Best Glamping near Cleveland, VA

This is the first time I have stayed in a yurt, and it was definitely a learning experience. First of all, it is a cross between a tent and a cabin, and it has no electricity, bathroom, or running water. This was not so bad since the campground bath house was only a couple of hundred feet away. However, the temperatures were in the lower 90s outside, and once we walked inside the yurt, it was like walking into an oven. The temperature had to be somewhere around 110 degrees inside. Immediately after opening the door, opening the window and opening the canvas window coverings, we could feel the heat pouring out of the yurt. Fortunately, I had two 100-foot extension cords and a fan in our car. I plugged into the closest campsite and ran the cord to the yurt. There is no way we could have stayed in the yurt without the fan, so if you decide to stay in a yurt at this park during the summer, make sure to take extension cords and at least one fan. One thing that my wife and I found strange was that there were handrails along the three steps to the deck around the yurt, but there were no handrails beside the rougher steps leading to the yurt. Once we got the yurt cooled off to a decent temperature(high 70s), it wasn’t too bad. It had a queen bed and a trundle bed, which our grandson stayed on. A couch, side tables, and a dining table was also inside. The overall appearance inside the yurt was pleasant, and there was a picnic table and rocking chairs on the outside on the deck. There was also a fire pit, another picnic table, and a lantern hanger included with this yurt on the ground outside of the deck area. You will have to take your own linens for the beds—a queen and a single. There are two campgrounds in this state park, and each one is quite different. The Lover’s Leap campground has space for larger RVs and appears to be the newer of the two campgrounds. Although there are playgrounds, a swimming complex, an amphitheater, and much more, some of these venues are closed for the season due to the pandemic. The one thing I was really looking forward to(the chairlift) is only open on weekends. However, we were able to hike a couple of trails and see the natural tunnel. There are also cabins in the campground and they have a variety of sleeping arrangements of up to sixteen people in one cabin. The historical background of the state park is varied and extensive, so there are a lot of things to see within the park and surrounding the park. My wife and I decided we really want to come back and camp here again when we have more time. Overall, the campground has a lot of opportunities for different types of camping, and a lot to do, but if you stay in a yurt, be prepared.

Hungry Mother State Park, Royal Oak Campground, Marion VA...site 3. https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/hungry-mother

Campground Overview: Located outside of Marion VA

Hungry Mother State Park is somewhat split up and fragmented on either side of a local highway and the first campground is distanced from the other two. So a little different than most parks but not necessarily a negative.

The Visitor’s Center is on the left after the first campground (Camp Burson) and across the roadway from the reservoir and beach area. The remaining two campground loops are past the beach area...one to the right along a feeder stream (Creekside Campground) and opposite that is the third loop (Royal Oak Campground) on the side of a hill with wooden platforms for tents.

I was hoping to paddle this meandering reservoir but it was being drained for bridge work...so it was six feet or so lower than normal. Even the migrating geese weren’t too happy about it, as they waddled around on the mud.

During the peak of the summer season, it appears that it would be very popular with s nice swimming beach, paddlecraft rentals, cabin rentals, conference center, ample covered picnic pavilions and both paved and dirt trails.

I stayed on site 3 in Royal Oak Campground, pitching the tent on a 20’x20’ leveled wooden platform. Several pros and cons to elevated platforms.

Pros: It’s level and large enough for any tent I’ve ever seen. Water drains pretty decent between wood decking, so no pooling. D-ring lashing points were attached to the decking to assist in securing tent or rainfly.

Cons: When the cold wind blows, it’s hard to retain heat in the tent...360 cold. While there are D-ring lashing points, they don’t accommodate every tent of rainfly. Previous knucklehead campers drill Tapcon screws or nails in the wood decking and rails to secure their tent...then leave them there so everyone else snags or rips their tent on them.

It rained for 12 hours straight with cold, high winds...so it was a bit chilly, but still enjoyable.

What I enjoyed: deer wandering through the grounds, the Molly’s Knob Trail and Vista Summit,

The ugly: the lake (reservoir) was drained. Heaters weren’t on in the shower rooms...37 degree showering gets tricky.

First off - if you are driving an RV or travel trailer up here - know what you are getting yourself into. The drive up here is challenging and only recommended from the East. It is not for the faint of heart or amateur driver. Do your research and drive only in the daylight. 

Past that.... GHSP has two campgrounds - Chesnut Hollow and Hickory Ridge.  HR is the main campground with store and some led programs (you can reserve sites on Reserve America) and CH has adjacent stables and is more of an overflow campground (reserve non-site specific).  We stayed at CH in a 34 foot travel trailer. The sites are close together and some are smaller than others. If you are traveling during the busy summer season, get here early to have to best pick of sites.  Because we stayed in mid-May, it was not busy and we really liked the campground. Electric and water hook-up only, but the bathhouse was nice and clean with a dishwashing station. You could hike (0.8 miles) or drive up to Massey Gap where it was just a short hike up to the ponies. There was no wifi or cell signal, but if you drove up to the Visitor Center you could sit on the rocking chairs and get some signal.  The ponies are beautiful, but please use common sense. Do not approach them, let them come to you, and avoid the stallion (he will protect himself and his herd with kicks). 

We stayed here during Trail Days in Damascus. An hour drive but doable. There is a convience store with some groceries about 15 minutes away from the park. Be prepared otherwise. You are isolated. But that's why you come here. It is beautifully rugged. Would stay again and recommend to others.

Hungry Mother State Park, just a short drive off I-81 in southwestern Virginia, is an easily accessible gem offering modern cabins, yurts, and campgrounds equipped for tents or RVs, with limitless activities.

We stayed in one of the cabins after Hurricane Michael rained out our plans for tent camping. This was our first time in one of the VSP cabins, and will not be our last. There are three types of cabins; log exteriors, part of the original Civilian Conservation Corps structures; wooden frame cabins with wooden interiors, and cinderblock exteriors with tile floors. Cabins range from economy to three bedroom, and all have a kitchen with microwave, stove, and refrigerator/freezer, a bathroom with a shower, and a fireplace, as well as heating and air conditioning. Most cabins also have covered porches, exterior picnic tables, and exterior fire rings.

The Creekside Campground loop has water and electric hookups, picnic tables, and fire rings. The layout is similar to most water/electric sites in state and national parks in Virginia; not much privacy between the sites, but fairly shaded, and a quiet atmosphere. This loop is true to its name, and right on the creek running through the park. We were there during the rains from Hurricane Michael and the creek was running so high that sites 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, and 19 looked like they were in danger of flooding.

The Royal Oak campground has platforms for tents set into the mountain rather than dirt or gravel tent pads, however as there are hooks in each of the pads to anchor your tent they can only accommodate tents with a 20x20 footprint. These sites have picnic tables and fire rings on the dirt beside the platforms. The two VSP Yurts at Hungry Mother are in the Royal Oak loop, along the entrance that are set up from the road. This loop overall offers a lot more privacy for each site that I have typically seen in state parks due to the platforms, though you will still see/hear your neighbors. Both camping loops have bathrooms with electricity, flush toilets, and showers with warm water.

Amenities in the park include a lake with a swimming area, boat/canoe rentals, fishing (with license), a restaurant, hiking, biking, and ranger programs. The park office also has several cool displays of local wildlife and history of the area, as well as backpacks you can check out with books and gear for tree, wildflower, and animal identification. Hiking varies from short and easy trails with minimal elevation gain, to the difficult Molly’s Knob trail with one of the most epic sunset views I’ve ever hiked in Virginia.

I love Virginia State Parks, and this is definitely a new favorite. I’m skeptical of the comfort of the wooden platforms for future tent camping trips, but the cabins will definitely be a future stay for us, particularly during the winter months, and there is so much to do in this park even the most reluctant adventurer will find fun.

**Product Review **

As as Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time — on this trip I tested the RōM pack, from RōM Outdoors.

I was skeptical about this pack when I first received it—it felt extremely heavy for a day pack, particularly as it doesn’t have a hip belt, and while I was impressed with the removable pockets, it didn’t seem like the pack itself had a lot of cargo capacity.

After using this pack on our trip, I am a convert. We used it to pack clothes for my husband and I, knowing we would be able to leave our clothes at camp when we went hiking. This freed up space in the car that would normally go to a larger backpack, and we got to take advantage of the pack’s ability to convert to both a poncho and a blanket, not just for review purposes, but out of necessity.

The poncho’s rain resistance held up well, considering we were hiking in the outer bands of a hurricane. The first hike we took this on we started in the rain, and my husband wore the poncho—he stayed dry for the first half mile of our hike, but by end of our mile the water had started leaking through so he did get a little wet—though mostly around the the seams/openings. On our second hike he wore it as a backpack. Because it was raining when we set out and we anticipated needing the poncho feature again, we elected not to bring the detachable pockets, but the interior of the pack was enough to hold our 5 year old’s day pack once she got tired of carrying it.

It stopped raining by the time we got to the summit of our hike, and we tested the blanket feature of the pack for a picnic. It unfolds to a size that was perfect for our family of four. The canvas is thick enough to make a great picnic blanket—it protects from damp ground and sharp rocks, and the lining makes for a very soft surface to sit on. On the way back I took advantage of the poncho. By this point it had gotten extremely windy and was getting dark quickly, and the poncho was excellent at keeping me warm. It’s very heavy, which was welcome in the strong wind, though it did make it hard to hear with the hood over my ears.

Pros to this pack:

-Versatility. In one trip we used the backpack, poncho, and blanket feature, and were grateful for all three.

-Durability. This is definitely a well-constructed pack, with heavy materials that seem like they will last for a long time.

-User-friendly. The pack looks intimidating at first, but it unfolds/folds from pack to poncho/blanket very easily. Combined with the drawstring inner pack and detachable pockets it’s easy to convert while still keeping track of your gear.

Cons to this pack:

-Space. This is great to bring on a camping trip where you can bring additional packs/bags for your gear, but it doesn’t hold much on its own.

-Weight. It only weighs in at 4.6lbs, which is less than a lot of backpacking packs, but as the pack doesn’t have the hip belt it’s a high starting weight.

-Thin straps. The width of the straps is comfortable, but they could use a little more padding.

This park is located about 15 minutes off I-81 just south of the VA/TN border, making it extremely convenient, and a great place to stop for anyone traveling that stretch of the country.

There are a total of 134 campsites. 94 are available year round and have electric/water hookups, and the remaining 40 sites are in an overflow section that is only open from Memorial Day-Labor Day. The overflow sites do not have electric or water hookups, and accommodate trailers up to 60 feet (site 106 only; all others sites can only fit smaller RVs). The sites open year round are primarily used for RV camping, accommodating trailers up to 40'. Sites have asphalt driveways and are otherwise gravel, with picnic tables, grills, and fire rings. Sites 94, 73, 57, and 28 are ADA accessible, and site 90 has a pull-off parking spot with the campsite set down from the road (this is an excellent tent site!). Most sites are very shady, and sites on the northern side have a view of the lake from late fall to early spring. The bathrooms have electricity and running water, are single stall and include a shower, and are some of the cleanest campground bathrooms I have ever experienced. And since we were there in late March and it was still fairly chilly, we appreciated the space heaters!

Amenities at this campground include hiking, fishing, boat rental, golf, disc golf, a swimming pool, and the best playground I have ever seen--this campground is worth it for the playground! It is huge, has an interactive story trail based on "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe," a creek that runs through it, and the best part is that it is universally accessible, so children of all abilities can enjoy the park (sensory-friendly areas, and all signs include brail!). There is also a concession stand at the boat house, and two miles of trails are horse-friendly.

My only complaint about this campground is, given the proximity to the town of Kingsport and I-81, there are still a lot of civilization noises at night. This should not be an issue if you are in an RV, but for tent-campers you will still be able to hear distant traffic while falling asleep, instead of just the sounds of nature. But while we may not choose this as a place to "get away from it all," as frequent travelers between eastern TN and central VA, this campground is a perfect place to stop, and beats a hotel any day!

Kingdom Come State Park is a little jewel in southeastern Kentucky! There are 6 tent sites (7 if they allow you to reserve the one next to the duck pond), each with a gravel drive, mulch tent pad big enough for two smallish tents, fire ring, and picnic table. The nearby shelter house provides restrooms and trash cans. The local ranger was most helpful in providing firewood (free!) and offering to bring us water to wash up with or for drinking (there is a water fountain across from the CG, but it wasn't turned on and there is running water in the restrooms). The area is known for bear activity, but we saw none. The surrounding mountains provide many short hikes that can be easily strung together to make for a longer trek if desired. We look forward to camping there again!

Campground Review:

Located in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area of SW Virginia, the Gindstone Campground is tucked away midway up the mountain.

Grindstone Campground consists of three site loops, named Opossum, Raccoon and Groundhog...100 sites in all. Being early spring, the campground officially just opened and we were one of four campers in the entire campground. Gotta love shoulder season midweek!

We chose site 92, a tent specific site with no electric or water. The tent pad was level and is constructed of finer gravel/crushed limestone, so ground cloths or tent footprints are a must. The site was spacious and most of it was the finer gravel so no mud was present even with the persistent rains. The fire pit was about 20 feet from the tent pad, which I appreciate...blowing embers are always a concern. Picnic tables are made from thick lumber and stationary...but level. One metal pole, is cemented between the fire pit and picnic table (with double sided hooks, convenient for hanging a trash bag or lantern).

All the bath houses are centrally located in each loop and consist of one shower, a sink and flush toilet. They are clean and functional. Water spigots are also centrally located in the tent specific loop (the other two loops have water spigots and electrical at each site).

The campground has a day use parking (fee required), which I was informed that hikers use it to summit of Mount Rogers and parts of the AT.

Numerous mountain springs meander down through the campground and adjoining trails, so water is available while hiking with a filter.

Our site was perfect and secluded in early spring, during the week...but might be a bit noisy during season as the sand volleyball court was located a hundred feet up the slope...along with a basketball hoop and small playground for the kids. There is also a man-made wading reservoir area from Whispering Waters (a larger mountain stream). The Whispering Waters trail is a pleasant 1 mile trail on the mountainside that crosses over the stream several times via wooden foot bridges. The trail is clearly marked and numerous markers exist along the trail, ending at the top of the ampitheater. The white noise of the gurgling brook drowned out all other noise.

The Mount Rogers trail is 7 miles to the summit, with switchbacks the entire length. Two and a half miles from the campground road, the trail intersects with the AT for the remainder to the summit (5,729 ft elevation). The trail is easy to follow but did have a bit of deadfall to climb over and around. If you decide to summit Mount Rogers plan on at least 8 hours roundtrip. Most take at least two days, staying at either one of the campsite or shelter areas. The winds were very strong during our stay, with powerful gusts. Being late April/early May at elevation, the leaves had not yet popped but tree tops still swayed crazily dropping branches small and large (firewood gathering was plentiful). Rain constantly moved in and out.

Campground hosts (one couple for each loop) were very friendly and informative...working nonstop to make the campground clean.

A larger stream, located across the roadway from the campground, looked to afford some good trout fishing, along with great falling cascade photo ops.

Product Review

As a review Ranger for TheDyrt, I am honored occasionally to test and evaluate products. At this campground, I tested the [Klymit Insulated Static V Luxe](http://Klymit Insulated Static V Luxe) sleeping pad.

For the past year I have been searching for a more comfortable inflatable pad for backpacking/paddling/car camping. So when the opportunity presented itself to test the Klymit Inuslated Static V Luxe sleeping pad I didn't hesitate, as it was high on my list.

I am of average height and weight (6/185), but deal with a permanent severe low back injury...so comfort is imperative. Klymit website claims of 3" thick and 30" wide, along with the comfort of side sleeping attracted my interest.

Upon arrival, I inflated and measured the pad against the website specs...right on the money 76"x30"x3." It took me 20 deep puffs to inflate the pad for the first time, which was in line to the website's claim of 20-30.

In truth, I have now used the Klymit Insulated Static V Luxe in 9 states, at 14 campgrounds for the past 50 days. Temperatures range from mid 20's to mid 80's, from dry cold conditions to steamy hot conditions. I possess no scientific way to gauge the 4.4 insulating R factor, but I can tell you that I slept directly on the bare pad in the mid 20's with my down bag unzipped and draped over me like a quilt...and I was cozy.

In the fine art of inflatable pad pressure, I preferred my pad at 19 deep puffs. Obviously, it is infinitesimally adjustable. With 2 valves, your tentmate can assist you with inflation, under duress or persuasion. Those two valves also make quick work of deflation. Quick one minute video on deflating: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RBBzNvUw98&authuser=0

Klymit's claim is accurate...I slept comfortably on either side...on my back...and miraculously, on my stomach (not one of their claims). The 30 inch width permits tossing and turning without disturbing your tentmate. The Klymit Insulated Static V Luxe was so highly coveted, to keep family peace, I purchased two more. Keep this 30 inch width in mind, because I did not. Consider your tent dimensions...I did not. Fortunately, my 3 person tent is 60 inches wide and two Klymit Insulated Static V Luxe pads take up every inch of real estate in our tent, rendering it a 2 person tent very quickly.

The "V" chambers do several things. They do limit air movement internally which adds support and comfort. They also permit some airflow in the space between the "V's" so I never got sweaty nor stuck to my pad while sleeping in direct contact with it. I also found benefit with my heels resting deep between the air baffles, which took the stress off my knees.

The fabric is 75D polyester which I found soft against my skin, and had just enough profile to prevent me from sliding off the pad when we pitched on angled terrain. I also believe the Klymit Insulated Static V Luxe material was quieter than competitors pads, not having that "crinkly paper" sound or feel.

Deflation is rapid. Less than a minute to deflate and roll it up. It easily slides back into its stuff sack, which has a bonus pocket with a provided patch kit. I estimate the stuff size like that of a football and at 2.1 lbs. plenty light enough for me. I am no Ultra Light hiker, but if I was...I still wouldn't skimp on my sleeping pad. I'm looking forward to many years of comfort and service from our Klymit Insulated Static V Luxe sleeping pads!

My only wish, that it would inflate itself...which exposes my inherent laziness. Other than that, it is a coveted addition to my equipment.