Best Tent Camping near Pilot Mountain, NC

Campground Review:  

Pilot Mountain campground is a smaller loop campground with 2 bathhouses (toilets and showers - with FREE hot water!).  Located not far from Winston Salem NC, Pilot Mountain has great hiking and beautiful views from the top.  We enjoy hiking, camping and enjoying the views, while others enjoy bouldering, rock climbing and mountain biking  - an outdoor adventure for all people!  

We camped at site #5 this time - on the inside of the loop, though we usually prefer perimeter sites.  We were excited to get out there and hike in the morning before it was too hot.  This campground is sloped, with rolling hills, which makes for a nice loop to walk dogs etc.  Our tent pad was perfectly flat, and dry and we slept with no fly - which made for a gorgeous morning sunrise!  

Our tent pad was also much lower than our campfire, which meant we could lay IN our sleeping bags and look out at the fire - which was awesome!  We did check out some other sites for next time - as we prefer flatter sites where we can walk more easily at night without tripping (so often) over rocks.   We also saw deer early in the morning!

We hiked to the top on the Grindstone Trail (about 2 miles) to the top and enjoyed an early morning view of the surrounding communities.  

Product Review:

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time.  Today I am reviewing Eclipse Sunshirts ( https://eclipseglove.com/collections/all-eclipse-sun-products).  I often dress my kids in long sleeve hiking shirts to protect their skin and was excited to try a unique sun shirt that I could wear - that wasn't skin tight!  I tested the Equinox hoodie and was pleasantly surprised with the results.  I was hesitant that their products were one size fits all - but we have a medium, large and an XL in our family and we all wore the shirt and one point or another and  LOVED it!  (See how it fits us all in the pictures below!) 

The design is like a large sweatshirt - only their are holes under your arms and on your sides to allow circulation (and a little breeze!).  I especially liked the shirt when we were at the top of Pilot Mountain because there is limited shade, depending where you are standing.  I could see this shirt being useful on other hikes when we hike on balds and cross many peaks.  

This shirt was especially beneficial in direct, HOT sun (and it was a 97 degree day - so perfect opportunity!).  In the shade, I prefered to take it off, to allow more breeze and have less fabric touching my skin.  Without a doubt, moving back into the sun, I was cooler WITH the shirt ON than with the shirt off.  I have since used the Equinox hoodie when gardening, walking the dog and even at my school's field day!  For sun protection that does not involve chemicals, I cannot recommend it enough.

Campground Review:

Pilot Mountain State Park is located in Pinnacle, NC, approximately 2.5 hours away from Asheville, NC and is known for it’s giant pinnacle, Pilot Mountain, that rises 2,000 feet into the clouds. At the base of a windy road leading up to Pilot Mountain lies the campground, approximately 2 miles from the top. This beautiful campground was centrally located within the state park and gave quick access to a wide variety of easy to strenuous hiking trails. Most of the trails leave directly from the campground. In addition to hiking, Pilot Mountain is known for it’s steep cliffs that give easy access to rock climbing and rappelling. There is a trail leading from the parking lot and traverses above the climbing area so you have quick access to set anchors from the top. Additional anchors are bolted at the top of most routes for easy top roping. The campground itself offered a fire ring, picnic table, and a man-made flat area to pitch a tent at each site. The sites were somewhat close together but we did not have any issues with noise during our stay. There were several clean bath houses throughout. Each one offered flushing toilets, and hot, running water for showers, all of which were free. There was potable water located next to the site and a separate area to clean dishes. Each site also had a ton of shade. Trees surround every inch of the park so there was plenty of space to hang a hammock and get relief from the burning sun. Most sites looked large enough for the average sized RV. The park’s host drove around checking in and offering $5 bundles of wood. The one negative draw back to this campground is that all the sites are on a slope so when it rains, most likely your campsite will too. The park does require a two-night minimum stay if camping over a holiday weekend. Also be aware that the campground entrance closes at 10 pm. You will not be able to enter or exit until the gate opens the next morning. The closest town is 10 miles away in case you forgot anything. Overall, would highly recommend this campground if you are looking for a great place to rock climb and camp for the weekend. We will be back!

Product Review:

As a Ranger for the Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time. During my climbing adventures at Pilot Mountain State Park, I got to test out three different Meal2Go packets from Greenbelly: Cranberry/Almond, Peanut/Apricot and Dark Chocolate/Banana (https:// www.greenbelly.co/products/meal2go?variant=19912486532). Let me start by saying how amazingly delicious these meals are. I’m a super picky eater and when I first saw cranberry and apricot, I had second thoughts about trying. Thank goodness my sense of adventure overcame my lack of tastebud exploration. The Meal2Go products are full of mouth watering flavor that I could eat over and over again which is crucial if spending time in the back country. They contain all natural ingredients and 1/3 of your daily nutrients. It lacked that chemical flavor most hiking bars have giving way to a natural tasting bar. They also had the right balance of chewy yet crunchy. Greenbelly designed these products with backpacking in mind. While we didn’t get a chance to use backpacking, it did supply a ton of energy for a full day of climbing. The one draw back I will say is the weight of the product. Since it was designed for backpacking, I was expecting it to be much lighter for what you get. There are two bars in each packet and the weight is 5.5 ounces. And while that doesn’t sound like a lot, it seemed heavier than my average backpacking bar. I will say though, I’d much rather be carrying slightly more weight in my pack if it meant I get to have a healthier/tastier option while rock climbing or playing in the back country. I would highly suggest checking out this product!

Living in Greensboro, Pilot Mountain State Park offers the perfect getaway from suburbia. Only a short drive away this is a perfect spot for a day trip or an overnight getaway. There is a small (49 spot) campground that offers tent pads, picnic tables and a grill. Most sites are shaded by tall hardwood trees and are nicely spaced out, however, the campground can get crowded in the summer and fall months. There are bathrooms, hot showers but no electrical hookups.

There is excellent hiking here and great climbing, too. Weather you're looking for some easy top rope climbing or more challenging lead climbing, you can find it here. Do exercise caution when on the cliffs above, as I have experienced on several occasions things being dropped from above with climbers below (always wear a helmet). Be sure to read all the posted information on the information board before climbing.

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.