through colorful rock formations and forest, with distant views of Sam Knob and a small waterfall — open year round.
Hike, Horseback, Mountain Bike, Swim
Sunburst
Canton, North Carolina
16.6 miles WSunburst is a refreshing mountain getaway along the West Fork of the Pigeon River in North Carolina's Pisgah National Forest, tucked into the high, forested country south of Canton and...
Swim
Courthouse Falls
16.8 miles SW
A gorgeous 45-foot waterfall streams into a stunning blue-green pool in a greenery-covered cliff cove — just a 3/4-mile easy hike from the parking lot, open year-round.
Hike, Swim 0.8 mi
Hickory Nut Falls
Chimney Rock, North Carolina
22.6 miles EA waterfall inside Chimney Rock State Park operated as a private concession — admission fee applies; see the park website for current pricing and details.
Hike, Swim
Big Creek Area
Tuckasegee, North Carolina
23.6 miles SWSeveral remote swimming holes near the TN-NC border in the Big Creek Recreation Area of the Great Smoky Mountains — very secluded, and dogs are not allowed on the trail.
Swim
Bear Creek Area
Tuckasegee, North Carolina
23.6 miles SWSeveral remote swimming holes in lakes along Route 281 southeast of Sylva and Cullowhee — bathing suits optional at most spots, given how far off the beaten path they are.
Swim 1.3 mi
Rainbow Falls
Lake Toxaway, North Carolina
28.2 miles SWA 150-foot spectacular cascade on the Horsepasture River can be admired from front, side, bottom, and top — one showstopper in a 2-mile series of incredible falls.
Hike, Swim 1.4 mi
Turtleback Falls
Lake Toxaway, North Carolina
28.3 miles SWTurtleback Falls' dome-shaped slide drops riders 10 feet into the Chug Hole pool, but wait for calm currents — strong flows have swept swimmers downriver over 125-foot Rainbow Falls.
Backpack, Hike, Swim 1.0 mi
Hidden Falls
Lake Toxaway, North Carolina
28.3 miles SWJust a few steps off the Horsepasture River trail, Hidden Falls drops less than ten feet into an idyllic boulder-rimmed pool — a serene and easy family swimming hole.
Hike, SwimNearby Campsites
Davidson River Campground
Pisgah Forest, North Carolina
9.7 miles SWA year-round campground in Pisgah National Forest just four miles from Brevard and less than an hour from Asheville, with shaded loops, hiking trails, waterfalls, and fishing spots nearby.
Camp, Hike, Swim
Rocky Bluff
Hot Springs, North Carolina
33.3 miles NRocky Bluff is a tranquil mountain getaway in the Pisgah National Forest near Hot Springs, North Carolina, where a wooded campground sits beside the lovely Spring Creek just a few miles south of...
Camp, Hike, Swim
Mt. LeConte Lodge
Sylva, North Carolina
34.5 miles WThe highest guest lodge in the eastern United States at 6,400 feet, with spectacular Smokies views from an open glade just below the Mt. LeConte summit in Great Smoky Mountains NP.
Camp, Hike, Horseback, Rock Climb
Mount Mitchell Area
Trinity, North Carolina
37.0 miles NEA family swimming area on the South Toe River near Mount Mitchell in the Pisgah National Forest campgrounds — note that the site is closed seasonally and fees apply.
Camp, Swim
Cosby Campground
Cosby, Tennessee
39.6 miles NWCamp and Swim near Cosby, Tennessee
Camp, Swim
Old Forge Campground
Bethany, Tennessee
47.3 miles NPrimitive walk-in camping on scenic Jennings Creek in the Cherokee National Forest, with small waterfalls, swimming holes, and hiking trails right from camp — bring your own water.
Camp, Hike, Swim
Horse Creek Campground
Chuckey, Tennessee
48.3 miles NA Cherokee National Forest campground beside Horse Creek with fifteen sites, picnic tables, fishing for rainbow and brook trout, creek swimming, and 31 day-use picnic tables — $10/night camping fee.
Camp, Swim
