Cedar Bluff State Park - North Shore

Mostly big rigs, camped there in a van. Hookups were good. Sites spacious but not very private, we were lucky to get one on the edge. Lake is nothing special and no hiking trails or anything, seemed to be mostly boating or fishing.

Very quiet mid-week in May, which was lovely. The bathrooms suck and I saw a copperhead right by the bathhouse so be careful.

This state park has two sections: the north shore (Bluffton) which has a large campground and is more developed and the south shore (Page Creek) area. This review is for Bluffton which has five loops, and each has different plusses and minuses. Broken down by loop:

• Butterfield has a bath/shower house and the largest variety of activities (archery range, BMX track, playground, and an interesting game called Neos 360 which is part electronic game and part competitive sport, suitable for all ages. Pads were either gravel or paved and most of the sites were labeled prime (extra$2.50 per night April-September)

• Arapahoe: no bathhouse but located not too far from Butterfield’s. All pads were concrete and appeared to have recently been redone. All sites were labeled prime (see Butterfield)

• Wagon Rut: no bathhouse so more suitable for fully contained RVs. Many are large pull-through non-prime sites.

• Broken Spur: group campground with a picnic shelter, volleyball, separate gravel pads with electric hookups.

• Overland: this loop is closest to the lake and where you would want to be if fishing. There is a fish cleaning station right outside the loop and this is the only other loop with a bath/shower house. Pads are a mixture of paved and gravel. There is a boat ramp and a nice playground and all sites are labeled prime (see Butterfield)

• Additionally, beyond Arapahoe, there are more unlabeled and undeveloped sites (Despatch and Honii). 

The office was closed when we arrived and the self-check-in process was a bit confusing and cumbersome. Each loop has different prices (and some have different prices within the same loop) and then you have to add the prime fee if applicable in addition to the $5 per day vehicle fee. Cash or checks and fortunately, we had the correct change. The skeeters will eat you alive and the mourning doves will wake you up in the morning. One thing I really appreciated was the recycling of propane canisters. I imagine this place would be hopping during the summer and on weekends but on a Tuesday in September, it was blissfully peaceful and quiet.