About Bandits Roost
Number of accommodations: 103
Nearby Activities & Attractions
Boating
Fishing
Hiking
Swimming
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Campground Amenities
RV Utilities and Hookups
- Dump station on site
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Rates, Sites & Availability
103 Sites Available
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Site Details
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103 Sites Available
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Reviews (1821)
What Guests Are Saying
Bandits Roost is praised for its spacious, clean, and beautiful campsites, with many guests highlighting the welcoming staff and peaceful atmosphere. The campground offers convenient access to local attractions and activities, making it a favorite for returning visitors. While some maintenance issues, such as the boat ramp and bathhouse updates, were noted, the overall experience remains highly positive.
What Guests Are Saying
Bandits Roost is praised for its spacious, clean, and beautiful campsites, with many guests highlighting the welcoming staff and peaceful atmosphere. The campground offers convenient access to local attractions and activities, making it a favorite for returning visitors. While some maintenance issues, such as the boat ramp and bathhouse updates, were noted, the overall experience remains highly positive.
Review Summary
Debra W
VerifiedJune 1, 2024 • Stayed at: 59, Loop: A
Traveled from Florida for North Wilkesboro NASCAR All Star race and last minute needed a place to stay in RV … Reservation Staff was able to get us slots in Bandits Roost … have never stayed in a National Park … it is a beautiful park … looking forward to staying there again next year … I’m booking now. Thank you
Teresa S
VerifiedJune 1, 2024 • Stayed at: 53, Loop: A
Very nice stay. Neat, clean. Spacious sites. Love it.
Debra W
VerifiedJune 1, 2024 • Stayed at: 59, Loop: A
Traveled from Florida for North Wilkesboro NASCAR All Star race and last minute needed a place to stay in RV … Reservation Staff was able to get us slots in Bandits Roost … have never stayed in a National Park … it is a beautiful park … looking forward to staying there again next year … I’m booking now. Thank you
Teresa S
VerifiedJune 1, 2024 • Stayed at: 53, Loop: A
Very nice stay. Neat, clean. Spacious sites. Love it.
Debra W
VerifiedJune 1, 2024 • Stayed at: 59, Loop: A
Traveled from Florida for North Wilkesboro NASCAR All Star race and last minute needed a place to stay in RV … Reservation Staff was able to get us slots in Bandits Roost … have never stayed in a National Park … it is a beautiful park … looking forward to staying there again next year … I’m booking now. Thank you
Kathy T
VerifiedMay 31, 2024 • Stayed at: 63, Loop: A
Awesome view of the lake, clean restrooms and site. Friendly staff.
Kathy T
VerifiedMay 31, 2024 • Stayed at: 63, Loop: A
Awesome view of the lake, clean restrooms and site. Friendly staff.
Kathy T
VerifiedMay 31, 2024 • Stayed at: 63, Loop: A
Awesome view of the lake, clean restrooms and site. Friendly staff.
stanley w
VerifiedMay 30, 2024 • Stayed at: 54, Loop: A
We thoroughly enjoy our many experiences at Bandits Roost. We have been camping there for the past five years or so. However, I am afraid that this location is beginning to slip with changes made this year. First, we are given a gate passcode to enter the park. However, when we arrived at approximately 3:30 PM there was no attendant at the gate and the gates were wide open. We sat for a while before deciding to proceed to our site. We went to our site and sat up. No one ever checked our reservation. We stayed for four nights as per our reservation and no one ever checked to see that we were the properly permitted campers. Also, throughout the entire four days and nights the gates were never closed even though some times I returned to my site later in the evening.
The park was clean but the showers were slow in draining with partially clogged drains and not up to the standard they once were. Our campsite was clean but the fire pit had not been cleaned and there were debris in it from previous campers.. Not a huge problem but rather an observation.
We will still camp at this location but we do not feel quite as secure as the gates to an from the park were never closed and we were never questioned about our reservation or issued a pass. Being wide open I am afraid unregistered people will begin using the park without properly reserving their site.
We love using recreation.gov and COE campgrounds and will continue to do so. However we are concerned that the changes made since last year have left me questioning the modifications.
Please continue to maintain these beautiful locations but the changes made I feel have degraded the experience that we once had there.
Best Regards,
Stanley Wright
stanley w
VerifiedMay 30, 2024 • Stayed at: 54, Loop: A
We thoroughly enjoy our many experiences at Bandits Roost. We have been camping there for the past five years or so. However, I am afraid that this location is beginning to slip with changes made this year. First, we are given a gate passcode to enter the park. However, when we arrived at approximately 3:30 PM there was no attendant at the gate and the gates were wide open. We sat for a while before deciding to proceed to our site. We went to our site and sat up. No one ever checked our reservation. We stayed for four nights as per our reservation and no one ever checked to see that we were the properly permitted campers. Also, throughout the entire four days and nights the gates were never closed even though some times I returned to my site later in the evening.
The park was clean but the showers were slow in draining with partially clogged drains and not up to the standard they once were. Our campsite was clean but the fire pit had not been cleaned and there were debris in it from previous campers.. Not a huge problem but rather an observation.
We will still camp at this location but we do not feel quite as secure as the gates to an from the park were never closed and we were never questioned about our reservation or issued a pass. Being wide open I am afraid unregistered people will begin using the park without properly reserving their site.
We love using recreation.gov and COE campgrounds and will continue to do so. However we are concerned that the changes made since last year have left me questioning the modifications.
Please continue to maintain these beautiful locations but the changes made I feel have degraded the experience that we once had there.
Best Regards,
Stanley Wright
Location Bandits Roost
Address:
667 Jess Walsh Road
Wilkesboro, NC, 28697-0182
United States
From Winston-Salem, North Carolina, take Highway 421 North (approximately 55 miles) to Exit 286B, turn left onto Highway 268 and continue for approximately 5 miles. Turn right onto Jess Walsh Road. Campground entrance is located at the end of the road.
From Charlotte, North Carolina, take I-77 North (approximately 60 miles) before merging onto Highway 421 North towards Wilkesboro/Boone. Continue to Exit 286B (approximately 20 miles), turn left onto Highway 268 and continue for approximately 5 miles. Turn right onto Jess Walsh Road. Campground entrance is located at the end of the road.
Travel times from:
Winston Salem: 1 hour.
Charlotte: 1.5 hours.
The campground is accessible via Highway 421, which is approximately 5 miles from Highway 268, and I-77 is also within reach, merging onto Highway 421 toward Wilkesboro/Boone.
Latitude & Longitude: 36.1219 / -81.2507
Elevation: 339 feet
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Last updated: June 5, 2026
