Are you an equestrian lover who prefers a more rustic experience when you visit Uwharrie National Forest? Whether you own a horse or are joining a tour group, equestrian camping is an adventurous and unique way to experience the city. With our help, you'll find the best North Carolina equestrian campsites from scenic to easily accessible.
Arrowhead Campground lies in the Badin Lake Recreation Area, a hub for outdoor activities in central North Carolina's Uwharrie National Forest. The variety of sites in the campground offer a comfortable stay for both RV and tent campers. The facility is open year-round and provides easy access to hiking, off-road vehicle riding, horseback riding, mountain biking, fishing and boating.
Badin Lake Recreation Area offers many ways for campers to enjoy the lake. Popular activities include picnicking on the shore or swimming, boating or fishing on the water. About 40 miles of non-motorized trails are available for horseback riding, mountain biking and hiking, as well as 17 miles of motorized trails for off-road vehicle riding. The surrounding land offers both big and small game hunting.
The campground lies in a dense forest of pine, oak and hickory near the shore of 5,000-acre Badin Lake. Winter temperatures range from the low 30s to upper 50s, while summer brings temperatures in the upper 80s and 90s and high humidity. The weather is pleasant in spring and fall, with high temperatures in the 60s and 70s.
A theme park with a petting zoo, nature center and mini golf course lies just under an hour away and makes a fun day trip for families.
$27 / 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.
Badin Lake Group Camp offers a fun, relaxing place for clubs, families and other groups to rest and play in the Uwharrie National Forest of central North Carolina. The recreation area is a hub for outdoor activities such as hiking, off-road vehicle riding, hunting, horseback riding, mountain biking, fishing and boating. The group campground is open year-round and can accommodate groups of up to 50 people per site.
Groups have easy access to many recreational opportunities at Badin Lake Recreation Area. The lake shore is the perfect place to watch the sunset or enjoy an afternoon picnic. The lake has plenty of calm water for swimming, boating or fishing for bass, bream, crappie and catfish. King's Mountain Point, just 1 mile from the group camp, has four accessible fishing piers, miles of shoreline and a nice swimming area. A boat ramp is located 2 miles from the campground. Back on land, about 40 miles of non-motorized trails are available for horseback riding, mountain biking and hiking, as well as 17 miles of motorized trails for off-road vehicle riding. The surrounding land offers both big and small game hunting.
Groups have easy access to many recreational opportunities at Badin Lake Recreation Area. The lake shore is the perfect place to watch the sunset or enjoy an afternoon picnic. The lake has plenty of calm water for swimming, boating or fishing for bass, bream, crappie and catfish. King's Mountain Point, just 1 mile from the group camp, has four accessible fishing piers, miles of shoreline and a nice swimming area. A boat ramp is located 2 miles from the campground. Back on land, about 40 miles of non-motorized trails are available for horseback riding, mountain biking and hiking, as well as 17 miles of motorized trails for off-road vehicle riding. The surrounding land offers both big and small game hunting.
The campground lies in a dense forest of pines and hardwoods near the shore of 5,000-acre Badin Lake. Winter temperatures range from the low 30s to upper 50s, while summer brings temperatures in the upper 80s and 90s and high humidity. The weather is pleasant in spring and fall, with high temperatures in the 60s and 70s.
A theme park with a petting zoo, nature center and mini golf course lies just under an hour away and makes a fun day trip for families.
$75 / night
Canebrake Horse Camp lies in the Badin Lake Recreation Area, a hub for outdoor activities in central North Carolina's Uwharrie National Forest. The facility is a scenic and restful overnight spot with both single and double campsites. Canebrake Horse Camp is specifically designed for campers traveling with horses and offers numerous amenities for equestrian camping. If your visit to the Uwharrie National Forest includes camping without horses, please consider one of our other campgrounds: Arrowhead Campground, Badin Lake Campground or Badin Lake Group Camp. Campers will delight in nearly 40 miles of forested horseback riding trails, as well as hiking, mountain biking, off-road vehicle riding, swimming, fishing and boating opportunities in the area. The campground is open year-round.
The equestrian trail system is extensive, with miles of forested paths wandering through forests, over hills and across streams. The trails can be accessed from Canebrake using the Home Trail, which skirts the campground. Trails range from easy to difficult, accommodating riders of every level. The recreation area also offers many ways to enjoy the lake. Campers can spend the afternoon swimming, boating or fishing for bass, bream, crappie and catfish on the water. Back on land, off-road vehicle enthusiasts have access to 17 miles of trails, and hunters and hikers can explore the surrounding national forest.
Canebrake lies in a quiet forest of pine, oak and hickory near the shore of 5,000-acre Badin Lake. Winter temperatures range from the low 30s to upper 50s, while summer brings temperatures in the upper 80s and 90s and high humidity. Weather is pleasant in spring and fall, with high temperatures in the 60s and 70s.
A theme park with a petting zoo, nature center and mini golf course lies just under an hour away and makes a fun day trip for families.
$27 / night
This is a primitive camping area where people camp in self contained RV/Horse Trailers. It is located in an open field with tie outs for the horses. No amenities available. Campers must take their trash with them or take it to the trash dumpster in Canebrake Horse Camp.
$35 / night
4B Farm has now become 4B Farm & Campground and is back open year-round! Located adjacent to the Uwharrie National Forest and at the Badin Lake Recreation Area, 4B Farm is a great destination for the outdoor enthusiast whether it’s trailriding on your horse or floating the waters of Badin or Uwharrie in your boat, kayak or canoe! One thing that hasn’t changed is that 4B is still proud to be part of the Cowboy Church Network by partnering with 4B Chapel to continue church services on the premises Sunday mornings. The Cowboy Church Network’s Jeff Smith is here on the 1st and 3rd Sundays to speak God’s word and previous owner, Larry Blackburn, continues to return on 2nd and 4th Sundays with God’s word. Everyone’s invited to come fellowship with food and coffee beginning at 8:15 am and hear the message at 8:30 am.
$20 - $60 / night
Guide
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. Nice fire pits and grills - love having both. Great bathhouse with hot showers. Terrific paved trail that is awesome for walking, biking, strollers, wheelchairs. Plenty of hammock trees! Zero noise except from other campers/vehicles and the occasional aircraft passing over. Cell signal is pretty spotty but passable. Would need a booster or satellite internet in order to work or attend school, though. 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. 10-15 min drive into Troy where there are restaurants, gas stations, small regular grocery stores. Really nice new playground and skate park in Troy, too. Tons of hiking, offroading/overlanding, mountain biking, horseback riding nearby.
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!
ScoutThis is a great little place to get away from it all. The sites have electric but you will need in-house water and septic. There is a dump station along with a potable water source at the entrance to the campground.
Scout
My wife and I stayed here with our 2 daughters. The campsite was spacious, flat and shaded. There was plenty to do for the kids for the weekend. The bath house was very nice and clean. The camp host drove his golf cart around selling firewood. Will definitely return
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!
TravelerWe spent 2 nights here with our Storyteller Mode LT RV nestled in the Uwharrie National Forest. The campsites do not offer a view of the water of Badin Lake, but it is nearby with a drive or hike. Many sites are available with electric hook-up, and drinking water is available at nearby locations. Many of the sites are not very level so choose carefully. The campground is very quiet and clean. The drive-in offers beautiful rolling countryside with low foothills. Nearby we took advantage of an off-road driver training course with OEX, Overland Experts.
Traveler
Had a good time camping and enjoyed the song of wind and birds.
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
Scout
Arrived late. Camp host was outside waiting for our arrival. Escorted to the camp site. zFHU and level. Nice roomy campground. Warm clean shower house. Nearly tame deer all over the place.
TravelerNice quiet campground in a large park. Deer roam theoughout the park and campground. Clean bath/shower. Easy check in with multiple host on site. All sites paved.
ScoutCamp here if you want to be tucked in by a forest ranger at 10pm for talking at a normal volume. Not friendly to anyone who doesn’t have crotch goblins. Also, all of the campsites are literally on top of eachother.
ScoutWe made a reservation well in advance but the owner decided to cancel our confirmed reservation to accommodate a previous renter who decided to stay longer. THANK YOU YATES FAMILY! Obviously there was no consideration if we were left without a place to stay. Did they offer help finding another campground, NO. Did they offer to compensate us, NO.
GuideThis is our local park so we're a bit spoiled. It was perfect for our first outing in our new 34' travel trailer. Plenty of shade in the campground which unfortunately makes backing a challenge in some sides dodging the trees. The park has great mountain biking, walking/hiking trails, horseback riding, gold, swimming, playgrounds and a great dog park. It's the place we go on the weekend as locals and a great place to visit for campers. Hosts were extremely friendly and do a fantastic job keeping the sides clean and cleared of even the smallest twigs and branches from the tree.
ScoutNice area and nice facilities
ScoutGreat camp sites, easy to get to, lots of trails, shooting range and off road trails.
Scout
While at Uwaharrie NF stayed at Biden Lake campground. Beautiful place with great views. Clean facilities close to sites.
TravelerWe stayed at site 76, loop C. Spacious site! We were able to fit 2 tents. Not far from bathrooms. Bathrooms are clean. Water spigot close by, the pressure is high so slowly lift the handle haha. The sites are not too close together. Lots of hiking nearby. Beautiful area! Highly recommend.
ScoutMorrow Mountain State Park, near Albemarle, NC, has something for everyone. Many hiking and equestrian trails are within the park. While the top elevation is just over 900 feet, it still has that mountainous feel in sections of the park. Likewise, there is lake access for boating and fishing. There are also historical features, a few unmarked homesteads and graves, as well as a nice (though small) museum. The campsites are my favorite of any campgrounds visited in the NC area. They are not too close to each other, well equipped, and with good visibility surrounding the sites so that you can see the deer and squirrels going by. It has been among my favorites for 50+ years.
GuideCamped with a group, in the group camping grounds. Takes a bit of a drive from camp entrance to actual campsites. Nice hiking trails, lake on site, and decent bathrooms with showers.
Beware! Cell/Internet coverage is non-existant, unless you can get to a high Vista lookout, and not guaranteed even then.
ScoutGreat location in town park. Full hookups and friendly hosts. Easy to get to and many services close by.
GuideGreat hosts, spacious spots, nearby dog park, loved staying here. The bath houses are a little dated but very clean. There is horse shoe, volleyball, soccer goals on the camp ground. I would stay here all the time if I could!
TravelerFriendly camp host, clean and beautiful views.
TravelerIf you want to get away this is a great place.Walking trails,trails for off road vehicles also.Fishing opportunities are abundant.The park can get full on weekends but through the week it's pretty empty.Bathrooms clean and sites are paved and fairly spacious.
GuideWell not much here , no office or bathrooms. Water and electric and a dump station. Friendly owners and very close to Charlotte motor speedway.
TravelerBeautiful little park nestled into the woods! Our site (17) was on the opposite side of the real lake access and right across from the annual spots so we never really had too much privacy but most of the neighbors were very curteous and friendly. The 40s sites seem to be the best spots to get for a view or access to Lake activities. There are 3 parks which kiddo had a great time making friends at. The bathhouses were very clean-if a little spidery for me (eek!), and both in pretty convenient locations for everyone.
GuideVery well maintained, spacious campsites. Extremely friendly and helpful staff. Not much to do in surrounding areas.
GuideWe have been coming to this campground for seven or eight years. We’ve camped here as tent and rv campers.
The campsites tend to be spacious and wooded- perfect for privacy and hammocks.
Once we were tent camping here, and woke up to a herd of deer on our site! There were seriously 10-15 deer just chilling on our campsite when we exited our tent.
If you’re rv-ing, be aware that while there are electric hookups, there are not water or sewer. There is a water tank filling station and a dump station on site.
The bathhouses are okay. They’re kept clean but they are older.
We have had some issues at this campground with sites being extremely uneven. We even had to just leave once because we couldn’t even begin to get our camper level, and the site was at a purely bizarre angle. I feel that some electric sites are better suited to those tent camping but wanting electricity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Uwharrie National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Uwharrie National Forest is Morrow Mountain State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 36 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Uwharrie National Forest?
TheDyrt.com has all 12 equestrian camping locations near Uwharrie National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
