Love this little piece of heaven! Kept secret cuz it’s so peaceful and the owners are so amazing and friendly! Great environment and actually staying here right now with my husband and kids! Plan to stay!
Beautiful place! We camped there toward the end of October 2018. Campsites are level and plenty long enough. Bathhouse was extremely clean. Hosts were very friendly and helpful. We camped with 3 other families. It’s a little hilly for kids to ride bikes, but the 6 kids with us managed to have a great time on theirs! We did not take advantage of the swimming area, but I would not hesitate to use it. Great place to launch a boat. Lake was gorgeous! Absolutely the easiest and cleanest dump station we have ever used! Well designed! Close to Willesboro!
We hiked on the Appalachian Trail. We did not have to hike far to see amazing 360 views! Not very crowded. This was one of my favorite places to camp.
The profile trail is a great hike but it is 3.6 miles of mostly uphill on rugged terrain. Permits are required on this trail. They are free and available at the trailhead. We also visited the swinging bridge which was a very short and windy hike with great views.
The campgrounds were perfect for a few days and there were enough hiking trails around to keep us busy. Most of the trails were very easy, but the view on top of Stone Mountain was nice. I don’t think it was exceptional but overall was a nice camping trip.
With camping just a moderate day hike away from Mount Rogers, the highest point in Virginia, this campground is a hiker's paradise.
There is little to no cell signal here, so coming to Grayson Highlands is one of the few state parks in Virginia where you can truly go "off the grid" during the length of your stay--and you won't miss technology, because there is so much to do at this park. From the aforementioned Mount Rogers--an 8.5 mile out-and-back, to the 1.5 mile but difficult Cabin Trail that takes you to a waterfall, to the wild ponies who will approach hikers along the Rhododendron Trail, any fitness level will find hiking they can enjoy. When we stayed the outer bands of Hurricane Michael brought so much fog and rain that we were not able to see any of the ponies, but we did hear one a couple of times, very near Massie's Gap!
As for camping there are two frontcountry campgrounds. All sites have picnic tables and fire rings, and bathrooms with electricity and flush toilets*
Chestnut Hollow Campground:
-There are 23 sites here with water and electric hook-ups May-October, and this loop is available as primitive camping March, April, and November. *During this time bathrooms are pit toilets only
-Horse-friendly; there are stables located adjacent to this loop
-These sites are very small; if you are in a tent I recommend no larger than a 4 person.
-Not a lot of privacy between sites, especially near the back of the loop. Most sites are right agains the road and have little space to move around; I would not recommend this loop if you have small children who are going to want space to run and play
Hickory Ridge Campground
-This is the larger of the loops at GHSP; there are 64 campsites ranging from standard tent sites without water or electric, to full service sites with water and electric hookups.
-Tent sites 1-18 are the furthest from hookup sites and will therefore be the quietest; they are mostly small sites and very close to the road. Sites 10, 12, 13, and 14 are set back furthest from the road. There is a path behind sites 2-14 leading to the bathhouse behind site 14. Site 13 is easily the most private--and arguably the only truly private--tent site in this campground, with the driveway going behind a cluster of trees that shields the site from the road. We stayed in site 12 which easily fit our 6 person tent.
-Sites 31 and 32 are on a meadow the campsite loops around; they have no privacy and little shade, but ample room for kids to run around, and there is a set of swings near these sites. They are however right on the road so it may be easier to just walk to the swings and keep littles in a site without as much traffic. There is water right across from both of these sites.
-Even-numbered hookup sites 60-70 are also right on the meadow with very little shade
-All other sites are heavily shaded, although you'll be close to your neighbors
The camp store near the Hickory Ridge Loop sells ice, firewood, and just about anything you may possibly have forgotten to pack--firestarters, first aid supplies, marshmallows, and has as a gift shop with blankets, outerwear, and kitschy souvenirs.
Normally I would take off a star for lack of privacy of tent sites, however there is so much hiking here that your campsite can really be more of a basecamp than a place you want to sit and hang out all day long!
You can’t beat the location of this campground, located right off the Blue Ridge Parkway. We stayed in Loop D which has a brand new bath/shower house with six individual stalls with a bath/shower combo. The only thing missing was soap dispensers (I had to remember to bring soap every time I used the bathroom). Very nice and large dishwashing sink. Loop D is for tents so the driveways were small. We were able to fit our 17’ camper van but anything larger might not fit. Park personnel were very friendly and helpful. Wish firewood was available to purchase at the park as we didn’t buy any ahead of time. (You are permitted to pick up downed branches which was new to us). No electric sites and spotty internet but great hiking trails. Recommend the Boone Fork Trail but be prepared for many stream crossings!
The Doughton Park campground off of the Blue Ridge Parkway is a great place to spend the night without if you are driving along the Parkway and don't want to venture too far off course. The campground is much larger than I expected. There's an RV section on one side of the Parkway and a tent section that is on the other side. I only explored the tent side.
Although a little bit confusing, with concentric loops, there are many sites to choose from. Some loops and sites are more wooded and further from roads and amenities while others are more central and along a field. I opted for a more central site and ended up being the only person camping in that loop. At the end of October there were only three other campers in the whole tent side of the campground.
The hosts were friendly and helpful in choosing a site. The bathrooms are small but clean and there are easily accessible water sources about. There has been a young bear hanging about in the campground so they, very reasonably, ask that you keep all scent sources in your car.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is an incredible drive, my favorite section is south of this campground in North Carolina. Just along the VA-NC border the Blue Ridge Music Center is well worth the stop. There is free music there daily from 12-4!
The Doughton Park campground off of the Blue Ridge Parkway is a great place to spend the night without if you are driving along the Parkway and don't want to venture too far off course. The campground is much larger than I expected. There's an RV section on one side of the Parkway and a tent section that is on the other side. I only explored the tent side.
Although a little bit confusing, with concentric loops, there are many sites to choose from. Some loops and sites are more wooded and further from roads and amenities while others are more central and along a field. I opted for a more central site and ended up being the only person camping in that loop. At the end of October there were only three other campers in the whole tent side of the campground.
The hosts were friendly and helpful in choosing a site. The bathrooms are small but clean and there are easily accessible water sources about. There has been a young bear hanging about in the campground so they, very reasonably, ask that you keep all scent sources in your car.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is an incredible drive, my favorite section is south of this campground in North Carolina. Just along the VA-NC border the Blue Ridge Music Center is well worth the stop. There is free music there daily from 12-4!
The Doughton Park campground off of the Blue Ridge Parkway is a great place to spend the night without if you are driving along the Parkway and don't want to venture too far off course. The campground is much larger than I expected. There's an RV section on one side of the Parkway and a tent section that is on the other side. I only explored the tent side.
Although a little bit confusing, with concentric loops, there are many sites to choose from. Some loops and sites are more wooded and further from roads and amenities while others are more central and along a field. I opted for a more central site and ended up being the only person camping in that loop. At the end of October there were only three other campers in the whole tent side of the campground.
The hosts were friendly and helpful in choosing a site. The bathrooms are small but clean and there are easily accessible water sources about. There has been a young bear hanging about in the campground so they, very reasonably, ask that you keep all scent sources in your car.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is an incredible drive, my favorite section is south of this campground in North Carolina. Just along the VA-NC border the Blue Ridge Music Center is well worth the stop. There is free music there daily from 12-4!
The tent sites are built into a hill that provides an abundance of trees to hang hammocks and to keep well protected from the sun. The RV spots are located out in the open area and one loop sits right on a creek. The RV spots are sunnier with limited trees to shade from the sun during the summer months. For a NC state park, the bathroom and shower amenities are clean, warm and well stocked with toilet paper. The tent spots are a perfect place to hang hammocks and the tent pads are pretty sizable!
I am giving this review a 5 based on 2 different elements: 1) cleanliness of the camp site was beyond expectation. Not all campground hosts clean out the fire pit on a daily basis. When arriving, there was no trace of the former camper at all. No micro trash, no left over spikes and the campsite was freshly raked and all coals/ash were swept out of the fire ring. 2) welcoming personalities of the camp ground host and and employees. The campground host stopped to ask if we needed anything and to remind us the program that was taking place the next morning.
For tent camping, choose the following sites if you need to park 2 cars at the campsite: #7, #9, #14 and #18. The other campsites have enough space for one car at each site.
I’m not typically in love with state park campgrounds, but this was was perfect! Our campsite was just up the trail from the lake, you could see and walk to the lake from our spot. Other campers aren’t right on top of you and the whole area was fairly quite. The dogs enjoyed themselves as well!
This campground is located in Rosman NC, west of Brevard. We camped here as a base camp for day hikes in the area. It is very wooded, in a valley with a creek running alongside the tent camping sites. The scenery is gorgeous and horses and chickens were sweet. The tent sites are small, smaller than average park campsites. We woke to the smell of our neighbor smoking and coughing throughout the night.
The facilities are good, nice hot water in sinks and showers. Clean bathrooms etc. We also had a spigot and plug near our campsite if we needed them. The people were extremely friendly and kind.
We like for our kids to be able to run, play and explore while camping and this was not the site for that. Across the creek is a busy road which was not busy during the night, but had constant travel during the day.
Such a great little campground, nice wooded sites, lake, playground, pool and bonefires and djs on holidays. trails and fresh eggs in camp store from chickens on site. Goats and a horse also live here.
1 night stay while traveling the east coast. Sites are on top of each other with no privacy and limited shade. Only bathroom is at the main entrance so if you’re not equipped with your own bathroom you’re doing a lot of walking. Campground is right next to the interstate so you definitely could hear road traffic all night long. Convenient stop for traveling but would not want to spend multiple days here.
2 night stay while traveling the east coast. Campground is very close to town so makes it very convenient to see the sites or run to the store for something. Friendly and helpful staff. Coffee bar on premises. Some sites seemed small and close together. Others were larger and more private so pick wisely. Bathhouse is a little dated but clean and functional. Will visit again.
I attended the Twin Rivers Chopper Campout this past September, and though it was an event that certainly changed the vibe—filled with motorcycles, music, a food truck, and a decent sized crowd of fantastic people—I could tell that this campground would be an absolutely lovely spot if you’re looking for a more unique, more quiet, car-camping experience. My friend and I set up our tent literal feet from the river that runs parallel to the campground, and I could’ve honestly stayed there for a week if I’d been able to! It seems a little bit of a sketchy drive into the primitive sites, but no one had any problems as far as I know—we certainly didn’t! There’s space for RV camping (I do believe) closer to the entrance of the campground, I saw plenty of people taking a float down-river, and the whole area surrounding the campground is filled with beautiful views of the blue ridge mountains just a short drive away. I’ll definitely be going back.
This campground has a very nice little creek running through it. The people running it are very nice and since it right outside boone nc its very close to shops, restaurants and hiking trails. The only negative thing i can say is the tent sites are a little small and its right off a major road so its a little noisey but that didnt bother us we'll be going back.
We stayed at Honey Bear on the weekend before Halloween. The campground had several family activities like a haunted trail and trick or treating for the kiddos. Our tent site was small and we may have been the only tent at the campground that weekend. Site had a tent pad, picnic table, and fire pit. The staff were fantastic, helpful, and kind. There's a cafe of sorts in the center that has a coffee bar, TV, and tables for playing games on. This is definitely a campground for families-- don't expect to go and have a peaceful, quiet retreat. Downtown Boone is a 10 minute drive and there are many hiking trails around.
I absolutely LOVED this campground! The campsites are at the base of a mountain with tons of great hiking trails within the park. They even had a food truck most days, so you really don't have to leave the campground unless you want to. They are also dog friendly. The location is also within an hour of Asheville and thirty minutes from lots of other great mountain towns. I'd definitely stay here again!
This COE campground is well built and well maintained, and not so old. The windy roads are narrow in many places, with little or no shoulder. There's a wonderful 'in the woods' feel, and some sites are closer together than others. Sites are well graveled and level, with picnic table, fire-ring, and lamp hanging posts. The staff is friendly. Sites have water and electric, but no sewer. There is a dumpsite near the front office. A short drive from campsite is a man-made beach with lake swimming area… very nice.
Loved my stay here with my family and extended family. NC was a perfect place to hold a family reunion. We camped here and 2 other places, and loved every second of it. We did some awesome hikes nearby, and also did some biking. The trails were great, as was the weather. NC is such a great state, and I honestly didnt know how much it had to offer outdoors. We loved staying at this campground, and actually had 4 spots with RVS. They had hookups, and water hookups as well. It was perfect for our large family get together. We used the fire pits they provided and cooked dinner over them. It was a little busy because if the summer months, but it was nice we had an RV. It was a little loud because of how many people there were, but once we got inside our RV we couldnt really hear anyone else. They had a great picnic area that was large enough for our family to have lunch. There was also a playground for the younger kids, and a basketball court as well. 1 bathroom on site, but luckily our RVs had bathrooms so we didnt have to use them. There was an awesome lake nearby that we found a cool rock to do some flips off of!
The campground has everything one needs to enjoy camping. The tent sites are level and great for people with difficulty walking any distance. They have clean and updated restrooms along with a huge outdoor steel sink to your dishes. You are off the Blue Ridge Pkwy but don’t hear the traffic. You are not far from several walking trails, not including the ones in the park, and other attractions. There are stores within a half hour drive for those items you have forgotten. We were able to completely relax while we were there.
A very friendly place for people and pets. A storm was coming in and they called to check our ETA to let us know set up might be critical. Plenty of hiking trails. Activity room being remodeled after a flood. Pool looked nice but it was too early in the season to be open. An activity director is on hand for various programs and hiking recommendations.
This is a beautiful and secluded park in the heart of Appalachia. Beautiful all year round but definitely best for camping in the spring and summer months. Be sure to bring a jacket as the winds can get quite strong
I'd suggest buying wood in town.
The poles sticking out of the ground were there to hang up old-school latterns back in the day.
It gets COLD at night in October even if it's warm during the day.
This park is right on a gorgeous lake. There is a spot within the park to rent kayaks which was great. There is a hiking trail that goes around the lake. There's also a trail that you can access from the park that leads to Hebron Rock Colony which is an incredible hiking trail. The trail follows a river with lots of great swimming holes and the rock colony is incredible. Awesome place to camp! Some sites you can reserve, but others are first come first served.
has restrooms and showers. there is also a camp host that lives on site. beautiful scenery and lots of hiking trials around. my favorite place.
Loved this campground! Great level tent pads, lots of trees for shade, rhododendrons galore! Great trees for Hammock camping!! Only downside was it Poured on us, but the campground doesn't control mother nature! Weather made the hike to Linville Falls nearly unbearable - but the view when we got there . . . AMAZING!!!! Would love to stay here again!
We stayed here one night passing through on our 3 week trip of SHEN NP, Blue Ridge Parkway and Great Smoky Mountains NP. So much was accessible from this location I wish we would have stayed in this area longer! The sites were the perfect size, campground was quiet and not too busy despite it being a Friday night. Will definitely book here again on our next trip through!
