Need a last minute camping recommendation

yard mongrel

yard mongrel

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Was planning a camping trip this weekend and found out our usual spots are closed for various reasons, so I'm asking you guys for some camping recommendations.

This is just for casual car camping, need and prefer no amenities aside from a cleared area near water, and not covered over by other folks. Somewhere around Watauga or Burke or nearby would be excellent.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
 
it's not all that far to Wilson Creek. What kind of camping do you do? RV , car, backpack?
 
Stick;n97221 said:
it's not all that far to Wilson Creek. What kind of camping do you do? RV , car, backpack?
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It's all according really. Sometimes I just sleep in a bedroll under the stars, like the cowboys used to, which is what I was looking for this weekend. Like I said, I prefer no conveniences. just want to be near the creek and not near other folks.
 
premise;n97237 said:
It's all according really. Sometimes I just sleep in a bedroll under the stars, like the cowboys used to, which is what I was looking for this weekend. Like I said, I prefer no conveniences. just want to be near the creek and not near other folks.
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Well, this is the right time of the year for that. Even with nice weather not many folks will be in the woods. Have fun!
 
For primitive car camping it doesnt get much better than FR982 off 181 going up Jonas Ridge. It leads to the Craig Creek rd of the Wilson Creek area and has some excellent camping spots right on craig creek
 
Ikarus1;n97251 said:
For primitive car camping it doesnt get much better than FR982 off 181 going up Jonas Ridge. It leads to the Craig Creek rd of the Wilson Creek area and has some excellent camping spots right on craig creek
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Spent most of my youth on that road and didn't know it had a name till now. lol Just looked it up. Missed my biggest Gamelands buck way up on the head of that creek. Still mad about that. There are some good spots on there, but the one where the creek leaves the road for good is closed to camping now. Used to be our hunting camp. IIRC the only spots are on the Upper Creek side of Chestnut. Maybe a couple near the private property towards Wilson. But the FS closed some of them too.

In that same area, there is a spot on RockHouse creek just above Wilson creek, you have to go past the private property which is marked. And a couple spots at the parking area for Gragg Prong. Steel creek Rd is likely closed until turkey season starts. But there are a lot of spots in there. And Mortimer is likely closed right now.

Keep in mind Wilson Creek Gorge is completely off limits to camping. Flash floods are a real danger in there. It's been years since I've been on some of the back roads up there but a lot of them have pull off camping.
 
There are all kinds of free camping spaces off Hwy 181 on the Brown Mt/Wilson Creek side. The bigger campgrounds are mostly closed as of yet. Steele Creek may be open and I sought there will be much in the way of people this time of year.
 
Hammer21b;n97482 said:
There are all kinds of free camping spaces off Hwy 181 on the Brown Mt/Wilson Creek side. The bigger campgrounds are mostly closed as of yet. Steele Creek may be open and I sought there will be much in the way of people this time of year.
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Steele Creek Rd and the road across from Greentown trail are normally closed from the end of deer season until the beginning of turkey season. Rainy season, protects the roads from the freeze-thaw cycle and vehicles rutting it up. Craig rd, on the right, is open year round. And you can usually see the reason for the closure about this time of year. that road can get rough between Upper Creek and Chestnut Mtn.
 
Hammer21b;n97482 said:
There are all kinds of free camping spaces off Hwy 181 on the Brown Mt/Wilson Creek side. The bigger campgrounds are mostly closed as of yet. Steele Creek may be open and I sought there will be much in the way of people this time of year.
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Yeah, we've been hitting those up for eons. Those were the ones patrolled by Officer Crisp until somebody killed him. He was a good man.

Anyhow, I'm just wanting to try some new places. We may try Craig Rd. Many thanks chiefjason and Ikarus1
 
chiefjason;n97580 said:
Steele Creek Rd and the road across from Greentown trail are normally closed from the end of deer season until the beginning of turkey season. Rainy season, protects the roads from the freeze-thaw cycle and vehicles rutting it up. Craig rd, on the right, is open year round. And you can usually see the reason for the closure about this time of year. that road can get rough between Upper Creek and Chestnut Mtn.
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If that's the road I think it is you will definitely need 4 WD, but it is remote enough that everyone should leave you alone and beautiful, too. Plus there are some fairly nice brookies in the creek. Have fun!
 
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