The best EQUESTRIAN camping near
Belwood , NORTH CAROLINA

Tis campground is a little hard to find because it is off of the beaten path but close to the Blue Ridge Parkway. We went during the peak leaf season and of course, had to book the site super early. But we snagged the belle of the ball with the Laurel group site. The maximum number of people in the site is 50 (pre Covid) but we were a group of 3 families with 11 people and it was the perfect size for this size group. There were steps leading down to the river with a small spot for a 2 person tent. There were also a number of dispersed tent sites with room to spread out. We had our own very clean restroom that was not in the way but accessible. There are a number of trails to access from the site including Setrock Falls. Even though the campground was full, we felt completely private in our site. The Toe River is the real gift of this site. The constant sounds around you and the river loop trail allowed you to explore further. This is a perfect site for kids because it is open and the river is shallow enough. I would highly recommend this site any time of year because of the river but fall adds a special quality with the leaves all around.

It was our first time camping as a family and now we wish we could camp every weekend!

Great place to camp. 2 Fishing lakes. Boat rentals. Loaner fishing rods, must have SC license.

What a treat. This park is at milepost 297.1 of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Our campsite E02 was on one side of the parkway, the Julian Price Lake was on the other side. This was not a problem, easy to cross. Probably one of my all time favorite hikes- Boone Fork Trail. We have a dog that could have gone w us, but the hike would have been tough on her (10 years old) we were glad she wasn't with us. Rocks to climb over, ladders, etc.  The canoe rental on the lake was great! We fished for brim, had a ball. There is Wifi at the lake/boat rental. Connectivity was null otherwise! We loved this campground, picturesque, friendly, space between sites was generous. Our site was the entry site for all of E loop and F loop= lots of traffic, but we booked late and was glad to have it. No hookups, so you must be self contained. Dump and potable water is available at the entrance. Firewood to buy from the boat rental at the lake. All was spectacular!

Camped 9/25-9/27 in the family campground. Stayed at site 13. Super clean bathhouse which was very nice. Shower stall with doors instead of just curtains. There is a sink for dish washing in the back of the bathhouse. Dumpster is at the end of the large parking lot. The river is wonderful to listen to as you fall asleep. There is 0% service in the campground. No carriers had service so be aware.

Hiked to the top of Chestnut Knob and that was a very strenuous and beautiful hike. You will have service at the very top of the hill to call/text family and friends. You can start your hike right from the campground which is another bonus so you won’t need to drive to a trailhead.

Note: Bring firewood with you! Once the visitor center is closed there is none available and the campground has been picked clean of all available logs and sticks.

Overall I would definitely come back to camp and hike again. Beautiful state park!

We stayed for 4 nights, our site was incredible, the others not so much.  The loop we were on had a vault toilet with t/p and hand sanitizer, there was a shower/toilet house a few hundred yards up the road, which we usually drove to for hot showers, very clean there.    The campers before us were slobs with kids, there were little bits of plastic packaging all over the site along with their hanging neon night light which they were too lazy to put in the trash, apparently they didn't go through scouting.   Sites here can be a bit close with no trees to screen your neighbor.   If you're an rv'er would you please respect quite hours and not blast your tv until 11pm.  They don't enforce quiet hours.

Lots of trails to choose from. Beautiful views. Lots of history. Visit here often.

This campground is minutes from Blowing Rock NC, which makes it super popular. There are restaurants and grocery stores nearby. There are two sides: the A-side is next to the lake but has no showers, just flush toilets, water spigots, and a food storage area. The other side has newer bathhouses.

RV spots have electric hookups, tent spots do not. Many on lakeside have to be reserved in advance and are not as isolated as they may appear on the recreation.gov website. If you are thinking the “first come first served campsites” that are lakeside will be up for grabs at any given time you will be disappointed. I would recommend reserving one if possible. Tent pads are decent and will have some small gravel in them, they will for a standard six persons tent but that’s about it. Fire rings are standard size and sites have a lantern post, along with a cement top picnic table.

Note that if you are towing a trailer and tenting you may have issues finding a place to park. Solid campground with friendly staff.

It’s also a horse camp with a large ring. The first camping loop is the best. Head back to the end of the camping loop away from the office and find a trail that leads down to a nice swimming creek. Great place for exploring all over the park. Sites were well spaced with picnic table and fire ring.

Lots of sites could use some attention. Tangled tree roots, water ruts. Muddy when it rains. They don’t put gravel often. It gets jam packed on the weekend. Staff isn’t terribly friendly. Lots of big group tent campers. Lots to do in the area. Very friendly squirrels.