The Uwharrie National Forest surrounding Richfield, North Carolina offers several primitive tent camping options with varying levels of accessibility and amenities. Deep Water Trail Camp in Troy stands out as a free, walk-in tent campsite with direct access to water and hiking trails. Just a short drive away, Uwharrie Hunt Camp provides rustic tent campsites for only $5 per night with basic amenities like drinking water and pit toilets. East Morris Mountain Camp offers tent-only camping with complete seclusion on a remote fire trail, while Lake Curriher Wilderness features both walk-in tent sites and an ADA-accessible tent area approximately 20 miles northwest of Richfield.
Road conditions to these tent campgrounds vary significantly, with several requiring high-clearance vehicles. Deep Water Trail Camp's access road is particularly challenging, with steep, rocky sections that become muddy after rain. One camper reported their "Honda Element was on two wheels at one point" navigating to the waterfront sites. Most primitive tent camping areas have simple rock fire rings but no potable water sources, requiring campers to pack in all supplies. East Morris Mountain Camp offers just three tent sites with fire pits as the only amenity. Uwharrie Hunt Camp provides more facilities with clean pit toilets and water spigots, though the six tent sites offer minimal privacy between them. All sites allow pets and campfires when no burn bans are in effect.
Tent campers seeking backcountry experiences will find the seclusion worth the effort. According to reviews, Deep Water Trail Camp offers "super private" sites with "nice trails nearby for hiking and finding firewood." The area features abundant wildlife viewing opportunities and fishing access. Visitors to Lake Curriher Wilderness noted the regular tent loop is "one big open field with few trees," offering limited privacy, while the Point offers more secluded tent camping for those willing to hike in. Early spring visitors to Uwharrie Hunt Camp reported having the entire campground to themselves, though summer brings more crowds. Pack-in, pack-out principles apply at all locations, with several campers noting concerns about trash left behind at the more remote tent sites.
"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."
"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
from $35 - $65 / 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."
GuideDriving 14 1/2 hrs I was cooked called and had the most easiest booking. There was a sites available so I booked it. Needless to say I got there in the dark and a kind person helped me to my site and got me backed in. Soo exhausted I hooked up electric only hit the bed passed out
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.
Uwharrie National Forest spans 51,000 acres in central North Carolina and offers tent camping opportunities with 1,000-foot elevation changes across the landscape. During spring and fall camping seasons, temperatures typically range from 45°F to 75°F, with summer highs regularly exceeding 90°F. Several primitive tent camping areas around Richfield offer various levels of accessibility depending on vehicle type and seasonal conditions.
Fishing access: Deep Water Trail Camp provides direct river access for anglers. Visitor Vincent S. notes "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."
Wildlife viewing: Lake Curriher Wilderness offers both lakeside and forest habitat for wildlife spotting. The retired police chief who lives nearby often introduces himself to campers, providing an extra sense of security. According to Shannon S., "It's the quietest stay we've had yet, and we go camping nearly every weekend."
Trail exploration: The forest contains over 20 miles of marked trails with varying difficulty levels. A visitor to Deep Water Trail Camp mentioned "nice trails nearby for hiking and finding fire wood" making it easy to gather materials for camp.
Affordability: Uwharrie Hunt Camp charges only $5 per night for tent sites. Shari G. reports, "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."
Solitude opportunities: East Morris Mountain Camp offers just three remote tent sites on a secluded fire trail. Dean S. recommends going "to the end of the road for complete privacy. No amenities other than a fire pit."
Water proximity: Many tent campers value riverside or lakeside camping options. Dan from Deep Water Trail Camp shared, "We stayed 3 days and 2 nights and there was only 1 other vehicle down there with us the entire time... Our site was off to the left of the major parking area right down by the river."
Vehicle requirements: High-clearance vehicles are strongly recommended for accessing many tent sites. At Deep Water Trail Horse Camp, camper Stephanie W. warns, "I would highly recommend 4WD if you're going all the way to the water sites. I attempted in my van and made it down to a sweet spot, but was stuck in the mud."
Trash management: Pack-out requirements are strictly enforced but sometimes ignored. Julie L. at Deep Water Trail Camp reports, "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."
Water availability: Only Uwharrie Hunt Camp and Lake Curriher Wilderness provide drinking water access. At other tent camping locations, Michael W. advises, "No water all primitive. Will go back when warmer. Lots of trails and wildlife."
Pet-friendly options: All primitive tent camping areas allow pets, making them suitable for families with dogs. Gabby A. shares her experience at Deep Water Trail Camp: "We brought our two pups & they had a blast playing & laying in the water! We stayed at a campsite next to the river bend."
Mineral hunting: Uwharrie Hunt Camp and surrounding areas contain interesting geological features. One camper at Deep Water Trail Camp describes "The big pieces of quartz we found were gorgeous, and so was the view at the water!"
ADA accessible tent site: Lake Curriher Wilderness offers a dedicated accessible tent site. Shannon S. explains, "having the ADA tent site makes a huge difference. The regular tent loop is just one big open field with few trees around it, so there's absolutely no privacy."
Small trailer access: Large RVs aren't recommended for most forest roads, but small trailers can access select areas. Michael W. reports success with a small trailer at 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 and out. Road posted 25 mph but recommend 10 mph."
Off-season advantages: Visiting tent camping areas before peak seasons ensures more privacy and site selection. At Yates Family Camping, which offers more amenities than forest camps, Mariah S. appreciates "the flexibility and excellent communication of the owners. 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."
Seasonal road conditions: Forest roads deteriorate significantly after rain. One camper advises, "PLEASE take something with a little ground clearance and better than 2 wheel drive to get here... My husband used his truck to pull a Jetta and a Camry back up the hill after they got stuck."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Richfield, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Richfield, NC is Deep Water Trail Camp with a 4.6-star rating from 9 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 8 tent camping locations near Richfield, NC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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