Le Chateau D'Arce, located in the quirky and uniquely “Asheville” Baying Hound Campground, is a sleeping pod suspended in the air. Part tree-house, part medieval castle, and part pick-up truck, this spot is like no other. The floor is padded, but be sure to bring sleeping bags, pillows and possibly a sleeping pad if you like a little extra softness. The Baying Hound Campground is about 10 minutes from downtown, yet still on the edges of rural, agricultural Asheville.
The space
THE CAMPGROUND
The Baying Hound Campground is where rural Appalachia meets “keep Asheville weird.” You’ll see sleeping pods decorated by professional artists, structures made from upcycled building materials and permaculture experiments in the making. We’ve been described as “if a European hostel and an Appalachian campground had a baby.” Not quite glamping and definitely not KOA, we're happy to offer you a more social alternative to cookie-cutter lodging without breaking the bank.
SHARED CAMPGROUND AMENITIES:
- Indoor bathroom and sinks with hot and cold running water + 1 toilet
- Outdoor shower with hot water (seasonal = April-October)
- Indoor hangout area with couch, books, games, and electricity outlets
- A re-imagined, yet decidedly old-school outhouse in the valley
- Outdoor sink with cold running water in the valley (seasonal = April-October)
- Community fire pit with wood for sale for $5 a packet
- Community charcoal grill (be sure to bring your own charcoal) + picnic table
- Omoplata Overlook hangout area with deck furniture, table, hammock and solar lights
- Multiple picnic tables where you can hang out & eat
- Wi-Fi zone with varying quality of internet (but you’re camping, so you should enjoy the outdoors and company of your friends :))
- Nearby Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gym! Ask us more if you’re interested.
- Curiosity Trail: winding trails along the campground hillside for morning walks
Things we DO NOT provide: linens, towels, pillows, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, indoor showers, microwave, fridge, kitchen, bug spray, control over the weather, control over our neighbors (or their animals), beautiful mountain-top views, secluded remote sites, electricity for any of our sites
Things we DO provide: a funky unique atmosphere, proximity to downtown, opportunity to meet other interesting campers, lodging in Asheville that won't break the bank, complimentary farm noises, did we mention we’re less than 10 minutes from downtown?
*The great outdoors will have more dirt than a hotel and less aspects that can be closely controlled - please keep that in mind when rating your stay.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD
The campground is located in the "Emma" area of Asheville. Also known as "Wild Wild West Asheville" (to distinguish it from regular West Asheville), this is the last bastion of non-gentrified Asheville. Emma is completely un-zoned, so you get an interesting mixture of mostly residential properties that scatter the area. Just like most areas in Appalachia, our neighbors are fiercely independent, yet simultaneously open-minded.
Full disclosure: While you'll be surrounded by nature, the sounds of a rural neighborhood are certainly present. Neighboring farms have horses, donkeys, chickens, dogs, pigs, goats and more! As a result, farmyard noises (and sometimes smells) are present and the occasional farmyard animal may wander into the campground. Please keep in mind that we've tried to set our campground at a fair price for what we can offer our guests.
GETTING AROUND
There is a bus stop about 30 minutes walk away from the campground, though the roads are not terribly safe for walking (no shoulder, windy, and drivers who are training for Nascar). If you get an Uber/Lyft into town from our spot, it typically costs about $12 at peak hours.
PET POLICY FOR SLEEPING PODS
We do not allow pets or Emotional Support Animals for any of our "sleeping structure" bookings, however they're welcome for our tent camping spots. This is out of respect for our guests who have health concerns regarding animals, among other reasons. Check out our availability by clicking on our profile pic to see all our listings.
WINTER DISCLAIMER
Between NOVEMBER and MARCH, we can not guarantee access to our outdoor solar shower or outdoor sink due to occasional sub-freezing temperatures. While we still allow winter reservations, please be aware that conditions are on the more primitive side of "primitive camping" and we highly recommend you come prepared for winter camping.
FAQs
Q: Can I sleep in my vehicle?
A: You’re welcome to book any spot and sleep in your vehicle! The parking area is up on a little hill and the campground is down in a valley, so you will not be able to pull up to your site. The parking area is right off a private road that we share with two elderly neighbors and other campers.
Q: Are there power outlets at my site?
A: No. There is no power in the campground valley. We do have a Recharge Station by our bathrooms on the side of the graffiti’d garage.
Q: We want a romantic, private get away - which site has the most privacy?
A: The Baying Hound Campground is a great place to hang out and meet fellow campers due to the multiple communal hang out spots and the proximity of the sites to each other. While there is certainly privacy in your sleeping area and folks can’t watch you snoozing, you can see at least one other site from anywhere in the campground.
Q: I want to book Friday and Saturday, but it only lets me book one night.
A: Our site availability calendars are kept up to date, so if you can only book one night, it usually means the other night has already been booked.
Q: Is there a place I can plug in my heater during the winter? Or do you offer heating in any of the sleeping pods?
A: Nope and nope. If you make a reservation during the winter months, please remember to bring all your warm camping gear. If you’ve ever slept in your car in the winter, that’s pretty much what it’s going to feel like. :)
Is your favorite spot booked? Want to try out one of our Turtle Shell-ters or other structures? Check out all the Baying Hound Campground sites by visiting our profile (click on our profile pic till you get to the page with all of our listings).
Other things to note
*NO LOCALS, PLS* We love our local community, but our accommodations are intended for out-of-town visitors. If your phone number starts with 828 or your home is within 20 miles of Asheville, we unfortunately can't accept your booking.
