Grapevine

Sites are spread out, nice river nearby. Entrance road can get a bit slick after heavy rains…

I love camping here. Most sites are by the creek. And they are far enough away from each other you really feel at one with nature. There’s even a bathroom near by.

Giving a campground a rating solely based on amenities is unjust. Some people want all the amenities. Some want solitude. Based on what I want, I would give this campground at least four or five stars. However, it does not have drinking water, flushable toilets, electricity, wifi, sewer hookups, a swimming pool, or any of those other amenities. What it DOES have is solitude and a peaceful co-existence with nature. It is beside the Chatooga River and you can hear the peaceful sounds of water all night long. 

The site I stayed at had a fire pit and a lantern hanger. A pit toilet and bear-proof trash receptacles were close by. Although there was some trash on the ground, there was not as much as I have seen at some other primitive camping areas. Maybe the reason is because you have to drive 2.3 miles down a curvy, bumpy, hilly forest road. You could probably drive an RV or pull a travel trailer to this campground, but it is not recommended. One thing that surprised me was that there were handicapped signs for access to the river, so I guess you could consider the campsites to be handicap accessible… maybe. 

The campsite itself was level. There were other campsites that were also level, but with the rain, you will have to negotiate big puddles. The pit toilet is cleaned on a regular basis. I know this because there was a checklist on the door of the toilet. 

I do recommend this campground because it is well maintained for a primitive area and it is peaceful.