To those extremely scenic lakeside tenting spots within the Blue Ridge
Lake Journeys are summer time classics. Possibly it’s the dawn paddling introduced by belted kingfishers, lazy afternoons spent floating in a tube (chilly drink in hand, after all), and evenings spent casting for brawny bass. Or perhaps it’s all these lingering technicolor sunsets. Fortunately, within the Blue Ridge area we’ve large our bodies of water to make your individual lasting recollections. Listed below are among the greatest locations to snag a lakeside campsite through the trip months.
Lake James State Park, North Carolina
Nestled alongside huge 6,510-acre Lake James in western North Carolina, about 50 miles northeast of Asheville, Lake James State Park provides a wide range of waterfront tenting choices. Divided into two completely different entry areas, Paddy’s Creek and Catawba River, the state park options each hike-in and paddle-up campsites alongside the lake’s 50 miles of shoreline.
Within the Catawba River portion of the park, the hike-in campground provides greater than a dozen spots unfold alongside the lakeshore, accessible from the Lake Channel Overlook Path. For paddlers, the park’s Lengthy Arm Peninsula is peppered with 30 waterfront campsites, divided into three separate tenting areas. And for the devoted automobile campers, Paddy’s Creek space additionally provides drive-up campsites, though none positioned immediately on the lakeshore.
The park has so much to supply on dry land too, together with 30-plus miles of trails, with greater than 15 miles open to mountain bikers. And the Pisgah Nationwide Forest’s Linville Gorge Wilderness is positioned about 20 miles north of the state park. In fact, it’s onerous to depart the water; the cinematic lake famously served because the backdrop for the 1992 movie The Final of the Mohicans.
Lake Moomaw, Virginia
Nestled right into a pure gorge, Lake Moomaw is among the many largest lakes within the George Washington Nationwide Forest. Fed by the Jackson River, the lake spreads over greater than 2,530 acres, with greater than 40 miles of shoreline and loads of actual property for campers. The lake is deep, too, sinking to depths of greater than 125 ft, which means there’s sufficient chilly water to harbor populations of brown, rainbow, and brook trout, together with largemouth bass, bluegill, and channel catfish.
To attain a spot beside the water, head for the Bolar Mountain Recreation Space, unfold alongside the northern finish of the lake close to the city of Sizzling Springs. All three of the recreation space’s campground loops supply a handful of spots alongside the lake, and on dry land, there are greater than 10 miles of trails to discover. For a bit of extra seclusion, there’s the Greenwood Level Campground. Situated on a peninsula jutting into the lake, the campground is just accessible on foot or by boat. Paddlers can launch from the Fortney Department Boat Launch, whereas for hikers it’s a 3.2-mile trek alongside the Greenwood Level Path, starting within the Bolar Mountain Campground.
Julian Worth Campground, North Carolina
Waterside campsite proper smack dab in the course of the Blue Ridge Parkway? North Carolina’s Julian Worth Campground is simply too good to be true. Situated about 5 miles from Blowing Rock, the campground is nestled alongside the shoreline of 48-acre Worth Lake, unfold within the shadow of Grandfather Mountain (to get a spot proper beside the water, head for Campground Loop A). The rhododendron-tufted lake is the centerpiece of Julian Worth Memorial Park, a 4,200-acre retreat created by insurance coverage magnate and philanthropist Julian Worth, with land he started buying within the Nineteen Thirties. When Worth died unexpectedly in a automobile accident in 1946, the acreage was donated to the Blue Ridge Parkway. To get the lay of the land, the two.7-mile Worth Lake Path circles the complete lake, serving up loads of excellent dawn spots. For an extended haul, the campground’s path community additionally connects to the Boone Fork Path, a 4.8-mile loop that meanders previous Hebron Falls, and the longer Tanawha Path, extending for 13.5 miles from Julian Worth Memorial Park to Beacon Heights, alongside the flanks of Grandfather Mountain.
North Bend Park, Virginia
Huddled alongside the 50,000-acre Kerr Reservoir, North Bend Park has loads of shoreline. Managed by the Military Corps of Engineers, the park is the largest on the lake and provides greater than 240 campsites, divided into 4 separate waterside loops, excellent for parking a stand-up paddleboard, and, with largemouth bass, channel catfish, and striped bass lurking within the water, there are many causes to select a spot proper on the lake. Fed by the Roanoke River, the large reservoir can also be cradled by greater than 800 miles of wooded shoreline, together with three dozen completely different Wildlife Administration Areas. The 32-mile Excessive Bridge Path, a historic rail-trail (and likewise a Virginia State Park) can also be only a quick drive from the campground and there are a number of entry factors between the cities of Pamplin and Burkeville.
Little Oak Campground, Tennessee
Nestled right into a leafy cove within the southeastern nook of South Holston Lake within the Cherokee Nationwide Forest, about 25 miles from Bristol, the Little Oak Campground is a slice of scenic seclusion. Unfold over a nubby peninsula, all 4 of the campground’s loops supply spots on the water, preferrred for recognizing inexperienced heron, belted kingfishers, and ruby-throated hummingbirds. For a style of the nationwide forest, the Little Oak Mountain Path, a 1.5-mile loop, serves up views of South Holston Lake from the crest of Little Oak Mountain and is accessible from the campground. And about 30 miles away within the city of Abingdon, there’s the Virginia Creeper Path. A 34-mile rail-trail extending from Abingdon to Whitetop Station, the path traverses a swath of the Jefferson Nationwide Forest that’s threaded with trout streams.
Summersville Lake, West Virginia
Not removed from the journey hub of Fayetteville, Summersville is a scenic Southern gem with clear blue water surrounded by craggy cliffs. Kayakers and paddleboarders have a lot to discover within the lake’s 2,700 acres of water, and there are candy spots to camp alongside 60 miles of shoreline. Mountain Lake Campground and Cabins has greater than 250 websites, together with a swimming seashore and entry to lakeside mountaineering trails.
All pictures by the creator.