Best Glamping near Wake Forest, NC

Tucked away in the lush, verdant forests north of Raleigh, here at Bullocksville Park, you’ll discover camping and cabin grounds that are just a short hike from the nearby Lake Kerr, but far enough away from any roadside noisy traffic. 

This is a complete natural respite that is incredibly quiet(save the roar of noise from nature!). The grounds themselves are laid out superbly, from 3-4 independent campground sites(in fact, some are across the road from whence you arrived) with blended options for both RV’s and real campers who use tents. 

There are a number of amenities and diversions, such as boat ramps for motored-boats, kayaking, canoeing, as well as playgrounds for the kiddos, a big gathering hall that can be rented, several picnic areas and shelters along with countless hiking trails. For anyone visiting North Carolina or for nearby residents who just want to get away from the concrete jungle, then Bullocksville Park is definitely worth a look. 

I will end on this point - I have not come across any such amazing camping gem in all of North Carolina than this splendid campground at Bullocksville.  You'll be lucky (and hopefully very grateful) for getting a piece of land here in front of this gorgeous lake if you book well in advance.

Happy Camping!

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!

This is a new and clean campground. Very nice rangers monitor the campground and are extremely helpful. Each site is large and well spaced out from other campers. Most RV sites are gravel with a fire pit, picnic table and a gravel tent pad beside it. The bathhouse was clean and well maintained. Their RV sites are full hookup which is great for a state park. Water pressure was excellent. Primitive tent sites and cabins were available. The campground is walking distance to Raven Rock trails and you get a free walk up pass to get in. We had a very good time and will definitely go back.

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.

This was our first time staying in a yurt and we loved it! 

Its like tent camping except you get to sleep in a bed. We stayed in September so the fact that there is no AC or electricity in the yurt was not an issue because the weather was moderate. Yurt 1 is a bit of a walk to the bathrooms, that is the only negative thing I can think of. The beds were comfortable. You have to bring your own sheets and pillows.  There is also a small table and chairs inside the yurt. Loved that there was no tent to pack up when it was time to leave! There  was a fire ring and picnic table outside as well as a large deck around the yurt with two rocking chairs. Driving around the campground, there are some fantastic waterfront sites in the same loop as the yurts that we'd love to come back and stay at! They have great views of Buggs Island Lake.

We did some hiking while we were there but there are not a ton of trails. We spent most of our free time at the splash pad. The kids loved that! 

Overall this is a great little park! I only gave it 4 stars because there's not a ton to do.

Beautiful location with lots of varied sites. Some are more wooded, some have beautiful water views, all have water and electric, and some have sewage, pump out service is available. Fire wood delivery from Thumper is incredible. People are extremely nice, and we made lots of friends. A beautiful lake, perfect for fishing, tubing, wakeboarding… Has laundry, but machines weren’t great. I was a little worried about the first come/first serve site assignments, but it works out really well being able to choose your site. Highly recommend for singles, couples, and families with children. We brought our boat and the ramp is a bit steep, but the slips were great. Such a fun lake to explore.

Starting at $30/night for a camping lot. I came here with a 25 foot shuttle bus. There are people here with deluxe buses, car+tent campers and everything in between. I reserved it through their website. They offer a small discount for senior citizens and military. Bathroom facilities with hot showers located near every loop. Swimming areas at certain places around the lake. Kayaking and boat access also. Great restaurants and gas stations near by. Biking and hiking options. Fire pits and picnic tables. Firewood is $5/bundle. I'd definitely stay here again. Cozy camping spot.