A Good Day Starts Right Here
Sluice a mining bag, cool off in the pool, go llama trekking, hit the trails, hunt for treasure or challenge the kids to gaga ball. There is plenty to do before you ever get back in the car.
Make a Day of Staying at Camp
Forty acres, twenty of them left as woods. The common area sits in the middle, so parents can sit back and watch the kids have a ball without following them around.
SeasonalThe swimming pool
Shallow at both ends, which parents of small swimmers notice immediately. Open for the season. Come and take a dip whenever the sun gets too warm.
Daily 9–5Gem & fossil mining
Amethyst, emerald, quartz, shark’s teeth. Open every day to campers and the public alike.
How it works
Woodland trails
Well-mown grass paths through undeveloped woods, for running, dog walking, or taking a llama for a stroll. When we say in the pines, we mean it.
Room to Play
Gaga ball
A kinder, gentler version of dodgeball. Last one standing wins, and it will not be you.
Book aheadWalk With a Llama
A guided stroll on the trails with a llama, with a stop at a hidden pond halfway. SundMist Pastures runs it and you book direct with them: call 910.253.5612 or see smpllamas.com. The llamas are not on site all the time, so arrange it before you come.
The jump pad and the playground
An inflatable jumping pad low enough for several kids at once, and a hand-built wooden play set beside it. Both sit on the common green, so you can watch from your own site.
Follow the Clues. Find the Treasure.
Legend has it that Blackbeard, who worked this stretch of the Carolina coast three hundred years ago, buried part of his haul deep in the pines. We are not going to tell you whether that is true. We will tell you that children come back out of those woods holding something.
Pick up a treasure map at the camp store and follow the clues along the walking trails. Find the stash, carry it back to the store, and we will trade it for a small bag of raw gemstones, free, said to have come from Blackbeard’s own collection. Take it down to the mining sluice to see what is in it. Most children are back at the counter for a bigger bag before long.
Adventure awaits, mateys.
“We really enjoyed the hiking trail and clues to finding the hidden treasure.”
Google review
See What’s Happening During Your Stay
Throughout the year we bring guests together with seasonal celebrations, live music, special activities and plenty of opportunities to make lasting memories. What is coming up next is always on the events page.
Gem & Fossil Mining in Bolivia, NC
You buy a mining bag from the camp store. Water runs down a series of troughs, and you work the bag through a screen until the mud carries off and the stones settle out. It is genuinely satisfying, and it is not a machine doing it for you.
Identification charts come with the bag, so a nine-year-old can tell you they found amethyst and be right about it. It runs every day from 9 AM to 5 PM and is open to the public as well as campers, which makes it a good reason for the family who did not come camping to drive out and meet you.
What is actually in the bag
The mix changes, which is half the appeal. These are the ones that turn up often enough to expect.
“The kids love the bouncing pad, swimming pool and outdoor games. The camp store had the basics covered and our kids loved picking out a geode to crush. What a fun visit!”
Daniel Gaulden · Google review
Every day, 9–5
Year-round, weather permitting. The sluice is in the open air with no cover over it yet, so pick a dry afternoon and bring a hat if the sun is out. No reservation needed for a family.
Open to the public
You do not have to be staying with us. Pull in, park, and come to the camp store.
Prices
Bags start at $10 and go up with the size of the bag. Call 910.845.5040 if you want to check before you drive out.
Groups and school trips
Call ahead for school groups, scout troops and birthday parties so we can have enough troughs running. A school has booked the whole park for this before.
Common questions
Is there enough to do without leaving the park?
Most families find there is. Gem and fossil mining, a seasonal pool, a gaga ball pit, an inflatable jump pad, a hand-built playground, cornhole, a treasure hunt, and twenty acres of mown trail through the woods. As they put it themselves: don’t want to venture out after arriving? We get it, it’s lovely here.
What is there for young children?
The pool is shallow at both ends, which matters if you have a four-year-old. The jump pad is low to the ground so several can bounce at once, and the playground is a hand-built wooden set. Blackbeard’s Lost Treasure Hunt sends them round the park after clues, and the piece they find is swapped for a prize at the front office.
What is gaga ball?
A kinder, gentler version of dodgeball, played in a low octagonal pit. Last one standing wins, and it will not be you.
How do the llama treks work?
A guided walk on the trails with a llama, with a stop at a hidden pond halfway and a guide who will tell you more about llamas than you expected to learn. They are run by SundMist Pastures, and reservations go through them, in advance, not through the campground.
Is the pool open?
Seasonally. Season dates and daily hours are posted at the pool gate. No pets and no smoking in the pool area.
Is there live music?
Live music and seasonal gatherings run through the warmer months. The lineup varies, so ask the office what is planned during your stay. What else is on.
Can we walk the trails with a dog?
Yes, on a six-foot leash, the twenty acres of mown trail is where most dog walking happens. There is also a fenced dog park where they can be off it.
Do I have to be staying at the campground to go mining?
No. Gem and fossil mining is open to the public as well as to campers. Pull in, park, and come to the camp store. It makes a good reason for the relatives who did not want to camp to drive out and meet you.
What are the hours?
Every day, 9 AM to 5 PM, year-round and weather permitting. No reservation is needed for a family.
What does a bag cost?
Bag prices are posted at the camp store. Call 910.845.5040 and we will tell you today’s.
What will we actually find?
Amethyst, emerald and quartz turn up often, and so do fossils, shark’s teeth most of all. The mix changes, which is half the appeal. Identification charts come with the bag, so a nine-year-old can tell you what they found and be right about it.
How long does a bag take?
Most families spend the better part of an hour on one, and it holds the interest of adults as well as children.
Can we bring a group or a school trip?
Yes, call the office first so we can have enough troughs running and staff it properly. Scout troops and birthday parties are regulars.
Not covered here? Call 910.845.5040. We are family-owned, so you will most likely be talking to one of us.
Rather talk to a person? 910.845.5040