Current campground recommendations (Charlotte, Davidson, Brevard: mattresses, camping, swimming)

[msm_teacher]

We plan to spend the summer camping and canoeing. Any recommendations for campgrounds within 4 hours of Charlotte? Preferably, one you've visted within the past few years.

I can find plenty listed online, but we've had a few bad cases of the website over promising. The ideal campground has:

- Nice bathrooms and showers
- Rules against wild parties
- Campsites by water where we can canoe

Thanks for sharing any names of campgrounds you've visited and enjoyed!

[FrankTheTank2]

Will you be tent camping or do you need RV hookups?

[msm_teacher]

We tent camp, but prefer sites with electricity. Thanks!

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by msm_teacher

We plan to spend the summer camping and canoeing. Any recommendations for campgrounds within 4 hours of Charlotte? Preferably, one you've visted within the past few years.

I can find plenty listed online, but we've had a few bad cases of the website over promising. The ideal campground has:

- Nice bathrooms and showers
- Rules against wild parties
- Campsites by water where we can canoe

Thanks for sharing any names of campgrounds you've visited and enjoyed!

I could write you a book

Start with some of my favorites -

Bear Den (almost 3 hours) Bear Den - Home

Stone Mountain State Park (2 hours north of Charlotte) -
Comments and Reviews (though you can't canoe here your kids could play in the trout stream).

Warrior Creek on Kerr Scott Lake - (Wilkesboro - 2 hours)
Campground Details - WARRIOR CREEK, NC - ReserveAmerica - [nrso]

Claytor Lake State Park (VA - 3 hours from Charlotte)
Campground Details - CLAYTOR LAKE STATE PARK, VA - ReserveAmerica - [VA]

This should get you started!

[Samana]

Originally Posted by msm_teacher

We plan to spend the summer camping and canoeing. Any recommendations for campgrounds within 4 hours of Charlotte? Preferably, one you've visted within the past few years.

I can find plenty listed online, but we've had a few bad cases of the website over promising. The ideal campground has:

- Nice bathrooms and showers
- Rules against wild parties
- Campsites by water where we can canoe

Thanks for sharing any names of campgrounds you've visited and enjoyed!

We go to Davidson River Campground. It's in the Pisgah National Forest - about 2 hours from Charlotte and by Davidson River. Clean bathrooms with toilets, showers and sinks. Quiet hours start at 10pm so no wild parties there..at least not after 10pm. The entire campsite is right by the Davidson River.

Also, we are going camping at the Lake Norman State Park this weekend...this will be our first time, but I've heard good things about it. It's close to Lake Norman and they offer canoeing there also.

[msm_teacher]

Originally Posted by Samana

We go to Davidson River Campground. It's in the Pisgah National Forest - about 2 hours from Charlotte and by Davidson River. Clean bathrooms with toilets, showers and sinks. Quiet hours start at 10pm so no wild parties there..at least not after 10pm. The entire campsite is right by the Davidson River.

Also, we are going camping at the Lake Norman State Park this weekend...this will be our first time, but I've heard good things about it. It's close to Lake Norman and they offer canoeing there also.

Please let me know how Lake Norman goes. We hike there all the time.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by msm_teacher

We plan to spend the summer camping and canoeing. Any recommendations for campgrounds within 4 hours of Charlotte? Preferably, one you've visted within the past few years.

I can find plenty listed online, but we've had a few bad cases of the website over promising. The ideal campground has:

- Nice bathrooms and showers
- Rules against wild parties
- Campsites by water where we can canoe

Thanks for sharing any names of campgrounds you've visited and enjoyed!

One more you should not miss, it's a good one!
Santee State Park on Lake Marion in South Carolina - less than 3 hours from Charlotte

Lake Marion South Carolina - Santee State Park Camping - Santee State Park

[msm_teacher]

Thanks for all the recommendations! Several look perfect - we should have a fun summer.

[Samana]

Originally Posted by msm_teacher

Please let me know how Lake Norman goes. We hike there all the time.

Just wanted to update you on my personal experience at the Lake Norman camping site.

We HATED it! We hated it so much, that after spending a while setting up our tents, inflating air mattresses, etc - we packed right up and left and didn't even stay the night!

First of all, the map makes it seems like the sites are separated from others and private - Nope! As soon as we pull in to our site, there were 3 other sites so close to us that it looked like we were camping together! They were literally less than 10 feet away from us. Even whispering, we could hear everything they were saying. There were no trees between us..nothing!

There is no alcoholic beverages allowed - which I think is a ridiculous rule! I knew about the rule beforehand, so I had the hubby leave the beers behind. Good thing I did! The family next to us were having beers - in cups. They were quiet, not being rowdy, just relaxing and not bothering anybody. As soon as they walked away to the lake, I presume, the ranger/sheriff walked by, went into their site and saw the beer cups on the table. He continued to go through their stuff...they went inside their cars, glove box, trunk, inside their tents, their bags, their garbage, all of their personal belongings!! I couldn't believe what we were seeing!

We also went to the shore of the lake which is behind the campground. This is not a swimming area, but the water stank really bad! It smelled like sewer.

After about an hour of getting there, the park host/ranger came by to check us in and give us the 'rules'. (by the way, he came with a sheriff that had a gun - I guess to intimidate people and let them know 'we have guns here'). They are very strict with their rules. 10pm is quiet time. He told us that after 10pm, if the people next to us can hear us talking, we're being too loud!..How the heck would they not hear us if we're camping a few feet away from each other??!!

Ugh...worst $20 I've ever spent. I rather drive the 2 hours and go to my usual place - Davidson River Campground.

[ex-burgher]

I second Davidson River. Many sites are right on the river - more for tubing and swimming than canoeing but canoeing is nearby on the French Broad. Some sites at Davidson River campground are first come first serve, but a great number are reservation only especially the prime sites. I would not be surprised if these are not already filled for the summer.
Campground Details - DAVIDSON RIVER, NC - ReserveAmerica - [NRSO]
Other neat things about this campground: you are minutes away from the quaint town of Brevard and there is the Blue Ridge Pkwy and numerous waterfalls in the area.