USMCGWV0311

This is a nice little state park nestled in a valley. The sites were clean and well maintained. Staff were very friendly and helpful. The sites were as level as they could be due to location. We did not use the bath house but the outside looked new and well maintained. The only complaint I had was the dump station setup.

We decided to spend 5 nights at Norris Dam State Park as a halfway point of our return home from Georgia. We wanted a non-commercialized area of the Smokies. We were not disappointed. The dam itself was the first dam of the TVA, as history buffs this intrigued us. The park staff are both friendly and knowledgeable.

The campgrounds itself, we stayed in the West Campgrounds, were nice. However, the road up to them was narrow and winding. Once you get there the sites are tight to get into. Or first day there I watched a camper jack knife her 20 foot camper to get into her site.

Once we got straight in the site leveling was a chore. I had to raise the right side up 4". With that being said, that last step was a doozy. Good thing we had a step stool. As we drove around the loop about 50% of the campers had a step stool at least one set of steps of not both. Also, the sites are really close.

It appears that they are slowly replacing the picnic tables. Our site was poured concrete table with wood seats on concrete risers. Knowing that this park was built during the Great Depression and a lot of the stuff was built by the CCC I can live with this.

The bath house were newer, however, the 4 unit house is small for the number of sites. We were lucky and must not have picked prime shower times. There are 4 units each serving as a bathroom and shower. They had plenty of room and were extremely clean and well maintained.

It appeared that all of the sites had both water and electricity. I did not see any sewer hook-ups but there could be. The West Campground was fully shaded. I would stay again if I was in the area but not sure that I would seek it out.

The park was very nice. Our site(205) was spacious and pretty private. Be prepared to fight the mosquitos. Park staff stated that people report thar mosquito coils are the most effective. Of course, we had everything, but. We had 2 bars of Verizon 5G. However, you could only make phone calls and messages, no data or streaming. The only real complaint is the location of the bath houses, running water bathrooms, and lack of dish washing station. The back loops only had pit toilets, and the closest bath house was near the first loop and entrance. Additionally, the bath houses were more locker room showers than private showers. If you wanted to keep your stuff dry, you had to leave it on a bench unsecured. There were also zero places other than your camp site or bathroom sink to wash dishes.

Overall a very nice experience. The campground was very nicely kept. The bath house was clean. We stayed here so that we could visit our son who is stationed on nearby King Bay Submarine Base. It was very close to this.

The site had water and electricity but no sanitation hook-up. The only negative thing I can comment on is there is an additional fee for your vehicle, that is not included in the price of the campsite.

Cook Forest State Park is our go to camping location. The state park is beautiful with old growth Eastern Hemlock, American Beech, Birch, and many more aged over 150 years. It's main attraction is the scenic Clarion River which was featured on a 2019 US Postal Stamp. If tubing and kayaking isn't your thing there are plenty of hiking trails including one that goes through the "Forest Cathedral." There are also many other activities in the area. The park is also located near the Allegheny National Forest. No camping trip would be complete without a trip to the Cooksburg Cafe to eat any of the 40+ flavors of hand-dipped ice cream.

There are about 250 campsites with an assortment of non-electric, electric only, or full hook-ups. Water points to fill tanks are plentiful.

The bathhouses are dated and need serious updating. They could use new paint. But even if they cleaned them with more than a mop would be an improvement. I've been camping here since 2012 and I still think there is some of the same dirt on the walls.

Last year they paved the main road into the campground and some of the loops. I highly recommend the campground, you just have to be prepared for outdated and dirty bathhouses.

Poe Valley is definitely a place to go if you want to be off the beaten trail. This is a nice little state park in the mountains of Pennsylvania. If you want paved roads to travel on, this is not the place to go. The sites are not on top of each other, and they either have electric or nothing. Our site 23 was a little cramped for our 30-foot TT but was doable. There is a small lake with swimming available. The swim house looked brand new along with the single bath house at the campground. We did not use either, so I won't comment. Do not expect cell service with Verizon until you are halfway back to civilization. We are definitely planning on returning, but in the spring. For the fly fishers, this is right near Penns Creek.

Just a weekend stay for a shake down at the beginning of the season. Many campsites are semi shaded and spaced reasonably apart. I don't know if it is a seasonal thing or regular schedule, but the park office was not open on a Saturday. There are campsites closed off due to the upcoming upgrades. There is an Army Corps of Engineers lake that the campground has access to. Will be definitely staying here again.