Looking for the best horse camping near Wake Forest? Finding a place to camp in North Carolina with your horse is easier than ever. With our help, you'll find the best North Carolina equestrian campsites from scenic to easily accessible.
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.
Please note: Campground closes for the N.C. State Fair in October.
Limited camping access is available during the month of October and certain event weekends. Call immediately prior to trip departure to inquire about availability. (919) 612-6767.
Avoid the commute, relax and enjoy the North Carolina State Fairgrounds' campgrounds. With 100 full-service sites and an additional 200 sites on the grounds, we are equipped for all your RV camping needs. Rental cost for a 24-hour period is $30. The campground is closed to the public for the month of October for the N.C. State Fair. Spaces are first come, first served with no advance reservations taken. Check in upon arrival by calling 919-612-6767.
$35 / night
This recreation area is part of B. Everett Jordan Lake
$30 / night
$24 / night
This recreation area is part of John H. Kerr Dam and Reservoir
5 Acres of private property.1 minute away from the boat ramp. A few Miles walk to Buffalo Springs park .At Kerr Lake V A.RV parking.Kyacking.Canoeing.Boating.Hikeing.Trail riding.GolfCart.4miles to Historic Clarksville VA . On the lake.
$22 - $53 / night
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
Spent 4 nights here (during a heat wave, no less) and really enjoyed it. Campsites are large and not right on top of each other, and especially if you can book one of the campsites that are on the water, they really do have beautiful views (see pictures).
Pros:
Kid-friendly. We spent an afternoon at the splash pad, which is a great way to cool off in the summer and free once you're in the park. I never felt unsafe with my kids running around up to the bath-house or the loop, felt very secluded and safe.
Lake is scenic, we saw fireflies at dusk, it was a great setting for a camping trip.
Everything seems pretty well-maintained. Bathrooms are aging but were cleaned at least once a day, it was fine. There is firewood at every bathhouse you can take on the honor system and pay for via cashbox, which is nice. Campsites are clean and well-maintained.
Lots of lake recreation options (boat rental, fishing, etc.) in or near the park.
Cons:
Maybe it was just our campsite, which backed up to a large wooded area, but they were the most aggressive squirrels I've ever come across. If we went to the bathroom for five minutes and left food on the table, the squirrels would be there eating it when we came back. And would hover at the edge of the campsite or get into the car if the hatchback was open.
Camp store is....fine, pretty minimal in terms of provisions. But not a big deal because Clarksville is five minutes or so away and has plenty of stores.
Tents pads are all gravel. Didn't bother us but definitely would not want to tent camp here if you didn't have a good high-quality sleeping pad.
The biggest con was that there is no swimming area/beach in the park. You can try to wade in from the campsite but that generally requires scaling up/down some fairly treacherous rocks, and navigating driftwood and rocks in the water. We drove a few minutes away outside the park to find one, but would be really nice to have some kind of little swimming area inside the park, very strange to me they don't have one.
But all in all a lovely place for a camping trip, we all had a great time.
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
I came here with a large group and really liked it! We were all at crammed into the 4 large group sites so I admittedly can’t comment on the size of a regular site. However the bath houses were adequate. The staff was helpful. And the trails were nice. I wish I would have explored the park a little more as well as the surrounding area. But nice little get away.
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.
GuideThis campground appeared to be very clean and well kept. I am disappointed that we were only there for a night traveling south. If I'm in the area will definitely come back.
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.
GuideGreat place. Plenty of shade and view of Lake Jordan. Restrooms were clean.
Scout
He never responded to the reservation request or my email. Dont waste your time, find somewhere else.
GuideI have stayed there twice over the past couple years. The only changes to this Campground are the Prices !! ..which keep going up (to $35 day now). For this, you get a parking space with full hookups.. that's it, no Amenities whatsoever!
It's pretty much a "Camper Trap", because there are so few options in the North Carolina Piedmont. Spaces are tight, a lot of the people there are long-term workers, that totally ignore any "Dust" decorum, speeding through the area as if they were on public streets!
ScoutLevel campground with full hookups. Worked great to explore Raleigh.
GuideWe stopped at Medoc Mountain State Park for a night on our way North. It was only 10 miles away from I-95. It was a quiet campground (but we were camping the night after the 4th of July ). Lots of space in between campsites, bathrooms were clean.
Though the website said there was only 50 amp availability, we didn’t have to use our adapter and were able to connect using 30amp plug. There was also a 15 amp connection.
There is a shared water spigot for 4 sites right next to the site. We were able to fill up using our hose before fully backing up into the site. The water was much closer to site 3 than site 1,2,4.
Lots of hiking right from the campground and a fun playground nearby for the kiddos. We would definitely visit again, especially as a stopover to destinations farther from home.
LegendLocated just 30 miles west of Raleigh, Jordan Lake provides 7 different access points throughout this amazing natural preserve. And while I’m not a kitesurfer or windsurfer, I’m positive that this campground was named for the pretty amazing headwinds that are enjoyed coming off Falls Lake, which Crosswinds Campground @ Jordan Lake SRA sits on. Take my word for it though, this outdoor nature preserve is truly a slice of heaven carved out in some of North Carolina’s finest camping countryside. If you find yourself in the hustle and bustle of nearby Raleigh and looking to get away from the crowds and pavement in exchange for some nicely shaded nature, hiking trails and humble peace & quiet that only God's green nature can offer, then make your way here to Crosswinds Campground, where this heavily wooded forest paradise will embrace you with its inclines, switchbacks and snakelike, swerving road circuits.
All of the basics are provided in spades – from picnic table, fold-up fire ring / BBQ grill, bear-proof garbage hanger and a nice pebble-strewn and long-leaf pine shadowed patch of well-maintained nature that offers pristine shade from an unrelenting bit of summer Tar Heel sunshine. While there’s a suitable amount of brush between campsites, surprisingly, it’s the steep inclines and declines between each site that makes one feel that they are truly in the center of their own private wilderness. The on-site bathroom & shower facilities are just slightly north of passable and only a smidge better than you’d expect from a state-run campground, and so this campground gets its only mediocre marks on this front. But that said, 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, but the best amenity on this property is the access to Lake Jordan itself, where there is a perfectly sectioned off swimming area – complete with life safety vests resting on hooks near the shore - as well as boat launching areas for those that want to fish or simply drop a kayak or canoe in the water and take enjoy a lakeside cruise.
Insider’s tips? Here's a bundle: (1) Be sure to get down to the lake from wherever your campsite is just after sunset and bring a couple of folding chairs and a telescope (pre-planning here is needed!) to catch a glimpse of one of the most amazing star-studded night skies you’ve ever seen in your life!; (2) While IMHO there are no bad sites per se here, certainly there are some that are better than others, amongst which, I would highly recommend those that are closer to the tree fall lines as well as those that place you closest to either lakeside or lake view. With 3 loops to choose from (A, B & C), I recommend the following sites: Loop A - #18-19; #21-22; and #44-47; Loop B - #33, #36, #37, #39, #40,#43; Loop C - #19, #21, #23, #24, #26, #32, #34, #36, #40, #42; (3) If you have a boat, you may want to consider calling ahead of time, while you are reserving your campsite and reserve a boat slip - we just thought that they would be readily available, but as it turns out, there's quite a few daytime boaters that don't camp here and are simply looking for a slip to occupy for the day, so plan ahead!; (4) SUPER INSIDER SECRET: there's a little pathway next to site #32 that will lead you to a hidden beachhead where all the cool kids hang out and party; (5) The showers are pretty annoying in that they are regulated by body movement - so as a hack, we applied duct tape and VOILA! the hot water stayed on the whole time! (but remove when you are done or the water won't stop running!); and (6) When you grow tired or anxious after digging through what remains of your Cordova cooler and / or want to sample some local fare, be prepared to drive a short distance (20 minutes or so) back to Apex, where I would recommend The Peak on Salem that serves up some pretty mean Caribbean conch & shrimp fritters as well as some very nice seafood entrees like NC clam bucatini or sweet tea ginger whiskey braised beef short rib.
Happy Camping!
ScoutNice well kept park and campgrounds. Most of the sites looked pretty level. Sites in B are small and mostly have deep drop offs beyond the railroad ties. Sites are a little more spread out in C but still pretty small. But plenty of oversite parking. Both campgrounds very wooded. Beware there are LOTS of squirrels and not too afraid of humans. If you have dogs like we do that hate squirrels they drove them nuts- squirrels running around in our campsite and up trees in our campsite. And while walking around. They also climbed on a small table right next to the rv door and shredded my paper towels! Lots of areas to walk. Campground C had only two clean bath houses with only two toilets and two showers. Which I imagine with the many no hookup sites could get pretty busy.
Guide25 ft motorhome fit nicely into
Site, very wooded nice and peaceful, showers clean and within walking distance
LegendI camped at this campsite in the fall last year and the colors as I drove in from the main road were stunning. Very clean and well maintained campsite, with lake front sites. There were spots for tents and longer ones for large rigs. There were also Yurts to rent to stay as well. Clean bathroom facilities. I fishing from my kayak and had a very relaxing stay here.
Guide
Stayed here for a quick overnight during the NC RV Show. Easy setup and check in. They let us in a couple hours early which was great. Bathroom facilities were a little questionable at times. We had toilets that constantly weren’t flushed and one that even spilled all over the floor and my feet. Hot water but the toilets just left me a little meh.
The lake is great, roped off area for swimming with a great little sandy beach area next to a playground and toilets.
ScoutVery nice place to walk and lots of sight seeing close by and shor t walk or drive to the water
ScoutOne mile walk to Buffalo park a beautiful place with lots of history. I love it .Great day for a picnic .
GuideNice park. Huge lake. Peaceful fishing. Enjoyed the hikes. History is interesting.
GuideWe stayed in site 11 which was surrounded by lots of trees and gave us lots of privacy from our neighbors. Each site has its own covered trash bin to use. I also appreciated that there was a recycling bin near the bath house. Bathrooms were clean. Great hiking and biking trails! Service was spotty at the campsite but better over near the pavilions/playground.
TravelerEasy in and easy out. Diagonal spots, evenly spaced, not too crowded.
Guide/wo areas to camp B is small and sedate with clean bath house. Camp host was the best Camp C is larger and some sites are close to the water. No camp store.
GuideConveniently located to the fairgrounds and stadium, as well as some museums. 15 minutes from the airport. Wifi slow but Verizon was good. Water and power provided. Extra for black tank dump. Security was super polite. Giant thunderstorm rolled through so had entertainment with my camping. Be advised - there are quite regular trains passing nearby.
ScoutLocation is everything and you are smack dab in the middle of it. Good WiFi, great cellular. Excellent ranger Sgt. Teasley. Busy workdays around campground...construction. Noise could be issue for some. After 5pm...great camp. Some trees...get on if can. Lots of fine dust converted from gravel roadway...it's insidious. Can literally do anything you want from this location. Cost could be a little cheaper (30 bucks/night). Water, electric, sewer, and WiFi provided.
TravelerWe stayed for 12 days in the section with full hookups and found the campground pretty quiet. The lots were close, but you didn't feel crowded. Some shade from oak trees. All spaces are back-in. Our site was level.
Staff was friendly, responsive and helpful. First-come rentals. Some construction adjacent to the site which had morning noise M-F.
Biggest issue is that the grass doesn't seem to be maintained and dusty.
ScoutVery quiet with well spaced sites.
Well maintained hiking trails.
Big open park area for night sky viewing or daytime picnics.
Most the sites have deteriorating construction or in need of new gravel.
The bath house was very clean.
Trailer / RV sites aren't level for most sites. Some of the pull through sites don't accommodate large trailers due to tight turns.
The tent camp areas are very level.
North Carolina offers a fantastic experience for horse camping enthusiasts, with several campgrounds providing excellent amenities and access to beautiful trails.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Wake Forest, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Wake Forest, NC is William B. Umstead State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 18 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Wake Forest, NC?
TheDyrt.com has all 7 equestrian camping locations near Wake Forest, NC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
