We're here to help you find where to go horse camping in Mount Gilead. Finding a place to camp in North Carolina with your horse is easier than ever. The Dyrt can help you find the perfect equestrian sites that are scenic and easy to access.
Arrowhead Campground lies in the Badin Lake Recreation Area, a hub for outdoor activities in central North Carolina's Uwharrie National Forest. The variety of sites in the campground offer a comfortable stay for both RV and tent campers. The facility is open year-round and provides easy access to hiking, off-road vehicle riding, horseback riding, mountain biking, fishing and boating.
Badin Lake Recreation Area offers many ways for campers to enjoy the lake. Popular activities include picnicking on the shore or swimming, boating or fishing on the water. About 40 miles of non-motorized trails are available for horseback riding, mountain biking and hiking, as well as 17 miles of motorized trails for off-road vehicle riding. The surrounding land offers both big and small game hunting.
The campground lies in a dense forest of pine, oak and hickory near the shore of 5,000-acre Badin Lake. Winter temperatures range from the low 30s to upper 50s, while summer brings temperatures in the upper 80s and 90s and high humidity. The weather is pleasant in spring and fall, with high temperatures in the 60s and 70s.
A theme park with a petting zoo, nature center and mini golf course lies just under an hour away and makes a fun day trip for families.
$27 / night
Uwharrie Hunt Camp has eight sites for tent camping. Each site has a table, grill, lantern posts, and tent pad. Two vault toilets are provided in the campground. There are also 2 drinking water spigots available. Opportunities for hiking, boating, fishing, swimming, hunting, OHV trail use and picnicking are available within a short drive. Country stores are located in the nearby communities of Uwharrie and Eldorado.
Badin Lake Group Camp offers a fun, relaxing place for clubs, families and other groups to rest and play in the Uwharrie National Forest of central North Carolina. The recreation area is a hub for outdoor activities such as hiking, off-road vehicle riding, hunting, horseback riding, mountain biking, fishing and boating. The group campground is open year-round and can accommodate groups of up to 50 people per site.
Groups have easy access to many recreational opportunities at Badin Lake Recreation Area. The lake shore is the perfect place to watch the sunset or enjoy an afternoon picnic. The lake has plenty of calm water for swimming, boating or fishing for bass, bream, crappie and catfish. King's Mountain Point, just 1 mile from the group camp, has four accessible fishing piers, miles of shoreline and a nice swimming area. A boat ramp is located 2 miles from the campground. Back on land, about 40 miles of non-motorized trails are available for horseback riding, mountain biking and hiking, as well as 17 miles of motorized trails for off-road vehicle riding. The surrounding land offers both big and small game hunting.
Groups have easy access to many recreational opportunities at Badin Lake Recreation Area. The lake shore is the perfect place to watch the sunset or enjoy an afternoon picnic. The lake has plenty of calm water for swimming, boating or fishing for bass, bream, crappie and catfish. King's Mountain Point, just 1 mile from the group camp, has four accessible fishing piers, miles of shoreline and a nice swimming area. A boat ramp is located 2 miles from the campground. Back on land, about 40 miles of non-motorized trails are available for horseback riding, mountain biking and hiking, as well as 17 miles of motorized trails for off-road vehicle riding. The surrounding land offers both big and small game hunting.
The campground lies in a dense forest of pines and hardwoods near the shore of 5,000-acre Badin Lake. Winter temperatures range from the low 30s to upper 50s, while summer brings temperatures in the upper 80s and 90s and high humidity. The weather is pleasant in spring and fall, with high temperatures in the 60s and 70s.
A theme park with a petting zoo, nature center and mini golf course lies just under an hour away and makes a fun day trip for families.
$75 / night
Canebrake Horse Camp lies in the Badin Lake Recreation Area, a hub for outdoor activities in central North Carolina's Uwharrie National Forest. The facility is a scenic and restful overnight spot with both single and double campsites. Canebrake Horse Camp is specifically designed for campers traveling with horses and offers numerous amenities for equestrian camping. If your visit to the Uwharrie National Forest includes camping without horses, please consider one of our other campgrounds: Arrowhead Campground, Badin Lake Campground or Badin Lake Group Camp. Campers will delight in nearly 40 miles of forested horseback riding trails, as well as hiking, mountain biking, off-road vehicle riding, swimming, fishing and boating opportunities in the area. The campground is open year-round.
The equestrian trail system is extensive, with miles of forested paths wandering through forests, over hills and across streams. The trails can be accessed from Canebrake using the Home Trail, which skirts the campground. Trails range from easy to difficult, accommodating riders of every level. The recreation area also offers many ways to enjoy the lake. Campers can spend the afternoon swimming, boating or fishing for bass, bream, crappie and catfish on the water. Back on land, off-road vehicle enthusiasts have access to 17 miles of trails, and hunters and hikers can explore the surrounding national forest.
Canebrake lies in a quiet forest of pine, oak and hickory near the shore of 5,000-acre Badin Lake. Winter temperatures range from the low 30s to upper 50s, while summer brings temperatures in the upper 80s and 90s and high humidity. Weather is pleasant in spring and fall, with high temperatures in the 60s and 70s.
A theme park with a petting zoo, nature center and mini golf course lies just under an hour away and makes a fun day trip for families.
$27 / night
This is a primitive camping area where people camp in self contained RV/Horse Trailers. It is located in an open field with tie outs for the horses. No amenities available. Campers must take their trash with them or take it to the trash dumpster in Canebrake Horse Camp.
Guide
Happy to report that there is a new host here as the one that was working in 2021 was AWFUL. Great sites but hardly any are level so be prepared to manage that. Nice fire pits and grills - love having both. Great bathhouse with hot showers. Terrific paved trail that is awesome for walking, biking, strollers, wheelchairs. Plenty of hammock trees! Zero noise except from other campers/vehicles and the occasional aircraft passing over. Cell signal is pretty spotty but passable. Would need a booster or satellite internet in order to work or attend school, though. Nearby El Dorado Outpost has everything you might need (gas, ice, hot food, small groceries, outdoor supplies, GREAT biscuits!!, etc) and locals sell firewood bundles for $4-5/each. 10-15 min drive into Troy where there are restaurants, gas stations, small regular grocery stores. Really nice new playground and skate park in Troy, too. Tons of hiking, offroading/overlanding, mountain biking, horseback riding nearby.
ScoutThis is a great little place to get away from it all. The sites have electric but you will need in-house water and septic. There is a dump station along with a potable water source at the entrance to the campground.
Scout
Awesome spot for families and multiple night stays. Family environment comes with more noise but as long as you are expecting it you won’t be disappointed.
Scout
My wife and I stayed here with our 2 daughters. The campsite was spacious, flat and shaded. There was plenty to do for the kids for the weekend. The bath house was very nice and clean. The camp host drove his golf cart around selling firewood. Will definitely return
Traveler
I was there alone and had the whole campsite to myself. The camp host was so kind. He always made sure me, my horses and my grandson were comfortable and safe!
TravelerWe spent 2 nights here with our Storyteller Mode LT RV nestled in the Uwharrie National Forest. The campsites do not offer a view of the water of Badin Lake, but it is nearby with a drive or hike. Many sites are available with electric hook-up, and drinking water is available at nearby locations. Many of the sites are not very level so choose carefully. The campground is very quiet and clean. The drive-in offers beautiful rolling countryside with low foothills. Nearby we took advantage of an off-road driver training course with OEX, Overland Experts.
TravelerLarger camp ground than expected. Enjoyed our stay.
Traveler
Had a good time camping and enjoyed the song of wind and birds.
ScoutCamp here if you want to be tucked in by a forest ranger at 10pm for talking at a normal volume. Not friendly to anyone who doesn’t have crotch goblins. Also, all of the campsites are literally on top of eachother.
TravelerVery quiet and beautiful campground
Scout
This may be the best campground I have visited. Very quiet and the views are amazing!
ScoutWe made a reservation well in advance but the owner decided to cancel our confirmed reservation to accommodate a previous renter who decided to stay longer. THANK YOU YATES FAMILY! Obviously there was no consideration if we were left without a place to stay. Did they offer help finding another campground, NO. Did they offer to compensate us, NO.
ScoutGreat camp sites, easy to get to, lots of trails, shooting range and off road trails.
TravelerWe recently returned from 5 days tent camping at Cheraw. We chose site #8 that was directly on the lake and offered electricity and water. These sites are obviously designed for RV’s with little or no space for tent campers. Although there is a designated tent area, it is back in the woods and not lakefront.
The minimal room we had was fortunately on the lake shore with wonderful shade trees. The space was not level and contained some unfriendly exposed tree roots. Fortunately we had an inflatable air bed and the roots weren’t much of a problem.
Lake Juniper is quite small and swimming is allowed in a designated area on the far side of the lake. We had inflatable rafts and tied our floats to a tree in front of our site , highly aware that a spillway not too far from our site would prove quite dangerous if one went too close then pulled over.
The small office on the opposite side of the lake offers ice and wood as well as ice cream, candy etc to satisfy any junk food craving. 10 minutes from the park is an IGA. It offers the basics and a little further out is a Walmart with groceries.
The bathhouse is currently “ under construction” although we saw no work being done during our stay. One half of the bathhouse had been designated unisex with three locking stalls and curtained showers. There is an interior lock if you choose to have the entire bathhouse all to yourself. I grew up in a family of eight and have no problem sharing a bathroom. The bathhouse has obviously seen a great deal of traffic, is quite dated and poorly ventilated. Hopefully the bathhouse will receive its update soon.
The campground host was quite helpful and an all around nice guy. We chatted a bit and he has a very interesting background.
We would return to Cheraw and confidently reserve #7 or #8 for tents. There are most likely other suitable sites there that escaped my notice.
Scout
While at Uwaharrie NF stayed at Biden Lake campground. Beautiful place with great views. Clean facilities close to sites.
TravelerWe stayed at site 76, loop C. Spacious site! We were able to fit 2 tents. Not far from bathrooms. Bathrooms are clean. Water spigot close by, the pressure is high so slowly lift the handle haha. The sites are not too close together. Lots of hiking nearby. Beautiful area! Highly recommend.
ScoutCheraw state Park was an overall good camping experience. We stayed in the tent camping area, which was well kept. My only complaint is that the sites are somewhat close together, but it's not a huge deal. Park is well kept and the sights are worth seeing. Plenty of trails to walk down, with a boardwalk that covers the side of lake juniper.
RangerStopped on our way back from Florida. Lots a little uneven, but it's a small price to pay for lakefront sites with water and electric. The campground host was very helpful too. Mountain biking and fishing was a blast
ScoutMorrow Mountain State Park, near Albemarle, NC, has something for everyone. Many hiking and equestrian trails are within the park. While the top elevation is just over 900 feet, it still has that mountainous feel in sections of the park. Likewise, there is lake access for boating and fishing. There are also historical features, a few unmarked homesteads and graves, as well as a nice (though small) museum. The campsites are my favorite of any campgrounds visited in the NC area. They are not too close to each other, well equipped, and with good visibility surrounding the sites so that you can see the deer and squirrels going by. It has been among my favorites for 50+ years.
GuideI was very happy with Cheraw State park. The views are beautiful. The bathrooms are very clean. The staff is friendly and helpful!
ScoutI have been going to this campground since I was a kid. I always enjoy it. I started taking my nephew a few years ago and he loves it too. This past month we had a big group with us for their first time and they want to go back.
GuideCamped with a group, in the group camping grounds. Takes a bit of a drive from camp entrance to actual campsites. Nice hiking trails, lake on site, and decent bathrooms with showers.
Beware! Cell/Internet coverage is non-existant, unless you can get to a high Vista lookout, and not guaranteed even then.
TravelerFriendly camp host, clean and beautiful views.
TravelerIf you want to get away this is a great place.Walking trails,trails for off road vehicles also.Fishing opportunities are abundant.The park can get full on weekends but through the week it's pretty empty.Bathrooms clean and sites are paved and fairly spacious.
GuideWell not much here , no office or bathrooms. Water and electric and a dump station. Friendly owners and very close to Charlotte motor speedway.
ScoutSpent two nights there. Campground is county run so the park ranger regularly patrols, making it feel safe. Also, a couple of local county sheriff deputies stay there too. There are several playgrounds for kids to play, along with an open field by the lake. Site are shaded by trees. The bath houses aren’t bad either.
GuideVery well maintained, spacious campsites. Extremely friendly and helpful staff. Not much to do in surrounding areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Mount Gilead, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Mount Gilead, NC is Morrow Mountain State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 36 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Mount Gilead, NC?
TheDyrt.com has all 14 equestrian camping locations near Mount Gilead, NC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
