Searching for a tent camping spot near Sanford? You can find tent campsites by type, including drive-in, walk-in, and even hike-in for a backpacking adventure. Search nearby tent campsites or find top-rated spots from other campers.
Sites are meant for tent/pop-up camping only. No RV or Trailer is accessible.
Located in Wake County 10 miles northwest of downtown Raleigh, William B. Umstead State Park is a cherished retreat from bustling urban life. The park features an extensive network of hiking and multiuse trails, as well as three manmade lakes and their tributaries that are perfect for fishing. Both park entrances offer picnic shelters, and Crabtree Creek offers camping areas. Group camps and the historic Maple Hill Lodge let visitors experience a rustic overnight experience without typical modern camping amenities.
$10 - $32 / night
San-Lee Park is a 177+ acre park, located at 572 Pumping Station Road, that offers hiking trails, a mountain bike trail, a Nature Center with a multipurpose room that is available for rent, playground, picnic facilities, campgrounds, and two stocked lakes for fishing. Paddle boat rentals are available seasonally.
Campsite rentals are available during park operational hours. A driver’s license or similar identification is required for registration. Sites are available on a first come, first serve basis. Reservations are not taken. For additional information, please call 919-776-6221 Ext. 4.
Program Date:
April – October Exceptions for weather & burning bans
Fee:
$15.00 per night
Register:
At park office during park hours Must be 18 years or older or accompanied by an adult
Tent Camping
The park provides tent sites, tables, charcoal grills, water, and a shower house. Campsites are located in a private section of the park close to the lake.
$15 / night
Located in Columbus, Robeson, Scotland, and Hoke counties 60 miles south of Fayetteville, Lumber River State Park has two access areas located about 1 hour from each other: Princess Ann and Chalk Banks. Possibilities for paddling on this 115-mile river are extraordinary. An abundance of wildlife and plant life, including the belted kingfisher and the rare Carolina bogmint, helped Lumber River earn federal designation as a National Wild and Scenic River, the only blackwater river in the state to have that honor.
Tent sites (including paddle-in sites) Group tent sites
Both accesses have camping facilities. If you have a reservation, please verify the location of your campsite prior to your visit. Princess Ann and Chalk Banks accesses are located 1 hour apart, so please check that you are headed to the correct campground.
$12 / night
$10 / night
Located in Durham and Wake counties 15 miles east of downtown Durham, Falls Lake State Recreation Area provides seven access areas to the reservoir. More than 300 campsites offer a variety of overnight experiences. Trails include a portion of the Mountains-to-Sea State Trail, as well as one of the premier mountain bike trail systems in the Triangle area, located at Beaverdam access. During the spring and fall, migrating monarch butterflies add to the picturesque beauty of the lake.
Not every access has all the listed facilities. Please check the General Information page to view a table of the facilities at each access: https://www.ncparks.gov/state-parks/falls-lake-state-recreation-area/plan-your-visit
$25 - $35 / night
Uwharrie Hunt Camp has eight sites for tent camping. Each site has a table, grill, lantern posts, and tent pad. Two vault toilets are provided in the campground. There are also 2 drinking water spigots available. Opportunities for hiking, boating, fishing, swimming, hunting, OHV trail use and picnicking are available within a short drive. Country stores are located in the nearby communities of Uwharrie and Eldorado.
At the Family Wilderness Camp, there are five campsites just off of the Campbell Creek Loop Trail, approximately 2.5 miles from the parking lot and 0.5 mile from the river. The maximum number of campers for each site is six.
Backpackers can also utilize the canoe camp, located beside the river off of the Little Creek Loop Trail, in a low-lying area. The camping area is a 1.7-mile hike in from the park office. There are six campsites, each accommodating up to six campers.
All supplies, including water, must be packed to the sites. Neither the Family Wildness nor Canoe Camp is accessible by vehicle.
Both camping areas offer a vault toilet, and all sites include a fire ring with a grill.
$12 / night
FIND PEACE AND PURPOSE IN NATURE
If needed for an additional $25 Your camp site comes with a zero contact (New) factory shipped tent that you can keep. Always includes fire pit, camping grill, and good times. This site is adjacent to a city park. When you wake up after a day of fishing and a night of s’mores and campfire stories with the mist in the air and this peaceful lakefront view you will know God is good, you are safe, and you are alive. The air is more crisp and clean and the birds sing you a personal lul-a- bye.
The space Privately owned lakefront property, you can fish, bring a kayak or canoe, the nature is beautiful. The local park is in walking distance
Guest access A 1/2 acre of privately owned lakefront land
$45 / night
The Owl Creek Horse Camp provides primitive overnight campsites for trail riders on a first come, first serve basis. The Owl Creek Trail System is approximately 26 miles and suitable for equestrian riding.
$5 / night
Scout
Plenty of places to tent camp or RV camp! Places to fish things for kids to play on and of course places to shower after! One of my family’s favorite places to camp!
Traveler
Very nice park and clean bathrooms.
Scout
My dog Indy and I spent a night here just to try it out and it was the perfect spot. The site is #64 and there's water access right next to the pad. We will definitely be back.
Traveler
I was there alone and had the whole campsite to myself. The camp host was so kind. He always made sure me, my horses and my grandson were comfortable and safe!
TravelerWell Maintained, Nice workers and good weather. 20ish minutes from Greensboro. Camping spots are great.
Traveler
Camp Ground is quiet and well laid out. Facilitaies are clean and maintained. Lake was open and fun to play in.
Camp ground is next to airfield, you might get Helicopter nosies from time to time.
Guide
The campground is neatly taken care of. The staff was awesome and friendly. The store is awesome and they had guest food trucks that rocked!
Traveler
The sites are level, not much shade. Garbage cans everywhere. Convenient to get into and out of with full hookup. There are no amenities at all but security drives around. Felt safe. Across from stadium. Price is worth the value.
Traveler
The state park has excellent hiking trails and the RV park is located in an excellent location to use them.
The sites are huge, level, and clean. The bathhouse is clean and modern. While there aren’t many recreational amenities besides the hiking, the price makes this park an excellent value.
Legend
If you find yourself in the hustle and bustle of nearby Raleigh and are looking to get away from the crowds and pavement in exchange for some nice shaded nature, hiking trails and calm, peace& quiet that only nature can offer, then make your way here to Shinleaf@ Falls Lake SRA. You’ll discover all of the basics are provided– from picnic table, fold-up fire ring/ grill, bear-proof garbage hanger and a nice pebble-strewn patch of well-maintained flat pitch, perfect for striking camp for the night in your tent amongst the best of what nature has to offer along with pristine shade from an unrelenting bit of summer North Carolina sunshine.
The only real down-side I could find to Shinleaf is that there’s not a whole lot of brush between the campsites so you will be exposed to neighboring sites, which wasn’t a problem when we visited as the place was fairly vacant, but during high season, I could see how this would be a bit of a turn-off. The on-site facilities(limited to just bathrooms& showers) are typically better than you’d expect from a state-run campground, and so this spot gets high marks versus some others– and there’s even a designated‘pot wash’ spigot that is near the campsites making for EZ clean up after any meal. There’s plenty of hiking trails to explore and the on-site rangers are incredibly helpful and positive folks that want to ensure you have a great time.
Insider's tips? Here's a few: (1) If you like to fish, there's tons of different varieties here to catch, including: walleye, crappie, white bass, large- and small-mouth bass, blue gill, striped bass as well as catfish; (2) There is no need to go anywhere else to look for a boat launch as Shinleaf has its very own kayak/ canoe launch that is fantastic and located on the eastern side of the property; (3) If you are looking for some really cool outdoors adventures while in these parts, check out Go Ape Zipline and Adventure Park that offers treetop rope trails and adventure courses - our kiddos loved it!; (4) When you grow tired of attempting to conjure up your next meal from the depths of your roto-molded Cordova cooler and want to try out some local fare, then I highly recommend nearby Carolina Ale House in Wake Forest or Buffalo Brothers Restaurant & Bar - both have fantastic local cuisine and nice iced area craft beers to pair with; and (5) IMHO, the best campsites here at Shinleaf are: #6, #14, #16-17; #30-33; #37-39; #40; #42-43; #45-47.
Happy Camping!
ScoutWell taken care of. Pool was in good shape. Grounds are clean and hookups are spaced well. Lots of things for kids to do. Nice camp store with ice cream, drinks etc.
Scout
Site was clean and lots spacious. Dual hookups for sewer connections. Nice water pressure.
ScoutNice campsite and nice folks. Had food trucks and site was clean.
GuideIt’s ok. Semi secluded and has necessary hookups. Quit packed for what it is. I would not stay here for weeks. Just a stop and go kinda deal. But price is very good.
Guide
Very nice campground. Lots of trees for shade and the park is very quiet. I would recommend staying here. The spots are big and not right up on each other. No laundry facility.
TravelerWe frequent this campground very often. Very nice play grounds. Does cost and long waiting line at pool, but one of the best to just get away and relax.
Traveler
My family planned a trip here, including our camper and 2 others. (3 sites total). Our camper needed work done and due to an unexpected sudden death in the family, taking the camper to be worked on 2 weeks prior to our planned visit was our only option. We called and explained the situation we were in and was spoken to VERY rudely. And was not able to get any of our money back. If there’s a possibility that you may have an unplanned death in the family that may complicate your trip, don’t book with them! We will NEVER plan another trip here!!
GuideWe camped out the first night the campground was open for the season. They were performing controlled burns but nothing bothered us. Sure, we heard the planes overhead but it didn’t keep us up. We tent camped at an RV site just for some extra comfort with the water and power. Bathhouses were super clean. And we were a short walk to the lake to fish and hang out near the water. Absolutely will come back
Traveler
This was our very first full-time RV park. We loved being in the park and it easily accommodated our 39ft. Class A. Back-in site but with plenty of room to do so. Each site has water and electric hook-up. Sewer however is a dump station. The sites are big with a picnic table, fire pit and lantern hook. Plenty to do here with the lake at your fingertips. Great first experience.
Scout
Popular Point campground is one of my favorite places to pitch a tent in the Jordan Lake area. It's often not as crowded as the others at Jordan Lake are, esp., during the week and outside of holidays or summertime. The views are nice, with sites next to the water. Tents and RVs can camp in the same areas. We normally camp in a tent here, but never in the hottest part of summer, which is most of the summer in the Piedmont area of the state. You gotta go up to 3000 feet, as in the mountains of NC, for a cool weather experience in summertime, but for a night to get away from your regular routine or a weekend when the weather is nice, this is a suitable place. Locals like it because the drive isn't far from Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Durham or Pittsboro.
TravelerThis is our favorite campground in the area. It is clean and quite with easy back in sites. The bathhouse is well maintained as is the camp road. We have stayed here during all four seasons and there isn't a bad time to stay. I can't say enough good things about this campground
Guide
Wet
TravelerThe campground is very cramped and the owner is very unfriendly and was unwilling to work with me after I asked not to park my fifth wheel under a hickory tree that was rubbing the top of my recently recoated roof. She refused. Roughly 7weeks into my 13 week stay a large storm rolled through and a hickory nut busted the top of my ac unit on my roof and the nut broke the blades of my fan off. She refused to acknowledge the damage. I tried to compromise with taking the price of the service of the monthly payment. The owner refused then stated she was going to need the next month payment or she would have my fifth towed. She is very unreasonable and very rude
TravelerLoop C site 19 is a great location. It’s flat with a few good locations off the gravel for tents. Good trees for hammocks are present. There’s no other site within a couple hundred yards to the east. East access to the lake shore and plenty of woods for kids to play in. The bathhouse is a short walk away.
Legend
If you find yourself passing up or down the I-95 corridor and simply need a patch of land to layover for the night and you’ve got one of those incredibly large mobile homes on wheels, then this non-descript RV location near Four Oaks (look for the cross-roads of where Hwy 301 intersects Hwy 701(exit 90 on I-95) may just be the perfect spot for you. But to be perfectly clear, Four Oaks is more of a layover than a destination - I would really only consider this on the way to somewhere else where I am getting in late and leaving early.
With a couple dozen or so RV parking lanes for your parking pleasure, all of the sites come equipped with the typical 20 / 30 / 50 amp electrical hook-ups, waste disposal and water connections. There’s the standard picnic table, fire ring / BBQ, garbage receptacles, propane refilling stations, covered pavilions and even a community BBQ. The hosts are somewhat grumpy and offer pricing by the night, week and month. Overall, the community is inviting and friendly and there were a few that invited us over to chat with them and share a beer. While there’s not a ton of amenities to pick and choose from, this location does come with BBQ, doggie park, free WiFi & high-speed internet, store and vending machines. Near this RV parking lot, you do have access to Wilmington, Emerald Isle and lovely (but crowded) Myrtle Beach. One of the best perks though is that this campground serves up a nice continental breakfast on the weekends for campground guests, plus there's also free ice and cable for any overnight guests.
Insider’s tip? Here's a few: (1) Take advantage of the close proximity to 30 acre Tucker Lake (conveniently located where Interstate 40 intersects 95), where some decent fishing can be had – we caught (and released) several smallmouth bass, brook trout and black bullheads. Here, you’ll find white sandy beaches, paddle boats, kayaks and canoes for rent, rope swings, 165 foot waterslide for the kids to jump into the water and scattered open pavilions with BBQ’s and grills. There’s also a handful of ill-maintained trails to hike on; (2) If you'd like to hit the links then nearby Johnston County Country Club has some really nice fairways that you'll want to explore; (3) Should you grow weary of trying to conjure up that next meal from the depths of your onboard mini-fridge and want to try out some local fare, then head on over to nearby JP's Country BBQ where they serve up smoked chicken, ribs as well as mac-n-cheese along with some good 'ol Southern cole slaw; (4) Should you find yourself in need of anything there's Ronnie's Country Store just down the road (you wouldn't even need to drive there from Four Oaks), where you can get basic groceries, ice and just about anything for your journey; (5) My favorite site on the property is #8 or #10 as they are furthest from the nearby highway and offer decent shade; and (6) If you come bearing kayak or canoe and are looking for a nice wet piece of paradise to launch into, then check out Holts Lake located just due north of this campground where there's also some pretty decent fishing to be had.
Happy Camping!
Scout
I’ve camped here twice now. The hike in and out is very easy. Only about 2 miles each way. The spots are clean and well spread out with a hook to hang things on, a fire pit, and a picnic table at each site. The pit toilet is central to all 6 sites. It’s a pit toilet so it’s nothing glamorous but it’s there if you need it. The river is a short walk away from all the sites if you want to get a great picture with the sunrise. Overall, I definitely recommend.
GuideExcellent new cabin’s perfect fire pit new tables/restrooms spaced out beautifully designed campground.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Sanford, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Sanford, NC is William B. Umstead State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 18 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Sanford, NC?
TheDyrt.com has all 13 tent camping locations near Sanford, NC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
