1 campground with availability next weekend
The Uwharrie National Forest provides several tent camping options near Mount Gilead, North Carolina, with both established campgrounds and primitive sites. Deep Water Trail Camp offers free tent camping with riverside access, while Uwharrie Hunt Camp provides more developed sites with amenities like drinking water and picnic tables. East Morris Mountain Camp features three secluded tent-only sites along a fire trail, offering a more private backcountry experience.
Most tent sites in the area feature basic dirt or gravel pads with minimal improvements. Deep Water Trail requires high-clearance vehicles to access the riverside tent sites, with several campers noting the rough, rocky road conditions. Primitive tent camping areas typically include simple fire rings but lack amenities like running water or modern restrooms. Uwharrie Hunt Camp provides more facilities with drinking water spigots and pit toilets that are regularly maintained. Campers should pack in all necessary supplies, including water for the more remote walk-in tent locations.
Tent campers frequently use these areas as bases for exploring the extensive trail networks throughout the Uwharrie region. The backcountry tent sites at Deep Water Trail Camp offer direct river access, making them popular for fishing and paddling. Sites vary from open areas that can accommodate multiple tents to more secluded spots surrounded by trees. According to one visitor, "It was a nice spot, big open camping spots that are first come first serve. There's a few campsites surrounded by trees but also a large open area." East Morris Mountain provides complete privacy for tent campers seeking solitude, with one reviewer noting, "We go to the end of the road for complete privacy. No amenities other than a fire pit."
"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."
"It is a amazing area to visit if you are into OHV(Off Highway Vehicle) trail riding, mountain biking or hiking."
"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."
"This area is popular for the Off Highway Vehicle trail systems which are open April through December."
"Too much trash left by previous campers"
"Only three sites on this little out of the way fire trail. We go to the end of the road for complete privacy. No amenities other than a fire pit."
"A nice campsite off of Tower Road with is also part of the TransAmerica Trail. It is a flat site with a with a great fire pit."
from $35 - $65 / night
"It was a little tricky finding the entrance to this campsite, but when we managed to Google map our way in into the park, we were very happy with our selection!"
"There was a path walkable to the river, and each campsite was clean, had plenty of space on level ground to set up camp, a fire pit, and very clean toilet. I would definitely go back!"
Available next weekend
from $17 - $47 / night
"This is a campground located in the Sandhills Gamelands in NC. If you're looking for primitive, this is it. No bathrooms, no water spigots, no camp store, nothing like that."
"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."
from $10 - $30 / night
"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."
GuideStopped here after our fiasco with holly bluff. Beautiful campground with trees. Very quiet during the day and peaceful. The only thing we found curious was the vehicle in and right back out activity between 10:30-pm and 1am back and forth to campers that were long term stays. Made nighttime hard to sleep in site 3 with vehicles back and forth for hours .
GuideStopped in to get a spot for a few nights nights because it said they had available rv spots Unfortunately they didn’t know which end was up and tried to squeeze us into a spot that might have hookups that maybe worked but they couldn’t be sure. It was a joke. We left after waiting several minutes waiting while they were looking for a place to maybe squeeze us in because we had a small camper. No thanks. Would not recommend staying here til they get there act together
RangerWhen I’m traveling through the area, I do my best to stay here. It is a peaceful and well kept campground. It is an adult and a kid friendly environment. It’s one of the few places you can feel safe. I highly recommend this place.
ScoutLooking for a nice place for a camping getaway? We highly recommend checking out the Deep River Campground in Asheboro, NC. The location itself is beautiful. It is literally on the Deep River and features a hiking trail that runs along the river past the remnants of a historical damn, where a small area of rapids gently swirls around the big rocks spanning the river. There’s also a large lake with a nice grassy expanse for picnics, playing games or just lazing around lakeside. This campground has been around for a while, but it has new owners now and they are breathing some for real new life into the place. They have already made lots of repairs and improvements, and you can see more in progress. There are sites for RVs with all the hook-ups, and great primitive sites for tent camping, several located right on the river. If you don’t have an RV and sleeping on the ground doesn’t spark joy, they have a few small rustic but nicely-appointed cabins. You’ll find two pools, several covered picnic shelters, a playground for the small ones, and several options for older kids and adults to play, like a horseshoe pit and a nice game room. They also have planned activities like movie nights and weiner roasts most evenings to entertain and create community among campers. They are pet friendly and have their own pet mascots on site— a flock of ducks including beautifully colored teals and mallards. We were just there for 2 nights, but I have a good feeling we’ll be visiting there again soon. Definitely worth a visi
RangerWas a monthly Camper when I came in to the campground. Nobody was cleaning the men’s room. No one was trying to collect the fall leaves. This is an old run down campground. I cleaned the men’s room for free because there was no staff to clean. I regret helping the owner for free on multiple occasions.
TravelerThis is/was marked as dispersed camping but this is primarily an OHV area, with a shooting range nearby that can be heard from some campsites. Most, if not all, of the campsites are intended to be large group sites. The empty site we found was filled with trash, discarded tents, air mattresses, and trashed electronics from OHVs. There's so much trash we would not even be able to take it all out with us if we wanted to. This may be a national forest, but it is not peace and quiet as one would expect from "dispersed and primitive" camping.
GuideThere was other people camping and running their generators all night. Some low lifers on ATV blasted in and out of the parking area and blasting music at 2 am. Good luck getting any sleep here. But enjoyed the trail to it and the forest. Got at least 2 hours of sleep before I packed up.
ScoutThe spots are alright but first night got ate up by ants so hadda move and the other spots are good but have no shade and no signal and not mutch to take pictures of so if you wanna have some survival type camping this is a great location.
TravelerThis quiet gem was just what I needed. It’s close enough to shoppes, diners, and other activities. It’s also close to the NC Zoo. With dedicated and mixed spots, it’s perfect for tents and RVs. Did I mention the staff? They’re friendly and helpful.
Zooland is a great place for solo, family, or group. The campground offers a pool, activities, walking trails, as well as laundry facilities and 2 bath houses. There’s also a dog park for your K9 family member(s).
Most sites have water and electrical hook ups. But one word of caution; you may or may not have cell service. But there is wi-fi throughout the property.
Uwharrie National Forest tent camping near Mount Gilead, North Carolina offers backcountry camping opportunities at elevations ranging from 350 to 1,000 feet. The forest's 51,000 acres contain diverse ecosystems with mixed hardwood forests, pine stands, and river access points. Average summer temperatures reach 85-90°F with high humidity, while spring and fall camping seasons offer milder conditions and fewer insects.
Fishing access points: Deep Water Trail Camp provides direct river access for catching catfish. According to Vincent S., "Beautiful area, lots of space on the lower ground, gorgeous views from the higher ground, and some damn good fishing. My friends both caught a couple of channel cats. One enormous female catfish we released because she had eggs on board."
Trail exploration: Lake Curriher Wilderness features a trail system around the lake with fishing opportunities. Scott P. notes, "There is a good trail around the lake that offers some beautiful views across the lake. Pretty good fishing too."
Kayaking and canoeing: The Lumber River near Chalk Banks — Lumber River State Park provides excellent paddling opportunities. As Joe S. mentions, "The lumber river access is ideal to kayak and fish. The park rangers and maintenance people were chill and friendly."
Large, private campsites: Tent campers appreciate the spacious sites at Chalk Banks. Tammie S. states, "Extra large and private campsites. One of the campsites has a hammock stand. The group site is huge. The whole park is very clean and spacious."
Riverside camping spots: Deep Water Trail Camp offers camping along the Yadkin River. Dan explains, "Our site was off to the left of the major parking area right down by the river. Super private and had some nice trails near by for hiking/finding fire wood. 10/10. Cant wait to go back."
Wildlife viewing: The forests around Mount Gilead provide habitat for diverse wildlife. Will B. from Uwharrie Hunt Camp notes, "Love the trails that hug the lake in the area. Lots of camping off the beaten path and outside the normal camp grounds. Been camping here for about a year, still haven't seen big foot yet... but I'm still hopeful."
Vehicle clearance requirements: Many tent camping areas require high-clearance vehicles. According to tiffany A., "PLEASE take something with a little ground clearance and better than 2 wheel drive to get here. My Honda Element was on two wheels at one point but the AWD handled it like a champ."
Gate closure times: Several campgrounds have strict gate closure hours. Jay B. warns about Lumber River State Park, "Word to the wise, 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."
Limited facilities: Most primitive tent camping locations lack amenities. Marvin D. explains about Sandhills Campground B, "If you're looking for primitive, this is it. No bathrooms, no water spigots, no camp store, nothing like that. Bring all your own EVERYTHING."
Bring trash bags: Several campers note trash issues at popular sites. Julie L. from Deep Water Trail Camp states, "People. Why? Why are there piles of trash being left at campsites? I bagged up 4 large bags of garbage that some college aged kids just left."
Plan for accessibility: Consider tent camping sites with easier access for young children. Gabby A. recommends, "We stayed at a campsite next to the river bend, not on the actual Deep Water Trail, because it got super bumpy & didn't want to damage our car. But it gave us a nice path downward to get to the Yadkin River."
Book early for holiday weekends: Popular camping areas fill quickly during peak times. According to Marvin D., when discussing East Morris Mountain, "Only three sites on this little out of the way fire trail. We go to the end of the road for complete privacy. No amenities other than a fire pit."
Check site restrictions: Many tent camping areas near Mount Gilead have limitations for larger vehicles. Michael W. notes about Deep Water Trail Camp, "Not for bigger rigs. 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."
Prepare for seasonal access changes: Road conditions vary by season. Kyle comments on Uwharrie Hunt Camp, "FREE. large size nobody else here in March but I'm sure as summer rolls around it fills up more."
Manage expectations for amenities: RV sites with hookups are limited in the area. Shari G. explains, "The campground is a quaint, and only $5 per night! With only 6 sites and what appears to be an over-sized parking lot right next to it, the lot accommodates the OHV trailers."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Mount Gilead, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Mount Gilead, NC is Deep Water Trail Camp with a 4.6-star rating from 9 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Mount Gilead, NC?
TheDyrt.com has all 10 tent camping locations near Mount Gilead, NC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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