Camp Creek State Park

Carole and I had visited Camp Creek State Park, but we had never stayed there overnight. The park is convenient to I-77 and so it's popular with people who travel in large RVs. They can hop off the Interstate, drive two miles into the forest, and find the easily accessible campsite providing water and electric hookups for a nominal fee (and a dump station when they pull out).

We drove in on a Wednesday afternoon and got the campsite that we wanted beside Mash Fork Creek (the park's namesake, Camp Creek, is on the access road). All of the campsites are on asphalt spurs and ours was very level. So spot on that I didn't need to tweak the trailer to level it. Most of the sites have electric and water, but the few closest to the creek only have electric. That is okay with us, and I filled the onboard water tank and started up the water heater.

We found the campground to be very quiet. The weather cooperated with us and we mainly had clear skies, mild days, and cool nights. Some of the Fall colors had faded, but other trees seemed to be reaching their peak while we were there, so the views were spectacular. There are also many other parks and wild areas nearby, so day trips are easy and relaxing.

One thing that was disappointing for me was an almost complete lack of wildlife. I get spoiled when we take vacations to Florida or out west where big animals seem to be everywhere. But in the southern Appalachians wildlife is rarer and generally shy; especially during hunting season. Even the white-tailed deer were in hiding while we were in the park, so we didn't see those generally numerous animals. No birds of note showed up, and we only saw one squirrel and one chipmunk. 

I have to say that I was impressed with the park. It has a wealth of waterfalls and hiking trails. I didn't hike as I normally do because of hip pain from my work injury. But there was enough natural beauty close to the camp so that I did not feel robbed of experiencing it. The campground also has a very nice bathroom, and my only complaint there is that they kept the heat on far too high. I probably shouldn't complain, having used bathhouses that are too cold. Unlike some parks, they keep the hot water really hot instead of just lukewarm. Which is great for a hot shower, but be careful! The water is so hot that you can scald yourself if you're not careful!

There is a park office at the campground that offers firewood, ice, and a few convenience items. But if you need anything like groceries or camping supplies you have to drive ten miles south to Princeton where there are lots of stores and shops.

In all, Camp Creek is a great park. We intend to go back for another stay!

Pulled in and all set up.

Our campsite (#15).

This was taken at the nearby Pipestem State Park.

Fall color, in spades.

This is actually my favorite campsite in the park: #14. It's a pull-through with water and electric. It's not on the creek, but what I like about it is that it's screened by large trees and offers a lot of privacy.

Mash Creek Falls, just a short stroll from our campsite (about 1/10 mile).

Carole had our Casita decorated for Halloween.