Uwharrie National Forest encompasses 50,645 acres in North Carolina's Piedmont region with elevations ranging from 350 to 1,000 feet. Equestrian camping opportunities near Troy include designated facilities with specialized amenities for horses and riders. Summer temperatures typically reach the upper 80s during day with nighttime lows around 60°F, while spring and fall offer milder conditions with occasional rain showers.
What to do
Trail riding with horses: Uwharrie Horse Trails connect directly to Badin Horse Camp, offering access to miles of forested paths. "Canebrake Horse Camp has 28 sites with parking spurs for horse trailers. Four of these sites are double camp sites. Each site has a picnic table, grill, fire ring, lantern post, tie posts, tack tables, and electrical hookups," reports one visitor.
Hiking forest trails: The Lake Loop Trail near Arrowhead Campground provides scenic water views and connects to the boat launch area. "This is a great campground. It is laid out nicely with equal privacy between sites. You do not feel smothered by the camper next to you. The nature in the campground has been maintained by the park service," notes a camper.
Water activities: Badin Lake offers swimming, fishing, and boating opportunities with rentals available seasonally. "Nicely spaced, shaded, and quiet camp ground. A lot of people camp here with their jeeps, sidexsides, and 4wheelers. There's a boat ramp right by the entrance," shares a visitor to Arrowhead Campground.
What campers like
Spacious campsites: Sites at Morrow Mountain State Park provide adequate room for equipment and privacy. "It's pretty big with lots of sites to choose from!" remarks one camper, while another adds, "Nice campground with a decent bathhouse. There is no AC in the bathhouses."
Clean facilities: Most campgrounds maintain well-kept bathhouses and common areas. At Arrowhead Campground, "The bathrooms and showers aren't fancy but are clean. The bathhouse facilities are brand new and well kept," according to recent visitors.
Wildlife viewing: The forest hosts diverse animal species visible from campsites and trails. One camper at Uwharrie Hunt Camp reports, "This is a beautiful campground with good facilities. There is a good trail around the lake that offers some beautiful views across the lake. Pretty good fishing too."
What you should know
Reservation requirements: Horse campgrounds near Troy, North Carolina fill quickly during peak seasons. "Happy to report that there is a new host here as the one that was working in 2021 was AWFUL. Great sites but hardly any are level so be prepared to manage that," mentions a visitor to Arrowhead Campground.
Hunting season awareness: During designated hunting periods, trail users should wear bright colors for safety. At Dispersed Camping off Falls Dam Trail, visitors can enjoy free primitive camping but should be prepared for minimal facilities and potential hunter activity.
Limited cell service: Mobile phone reception varies throughout the forest. "Cell signal is pretty spotty but passable. Would need a booster or satellite internet in order to work or attend school, though," notes one camper staying at Arrowhead Campground.
Campground culture: Some equestrian-focused sites may feel unwelcoming to non-horse campers. "It is free camping in this area on the weekend these horse clubs will come in with your trailers in horse they're not very friendly they're nosy and they do not like Outsiders," explains a visitor to Canebrake Horse Camp.
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Cheraw State Park offers family-friendly amenities within driving distance. "The trail around the lake is very pretty, and there are lots of things to do across the lake. (Boat rentals, playground, picnic areas, park office…)," shares one camper.
Kid-friendly trails: Several shorter hiking paths accommodate young explorers. "We exhausted ourselves hiking and canoeing and much more stuff to do! Nice sites with electric hookups. Firewood available," reports a visitor to Morrow Mountain State Park.
Noise considerations: Campground quiet hours affect family camping routines. One camper at Arrowhead Campground mentions, "The camp host yelled at us twice for TALKING at a low volume after quiet hours. Unfortunately we somehow ended up at the sites right next to his."
Local supplies: The El Dorado Outpost near Arrowhead Campground offers provisions. "Nearby El Dorado Outpost has everything you might need (gas, ice, hot food, small groceries, outdoor supplies, GREAT biscuits!!, etc) and locals sell firewood bundles for $4-5/each," notes a reviewer.
Tips from RVers
Site levelness: Many sites require leveling equipment for comfortable setup. At Morrow Mountain State Park, "Site 98 in the electric loop is for tent and pop up campers, but is not pop up camper friendly. The ground is very uneven," warns a camper.
Hookup availability: Electric connections vary between campgrounds. "We stayed four days at state park. I campground as well kept and clean. The bathhouse is brand new. The camp host was very helpful and checked on everybody, every day. The only drawback was that there was no Wi-Fi," shares a visitor to Morrow Mountain State Park.
Parking considerations: Horse trailer parking requires specialized sites with adequate space. "First visit this past weekend for an off-road weekend at Uwharrie. We had a crowd of 12 and booked one of the 'double' sites, which was well worth it. Massive fire ring, two picnic tables, flat ground for 6 tents," reports a visitor to Arrowhead Campground.
