MAMA GERTIE’S HIDEAWAY, SWANNANOA (ASHEVILLE AREA), NC

Our Opinion: Rave.  A small, quiet, beautifully maintained campground convenient to Asheville, NC.

Date of Stay: April 8 through 12, 2010

Weather During Stay:  After an afternoon rainstorm on our first day, the weather cooled, then gradually warmed into the low 70’s.  Cool nights, sunny days.

Site Description:  This small campground (26 RV sites, 6 tent sites, and 5 camping cabins) is built on terraces on a steep, wooded hillside.  There are twelve 50 amp FHU sites; seven 30 amp FHU sites; and seven 30 amp W/E sites.  All sites have a picnic table and fire ring.  Cable TV and fast WiFi is included.

Most sites are gravel (a few are concrete) and are very level - but approaches are steep and turns are tight.  I would not recommend this campground to RV’ers who lack confidence in their driving skills!  The manager helps with skillful, patient parking directions  - we watched him guide two LARGE fifth wheels into spaces next to us.

The tent sites and camping cabins deserve special mention: roomy, level, adjacent to a burbling stream, surrounded by rhododendron bushes for privacy, and well separated from the RV campsites.  A separate bath house with tiled showers and restrooms serves these sites.

The entrance to the campground, next to the office, is gated.  The office building includes restrooms, showers, a spotless laundry and a camp store.  A dump station is on site, but would be difficult to access in a large rig.

Rate: Mama Gertie’s participates in CampClubUSA, two nights maximum, paid in cash.  We paid $19.50/night for our first two nights in our 50 amp FHU site.  We got a 10% Good Sam discount on the remaining three nights: $35.10/night.

Phone/radio/TV:  Weak signals for our Verizon phones and aircard.  No obstacles for satellite TV in our site, but this would not be the case in most sites.  No problem, cable TV is included.  We used their excellent, dependable WiFi.  NPR on 88.1.

Elevation/landscape/terrain: Elevation is around 2,000 ft. in mountainous terrain.  Terraced sites on a steep incline.  Views are of neighbors, tall trees, rhododendrons and other shrubs.  Very appealing. 

Lighting/noise:  A few “streetlights”.  Very quiet at night.

Favorite Sites: We were on the highest tier, at the upper end of the park, and liked our location – which would be even better in a 5th wheel with a big back window (great view down the hill).  For a big rig, site 22 would be a favorite - a concrete slab on the end of the top row of five sites.  In a small rig, I’d pick a pull-through.

Hiking/Walking: Whew!  Going up and down the hill in this park is real exercise.  Signs in the common rooms of the “main building” at the bottom of the hill offer rides back to your space if you don’t want to walk up the hill!

Comments:  This small, quiet, pretty campground is located about 8 miles from downtown Asheville, near to all sorts of attractions, both natural and man-made.  A large grocery store is about a mile away.  I hope we can return someday.