Best Tent Camping near Orrum, NC
Tent camping opportunities near Orrum, North Carolina center around two notable locations within Lumber River State Park—Princess Ann Access and Chalk Banks Access. Both areas provide tent-specific sites in forested settings along the Lumber River, offering primitive camping experiences approximately 30-45 minutes apart. The Princess Ann area features riverside tent sites with established fire rings and picnic tables, while Chalk Banks provides more secluded tent platforms set back in pine forests.
Most tent sites at Lumber River State Park feature dirt pads framed with wooden railroad ties or elevated platforms. Water access varies between locations, with Princess Ann providing vault toilets near the parking area and a separate restroom facility across the lot. Chalk Banks offers a single vault toilet and one water spigot serving the entire campground. Gates at both locations close at specific hours—9pm at Chalk Banks—requiring campers to obtain access codes from rangers for after-hours entry. Fire pits are available at all sites, though firewood must be purchased at nearby stores.
The tent camping experience at these locations offers notable seclusion and natural immersion. According to one visitor at Chalk Banks, "These campsites are in a beautiful pine woods forest. Many sites have a pretty mossy pathway near the tent platform." Sites 7 and 8 at Princess Ann are positioned directly along the river's edge but require a short walk-in from the parking area. Tent campers should prepare for local wildlife encounters, particularly at Princess Ann where barred owls are frequently heard at night. Water activities form a central part of the experience, with opportunities for fishing, swimming, and paddling along the Lumber River. A recent review noted that "the river was nice to swim in after a hot summer's day, although the bottom is quite squishy." Most sites provide substantial shade from pine and oak trees, and many remain available even during peak periods.
