Best Tent Camping near Red Oak, VA

Recent Tent Reviews in Red Oak

346 Reviews of 6 Red Oak Campgrounds

• 

  Chris K.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 17, 2024

  Holly Point — Falls Lake State Recreation Area

  Beeautiful and perfect for water-loving pets

  My dog Indy and I spent a night here just to try it out and it was the perfect spot. The site is #64 and there's water access right next to the pad. We will definitely be back.

• B

  Blair G.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 23, 2024

  North Bend Park

  Nice Lake Campground

  Weather was perfect for near the end of August. I camped in loop A. Many of the sites in A are not very level for vans. A23 was okay, but I would check the site description next time to be sure.

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 1, 2024

  Shinleaf — Falls Lake State Recreation Area

  Small Hidden Gem in Falls Lake SRA

  If you find yourself in the hustle and bustle of nearby Raleigh and are looking to get away from the crowds and pavement in exchange for some nice shaded nature, hiking trails and calm, peace& quiet that only nature can offer, then make your way here to Shinleaf@ Falls Lake SRA. You’ll discover all of the basics are provided– from picnic table, fold-up fire ring/ grill, bear-proof garbage hanger and a nice pebble-strewn patch of well-maintained flat pitch, perfect for striking camp for the night in your tent amongst the best of what nature has to offer along with pristine shade from an unrelenting bit of summer North Carolina sunshine.

  The only real down-side I could find to Shinleaf is that there’s not a whole lot of brush between the campsites so you will be exposed to neighboring sites, which wasn’t a problem when we visited as the place was fairly vacant, but during high season, I could see how this would be a bit of a turn-off. The on-site facilities(limited to just bathrooms& showers) are typically better than you’d expect from a state-run campground, and so this spot gets high marks versus some others– and there’s even a designated‘pot wash’ spigot that is near the campsites making for EZ clean up after any meal. 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.

  Insider's tips? Here's a few: (1) If you like to fish, there's tons of different varieties here to catch, including: walleye, crappie, white bass, large- and small-mouth bass, blue gill, striped bass as well as catfish; (2) There is no need to go anywhere else to look for a boat launch as Shinleaf has its very own kayak/ canoe launch that is fantastic and located on the eastern side of the property; (3) If you are looking for some really cool outdoors adventures while in these parts, check out Go Ape Zipline and Adventure Park that offers treetop rope trails and adventure courses - our kiddos loved it!; (4) When you grow tired of attempting to conjure up your next meal from the depths of your roto-molded Cordova cooler and want to try out some local fare, then I highly recommend nearby Carolina Ale House in Wake Forest or Buffalo Brothers Restaurant & Bar - both have fantastic local cuisine and nice iced area craft beers to pair with; and (5) IMHO, the best campsites here at Shinleaf are: #6, #14, #16-17; #30-33; #37-39; #40; #42-43; #45-47.

  Happy Camping!

• 

  Martin T.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 20, 2024

  Occoneechee State Park Campground

  Very Nice Lakefront Camping

  Spent 4 nights here (during a heat wave, no less) and really enjoyed it. Campsites are large and not right on top of each other, and especially if you can book one of the campsites that are on the water, they really do have beautiful views (see pictures).

  Pros: 

  Kid-friendly. We spent an afternoon at the splash pad, which is a great way to cool off in the summer and free once you're in the park. I never felt unsafe with my kids running around up to the bath-house or the loop, felt very secluded and safe.

  Lake is scenic, we saw fireflies at dusk, it was a great setting for a camping trip.

  Everything seems pretty well-maintained. Bathrooms are aging but were cleaned at least once a day, it was fine. There is firewood at every bathhouse you can take on the honor system and pay for via cashbox, which is nice. Campsites are clean and well-maintained.

  Lots of lake recreation options (boat rental, fishing, etc.) in or near the park. 

  Cons:

  Maybe it was just our campsite, which backed up to a large wooded area, but they were the most aggressive squirrels I've ever come across. If we went to the bathroom for five minutes and left food on the table, the squirrels would be there eating it when we came back. And would hover at the edge of the campsite or get into the car if the hatchback was open.

  Camp store is....fine, pretty minimal in terms of provisions. But not a big deal because Clarksville is five minutes or so away and has plenty of stores.

  Tents pads are all gravel. Didn't bother us but definitely would not want to tent camp here if you didn't have a good high-quality sleeping pad.

  The biggest con was that there is no swimming area/beach in the park. You can try to wade in from the campsite but that generally requires scaling up/down some fairly treacherous rocks, and navigating driftwood and rocks in the water. We drove a few minutes away outside the park to find one, but would be really nice to have some kind of little swimming area inside the park, very strange to me they don't have one.

  But all in all a lovely place for a camping trip, we all had a great time.

• 

  Jessica N.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 8, 2024

  North Bend Park

  The best on Kerr/Buggs island lake

  The sites at North bend are far superior than other campgrounds in the area. The shower houses and bathrooms are always clean and taken care of. Sites in B and C are the best.

• T

  Terry S.

  Traveler

  

  May. 25, 2024

  J.C. Cooper — Kerr Lake State Recreation Area

  Peaceful with beautiful sunsets on the lake.

  We camped overnight making our way south.  There are a number of sites right on the lakefront, so snag one of those if you can!  Many of the sites offer good flat terrain, and electric hook-ups are available at many sites.  Nice, shady and quiet, the campground is very clean.  Pretty convenient to I-85.  Be sure to go out near sunset to see the beautiful reflections in the lake waters!  We will be back!

• J

  Joseph H.

  Traveler

  

  May. 19, 2024

  Lake Gaston Americamps

  Nice and relaxing

  Overall a great place! I tent camped and it’s really nice being right on the water. Nice to fish right from your campsite. Staff is friendly and the store was nice for last minute things. Bath houses were nice and clean but are definitely a decent uphill walk away.

• T

  Travis W.

  Traveler

  

  May. 19, 2024

  Twin Lakes State Park Campground

  Small, quiet place with good service

  Bike packed in from my house yesterday evening, camped for the night, and heading back this morning. Shower/toilet facilities are clean, good water/power, etc. This park isn’t bad for just chilling out and getting some nature time in, but there aren’t any breathtaking views and so on. Most campsites are on a very slight slope, shouldn’t have any issues if you set up right.

• L

  Lisa D.

  Traveler

  

  May. 15, 2024

  Kimball Point — Kerr Lake State Recreation Area

  Beautiful Peaceful

  Nice campground. Nice people/hosts. Bathroom not so much. Long backup to get to the site. Hookups on wrong side. But lots of beautiful sites. Mostly all waterfront. E/W

• S

  Sarah

  Traveler

  

  Apr. 27, 2024

  Nutbush Bridge — Kerr Lake State Recreation Area

  Site 23. Lakefront. Kind of small

  The site is directly on the lake. Mere steps from your door. Beautiful view on the adjacent shoreline and bridge. Rocky shoreline. Easy to back in. I only have 2 complaints. The proximity of neighbors. The only thing separating you from site 24 is the tent pad. And the site length listed is a little misleading. It says 40 feet which I assume is true. But we fit our 27 foot travel trailer in there and had a really hard time wedging our tow vehicle (F250) in there. Parked at an odd angle on the tent pad. Wouldn’t choose this site again but definitely recommend for a smaller trailer.

• 

  S H.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 1, 2024

  Butner lake WMA

  terrific spot to pull up for a night

  first time doing any type of dispersed camping but it was really easy to find, just off the road in the woods, just follow the coordinates and its a lil past, look for the signs, with lil sites to pull my car up to deeper in the woods, though you can still see the headlights coming from the road.

  I'm not a hunter but no one else was there and I pulled up at 10pm and left 6am on the first day of open season.

• 

  Margarita H.

  Traveler

  

  Mar. 31, 2024

  Kerr Lake State Recreation Area Kimball Point

  Beautiful and clean!

  We camped here at the end of March ( Easter Weekend ) and it was wonderful. The sites are spread out and not on top of each other. The restrooms were immaculate and the staff was courteous.

• 

  Melinda J.

  Guide

  

  Mar. 16, 2024

  Holly Point — Falls Lake State Recreation Area

  Clean and spacious

  We camped out the first night the campground was open for the season. They were performing controlled burns but nothing bothered us. Sure, we heard the planes overhead but it didn’t keep us up. We tent camped at an RV site just for some extra comfort with the water and power. Bathhouses were super clean. And we were a short walk to the lake to fish and hang out near the water. Absolutely will come back

• 

  adam B.

  Guide

  

  Feb. 20, 2024

  Paradise Lake & Campground

  Neat, tucked away and quiet

  This place is relatively small, but surrounds a small lake. Sites are close together, but everyone is respectful. Bathrooms leave something to be desired, and there is no family bathroom, but otherwise decent and the water is hot. With a little work this place could be great.

• 

  Robert G.

  Guide

  

  Jan. 15, 2024

  Rolling View — Falls Lake State Recreation Area

  Winter

  Wet

• 

  adam B.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 29, 2023

  Mayo Lake Park

  Great RV sites, lots to do.

  Rv sites are really nice and not on top of each other. Some are close to the water. Lots of clearly marked hiking trails, 3 playgrounds, Frisbee golf and horshoe pits. Really preety and lots of boat docks. Staff are super nice. The only negative is the state of the showers and bathrooms. They are in need of a lot of repair. Heater in the showers and bathrooms didn't work. Water was hot though. Overall, this place is really good for the price. With good restrooms, this place easily be double the nightly rate.

• 

  terri L.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 18, 2023

  Bullocksville — Kerr Lake State Recreation Area

  Bullocksville camp

  This park was beautiful and amazing. The views were phenomenal. We were water front. Bath houses super clean and staff very friendly.

• C

  Christoph

  Scout

  

  Sep. 20, 2023

  Longwood Campground at John H Kerr Reservoir

  Not allowing to Dump/Fillup

  We didn't visit the park itself so can't judge on RV overnight stays. We kindly asked if we could fill up water and dump our RV (as you can do in a lot of campgrounds for a small fee), they refused to do so.

• B

  Brandon H.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 31, 2023

  Callahan's Hideaway

  I wouldnt know

  He never responded to the reservation request or my email. Dont waste your time, find somewhere else.

• 

  Heather

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 20, 2023

  Staunton River State Park Campground

  Nice & quiet & dark skies!

  The campground needs some updating- there’s only one bathhouse with just 2 showers- if the campground would’ve been full, it would’ve been miserable. Also only one dumpster and it’s on the way out of the campground. BUT it’s a designated dark sky park & the stars were amazing. They also lend out telescopes. They also have nice walking trails & if you like to paddle, the river is nice & flat. There is little to no cell service.

• S

  Steven D.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 15, 2023

  Kerr Lake State Recreation Area Kimball Point

  Kimball Point, NC; PERFECT CAMPING

  Kimball Point is the BEST. Huge fresh water lake, large camping spots, large sandy beach, playground for kids, very well groomed, moor your boat in the water at your camp site, big boat ramp, pet friendly, great walking areas, tent & RV spaces, NC State run park. Only negative it's hard to book a space. You need to book it EXACTLY 6 months out, call at 08:00 in morning.

• B

  Beverly T.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 21, 2023

  Bullocksville — Kerr Lake State Recreation Area

  Very Nice Lake Front

  These sites are mostly reservable on the state website, there are many of these campgrounds within the Kerr Lake State Rec Area. 8 in total i believe, we have visited 2 so far, but plan to visit them all. Bullocksville, has Electric and non electric sites, for the most part, the electric sites are more level and developed. We do notice some non electric good sites, but many of those are hillside sloped to the lake. When on site to reserve if you check amenties, it gives you many details, level, length, width, tent pads, etc. so just pay attention to those things and you should be able to book a wonderful campsite in a pretty lakefront campground. Great hot showers, sandy beach area here, boat ramp and launch. Paved roads around campground loop with nice gravel lots on many. We stayed on site 34, 80 feet long, level gravel site, squared gravel picnic area off to side attached to back in site. Picnic table all on mostly shaded site. It was about as close to the bathouse as you could be and while not lake front, it had nice lake view. Many nice sites right on the lake however. We booked the day of our stay, so many where reserved for the up coming weekend.

• F

  Francisco M.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 18, 2023

  Shinleaf — Falls Lake State Recreation Area

  Nice 🔥

  Great views by the lake and a great spot to camp

• M

  Michael C.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 1, 2023

  J.C. Cooper — Kerr Lake State Recreation Area

  The weekend at JC Cooper Campground

  Very nice campground , clean restrooms and quiet, some of the sites for tents are level some not so much but nonetheless a beautiful location and nice park.

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 1, 2023

  Holly Point — Falls Lake State Recreation Area

  Paradise Found @ Holly Point Campground

  I’m not sure if this campground is correctly named Holly Point Campground, which after my experience, I would rename it HOLY Point Campground, as this outdoor nature preserve is truly a slice of heaven carved out in the middle of North Carolina’s finest camping paradise. 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 nice shaded nature, hiking trails and calm peace & quiet that only nature can offer, then make your way here to Holly Point Campground@ Falls Lake SRA, where you will not be disappointed. 

  All of the basics are provided in spades – from picnic table, fold-up fire ring / BBQ grill, bear-proof garbage hanger and a nice small pebble-strewn flat patch of well-maintained nature that offers pristine shade from an unrelenting bit of summer North Carolina sunshine from the tall matchstick-like long leave needle pines. While there’s not a terrible amount of brush between the campsites, you will have semi-privacy unlike many other nearby campgrounds. 

  The on-site facilities (bathrooms& showers) 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 Falls Lake itself, where there is a perfectly sectioned off swimming area, 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 handful: (1) While IMHO there is no bad spot here in all of Holly Point Campground, there are obviously some that are better than others.  Given this, I would highly rank Loops 4 (#118-119, #121-123) & 5 (#141-147; #149, #150, #152-155) as well as the southern and eastern side of Loop 2 (#36-39; #55-71; #73, #75), given their proximity to and views of Falls Lake itself.  Of course, the sites that are located closer to the water are those more preferred; (2) If you're an angler, you'll be looking to catch some large-mouthed bass, yellow perch, blue gill, channel and flathead catfish and I recommend the areas that are heaviest shadowed around the lake edges; (3) When you grow weary of having to fix up that next campsite meal and simply want to error on the side of ease and comfort, then check out nearby Buffalo Bros who serve up some pretty might wings and amazing pies (there's also burgers, sandwiches, wraps, salads and other basic Americana foodstuffs) or Nantucket Grill for some pretty outstanding Jambalaya and seafood diablo pasta; and (4) If you love extreme outdoors adventures, then check out Xtreme Park Adventures for indoor and outdoor courses for paintball and laser tag.

  Happy Camping!

• 

  Liz M.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 30, 2023

  Occoneechee State Park Campground

  Nice but small sites

  Nice well kept park and campgrounds. Most of the sites looked pretty level. Sites in B are small and mostly have deep drop offs beyond the railroad ties. Sites are a little more spread out in C but still pretty small. But plenty of oversite parking. Both campgrounds very wooded. Beware there are LOTS of squirrels and not too afraid of humans. If you have dogs like we do that hate squirrels they drove them nuts- squirrels running around in our campsite and up trees in our campsite. And while walking around. They also climbed on a small table right next to the rv door and shredded my paper towels! Lots of areas to walk. Campground C had only two clean bath houses with only two toilets and two showers. Which I imagine with the many no hookup sites could get pretty busy.

• 

  Greg S.

  Ranger

  

  Jun. 22, 2023

  Rolling View — Falls Lake State Recreation Area

  4.8 stars

  Just stopped for one day/night on the way through, and I am amazed with this place. All three loops have great sites. Our site is fantastic, really large and overlooking the lake. The path to the fishing dock goes right by our site, giving great access to the lake. Cool rocks along the lake to climb on and swim off of. There are nice trails winding through the campground, a large sandy beach, and several playgrounds. Lots to do and very serene.