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Northwest River Park & Campground features equestrian trails for horse riders visiting the Chesapeake, Virginia area. Located approximately 30 miles from South Mills, North Carolina, this park offers horse-friendly trails that visitors frequently mention in reviews. The campground provides various accommodation options including tent sites, RV spaces with hookups, and cabins. Facilities include clean bathrooms, hot showers, and picnic tables at each site. The park maintains miles of trails suitable for horseback riding with adequate space for trailer parking. Some sites are gravel and mostly level, though users note that water is not available at all campsites.
Trails at Northwest River Park connect to the surrounding natural area, providing access to wetlands and wooded terrain. The park remains open seasonally from April 1 through November 30, with camping fees ranging from $38-42 per night. Equestrian visitors should note that while horses are permitted on designated trails, no dedicated horse corrals are available on-site. The bathhouses are well-maintained and frequently praised for cleanliness. Trail riders can explore the natural surroundings of this 763-acre park while enjoying amenities like firewood sales, a dump station, and various recreational activities including fishing, kayaking, and miniature golf. The park typically enforces a 14-day maximum stay policy for campers.
"Equestrian trails available, which is always a plus."
"Some sites close to main road but not a lot of traffic."
from $21 - $36 / night
Check Availability"The park is centrally located with easy highway access. Plentiful parking, lots of trails to choose from. The staff was top notch and super kind and helpful. "
"Sites: 11 primitive tent sites 2 of which are group sites 4 tent cabins that sit right on the edge of the lake
The individual campsites are FCFS and you must park and hike in."
from $11 - $42 / night
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GuideI have spent my childhood here and I am excited to share it with my kids. We hike here when visiting grandparents. Chesapeake Public Park’s does a great job with events and education at NWRP! Equestrian trails available, which is always a plus.
ScoutThe park is centrally located with easy highway access. Plentiful parking, lots of trails to choose from. The staff was top notch and super kind and helpful. They were very insistent about the "no alcohol" rule.
Sites are first come, first served. Must reserve in person. Visitor's center is open 9-6.
The sites were located about 1/4 mile from the parking lot down a trail. They were spaced nicely apart and had nice sand tent platforms with a picnic table and a fire ring with a grate. Trash cans were very close by, which was super nice. The bathrooms were flush toilets and running water faucets and located behind the parking lot, so a bit of a hike in the dark if you need to go. Other than that, expect no amenities. Bugs weren't terrible but were present. Definitely bring bug spray.
The biggest negative was that no matter where you were in the park, there was significant noise from the highway. Horns honking, sirens blaring, the general rush of cars going by. There is no sound barrier between 64 and the park so every noise just filters right through the trees. Not anyone's fault, but definitely a downside.
Overall when you consider the dirt cheap price of 10.60 per night, this campground delivers as advertised.
GuideSite was shaded, private, and right next to the river, so we had our own private access for swimming and bathing. Plenty of room for several tents and lots of parking space. Plenty of land to walk around and check out the farm.
Bathrooms were very clean and just a short walk from the site. Hosts are friendly and generous, especially with the use of the kayaks. We took kayaks out on the pond and the river and caught lots of fish!
They're building a farm store and allowed us to shop during our stay.
GuideThis is a former KOA, I stayed here years ago when it was a KOA, and have spent considerable amount of time here fairly recently. They cater mostly to monthly campers, and aside from allowing some small decks to be built next to the RV's, it otherwise looks very clean. They do keep a few sites open for transient campers. If you need to stay for a duration in the Norfolk-Va Beach area (we're talking months), this is the place to be! Several sites have good access to satellite system.
LegendSites: 11 primitive tent sites 2 of which are group sites
4 tent cabins that sit right on the edge of the lake
The individual campsites are FCFS and you must park and hike in. It is a short hike along the lake and placed a short distance from the trail so hikers will not be hiking through the sites. You have a sand bottom tent site, picnic table, fire ring/grill and trash. This is a beautiful 456 acre education and wildlife facility. Born from garbage dumps and it is great example of what can be achieved. This really is a great site. There is an amazing nature center that overlooks Sandy Bottom Lake. Hiking, and biking trails, fishing, boating with boat rentals or bring your own, birding and wildlife viewing. 757-825-4657
LNT
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ScoutLots of hiking trails to walk & turtles in the lake!! Plus you can rent boats for a cheap price which we will probably go back to do. It was so pretty & so fun. We took out two dogs with us too. There was a Park Ranger driving around and checked on us when we first got there asking if we had any questions. Definitely will go back!
TravelerWhat a great camp! A small family farm with 5 sites around the property. We chose site 2 for our family of three and a dog and it was the perfect size. The hosts were so friendly, and we were able to walk around and see the chicken coop, small lake, and barnyard with goats and geese. The campsites are great (about a 5 min walk apart), with a fire pit, picnic table, trash, and ours had a set up for a hammock. Even with what it looked like every campsite full, it was peaceful and pretty. Our toddler had a blast! They are a working farm so it was fun to have the option to buy eggs, herbs or wine. We picked up a t-shirt on the way out and will be back for the troller :)
LegendArrived shortly after 8 pm after a long day's drive. The sun was going down but it wasn't dark yet. The campground office was locked and deserted. No posted instructions about after hours registration, no pay box. Ran into a park ranger who informed me the campground was closed for the evening; as in, would not take my money. Seriously? The campground is behind a gate with a keypad, so no chance of driving in and talking to the camp host. The ranger was kind and apologetic at least.
Drove a little further south and found a nice site at Bells Island Campground. The host there was happy to take my money.
GuidePlenty of room..showers/bathrooms huge..water NOT at all sites but easy to fill tanks. Some sites close to main road but not a lot of traffic.
Northwest River Park & Campground provides equestrian camping near South Mills, North Carolina, approximately 30 miles from the town. The 763-acre park contains multiple trails through wetlands and wooded terrain, operating seasonally from April through November. Water access is limited at some campsites, with gravel pads that may require leveling blocks for optimal setup.
Paddling adventures: Visitors can rent canoes and paddle boats to explore the blackwater ecosystem. "Canoes and paddle boats are available to rent for use in black water," notes Heather L. at Northwest River Park & Campground.
Miniature golf: The park offers family-friendly recreational activities beyond trail riding. "Put put golf, kayak, hiking and much more," writes Patricia L. about the diverse activities available at Northwest River Park.
Nature hikes: Several trails connect to wetland areas perfect for wildlife observation. "There are a few hikes leading back to the river," mentions Heather L., highlighting the interconnected trail system within the park.
Clean facilities: The maintenance of bathhouses and common areas receives consistent praise. "Overall amazed at the cleanliness of the campground. The staff is very friendly. The park was very quiet going into the night," reports Joseph H. about Northwest River Park & Campground.
Spacious campsites: The camping areas provide ample room between sites. "Plenty of room..showers/bathrooms huge..water NOT at all sites but easy to fill tanks. Some sites close to main road but not a lot of traffic," explains Gary D. regarding the campsite layout.
Helpful staff: Park rangers actively monitor the grounds and assist campers. "Great staff. Very helpful and keep the park clean. They have firewood at $6.00 a bundle. We went on a sellout weekend but was still pretty quiet," shares Jeff B.
Water availability: Not all sites have direct water hookups. "Plan on bringing your own water as there isn't always running water (not sure why)," advises Sally T. from her stay at Northwest River Park & Campground.
Reservation system challenges: Some campers report difficulties modifying bookings through online platforms. "My only issue was the parks reservation system. I reserved the campsite using the online, Reserve America system. About a week before our trip I had to change plans and only stay 2 days instead of 3. Tried to change the reservation but the park said I had to do it with Reserve America," explains Nicole L. about her experience.
Trash disposal location: Garbage facilities may not be conveniently located near all campsites. "The only thing I have a problem with here, is that there are no garbage cans or dumpsters near the campsites. The only garbage containers I found were near the dump station, which is on the way out of the park, nowhere near the campground," notes Sheri K.
Child-friendly activities: Multiple recreational options keep younger visitors engaged. "There were a lot of child friendly activities to do here. It's about 40 mins from the beach. We tent camped and had a blast. The showers were nice and the bathrooms were very clean," shares Audriana V. about Chesapeake Campground.
Educational opportunities: The park offers structured learning experiences for visitors. "Chesapeake Public Park's does a great job with events and education at NWRP! Equestrian trails available, which is always a plus," mentions Elizabeth V. who has visited Northwest River Park throughout her life.
Weather considerations: Low-lying areas may experience flooding during heavy rainfall. "Because this area is near wetlands some of the campsites were flooded throughout the weekend. If rain a lot of rain is forecasted you may want to talk to one of the rangers about your particular site," advises Nicole L.
Leveling requirements: Most sites require minor adjustments for optimal positioning. "The sites are gravel and mostly level but I did have to use a couple blocks of my levelers," notes Sheri K. at Northwest River Park & Campground.
Weekly rate structure: Extended stays do not automatically receive discounted pricing. "I asked if they had weekly rates and was told yes. But of course you are limited to 14 days like so many other campgrounds. When I arrived and talked to the clerk about the weekly rates, all he did was multiply the daily rate by the number of days. There is no discounted weekly rate," explains Sheri K.
Satellite access: Some nearby facilities offer good connectivity for technology-dependent travelers. "Several sites have good access to satellite system," mentions Cliff M. about his experience at Chesapeake Campground, noting its advantages for longer-term visitors in the Norfolk-Virginia Beach region.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near South Mills, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near South Mills, NC is Northwest River Park & Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 15 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near South Mills, NC?
TheDyrt.com has all 3 equestrian camping locations near South Mills, NC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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