Best Glamping near Mount Gilead, NC

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.

There is a lot for a family to do at Morrow Mountain including fishing and a swimming pool. My main thing is usually hiking. I stayed at the family campground once to get an early start on hiking. Saw several deer while I was there. The family campground is separated from the road by some trees but there is still noise from cars, like in any family campground I suppose.

I hiked past the primitive campground which is fine, only 2 miles in. But there is no water so make sure you take enough for the night.

It's a great place to squeeze in a quick camping trip. It's not a place to camp for any length of time. This is more like self serve camping, primitive. Be careful for ticks are awful.

My wife and I went for an overnight camping trip. We registered online for 2 nights but changed plans due to incoming rain. Unfortunately changing the registration online wasn't so simple and I ended up having to call in to make the change. The campsite was clean and well kept. Where we stayed there was a bath house nearby which was very convenient. The bath house was clean and had hot showers. We rode down to the river and walked along one of the trails as well as rented a canoe for a short paddle down the river. Overall the park was very nice and clean. We enjoyed our stay. I rated a 4 out of 5 due to the closeness of the campsite which led to a lot of noise from other campsites and the inability to easily change the registration.

Nice camping.....especially if you plan on spending a majority of your time on the lake(s). Amenities were nice. Kids really loved the olympic-sized swimming pool. Great place for a short camping trip or if you are into boating/kayaking.

Very family friendly camp ground. Sites are close together, but not too terrible. Sites include tent pad, fire ring with grate, table, lantern hook. Facilities we're kept nicely, host was very helpful and makes rounds in the evenings with firewood ($5 bundle). Hiked the trail head near the campground, to the river.. lovely hike NO RIVER ACCESS FOR FISHING though... Embankment is too steep, we learned this after the 2.5 mile hike with the kids... Went down the road to the lake the next day (they have boat rentals, though we didn't get one).

The swaying of pine trees with the smell of the forest greets us at this easily accessible site in our motorhome. Electric and water hookups at our site, dump station available on the way out, camp host available. Picnic tables, fire pit available at our site. Lots of shade, plenty of trails that cover this State Park. The Kron house nearby, the swimming pool ( closed at time of our visit). The town of Albemarle 10 minutes away and Badin lake right down the mountain. Lots of history here just stop at the ranger station for information, maps and more.

We had 4 families with children on 1 RV and 3 non-electric tent sites over Memorial Day weekend. Even though the park was at max capacity, it didn’t feel crowded or swarming. The facilities and activities at Morrow Mountain are awesome - a huge, clean pool; canoe rental from a well-maintained boathouse; hikes of various lengths; slightly aged but clean and cared for bath houses; and (our favorite) a gorgeous mountain top picnic shelter (A), which we rented due to a rainy forecast. Great place for family camping. Sites are nicely spaced, but by no means are they private or secluded. Staff were very friendly, but the no alcohol rule is a bummer. If you want to be alone in the woods, Morrow Mountain is not for you. Its also worth noting the climate is much more like south central NC (hot and super humId) and nothIng like the cool mountain air in Western NC. But if your looking for a fun, interactive family or group camping weekend, it’s the perfect spot!

I went for a weekend with my girlfriends and then went with three families and stayed at a group site. if you have enough people the group site is amazing. we were able to be on our own and had great facilities for showering. This is by far my favorite place to go camping.

it’s pretty big with lots of sites to choose from!

Camping here is cheap and theres plenty to do if your outdoorsy there tons of hiking trails a plublic boat ramp to lake tillery fishing is allowed just a all around relaxing place

I stayed for 2 nights in the beginning of March. There weren’t many other campers because the forecast called for rain all weekend but ended up only raining for a few hours one night, lucky me! The whole park was pretty quiet, including the trails. There was a nice tent pad with a fire pit and picnic table, and a man came around bringing wood for $5 a bundle if you needed it. We had a quite a few deer passing close by through the night! Was a nice, quiet, relaxing weekend!

I solo camped here for the first time last summer. Facilities were clean, whole campground was so quiet. Beautiful park, big lake, great hiking. Can't wait to go back.

I have stayed many times in this campground. The tent pads are quite compacted but drain well. In addition to the nearby lake, there is a pool you can take the kids to. This is very dog friendly. Not too much traffic for the kids either. I have seen a rattle snake!!

I tent camped at Morrow Mountain state park. As a campsite it is wonderful. Great camp pad to set up your tent on and very nice bathrooms. The only thing i would say negatively about it is that it is quite off the beaten path so does take time to drive all the way through the park to the campground. Other than that it had a very nice atmosphere

Nice campground with a decent bathhouse. There is no AC in the bathhouses. Site 98 in the electric loop is for tent and pop up campers, but is not pop up camper friendly. The ground is very uneven. There are many trails to go on. We went on the Big Rocks Trail. There wasn’t much to see until we got to the end of it and went down the cliff. Then the views were amazing. It was not a loop trail, but you hike to the cliff then turn around and go back the way you came. They offer canoe and row boat rentals, they have a swimming pool that is open after Memorial Day. They also have a museum you can check out during the day. Overall, nice campground. We enjoyed our time there and were able to see several deer.

Plentiful campsites, we arrived on a Friday without a reservation and were able to get a spot. There is a swimming pool, but we didn't swim. Some hikes nearby, but far from the swimming spots in the Uwharrie National Forest. No bathrooms near the campsites, but there were spigots with potable water. The tent pads were even and well packed. All sites had a picnic bench and a fire pit with a grate.

I spent a night at the primitive campsite and hiked a few trails. The park is gorgeous and full of life. I saw plenty of frogs and tadpoles in the creeks, listened to a symphony of birds, and I'm pretty sure heard a few coyotes throughout the night. I also saw an abundance of different species of spiders, dragonflies, moths, and other interesting critters.

The trails were clearly marked and easy to follow. Lots of routes varying in views and difficulty were available and the staff were incredibly helpful. As for the campsite itself, it was cozy enough. Easy to find and it provided a few logs for sitting and a firepit. The rain collection bucket was mostly a little closet filled with spiders and such. I chose to gather water from the creek to purify instead.

My only complaint is that this is a popular park especially during this season. If you are looking for more isolation, then you may want to try this place off season. I had campers on either side of me and the trail was spitting distance from the campsite. While they weren't disturbing or being a nuisance, I go camping to escape people. Lol That said, I genuinely enjoyed my stay and will be back.

Been here twice. Not bad sites, probably the most consistent sites throughout my reviews. All pads are different so pay attention to dimensions. Bathrooms are ok with showers. Water points around the campground. Long trails to hike and a couple strenuous trails.

So, if you end up in a crap site you might drop those 4 stars to 3. Its going to be impossible to determine a great site from a bad without going there since the only pic they have online is from site 1. B loop, has a lot of RVs. A loop, has the amphitheater. C loop, felt like the smallest loop and really close to the entry hiking trail. We've stayed in both A and C. C loop, site 48, is where we stayed this trip. Its a good site. Close to the showers, which are clean and well maintained. Close to the trash bins and water spicket as well. Behind the site is a great little "valley" to explore if you have kids/dogs. Has awesome trees for hammocks and the tent pad doesnt slope. Did not love the fire pit at this site but the sites to the left and right are great. Overall, tons of sites and good clean facilities. The trails are plentiful so you shouldnt run out of places to explore.

We loved our stay! Glad to finally find a nice campground just over an hour away from Charlotte. Easy trek for a short weekend trip. We exhausted ourselves hiking and canoeing and much more stuff to do! Nice sites with electric hookups. Firewood available. Will definitely be back!

Morrow Mountain is a favorite destination for our family. We have been going for 20+ years. Trails, water, old homestead, just a great place

Great place to camp! Quite, clean campground

A great historic piece of Central NC. Plenary of water activities, hiking, and sightseeing in the area. Nestled up to the Uwharrie National Forest and Albemarle. Plenary of camp sites and home to a Native American mining operation. Within a short drive there is Town Creek Indian Mound that you can visit as well. Badin Lake is nearby as well.

**Morrow Mountain State Park is a family camping ground for all ages and has an in ground swimming pool plus a boat launch.  I enjoyed tent camping with my family and fishing on the lake.  There is a large public swimming pool and each camping area has toilet and shower facilities.  You can burn fire wood in pits and there are grills for charcoaling BBQs.  The highlight to a early morning wake up are having deer walking through your camping site.  There was a loud whipperwill sounding off with echoes coming from the hillsides.  It is a first come first serve and there is a small fee collected by a Park Ranger.  **

Really nice park with nice trails that aren't too challenging but also with just enough going on to keep them fun and interesting. We camped at Dispersed Hike to Site 1. The dispersed sites are really nicely spread out. Nice clean firepits. Standard pit toilets, just nice overall. This is a really well maintained park!