Looking for a place to camp near Elm City with your horse? It's easy to find Elm City campgrounds for horse camping with The Dyrt. With our help, you'll find the best North Carolina equestrian campsites from scenic to easily accessible.
$24 / 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
Traveler
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.
GuideIt’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.
Guide
I came here with a large group and really liked it! We were all at crammed into the 4 large group sites so I admittedly can’t comment on the size of a regular site. However the bath houses were adequate. The staff was helpful. And the trails were nice. I wish I would have explored the park a little more as well as the surrounding area. But nice little get away.
GuideThis campground appeared to be very clean and well kept. I am disappointed that we were only there for a night traveling south. If I'm in the area will definitely come back.
GuideI have stayed there twice over the past couple years. The only changes to this Campground are the Prices !! ..which keep going up (to $35 day now). For this, you get a parking space with full hookups.. that's it, no Amenities whatsoever!
It's pretty much a "Camper Trap", because there are so few options in the North Carolina Piedmont. Spaces are tight, a lot of the people there are long-term workers, that totally ignore any "Dust" decorum, speeding through the area as if they were on public streets!
ScoutLevel campground with full hookups. Worked great to explore Raleigh.
GuideWe stopped at Medoc Mountain State Park for a night on our way North. It was only 10 miles away from I-95. It was a quiet campground (but we were camping the night after the 4th of July ). Lots of space in between campsites, bathrooms were clean.
Though the website said there was only 50 amp availability, we didn’t have to use our adapter and were able to connect using 30amp plug. There was also a 15 amp connection.
There is a shared water spigot for 4 sites right next to the site. We were able to fill up using our hose before fully backing up into the site. The water was much closer to site 3 than site 1,2,4.
Lots of hiking right from the campground and a fun playground nearby for the kiddos. We would definitely visit again, especially as a stopover to destinations farther from home.
Guide
Stayed here for a quick overnight during the NC RV Show. Easy setup and check in. They let us in a couple hours early which was great. Bathroom facilities were a little questionable at times. We had toilets that constantly weren’t flushed and one that even spilled all over the floor and my feet. Hot water but the toilets just left me a little meh.
The lake is great, roped off area for swimming with a great little sandy beach area next to a playground and toilets.
GuideWe stayed in site 11 which was surrounded by lots of trees and gave us lots of privacy from our neighbors. Each site has its own covered trash bin to use. I also appreciated that there was a recycling bin near the bath house. Bathrooms were clean. Great hiking and biking trails! Service was spotty at the campsite but better over near the pavilions/playground.
TravelerEasy in and easy out. Diagonal spots, evenly spaced, not too crowded.
GuideConveniently located to the fairgrounds and stadium, as well as some museums. 15 minutes from the airport. Wifi slow but Verizon was good. Water and power provided. Extra for black tank dump. Security was super polite. Giant thunderstorm rolled through so had entertainment with my camping. Be advised - there are quite regular trains passing nearby.
ScoutLocation is everything and you are smack dab in the middle of it. Good WiFi, great cellular. Excellent ranger Sgt. Teasley. Busy workdays around campground...construction. Noise could be issue for some. After 5pm...great camp. Some trees...get on if can. Lots of fine dust converted from gravel roadway...it's insidious. Can literally do anything you want from this location. Cost could be a little cheaper (30 bucks/night). Water, electric, sewer, and WiFi provided.
TravelerWe stayed for 12 days in the section with full hookups and found the campground pretty quiet. The lots were close, but you didn't feel crowded. Some shade from oak trees. All spaces are back-in. Our site was level.
Staff was friendly, responsive and helpful. First-come rentals. Some construction adjacent to the site which had morning noise M-F.
Biggest issue is that the grass doesn't seem to be maintained and dusty.
ScoutVery quiet with well spaced sites.
Well maintained hiking trails.
Big open park area for night sky viewing or daytime picnics.
Most the sites have deteriorating construction or in need of new gravel.
The bath house was very clean.
Trailer / RV sites aren't level for most sites. Some of the pull through sites don't accommodate large trailers due to tight turns.
The tent camp areas are very level.
ScoutYes it’s a fairground but with full hookups and an overall nice stay. The staff were great even though we didn’t arrive until after 11 PM.
ScoutThe actual address is 801 Youth Center Drive. One camping location is up in the woods behind the horse complex. The other is on the actual fairgrounds property along Youth Center Drive. These are less desirable unless you are doing an event on the fairgrounds and want to be closer.
TravelerAttitude is believing Dude
Traveler
Avoid site 6! There’s so many tree roots, it’s an awful tripping hazard around a fire pit with kids! There are only three spaces out sites, 18,19,21. These sites are 10x10 designate for your tent, and picnic table and fire ring. Some are very very close together. The trails are good, the bathrooms are clean and maintained. Firewood can be purchased for $6/bundle. Be aware this is right next to the airport, you will hear planes all day and most all night landing and taking off.
ScoutWe live down the road from this park. I noticed it came up when I was looking for camping options in the area for my RV. While it says the park offers RV spots on the Dyrt website, the park actually doesn’t.
GuideThis campground is adjacent to the NC State Fairgrounds. Sites are spacious and full hook ups. Gravel roadways and grass/gravel sites. Most sites appear to be fairly level; we did have to use blocks on one side. There are no amenities so you must be fully self-contained. There seem to be quite a few long-term campers. Campground is quiet and security staff very friendly. Equestrian facility is next door. Sites are first come first serve; no reservations.
GuideWe loved staying at Medoc Mountain! The staff is superb!! Very well maintained. Restroom’s & shower’s are kept very clean. Their’s always firewood right next to the ladies restrooms. We enjoyed all of the hiking we did during our stay. We weren’t aware that there are quite a bit of Sasquatch sightings in this state park. I seriously thought I was seeing things when I witnessed Big Foot!!! Plenty of wild flowers and insects. The campsites are all good. Our favorite was site 32 it’s a pull through. At night you can see the constellations Amazing views right from your campsite. We loved our stay there in August so much we recently went back to visit and of course he needed to say hello to my favorite park ranger Miss Barbara as well as Allan in the office. Peaceful and very friendly environment.
ScoutSuper friendly, accepting to come in at 11 pm after after work. Wish we can stay longer then 14 days but good for when needed.
ScoutWe had a great weekend getaway. The campsite was perfect and the hiking was great. Different levels of difficulty for hiking trails and and little fishing creek.
ScoutLabor Day weekend car camping at Medoc Mountain State Park campground! Had a great time camping and hiking. Spacious campsite with gravel parking space, gravel tent pad, picnic table, fire ring with grill and lantern pole. We were fortunate that we had shade at our site most of the day.
Hiking trails were in great shape - well maintained. We hiked a few of the trails and ended up with about seven miles total, but there were more we could have done.
Firewood was readily available, the bathrooms and showers were clean. We had a great time and plan to return when we are in the area.
ScoutThis was our shakedown for our new camper. We found the site to be very neat and well cared for. The trails are very nice. There are lots of nice camping spots including some pull through sites. It was hot when we camped — but there is lots of late afternoon shade. It seems that higher numbers have more shade/are closer to wooded tracts. We will be back.
GuideWe stayed in site 4 which was fairly level if you park in the right spot. The bathrooms were clean and the hosts were friendly. No cell service, but if you go to the Visitor’s center during the day they have WiFi. The history of the location is interesting. We won’t spoil it for you.
Nice amount of little trails. The reason we gave it 3 stars, in the morning fighter jets were screaming overhead at treetop level. Really ruined the atmosphere and sense of being out in nature.
TravelerQuick overnight stay; pad was large & easy to back into with our Cricket trailer- sites are nicely spaced apart (privacy). Airplanes fly overhead pretty regularly; seemed to stop in the late evening & start up early. Be prepared to pack you trash out of the park. Overall a nice spot!
Horse camping in North Carolina offers a unique blend of outdoor adventure and equestrian-friendly amenities, making it a great choice for riders and their horses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Elm City, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Elm City, NC is Medoc Mountain State Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 25 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Elm City, NC?
TheDyrt.com has all 4 equestrian camping locations near Elm City, NC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
