We rolled into Warrior Creek Campground on the third week of our month long adventure. Our campsite was super pretty and secluded, surrounded by sycamore, poplar, oak, and hickory trees. It was nothing short of absolutely magical! Check out the green spirit floating in the photo below.
I picked Warriors Creek so that we could also explore nearby Boone, Elk Knob State Park, and Price Lake. The campground, situated on the W. Kerr Scott Dam & Reservoir, is a dream spot for fishing enthusiasts, but for us, the dream was easy access to the extensive hiking and biking trails.
About Warriors Creek
Nestled in the picturesque Yadkin River Valley, surrounded by the majestic eastern Blue Ridge Mountains, the campground provides a serene escape. With 1,475 acres of reservoir, outdoor adventurers have plenty of activities to choose from including boating, canoeing, kayaking, and swimming. Fishing aficionados will reel in catfish, bass, bluegill, and an array of other fish species.
Most of our time at the campground was all about walking the trails. The Warrior Creek trail system wraps around the campground, offering beautiful views of the surrounding landscape. It’s considered one of the best bike trails in the world by the International Mountain Biking Association, with 17 miles of single track trail and many entry points throughout the campground.
Boone, North Carolina
As luck would have it, we stumbled upon the Boonerang Music and Arts Festival during our visit! It was a super fun and funky event that totally captured the vibe of Boone. Cleo wasn’t really digging the crowds, so we didn’t stay long. But she did enjoy the calming energy of the outdoor yoga session we attended at the Daniel Boone Native Gardens!
An astonishing sea of green washed over us as we took a nature bath at Elk Knob Park, just a few miles from our campground. We walked on the easy mile-long family trail. Next year we’ll come prepared for the five mile hike to the summit overlook for a wide view of North Carolina’s high country.
Located up in Watauga County, just 11 miles north of Boone, Elk Knob was built in 2003 to keep the mountain and the headwaters of the North Fork of the New River safe. The backcountry campsites, nestled 1 to 2 miles inside a lush forest with lovely streams, are great if you prefer primitive camping.
Full Moon Kayaking on Price Lake
I haven’t introduced Cleo to boating, so I was solo on my kayak venture on Lake Price under the full moon. Price Lake Boat Rentals made the experience easy, with helpful assistance such as offering to store my keys. The price was reasonable, too: $30 to rent a single kayak for use 8-11 p.m.
The Capricorn moon rising over the lake was absolutely breathtaking, and to my delight, I was also treated to a symphony of frogs. The natural music was a joyful and pleasant surprise that added to the beauty of the moment.
Conclusion
Next summer, my goal is to power my essentials – a Nespresso machine and microwave – with solar energy, to stop at campgrounds without shore power along the Blueridge Parkway such as the Julian Price Campground. That said, Warriors Creek was a lovely experience and I expect we will return!
About
Three years ago, when my boy flew the nest and I hit 60, I started looking for the perfect RV for my solo summer camping expeditions. After trying a few options, I finally found the ideal rig – the Aliner Scout Lite. It’s small enough to fit in my garage and super easy to set up, tow, and maintain. I couldn’t be happier with it. You can get all the details in this post: Crone Life, Solo Summer Camping Adventures.
On our Summer of 2024 Solo Camping Trip, we kicked things off at the awesome Winfield Campground in Appling, Georgia, a beautiful US Corps of Engineers campground. This spot was just perfect for some quality alone time. Definitely adding it to my “must visit again” list. Next, we hit up Sesquicentennial State Park and Congaree National Park in South Carolina, where we got to hang out with a good friend. Then, we made our way to Warriors Creek Campground, another top-notch US Corps campground in Boomer, North Carolina, which was conveniently close to Elk Knob State Park in Todd, NC, and Price Lake in Blowing Rock, NC. Our final stop was a campsite at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina, where I was taking a metal art class – an experience I’ll not soon forget.
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