Horse camping is the perfect way to enjoy Charlotte. If you're an equestrian lover who prefers nature-based adventure, yet still wants comfort, this is the perfect opportunity for you. Finding a place to stay in North Carolina while traveling with your horse has never been easier. Find North Carolina equestrian campgrounds with ease on The Dyrt.
$13 - $31 / night
Whatever your lodging needs, this Carowinds camp wilderness delivers. Cabins sleep up to 8, and level sites with full hookups easily accommodate both pop-ups and RVs up to 45 feet. Need to house a large group? Great Wilderness Lodge sleeps 14 and offers a large meeting area, equipped kitchen, three bathrooms, and a wraparound, rocking-chair porch.
Everyone will find their own way to unwind with a swimming pool, cornhole, pool table, video games, shuffleboard and free wireless internet in many places. What’s more, registered Camp Wilderness guests can purchase discounted tickets and free shuttle service to the park during park operating days.
Tent camping only - No RV spaces. All campsites at Crowders Mountain State Park are hike-in and primitive. Campground is accessed via a 1 mile trail starting from the visitor center.
$12 - $28 / night
Arrowhead Campground lies in the Badin Lake Recreation Area, a hub for outdoor activities in central North Carolina's Uwharrie National Forest. The variety of sites in the campground offer a comfortable stay for both RV and tent campers. The facility is open year-round and provides easy access to hiking, off-road vehicle riding, horseback riding, mountain biking, fishing and boating.
Badin Lake Recreation Area offers many ways for campers to enjoy the lake. Popular activities include picnicking on the shore or swimming, boating or fishing on the water. About 40 miles of non-motorized trails are available for horseback riding, mountain biking and hiking, as well as 17 miles of motorized trails for off-road vehicle riding. The surrounding land offers both big and small game hunting.
The campground lies in a dense forest of pine, oak and hickory near the shore of 5,000-acre Badin Lake. Winter temperatures range from the low 30s to upper 50s, while summer brings temperatures in the upper 80s and 90s and high humidity. The weather is pleasant in spring and fall, with high temperatures in the 60s and 70s.
A theme park with a petting zoo, nature center and mini golf course lies just under an hour away and makes a fun day trip for families.
$27 / night
Uwharrie Hunt Camp has eight sites for tent camping. Each site has a table, grill, lantern posts, and tent pad. Two vault toilets are provided in the campground. There are also 2 drinking water spigots available. Opportunities for hiking, boating, fishing, swimming, hunting, OHV trail use and picnicking are available within a short drive. Country stores are located in the nearby communities of Uwharrie and Eldorado.
Badin Lake Group Camp offers a fun, relaxing place for clubs, families and other groups to rest and play in the Uwharrie National Forest of central North Carolina. The recreation area is a hub for outdoor activities such as hiking, off-road vehicle riding, hunting, horseback riding, mountain biking, fishing and boating. The group campground is open year-round and can accommodate groups of up to 50 people per site.
Groups have easy access to many recreational opportunities at Badin Lake Recreation Area. The lake shore is the perfect place to watch the sunset or enjoy an afternoon picnic. The lake has plenty of calm water for swimming, boating or fishing for bass, bream, crappie and catfish. King's Mountain Point, just 1 mile from the group camp, has four accessible fishing piers, miles of shoreline and a nice swimming area. A boat ramp is located 2 miles from the campground. Back on land, about 40 miles of non-motorized trails are available for horseback riding, mountain biking and hiking, as well as 17 miles of motorized trails for off-road vehicle riding. The surrounding land offers both big and small game hunting.
Groups have easy access to many recreational opportunities at Badin Lake Recreation Area. The lake shore is the perfect place to watch the sunset or enjoy an afternoon picnic. The lake has plenty of calm water for swimming, boating or fishing for bass, bream, crappie and catfish. King's Mountain Point, just 1 mile from the group camp, has four accessible fishing piers, miles of shoreline and a nice swimming area. A boat ramp is located 2 miles from the campground. Back on land, about 40 miles of non-motorized trails are available for horseback riding, mountain biking and hiking, as well as 17 miles of motorized trails for off-road vehicle riding. The surrounding land offers both big and small game hunting.
The campground lies in a dense forest of pines and hardwoods near the shore of 5,000-acre Badin Lake. Winter temperatures range from the low 30s to upper 50s, while summer brings temperatures in the upper 80s and 90s and high humidity. The weather is pleasant in spring and fall, with high temperatures in the 60s and 70s.
A theme park with a petting zoo, nature center and mini golf course lies just under an hour away and makes a fun day trip for families.
$75 / night
Canebrake Horse Camp lies in the Badin Lake Recreation Area, a hub for outdoor activities in central North Carolina's Uwharrie National Forest. The facility is a scenic and restful overnight spot with both single and double campsites. Canebrake Horse Camp is specifically designed for campers traveling with horses and offers numerous amenities for equestrian camping. If your visit to the Uwharrie National Forest includes camping without horses, please consider one of our other campgrounds: Arrowhead Campground, Badin Lake Campground or Badin Lake Group Camp. Campers will delight in nearly 40 miles of forested horseback riding trails, as well as hiking, mountain biking, off-road vehicle riding, swimming, fishing and boating opportunities in the area. The campground is open year-round.
The equestrian trail system is extensive, with miles of forested paths wandering through forests, over hills and across streams. The trails can be accessed from Canebrake using the Home Trail, which skirts the campground. Trails range from easy to difficult, accommodating riders of every level. The recreation area also offers many ways to enjoy the lake. Campers can spend the afternoon swimming, boating or fishing for bass, bream, crappie and catfish on the water. Back on land, off-road vehicle enthusiasts have access to 17 miles of trails, and hunters and hikers can explore the surrounding national forest.
Canebrake lies in a quiet forest of pine, oak and hickory near the shore of 5,000-acre Badin Lake. Winter temperatures range from the low 30s to upper 50s, while summer brings temperatures in the upper 80s and 90s and high humidity. Weather is pleasant in spring and fall, with high temperatures in the 60s and 70s.
A theme park with a petting zoo, nature center and mini golf course lies just under an hour away and makes a fun day trip for families.
$27 / night
Guide
Stayed four days at state park. I campground as well kept and clean. The bathhouse is brand new. The camp host was very helpful and checked on everybody, every day. The only drawback was that there was no Wi-Fi. I will stay at this campground when I come back in this area again.
Guide
Came through early November. This camp ground has everything you need. It is well kept. The bathhouse facilities are brand new and well kept. The area around the campground has multiple things to keep you busy. If you’re an outdoors person, this is a great place to be located.
Guide
I stayed here for nine days. The campground is clean and well-maintained. The bathhouse is in good shape and clean. I will come back when I’m in this area.
GuideHappy to report that there is a new host here as the one that was working in 2021 was AWFUL. Great sites but hardly any are level so be prepared to manage that. Nice fire pits and grills - love having both. Great bathhouse with hot showers. Terrific paved trail that is awesome for walking, biking, strollers, wheelchairs. Plenty of hammock trees! Zero noise except from other campers/vehicles and the occasional aircraft passing over. Cell signal is pretty spotty but passable. Would need a booster or satellite internet in order to work or attend school, though. Nearby El Dorado Outpost has everything you might need (gas, ice, hot food, small groceries, outdoor supplies, GREAT biscuits!!, etc) and locals sell firewood bundles for $4-5/each. 10-15 min drive into Troy where there are restaurants, gas stations, small regular grocery stores. Really nice new playground and skate park in Troy, too. Tons of hiking, offroading/overlanding, mountain biking, horseback riding nearby.
ScoutThis is a great little place to get away from it all. The sites have electric but you will need in-house water and septic. There is a dump station along with a potable water source at the entrance to the campground.
ScoutAwesome spot for families and multiple night stays. Family environment comes with more noise but as long as you are expecting it you won’t be disappointed.
ScoutMy wife and I stayed here with our 2 daughters. The campsite was spacious, flat and shaded. There was plenty to do for the kids for the weekend. The bath house was very nice and clean. The camp host drove his golf cart around selling firewood. Will definitely return
Guide
I recently stayed for 3 nights with my popup in site#10. The site is a good size for a tent or small camper only. Overall we were surprised by the campground based on other reviews . In my opinion The sites are close together, poorly maintained, and most are very small. The Trading Post is nicely stocked, and open all day. The bathrooms near my site were the best part…it was modern, clean and the showers were hot with good pressure. But other than the bathrooms everything felt like it hadn’t been maintained at all. Won’t be coming back.
Traveler
I was there alone and had the whole campsite to myself. The camp host was so kind. He always made sure me, my horses and my grandson were comfortable and safe!
TravelerWe spent 2 nights here with our Storyteller Mode LT RV nestled in the Uwharrie National Forest. The campsites do not offer a view of the water of Badin Lake, but it is nearby with a drive or hike. Many sites are available with electric hook-up, and drinking water is available at nearby locations. Many of the sites are not very level so choose carefully. The campground is very quiet and clean. The drive-in offers beautiful rolling countryside with low foothills. Nearby we took advantage of an off-road driver training course with OEX, Overland Experts.
TravelerLarger camp ground than expected. Enjoyed our stay.
Traveler
Had a good time camping and enjoyed the song of wind and birds.
ScoutMy husband and I come out to camp at kings mountain state park often and we love it if we decide to go camping or to go out to walk some trails with our dog this is the place we always come to the park rangers are all nice respectful and the keep the place clean and help to make your stay amazing. They also answer any questions you may have about the park like things to do while you are there and to enjoy your stay.
Traveler1st thing was i received an email telling me to check in at trading post and had the wrong address. we arrived as well as 2 other campers at the wrong address and then had to drive a mile or so to turn around. The trading post check in is in the campground!! The park is very pretty with all the trees, but the campsites themselves are very unlevel and laid out very awkwardly. The electric and water are in odd spots on each site. Luckily we were on one of the rare fairly level sites. The road into the campground is narrow, hilly and windy. We were able to do it in our 32 foot class A, but luckily no one was coming the other direction. This would be a very nice park if they spent some money on the individual campsites.
TravelerLovely shaded campground. Boat rentals at Lake York. National Military Battlefield nearby. WiFi available at the Trading Post, but not at campsites. Some sites have cell service, site #48 does not for Verizon. Site #48 is not level but not bad. Park is tidy and clean. Quiet on a Wednesday.
ScoutCamp here if you want to be tucked in by a forest ranger at 10pm for talking at a normal volume. Not friendly to anyone who doesn’t have crotch goblins. Also, all of the campsites are literally on top of eachother.
TravelerVery quiet and beautiful campground
LegendLarge sites, mostly level, with table and fire ring. Decent bath/shower buildings. Large day use area with pavilions, tables, grills and playgrounds. Cute camp store.
ScoutCheck in is at the trading post. They have a small amount of camping equipment but very little grocery items, mostly just snacks and coffee. WI-FI is available there. There are tables outside for you to use but if it's raining I suggest going to the shelter just up the hill,#2. You can get 2 bars there. Verizon was 1-2 bars depending on location. There was plenty of OTA TV channels. All of the bath houses were clean but the ones by sites 103 and 7 had been remodeled and had heat and hand dryers. The other two didn't appear to have heat and there was no hand dryers, so take a towel. Hand soap was available at all. Every site needs more gravel not only on the pad but around the picnic table. Many were like site 43 which had very little gravel so when it rains, you would be in mud. The dump stations also needs a lot more gravel. The second one from the campground was very muddy. Currently site 36 has a large mulch mound at the back. Sites 29 and 46 didn't have a cover for the electrical post. As previously stated, you must really check the site description or plan on bringing lots of levelers. Most sites were shady. There is NO privacy at any site but the worst were the ones next to pull-thru. The hiking trails were very well marked and maintained.
LegendWe enjoyed this campground, but most sites were as close together as dome commercial/independent campgrounds that aside,the one recently remodeled facility was great, the other older facilities were a bit lacking. Sites were mostly not level, but also not too obtuse
Cell coverage not the greatest, but managed 6 or 7 meg down on Visible and T-mobile
Lovely for Change of Leaves. Friendly staff & hosts
ScoutWe made a reservation well in advance but the owner decided to cancel our confirmed reservation to accommodate a previous renter who decided to stay longer. THANK YOU YATES FAMILY! Obviously there was no consideration if we were left without a place to stay. Did they offer help finding another campground, NO. Did they offer to compensate us, NO.
ScoutGreat local family campground with lots of great hiking trails.
ScoutThey have two campgrounds, newest has 50amp service with sewer hook up and mostly drive thru campsites, but out in the open with no shade trees. Older campground is heavily wooded with beautiful forest and some sites have water frontage to tie up your boat. 30 amp service with no sewer, all sites are paved and pretty level. All the bath houses are nice and clean. Beautiful place to camp! One of our favorite places to camp!
Scout
We stayed 3 nights in a 31' travel trailer at site 80. Staff at counter was very friendly and provided all the information needed. Site was level side to side and paved with asphalt only wide enough for the camper. The hookups were standard location and heights no issues. Our steps come out to a large level dirt pad, not grass. Lots of trees providing shade which is nice. It had started raining after setup and the dirt quickly became mud. The bathhouse is close and clean, all tile. I wish there were curtains separating shower from dress area though. The shuttle to Carowinds was frequent and convenient. All in all, the campground was nice, we would stay again.
ScoutIn full disclosure. We bought a camper and decided on this campground as our maiden voyage. It’s close to the dealer we bought the camper from, and had available sites on short notice.
We’ve tent camped here before and enjoyed our stay and will this time as well.
I’ve never towed a camper before and I’m still learning. Any sites that have a moderate slope can be a challenge. Especially to a newbie.
I’m this case we made it work using leveling chocks on one side of the camper. No complaints. We wish we made a better site selection that’s more level. Lol.
A nice quiet place that’s well maintained, but with minimal amenities. We like the quiet and hiking trails and enjoy our stays here.
ScoutNice campground close to Carowinds... Quiet and family friendly. Stayed there a couple of times. Pull thru sites are mostly shaded.
ScoutGreat camp sites, easy to get to, lots of trails, shooting range and off road trails.
North Carolina offers a variety of horse camping experiences, perfect for equestrian enthusiasts looking to explore the great outdoors with their horses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Charlotte, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Charlotte, NC is Kings Mountain — Kings Mountain State Park with a 4-star rating from 45 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Charlotte, NC?
TheDyrt.com has all 15 equestrian camping locations near Charlotte, NC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
