Active campers will find plenty to do at Hanging Rock State Park, where recreational activities include boating, fishing, hiking, picnicking, rock climbing and swimming. The park’s network of 12 intersecting trails offers more than 18 miles of mostly shaded mountain pathways. Campers at Hanging Rock’s main campground can choose from 73 sites that can accommodate trailers or tents. No hookups are available, but each site has its own picnic table, grill and tent pad. Facilities for campers include drinking water and bathhouses with flush toilets, hot showers and laundry sinks. Although the campground is open year-round, bathhouses are closed from early December until mid-March. Also available are five reservable group campsites, as well as 10 rustic rental cabins.
Twenty miles southwest of Hanging Rock State Park is Pilot Mountain State Park, which also lies within the Sauratown range. Crisscrossing the park are miles of multipurpose trails, ideal for biking, hiking and horseback riding. Also traversing a portion of the park is the Yadkin River Canoe Trail, which covers 165 miles both inside and outside the park. The park is also a favorite destination for rock climbers. Open from mid-March until late November, the park’s family campground has roughly 50 sites that can accommodate both RVs and tents. No utilities are available, but each site has its own tent pad, picnic table and grill. Campground facilities include drinking water and two bathhouses with showers and flush toilets. The park also has two campsites, as well as a campground that can be reserved in advance for large youth groups.
Homeplace Recreational Park is not just a campground but also a day-use area that encompasses a large swimming pool, picnic area, sports courts, miniature golf course and a pond for boating and fishing. The park is near the town of Ararat, 26 miles west of Hanging Rock State Park. Open year-round, the campground has roughly 150 campsites, most with full hookups. In addition to the park’s recreational amenities, campers have access to a variety of facilities, including picnic tables with a covered pavilion, bathhouses with restrooms and showers, hiking trails and a coin laundry.
Twenty-nine miles east of Hanging Rock State Park, Dan River Campground sits along the banks of the Dan River near the town of Stoneville. The campground also serves as a departure point for canoe, kayak and tube excursions on the river. This small, family-friendly campground has 43 campsites, including 22 with full hookups, 16 with water and electricity and five tent sites with no utilities. Most sites have picnic tables and fire rings. Other facilities include a centrally located bathhouse with hot showers and flush toilets, a boat launch ramp, Wi-Fi, camp store and propane service.
