Cross Creek RV Park, Maggie Valley, NC

Date of Stay:  Monday August 7 – Friday August 11, 2017 (4 nights)

Rate:  $50/night

Website:  Cross Creek RV Park
   69 Georgia Lane (gps 1354 Moody Farm Road)
   Maggie Valley, NC 28751
   828-926-1183

Description:  Yes we were here just a few days ago and did a big review then.  This time we stayed on site 65 and T&D stayed right behind us on site 58.  All the sites are level gravel FHU (50A) with cable.  We had talked about how much we enjoyed this area so T&D wanted to join us in the mountains.  They actually treated us since Hominy Valley was not very accommodating to them, and we wanted to join them here.

Trash and Recycle:  Dumpster in the back corner of the park but no recycle bins.  Haywood County does have some community recycle centers that I will use next time.  Mauney Cove Road is close to Lake Junaluska.

Activities:  We enjoyed catching up with T&D and riding around the area some with them (Waterrock Knob on the BRP, Cherokee and the Oconaluftee Island Park, Great Smoky Mountain visitor center where we saw a herd of 33 elk, and Soco Falls just to name a few).  We all car-hiked the Heintooga Ridge Road (about 14 mile one-way narrow, winding, dirt road) off the BRP between Maggie Valley and Cherokee.  We set aside a whole day to enjoy the Wheels Through Time Museum in Maggie Valley.  It’s mostly restored old motorcycles but definitely worth the entry fee in my opinion.  (No photos taken here this time because I just wanted to enjoy the moments as they happened.)

Tanglewood Park Campground, Clemmons , NC

Date of Stay:  Thursday June 1 – Thursday June 8 2017 (7 nights)

Rate:  $33/night

Website:  Tanglewood Park CG
   4061 Clemmons Road (HQ address-follow signs to Tanglewood then campground)
   Clemmons, NC 27012
   336-703-6494

Description:  Reviewed several times in the past.  Located near Winston Salem, NC at exit 182 off of I-40, it is near many conveniences.  We stayed on level site 4 and surprisingly received sat tv through the mature tree canopy.  The roads and sites are paved although several sites are very unlevel.  They are all FHU (50A) with digital cable.  This is a very nice county park with many amenities but I really enjoy the 2 mile paved path in the woods.  There is an excellent dog park near the cg and an arboretum, golf course, swimming pool etc. in the park.

Trash and Recycle:  Dumpster in the back corner of the cg near the camphosts with recycle for cans and bottles.

Activities:  We planned on staying just a couple of nights here but the spring in our driver’s side slide topper broke when we arrived.  We contacted a mobile tech who helped take the material off so that we could travel again.  He also serviced our ac units.  It would take a week before the spring would arrive so we delayed getting it fixed until later in the summer.  We didn’t mind adding a few days here to decompress and enjoy watching the birds and squirrels eat the seed I put on the picnic table for them. I enjoyed taking several walks on the trail in the woods and Gin and I went to the arboretum one afternoon.  I absolutely love this area.  Unfortunately, Gin has gone numb on her left side and lost her taste buds for sweet.  MS can be strange. 

 

On site 4

 

This local stopped in at the cg often

 

One squirrel…                                         two squirrels

 

Chow time!

 

Wrens enjoyed the seed but robins never ate any

 

This young male cardinal ate the seed from the ground…

 

…while the adult male ate from the table

 

Gin checking out the wisteria vine at the arboretum

 

             

              Several organized gardens in the arboretum                             Bird feeding station

 

 

The Children’s Garden is more whimsical

Tanglewood Park Campground, Clemmons, NC

Date of Stay:  Monday October 24 – Thursday October 27, 2016 (3 nights)

Rate:  $33/night

Website:  Tanglewood Park CG
   4061 Clemmons Road (follow signs to campground)
   Clemmons, NC 27012
   336-703-6494

Description:  Reviewed a couple other times here.  Located near Winston Salem, NC at exit 182 off of I-40, it is near many conveniences.  We were on site 3 which is level.  About half of the sites are extremely unlevel.  The cg has paved roads and large paved sites with FHU (50A) and digital cable under a beautiful canopy of large oak trees.  Acorns did fall on our roof some.  This is in a full service Forsyth County Park that offers a championship golf course, aquatic center, horse stables, tennis, soccer, pond fishing, arboretum, rose garden and a Manor House bed and breakfast.  There’s a two mile paved multi-use trail that winds about in the edge of the forest which has mountain bike trails.  There is a wonderful off-leash dog park near the cg.  (Look for CG signs when you exit from I-40.  Using the address in your gps takes you to the park office instead.)

Trash and Recycle:  Dumpster in the back corner of the cg near the camphosts with recycle for cans and bottles.

Activities:  We had reservations at Huntington Beach SP near Myrtle Beach but they were still closed due to Hurricane Matthew damage so we came here for a few nights on our way to Gaffney, SC for service.  I enjoyed biking and walking the popular multi-use trail and rode around in the park.  They have a Festival of Lights here and have spent the past few weeks putting up a very large display of Holiday sparkles.  This will be their 25th year of the festivities in Tanglewood.

 

On site 3

 

Several unlevel sites                                    Our patio

 

Tanglewood Park entry on US 158               CG check-in at building to the left

   

Love the multi-use trail

 

 

Festival of Lights displays

 

Deer on the golf course                                 Mallard Pond

Falls Lake State Park (Rolling View CG), Durham, NC

Date of Stay:  Wednesday September 21 – Saturday September 24, 2016 (3 nights)

Rate:  $23/night during week, $27/night during weekend and holidays

Website:  Falls Lake State Park (NC)
   4201 Baptist Road (gps 36.0048,  78.7273)
   Durham, NC 27703
   919-676-1027

Description:  Initial review here.  Paved roads with gravel sites of W/E (30A) in loops A and B.  Loop C is no hook-ups.  We stayed on site B36 in the woods.  We thought the shade would help to keep us cooler but we were parked under a hickory tree and the nuts were loud when they fell on us.  The bath house still needs cleaning and a fresh coat of paint would help too.  The whole park could use some TLC (like fresh gravel on the sites maybe).

Trash and Recycle:  Several trash cans in each loop for garbage with recycle (aluminum, glass and plastic) cans at the bath house and dump station.

Activities:  We had sped up the last couple weeks of our summer travels to get back to visit with family in NC when we realized that if we traveled a little farther that usual, we could surprise Dan in Youngsville for his birthday.  This cg is about 40 minutes away from Korkie’s Kampground (driveway) where D and T stay to visit their folks in NC.  We enjoyed time with them and Kork.  She is so nice to open up her house like she does.  It was great to all sit outside in her screened porch looking out over her back yard and pond.

 

On site B36

 

Kork gave Dan “mustard and biscuits”         Kork’s kitchen full of friends and family

Warrior Creek CG (Kerr Scott Lake COE), Wilkesboro, NC

Date of Stay:  Tuesday May 2 – Tuesday June 7, 2016 (7 nights)

Rate:  $12/night (Access Pass discount)

Website:  Warrior Creek CG
   7658 W NC Highway 268
   Boomer, NC 28606
   336-921-2177

Description:  Reviewed earlier here.  Rolling hills and wooded.  Paved roadways with level W/E (50A) gravel sites.  We stayed in site 36 (pull thru) while T&D stayed in site 43.  About 60 campsites with 80% reservable.  Two dump stations, one good one near the middle of the park and one smaller one near the back.

Trash and Recycle:  Dumpster and intermingle recycle bin in the middle of the park.

Activities:  We met up with Tricia and Dan to start our summer travels.  While it rained a little every day, we still managed to have lots of fun.  We all went to Raffaldini Vineyards after having a fine deli sandwich for lunch at Shiloh General Store, an Amish store in Yadkin Valley.  We all enjoyed a relaxing day solving the world’s problems while Dan smoked some delicious ribs.  Another day was spent riding a bit of the Blue Ridge Parkway and shopping in Blowing Rock.  Tricia and I drove to nearby Glendale Springs and West Jefferson to see the churches of the frescoes painted by Ben Long.  Downtown West Jefferson is a quaint mountain town with active shops such as The Honey Hole and good cheeses at Ashe County Cheese Factory.  The two churches of the frescoes are beautiful Episcopal Churches still in use that were built in the very early 1900’s.  Holy Trinity in Glendale Springs had fallen to ruin from the mid 1940’s until 1980 when it was restored.  The fresco of “The Last Supper” was done at that time.  St Mary’s Church in West Jefferson has three frescoes, “Mary Great with Child”, “John the Baptist”, and “The Mystery of Faith” were all done in the mid 1970’s.  St Mary’s also has very beautiful stained glass windows.

 

On site 36

 

Site 36                                                      Site 43

 

Nearby Mountain View Overlook

 

Shiloh General Store                                  Raffaldini Vineyards

 

Inside and outside at Raffaldidni’s

 

Ashe County Cheese Factory in West Jefferson

 

Holy Trinity Church in Glendale Springs NC

 

Moses                                               Outside Holy Trinity

 

Beautiful old woodworking                            The Last Supper

 

St Mary’s Church in West Jefferson

   

Stained glass in the entry

  

Mary Great with Child          The Mystery of Faith          John the Baptist

   

   

Each stained glass window tells a story

Dark wood but open church