Campground near Estuaries and the Beach--a Photographer's Dream
My wife and I stayed at this campground many years ago, and when I came this time, the changes were mind blowing. The first time, it was rustic with high grass, a dirt entry road, and most campers were in tents. This time, the landscaping was well manicured, there were paved roads throughout, and most campers were in RVs. Wow!!!! What an upgrade! However, I had a tent and I felt out of place. I guess I was expecting a campground more like federal campgrounds I have been to in the past where there is more privacy and space between the campsites. With that said, the tent was on grass and there were no hookups. Essentially, it was a grassy, level place to pitch a tent. The one redeeming factor was that it was close to the bath house. The facilities were fairly new. For example, the bath house looked as if it had been built recently, and the concrete looked fresh. Inside, there are individual showers separate from the toilets. Both are modern and something I am not used to seeing except at privately owned campgrounds. The main attraction here is the Cedar Point Tideland Trail which takes you through the estuaries close to the ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. This area is a photographer’s dream, especially if you like photographing the native habitat and creatures. I was able to get photos of birds, soft shell crabs, and closeup photos of dragonflies. The estuary itself is worth taking pictures of, especially at sunset. Another attraction is its proximity to Emerald Isle and the ocean, which is about two to three miles away. If you are a kayaker like I am, or a boater, there is access to the White Oak River by way of a boat launch. Personally, I had rather be in a more remote wilderness type area, but I understand that some people love this type of closeness to their neighbors and the modern facilities. Don’t get me wrong. All you have to do is drive a few hundred yards, and you will be in a wilderness type area(the Tideland Trail). Overall, this is a great little campground for RVs(and tents if you spend most of your time exploring the Tideland Trail and surrounding areas), and I highly recommend it… IF you can get a spot. All of the sites are by reservation only except for five first come/first serve spots.