Best Glamping near Browns Summit, NC

Campground Review:

We stayed in Yurt#4 for 2 nights at Fairy Stone State Park, about a 4 hour drive from where we live. The Yurt overall was very clean and cozy. The outside of the Yurt looks like it needed a powerwashing, but that didn’t really affect us at all, just kind of unsightly. They have a nice large deck that is great for hanging out on while the kids were asleep. The inside of the Yurt has a full size bed with a twin sized trundle bed that rolls under the full. It also had some rocking chairs inside, a small table and chairs, and a couch. We ended up eating and hanging out inside the Yurt or on the deck most of the time. 

There are 4 Yurts to choose from. Two of them (Yurts#1 & 2) do not have a parking spot right in front of them, they are a short walk from a parking area, so I made sure to get one that did since we would be arriving after dark. The Yurt we stayed in was a little weird because the Fire Pit and Picnic table is behind and almost under the yurt, down a decently step slope and the yurt sits on stilts on the back side. The Yurt next to us#3 had the fire pit and table right up front next to the parking spot which would be better I think. I would try to get Yurt#3 next time! Overall Yurt camping is so fun! We have done it once before, and it is such a great mix between cabin and tent camping. You get the protection from the elements, a real bed to sleep in, and it’s quick to pack-up- but still a bit rustic since there’s no ac or electricity. 

There are hiking trails right across the street from the Yurt, which was awesome! The bathrooms and showers were fine and in close walking distance. They could probably use some updating but didn’t have any major issues with them. Overall the campground is pretty big and a bit of a maze getting around, we needed to use the park map a lot! Probably due to the park being so old there are a lot of old buildings not in use that are pretty cool. 

The park is big and there is lots to do! There is a beautiful lake for swimming Tons of hiking trails. They had a great playground for the kids nearby. They had a concert going on somewhere at the park so we had some beautiful orchestral music playing as we were winding down for bed one night. We saw lots of deer roaming around. Note that there is not great cell service in this area. 

The place to find the Fairy Stones are outside of the park, down the street a little bit beside a gas station. It was tricky knowing exactly what to look for, but once we found a few Fairy Stones, they were everywhere! So fun searching for them with the kids! 

It was such a fun trip, very peaceful, beautiful scenery everywhere!

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Product Review:

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time - we tested out the Banner& Oak Men’s Nebo Hat– Olive  

The quality of this hat is great. Nice and thick but breathable fabric, durable construction. We’ve put this hat through the ringer so far with sweaty hikes, long beach and lake days, and everyday wear and tear and it has performed spectacularly. The adjustable snapback makes fitting easy. Has a nice shape, looks great! Love this hat’s patch with well-designed graphics and the neutral olive color– goes with everything. Will definitely purchase again! Also appreciate the fact that the hats are made in the USA! It is my husband’s new go-to daily hat and I think it will last for a long time.

This is one of my favorite camping spots in the North Carolina triangle area.  There is a tremendous amount of hiking and trails to do around here.  The Eno River is more than safe to swim or paddle in.  Dogs are welcome here! If you can camp close to the river, I recommend, it's great to fall asleep to the sounds of the river.  Bring bug spray!

This weekend was a great adventure in SW Virginia. We stayed in a Yurt. It has no electricity or water but the bath house was close. The yurt has a double bed, a twin trundle, a couch and some chairs, and a table and chairs. It also has a large wrap around deck with rocking chairs. A picnic table, lamp post, and fire ring are also provided at the site. We hunted and found fairy stones which made the trip that much more fun. It was just after covid 19 started and lessening restrictions began so the beach was closed and there were few people at the campground but we had a great time riding bikes and hiking. We even went to the Creeper Trail and rode our bikes from White Top to Damascus.

I left the flat of eastern North Carolina and headed to the mountains to our west. Pilot Mt. State Park has a nice campground and some good hiking trails. Camping on the rocky side of a hill is different from the coastal flat lands I am used to.

The hiking trails are good and the round trip from the campsite, around Pilot Mountain and back provided for a nice day hike. There is also a 5 mile trail connecting the upper and lower parts of the park. I didn't have a chance to walk that one, but then it is always good to have a reason to go back.

Facilities were clean and in good shape.

On my way to Virginia from western North Carolina, I decided to stop here. It makes the eight hour trip less tiresome if you can break it up. It is convenient since it is along the interstate. However, staying in one of the cabins at this KOA in Greensboro requires a minimum two-night stay, and they run about$100 a night. The person in the office was really nice and informative, but I think KOA is trying to discourage tent campers. She told me that since it had been raining, the ground was saturated and tent campers don’t like all the noise from the road; and she is 100% correct. Nevertheless, a tent site was my best option. The tent sites are sloped and very small. There is very little privacy since the sites are just about on top of each other. Don’t get me wrong; there are good things about this KOA… for RV campers and RV campers with children. The RV sites are spacious and mostly level with electric, water, and sewer hookups. The cabins are really nice(this being based on staying in a KOA cabin in the past and the exterior looks, which have been updated since I last stayed in one). The children will love the caboose/play area, and there is a large pool, which was actually open. There is also a fenced dog walk and another playground for children. The main bath house is located at the end of the office, and there is another bath house which was closed due to repair(?). Perhaps I’m being a little too harsh since it had poured rain for two days, but being on a small, unlevel, tent site with saturated ground is not my favorite way to camp. There were only brief minutes to take any photos since it was constantly raining. With all this said, if you want an alternative to staying at a motel/hotel/inn in Greensboro to experience the numerous things the city has to offer, this is a good choice for RV campers or for those who want to stay in a cabin.

We made a mistake. My wife and I are moving to North Carolina, and we were looking for a place to stay for a month in the Asheboro area. I checked around and Deep River was the only local campground with long-term sites available, so I made the reservation. The owner, Scott, was very helpful throughout the reservation process and we thought we were going to have a good experience. 

When we showed up, Scott met us at the office and he took us to the "most level site" he had available. I was a little concerned from the start because the sewer pipe was sitting at a 45 degree angle and it was half buried in the ground. I had to help dig out the pipe and when I looked inside I noticed the connection was broken and any drainage would  have leached directly into the ground. Additionally, the sewer connection was more than 40 feet from the center of the site and I only carry 30 feet of line, so we had to back way up in order to hook-up. Unfortunately, that meant that our primary slide was within 3 feet of a giant pine tree so there was barely enough room to open it. Another problem with being so far back in the site was how unlevel the camper was. It took a while for me to get the trailer unhitched and by the time I had it nearly level, I had used all of my blocks and the jack was extended to the maximum height. Needless to say, I did not feel very comfortable with the arrangement and I was really starting to question whether or not to stay. 

Then I started looking around at the site and there was trash everywhere with broken pieces of metal and half chewed dog bones strewn about. I looked at my wife and I could tell she was not happy. So I got on my phone, called another campground and made reservations. Scott was understanding, he tried to talk us into trying another site but by that time we had decided to move on. I will give Scott credit, he didn't charge us a cancellation fee, so that was good.

A quick note, the WiFi was limited to close to the office and we would have had to pay Spectrum for a monthly internet connection. Also, Verizon cell coverage was weak.

Campground Review - 

We pulled into this campground the long way!  We followed dirt roads through hollers and through cow pastures, passing turkey's and all kinds of creatures along the way!  We learned upon arrival - there is a much easier trek between Floyd VA and Fairy Stone - note to self!  

We started at the camp office and met the kind camp workers.  They were friendly and helped explain the layout and set up of Fairy Stone Park.  About a year ago, this park became half first come first served and half reservation only.  Each site has a yellow or red tag on it - the yellow tags have to be reserved by site number.  The red tags can be walk up sites.  

We met Ron, the camp host immediately.  He was making his way around campsites in his golf cart - as friendly as can be!  The rangers said he was the best camp host they ever had - and they were right!  He was wonderful, kind and helpful.  

We learned about the mysterious "Fairy Stones" and went to the hunt site to see for ourselves.  Sure enough - we found several fairy stones and the kids were very happy!  We came back to the visitor center and learned about the different types of fairy stones and how they form.  There is also a very cool bee hive at the visitor center - check it out!  

We camped at site #5 this time - at the top of the hill because the sky was rather ominous.  We had a bit of daylight and decided NOT to set up because the sky looked looming.  We picked our site though and then hung out at a shelter near the yurts.  The shelter was fantastic!  It was dry and the kids could play games and we cooked dinner and the dog hung out while we waited for the thunderstorm to pass.  Afterwards, we trekked back across the park to the campground and pitched our tent and uncovered our firepit and had a campfire!  

It poured - for hours - but our site stayed dry for the most part.  The tent pads at this campground are excellent and drain well - making that possible!  The fire flies were happy during one of the rain breaks - and the kids were happy in the tent with a light up balloon I found in our camping box!  (Hooray!!  Score one for the adults!) We had a great night sleep listening to the patter of rain on our tent and woke up to beautiful blue sky the next morning.

We went swimming down at the beach in the morning - $3 per person, but free for campers - just bring your pass!  There were beach volleyball courts - a kids water area and a free swimming water area open while we were there.  There was also a diving board off in some deep water - but that was not open this time. 

We would definitely be back to this site - but I recommend stronger bug spray.  We all left with more bites that we usually do camping!  

Side note:  There is an equestrian camp just outside the park gates - see pictures below! 

Product Review:

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to review items.  I got to review Stream2Sea sunscreen while we were at Fairy Stone State Park.  https://stream2sea.com/ Stream2Sea is a mineral sunscreen that is reef safe and does not contain oxybenzone.  We have been using mineral sunscreen for several years and truly prefer it.  There is such a difference when you put it on your skin and you don't feel slimy!  On the other hand - if you use to much, you end up looking like a ghost, or slightly purple! 

We used just a small amount and rubbed it in really well.  Even the bottle is ecofriendly - made from sugar cane instead of plastic!  We were big fans of the company - really supporting what they stand for and glad to help a company that is trying to help protect the environment.  

After a couple hours of beach play - we had no burned faces and only exhausted children to pack into the car.  I am a big fan of the suncreen and love what the company stands for!

We love coming to Lake Reidsville. We have tent camped many times there and now have been with a camper. It was peaceful and the view is always amazing.

We love going camping here. You can rent paddle boats or kayak's or paddle boards. You may fish or rude boats. The only down fall is the bath house needs updating and you can't swim.

We've stayed at Reidsville Lake Campground twice this year so far. There are eight lakefront sites. The sites closer to the water are provided with power and water. The sites near the entrance have power, water and sewer hookup. Starting in July 2019 the campground will also have WiFi.

Fabulous campground. Sites right on the lake. Boating , hiking. Fishing and Friendly people

Give 5 star it’s my 2nd time family and I went we be back again

Awesome

All of the sites were amazing. Trash cans, fire pits, level spots, picnic tables were at every location. Easy access to the water, playgrounds & hiking trails were just moments away from the camper.

Campground is on a peaceful lake, popular with boaters. Kayak rental, disc golf course, playground, picnic area and nature trail. Sites are a bit close, go for a lakefront site or one on the side of the campground. Site 10 had a nice view of the woods.

We stayed here in the winter months (Feb - April) and it was really nice. Nearest town for groceries is 10 min away but you'll have to travel to Greensboro for bigger stores. Lake is peaceful and provides beautiful sunsets. Office staff is friendly.

I've stayed at this park many times but it has been a few years and this is my first visit since joining Dyrt. The park is nice and clean. The bathhouse was well kept. The staff had decorations throughout the park for Halloween which is something I dont remember them doing in the past. There is a nice playground for the kids. Beautiful sun rise over the lake.

After freezing the night before, we decided we needed to get to a lower elevation and warm up. As soon as we had enough cell to check The Dyrt, we found this campground and called to inquire about one-night availability on a Wednesday in later October. Amanda was very friendly and accommodating and we secured a water site with water and electric for $28. 

Different sites accommodate different length rigs ranging from 25’ to 40’. All sites have electric hookups, and some have sewer hookups as well. Since we arrived after the store closed, we paid the next morning. 

The bathrooms/showers were clean. Didn’t use the shower so cannot comment on that. Sink faucets only had cold water but there was a diaper changing station and paper towels. 

As far as activities, there is Disc golf, fishing, and boating. Boat rentals are available through the end of October, but it was a bit too chilly to consider doing this! There is a playground and a small zip line. There are also some hiking trails, but we did not explore them. There is a small camp store. There was surprisingly limited cell on Verizon. 

The most desirable sites would be along the water (sites 31, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 43), but I would imagine that on a summer weekend, these would be challenging to secure. Second best would be the wooded sites (10, 19, 20). Least desirable would be the sites in the internal loops as these have little to no privacy. Note that site 44 is right next to the dump station. There are also some monthly rental sites. 

This worked well for an overnight stay as we continued on down the road.

Nice place to camp for a few days - we had a campervan and were surrounded by huge, but quiet, RVs. Restrooms (6), showers (3) and laundry room were kept immaculately clean which is always appreciated! Pool also very clean and well maintained. Only downside was noisy highway next to the campground.....we were surprised that nothing was done to mitigate noise (no barrier fence or wall, no shrubbery hedge, etc). But this is a problem with KOAs everywhere.
Very nice clerk and staff. Suggestion: add a full length mirror in restrooms.

Moved here in November with the intentions of staying long term. Which we told to 2 different employees. One when we made the reservation and another one just days before our arrival when she called to ask us how long we would be staying. The manager didn't ask my husband how long we would be staying at check-in. In January we were told the rate for our cramped site was going up to$850 a month. And in 2 months we would have to pay the daily rate which comes to$1350. I was told by the manager that they needed the sites for traveling nurses who are essential workers. Didn't matter that my husband is a truck driver and also an essential worker during this pandemic. We would not moved here if we had been given the correct information. But I am pretty sure that we weren't told that it wasn't a long term campground because they had a lot of empty spots in November. I think they neglected to tell us so they could fill a spot and make money. Or else all of the staff is incompetent. If you plan on staying be aware that they charge 17 cents kwh for site 29. According to the helpful woman at Duke Energy, the site next to us was paying just over 9 cents a kwh. Our site and some of the others weren't showing up on their list. Internet was mostly good. Water pressure was horrible in the mornings when there were a lot of people there. The noise from the interstate is constant and loud. The dryers are kind of ineffective. Site was uneven, muddy and the RV next door was angled very close to ours. RV vehicle across the road nearly hit ours every time he backed out. The manager was snippy and rude sometimes when you go to get the mail. One day you can come in and get it and then next day you are reprimanded for opening the door. Which has a sign that says to come on in. Best to find somewhere else to stay. Unless tight quarters, rudeness and noise are your thing.