Best Tent Camping near Browns Summit, NC

This is a hidden gem for a MST hiker. The campground is located on a private land, has a shelter, a fire pit, and a number of tent sites. It's a hike in only campground, located approximately 1 mile from the roadside parking on Red Mill Road, Durham NC. 

The information can be found here:

There is an authorized camping area available on private property in this section of the Falls Lake Trail(between Red Mill Road and Old Oxford Road). Follow the blue-blazed trail off the MST approximately 1 mile west of Red Mill Road. NOTE: This campsite is on private property. It is a HUGE PRIVILEGE to be allowed to camp at this location. Vandalism, neglect or any trash left at this campsite could result in closing of this campsite by the landowner. No water or toilet facilities are provided. There are seven established campsite pads for 2-person tents. Campsite rules:(1) Practice Leave No Trace ethics.(2) Do NOT leave any trash. Pack it in= Pack it out.(3) There is a 2-night maximum stay.(4) Do NOT explore past a 75 yard radius of the Shelter.(5) NO FIRES except in the established fire pit.

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 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.

Plenty of places to tent camp or RV camp! Places to fish things for kids to play on and of course places to shower after! One of my family’s favorite places to camp!

This was a close (1 hour drive) from Winston Salem and was the perfect first tent camping experience! Tons of beautiful trails, some with waterfalls, and a great beach! Camp site was mexcellent! Just enough privacy and clean bathrooms, plenty of water spickets! We will be back!

Had a really good weekend!! Campground was all I needed for the two nights I stayed. Slightly wished the bathhouses had been open. Camp site very clean, big enough for tent camping. Sites are slightly close, wasn't a problem considering it was January. Will be returning during summer months.

Be aware that google maps will only get you close.  The Road is getting more rutted and is very questionable in any bad weather.   It is very secluded.   Probable good for tent camping but not made for any trailers.   Didn't make it to the sites due to bad road conditions.

I stayed at tent site #10 for 3 nights.   This site along with sites 8 and 9 have electric so I was able to run an extension cord into my tent.  This site has gorgeous views of the lake and seems to share a grill with #11.  There are trees perfect for a hammock.   There is no fire ring but I brought my own raised fire pit.   I was told I’d probably need to drive to the bathrooms but there is a path through the woods into section A.  There is no potable water on tent sites and I had to walk to a vacant rv site to get water for washing dishes.    The wifi is hit or miss at this site but it’s there. My cell coverage was good so I mostly isdd my hot spot. 

I want to emphasize that you so need to check in by 7:30 but after that you get a gate code to use coming in late or leaving early.

Pros: • Most of the B sites are in a nice wooded setting. • There’s plenty of trails to walk during the day. • Very quiet even though the sites are pretty close together. • There’s a Food Lion and Gas Station 10 minutes away if you forget anything. • Clean bathhouses with hot water.

Cons: • Our site (B20) was reaaally uneven but we made it work for 2 tents! • If you tent camp in the B lot, the bathhouse is a bit of a walk. • You have to bring your own firewood or buy it ($5 a bundle) - gathering firewood from the woods is not allowed. • Water is shared between sites.

This campground is located just NW of Winston Salem. The campground is mostly wooded and shady with many rocks. Water and trash are readily available. The bath house is extraordinarily clean, with showers, changing area and clean toilets and sinks. Fire pit and picnic tables are at every site - yet many sites are close together and very rocky for tent camping.

We enjoy hiking to the top from the campground on well marked trails. The views are great and boulders are fun for the kids to play on!

As for the overall campground, 10/10! Bathrooms are clean and what you’d expect a campground bathroom to be. Waterfront beach available, hiking trails, two piers and a theater spot with a gorgeous view. We did show up right after a huge storm, and because the electric was out the bathrooms were inaccessible. They quickly got port-a-potties until the issue was resolved. I will say if you are a tent camper like us, site 35 is the best site to avoid noisy neighbors, and is right by the bathrooms. The c loop is gorgeous but the sites are very close together for tent campers and you can very much hear everyone else. Site 1 looks amazing for tent camping also, although the bottom loop books up far in advance.

Hanging Rock campground is a popular spot for locals and visitors. It has both hook-ups and tent sites, with bath houses that provide showers, toilets and sinks. This campground is within walking distance to the lake - with a little beach where the kids can play and swim! There is a charge to swim in the lake, as well as rowboat rentals available! We enjoy hiking several trails in the area and there are many creeks for kids to explore! Several waterfalls are accessible in this park and enjoyed by all! Trails show signs of heavy traffic as pieces of trash are often found while hiking. The campground is kept very clean and we enjoy it!

We tent camped here with 2 kids. The trails were fairly nice and we enjoyed the view at the top. The lake was great for the kids. The lake itself wasn't huge, but the water was pretty clear at the large beach area. There were salamanders and fish for the kids to chase. There is a large stone house built by the CCC with facilities and snacks, and there were lots of staff available. We rented a canoe to paddle around for a bit, and the process was simple and straightforward. The campground had ample space and the sites didn't feel too close together. The one and only reason I am not giving 5 stars is the bathhouse. The showers were small and dark, and I did have to remove some spiders before the girls would shower. Otherwise, we had a great time.

We spent one night at Hanging Rock State Park on our way home to West Virginia from South Carolina. Unfortunately, lack of time and rain kept us from taking advantage of the myriad of trails to explore in the park. After our arrival on Saturday afternoon, we had enough time to hike to the top of the overlook and enjoy the scenic views before returning to our campsite for dinner. Sadly, Mother Nature thought we needed some rain, which continued all evening into the next day.

While the sites in the campground can accommodate small RV's or trailers, they aren't easy to get into. Many of the parking areas in the sites aren't diagonal to the roadway, which makes backing in difficult. It is evident this campsite was designed primarily for tent camping.

The views from the overlook are spectacular but the hike was a bit more strenuous than anticipated. The sign at the visitor center parking lot says it is 1.3 miles but it seems much further. The path is wide and well maintained up to the base of the overlook. Beyond that much of the ground has been washed out around the rock steps, which can be a bit difficult to navigate. Especially for those with shorter legs.

The bathrooms were clean and well kept but we ran out of hot water late in the evening, which was likely due to campers showering after a recent rainstorm.

Overall the park and campground are nice but the sites aren't very accommodating for travel trailers. Even one as small as ours, which is only about 10' long. The views from the overlook were the best part of the experience.

My husband and I just returned from a May visit to this campground. It is fairly small, 43 camp sites. No water and electric hookups which we sort of prefer as it seems to be less attractive to mega sized RVs with noisy generators. It was a ratio of about 75%/25% tents to smaller RVs when we were there. Camp site has raised level tent sites not concrete, but hard packed dirt. Also, picnic table and fire pit. The grill on the fire pit was adjustable for height to the coals which was kind of cool. Bath house was a little rustic but plenty of hot water. Firewood is available from the camp host for $6 a bundle. Cash only. If you’re not in good shape get a site above the bath house. Below the bath house involves a good little climb every time you have to go!

Best part of this campground is that it is right on the trail to the summit. The first trail is Grindstone Trail which is a 2 1/2 mile up and back. It’s a moderate trail with equivalent inclines, declines, and level switchbacks. I’m 63 and healthy and it was an appropriate challenge for me. To get to the summit it’s about a half mile of strenuous climb on the Ledge Springs Trail. That part is strenuous in my opinion.

You can also drive up to the summit where you get views of the Yadkin Valley and the knob of Pilot Mountain. It’s crowded up there but accessible for a wide range of people so that’s good. If you don’t prefer crowds go at the beginning or end of the season. Season runs May through October I believe.

There are a lot of reasons to love Hanging Rock State Park. That’s why it is probably my favorite state park in North Carolina.  However, I am torn between giving it two stars and giving it five stars.  In general, I would give the park five stars, but for the camping facilities, I would rate it two stars.  There is so much to do without having to leave the state park.  First, let’s look at the park itself, and close to the end I will discuss the campground.

To get to the park, you drive through beautiful rolling hills. The park has a modern visitor center with a nature center and friendly rangers.  There are lots of trails to explore, but they are not just trails to nowhere.  There are five waterfalls to see, a climbing access area, Cook’s Wall, and much more.  Moore’s Wall Loop Trail is a 4.3 mile strenuous hike, and it begins by walking by the lake.  There is a platform about halfway through the hike in which you can see the skylines of Greensboro and Winston-Salem.  My favorite trail is the Hanging Rock Trail, which is listed as moderate.  Parts of it are moderate, very short stretches are easy, and much of it is strenuous.  The last part of the Hanging Rock Trail is the most difficult, but the view at the end is worth the hike because it is spectacular.  From the hanging rock (I should say rocks since there are more than one), you can see for many miles across several counties.  The shortest hike to see a waterfall is relatively easy and is only three-tenths of a mile one way.  The lake has a swimming beach with mountains in the background, and there are also rowboats and canoes for rent.  According to what I understand from their website, canoe rentals and concession stands at the lake are open weekends only in the spring and fall (10am - 5:30pm).   I was hoping to take my kayaks next time, but unfortunately, private boats are not allowed.  Two large picnic shelters are also close to the lake. 

Here is why I would give it two stars.  The camping sites are shaded and spacious with picnic tables, lantern poles, and fire rings, but the bathroom facility is outdated (built in the 1960s).  Even though it has hot water, it is NOT handicap accessible, and the shower doors are narrow.  If you are not a skinny person, you might have trouble squeezing through the shower doors.  There are no electrical, water, or sewer hookups; however, there is access to water by way of frostproof hydrants. The campground hosts were very helpful and answered my questions.  You can also purchase bundles of firewood since taking your own firewood into the park is frowned upon.  If you are like me, however, and camp to experience the outdoors, you will not want to stay at your campsite very long.  There are just too many things to explore at this state park.  If you are going and want to truly experience the park, plan to camp at least three nights.  One day you can explore Upper Cascades falls and the hanging rock.  On another day, you can hike the Moore’s Wall trail and cool off in the lake.  On another day, see a couple more waterfalls or hike the Reuben Mountain Trail.

There is also a group camping area.  I took the Boy Scouts there once, so I decided to visit this time to see if it was still the same.  They have added bathrooms and more well-defined tent sites—quite an improvement since the last time.

Oak Hollow Campground is located in High Point NC.  It is immediately off the highway and just a couple turns through neighborhoods and you arrive at the campground.  You turn left off the main road, across from the golf course and pass by both the tennis center and the gazebo with the covered picnic tables.  You can hear both the highway and neighborhood traffic from the campground.  

When we pulled up, the first thing we noticed was the campground sign, with the electric gate with a key code.  We also were immediately greeted by a man on a golf-cart - which made us feel like they take care of who is in and out of their campground.  

Pulling in, all registration and fees can be paid in the little brown building on the right.  There were many signs on the door giving us all the info we needed, seeing as the attendant was out. 

We pulled through loop A and could hear music - we guessed from the lake, but soon realized it was from a house in the nearby neighborhood.  Several of the sites in loop A were crooked, but an RV could level acceptably.    

Loop B was an RV loop - consisting primarily of a gravel parkinglot and RV's stacked one after the other.  The lake was an easy walk from this loop - and also had a gazebo with picnic tables underneath and 2 swings, doggie pick up stations, recycling and trashcans. 

Loop C was the tent sites - many with interesting platforms that gave us a good view of the lake.  This view came at a price though - the sites were just off the road - meaning 4 or 5 feet from the road.  We parked strategically so the kids would always be between our van and our site - but there was no room for exploration on their own.  

Continuing on down the road, we came to Loop D which was another RV parking lot.  There was a semi-permanent gate separating the neighborhood from this parking lot - but people could easily walk in and out in this area.  

There was coin laundry, vending machines and a sink for washing dishes at the bathhouse.  Toilets, showers and changing areas were provided inside and a fenced in pool just behind the bathhouse.  

This is not a campground we would frequent - but I could imagine people staying here if visiting from out of town or if they needed to crash for a night.  The views were beautiful down by the lake - but it was clear we were in suburbia.

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.