This is a great park! The staff are all nice and friendly, and the park is very well laid out and clean. You got full hookups, nice level sites, and two playgrounds. This place is full on the weekends so reserve in advance.
Also, the Mt. Airy town is nice to visit. You are close to all the amenities when staying here. Check out the Andy Griffith museum, Main Street, and the granite quarry.
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.
Took a short overnight trip to this campground with my family. Tent sight was very clean and level. Camp host were very nice and friendly. Overall it was a nice experience. The biggest down side was the bath house. There was no heat in the bath house. One shower head was a trickle of water and the other one only got lukewarm.
The park itself is well maintained. Bath houses were clean. Tent sites are really close together. A little overpriced for what you’re getting compared to other areas in my opinion.
We were close to Mayberry but we were on our way to Florida for a rocket launch (subsequently cancelled). Campground was nice, clean and well kept! The checkin was easy BUT we had to have CASH. As Passport America members, the $40 rate was only $20! We would stay here again, for sure.
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.
Mayberry is conveniently located near the highway. The property is well maintained. The staff is very helpful.
The campsites vary in size so check the map and talk to the staff to figure out your best option when making your reservation.
Went for a weekend vw campout (Buses at Chantilly) and had a blast. We all camped on the hill. There was a concert with an awesome stage, beer tent, and vendors.
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.
Such a cool spot. Boats and tubes available for rent at the marina. Great RV sites. Lots of different trails and opportunities for nature hikes. Park puts on a lot of activities as well. We always have a great time here. We usually come in September. The road getting down to the lake area can be a little tight with an RV or boat so just stay mindful of those folks, especially if you’re driving one yourself. 🌀
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.
Spending a week by the lake was one of the best experiences here. Lots of adventures to explore including hunting Fairystones, swimming, boating, fishing.
Beautiful place. At $35 a night, there is a lot to enjoy. The only thing you need to be aware of is that some of the sights are very slanted. Very tall levelers are needed. But they do have cable, wifi(that’s ok) a dog park and lots more. It’s worth it.
We took to Fairystone for the maiden voyage of our pop up camper July 4th weekend, the day after we purchased it. We were not disappointed.
Facilities were clean, campground was well laid out and accessible, check-in was smooth, and the online reservation process had zero kinks!
The programming was also amazing for our eight and four-year old boys. Ranger Lexie hunted legendary fairystones with our kids and they haven't stopped talking about the magic of the hunt!
Great family campout with plenty to do for our kids. They also loved the swimming area, although it was a little disappointing our reservation only earned us a one-day pass - but better planning on our part will make that part smoother when we return!
Overall, a great trip for our family!
Wide open beautiful sites. Many with pull through sites. Lots of room. Great for astronomy buffs. Stopped here on our way north. Drawback is no hookups or WiFi. Would have been great to at least have water. Only a few miles from Mabry Mill.
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.
The park rangers and attendants were very friendly, nightly sheriff patrols. If you want some peace and quiet, this is it. Bathrooms and showers were very clean and well maintained, they even had decent TP! Firewood was seasoned and reasonably priced. We were at site 35 which was convenient to the bathrooms and was away from the other campsites in the loop. Clean park, friendly staff, generously sized campsites. Can't wait to go back.
This is more of a mobile home park than an actual campground. Many campers are full time residents, a couple of which eerily reminded us of the movie Deliverance. One of the families there doesn't appear to watch their children well, as we had their toddler in a very full diaper and their son (approx 10 yo) constantly at our campsite asking for food. The boy likes to throw rocks, a couple of which scratched our car. : (
The shower/restroom area was frightening. Very dark and dirty. Doesn't look like it's ever been cleaned.
Owner was not very friendly and seemed to be put out by having to rent us a space. We'll never go there again and can't recommend this place to anyone.
Be prepared to truly rough it if you camp here. No electrical or sewer hook ups for rvs. Perfect for traveling campers that are packing light and have minimal needs.
We were curious about this site - being 5 miles off the road - so we took the ride to inquire for more information and wow were we in for a surprise! This campground was beautiful! The ranger explained to us that they have 3 loops, C (for RV's) B (for tent campers only) and A (prime lake front sites). She said in order for us to get a lake front site, we needed to make reservations 6 months in advance.
We were feeling lucky - so we asked her for a pass to ride through and see what was available. She gave us a 15 minute pass and we rode through - and WOW did we see prime camping! First of all, this lake is BEAUTIFUL! The color reminds me of Canadian glacier water in areas and you can see the bottom everywhere! Secondly, the beach was clean, maintained and offered life jackets for kids who needed them. Thirdly, the sites were well layed out, flat, and gorgeous! We quickly figured out that if there was a reserved tag on the post, it was reserved - we needed to find an OPEN tag! Which we did! In fact, we found 3 of them - which made it hard to decide. We liked the site on the inside of the loop so kids could play at the playground without crossing the street. Yet, being so close to this lake, we wanted to be able to sit (or swing) and enjoy the beauty and peace.
The bathhouse was immaculate - in fact, it had just been cleaned when we walked in for the first time! Stalls, running water and shower stalls with private changing areas. This campground lacks for nothing. We will surely be back!
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!
This is a nice campground. It’s very well maintained. The staff is nice. It’s also close to shopping and restaurants
Two weeks ago, my Scout troop (Troop 2 out of High Point) used campsite 3 in the group area. It was perfect for us. We've stayed at several others before as well. While a student at Wake, I hiked the trails frequently. So, I know the park pretty well.
The SP is in a great location, especially if you are in Central NC. There is easy access, and good roads for a decent driver. The roads are marked well.
The park is also close to a good canoe/kayak rental outfitter called The Dan River Company. (If you want a craft beer after your trek, they have a small tavern there.)
The campsites in the group areas were good and clean. There were picnic tables and fire rings. Our site actually had 3 fire rings with benches and 4 picnic tables. These are rustic, which is fine for me. If you are looking for showers and gravel tent pads, don't stay there. Frankly, I'd just as soon as camp on concrete as a gravel tent pad. There is also a mowed field next to the group campsites to play in or just chill and watch the stars. Oh, and the ranger basically encouraged us to hike and roam the park at night. I don't think I've ever had a ranger ask if I planned to drive around a park at night.
The trails to the top are made for hikers and people who walk. You will not get up to either summit by driving or riding anything. The trails aren't that tough, but are going to test you if you do not get out much. I prefer the view from Moore's Knob.
Jomeokee Campground is located in Pinnacle NC, near Pilot Mountain NC - and has a great view of Pilot Mountain from many of the campsites. This campground is set back off the road, quite a ways, which makes it nice and quiet from road traffic, though you can hear trucks rumble in the night on 52.
The fields and the grassy areas are goregous - leaving the kids to run and explore and watch fireflies. Yet many of the campsites are uneven and picnic tables are in need of repairs. You can find a nice campsite (shown below) when you pull through the one way road which left us wondering about our alignment!
The campground owner was very friendly and kind - and the sunset was fantastic! Hiking in Pilot Mountain State Park is just minutes away and the views from the top can't be beat!
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.
Very clean and neat park. Camp host was very helpful. Plenty to do for adults and children.