We are grateful to the Hot Springs Resort & Spa (HSRS) for their hospitality and ask that you please adhere to the following festival camping policies in addition to all other campground policies and the Festival Community Guidelines (available on this site).

A 10′ x 10′ tent camping site is included with every Festival Pass. Additional housing options

LOCATION/DIRECTIONS

The campsite and spa are located at 315 Bridge St, Hot Springs, NC. As you travel from either direction into Hot Springs, you can expect to lose cell service in a couple of spots – which also means losing your GPS, which also means you might want to print an actual map. Click here on to go to our maps page or here to get a downloadable pdf with directions from Asheville, NC; Mars Hill, NC; and Newport, TN.

Coming from Asheville, you’ll cross a bridge over the French Broad River and the campsite will be on your left and ticketing/check-in on the right. From the other direction you’ll drive through town, cross the railroad tracks, and the campground will be on your right with ticketing on your left. All Festival traffic needs to first report to our ticketing and check-in tents which will be marked and are hard to miss. Do not enter the campsite without first checking in.

It’s a good idea to print your tickets to WGF ahead of time, or have a screenshot available on your mobile device. This will save you and our check-in team a lot of time.

Gas, Food, and Fuel

Whether you’re coming from Asheville, Mars Hill, or Newport,  it’s only about 25 to 35 miles from the interstate. Even though the distance is pretty reasonable, if you think you’ll need gas or a bathroom break or whatever, just do it before you leave the interstate area. Hot Springs has gas and food, etc. but not on a 24/7 basis.

LEAVE NO TRACE

Please pack with a plan to minimize waste. Reduce what you bring. Reuse as much as possible by bringing refillable water bottles, coffee mugs, and even silverware or plates you can carry with you to use and wash. Recycling, composting, and trash stations will be available. Please have a system for sorting at your campsite, pay close attention to the stations, and participate in leaving the campground better than we found it.

Also, please note that, in order to protect native species, we ask that you do not bring firewood if you are traveling more than an hour to Hot Springs. Firewood will be for sale at the store by the campground.

ARRIVAL

The Festival campgrounds open at 10 am on Thursday. There will be no registration available prior to this time.

Thursday,  10 am – 4 pm
Campers may bring their vehicle on site for 30 minutes to unload. Vehicles will then need to be parked in the designated parking area. Campers are welcome to access and use their car from the parking area anytime, but no public traffic will be permitted back on the campsite until the close of the festival at 12:30 pm on Sunday. Due to the limited size of the campgrounds and the safety of all festival goers, campers may not leave their vehicles parked at their campsites after 4 pm Thursday. At 4Pm,Rangers will help campers finish unloading and clearing the site of all vehicles. Vehicles remaining on site after 4pm will be subject to towing.

EARLY ARRIVAL (Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday)

Hot Springs is a lovely town with lots to do in the areas surrounding it. We encourage people to arrive early and enjoy all Hot Springs has to offer before the festival. If you want to start camping before Thursday, please notify us in advance.
If you’ve rented an RV site please go to our ticket page and purchase an extra night if you come in on Wednesday.

If you purchased Glamping or Dana’s Tent, your tent will be ready by Wednesday.

If you’re setting up your own tent: If the tent company hasn’t completed their setup of all our venue tents, our liability insurance requires that you set up beyond the Main Stage. You’re welcome to move later, if you like, after the tent company has completed their install.

LATE ARRIVAL (after 4 PM Thursday)

Campers who arrive at or after 4 pm Thursday will not be permitted to bring their vehicle on site. Campers may walk their supplies on site and the Shuttle may be available from 4 pm – 6 pm. RVs will not permitted to drive on the campgrounds after dark for the safety of other campers.

COMMUNICATING

Cell phones work – sometimes and sort of – depending on where you are and what service you have and, according to some Wild Goose lore, how you hold your mouth. You’ll most likely lose cell service at some point on the road after you leave the interstate and before you get to Hot Springs.

Our 24/7 landline phone number is 828.622.7598. The phone is in our guard shack and it’s staffed 24/7 during the festival unless they’re out doing guard types of things, in which case, try again. PLEASE NOTE, the guard shack is NOT manned prior to the festival, so if you test this line before Wednesday, chances are no one will answer. Rest assured it will be answered between Wednesday and Sunday. In case of a personal emergency, you may also make an outgoing call from this line.

PARKING

Parking passes are available on our website. If you have not purchased a pass in advance, please have cash available upon arrival for parking. Parking passes are $20 for the entire weekend (or $10 per day). All festival parking will be adjacent to Ticketing & Check-In across the street from the campground. Campers may access their vehicles and re-park at any time; however, vehicles are not permitted on the campsite during the festival.

MEDICAL AND MOBILITY SHUTTLE

A shuttle will be available throughout the duration of the festival for transportation around the site and to the Parking Area from medical and mobility accommodations. Others festival-goers may ride the shuttle for a donation per ride. Please don’t be shy in flagging down the shuttle!

CAMPSITES

Campsites are not assigned or reserved by site numbers. The space is open camping, first come/first serve. Please be a hospitable community and share the space as well as the limited fire rings and picnic tables. Please respect HSRS and do not move fire rings and picnic tables from their designated campsite. You are welcome to bring your own fire pits.

HSRS Campground is nestled between elevated railroad tracks and the banks of the beautiful, rushing French Broad River. We encourage families to exercise caution when selecting their campsites and monitoring children throughout. All river activity is at the risk of festival attendees and is not monitored by lifeguards or water safety personnel. Please respect the few designated camping areas to accommodate needs of others such as Quiet Camping (starts 9 pm), Medical & Mobility areas, No-Smoke Camping (including camp fires), Vendors and Exhibitors Camping, etc.

VOLUNTEER CAMPING (pre and post festival)

The festival is permitted to have limited number of people on site pre and post festival for operational needs. Registered Pre-festival Volunteers may arrive Monday evening to set up camp and prepare for Tuesday morning for training and shifts and remain through the duration of the festival. For volunteers camping prior to Monday, please make arrangements with the HSRS (828-622-7676). We have arranged for a special rate with HSRS for Monday in order to accommodate long-distance traveling volunteers.

Registered Post-festival Volunteers may remain on site Sunday and Monday night to complete their work shifts and prepare to leave at check out on Tuesday unless other reservations are made directly with HSRS.

RV Camping (with Hook Ups)

RVs ($160 registration fee) must be parked by 4 pm Thursday and remain parked until 12:30 pm Sunday. There will be no exceptions to this other than true emergencies. Additional vehicles will be subject to the regular parking policies and remain across the street in the Parking Area. See our ticketing page on our website to purchase RV sites.

RV Campers (RVs less than 20ft in length with no hookups or dumpsite)

Space is severely limited. This type of spot is for cars, pop-up campers, vans, etc., which do not need hookups of any kind (e.g., electricity, water, waste) AND the vehicle is being used for sleeping (no tent, etc). There is an additional pass that must be purchased to use an RV Camper. The cost is for this pass is $75 it may be purchased on the Ticketing Page.

Please park closely, and considerately. Campers are permitted anywhere in the open camping area south of Main Stage (beyond the woods line). This is subject to change according to weather and other site production needs. Please obey any posted signs or instructions from Festival staff or Rangers.

Please be considerate of tent campers and do not block roads or pathways. All other vehicles need to park in the designated area by ticketing after unloading (loading hours are Thursday 10 am – 4 pm and Sunday 12:30-2:00 pm).

RV Campers must display vehicle camping pass on your windshield or in a window that is easy for Rangers to see from the road.

All RVs must remain parked for the duration of the festival. If you want to unhook and park a camper and use a vehicle off site, you will need to purchase a festival parking pass and park in the designated parking lot starting Thursday. Towing will be enforced in marked NO PARKING zones.

Medical & Mobility Camping

Space within 75 feet of the bathhouses is being reserved for those with limited mobility. If you require an electrical connection for medical reasons, we have rooms reserved locally to accommodate you. Please note that these are limited and carry an additional expense. Contact carrie@wildgoosefestival.org for information.

Bathrooms and Showers

We will have limited shower facilities on site. Please be prepared to take short showers or bring a camping shower bag. Shower locations will be marked clearly on the site map.

Ice

Goose will be selling ice at cost, $2 for a 10 lb bag.
Ice Schedule Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
– 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM at the ice cooler near front gate (formerly the store, which has gone out of business).
– 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at the Beer Tent
– 3:00PM to 6:00PM at the Ice cooler near front gate

DEPARTURE

On Sunday, July 16, from 9 – 11 am assistance may be available until Closing Ceremonies to aid in transporting camping supplies over to the Parking Area.

The Festival closes at 12:30 pm on July 10. Vehicles will be permitted on site for 30 minutes at a time to load camp supplies. Please breakdown your campsite first, then bring your vehicle on site to load. This will help with safety and the flow of traffic in the limited space.

At 2 pm on Sunday, ALL campers must be cleared from site. Campers staying past 2 pm Sunday (other than registered volunteers) must already have arrangements for camping through the HSRS (828-622-7676). These campers are the guests of HSRS and will need to display the HSRS camp tag. Festival Rangers will help transition the site back to HSRS regular business operations.

SAFETY

Be safe: take note of the river and the train tracks; beware of yellow jackets; and stay hydrated! We have a First-Aid volunteer posted from 8 am -12 am at the Ranger Station near the Main Stage.

SECURITY

Festival staff and Rangers will be providing security, although we cannot guarantee the safety of valuables. Security or Hot Springs Police have the right to remove people from the premises who are disruptive or who jeopardize the safety of others through intoxication or reckless behavior.

ALCOHOL

Please consume responsibly and respectfully. If you are consuming alcohol at the stages or tents please keep it in a cup or coozy. Alcohol may not be taken off the campground.

Public intoxication and drug abuse are not acceptable. You will be asked to leave the site and not permitted re-entry if you are intoxicated.

BIKES

Please walk bikes through the pathways around the Main Stage area. Use caution and consideration for pedestrians and children. Bicycles must have lights after dark. Motorized personal use vehicles are not allowed, except in the case of special mobility needs.

PETS

Pets are not permitted at the festival. Service dogs are permitted, please let us know in advance so we can accommodate them.

Prohibited Items

Weapons of mass destruction (or any other sort of weapon)
Illegal Drugs
Fireworks of any kind
Pets
Drones
Beer Kegs

Hot Springs Information

ATMs are available in town in some local stores.
The local stores have just about anything you might need. As of 2018, the campground store is closed permanently. CLICK HERE for a map of local establishments.

Full service grocery stores are located 25-30 minutes away in Marshall. Keep checking the website for an updated list of stores.

For all general information, come to the Information Booth or Welcome Tent at the camp entrance. If you have any questions or need help with something, or if you need security and don’t see someone in the general area, please go to to the Rangers Station by Main Stage or to the Ticketing Tent.