Interest/Info check: South Mountains State Park
Logistics as well as a few other factors prevented attending the Mt Rogers hang this weekend. I'd been planning this trip for months. I've been making gear, tweaking gear, and testing low temp scenarios on my deck. Bottom line - I have got to get out there soon or I'll burst. Maybe a few of us that missed the Mt Rogers hang can sneak in a small winter hang together. I was looking for a place to hang which would be convenient for a bunch of us to hang this coming weekend (Feb. 6-7) and came up with South Mountains State Park map.
I sent out a few PMs. Here is what I have so far:
Ken: “I know that someone from HF hung there once and did a trip report on it. It was just one person though. Carolinahammockhanger or something like that, I think. Not sure if they told the rangers how they were camping or not. I used to ride mountain bike there every Sunday. They have designated campsites scattered about the park, and don't allow camping except in those sites. The ones I remember seeing had a small open meadow with a picnic table and either a grill or fire ring. Lots of woods surrounding them, but whether spreading out into the woods would be allowed I don't know.”
Hawk-eye: “Guess we'd need to check with the State boys ... they're kinda particular on regulations and camping sites and stuff. But it's a good location.
Slowhike: “What they have are about 5 "Camping Areas", scattered about the park, which can be hiked to. Each "Camping Area" has several (5 I think) "small group camp sites".
It's been a while but I've used the Upper Falls Campsites several times to take groups. It's a short hike in, all up hill though. That set of sites is a short day hike from a really nice water fall (High Shoals I think).
What you find when you get to this camping area is a small meadow in the woods w/ a nice creek running along it's edge. I think there are 5 camp sites spread out around it's perimeters, each one on or near the creek. Each site is intended for a small group of (I think) 6 people or less.
Each of the 5 camp sites has it's own fire ring w/ metal grate & a picnic table.
There are 2 privies at one edge that are shared by all 5 campsites in the "Upper Falls Camp Site".
It's not a bad place to use for an easy, low impact, laid back weekend. In the areas I used, you are at lower elevations & there are no "big views" to see, but the close up views are nice.
There are no reservations for these sites. you just look at a "sign in chart" when you get there to see which sites have been claimed & which are free, & sing in for the site you want.
That never turned out to be a real issue in the past trips. In the winter, even less likely.
In the park web site they talk about "Family Camping" that can be reserved. I'm not familiar w/ that, but we could ask.”
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Originally Posted by NCPatrick
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