Baker Creek State Park — Attraction in McCormick

Solo 45 year old female tent camper review: First Impression: I did not get the warm fuzzies when I first arrived. It was desolate feeling, with the only other campers a group of fishermen. As a solo female, this has not always been a good combination. I was sick though, and needed a place to recuperate so I stayed, and decided I'd just keep to myself, and move closer to the restroom to avoid being seen.

Privacy: There is not a lot of privacy but at least there is a decent amount of space between sites, I chose one at the edge of a loop with a little forest between me and the water. There were many mature trees at my site, though there had been some trees removed in the campground.

Noise: Very peaceful park, the only noise is the occasional boat (in February when I was here there were very few) or a loud truck on the bridge down the lake. Overall, the only sounds were birds, wind through the trees, and waves lapping the shore. I loved it. Not sure it would be the same experience if the boats were in full force or if the campground was full. The highway was far away, so no constant road noise.

Security: I was a little nervous the first night and considered leaving because I've had bad experiences being the only woman in a campground with a bunch of drinking men. And this park is fairly remote. But the next day another solo camper, a family, and the campground host Rusty showed up and so I stayed.

Hiking: I attempted to go on a hike, but the trail was not clearly marked, was choked with vegetation in spots, and there were no places I could find a map. I ended up just walking the road for a bit, but there isn't much of a shoulder either, so it was a short walk. I still don't know if there are decent trails, but I suspect that this park is more about the water.

Bathrooms: If you are finicky you might not like the bathrooms, they are showing their age. The 2 showers and 3 toilets (I think) functioned fine and had hot water, and there was a heater in the bathroom. The soap dispenser didn't work, but I always carry my own so not a big deal. There were two bathhouses, so no sites were all that far from the bathroom. It did have a motion sensor outside the door that was very bright, so if you are tenting, keep that in mind when choosing a site.

Views: Ah, the views! My site was at the end of the loop, at the top of a hill. It provided the most amazing sunrise and sunset views. There were many good sites at the campground with water views, and a few mediocre sites (in my opinion) in the middle.

I appreciated having water and electric and a level pad. At the end of my 3 days, I found myself wishing I could stay longer and enjoy...

This is a very quiet and relaxing park. We came out here with our 5th wheel and enjoyed the peace and quiet. We stayed at site #97 where we had a great view of the lake, our camper is 40 ft with 4 slides and an awning, we fit just fine in the spot. Here are the key takeaways:

This is a seasonal park only open during certain time of the year starting in March. To reserve you will need to do it online or you can call Hickory Knob State Park. Great place for fishing or taking a small boat out. There is a boat ramp at the park itself, a good bit of boats were on the water and stored at camp sites. The site comes with a picnic table (new one at that), a grill and a gravel spot to park your camper or set up a tent. The park itself doesn't have that much going on with it. There are a few trails that didn't seem to get much use (lots of up and down, not great for young kids). They do have a kids play ground, one for older kids and one for younger kids. Be aware the slides are steep so kids will go down them at a fast rate and could come sliding off falling on the ground. There is a volleyball net right outside the office. The office house are not very long and kind of random. It says from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm so if you catch them you're lucky. Their store doesn't have anything but t-shirts. The road to the camp sites it wide enough to get through no problem, you don't have to worry about trees too much. It is hilly and some spots have a little erosion causing a dip between the road and campsite. Hickory Knob is on the other side of the park, it's a separate State Park. Hickory Knob does have a golf course if you're interested in playing. You can even rent golf clubs if needed. There isn't a set beach but you can access the lake to swim at most sites. Bathrooms are located at the office and at the park campsite. There is a large covered picnic area at the park office where you could fit about 50-75 people. Along with that, they have a huge grill. I'm not sure if or how you go about reserving it, I'm guessing you can do it online.

Overall this was an enjoyable park to stay at with how peaceful it was. I would suggest this park but probably not the best one to...

⭐⭐⭐ 3/5

Bakers Creek State Park is a nice, quiet spot with a lot of potential, but there are definitely some drawbacks RV campers should be aware of. The site I had was very spacious and well-shaded, which made for a comfortable stay. There’s a short trail from the campground down to the lake—great for fishing and swimming—but be cautious near the water. The red clay mud is extremely slippery and tough to clean off shoes and clothes. Some jagged rocks along the shoreline could also be a hazard.

The biggest downside is that none of the campsites are level, so be prepared to do some work to get your rig set up. Only the camp host has sewer access, and the bathhouses are old and not well maintained. The dump station was closed during my visit, and most campers were backing into the host site to dump before leaving, which isn’t ideal.

The road conditions leading into the RV sites also need attention—lots of rough patches and potholes. On the plus side, the ranger's office offers kayaks and boats, which is a nice touch.

Overall, a decent place to camp if you’re looking for a peaceful setting and are okay with...