This was our first time camping at Medoc Mountain State Park. Read on for a campground review, cute dog photos, and information on some kid-friendly amenities the park has to offer.
Where We Stayed
Medoc Mountain State Park Campground
The Campground
Medoc Mountain State Park is about 50 miles northeast of Raleigh and 20 miles south of the Virginia line. The park itself encompasses almost 4,000 acres, but the campground is on the small side with just 34 campsites. Of those, 17 are RV sites that all appear to have full hookups. The rest are tent sites and cabins.
Overall, I really enjoyed this campground. On the spectrum of state park campgrounds, it’s firmly on the quiet, family-oriented side (as opposed to the rowdy, party campground side). The sites are similar in size and spacing to other state parks we’ve been to; you don’t feel like you’re on top of your neighbors. I think my favorite part of the campground is the access to miles of trails without having to get in your car.
For those traveling with kids, you’ll be glad to know it’s only about 0.3 miles from the start of the campground loop to the Medoc Mountain playground, so it’s an easy walk from the campsites. Alternatively, it looks like, if you pick up the Campground Loop Trail between Cabin 8 and Cabin 9, you could take that to the playground. We never did that part of the trail, so I can’t speak to the terrain, but it looks like it’s a slightly more direct route.
There’s also an enormous open field that would be perfect for playing tag, catch, soccer, and more.
And it keeps getting better, because between the field and the playground, there are maybe a dozen picnic tables where you can sit in the shade beneath several very impressive trees. It looks like a perfect spot for a picnic.
I forgot to get a photo of the bathhouse, but it was nicer than I expected for a state park. I ended up using it to shower after getting back from a run on Saturday morning. The stalls were clean, and the water pressure was reasonable (much better than at the RV).
Medoc Mountain Travel Tip
As of mid-April, there’s a note on the NC State Parks website about a Google Maps issue that says to use the address 1540 Medoc State Park Road if you want directions to the visitor center.
You can see their website for more information.
On our next trip, I want to be sure we see the visitor center. It’s about 1.3 miles from the intersection of Picnic Area Road and the road to the campground.
Our Campsite
Our site was positioned so that backing in was easy. We didn’t need our red side-to-side levelers (which is always nice), but it was pretty unlevel front to back. It was a decent size with a lot of grass outside the main gravel area for the parking pad and picnic table. We got good afternoon shade, but we needed the RV awning for the morning and mid-day.
| Campground Name | Medoc Mountain State Park Campground |
| Location | Hollister, NC |
| Dates | April 3-5, 2026 |
| Site Number | Site 26 |
| Site Surface | gravel and grass |
| Hookups | Full hookups |
| Cost | $45 per night (including taxes and fees) |
| Water Pressure | 32 psi |
| Voltage | 120 V |
| Verizon Speed Test | Spotty at best |
| T-Mobile Speed Test | Spotty at best |
On the fun side of the RV, we had no neighbors. There is what looks like an RV spot, but it has a yellow post in the middle and no site number. Not sure why it’s there, but it was nice not to have anyone there. We had neighbors on the business side, but because of the way the road curves, they weren’t right beside us. They were a bit in front.
I think the water pressure and Internet are worth mentioning. The water pressure was pretty low, which made showers a little difficult. The Internet was…minimal. Verizon had 1 bar of LTE, and T-mobile had 3 bars of LTE.
Site 33 seems to have potential. It looked very level. I imagine we may try to book that site for a future stay.
What We Did
Corona’s Birthday Hike
Since Corona is a rescue, we don’t know her exact birthday, but based on the numbers we had when we adopted her, Saturday was her 14th birthday. We went for a leisurely birthday hike via the Campground Loop Trail, which you can access from the campground.
Running at Medoc Mountain
Late last year, Jesse and I got into running. Jesse was planning on a longer run fo the morning, so he left for his run while Corona, Aiken, and I went for Corona’s birthday hike. Afterward, I left Corona on a soft bed in the RV with some high-value treats and took Aiken for a run. (Keep in mind when I say “run,” you’re probably picturing a much faster pace than what actually happens. “Jog” is probably a better term for what I do.)
Aiken and I left the campground, jogged by the group camping area, and then went to the end of Main Park Road (or Picnic Area Road, depending on which map you’re looking at?). Where it intersects with Medoc State Park Road, we turned around and headed back down Main Park Road. We took a left at the first field entrance and picked up the Stream Loop in the corner. Eventually, we found the Fishing Creek Loop Trail and took that until we ran into the Stream Loop again. From the picnic shelter/playground, we walked back to the campsite. I think we jogged about 3.5 miles.
The nice thing about the Fishing Creek Loop Trail is that it runs parallel to Fishing Creek for a while. It’s not always easily accessible, but there were a couple of spots where Aiken was able to get into the water to cool off before we continued on our run.
Relaxation
After a busy morning, we were all content to enjoy a relaxing afternoon at the campsite. The weather was beautiful, so we sat outside and enjoyed the sunshine. This is always good practice for Aiken. He gets to watch kids, bikes, and dogs go by. We are still working on his reactions when dogs go by, but he’s pretty good about everything else.
Wildlife
Aiken and I found this lovely box turtle in the middle of the trail as we passed. Aiken never even noticed him. I can’t blame him, though; this guy seems easy to miss if you’re not paying attention.
After a quick picture, we continued on our way and left him to his turtle business.
More Photos
On a whim, Jesse casually asked Aiken to keep going when he was pointed at this fence. We were quite surprised when he actually jumped it!
When you look at Aiken, “lap dog” is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. Someone forgot to tell that to Aiken.
Happy travels!
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