Huntersville is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Huntersville is surrounded by family-friendly activities. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your North Carolina camping adventure.
John H. Moss Lake Campground
39 min away
Primitive Camping By the Creek
40 min away
"There aren’t really any extras here but if you’re just looking for reliable water/electrical/sewer and wifi near Charlotte this is a fantastic option."
$10 - $30 / night
"It’s the quietest stay we’ve had yet, and we go camping nearly every weekend. I will say, having the ADA tent site makes a huge difference."
"Very close to my home. I hike in to the remote campsite on the lake. Lots of fishermen and trash since the scum can’t seem to pick up after themselves. The cabins here are also great."
$17 - $47 / night
"This is a hike in campground so we were in a hurry. The campground had lockers with firewood and you could leave the money in the envelope at the trailhead."
"I visited Crowders Mountain in December, and the weather only required a sweatshirt. My brother and I spent the day rock climbing."
"I’ve got a 13 foot pull behind. Backed in mostly but a few could be pulled in an out. Road posted 25 mph but recommend 10 mph. Was also narrow in spots. Very bumpy. Last 1/2 mile don’t go."
"First of all.. this place is FREE to camp at and surrounded by beautiful water, beautiful trees and the ancient rock of Uwharrie. A lovely place that we are so lucky to have access to... BUT. People."
$30 / night
"On the campsite there is a lot of firewood to use, in a shed to keep it dry. There are log seats around a nice campfire with a picnic table. Lots of room for multiple tents."
"It was very helpful and greatly appreciated after the 11hr drive. The campsite was spacious for us to set up camp and keep the jeep nearby."
"Horse trail riding is second on the list of activities within the park judging by the number of trails."
"My husband and I took our two dogs backpacking for a weekend at Uhwarrie Park. After a long drive trying to find my husbands original spot we found a new one. Beautiful scenery."
$25 - $50 / night
"Too much trash left by previous campers"
"Thankfully some campers nearby helped me rearrange my direction and get me out of the mud, but I still don’t know how I’m going to make it back out of here 😬. This might be my forever home?!"
$17 / night
"Jacob Branch: Three sites arranged around a clearing. Two pit privies and a BEAR BOX! Woot!!"
"The hikes near the falls were quite busy on Memorial Day weekend, but the backcountry campsites were quiet and well-kept."
ScoutSeveral individual campsites. Has trash bins located throughout the loop. There are picnic tables and fire rings at each site. No electric and no water. All spots are full shade.
GuideJacob Branch: Three sites arranged around a clearing. Two pit privies and a BEAR BOX! Woot!! The sites are a bit difficult to pitch on, due to the abundance of roots, hardpan earth, and slope, but you’ll find a spot. I didn’t hang, but there are certainly spots that would be suitable. Water is just down the hill. It’s ample and clear, as of May 2023. There are several ways to hike in, as many of the South Mountains SP trails intersect and wander around a bunch giving a bunch of options for how to get in and out. The variety makes for a nice loop instead of just an in-and-out. Get inventive. Trails are broad and veeeeeery hilly in places. If your knees complain, bring the trekking poles. You’ll thank me.
Shinny Creek: Perfect trip if you have kids…or just want something close by. It’s only a bit over a mile to these four sites (see video tour) nestled by a stream. Clear, flat sites. Bear box. Critter-proof trash bin. Pit privy. Water access from every site within ten paces, so water and entertainment are always available. The trail here is easy peasy rolling hills that follows the river past Bear Falls all the way up to the sites.
LegendUwharrie National Forest-Badin Lake Campground, New London, NC.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/nfsnc/recarea/?recid=48934
https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE\_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5368418.pdf
Campground Overview: 34 sites, two loops...upper loop and lakeside loop. Relatively large sites with vegetation that blocks constant view of neighbors.
Each site has a gravel parking pad and separate gravel tent pad, a standing charcoal grill, firepit with adjustable grate, a picnic table and a metal pole for hanging lanterns, etc. I would advise securing online reservations, but they do have an Iron Ranger to drop your payment in should you find an empty site. Note: There are warnings that online reservations take precedence, so if you use the Iron Ranger payment drop chute and someone reserved the same campsite...you will be required to move to a different location when the online reservation campers arrive. Just so you know.
No electric.
Oddly, no firewood for sale...although scrounging produced plenty of things and fallen branches to keep a fire going.
I preferred the lower loop as nearly every outer site was on the lake with great views and lake access and sites are spread out. The inside sites of the lower loop are pretty spacious and deep. Water spigots were spaced out around the loop, so a short walk as we were equal distance between two.
Restroom/showerhouses were quad door buildings. Separate men’s and women’s restrooms and two separate shower rooms. Facilities were kept clean and stocked by resident hosts.
With Verizon, I never lost signal...a plus for a National Forest!
The upper loop appeared to offer a little more solitude than the lower lake loop...but no lake views.
The lake loop trail crosses the main campground roadway between the two loops. This trail is relatively flat and meanders around the lake and it’s many fingers...offering lovely lake views and some nice fishing locations.
During my midweek visit it was quiet day and night. The sunset across the lake was gorgeous and relaxing. Loud powerboat noise was minimal as only a couple bass boats thought it essential to travel at high speeds from location to location. Next visit my canoe and mountain one will accompany me.
What I enjoyed: as much as I dislike tree rats, I was entertained by two feuding squirrels that chased each other relentlessly and knocking each other out of tree tops. Woodpecker and Turkey wake up calls.
For a National Forest, I was surprised by the level of daytime industrial noise nearby.
Overall, a fantastic location relatively close to Raleigh/Durham and Fayetteville for a great camping getaway. I was only able to stay one night as the campground was booked, all reserved in advance. So plan ahead.
LegendSouth Mountain State Park, NC From I-40 Exit 104, you twist and turn, up and down but keep a sharp eye for the small, brown State Park signs or you’ll pass your right hand turns.
The South Mountain Visitors Center is very spacious and attractive but doesn’t offer a great deal. There is a cool 3D topo map display of the state park. At present, this is a 23,000 acre State Park...and ever acquiring more land.
The family campground is a short distance further inside the park on the left side(approx 2 miles) marked by a small brown sign...and is situated at 1400 ft elevation.
The campground is tiny and narrow, running between a creek and the state park roadway. The sounds of the creek melodious, the road traffic noise-not so much. I would definitely advise selecting the creek side campsites as they lay deeper in the wood line out of sight of the roadway and have the creek noise to cover roadway noise.(note: the roadway dead ends at the trailhead/picnic area, so the only traffic are day visitors and park staff) Be forewarned, Cell service is nonexistent. Your site will have a WiFi password for internet at the Visitors Center, but you need to be at or in the building for it to work.
PROS:
•Small campground with few amenities
•Mountain/creek location
•Nice modern facilities
•Water
•Adjoining trail network
•No cell service
•80’ Waterfall•Interpretive Hemlock Nature Trail
•Beautiful Day Use picnic area
CONS:
•Road noise for sites 10-14, during working hours and day use hours.
•No cell service
Site 13 backs up toward the roadway, and without much understory, passing traffic is very visible and noisy(the high shoals falls and trail network are popular day use attractions). On the sites between the campground roadway and the State Park roadway, you are much closer than the website maps post, and without understory vegetation, you have direct visibility of several neighbors and normal conversations can be heard. Night noise restrictions, on our visit, were observed so it wasn’t an issue. My visit was Wed, Thurs. midweek Oct 7-8.
Our site was an“leveling,” octagonal, elevated, crushed gravel pad, surrounded by landscape timbers...an elevated fire ring with a swing-over, non-adjustable grate, a picnic table and metal lantern pole. It worked fine but I used a small two-man tent. Depending on wind direction, fire ring embers would present a problem for a larger tent. Our site parking area was 45’ from the raised timber to campground roadway.
The restroom/shower house is a monstrous, mountain lodge style modern facility...very clean, spacious and well-stocked.
Walking the Family Camground my future site picks would be 5 or 7. Site 5 is a park and carry but it did not appear to be more than 50’ and it sat on the creek. Site 7 is on that same small loop but had a larger rectangular raised pad, for keeping tents distanced from fire pits.
Some sites have a deep enough gravel drive for a small camper or popup. And a few have electric.
Several trails lead from the NW end of the family campground parking lot and vary in length and difficulty. Most notable is the Raven Rock Trail to the High Shoals Falls Trail, which, depending on your level of fitness could be deemed a moderate to strenuous 2.35 mile climb and descent to the upper falls and then wooden boardwalk and steep steps down to the gorgeous 80 ft High Shoals waterfall. Smaller falls and cascades continue on the descent. Our total loop mileage was 5.5 with nearly a thousand foot of elevation gain.
Park employees both at the Visitor’s Center desk and in the field were very friendly and pleasant. The NC State Park Ranger was very informative and helpful, as well as giving much appreciated suggestions for great and often lesser traveled hiking trails.
Roughly 16.5 miles of mountain bike trails intermix with hiking and equestrian trails. There is a separate equestrian campground between the Visitors Center and the Family Campground. Note: there are several backcountry backpack-in campsite areas(Upper Falls Campsites offer picnic tables, fire ring and a couple pit latrines).
ScoutLarge spacious spots for RVs and Tent campers. Close to Kings Mountain Military Park. Several trails from easy to strenuous and varying lengths. Lake with fishing, kayaking and canoing. Clean facilities with bathrooms, showers and camp store.
Spaces have electric, water, fire rings and picnic tables. Tent only areas.
GuideWe enjoyed our stay. The park office had everything well taken care of. We arrived late almost at sundown but they had an envelope waiting with instructions, a parking tag and a map. This is a hike in campground so we were in a hurry. The campground had lockers with firewood and you could leave the money in the envelope at the trailhead. The site was very private with a fire ring and picnic table and two pads for tents. The only complaint (and this isn’t the parks fault) is you aren’t far off the beaten path so car exhaust and jet noise was prevalent throughout the night. All in all happy with the stay and it served us perfectly as we were just passing through the area!
GuideWe had 4 families with children on 1 RV and 3 non-electric tent sites over Memorial Day weekend. Even though the park was at max capacity, it didn’t feel crowded or swarming. The facilities and activities at Morrow Mountain are awesome - a huge, clean pool; canoe rental from a well-maintained boathouse; hikes of various lengths; slightly aged but clean and cared for bath houses; and (our favorite) a gorgeous mountain top picnic shelter (A), which we rented due to a rainy forecast. Great place for family camping. Sites are nicely spaced, but by no means are they private or secluded. Staff were very friendly, but the no alcohol rule is a bummer. If you want to be alone in the woods, Morrow Mountain is not for you. Its also worth noting the climate is much more like south central NC (hot and super humId) and nothIng like the cool mountain air in Western NC. But if your looking for a fun, interactive family or group camping weekend, it’s the perfect spot!
GuideTent camping can get cramped but you won't feel that way here! The set up here is great, pads are level and big, picnic tables aren't chained down so you can move them where you need them. The showers/bathrooms are brand new and CLEAN! You are going to feel spoiled because you are. Trails lead right off the camp grounds making it easy to get up and make the most out of every day you get to spend here. The only thing lacking is a camp host but rangers patrol at night and are happy to drop you some wood if you flag them down.
LegendI visited Crowders Mountain in December, and the weather only required a sweatshirt. My brother and I spent the day rock climbing. It was his first time climbing, and we were able to set up some beginner-friendly routes.
As for the camping, your only option is a walk-in campground, about a mile-long hike. Drinking water and outhouses are available though.
Huntersville, North Carolina, offers a variety of tent camping options that cater to outdoor enthusiasts looking for a peaceful escape. With beautiful landscapes and well-reviewed facilities, campers can enjoy a memorable experience in nature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Huntersville, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Huntersville, NC is Yates Family Camping with a 2.7-star rating from 3 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 21 tent camping locations near Huntersville, NC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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