Eno River State Park Campground

Eno River State Park has amazing backpack in camping that is well worth the beautiful walk through the woods. The last trip here was so wonderful that we extended it by two nights! 

  

I’ve camped here numerous times, at different sites each time and have not had a bad experience yet. The hike to get to the campsites winds around the river and across bridges. The actual hikes do not gain much elevation so while it’s not as easy as walking on pavement, it does not take an advanced hiker to reach the remote camp sites. Each campsites I’ve stay at has been fairly spread out from other sites, while you’ll be able to see and hear others these are not uncomfortably close sites. 

  

There’s plenty to explore, so its definitely worth staying for multiple nights. It’s on the Mountain to Sea Trail so a lot of campers around us were through hikers and only stayed one night, but we spent four here and it was four of the most peaceful and relaxing days I can remember. All the sites I’ve stay at have had fire pit rings and tent pads. There’s never been a picnic table, just a rustic wood bench, so I recommend a camp chair or my personal favorite- a tree hammock as there are plenty of places to hang on.   

  

With rivers running through  the whole park, we packed minimal water and used a life straw. The rivers here are very clean and didn't not give us any second thoughts to drink it. The cool, delicious water is better than anything bottled :)   

  

I've gone in both September and April and the weather was perfect both months, cool at night and around 70 during the day. 

  

This is hands down, one of my favorite State Parks to camp at in both North and South Carolina.

Beautiful, Spread-out campsites 

I've been here a few times solo, and hiked my gear to the primitive sites. Its a great place for a weekend getaway. Pack out a tent and a daypack, setup, then explore the great trails in the area.
You will need to bring a filter for water if you dont want to pack out a gallon or two. No big. 

I love this hike-to-camp

Came here with a group of friends and there families. Great hike,kid friendly. Close enough to parking lot we were able to cook at picnic tables near parking lot.  Camped here in the winter, crossing the bridge with all our winter gear was tough but we made it work. Will definitely go back again 

Great group site off the trail 

This camp ground requires a bit of a hike to get to (3.5 miles). Packing everything in and out was fun but there was no running drinking water at the site. The campground had a gravel base and picnic table with fire pit. The grail was very painful to sleep on. There were also few trees so we could see other campers at nearby sites. The hike to the grounds was by far the best part. A beautiful walk along Eno river with lots of animals along the way (including deer).

Secluded, small amenities, pack in/pack out 

Easy 1 mile hike from the parking lot with beautiful views! This is the best primitive camping I have found near Raleigh, NC. Permits are required and available at the park office for $13\. Make sure you bring a water filter and TP.

Great hike-to campsites

I would personally rate this as a four or five star campground for my taste, but since rating systems have to consider everything, I only rate it a three. Why? Many campers want the luxuries of RV sites with water, electricity, and sewer ... and lots of amenities such as a swimming pool camp store, horseshoes or basketball, etc. You will not find any of that here. That's why I would personally rate it at four or five stars. I LOVE this state park because of its primitive nature. The trails take you into rolling hills and beside the Eno River, which is great for paddling a canoe or kayak. I have stayed at this campground before and revisited it several times. The park is divided into at least three sections, and to get to the primitive camping areas, you have to backpack in. The only facilities are pit toilets with no showers or running water. That is why you need to be prepared and take in your own water and toilet paper. The first time, I stayed at the Fews Ford area, but that campsite area moved to a different location in Fews Ford since then. This time I was in the Cole Mill section. The trails I took before and also this time are easy to moderate. The Cole Mill and Bobbitt Hole trails are connected, and I took both. The Bobbitt Hole trail takes you to a bend in the Eno River where some people go in to cool off. The trail beside the river is really pleasant and easy. One of my favorite sections to hike is in the Fews Ford area, and in order to get to the camping area, you have to cross a suspension bridge. For those who don't like "bouncy" foot bridges, avoid this one. There is also a group camping area and a cabin for groups during stormy weather. There are no doors--just doorways. This state park is long since it follows the Eno River, so don't expect to see everything it offers unless you are willing to spend at least a week exploring it. There are a couple of canoe access areas if you are interested, and there are picnic facilities. The most difficult trail (that I remember) is the Cox Mountain Trail. It is at least moderate. With all that said, this is not a park for RVers, but it is a great park if you like hiking, canoeing, or primitive camping.

A State Park with Primitive Camping, Fishing, Paddling, and Good Hiking

I went camping with a bunch of classmates here and we absolutely loved it! The hike into the campsite from the parking lot was longer than we expected but not too bad in terms of difficulty, and absolutely beautiful to walk. The campsite was great, it had a nice layout and enough space for us to all comfortably fit. You cross the Eno river on the walk in on this cute little bridge, and the river is beautiful. It's also so close to the campsite and very easy to go hangout around and explore. We had an absolute blast!!

Beautiful scenery, Amazing experience

We loved the educational experiences at this park. Very knowledgeable and clean. 

Beautiful 

This is one of my favorite camping spots in the North Carolina triangle area.  There is a tremendous amount of hiking and trails to do around here.  The Eno River is more than safe to swim or paddle in.  Dogs are welcome here! If you can camp close to the river, I recommend, it's great to fall asleep to the sounds of the river.  Bring bug spray!

So green! Gorgeous River!

We hike and swim Eno nearly weekly and are so thankful this resource is so close to us!
We also backpack into the primitive sites frequently. We love the trails. The sites are always clean. The primitive sites are spaces far enough apart that it truly feels like solitude. Piper Creek is our favorite. Flat and easy 1.2 mile hike in along the river. 



So thankful for this local treasure!

This was my first time ever visiting Eno River State Park. My partner and I camped at Fanny’s Ford at one of the primitive sites. The sites are well spaced but not a lot of privacy. We didn’t mind and everyone was cordial. On Friday there were a few logs left for campers at the entrance to the sites, which we appreciated given the recent rain. The proximity to the water is amazing and you can hear the nearby rapids at night. 
Recommendations: bring in your own water, or at least your own containers to fill up at the picnic area parking lot, bring a sleeping pad (the gravel on each site is unforgiving), don’t be afraid to contact the park rangers if you need something (folks were camping without permits in our reserved space and the rangers helped sort everything out)

Big tip: instead of following the ~1 mile trail to the sites, park at the canoe access and walk down to Fews Ford, cross the river via the Ford and continue right until you see a fannys Ford camping sign on your left. It will make your trek SO MUCH easier! 

Perfect weekend getaway! 

I really enjoyed my time here. The Park Superintendent was totally friendly, and very helpful as well. From the Park Office, Primitive Camping is about 1.2 miles away. It’s not a bad hike at all, but make sure you have your map so you don’t get lost! 

Very quiet, very peaceful - I will be back! 

Perfect First time Primitive Experience

The river is beautiful, the trails are very nice, and it’s incredibly peaceful. I’m staying at the River Creek Campsites, and it is ~1 mile moderate hike to the sites. There was firewood set out for each site, which is nice. The gates close at 7:30pm at the Cole Mill parking area, and reopen at 7 or 7:30am. Which is great to give that added safety. Overall an amazing spot. I’d highly recommend. 