15 Mar Cameron Barnstormer Murals in North Carolina

This was one of my favorite hidden gems of my road trip from Pennsylvania to California with friends. We tried to include a couple of lesser well known attractions in our itinerary, and the Cameron Barnstormer Murals are just that. They are painted barn murals in the small town of Cameron, North Carolina. Their beauty and creation is due to David Ellis. He grew up in Cameron and decided one day to return to his hometown with a group of artists to create the barn murals.

Before visiting these murals, we worked our way through West Virginia and stopped at Falls of Hills Creek Park, the New River Gorge Bridge, and the Lost World Caverns.

Contents:

1) Location of Cameron Barnstormer Murals, North Carolina

2) The Best Time to Visit

3) Quick Facts

4) Background of the Murals

5) Recommended Items to Bring

1) Location of Cameron Barnstormer Murals, North Carolina

In the small town of Cameron, North Carolina are the Cameron Barnstormer Murals. The intersection of Nickens, Red Hill, & Stanton Hill Road is a good place to start looking for the painted barn murals. However, they are located all around town. The town is quite small, though, so you are likely to stumble upon more as you drive along. Nevertheless, the best way to find the barns with murals is to ask the locals. Antique shops have maps outlining the location of murals across town, and other stores and individuals can point visitors in the right direction.

When we visited, we decided to stop at a small shop that was connected to a person’s house. They were welcoming and helped point us in the right direction, although they did not have a map to share. 

For reference, Cameron is located 45 minutes northwest of Fayetteville and 55 minutes southwest of Raleigh in North Carolina. For additional attractions in North Carolina, definitely check out the Road to Nowhere Tunnel as well as Clingmans Dome near Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 

Parking

There is no designated parking area for the murals since they are located all across town. Instead, you will need to park along the side of the road or in a nearby lot whenever you spot a mural.

Nearby Lodging

Check out lodging options within the town of Cameron, which is where the murals reside, or in the nearby town of Sanford.

Nearby Airports – Cameron Barnstormer Murals, North Carolina

There are a few regional airports close to the murals. However, the closest international airport is the Raleigh-Durham International Airport. It is located one hour north of the town of Cameron. Additionally, the Piedmont Triad International Airport is only one hour and 15 minutes northwest of Cameron. 

Moreover, there are no public transportation options available from any of the nearby international airports to Cameron. You will thus need to rent a car or utilize a ride share service. 

One of my favorite murals in the area

2) The Best Time to Visit

You are unlikely to stumble onto other tourists while visiting, for the murals are somewhat of a hidden gem attraction. 

Best Season to Visit

In relation to the best season to visit, I would recommend anytime from spring to autumn. The main reason I do not recommend visiting in the wintertime is because the murals will be a little harder to access. For example, we had to walk through a few small fields to get up close to some of the murals. Therefore, in the winter you might find yourself having to trek through a bunch of snow to get close enough to the murals for a good look. 

Estimated Visit Time

When I visited the area on my road trip, I spent approximately 30 minutes to one hour finding the murals and then exploring around them. As mentioned previously, some of the murals are a bit more difficult to find. You might want to stop at an antique shop in town to grab a map, or you can take your chances as you drive around, hoping to spot one. Either way, it might take a bit of time for you to actually find them. 

Additionally, the murals are located in a few different locations. If you want to visit all of them, then you will need to plan for some additional time. 

Faded mural with an inspirational quote

3) Quick Facts – Cameron Barnstormer Murals, North Carolina

1. The Cameron Barnstormer Murals are located in Cameron, North Carolina. 

2. There is no specific location on google maps for the murals, but rather your best bet is to ask the locals for directions. 

3. David Ellis, with the help of a group of artists, created the murals in the late 1990s. 

4. The murals are located on old tobacco barns, farm equipment, and houses. 

5. Some of the artwork of the murals was inspired by Pokémon and American Gothic. 

Example of a Pokémon-inspired mural

4) Background of Cameron Barnstormer Murals in North Carolina

The town previously thrived off of tobacco production and railroad access. Many of the barns in the area are thus old tobacco barns. A man by the name of David Ellis grew up in the town of Cameron and later moved to New York City to pursue a career as an artist. Then one day he had an idea. In 1999, he formed a group of artists and returned to his hometown. They painted old tobacco barns as well as some farm equipment and houses with all sorts of artwork. This includes but is not limited to artwork inspired by Pokémon and American Gothic. 

The group became known as the Barnstormers, and thus the murals are the Cameron Barnstormer Murals. Twenty years have passed since the Barnstormers first painted the murals. The murals have thus endured many hot and humid summers, harsh thunderstorms, and various other weather-related elements. However, they remain on the barns to this day. 

One of the more unique and mind-bending murals

When we visited, some barn murals were in better shape than others. I will say, though, that a few murals were still in pretty good shape considering they have been there for 20 years! Multiple murals were visible from the road. However, we did walk through grassy lots for a better view of a few of them. Overall, it was an interesting stop and definitely worth including in our road trip itinerary. 

The United States is full of unique attractions like these murals. For example, there is Cadillac Ranch in Texas where Cadillac cars are half buried in the ground and have layers upon layers of spray paint on them.

Another example of the Pokémon-inspired murals

5) Recommended Items to Bring

Planning a road trip around the United States? Check out my summer road trip packing list as well as my travel accessories for pop up campers.

1. Water bottle: Please be sure to bring water with you while visiting the murals. We visited in August, and it was hot outside. For example, I always carry around my Yeti water bottle.

Hygiene

2. Sunscreen: While this might not be as important on a cloudy day, it will be on a day full of beautiful clear skies. Walking around even for just 30 minutes can lead to sunburn if you have fair skin.

3. Bug spray: Let’s be honest – mosquitos, gnats, and any other little type of fly can ruin an experience. You cannot truly enjoy an attraction if you are swatting away bugs from your face the whole time. Therefore, be prepared with bug spray or a mosquito repellent bracelet.

PIN IT to save it for later!

Check out our next stop on the road trip: Sliding Rock – Natural Waterslide in North Carolina.

After that, we ventured to a national park: Clingmans Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains.