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Lake Norman State Park

Lake Norman State Park Campground, near Statesville, North Carolina, is a fantastic spot for campers looking to enjoy the great outdoors year-round. With a variety of accommodations, including tent sites, RV spots, and cozy cabins, it caters to all types of camping preferences.

The campground is known for its clean facilities, including well-maintained bathrooms and showers, which visitors have praised as “fantastic” and “immaculately maintained.” Many campers appreciate the spacious sites equipped with picnic tables and fire rings, perfect for evening gatherings. One happy camper noted, “The bathhouse was an unexpected luxury,” highlighting the attention to cleanliness and comfort.

Outdoor activities abound here, with beautiful hiking trails winding through the forest and along the shores of Lake Norman. Campers have enjoyed exploring the area, with one reviewer mentioning the “well-maintained hiking trails” that branch out from the campground. Whether you're fishing, hiking, or just soaking in the scenery, there's plenty to keep you busy.

While some campers found the park a bit large and hilly, the overall vibe is friendly and welcoming. The staff is known for their helpfulness, going above and beyond to assist visitors. If you're looking for a peaceful retreat with great amenities and access to nature, Lake Norman State Park Campground is definitely worth considering.

Description

State Park

Lake Norman State Park, on the largest manmade lake in North Carolina, boasts one of the region’s more popular mountain biking network, offering 30.5 miles of single-track trail. Nearby are a 125-yard-long swim beach and bathhouse complex as well as a boat ramp and opportunities for fishing from spots along park trails. Lake Norman campground with 32-sites and a group campground are available during warm-weather months, and a community building with kitchen facilities, restrooms and fireplace can be rented for family and group events year round. Free interpretive programs are complemented by educational exhibits throughout the visitor center and along the child-friendly Dragonfly Trail.

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Location

Lake Norman State Park is located in North Carolina

Detail location of campground

Address

159 Inland Sea Lane
Statesville, NC 28677

Coordinates

35.66800059 N
80.94400097 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.
  • Boat-In
    Sites accessible by watercraft.

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
    Good
  • Verizon
    Good
  • AT&T
    Good
  • T-Mobile
    Poor

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Group
  • Tent Cabin

Features

For Campers

  • Market
  • ADA Access
  • Trash
  • Picnic Table
  • Firewood Available
  • Phone Service
  • Reservable
  • Showers
  • Drinking Water
  • Electric Hookups
  • Toilets
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Sanitary Dump
  • Sewer Hookups
  • Water Hookups
  • Big Rig Friendly

Reviews

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4.5

out of 5

32 Reviews

Reviewed Sep. 9, 2023

TOP NOTCH

As a beginner too RV camping, this location was an excellent beginning. The campground host were courteous and friendly and they assisted me in backing in my trailer. The bath house was an unexpected luxury and was immaculately maintained through the park service. Lastly, it’s in a beautiful area with a lot of available outdoor activities.

Month of VisitAugust
Reviewed Jun. 26, 2023

Well kept, lovely park

We stopped for one night along a road trip. Bathrooms were fantastic, site was paved and level, rangers rode through and did our check-in at our site for us.

Site40
Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Sonyia W., June 26, 2023
  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Sonyia W., June 26, 2023
  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Sonyia W., June 26, 2023
  • (27) View All
Reviewed Dec. 26, 2022

Excellent campground

I am curious about why the listing states that the campground is closed. I am writing this from my campsite in the campground! It closes on Christmas day, but as far as I know, that is the only day of the year when it closes.

The campground is in a forest on the shores of Lake Norman. Well maintained hiking trails branch out from the campground. RV sites are paved, with a picnic table and fire ring on a compacted gravel base next to each site.

Sites and facilities are very well maintained. I made an off-hand comment to a staff member about drainage at our site, and the next time we visited, the problem had been satisfactorily addressed.

Site038
Month of VisitDecember
Reviewed Nov. 9, 2022

Nice place

We were traveling form ma to SC. I needed a place to rest for the night and we went here. Unfortunately during the night or cat got out and we didn't realize it until morning. The staff there went out of there way to look for our cat unfortunately we didn't find him. We are grateful for all they did including a couple of free nights so we could continue to look for our cat

Month of VisitFebruary
Reviewed Sep. 13, 2022

Such an amazing campground

I camped here with a friend and our dogs. We were in campsite 14. It was very shaded and surrounded by woods. The tent pad was super spacious and made of gravel. There was also a picnic bench, fire pit, and a lantern pole. The campground also has beautiful little cabins. The bathouse was absolutely top notch and super clean. The park staff takes very good care of the area. Unfortunately there are some little beaches along the trails that have trash, mostly from fishing. The park offers some very nice hiking trails. This time I just did the Lakeshore trail and the dogs had a blast. We would camp here anytime again.

Site14
Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Katrin M., September 13, 2022
  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Katrin M., September 13, 2022
  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Katrin M., September 13, 2022
  • (9) View All
Reviewed Aug. 13, 2022

Maybe too big?

Arrived at park and followed directions to camping only to find out check in is on the other side of park past where we entered. Park is maybe too big and hilly. Want to go to swimming beach? You'll have to drive. Want to get wood, ice or vending? Several mile drive. Bike trails? Miles away. Want to drop a boat in the water? You guessed it, mile away. Very steep parking pad so your leveling blocks or jack are probably useless. The tent pad was very level although. Bath/shower house was very nice even with the men's room door broken and wouldn't shut. Fresh water spigot in camp was broken. We had some rain and a huge tree fell on out campsite destroying some of our gear and narrowly missing crippling or killing us both.

Site12
Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Grub and G., August 13, 2022
Reviewed May. 23, 2022

Fantastic quiet get away

We stayed in the new glamping cabin #2. Very clean, comfortable bed, nice AC, lovely porch to relax on. All cabins are in walking distance to the bathrooms and showers. Those as well were pretty clean for a camp ground, I was pleasantly surprised. The path to the bathrooms light up at night so you can find your way very easy in the dark. Camp ground itself was very clean and I often saw the staff working on cleaning it and interacting with the campers. The designated swimming area was like a piece of heaven. Small not to overly packed, very clean beach. We plan on coming pack to do tent camping with our dog, fantastic family or romantic couple retreat.

Sitecabin # 2
Month of VisitMay
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Reviewed Apr. 29, 2022

Beautiful park, great facilities

Full hookups were all filled but site 29 was a primitive, deep, level 57 foot site right near water siphon and a beautiful modern bathhouse picnic table and fire grate/ring. Fair amount of space between sites, firewood sold by camphost or ranger. Made yummy hot dogs over fire, wonderful night, hot showers, clean facilities. You will be thrilled with this park, lake is beautiful, many hiking trails, biking, etc. Verizon cell service was excellent at our site and appeared good throughout park.

Site29
Month of VisitMay
Reviewed Mar. 19, 2022

First Night with new SylvanSport Go

Wonderful wooded sites. Very quiet and peaceful with hiking trails. No electricity at our site. Bath houses were very spacious and clean.

Site9
Month of VisitMarch
Reviewed Oct. 6, 2021

Amazing amenities

Great place. Reasonable price for all the amenities! Clean, hot water showers!

Awesome hiking trails and lake access!

Month of VisitAugust
Reviewed Sep. 27, 2021

Serene and Clean

First time camping with my family . We had a tent with electric and water ( only $10 more ) . So worth it because we can use our heater and anything else we needed eletric or without having to lug around the generator . Bathrooms were very clean and everyone was so friendly. Great experience!

Sitea42
Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Bianca R., September 27, 2021
  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Bianca R., September 27, 2021
Reviewed Apr. 20, 2021

Nice views but....

We stayed in July 2019. For a NC state park, some of the sites are a little close to each other. It is well known that NC parks do not allow alcohol, so we did not bring any.

The camp host was a little insulting with how they kept on checking on us over and over and over and reminding us that we can't drink. We weren't even playing music or making noise. And we weren't drinking. It was just the two of us, and we are experienced campers, so... We know better.

I'd go back and give it another try,but having to insist that we weren't breaking rules... I felt like a kid in Catholic school all over again and frankly, I do not go camping with the goal of re-living that.

Month of VisitJuly
Reviewed Jan. 18, 2021

Thanksgiving weekend

It was surprisingly busy, almost all sites occupied. There is not much space between the sides, but the park is huge and right at the lake. We stayed only one night. A lot of young families were here with their bikes. Restrooms were fair. All in all a nice campground if you don't mind little privacy.

  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Birgit  H., January 18, 2021
  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Birgit  H., January 18, 2021
Reviewed Jul. 31, 2020

A great campground

We love this campground! Clean, big sites. Grocery store is close. They are currently adding a new loop and bathhouse.

  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Elizabeth  P., July 31, 2020
Reviewed Jul. 20, 2020

Great car camping site.

This was a fun trip. Only went for a night to get away for a bit but the sites were large and spread out. Trails all around that were both long and short. Ranger was friendly, helpful and good to talk to. Bathrooms were clean, water spigots to get drinking water from, sink waste water disposal sites too. Access to Lake Norman was pretty easy and maybe a 15 minute walk. Worth going to for sure!

  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Sean P., July 20, 2020
  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Sean P., July 20, 2020
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Reviewed Jul. 16, 2020

Clean and quite

Very clean and quite and very close to Charlotte. Nice, moderate hiking trails. Swimming and kayaking. You'll probably see deer but have never seen a bear.

Month of VisitApril
Reviewed Jun. 28, 2020

Very nice

Friendly host, close to lake and well shaded, clean bathrooms, large enough tent sites, great for families.

  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by S.H. S., June 28, 2020
Reviewed May. 29, 2020

Quiet place to Relax

My wife and our four kids have had a great time. Plenty of shade and plenty to do. We fished, rode bikes,hiked and saw plenty of wildlife. Not too close to the neighbors, and the camp host were nice. This is not our fist time here and the shower house used to have lots of insects and spiders, this is not the case anymore. The shower house was very clean. We live fairly close so we will be coming back.

  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Caleb S., May 29, 2020
Reviewed Apr. 29, 2020

Nice sites! Lots of activities!

We camped here in December and it was just us and the camp hosts in the campgrounds.  It was such a fun experience even if we froze our tushies off at night! 

We’ve visited this park before but this was our only time camping there. The facilities were very clean. There are a lot of nice hiking trails as well as biking trails and of course water activities. We will be going back soon!

Month of VisitDecember
  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Lisa L., April 29, 2020
  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Lisa L., April 29, 2020
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Reviewed Sep. 3, 2019

Escape to nature’s playground

LNSP is just a 45 minute drive from Charlotte and 1.5 hours from Asheville. The campsites are spacious, and surrounded by woods with plenty of shade to keep the summer heat in check. The Lakeshore Trail takes hikers around the lake with opportunities to swim along the way. If mountain biking is your thing, there’s plenty of miles of trails for all skill levels just 2 miles away from you campsite. Lake Norman is huge and has a boat launch for everything from motorboats to paddle boards. You can even rent canoes, kayaks, peddleboats and standup paddle boards for $7 per hour. RVers will have to rough it - there’s no hookups but a dump station is available. Reservations are made through the state park website.

  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Ellen  K., September 3, 2019
Reviewed Aug. 14, 2019

Quiet and water all over

My camp site (#5) was about 50 yard's from the water. I found a place I could sneak right to the water and fish. Really enjoyed the peace and quiet here. Something to note is I did hear a few boats going up and down the river late at night. My only real complaint is I couldn't find a single electric plug anywhere. I tried the picnic area, the bath house, the swimming area.. Nothing. I was trying to top off my phones battery but had no luck.

  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Clint L., August 14, 2019
  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Clint L., August 14, 2019
  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Clint L., August 14, 2019
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Reviewed May. 22, 2019

Decent

This park was nice the night I stayed. Had we utilized to swimming area or spent more time I would know more. The sites were nice and the bathroom was clean.

Reviewed May. 12, 2019

Almost all good

Great camp site. Great camp host. Hot water at the showers. Trail around the lake was nice but only 5 miles of trails for hikers.

Reviewed May. 11, 2019

Awesome campground

At the beginning of the trip, I checked in at the visitor center. Carla was very helpful, providing maps and info about the campground. After a beautiful drive through the woods, I arrived at my site. The pad was well maintained and clean. The lake was about 100 yards from my campsite, with a nice trail down to the waters edge. I met the camper in the site next to mine, and we ate dinner together and swapped stories and talked for a while. During the night, the raccoons were a little noisy, but eventually they scampered off to do whatever racoons do. 10/10 Totally recommend.

  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Todd V., May 11, 2019
  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Todd V., May 11, 2019
  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Todd V., May 11, 2019
  • (5) View All
Reviewed Apr. 25, 2019

Loved

Camp hosts were TOP notch! Super friendly. A camp host can make or break a camp and these guys showed up! The sites were not cramped and offered tons of shade. If you are lucky to score a view of the lake, like us, you also get a great view to open up your door in the am. Pads are a bit smaller than normal so we had to bring our backup tent to this one but it was level. When driving around we noticed a lotnof the out lieing sites pads flooded so if you know there will be rain make sure you call in and get yourself an interior or one up the hill. It rained for our trip but site 16 stayed mostly dry except for one small corner. The bathroom/showers are older but super clean and HOT showers!

  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Jennifer R., April 25, 2019
Reviewed Aug. 28, 2018

Big lake, primo camping and hiking.

This campground has a lot to offer. Hiking, swimming, fishing at it's Carolina best. Outdoorsies will not be sorry if they visit Lake Norman State Park. It is located at the northern end of the lake, where it is quieter(motor boat wise) than farther south. It is a huge lake of some fifty square miles and over 500 miles of shoreline. The park is pristine and well managed. Rangers give guided informative hikes(a mile or so) at different times in season and there are plenty of hiking trails. Enjoy!

SiteSite# 28
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Wolf T., August 28, 2018
Reviewed Jul. 11, 2018

Nice restrooms, nice sites

We stayed here on Memorial Day weekend in a pop-up camper. The site was level and spacious. There were wooded trails leading to the large bathroom/shower facility. Short drive to the swim and fishing area.

Month of VisitMay
Reviewed Jan. 21, 2018

The beach is nice but crowded

The beach is nice but gets very busy during the summer months. Lots of hiking trails, with lots of people using the grills etc.

Month of VisitJuly
Reviewed Aug. 5, 2017

Great park

Have stayed at this park a few times and each time I find something else I like. Each site I have stayed at had tent pads. No more clearing an area for your tent to be set up. The trees here offer a great span for my hammock also. This campsite is located right on Lake Norman, which can be seen from some of the sites on the far side of the park. Bathrooms are clean but far from some of the sites. Park rangers are not seen very often but there is a resident "camp host" that rides around frequently.

There are plenty of walking trails and mountain bike trails with a boat ramp and "beach" a short drive or a hike away. Beach is only accessible at a fee if you want to swim. A wristband is given to determine who paid.

  • Review photo of Lake Norman State Park by Mauricio R., August 5, 2017

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Does Lake Norman State Park have RV hookups?

    According to TheDyrt.com, Lake Norman State Park has water hookups and sewer hookups.

  • What is the max vehicle length at Lake Norman State Park?

    Lake Norman State Park allows vehicles up to 70 feet.

  • Are fires allowed at Lake Norman State Park?

    Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Lake Norman State Park, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.