The western North Carolina mountains offer several dog friendly campgrounds near Pinehurst, with most sites situated between 1,200-2,500 feet elevation. The region's forest service roads provide access to both established and dispersed camping options, with temperature variations often 8-12 degrees cooler than Pinehurst during summer months. These pet-welcoming sites range from primitive setups to full-service facilities throughout the Blue Ridge foothills.
What to do
Waterfall hiking: 5 miles round-trip at South Mountains State Park Family Campground to reach the 80-foot High Shoals Falls. "We stayed for 3 nights- family campsite (sites 6-9 are beat IMO) was used as basecamp. We also had a primitive site that we backpacked to for a night. Great trails. Great views. The nature trail area was a great way to start and end the day as we hiked back to 'basecamp'," shares Sarah W.
Off-highway vehicle trails: 2.5 miles from the campsites at Brown Mountain Roadside Campsites lead to an OHV network where dogs can join their owners. "This parking lot is mainly used by Off Highway Vehicles(OHV). That is, dirt bikes and four wheelers. The OHV trail starts at the parking lot, which is why on weekends it gets extremely busy," explains Jay R.
Mountain biking: 16.5 miles of dedicated trails available through the South Mountains trail system. "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," according to Dave V.
Lakeside recreation: Boat rentals available at Julian Price Park Campground. "This park is right on a gorgeous lake. There is a spot within the park to rent kayaks which was great. There is a hiking trail that goes around the lake. There's also a trail that you can access from the park that leads to Hebron Rock Colony which is an incredible hiking trail," writes Danielle L.
What campers like
Creek-side sites: Various creek-adjacent options let dogs cool off during hot days. "The campsite was at the base of a mountain with tons of great hiking trails within the park. They even had a food truck most days, so you really don't have to leave the campground unless you want to. They are also dog friendly," reports Kristen W. about Thousand Trails Green Mountain.
Cave exploration: Rock formations around Table Rock offer unique camping spots. "A couple buddies and I went camping on table rock, found a cave, crawled through it for about 100 feet and found the most beautiful camping spot we have ever seen," says Andy P. about Table Rock Campsites.
Dark skies: Minimal light pollution at higher elevations creates exceptional stargazing. "The last night was beautiful and the stars were incredible," notes Tyler O. about his Table Rock experience.
Clean facilities: Modern bathhouses at several campgrounds exceed expectations. "Cleanest bathrooms I have ever seen!! We camped at the family camping area, it was great, we had site 6 and it was on the river and the kids loved it!" shares Jessica L. about South Mountains State Park.
Traveler
