Camping options near Havelock, North Carolina range from established campgrounds to dispersed sites across the Croatan National Forest. Several well-maintained facilities cater to various camping styles, including Cedar Point Campground with boat and drive-in access, and the Neuse River Campground offering electrical hookups and shower facilities. Military personnel can access Pelican Point RV Park at Cherry Point MCCS, which provides waterfront sites exclusively for those with base access. The Great Lake Dispersed Site in Croatan National Forest offers free primitive camping for those seeking a more rustic experience.
Road conditions and seasonal considerations should factor into planning, with some forest areas having limited access due to hurricane damage. The region experiences hot, humid summers and mild winters, making spring and fall ideal camping seasons. "Lots of roads closed from hurricane damage, so don't trust Google maps. The dirt roads were not maintained and ridiculously bumpy and unmanageable for smaller cars," noted one visitor about the dispersed sites in Croatan National Forest. Many established campgrounds require reservations, particularly during weekends and summer months. Cell service varies throughout the region, with limited coverage in more remote forest areas.
Campers frequently mention the natural surroundings as a highlight, with several campgrounds offering water access. Flanners Beach Campground receives positive reviews for its privacy and amenities. "Nice little campground with trees and bushes between each site that make it feel private," wrote one camper about this location. Wildlife viewing opportunities include alligators and various bird species in the wetland areas of Croatan National Forest. While most developed campgrounds provide basic amenities like toilets and picnic tables, dispersed camping areas require complete self-sufficiency. Noise levels vary by location, with sites closer to Cherry Point Marine Base experiencing occasional aircraft noise, while forest sites offer more solitude despite sometimes attracting recreational shooters on weekends.
$10 - $20 / night
"Fun place to camp, water close by, picnic table and fire ring. Tent pads are pretty big. Host is very nice and cheap."
"We found a few paths to the river but the river access was very small. There is a Mountain-to-Sea path nearby as well."
$27 - $54 / night
"Plenty of hiking trails, boat access and woods all right here in this park. The boat access and pier are just a brief walk away from the campground."
"The one redeeming factor was that it was close to the bath house. The facilities were fairly new. For example, the bath house looked as if it had been built recently, and the concrete looked fresh."
"The 24 hour campground park ranger stays on the first site of the right side entrance. There is a oyster fishery nearby."
"Great location off the beaten path on a dirt road. Campsite 9 backs up to the marsh andhas a great area for watching the sunset. You can also kayak or canoe here."
"This is about as close to nature as it gets! All primitive camping, no amenities at all. Beautiful natural surroundings. Watch out for snakes and alligators!"
"The path is blocked at about halfway down by concrete barriers and downed trees. So I pulled my Ford Ranger in the pines beside the path and slept there."
$66 - $80 / night
"This spot is close to everything without being on top of it all! Kid friendly, pet friendly, and very clean! All of the lots are level making for an easy setup!"
"Bathrooms: 5/5 Sites: 4/5 upgrades are nice but really expensive for just a concrete pad next to someone else
Pools: 3/5 they have one but it's pretty meh. Like a 70s motel 8 pool."
"Gets 4 stars primarily for the staff and the location. Standard sites are crammed together making privacy an issue."
"There are still nice trails, wildlife, and limited shoreline areas to explore, and occasional jet flyovers from Cherry Point add local character."
"There are several different camping locations available throughout the base, all of which are free but must be reserved ahead of time. Base access required! They are all on the water, very peaceful."
"Great location, can’t wait to come back!"
"My wife and I spent a few days here while searching the area for potential retirement location. It's also a seasonal campground."
$60 - $90 / night
"Just far enough away from the noise but close enough to be convenient to everything. Groceries and restaurants, gas and history all within a short drive."
"This is a very secluded campground right on the wide Goose Creek/Neuse River, with access to the ocean varying from 25-50 miles. "
TravelerWe stayed at this campground overnight while on our way back from picking up our camper in upstate New York and on our way home to Florida.
It was a great stop, well worth the detour. We’re excited to get back to this area. This campground was beautiful, but there weren’t a lot of trees and not much privacy between the campsites.
LegendFlanners Beach Campground is a quiet, well-maintained spot that works well as a base camp for visiting New Bern, Beaufort, and the Crystal Coast. Campsites are generally shaded with some privacy, and the campground offers electric hookups, a dump station, clean bathrooms, and a few private showers. While the waterfront setting is appealing, views of the water are mostly blocked by overgrowth and the main beach/river access remains closed due to erosion, which limits on-site activities. There are still nice trails, wildlife, and limited shoreline areas to explore, and occasional jet flyovers from Cherry Point add local character. Overall, it’s a peaceful and decent campground, but knowing about the beach and facility closures ahead of time helps set expectations.
Check out our 360° Video of all the sites
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEpVo6MoF3M
LegendThis is an awesome area in the Croatan National Forest. This is the 4th site on the road around the lake. We stayed here for a weekend and loved it. A little bit of traffic but not too many people coming through. This site has a pull off that you can park a couple of vehicles on the side of the road and a little clearing/path that you can put a tent up near your car.
There are 3 other sites around Catfish Lake on Cat Fish Farm Road.
Check out our video of all 4 sites on this road
https://youtu.be/kAGzhmHvaq0
LegendThis is an awesome area in the Croatan National Forest. This is the 2nd site on the road, there are 3 other sites around Catfish Lake on Cat Fish Farm Road. We stayed here for a weekend and loved it. A little bit of traffic but not too many people coming through.
Check out our video of all 4 sites on this road
https://youtu.be/kAGzhmHvaq0
LegendNot a bad site for a couple of days. Close to the beach in the Pocosin Wilderness and free. We stayed here beginning of April while checking out Emerald Isle and Carteret. The national forest roads in this area have a few other sites that where closer to the road. This one is a little more secluded and the big puddle is from people driving through a small creek. Lots of birds in the area but we didn't see any other wildlife.
Check out the video
https://youtu.be/ODcP9nmWn1o
ScoutExtremely remote off grade only. No showers, no bathrooms, Extremely wilderness that isolates you in the woods. Not a child friendly area. Much military activities with help flyovers
TravelerI stayed at Emerald Isle RV Park for a full month right after Labor Day and really enjoyed the experience. It’s clear this is a busy, touristy spot during the summer, but in the shoulder season it was quiet and relaxing, mostly just the permanent sites around.
The campground has full hookups and is very well kept. The shower houses, laundry, and common areas were spotless solid 4 out of 5 stars for facilities. The only real downside was the Wi-Fi. it’s pretty slow (under 2 Mbps) and gets worse on weekends. It actually gave me a good excuse to finally buy a Starlink, which worked great here.
Overall, I’d definitely come back for a summer stay. The location can’t be beat you are minutes from the beach, bars, restaurants, and grocery stores. Great spot if you want to camp near the coast without being right in the chaos.
GuideWe spent 3 nights beach camping in our VW Vanagon, and highly recommend this destination if you have the means! The ferry is $135+ for vehicles, plus $20 per person roundtrip. The beach driving permit is $75 unless you buy it by March (I think). We lucked out with our dates just preceding a big fishing competition, and there was a LOT of open beach space. Almost everyone is there to fish. We took bikes and enjoyed cycling around at low tide. Be sure to camp above the high tide zone, which is black sand. There are narrow/impassable points on the beach at high tide, but there are ramps to the back road every mile. Some ramps are very deep sand, others flat and packed. We got by without 4wd, but we didn’t explore beyond finding a spot not too far from the ferry drop off. We befriended our neighbors who took us to the lighthouse at the southern end of the island, which was beautiful! Currently closed for renovations, and the lightkeeper’s house was closed due to the government shutdown. Overall, south core banks is absolutely worth the effort!
TravelerLove this campground. Clean bathrooms and showers. Very nice host.
Camping near Havelock, North Carolina offers access to unique wetland ecosystems where longleaf pine forests meet coastal waterways. The Croatan National Forest surrounds Havelock with over 160,000 acres of diverse terrain including pitcher plants and Venus flytraps in its pocosins (raised swamp areas). Spring and fall camping provides comfortable temperatures between 60-75°F while avoiding summer's intense humidity.
Kayaking from waterfront sites: At Oyster Point Campground, some campsites have direct water access. "There's like a 20 ft path directly from my campsite to the river, which is nice," notes Jenna L. The campground provides excellent water access for paddlers looking to explore the Pamlico Sound.
Wildlife viewing: The wetland ecosystems support diverse species including alligators. "This is a large area of national forest where dispersed camping is allowed. This is about as close to nature as it gets! All primitive camping, no amenities at all. Beautiful natural surroundings. Watch out for snakes and alligators!" advises Virginia W. about exploring the Great Lake Dispersed Site.
Historical exploration: New Bern KOA Holiday serves as an excellent base for exploring nearby historic sites. "New Bern is a really wonderful little town on the coast of NC and this KOA is close to all the action," writes Julie L. The campground is approximately 30 minutes from Havelock and offers convenient access to Tryon Palace, the Pepsi Cola museum, and the fireman's museum.
Spacious, private sites: Campers frequently mention site spacing as a major benefit at Cedar Point Campground. "The sites are large and separated by space, not trees, for privacy. The sites on the southeast side seemed to have more shade than those on the northwest side," reports Steve V. The campground provides level sites with paved parking pads.
Clean facilities: The bathroom facilities at several campgrounds receive positive reviews. "Bathhouse was clean with large, individual showers," notes Rick S. about Cedar Point Campground. At New Bern KOA, campers appreciate the individual bathroom units: "The bathrooms were very clean and each had a shower sink and toilet all to yourself. Climate controlled also," writes Joe B.
Fishing opportunities: Many waterfront campgrounds offer fishing access. At Dixon Landing RV Resort, campers appreciate the fishing potential: "Great area, quiet and very nice owners and campers... fish jumping, quiet and relaxing. On the water so you can put your kayaks in and paddle the creek," according to Rhonda S.
Road conditions can be challenging: Forest service roads may be difficult to navigate, particularly after storms. One camper noted about Great Lake Dispersed Site: "The path is blocked at about halfway down by concrete barriers and downed trees. So I pulled my Ford Ranger in the pines beside the path and slept there," reports Austin S.
Insects can be intense: Bug protection is essential, particularly in warmer months. "We loved this campground! It was so easy to access, the roads were well maintained and it was right on the coast... Only complaint is nature related and that's the bugs! The flys are insane but you'll quickly learn to ignore them," advises Hannah F. about Oyster Point.
Frequently Asked Questions
What campgrounds are available near Havelock, NC?
Several quality campgrounds surround Havelock. Flanners Beach Campground is conveniently located between Havelock and New Bern with clean facilities, updated picnic tables, and fire pits. Military families can access Military Park Cherry Point MCCS - Pelican Point RV Park right in Havelock. For those willing to travel a short distance, Croatan National Forest Neuse River Campground offers beautiful riverside sites. Other options include Wallace Meadows Farm for RV camping and the New Bern area provides additional choices like New Bern KOA Holiday and the Rest Area for overnight parking.
What amenities are offered at camping sites around Havelock?
Camping sites around Havelock offer a range of amenities to suit different preferences. Campsite at Wallace Meadows Farm provides excellent 50-amp RV sites with water service, a convenient dump station, and spotless bath houses with hot showers. The farm features both pull-through and back-in sites with easy highway access. Goose Creek State Park Campground offers spacious RV sites with full hookups, large patio/picnic areas, and rental cabins. The park also features beautiful boardwalks and sound access. Most campgrounds in the area provide clean restrooms, picnic tables, and fire pits, while some include additional amenities like showers, dump stations, and water/electric hookups.
What is the best time of year to camp in the Havelock area?
The best time to camp in the Havelock area is spring (April-May) and fall (September-October) when temperatures are mild and humidity is lower. These shoulder seasons offer comfortable camping conditions without summer's intense heat and crowds. Long Point Cabin Camp at Cape Lookout National Seashore is particularly pleasant during these periods, offering uncrowded beaches and comfortable weather. Mid-September can be especially ideal, as noted by campers at Camp Ocean Forest who enjoy the coastal views with fewer visitors. Summer camping is possible but prepare for heat, humidity, and more crowds. Winter camping is available year-round at most sites but expect cooler temperatures requiring appropriate gear.
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