28 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Bent River Equestrian offers tent and RV camping for horse enthusiasts near Hendersonville, North Carolina. The small campground provides four campsites with fire pits, an outdoor shower, and porta-potty facilities. Campers can interact with the resident horses and barn cats that live on this working horse farm. While no dedicated horse corrals are listed in the facilities, the farm setting provides ample space for horses with field camping options available. The campground maintains a pet-friendly policy with well-behaved dogs allowed off-leash in designated areas, though horses always take priority. Tent sites feature flat grassy areas with space to build fires.
Wash Creek Horse Camp in Pisgah National Forest and Wolf Ford Horse Camp provide additional equestrian camping options in the region. Both campgrounds offer toilets and reservable sites specifically designed for horse owners. Pisgah National Forest contains extensive trail networks accessible from these horse camps, allowing riders to explore forest terrain. The Mills River area contains multiple campgrounds with proximity to trails suitable for riding, with North Mills River Campground providing drive-in access and facilities including water and electric hookups at some sites. The camp hosts at these locations often provide helpful information about local horse trails and riding conditions. Quiet hours are strictly enforced at most horse campgrounds, with generator usage typically restricted to non-quiet hours only.
"Small campground, but there are free off road sites not too far down the road. Cell service disappears but I love that kind of disconnect."
"This is a great campground next to the beautiful North Mills River. Hosts were very accommodating and delivered ice and firewood for a cheap price upon request."
from $31 - $62 / night
Check Availability"I got there just in time to see a beautiful sunset and say hello to the horses. The host is fantastic. I would definitely stay again."
"Cute horses and barn cats to pet and watch"
from $30 - $900 / night
Check Availability"bit of a drive through the forest to get here, but great spots if you're looking to get away from civilization."
from $40 / night
Check Availability"She showed us around the grounds which has horses, pigs, chickens, a natural spring, and fruits/vegetables/mushrooms growing around the property."
"I have cleaned out about an acre for tent or hammock camping, another acre for shared areas, and the pasture has about an acre wide open for dogs, horses or other well mannered animals."
from $20 - $30 / night
Check Availability"Chickens and horses on site. Playground and lots of fun. Sites are wooded and quaint. Roads are a little narrow, but passable. One of our favorite sites."
"We fished right next to our camp site and then relaxed with a camp fire listening to the sound of the River."
from $20 / night
Check Availability"*this is just for the free campsites- there appears to be paid campsites and maybe RV hook ups very close by."
"My friend and I hiked the Raven Cliff Falls loop trail a while back and have added it to our list of top 10 favorite trails."
"Wonderful trails with breath taking views and technical climbs plus discrete camping."
from $4 - $20 / night
Check Availability"They'll deliver firewood ($5) to your site by golf cart, they even will collect your site fees as they drive around."
"This is a wonderful spot to be to explore the surrounding areas:
- The famous Mount Mitchell trail, starts a short walking distance from the campground."
from $28 - $56 / night
Check Availability"just a quick 15 minute walk across the river and up the trail (follow Daniel ridge trail loop from parking lot)."
"With that said:
- remote- you have to want to get up here but it's really easy to do once you drive it a few times.
*clearly marked spots. I am actually located at ucc-2. ** The Dead End spot."
from $15 - $30 / night
Check Availability
LegendNot the biggest fan of the Gatlinburg/Tennesse part of the park. The North Carolina part has a slightly different feel. Less of a circus and less crowded and more laid back. Loving it! Beautiful. Just wish there were showers here....lol.
LegendRanger Review: Eclipse Sun Sleeves at Harmon Den Area(Pisgah National Forest) https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/nfsnc/recarea/?recid=70836
There are a few dispersed camping sites at Harmon’s Den, and they are spacious sanctuaries beside Cold Springs Creek. Harmon Den is in Pisgah National Forest, and dispersed camping is allowed but only where there is a camping symbol posted along Cold Springs Creek Road. To get to the campsite, you have to get off on Exit 7 along Interstate 40 in North Carolina and travel a gravel road for several miles. You will not want to drive too fast since there are several potholes, washboards, and protruding rocks in the road. At the campsite, there is a fire ring, but there are no other facilities such as bathrooms, showers, electricity, running water, trash cans, camp store, firewood for sale, campground hosts, etc. It is pretty much just a space for camping. With that said, it offers all the exciting activities that national forests offer, such as fishing, biking, hiking, etc. Harmon Den is mostly known as a horse camp, although car camping without horses is a common occurrence. When I was there, I passed by a couple of car campers that did not have horses. I did see a few vehicles with horse trailers pass by on the road. Because it is a popular horse camping area, you have to watch where you step. At our campsite, there was horse poop in several places, and I had to watch my grandson closely so he didn’t step in a pile of horse manure. Expect to encounter horse flies as well. There was also lots of poison ivy, so that was another concern I had about my grandson running freely. Since there are no bathrooms, practicing LNT(Leave No Trace) is important. Unfortunately, there was lots of trash, but that was a teachable moment for my grandson, and we definitely left the campsite better than what we found it. Before it gets dark, make sure you know where you are going to take care of business when you have to get up in the middle of the night. That way, you can avoid stepping in the wrong place. There were also quite a few people fishing in the creek on the way to the campsite since the creek is a popular place for trout fishing. As a matter of fact, a wildlife officer came through our camp with a fishnet full of trout to stock the creek. She asked us if we brought our fishing poles. Unfortunately, that’s one thing I didn’t take camping with me. What was I thinking? Even with the horse poop and the poison ivy, it’s a great area for camping if you like solitude and the sounds of the creek throughout the night. Another reason to camp at Harmon Den is to visit Max Patch while you are there. I would suggest staying at least two nights so you can spend one day just enjoying Max Patch. It is a large mountain bald over which the Appalachian Trail crosses. I have been there in the past when people are having picnics, flying kites, or just lying on a blanket enjoying the magnificent scenery. If you go at the right time of year, one of the trails up to Max Patch will take you by wild blueberries and blackberries. As I stated earlier, the campsites are spacious, and it felt very peaceful just being there.
Product Review:
As a Dyrt Ranger I get to occasionally try out outdoor products while camping and this trip I brought Eclipse Sun Sleeves(https://eclipseglove.com/)..) As a stem cell transplant survivor from stage 4 Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, I can never be in the sun without adequate protection for the rest of my life. That’s why Eclipse clothing is perfect for me. Even in the middle of the summer, I have had to wear long sleeves and a broad-brimmed hat. I had earlier written a review for the Eclipse shawl, but with the Eclipse Sun Sleeves, I can finally wear my short sleeve shirts again. Since I love the outdoors and have some cool t-shirts, all I have to do is put on my sun sleeves and I am protected. The only thing I could see that might need improving would be to figure out how to keep the upper part to stay up. It wasn’t that much of a problem, and I don’t how the company could solve it, but overall, the sun sleeves are great. I would further like to say that because of sun sleeves, those who are allergic to the sun have one less excuse not to go outdoors in the sun..
GuideSpent many weeks here over the past few years. Its a clean and well maintained park with beautiful trails and lake. Perfect for equestrian as most of the trails are horse friendly and there is a large arena free to use. The barn is clean as well and provides stall shavings for a small fee.
LegendEven though the sites are walk-in sites, when I was there it was pretty crowded since the sites are close together. At night, you can hear the distant sounds of the creek … if the other campers can stop talking. This is not a campground for RVs. There are no hookups and there are no places for RVs to park. The thing I like best about this campground is its proximity to the Appalachian Trail and several other trails, including the Benton MacKaye Trail. Midnight Hole, which is a 1.5 mile hike, is a great place to cool off. Once you get there, you can swim to a big rock and jump off into a natural pool. I believe this is the same place I took Boy Scouts many, many years ago and they loved it. You just have to be careful because it is deep and COLD. The trail to Mount Cammerer is quite strenuous, but the view is worth it. Other than the great trails, the other attraction is the whitewater rafting. There are a few outfitters just over the state line, and they shuttle rafters to the starting point beside the power station. The one I used was NOC. When I first came here years ago, I thought the river looked low, but by the time we put our raft in, the river was raging. I think the most fun, besides the rafting, at this campground is playing on the rocks in the creek. There is also a group camping area, which is separate from the family campground. That is because they release the water just for rafting. This campground is conveniently located off of Interstate 40 near the Tennessee and North Carolina state line. Once you get to the national park road leading to it, it is a 1.2 mile drive on a gravel road.
Scoutstate Park with equestrian facilities, a lake for fishing and boating, paddle boat rentals, and lots of liking and equestrian trails. Bath houses and dump stations. Many flat camping spaces and lots of shade. A camping store on site and many other stores within a five minute drive.
GuideSmall campground, but there are free off road sites not too far down the road. Cell service disappears but I love that kind of disconnect. No power, can use a generator but only for a few hours during non quiet time. Quiet hours strictly enforced. Horse trails nearby. Roads lead to blue ridge Parkway. There is a shower and working toilet, but also outhouse for off season use. Hosts make you feel like family.
GuideHad a nice experience here. Amber, the host, was very kind and accommodating. She showed us around the grounds which has horses, pigs, chickens, a natural spring, and fruits/vegetables/mushrooms growing around the property. The grounds are conveniently located near the city of Asheville and hiking trails. There was a shared gazebo, cozy fire pit, and cold showers. The only downside was that there wasn’t a secluded spot available for car camping, even though Amber did figure something out for us to be able to stay. Would recommend to get away from your typical campground.
LegendOne of my best friends invited me to go camping with him here, although I knew it was a horse camp and we didn’t have horses. There are lots of trails for horses, and there are places to tie up the horses. Knowing it was a horse camp, I expected there to be horse manure, but manure was everywhere—even on the tent pads. Other than that, which as I said I expected, it was a good place to camp. The sites are spacious and fairly private with woods between each site. You have to reserve in advance to get a code to get through the gate, so you don’t have curiosity seekers coming in. There was supposed to be access to water, but the only pump in the campground was not working. Fortunately, I brought water with me. There was a pit toilet, but when I first went to it, it smelled terrible and was in need of a big time cleaning. The next morning, when I went, it had been“cleaned”(if you want to call it that). My buddy and I decided to go to Max Patch, a mountain bald, a few miles up the road. Max Patch is a beautiful grassy bald with 360° views, and the Appalachian Trail runs across it. Unfortunately, it is popular. By that I mean TOO POPULAR. When we made it there, the parking lot was full, and there were cars lined up for about a half mile down the road. Having been on Max Patch before, I knew it was not going to be a pleasant experience. Overall, the campground is probably okay for horse campers except that there was no water. The pit toilet needed more attention than it was given, but it was a toilet. There’s a good chance I will not go back to this campground. It’s not that I do not recommend it in general. I just don’t recommend it if you are just camping in a tent without horses. However, I do recommend one of the dispersed camping areas not too far down the road, especially if you want to be close to Max Patch. Just don’t go in the more popular seasons.
TravelerCompared to some other state parks in SC, this one was less crowded and more peaceful. It had rained right before we arrived, and we got stuck in the mud trying to back-in our pop-up on a hill (lake campground #29). The campers all pitched in to pull us out. It was silent at night. Nice hiking around lake, fishing, and boat rental. Saw some turtles while paddling, and there were frogs and lots of fireflies near our campsite. We enjoyed seeing the equestrian visitors too.
The Pisgah National Forest offers abundant camping opportunities near Hendersonville, North Carolina. Located at elevations ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 feet, this area experiences mild summers with temperatures rarely exceeding 85°F. The region has over 30 miles of equestrian-friendly trails accessible from several designated horse camps.
Trail riding at Wolf Ford Horse Camp: Accessible via Pisgah Highway, this camp connects directly to forest riding trails. "We live not too far from this campground, so it's more like our backyard outdoor playground... There are also primitive sites up two different roads. One heads back to the reservoir for some amazing fly fishing," notes Shannon K. about nearby North Mills River Campground.
Fishing near camp: The North Mills River area provides excellent angling opportunities with stocked waters. "We've enjoyed this campground mainly for the fly-fishing. The local Trout Unlimited group has also spent many hours upgrading the walkways and fence lines to protect the river," shares Shannon K. from North Mills River Campground.
Swimming in natural pools: Several campgrounds offer river access for cooling off during summer months. At North Mills River Campground, "We were the only campers there. It was very quiet. The stream ran right by the campsite so listening to the stream as we went to bed was wonderful," reports Julie T.
Privacy and seclusion: The horse campgrounds near Hendersonville provide spacious sites away from crowds. At Lazy J Campground, "We camped here as a base camp for day hikes in the area. It is very wooded, in a valley with a creek running alongside the tent camping sites. The scenery is gorgeous and horses and chickens were sweet," explains Kirsten J.
Clean facilities: Despite the rural setting, many campgrounds maintain excellent bathhouses. "Our site was clean and well maintained. The host made rounds in the evening and the following morning, and was very approachable and informative, and even gave out weather predictions for the coming days to those who asked," Jonathan N. shares about North Mills River.
Seasonal pricing advantages: Off-season camping offers significant savings. "Usually starting at $22 per night, after November 1st the prices get cut in half, so I stayed for $11 (hard to beat)!" notes Jonathan N. about North Mills River Campground.
Vehicle access considerations: Many forest roads to equestrian camping areas have rough sections. "The dirt road to get there as well as the pull off for the campsite are rough and a bit dangerous for low/regular cars. It's doable but you should go very slow and watch out for giant holes and ridges," warns Tavi C. about Mills River Dispersed camping.
Limited services: Most horse camps have basic amenities only. "No running water or electricity. Roads very poorly maintained. Grounds not well maintained," Katie M. reports about Wolf Ford Horse Camp.
Seasonal closures: Weather impacts accessibility, especially in winter. "Only one side of campground is open in winter," Julie T. notes about North Mills River Campground.
Animal interactions: Children enjoy the farm animals at several sites. At Bent River Equestrian, "Had a great time at this campground with two pups, both well-behaved and able to enjoy off-leash time with lots of space to run around. This is a horse farm so respecting their space was our first priority," explains Kim S.
Child-friendly amenities: Some campgrounds provide dedicated recreation areas. "We love Lazy J Campground it's reasonably priced considering the customer service is second to none... They have very clean bath houses and again I can't stress how valuable the staff is alone," shares Christy C.
Water play options: River access provides natural entertainment. "The camp site was clean and well maintained. My family enjoyed being so close to the river and exploring a new area," Amanda reports about North Mills River.
Site selection for larger vehicles: Most equestrian camps have limited space for RVs. "Roads are a little narrow, but passable. Sites are wooded and quaint," Tracy S. explains about Paradise Ridge Permaculture.
Hookup availability: Electric and water connections vary by campground. "Across the bridge there are more spots for tents and campers. There are also primitive sites up two different roads," Shannon K. notes about North Mills River area camping.
Propane planning: No propane fill stations exist at the horse camps. "I am a hammock camper so I love being in trees. I have cleaned out about an acre for tent or hammock camping, another acre for shared areas, and the pasture has about an acre wide open for dogs, horses or other well mannered animals. We are completely off grid," amber G. explains about Paradise Ridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Hendersonville, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Hendersonville, NC is North Mills River with a 4.3-star rating from 28 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Hendersonville, NC?
TheDyrt.com has all 28 equestrian camping locations near Hendersonville, NC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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