Tag Archives: campgrounds

camping

Thinking of camping? These 9 campgrounds are our faves

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As we look ahead to the upcoming summer camping season, we look with special attention to certain campgrounds. Here are some of our favorites.

Davidson River

With 160 sites you’d think scoring one would be a given. Not the case at this popular campground which takes advantage of both its proximity to the cultural offerings of nearby Brevard and its perch at the base of the recreation-rich Pisgah National Forest. read more

Camping, Hiking

Mountain campgrounds begin to reopen

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Wondering when your favorite seasonal campground or roadside attraction in the National Parks will reopen? We have some dates:

Blue Ridge Parkway

Campgrounds

  • Price Park Campground at MP 297: April 2-Oct. 31
  • Linville Falls at MP 314: April 2-Oct. 31
  • Crabtree Falls at MP 339: May 28-Oct. 31
  • Mount Pisgah at MP 408.8: May 28-Oct. 31

Other facilities

  • Moses Cone Manor House at MP 294: April 15
  • Linville Falls at MP 316: April 30.
  • N. Museum of Minerals at MP 330: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. through April.
  • Craggy Gardens at MP 364.5: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. starting April 17.
  • Waterrock Knob at MP 451: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. starting April 17.

Shenandoah National Park

Campgrounds:

  • March 25: Lewis Mountain Campground (mile 57.5)
  • March 26: Big Meadows Campground (mile 51.2)
  • May 5: Mathews Arm Campground (mile 22.2), Loft Mountain Campground (mile 79.5), and Dundo Group Campground (mile 83.7)
  • Picnic Grounds will open on the following schedule:
  • March 25: Lewis Mountain Picnic Grounds (mile 57.5)
  • March 26: Big Meadows Picnic Grounds (mile 51.2)
  • Open year round: Dickey Ridge Picnic Grounds (mile 4.7), Elkwallow Picnic Grounds (mile 24.1), Pinnacles Picnic Grounds (mile 36.7), South River Picnic Grounds (mile 62.8), and Dundo Picnic Grounds (mile 83.7)

Other facilities:

  • Dickey Ridge Visitor Center (mile 4.6 Skyline Drive): open Fridays through Tuesdays, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays), No indoor exhibits or films.
  • Byrd Visitor Center (mile 51 Skyline Drive)
  • Open 7 days a week, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., No indoor exhibits or films.

The restaurants, lodges, and associated facilities operated by the park concessioner, Delaware North, open as follows: read more

Camping

Local campground, local escape

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There are times when you flat-out need to sleep in a tent but don’t have time to get out of town.
Like when the first warm days of the year present themselves and you realize it’s been … how long since you’ve been camping?
Or when you realize the kids have been hibernating behind their screens all winter and need some fresh air.
Or when you’ve had it with work and need to be as far from any electronic reminders of civilization as possible.
Times that you need to be encased in ripstop nylon but don’t have time to be encased in steel, glass and plastic to get there.
For those times, you have your local campground.
You might be surprised at how close the nearest campground is. In the Triangle, for instance, between Jordan Lake and Falls Lake alone, there are more than 1,300 campsites at six campgrounds. And the Triangle is not unique. Charlotte, Greenville, the Triad and Wilmington all have camping opportunities within their city limits.
In our ongoing collaboration with Great Outdoor Provision Co., we have identified five top campgrounds in each of the outdoor retailer’s seven markets (Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Greensboro, Greenville, Raleigh, Wilmington and Winston-Salem). We’ve compiled everything you need to know — from location (down to the latitude and longitude) to number and type of campsites to cost to what activities you can do nearby — to plan a quick trip.
You can find the information in one of two places. read more