Best Cabin Camping near Hickory, NC

This is a brand new tent and cabin campground built by Duke Energy and run by McDowell county on Lake James. There is a boat ramp very close by, a fishing dock, picnic area, trails in and around the campground, and a seasonal Black Bear Marina Restaurant across the inlet or not far by road. All sites have tent pads and 2 parking spots. Many of the sites are a short walk from the car which affords privacy. There is a rental picnic shelter and a group csmping site. The rental camping cabins have 2 cots with a plywood base,( bring a mattress!).

I like this campsite. You have to be careful to book the correct kind of tent site if you want to be in a more wooded area. The camping cabins are really nice and spacious. It's a good site with some really good breakfast spots located just right next to the campsite itself

I enjoyed the drive out to this site, it is far enough off of the beaten path but still close to town. The site is a very easy drive to Boone and Tweetsie Railroad. We stayed at a camping cabin and it was really nice. The RVs are close to each other in proximity and RV sites are not separated by any brush or trees. We walked the country road for a nice walk each day. Overall it was a really nice KOA if you are in the area and wanting to explore Boone.

In 2016 we stayed here for the first time in one of the camping cabins and I LOVE how rustic the cabins are here. Typically, the campsite would have been closed but that February it was really warm, so they opened earlier in the year. That weekend was super cold. The warm spell had ended. We bundled under 10 blankets, enjoyed a sweet campfire and basically had the entire campsite to ourselves and it was pretty.dang.cool. Then, this past October (2020) we went back to tent camp here with two of our best friends and although it rained all weekend, we still had the most amazing stay. The sites are well spaced and other campers are always super respectful here. They also have a really good Sunday breakfast brunch that is FANTASTIC and relatively cheap. The folks that run the place are really nice.

This is a pretty cool, laid back place.

This place was a 13 hour drive and so worth it. All of the cabins and trailers available to rent are so reasonably priced and have AC and fully fucntioning appliances. Every cabin or RV rental has its own private gated yard with your own firepit. Several dog parks and a private pond for the pups means days of fun for an active, social dog. Everyone is so kind, the women who run this place are so sweet and they were incredibly accomodating. The camp store has tons of treats and necessities for dogs and people, and a dog washing station and laundry are available communally. We spent our days hiking the nearby Chimney Rock and hanging around Lake Lure (FYI Dirty Dancing was filmed here whoa). We also checked out the Equestrian center which was an awesome recommendation of the staff and also dog friendly. Definitely recommended for people who like day hikes and adventures and coming back to a cozy camp cabin.

Grandfather Campground is located about 15 minutes south of Boone NC and less than 10 minutes from the trailhead to Grandfather Mountain.  

There is a new sign for the Grandfather Campground directly off HWY 105.  Pulling in, you drive over a bridge with a beautiful view of the creek and immediately see an office to your right and a large grassy area and private gazebo to your left (I do not think the campground owns this gazebo).  

RV's and tents occupy the first loop past the office.  On the left side of the road are several tent sites (too close for our preference - but in a pinch - it works!) On the right side of the road are RV sites that back up to the creek.  A bathhouse is centrally located for this loop.  As you continue on, you pass several simple camping cabins and then a variety of different sleeping arrangements depending on the size of your group.  There is  fishing and a playground but to us, the most valuable amenity of this site is the proximity to Grandfather Mountain.  We can be at the trailhead within 10 minutes for a great hike to the top of Grandfather Mountain!

My two teenage boys and I stayed in a“Cozy Cabin”. They are bigger than they look in the picture. There is a countertop next to the front door and plenty of room for all of our gear. There is a water spigot and electrical outlet on the outside and two outlets inside the cabin. The resort is kind of small but there are a few playgrounds and a small pond to go swimming and fishing in, and several hiking trails. I was impressed with how clean the cabins and bathrooms were.

We stayed here during ski season and it was great! Not very busy, which was fine and only 15 mins to the ski slopes. That trip we had a great experience.

On another occasion, over Labor Day weekend, we tried to get a spot but they were ful. So we decided to rent one of their cabins. Upon arriving, we found out that they had switched our cabin to a different one then the one we had originally booked, and it was so small (which would have been okay, but we had a young baby who needed to sleep in a port-a-crib, which did not fit anywhere in the cabin) but the real issue was that there was mold on the ceiling and coming down some of the walls. We immediately went down to the office, at first we were told there was nothing they could do. After I went momma-bear on them and let them know I would not be staying in a moldy cabin with a baby and demanded my money back, they finally agreed and gave us a refund. Luckily I was able to find a hotel that still had a room available.

So long story short: great for camping, beware of cabins.

We stayed here while visiting friends who lived in the Salisbury area and stayed in Cabin 1. The cabins are REALLY nice, I was very impressed. We walked the RV sites and spotted several that were also very nice as well. They each seemed to offer a decent bit of privacy, which is nice. The pool was well located but busy, which was okay all the families and kids were having a great time and that was so nice to see. I enjoyed sitting near the pond and just watching the ducks swim. The best part was getting fresh eggs from the check-in store each morning... And I mean... Fresh Eggs. Really cool place.

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.

Awesome place! Been here a few times now. Has tons of activities for the kids. Fantastic pool with a pool side bar. Great cabins for rent with great views. Can be a little pricey but well worth it.

We had a blast; even with younger kids. RV sites and cabins, friendly staff, free shuttle to the amusement park, great community center, and more. Whether you are hanging in the RV park or at the amusement park, you'll be satisfied. Nice RV sites and well maintained!

Truly a dog-oriented campground, there are tons of activities and plenty of room to roam for the dogs.

No camper? No problem. They have campers, yurts and tiny cabins for rent.

Everyone is extremely nice and the grounds and facilities (bathrooms, laundry, dog wash, etc) are very clean.

It has tent sites, camper, and cabins. The people who own it are great. It has a store where you can get your basic camping things, also has a place to do your laundry, wash dishes and has a few showers plus family shower area. They have a playground for kids.