Best Tent Camping near Raeford, NC
State parks and public lands surrounding Raeford, North Carolina offer several tent camping options with varying levels of amenities and seclusion. Lumber River State Park provides dedicated tent camping areas at both Chalk Banks and Princess Ann access points, approximately 25-30 miles from Raeford. Tent sites at Chalk Banks are particularly spacious, with sites 9-11 positioned deep in the pine forest for maximum privacy. Sandhills Campground B, located in the Sandhills Game Lands north of Raeford, offers primitive tent camping with no facilities. San-Lee Park in Sanford provides tent-only camping with approximately 20 sites in a more developed setting.
Most tent campsites in the Raeford area feature basic amenities with varying levels of accessibility. Chalk Banks campground has a single vault toilet and one water spigot but no showers, while Princess Ann offers restroom facilities across from the parking area. Sites typically include fire rings and picnic tables. Park gates at Lumber River State Park close at 9:00 pm, requiring campers to obtain gate codes for after-hours access. Campers should bring all necessary supplies, as no camp stores exist nearby. Firewood can be gathered at some locations, particularly at Chalk Banks where fallen wood is abundant, or purchased at the Speedway gas station about 10 minutes from the park.
The tent camping experience varies significantly between locations. According to reviews, Chalk Banks offers "extra large and private campsites" with ample space between neighbors. One camper noted that the tent sites are "some of the better spread out ones" with good cell coverage despite the remote setting. Princess Ann campsites feature proximity to the Lumber River, with sites 7 and 8 positioned directly on the riverbank requiring a short walk-in from the parking area. Sandhills Campground B provides truly primitive backcountry tent camping requiring four-wheel drive or high-clearance vehicles to access. The area attracts both hunters and horse enthusiasts, with multiple lakes for fishing and extensive trail networks for exploration.
