Occoneechee State Park Campground

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.

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.

25 ft motorhome fit nicely into
Site, very wooded nice and peaceful, showers clean and within walking distance

I camped at this campsite in the fall last year and the colors as I drove in from the main road were stunning. Very clean and well maintained campsite, with lake front sites. There were spots for tents and longer ones for large rigs. There were also Yurts to rent to stay as well. Clean bathroom facilities. I fishing from my kayak and had a very relaxing stay here.

Nice park. Huge lake. Peaceful fishing. Enjoyed the hikes. History is interesting.

/wo areas to camp B is small and sedate with clean bath house. Camp host was the best Camp C is larger and some sites are close to the water. No camp store.

I stayed at Occoneechee state park and was pleasantly surprised by not only the staff but the whole park. I stayed at campsite B and was right by bathroom which I thought would be a problem but didn’t bother me and it was honestly nice in the middle of the night. You could see the water through the trees however if you’re up for the hike; follow the trail and the campsite located at the end of the loop and the trail will take you to the water for a beautiful view… if you go to the right and hike around you’ll find a wood chair that you can rest on if you would like. (the one that wasn’t burnt down by irresponsible campers) hiking on, if you cross the trees that are down and a little water there is a rock that sit and allows you to get a private and breathe taking view.

This was a great campground.  We were tent camping, so the humidity was a bit rough the first week of June.  The camp sites were very well maintained and the bathrooms were clean, although lacking some hot water for showers.  The camp site map can be a bit confusing as the colors don't always match, which can be misleading for getting a site on the water.  I suggest getting a site specific site to guarantee your spot on the water.  The bugs were a bit much, but manageable.  The splash pad was a great option for kids, but could get a bit crowded mid afternoon on the weekend.   There are plenty of boat launches; not much good shore fishing in off season, but boaters seemed to be doing well.   Most, if not all the sites, were very well shaded and most were very good in size.  Overall great campground with plenty to offer.

We stayed in Cabin #3 and it was perfect. It’s a 3BR/2BA spacious cabin, wooded and lakeside. Great sunsets and nice big deck (some areas of the porch are covered, and have rocking chairs). Kitchen is equipped with microwave, toaster, coffee pot, water glasses, coffee mugs, plates, bowls, utensils, can opener, etc. If you have the space to pack them, I recommend bringing a couple of your own pots and pans; limited options there. Bring your own dish towels, dish rags, linens (including pillowcase if you don’t have room to pack your own pillow), towels/wash rags, etc. We loved the coziness of this cabin without the cramped feeling. High ceilings, open floor plan, and fireplace were lovely. The bundle of complimentary wood was very nice. 🪵🔥

Next time we tent camp we will definitely stay in Campground C where the sites are RIGHT on the water. Check out spaces 25-31, my personal faves. Since with these sites you’re kind of out in the open, I wouldn’t book these in the heat of the summer. The wooded sites in Campground B looked really nice and well-spaced. It was closed about halfway in, so we couldn’t see all of the sites. It looks like some of them might be wooded with water views. Would be nice and shady🌲

We hiked the Plantation Trail, a large historical site that was once a homestead. Mellow, family-friendly walk with a cemetery, historical markers, and an old chimney. Lots of old growth - from the gigantic boxwoods (hundreds of years old) to the wild daffodils growing in the woods. 🌼🌳

On our last day, we paddled around Bugg’s Lake. Used the boat launch near the office - nice place to put in. The whole trip we saw lots of birds, squirrels, deer, and raccoons. Occoneechee is a spacious park with lots of day-use facilities. Would be a great place for socially distant outdoor gatherings 💚. Lots more trails to visit when we come back! 🛶🥾

Oh, and the campground has a few yurts that have excellent “backyard” wooded views! There’s also a good bit of space between them. Lots of porch space, too. 🛖

Occoneechee was a great state park to stay at. We enjoyed the awesome views, friendly staff, and walking trails. We will be back!

I absolutely loved Occoneechee the drive for me kills the my gas but it was definitely worth it the standard electric sites are in good shape and if your lucky on what your reserve you can get right on the water which is awesome until it’s 4:00 in the morning and the bass anglers are drive there speed boats but all in all this get a five star because the camps sites accommodated every me and buddies needs.

This was our first time staying in a yurt and we loved it! 

Its like tent camping except you get to sleep in a bed. We stayed in September so the fact that there is no AC or electricity in the yurt was not an issue because the weather was moderate. Yurt 1 is a bit of a walk to the bathrooms, that is the only negative thing I can think of. The beds were comfortable. You have to bring your own sheets and pillows.  There is also a small table and chairs inside the yurt. Loved that there was no tent to pack up when it was time to leave! There  was a fire ring and picnic table outside as well as a large deck around the yurt with two rocking chairs. Driving around the campground, there are some fantastic waterfront sites in the same loop as the yurts that we'd love to come back and stay at! They have great views of Buggs Island Lake.

We did some hiking while we were there but there are not a ton of trails. We spent most of our free time at the splash pad. The kids loved that! 

Overall this is a great little park! I only gave it 4 stars because there's not a ton to do.

Was a pretty nice lake to visit once, but I never felt like I was out in the wilderness with the large freeways so close. Still, there were pretty coves to explore on the HUGE lake, and the campsites were very green and scenic - if a bit too close together. I liked hiking the trails, some of which had interesting historical markers. Renting a kayak took a lot longer than I'd expected, just because the rental office seemed understaffed to me. Would have loved this park if it were just a bit more off the beaten path, so to speak.

The “C” campground has RV sites that you can tent camp at as well that are site specific and lake front. Great for renting a pontoon boat or putting a kayak in the water. They have added a splash park for the kids which helps in the summer.

We have a larger trailer so we had to stay in the equestrian area. There weren’t showers by us but there was 1 bathroom. The site is spacious and secluded although the few sites are packed into each other. There are smaller sites but are also closer together. Great place for biking, hiking, and being on the lake. They also have a new splash pad that the kids loved. While we were out there they had park personnel go over a few local birds of prey. We’ll be back!

Awesome spot - spacious camping spots along the most beautiful cliffs - hiking was wonderful with wildlife galore! Kayaking was the BEST experience I have had yet! Staff more than friendly and very very helpful. Store was great and well stocked with neat things. Showers and potties were cleaner than most places I have been! A++++ all the way around!

well I have a cot so I was good on the gravel area that they want you to put your tent on but the person I was camping with did not and they asked her to move to gravel. who tents on gravel when you have to sleep on the ground? not cool. showers also had no lip so water just got everywhere. views were ok but no place to jump in the beautiful lake for refreshment. went to go to splash park and no dogs aloud so no place for me and pup to cool off.

This is a great campground all around. The sites have ample room and they’re spaced far enough apart that you actually have privacy (unless you camp on the waterfront where they’re smaller and close together). The lake is gorgeous and offers fishing, swimming, boating, canoeing, kayaking, and SUPing. There’s a large playground and easy walking trails. The central bathhouses have showers, flush toilets, and utility sinks; the smaller bathrooms in the loops are open pit toilets with no sinks. Cell service is fairly reliable.

It was a great place to test out my new kayak

Water Water everywhere. Paddle boards....canoes if you have them this is a great place to go. Campgrounds are right next to the water for easy access. Pet friendly which is a must. Great place to go during the summer.

Occoneechee is right on the shores of Kerr Lake in Clarksville, VA. There are several nice trails to explore as well as a marina right in the park. The campsites are gravel-based which helps with drainage. Lakefront sites are available and are very nice. Rangers patrol the area at night as well. If you need anything, the town of Clarksville is literally right across the bridge. I didn't use it on this trip, but there is also an archery range in the park as well.