Best Glamping near Pleasant Garden, NC

This is one of my favorite camping spots in the North Carolina triangle area.  There is a tremendous amount of hiking and trails to do around here.  The Eno River is more than safe to swim or paddle in.  Dogs are welcome here! If you can camp close to the river, I recommend, it's great to fall asleep to the sounds of the river.  Bring bug spray!

I left the flat of eastern North Carolina and headed to the mountains to our west. Pilot Mt. State Park has a nice campground and some good hiking trails. Camping on the rocky side of a hill is different from the coastal flat lands I am used to.

The hiking trails are good and the round trip from the campsite, around Pilot Mountain and back provided for a nice day hike. There is also a 5 mile trail connecting the upper and lower parts of the park. I didn't have a chance to walk that one, but then it is always good to have a reason to go back.

Facilities were clean and in good shape.

This is a pretty nice campground, similar to other state parks in North Carolina. The sites are spacious, we stayed at a double site that allowed up to 4 cars. The site was level and stayed dry during the heavy rain, however we saw other sites that had big puddles, with tents in the water. The bathrooms were cleaned regularly, but they were not very nice. The shower didn't look good at all, we didn't use it.

A great things about the campground is that it has its own kayak/canoe ramp, just a few minutes drive from the site. We saw people fishing from the ramp as well. On our morning paddle we saw a couple of bald eagles, they were amazing. We stayed at the campsite after heavy rains, so the beach was closed. It must be nice when not flooded.

This is a state campground, so alcohol is not allowed.

This area is such a short drive from the triangle area of North Carolina, yet this park feels quite remote. Like many state parks, this one excels in the services department. 

Bathrooms and showers were clean and comfortable, as were the campsites. 

Each camping loop felt tucked away into its own little neighborhood, and the large campsites offered space so that you aren’t stacked right next to your neighbor.  We camped in the nonelectric loop (we always bring our solar panel) for 3 nights in mid-February and there were very few campers around, but the neighboring loop with electrical hook-up sites were 3/4 full with large rigs. 

Hiking, biking, paddling, are all great things to do during your stay. There is also a boat launch within the park in case power boating or fishing is your thing, but kayaks and canoes can easily launch from the lakeside campsites.  It was a bit too chilly to get on the water in February, so we opted for hiking and biking.

The closest services for gas or a few extra snacks are within 5 minutes of the park.

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 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.

Located just 30 miles west of Raleigh, Jordan Lake provides 7 different access points throughout this amazing natural preserve.  And while I’m not a kitesurfer or windsurfer, I’m positive that this campground was named for the pretty amazing headwinds that are enjoyed coming off Falls Lake, which Crosswinds Campground @ Jordan Lake SRA sits on. Take my word for it though, this outdoor nature preserve is truly a slice of heaven carved out in some of North Carolina’s finest camping countryside. If you find yourself in the hustle and bustle of nearby Raleigh and looking to get away from the crowds and pavement in exchange for some nicely shaded nature, hiking trails and humble peace & quiet that only God's green nature can offer, then make your way here to Crosswinds Campground, where this heavily wooded forest paradise will embrace you with its inclines, switchbacks and snakelike, swerving road circuits. 

All of the basics are provided in spades – from picnic table, fold-up fire ring / BBQ grill, bear-proof garbage hanger and a nice pebble-strewn and long-leaf pine shadowed patch of well-maintained nature that offers pristine shade from an unrelenting bit of summer Tar Heel sunshine. While there’s a suitable amount of brush between campsites, surprisingly, it’s the steep inclines and declines between each site that makes one feel that they are truly in the center of their own private wilderness. The on-site bathroom & shower facilities are just slightly north of passable and only a smidge better than you’d expect from a state-run campground, and so this campground gets its only mediocre marks on this front. But that said, there’s plenty of hiking trails to explore and the on-site rangers are incredibly helpful and positive folks that want to ensure you have a great time, but the best amenity on this property is the access to Lake Jordan itself, where there is a perfectly sectioned off swimming area – complete with life safety vests resting on hooks near the shore - as well as boat launching areas for those that want to fish or simply drop a kayak or canoe in the water and take enjoy a lakeside cruise. 

Insider’s tips? Here's a bundle: (1) Be sure to get down to the lake from wherever your campsite is just after sunset and bring a couple of folding chairs and a telescope (pre-planning here is needed!) to catch a glimpse of one of the most amazing star-studded night skies you’ve ever seen in your life!; (2) While IMHO there are no bad sites per se here, certainly there are some that are better than others, amongst which, I would highly recommend those that are closer to the tree fall lines as well as those that place you closest to either lakeside or lake view.  With 3 loops to choose from (A, B & C), I recommend the following sites: Loop A - #18-19; #21-22; and #44-47; Loop B - #33, #36, #37, #39, #40,#43; Loop C - #19, #21, #23, #24, #26, #32, #34, #36, #40, #42; (3) If you have a boat, you may want to consider calling ahead of time, while you are reserving your campsite and reserve a boat slip - we just thought that they would be readily available, but as it turns out, there's quite a few daytime boaters that don't camp here and are simply looking for a slip to occupy for the day, so plan ahead!; (4) SUPER INSIDER SECRET: there's a little pathway next to site #32 that will lead you to a hidden beachhead where all the cool kids hang out and party; (5) The showers are pretty annoying in that they are regulated by body movement - so as a hack, we applied duct tape and VOILA! the hot water stayed on the whole time! (but remove when you are done or the water won't stop running!); and (6) When you grow tired or anxious after digging through what remains of your Cordova cooler and / or want to sample some local fare, be prepared to drive a short distance (20 minutes or so) back to Apex, where I would recommend The Peak on Salem that serves up some pretty mean Caribbean conch & shrimp fritters as well as some very nice seafood entrees like NC clam bucatini or sweet tea ginger whiskey braised beef short rib.

Happy Camping!

Moved here in November with the intentions of staying long term. Which we told to 2 different employees. One when we made the reservation and another one just days before our arrival when she called to ask us how long we would be staying. The manager didn't ask my husband how long we would be staying at check-in. In January we were told the rate for our cramped site was going up to$850 a month. And in 2 months we would have to pay the daily rate which comes to$1350. I was told by the manager that they needed the sites for traveling nurses who are essential workers. Didn't matter that my husband is a truck driver and also an essential worker during this pandemic. We would not moved here if we had been given the correct information. But I am pretty sure that we weren't told that it wasn't a long term campground because they had a lot of empty spots in November. I think they neglected to tell us so they could fill a spot and make money. Or else all of the staff is incompetent. If you plan on staying be aware that they charge 17 cents kwh for site 29. According to the helpful woman at Duke Energy, the site next to us was paying just over 9 cents a kwh. Our site and some of the others weren't showing up on their list. Internet was mostly good. Water pressure was horrible in the mornings when there were a lot of people there. The noise from the interstate is constant and loud. The dryers are kind of ineffective. Site was uneven, muddy and the RV next door was angled very close to ours. RV vehicle across the road nearly hit ours every time he backed out. The manager was snippy and rude sometimes when you go to get the mail. One day you can come in and get it and then next day you are reprimanded for opening the door. Which has a sign that says to come on in. Best to find somewhere else to stay. Unless tight quarters, rudeness and noise are your thing.

We stayed in site #18, which was a FHU pull-through. The site was fairly level, but quite short. Not enough room for us to keep our truck in front of our pop-up, which is what we look for in quick overnight stops. Also, it was a bit of a walk to the bath house, even though I specifically requested a site close to the bath house when I booked the reservation 8 months prior.

Bath house was ok. It was clean enough, but you could tell it was extremely old, and needed to be completely redone instead of just painted over. That was the general theme for much of the campground; very old, not particularly attractive or welcoming, and in need of a face-lift. The laundry room, however, was very nice, clean, and well-lit. I believe they only recently converted to a KOA, so it seemed like they were in the middle of some needed capital improvements. Still not worth the KOA prices at this time, in my opinion. Had a minor customer service issue at check-in, but decided the annoyance wasn't worth making a big deal so I got over it pretty quickly. Additionally, they closed the office at 7pm, which I found out when I went back to get some change for laundry after we set up. Being that this is a KOA Journey, one of the supposed features of this designation is extended office/check-in hours for travelers coming in for overnight stops, so I was surprised by this. However, the owners ended up pulling up right then to check on something in the office, and they very graciously agreed to get me some change while they were in there.

One other item of note: this CG is located right off I-40, which is very convenient, but the road noise is loud and constant. I had already expected this from reading other reviews, and they did make a bowl of free, disposable ear plugs available in the office, which was a nice gesture. The combination of the said ear plugs and exhaustion from a long day on the road allowed me to sleep pretty well, but if you’re at all sensitive to noise, it would be a deal-breaker.

It seems Greensboro offers all modern conveniences, and lots of things to do, but we didn’t explore beyond the CG.

Overall, this was an OK overnight stop for us between the Smokies and OBX (an almost perfect halfway point). Location is very convenient to the highway if you can handle the road noise. I wouldn’t stay here for more than a night, and honestly, if we were to take the same trip again, I’d likely look for a quieter (and certainly cheaper) option, even if it meant going a few miles out of the way.

Nice place to camp for a few days - we had a campervan and were surrounded by huge, but quiet, RVs. Restrooms (6), showers (3) and laundry room were kept immaculately clean which is always appreciated! Pool also very clean and well maintained. Only downside was noisy highway next to the campground.....we were surprised that nothing was done to mitigate noise (no barrier fence or wall, no shrubbery hedge, etc). But this is a problem with KOAs everywhere.
Very nice clerk and staff. Suggestion: add a full length mirror in restrooms.

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.

We are full-timers in a 36 ft Class A with a Cherokee Trailhawk tow. We were in site B01 for 5 days in early October. The CG is on the lake, very clean, quiet and well maintained and the staff is very friendly. Watch out for the first set of speed bumps though- there is no sign and in dappled sunlight, they don’t stand out that well. Although they said they were going to put a sign in later this fall. The CG was full on the weekend. As others have said, many of the sites can be quite unlevel front to back. Even in B Section, which is really just one big gravel lot, our front wheels were 4-5 inches off of the ground. Section B sites are also very close together. Our awning came within 1 foot of the neighbor’s slide, as did the others in this section. Also, strangely, site B01 does not have its own water spigot, so you have to share one with B02.

AT&T coverage was decent, ranging from 1-3 bars of 5G with speeds varying from 0.7 to 2.7 MB/s. CG WiFi could reach 2-3 MB/s, but dropped out occasionally at night when the CG was full and most were on the network. We were able to get DISH coverage on all three western satellites at our site. We didn’t try to determine the OTA channels here.

We stayed in section B of the Oak Hollow Campground. It was simply a large gravel parking lot for RVs/campers. We had full hook ups and paid$45 a night for our campsite. This was the worst physical campsite we have ever had… We stepped out of our camper and if we didn’t immediately turn we would hit our head on our neighbors slide out. There was not even enough room to set up a lawn chair between our camper and the camper next to us. The hook ups were lined up at the back of the parking spot for our camper which means we had to use a ton of extensions for our water, sewage, and power. There were not any trails at the park to walk our dogs but there was plenty of grass. The staff was very nice and the campground was gated. The laundry unit was a single washer and dryer outside of each of the shower/bathroom spots and were already closed at the end of November. They had two bathroom/shower houses. The campsite featured likely over 100 camper/rv spots so two bathroom/shower houses and 2 laundry machines would not be enough. If we were not seeing family in the area, we would not have stayed here. Campsite sections A and C seem to be much more spread out, if you’re wanting to be in this area. The campsite is in High Point and is near all the amenities that you would need.

We stayed here during the summer at campsite 86. When we got there we noticed that the campsite was on a very big slant and while there was a “flat” area for out tent, there was no flat area for the fire pit. Also we cannot put into words how bad the yellow jacket infestation was there. It ranged from many campsites and it was absolutely impossible to cook any meat on the campsite. If you plan on cooking meat DO NOT go to oak hollow. Not only that but while making the reservations we were not even notified about the bee problem so we came unprepared. You have to bring yellow jacket traps if you want to stay here. Also Lake Alpine is 40 minutes away and there are better campgrounds near there so maybe look into those first.