Fancy amenities have their time and place, but when you’re desperate for a relaxing state park weekend, Falls Lake’s Rolling View Campground fits the bill. (Ok, technically it’s Falls Lake State Recreation Area, but it has a state park vibe.)
Where We Stayed
Rolling View Campground
Durham, NC
March 15-17, 2024
Site A19
This campground feels like a typical state park campground. The roads are curvy and narrow (to the point where we had trouble staying on them in spots), but most sites are fairly spacious. A19 is particularly nice because, even though we’re kind of close to the neighbors on our left, there’s no one on the “fun side” of the RV. This video shows the view from the passenger side of the RV.
Some sites are on quite a slope, but A19 isn’t bad. We used the red side levelers, but I think if we had tried a little further over, we might have found a more level spot. The site has water and 50-amp electric and was $30/night.
Pros:
- large sites
- plenty of trees/shade
- easy access to trails, many without getting in your car
Cons:
- Where are all the trash cans? There’s a dumpster by the dump station, a trash can on the fishing pier, and trash cans by the swim beach, but that’s it!
- There’s a playground in Loop B and by the swim beach, but not in the other loops.
- The park office/information center isn’t open on weekends, so if you are hoping to get a stamp in your NC parks passport, you’ll have to go on a weekday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
A Note About Campsites
Sometimes we like to walk around a campground and make note of the sites we like. This is especially useful for state parks since the trees usually hinder any research that could be done with Google Maps.
- A15 – looks long and fairly level; close to the bathhouse and the trail to Loop B
- A16 – looks long and fairly level; close to the bathhouse and the trail to Loop B
- A25 – good view; would have to park the truck next to the RV (too short to park in line with it); close to the trail leading to Loop B/fishing pier
- B28 – stayed here in 2020; long site, view of the water below
What We Did
Our favorite state park activities are hiking and relaxing at the campsite. We did a lot of both this weekend.
The campground has a trail network that makes it easy to get just about anywhere. This map on the NC Parks and Recreation page does a nice job of showing the location of the trails. The Loop B fishing pier offers a nice view. There’s also a good spot next to the pier for dogs to get in the water. (Note: there is a fishing pier south of the swim beach, but we only visited the one in the campground.)
Dogs are not allowed on the swim beach, but we found a spot near the playground that worked well. The water level was relatively high when we were there. I’m not sure it will be such a good spot once the water recedes, but it’s worth looking.
Wildlife
I really enjoyed watching this woodpecker, which I believe to be a male downy woodpecker. He was black and white and had a patch of red on the back of his head. He was far enough away and never sat still long enough to get a clear picture, so here’s a video instead.
This inchworm appeared on our folding camping table and was so still for so long that I wasn’t sure he was alive. But at one point I looked away and he was in a different spot when I looked back. Eventually, I caught him on the move.
While not actual wildlife, we also saw a bat box, deer tracks, and birdhouses, which are all fun to find on a hike.
If you’ve read some of our other posts, then you probably know how much I appreciate a good tree. So, while it’s not wildlife, I’m going to use this section to show the picture I took of the large leaves I found in the woods.
Happy travels!
