Snagged a site in the Paddy's Creek area last minute not thinking to check the weather... but we had a great time despite the storms!
Lake James is huge and gorgeous, and the beach swimming area is really nice! Kids had a blast in the nice clear water on a HOT August day & got to watch the boats zip by while having picnic lunch. Did a little canoeing before thunderstorms began in earnest. Set up camp QUICK & the fam huddled in the tent while I stayed out and cooked hot dog dinner during a break in the storm 😂 had super lots of fun, rain felt great. Next day the weather was lovely, but we had to go. Wish we could have stayed longer.
Our site (P05) was kind of small, but it was really peaceful & set away from other sites. And because it was storming, there were hardly any people there! Really quiet and you felt like you had your own space. The tent pad & surrounding gravel area filled with water pretty fast in the downpour, but dried out quickly after. BIG mud puddle right beside us, though.
Nice trail meandering behind the campsites that led to another part of the lake. Pretty blue water! Looks like there was a burn in the last couple years – many of the tree trunks were still scorched.
Bathrooms were the nicest I've seen in a state park. Really big & modern.
Firewood is locked up, but rangers put some out periodically and you just put cash in a little box on the honor system. Snag some early if you see it so you're not sitting around like me at first, woodless. Signage around the park says that picking up fallen branches for fires is prohibited.
P05's bear box did not lock or latch properly, so good luck if a bear does wander by... or just keep food in the car.
When we go back (in good weather!) I'd like to try one of the paddle-in campsites <3
