The Dyrt is here to help plan your best camping near Durham. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Durham is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Discover great camping spots near Durham, reviewed by campers like you.
Poplar Point offers 579 sites for RV and tent camping; 363 sites have water and electric hookups. Each site includes a picnic table, grill, and lantern holder. Showers, restrooms, trash containers and a dump station are conveniently located. Please note that all sites at Poplar Point Loop E are walk-up and can be booked only when you arrive at the campground.
Jordan Lake State Recreation Area is a collective of nine access areas scattered around the shoreline of this undeveloped, 14,000-acre reservoir. More than 1,000 campsites among five of the access areas offer a range of outdoor experience from RV hookups to primitive tent camping and group camps. There are seven swim beaches in the recreation area and a number of boating ramps, with some swim areas and ramps reserved for campers. Nearly 14 miles of hiking trails wind across the hilly lakeshore, with most of them offering easy, brief hikes perfect for family outings. Spotting bald eagles and osprey is just one of many opportunities to view wildlife, and the lake’s ecology is further explored in the visitor center exhibit hall.
$33 - $65 / night
Holly Point offers 158 campsites total, 89 with water and 50/30-amp electric hookups. Both Holly Point and Rolling View have a dump station.
This recreation area is part of B. Everett Jordan Lake
$10 - $32 / night
Sites are meant for tent/pop-up camping only. No RV or Trailer is accessible.
Located in Wake County 10 miles northwest of downtown Raleigh, William B. Umstead State Park is a cherished retreat from bustling urban life. The park features an extensive network of hiking and multiuse trails, as well as three manmade lakes and their tributaries that are perfect for fishing. Both park entrances offer picnic shelters, and Crabtree Creek offers camping areas. Group camps and the historic Maple Hill Lodge let visitors experience a rustic overnight experience without typical modern camping amenities.
Please note: Campground closes for the N.C. State Fair in October.
Limited camping access is available during the month of October and certain event weekends. Call immediately prior to trip departure to inquire about availability. (919) 612-6767.
Avoid the commute, relax and enjoy the North Carolina State Fairgrounds' campgrounds. With 100 full-service sites and an additional 200 sites on the grounds, we are equipped for all your RV camping needs. Rental cost for a 24-hour period is $30. The campground is closed to the public for the month of October for the N.C. State Fair. Spaces are first come, first served with no advance reservations taken. Check in upon arrival by calling 919-612-6767.
$35 / night
$30 / night
Free camping from September 1 - February 28, and March 31 - May 14. Designated as Hunter Camping, accessible to all.
Access Map: https://www.ncwildlife.org/Portals/0/Hunting/Game-Land-Maps/Piedmont/Butner-Falls-of-Neuse.pdf
Located in Durham and Wake counties 15 miles east of downtown Durham, Falls Lake State Recreation Area provides seven access areas to the reservoir. More than 300 campsites offer a variety of overnight experiences. Trails include a portion of the Mountains-to-Sea State Trail, as well as one of the premier mountain bike trail systems in the Triangle area, located at Beaverdam access. During the spring and fall, migrating monarch butterflies add to the picturesque beauty of the lake.
Not every access has all the listed facilities. Please check the General Information page to view a table of the facilities at each access: https://www.ncparks.gov/state-parks/falls-lake-state-recreation-area/plan-your-visit
$25 - $35 / night
Poplar Point offers 579 sites for RV and tent camping; 363 sites have water and electric hookups. Each site includes a picnic table, grill, and lantern holder. Showers, restrooms, trash containers and a dump station are conveniently located. Please note that all sites at Poplar Point Loop E are walk-up and can be booked only when you arrive at the campground.
Jordan Lake State Recreation Area is a collective of nine access areas scattered around the shoreline of this undeveloped, 14,000-acre reservoir. More than 1,000 campsites among five of the access areas offer a range of outdoor experience from RV hookups to primitive tent camping and group camps. There are seven swim beaches in the recreation area and a number of boating ramps, with some swim areas and ramps reserved for campers. Nearly 14 miles of hiking trails wind across the hilly lakeshore, with most of them offering easy, brief hikes perfect for family outings. Spotting bald eagles and osprey is just one of many opportunities to view wildlife, and the lake’s ecology is further explored in the visitor center exhibit hall.
$33 - $65 / night
Holly Point offers 158 campsites total, 89 with water and 50/30-amp electric hookups. Both Holly Point and Rolling View have a dump station.
$10 - $32 / night
Sites are meant for tent/pop-up camping only. No RV or Trailer is accessible.
Located in Wake County 10 miles northwest of downtown Raleigh, William B. Umstead State Park is a cherished retreat from bustling urban life. The park features an extensive network of hiking and multiuse trails, as well as three manmade lakes and their tributaries that are perfect for fishing. Both park entrances offer picnic shelters, and Crabtree Creek offers camping areas. Group camps and the historic Maple Hill Lodge let visitors experience a rustic overnight experience without typical modern camping amenities.
Please note: Campground closes for the N.C. State Fair in October.
Limited camping access is available during the month of October and certain event weekends. Call immediately prior to trip departure to inquire about availability. (919) 612-6767.
Avoid the commute, relax and enjoy the North Carolina State Fairgrounds' campgrounds. With 100 full-service sites and an additional 200 sites on the grounds, we are equipped for all your RV camping needs. Rental cost for a 24-hour period is $30. The campground is closed to the public for the month of October for the N.C. State Fair. Spaces are first come, first served with no advance reservations taken. Check in upon arrival by calling 919-612-6767.
$35 / night
Well Maintained, Nice workers and good weather. 20ish minutes from Greensboro. Camping spots are great.
We’ve stayed at Jones Station many times since it opened 10 years ago. Kay, the owner, is just wonderful and Dave and April are both friendly and helpful.
This is absolutely the nicest privately owned RV Park we’ve visited anywhere in the country. It’s immaculately maintained, the spaces are large, and many of them are shaded.
If you’re visiting the Triad or Triangle areas of NC, this park is a great place to stay.
Beautiful space with nice facilities!
Just be sure to avoid the crotchety old dweeb riding around in his golf cart. I assume he’s the owner, but that doesn’t excuse his cringe and rude behavior to people patronizing his business.
The sites are level, not much shade. Garbage cans everywhere. Convenient to get into and out of with full hookup. There are no amenities at all but security drives around. Felt safe. Across from stadium. Price is worth the value.
The state park has excellent hiking trails and the RV park is located in an excellent location to use them.
The sites are huge, level, and clean. The bathhouse is clean and modern. While there aren’t many recreational amenities besides the hiking, the price makes this park an excellent value.
If you find yourself in the hustle and bustle of nearby Raleigh and are looking to get away from the crowds and pavement in exchange for some nice shaded nature, hiking trails and calm, peace& quiet that only nature can offer, then make your way here to Shinleaf@ Falls Lake SRA. You’ll discover all of the basics are provided– from picnic table, fold-up fire ring/ grill, bear-proof garbage hanger and a nice pebble-strewn patch of well-maintained flat pitch, perfect for striking camp for the night in your tent amongst the best of what nature has to offer along with pristine shade from an unrelenting bit of summer North Carolina sunshine.
The only real down-side I could find to Shinleaf is that there’s not a whole lot of brush between the campsites so you will be exposed to neighboring sites, which wasn’t a problem when we visited as the place was fairly vacant, but during high season, I could see how this would be a bit of a turn-off. The on-site facilities(limited to just bathrooms& showers) are typically better than you’d expect from a state-run campground, and so this spot gets high marks versus some others– and there’s even a designated‘pot wash’ spigot that is near the campsites making for EZ clean up after any meal. There’s plenty of hiking trails to explore and the on-site rangers are incredibly helpful and positive folks that want to ensure you have a great time.
Insider's tips? Here's a few: (1) If you like to fish, there's tons of different varieties here to catch, including: walleye, crappie, white bass, large- and small-mouth bass, blue gill, striped bass as well as catfish; (2) There is no need to go anywhere else to look for a boat launch as Shinleaf has its very own kayak/ canoe launch that is fantastic and located on the eastern side of the property; (3) If you are looking for some really cool outdoors adventures while in these parts, check out Go Ape Zipline and Adventure Park that offers treetop rope trails and adventure courses - our kiddos loved it!; (4) When you grow tired of attempting to conjure up your next meal from the depths of your roto-molded Cordova cooler and want to try out some local fare, then I highly recommend nearby Carolina Ale House in Wake Forest or Buffalo Brothers Restaurant & Bar - both have fantastic local cuisine and nice iced area craft beers to pair with; and (5) IMHO, the best campsites here at Shinleaf are: #6, #14, #16-17; #30-33; #37-39; #40; #42-43; #45-47.
Happy Camping!
Spent 4 nights here (during a heat wave, no less) and really enjoyed it. Campsites are large and not right on top of each other, and especially if you can book one of the campsites that are on the water, they really do have beautiful views (see pictures).
Pros:
Kid-friendly. We spent an afternoon at the splash pad, which is a great way to cool off in the summer and free once you're in the park. I never felt unsafe with my kids running around up to the bath-house or the loop, felt very secluded and safe.
Lake is scenic, we saw fireflies at dusk, it was a great setting for a camping trip.
Everything seems pretty well-maintained. Bathrooms are aging but were cleaned at least once a day, it was fine. There is firewood at every bathhouse you can take on the honor system and pay for via cashbox, which is nice. Campsites are clean and well-maintained.
Lots of lake recreation options (boat rental, fishing, etc.) in or near the park.
Cons:
Maybe it was just our campsite, which backed up to a large wooded area, but they were the most aggressive squirrels I've ever come across. If we went to the bathroom for five minutes and left food on the table, the squirrels would be there eating it when we came back. And would hover at the edge of the campsite or get into the car if the hatchback was open.
Camp store is....fine, pretty minimal in terms of provisions. But not a big deal because Clarksville is five minutes or so away and has plenty of stores.
Tents pads are all gravel. Didn't bother us but definitely would not want to tent camp here if you didn't have a good high-quality sleeping pad.
The biggest con was that there is no swimming area/beach in the park. You can try to wade in from the campsite but that generally requires scaling up/down some fairly treacherous rocks, and navigating driftwood and rocks in the water. We drove a few minutes away outside the park to find one, but would be really nice to have some kind of little swimming area inside the park, very strange to me they don't have one.
But all in all a lovely place for a camping trip, we all had a great time.
It’s ok. Semi secluded and has necessary hookups. Quit packed for what it is. I would not stay here for weeks. Just a stop and go kinda deal. But price is very good.
We camped overnight making our way south. There are a number of sites right on the lakefront, so snag one of those if you can! Many of the sites offer good flat terrain, and electric hook-ups are available at many sites. Nice, shady and quiet, the campground is very clean. Pretty convenient to I-85. Be sure to go out near sunset to see the beautiful reflections in the lake waters! We will be back!
Nice campground. Nice people/hosts. Bathroom not so much. Long backup to get to the site. Hookups on wrong side. But lots of beautiful sites. Mostly all waterfront. E/W
Very nice campground. Lots of trees for shade and the park is very quiet. I would recommend staying here. The spots are big and not right up on each other. No laundry facility.
The site is directly on the lake. Mere steps from your door. Beautiful view on the adjacent shoreline and bridge. Rocky shoreline. Easy to back in. I only have 2 complaints. The proximity of neighbors. The only thing separating you from site 24 is the tent pad. And the site length listed is a little misleading. It says 40 feet which I assume is true. But we fit our 27 foot travel trailer in there and had a really hard time wedging our tow vehicle (F250) in there. Parked at an odd angle on the tent pad. Wouldn’t choose this site again but definitely recommend for a smaller trailer.
first time doing any type of dispersed camping but it was really easy to find, just off the road in the woods, just follow the coordinates and its a lil past, look for the signs, with lil sites to pull my car up to deeper in the woods, though you can still see the headlights coming from the road.
I'm not a hunter but no one else was there and I pulled up at 10pm and left 6am on the first day of open season.
We frequent this campground very often. Very nice play grounds. Does cost and long waiting line at pool, but one of the best to just get away and relax.
We camped here at the end of March ( Easter Weekend ) and it was wonderful. The sites are spread out and not on top of each other. The restrooms were immaculate and the staff was courteous.
We camped out the first night the campground was open for the season. They were performing controlled burns but nothing bothered us. Sure, we heard the planes overhead but it didn’t keep us up. We tent camped at an RV site just for some extra comfort with the water and power. Bathhouses were super clean. And we were a short walk to the lake to fish and hang out near the water. Absolutely will come back
This was our very first full-time RV park. We loved being in the park and it easily accommodated our 39ft. Class A. Back-in site but with plenty of room to do so. Each site has water and electric hook-up. Sewer however is a dump station. The sites are big with a picnic table, fire pit and lantern hook. Plenty to do here with the lake at your fingertips. Great first experience.
Popular Point campground is one of my favorite places to pitch a tent in the Jordan Lake area. It's often not as crowded as the others at Jordan Lake are, esp., during the week and outside of holidays or summertime. The views are nice, with sites next to the water. Tents and RVs can camp in the same areas. We normally camp in a tent here, but never in the hottest part of summer, which is most of the summer in the Piedmont area of the state. You gotta go up to 3000 feet, as in the mountains of NC, for a cool weather experience in summertime, but for a night to get away from your regular routine or a weekend when the weather is nice, this is a suitable place. Locals like it because the drive isn't far from Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Durham or Pittsboro.
This is our favorite campground in the area. It is clean and quite with easy back in sites. The bathhouse is well maintained as is the camp road. We have stayed here during all four seasons and there isn't a bad time to stay. I can't say enough good things about this campground
The campground is very cramped and the owner is very unfriendly and was unwilling to work with me after I asked not to park my fifth wheel under a hickory tree that was rubbing the top of my recently recoated roof. She refused. Roughly 7weeks into my 13 week stay a large storm rolled through and a hickory nut busted the top of my ac unit on my roof and the nut broke the blades of my fan off. She refused to acknowledge the damage. I tried to compromise with taking the price of the service of the monthly payment. The owner refused then stated she was going to need the next month payment or she would have my fifth towed. She is very unreasonable and very rude
Loop C site 19 is a great location. It’s flat with a few good locations off the gravel for tents. Good trees for hammocks are present. There’s no other site within a couple hundred yards to the east. East access to the lake shore and plenty of woods for kids to play in. The bathhouse is a short walk away.
I’ve camped here twice now. The hike in and out is very easy. Only about 2 miles each way. The spots are clean and well spread out with a hook to hang things on, a fire pit, and a picnic table at each site. The pit toilet is central to all 6 sites. It’s a pit toilet so it’s nothing glamorous but it’s there if you need it. The river is a short walk away from all the sites if you want to get a great picture with the sunrise. Overall, I definitely recommend.
Rv sites are really nice and not on top of each other. Some are close to the water. Lots of clearly marked hiking trails, 3 playgrounds, Frisbee golf and horshoe pits. Really preety and lots of boat docks. Staff are super nice. The only negative is the state of the showers and bathrooms. They are in need of a lot of repair. Heater in the showers and bathrooms didn't work. Water was hot though. Overall, this place is really good for the price. With good restrooms, this place easily be double the nightly rate.
We love coming to Lake Reidsville. We have tent camped many times there and now have been with a camper. It was peaceful and the view is always amazing.
Excellent new cabin’s perfect fire pit new tables/restrooms spaced out beautifully designed campground.
Great place. Plenty of shade and view of Lake Jordan. Restrooms were clean.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Durham, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, Durham, NC offers a wide range of camping options, with 77 campgrounds and RV parks near Durham, NC and 4 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Durham, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Durham, NC is Poplar Point Campground — Jordan Lake State Recreation Area with a 4.5-star rating from 49 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Durham, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 4 free dispersed camping spots near Durham, NC.
What parks are near Durham, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 11 parks near Durham, NC that allow camping, notably B. Everett Jordan Lake and Uwharrie National Forest.
