Best Glamping near Walnut Cove, NC

Campground Review:

We stayed in Yurt#4 for 2 nights at Fairy Stone State Park, about a 4 hour drive from where we live. The Yurt overall was very clean and cozy. The outside of the Yurt looks like it needed a powerwashing, but that didn’t really affect us at all, just kind of unsightly. They have a nice large deck that is great for hanging out on while the kids were asleep. The inside of the Yurt has a full size bed with a twin sized trundle bed that rolls under the full. It also had some rocking chairs inside, a small table and chairs, and a couch. We ended up eating and hanging out inside the Yurt or on the deck most of the time. 

There are 4 Yurts to choose from. Two of them (Yurts#1 & 2) do not have a parking spot right in front of them, they are a short walk from a parking area, so I made sure to get one that did since we would be arriving after dark. The Yurt we stayed in was a little weird because the Fire Pit and Picnic table is behind and almost under the yurt, down a decently step slope and the yurt sits on stilts on the back side. The Yurt next to us#3 had the fire pit and table right up front next to the parking spot which would be better I think. I would try to get Yurt#3 next time! Overall Yurt camping is so fun! We have done it once before, and it is such a great mix between cabin and tent camping. You get the protection from the elements, a real bed to sleep in, and it’s quick to pack-up- but still a bit rustic since there’s no ac or electricity. 

There are hiking trails right across the street from the Yurt, which was awesome! The bathrooms and showers were fine and in close walking distance. They could probably use some updating but didn’t have any major issues with them. Overall the campground is pretty big and a bit of a maze getting around, we needed to use the park map a lot! Probably due to the park being so old there are a lot of old buildings not in use that are pretty cool. 

The park is big and there is lots to do! There is a beautiful lake for swimming Tons of hiking trails. They had a great playground for the kids nearby. They had a concert going on somewhere at the park so we had some beautiful orchestral music playing as we were winding down for bed one night. We saw lots of deer roaming around. Note that there is not great cell service in this area. 

The place to find the Fairy Stones are outside of the park, down the street a little bit beside a gas station. It was tricky knowing exactly what to look for, but once we found a few Fairy Stones, they were everywhere! So fun searching for them with the kids! 

It was such a fun trip, very peaceful, beautiful scenery everywhere!

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Product Review:

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time - we tested out the Banner& Oak Men’s Nebo Hat– Olive  

The quality of this hat is great. Nice and thick but breathable fabric, durable construction. We’ve put this hat through the ringer so far with sweaty hikes, long beach and lake days, and everyday wear and tear and it has performed spectacularly. The adjustable snapback makes fitting easy. Has a nice shape, looks great! Love this hat’s patch with well-designed graphics and the neutral olive color– goes with everything. Will definitely purchase again! Also appreciate the fact that the hats are made in the USA! It is my husband’s new go-to daily hat and I think it will last for a long time.

We came here as our second ever camping trip and it wasn’t exactly what we were expecting but it was definitely an adventure. It was beautiful and quiet and relaxing. The only thing we were not happy about is the insane amount of bugs in the bathroom. But, ya know North Carolina summers.

This weekend was a great adventure in SW Virginia. We stayed in a Yurt. It has no electricity or water but the bath house was close. The yurt has a double bed, a twin trundle, a couch and some chairs, and a table and chairs. It also has a large wrap around deck with rocking chairs. A picnic table, lamp post, and fire ring are also provided at the site. We hunted and found fairy stones which made the trip that much more fun. It was just after covid 19 started and lessening restrictions began so the beach was closed and there were few people at the campground but we had a great time riding bikes and hiking. We even went to the Creeper Trail and rode our bikes from White Top to Damascus.

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.

I went back and forth on whether I should give this rating two stars or three. In the end, I chose three stars because the mountain itself is so amazing. Geologically this was great place to visit and the trails were well marked and maintained. Beautiful hike. The campground was beautiful but the facilities were run down and dirty. It had, by far, the nastiest park/campground facilities I’ve seen in Kentucky, North Carolina or Virginia this year. I know this park is mobbed on the weekends, but I checked in on a Tuesday and stayed for two nights. The facilities, including the campground bathhouse and the park’s “comfort stations” were dirty, smelly and had bugs in them. The trash in the bathhouse was not emptied in the two days I was there. There was not a single exterior light to the bathhouse, not even something as reasonable as a motion sensor light that would be more energy efficient than a constant lighting option.
Compared to New River State Park, despite the giant Stone Mountain, this was the bottom of the barrel.

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.

Campground Review - 

We pulled into this campground the long way!  We followed dirt roads through hollers and through cow pastures, passing turkey's and all kinds of creatures along the way!  We learned upon arrival - there is a much easier trek between Floyd VA and Fairy Stone - note to self!  

We started at the camp office and met the kind camp workers.  They were friendly and helped explain the layout and set up of Fairy Stone Park.  About a year ago, this park became half first come first served and half reservation only.  Each site has a yellow or red tag on it - the yellow tags have to be reserved by site number.  The red tags can be walk up sites.  

We met Ron, the camp host immediately.  He was making his way around campsites in his golf cart - as friendly as can be!  The rangers said he was the best camp host they ever had - and they were right!  He was wonderful, kind and helpful.  

We learned about the mysterious "Fairy Stones" and went to the hunt site to see for ourselves.  Sure enough - we found several fairy stones and the kids were very happy!  We came back to the visitor center and learned about the different types of fairy stones and how they form.  There is also a very cool bee hive at the visitor center - check it out!  

We camped at site #5 this time - at the top of the hill because the sky was rather ominous.  We had a bit of daylight and decided NOT to set up because the sky looked looming.  We picked our site though and then hung out at a shelter near the yurts.  The shelter was fantastic!  It was dry and the kids could play games and we cooked dinner and the dog hung out while we waited for the thunderstorm to pass.  Afterwards, we trekked back across the park to the campground and pitched our tent and uncovered our firepit and had a campfire!  

It poured - for hours - but our site stayed dry for the most part.  The tent pads at this campground are excellent and drain well - making that possible!  The fire flies were happy during one of the rain breaks - and the kids were happy in the tent with a light up balloon I found in our camping box!  (Hooray!!  Score one for the adults!) We had a great night sleep listening to the patter of rain on our tent and woke up to beautiful blue sky the next morning.

We went swimming down at the beach in the morning - $3 per person, but free for campers - just bring your pass!  There were beach volleyball courts - a kids water area and a free swimming water area open while we were there.  There was also a diving board off in some deep water - but that was not open this time. 

We would definitely be back to this site - but I recommend stronger bug spray.  We all left with more bites that we usually do camping!  

Side note:  There is an equestrian camp just outside the park gates - see pictures below! 

Product Review:

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to review items.  I got to review Stream2Sea sunscreen while we were at Fairy Stone State Park.  https://stream2sea.com/ Stream2Sea is a mineral sunscreen that is reef safe and does not contain oxybenzone.  We have been using mineral sunscreen for several years and truly prefer it.  There is such a difference when you put it on your skin and you don't feel slimy!  On the other hand - if you use to much, you end up looking like a ghost, or slightly purple! 

We used just a small amount and rubbed it in really well.  Even the bottle is ecofriendly - made from sugar cane instead of plastic!  We were big fans of the company - really supporting what they stand for and glad to help a company that is trying to help protect the environment.  

After a couple hours of beach play - we had no burned faces and only exhausted children to pack into the car.  I am a big fan of the suncreen and love what the company stands for!

We’re only about 30 minutes from Pilot Mountain and it’s always a great little weekend getaway. Camp host is always very helpful and keeps things in order.

This was a nice, standard campground with a trail to the top of the mountain right in the campground loop. Bathrooms could use a good scrub, and the water took a good 5+ minutes to heat up. Overall a nice weekend trip location.

Nice campground, no electric or water at the sites. Rocky, shaded sites, with nice bathrooms and showers.

Only stayed for one night, but will come back here when I have some more time.

Pros, It’s a beautiful place. Easy access to car, good space for tents. Flat tent pads, great shade, super clean facilities. The host is absolutely amazing. Great.

Cons, not great around our fire pit, you can’t really sit around the fire pit because it’s not leveled, chars just fall. Not great if you don’t get a level spot if you have small children. It’s very rocky and small children will fall often. Not fun as a parent. A big con if you absolutely cannot deal with spiders. Ok. So this one might be a bit dramatic to some, however, if you don’t love bugs, be warned that there are hundreds of daddy long legs, just so so so many. And they get everywhere. We don’t mind bugs. We understand camping in tents will be bug heaven. We just didn’t expect to see hundreds. You have been warned. Site 14

Impressive small campground with clean and well appointed sites. The elevated fire pits are level and easy to use for cooking or just a campfire. Bathrooms are clean and functional. Personal highlights was the view in late fall and the close proximity to the hiking trails up Pilot Mtn. Tent pad was level and large. Good bouldering and climbing Parking at Sites 23,25,26 is pretty level for a truck or camper van

I stayed on the “not great for kids” side. Camp host said the other part of the park was better for families and had easier trail inclines. I loved my spot. It was quieter than I expected given how close the camp sites were to each other.

I have hiked almost all the trails at Pilot Mountain, except for the corridor. The That's my main reason for going there. The The perimeter trails are great, not too crowded. The ones closer into Pilot Mountain itself get way too crowded. For me the campground is a little too open and close packed. There's not much to keep you from your neighbors and it's too close to a road. But it's a nice place for families if you want to take your kids hiking and also have them close to a restroom.

On highway 52 for 30 miles you can see the top of Pilot Mountain sticking out like a sore thumb. When you enter into Pilot Mountain State Park you will find everything is on the side of the mountain. The campsites are located on the bottom side of the mountain. This campsite has two bath houses. The campsites are rustic and have a nice grated fire pit and a concrete pad for pitching your tent. With all of the big rocks and boulders scattered every few feet it is necessary to have a pad for your tent. You are surrounded by trees and have as much shade as you need. There are several hiking trails to get to the summit of Pilot Mtn. Though you can drive to the summit parking lot where there are bathrooms and a handful of breathtaking views of Pilot mtn and the valleys below. You can also hike a little farther and actually go on top of the butte of pilot mtn where there is a stone step carved trail. The place is wild and breathtaking with a lot of history going back into the 1700's. Most people will know the name Pilot mtn from the T.v show "Andy Griffith", though in the show the it was called mt. Pilot. This place is a great place to go to for a day hike and overnight-er before venturing off to another campground destination. Highly recommended!!!

We kayaked along the Yadkin River and camped at one of the canoe campsites. There was very little anemities at these particular sites but that was the point of our visit. Great trails for hiking and beautiful views of the piedmont from the top of the knob.

Awesome places to hike and places to climb

I've been here several times, and it's one of my favorite places for toprope climbing in the area. If you're not a climber, the views are still worth the drive. While here, be sure to visit nearby Mt. Airy for some old school Andy Griffith sightseeing.

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.

Stayed here while working in the area. Very quiet and beautiful right by the mountain top

Easy access we took our 3 and 4 year olds around the mountain where which were very kid friendly and the views were wonderful. Fun for the whole family

Pilot Mountain is great small campround in Pinnacle NC. It has great hiking trails and you can even hike around the knob its highest point. there is only one electric site in the campground. the bathrooms are clean and the camp host are really nice. the rangers also patrol the park every few hours. lf they had more electic site i’d give 5 stars but overall a great getaway

Monday, May 7, 2018- We were headed north and used PMSP as a overnight rest. We had a reservation that was not needed, the campground was 80% empty. Some of the driveways are not very flat and some are quite short so be careful which one you reserve. The views are awesome on a clear day. The leaves were just coming out, the campground would be very shady in a few more days. It is a very rocky area so be careful walking to the bathroom at night. The faciities were old but clean and shower was hot. Hope to visit again this fall.

Simple camping area near the lower elevations with clean bathrooms and firewood available. Parking is sorta limited so getting there early is definitely recommended but the trails are great for all levels of experience. They also have a look out that you can drive to up near the top of the mountain

We had a great visit at this campground.The host were great when we were there. The bathrooms could use a facelift but they were clean.Its a great place to go hiking!!