Tent camping near Laurinburg, North Carolina offers several options within the Sandhills region, an area characterized by deep sandy soil and longleaf pine forests. Located approximately 25 miles from Lumber River State Park, Laurinburg serves as a gateway to camping destinations that remain accessible year-round due to the region's mild climate. Winter temperatures rarely drop below freezing, making this area viable for cold-weather camping without specialized gear.
What to do
Kayaking on Lumber River: Lumber River State Park provides access to a state-designated Natural and Scenic River with multiple launch points. "The Lumber River access is ideal to kayak and fish. The park rangers and maintenance people were chill and friendly," notes a visitor to Chalk Banks — Lumber River State Park.
Stargazing: The rural setting creates minimal light pollution for astronomical viewing. At Princess Ann — Lumber River State Park, one camper observed, "You can see tons of stars here at night, it is amazing! It's lovely to sit by the water and look at the night sky."
Wildlife observation: The area supports diverse ecosystems with abundant bird watching opportunities. Multiple campers report hearing barred owls, with one Lumber River visitor noting, "There's a lot of owls here at night. If you are a light sleeper you may want to consider ear plugs."
Hiking forest trails: Sandy trails wind through pine forests with opportunities to observe native plants. "There is a hiking trail here as well," mentions a Chalk Banks visitor, while another notes that sites offer "a pretty mossy pathway near the tent platform."
What campers like
Spacious campsites: Most tent camping areas feature well-separated sites providing privacy. A camper at Chalk Banks reported, "Probably the biggest spots to camp I've ever seen gives you the feel of basically being way off the beaten path."
Low crowd levels: Unlike more popular destinations, these campgrounds rarely reach capacity. According to one Sandhills Campground B user, "This is a campground located in the Sandhills Gamelands in NC. If you're looking for primitive, this is it."
Riverside locations: Many sites position campers near water access points. A visitor to Princess Ann noted, "Our particular site, PA 7, is one of two right on the river's edge, across from the Naked Landing trail. Sites 7 & 8 would be perfect for two families to camp together."
Site features: Some campgrounds offer additional amenities beyond basic tent pads. "One of the campsites has a hammock stand. The group site is huge. The whole park is very clean and spacious," writes a Princess Ann reviewer.
What you should know
Gate restrictions: Check park hours carefully as gates lock at specific times. "When the website says the park closes at 'posted times', they mean 9pm. We know this because we got there at 9:05 and the gate was locked tight," warns one Chalk Banks camper who adds, "The maintenance man was surprised to see me roll out of there when he arrived in the morning to open the gate."
Limited water sources: Water access points are minimal and may be shared. According to a Chalk Banks visitor, "There is one vault toilet and one water source. The people in the group site however, utilized the one water spigot as a bath house."
Supply requirements: No camp stores exist in immediate vicinity of most campgrounds. A visitor recommends, "Bring all your own EVERYTHING," while another Chalk Banks camper advises, "There is no park store or anything, so bring what you need. After many stops, we found the one place in town that sold firewood, it's the speedway gas station."
Road conditions: Some campgrounds require vehicles with adequate clearance. For Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge, a user notes, "Make sure you have 4 wheel drive or a vehicle with good clearance, as it's all dirt roads in and around and leading to here."
Tips for camping with families
Educational opportunities: Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge offers unique learning experiences for youth groups. "For the purpose of environmental education programs and research activity, school groups and youth groups are welcome to visit the preserve for ranger led programs and can stay overnight at special rustic group campsites."
Swimming access: The river provides natural swimming opportunities during warmer months. "The river is nice to swim in after a hot summer's day, although the bottom is quite squishy. It's a good area to fish or use small watercraft," notes a Princess Ann camper.
Site selection for groups: Certain sites accommodate multiple families better than others. "Sites 7 & 8 would be perfect for two families to camp together, because they'd have the whole trail area to themselves," suggests one Princess Ann visitor.
Tips from RVers
Limited hookup options: RV sites at Chalk Banks provide basic services but remain minimal. One camper noted, "The right hand side of the campground is set up for RVs (pull through sites). The left hand side is for tent camping."
Limited turnaround space: Larger rigs may find navigation challenging in some areas. While Chalk Banks advertises as "big-rig-friendly" with electric, water, and sewer hookups, many nearby campgrounds cannot accommodate larger vehicles.
