4 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Northwest River Park & Campground near White Oak, North Carolina provides tent, RV, and cabin accommodations with an extensive trail system that includes horse-friendly paths. The campground features drive-in access, electric hookups, showers, and picnic tables at each site. Gravel campsites are mostly level, though some campers report needing blocks for leveling. The park maintains several hiking trails that connect to the surrounding natural areas, with miles of trails available for exploration. Bathrooms are clean and well-lit, with the facilities regularly maintained by attentive staff.
Chippokes State Park Campground and Chesapeake Campground offer additional options in the region with varying amenities for campers. Both locations provide water hookups, electric connections, and sewer facilities for RVs. The Northwest River Park area offers numerous outdoor activities beyond horseback riding, including kayak rentals, fishing opportunities, and miniature golf. Park rangers conduct regular checks of the campgrounds, ensuring a safe environment for visitors and their animals. Equestrian visitors should confirm specific horse amenities when booking, as facilities vary by location. Daily trail rides connect campers to the natural beauty of the area's river systems and wetlands.
"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 access to the little beaches are short but moderately steep, especially with lots of beach gear or strollers. It also seems to get washed out so watch your steps."
"Beautiful trails. Great (paved) campground! Feels like you're a million miles away from it all."
from $37 - $345 / 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.
LegendAwesome things to see here! It’s been a working farm since 1619 with beautiful gardens and livestock. The mansion and outbuildings are pretty cool as well.
Restrooms were not very clean. Each time I went to the ladies room, the door was propped wide open, and when I went to brush my teeth in the morning the counters were covered in moths and bugs and gnats. Yuck. The showers were ok.
Ice is $3 and you can grab that from the camp host if it’s after 4pm which is when the store closes. It’s cash only, exactly change. Wood is $6 and there’s a metal box - pay on your honor.
The beaches were very nice. You’re on the Cobham Bay vs. right on the river and in the dead of the summer, the water is sooo unpleasantly warm. You can wade out at the very least 100 yards and still be less than knee-deep, water still hot. The access to the little beaches are short but moderately steep, especially with lots of beach gear or strollers. It also seems to get washed out so watch your steps.
The little visitor center near the water access has cold drinks, souvenirs, ice cream, etc. They obv. accept credit cards. You can bring your dog into this area. There’s also a little wildlife info center and restrooms in the same buildings. There are also areas for day use and a good sized parking lot near the water access.
Straight across the river is Jamestown and Williamsburg, which is cool. I think I was told it’s about four miles across. That being said... those are your closest grocery stores and you have to take the Jamestown Ferry to get there. There is a Dollar General near the park, for odds and ends. Just make sure to stop in advance for what you need because you won’t find much in Surry.
Stopped at the Surry Seafood Co. for lunch and it was ok. Food and service was mediocre, but there was a nice water view from the deck. Was looking forward to stopping for some shrimp to cook that night from Colonial Seafood market but after walking in, I walked right back out. It was so unclean and didn’t smell fresh at all.
We took a beautiful drive around the plantation. The cabins look great and we’ll definitely try those out next time. There were corn fields and soybeans for miles. Such a great park due to its history.
Campsites themselves were pretty nice; not too close together. Our site had the tent pad down away from the picnic table and fire ring which was kind of nice. It was really shady, too. Room for hammocks.
Each site has a picnic table, fire pit, tent pad, lantern pole. Verizon service was great.
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!
GuideLove Chippokes! Feels country-esque but also like you're on a plantation! Beautiful trails. Great (paved) campground! Feels like you're a million miles away from it all.
ScoutThis place is amazing, almost surreal. Knobby tree stumps wind up from the river, surrounded by fossilized shells falling from eroding sand banks. The camp ground is a short walk away.
Northwest River Park & Campground is located in Chesapeake, Virginia, approximately 3 hours from White Oak, North Carolina. This established campground offers access to extensive equestrian trails that connect to surrounding natural areas. The campground sits in a wetland region, which creates unique camping conditions during rainy seasons when some sites may experience flooding.
Kayaking and paddling options: Northwest River Park & Campground provides kayak rentals for exploring Blackwater River. As reviewer Heather L. notes, "Canoes and paddle boats are available to rent for use in black water."
Miniature golf for families: The campground offers recreational facilities beyond nature activities. Patricia L. shares that there are "Plenty of things to do for the active camper. Put put golf, kayak, hiking and much more."
Horseback riding opportunities: Chippokes State Park Campground provides trails suitable for equestrian camping near White Oak, North Carolina. Elizabeth V. mentions, "Equestrian trails available, which is always a plus." The park combines historical plantation features with outdoor recreation.
Spacious campsites: Northwest River Park & Campground receives praise for its site layout. Gary D. reports, "Plenty of room..showers/bathrooms huge..water NOT at all sites but easy to fill tanks."
Clean facilities: Multiple campers mention the maintenance standards. Joseph H. states he was "Overall amazed at the cleanliness of the campground. The staff is very friendly. The park was very quiet going into the night."
Helpful staff: Jeff B. found staff assistance valuable, noting, "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."
Variable water access: Not all campsites have direct water connections. Sally T. advises, "Plan on bringing your own water as there isn't always running water (not sure why)."
Leveling requirements: Some sites require adjustment for proper RV positioning. Sheri K. notes, "The sites are gravel and mostly level but I did have to use a couple blocks of my levelers."
Limited trash disposal: Chesapeake Campground provides trash service, while some parks have restricted trash disposal areas. One camper reports, "The only garbage containers I found were near the dump station, which is on the way out of the park, nowhere near the campground!"
Consider weather impacts: When planning equestrian camping near White Oak with children, monitor forecasts. Nicole L. suggests, "If rain a lot of rain is forecasted you may want to talk to one of the rangers about your particular site."
Child-friendly activities: Some campgrounds offer specific family programming. Audriana V. reports about Chesapeake Campground: "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."
Swimming options: Chippokes State Park Campground offers water recreation for children. Danielle H. mentions you can "Hunt for sharks teeth on the beach. Pool is very clean."
Site selection for satellite access: For extended stays, connectivity matters. Cliff M. advises, "Several sites have good access to satellite system."
Reservation considerations: When booking RV sites, direct contact may be preferable. A camper explains, "From now on if I camp here, I will make the reservations directly with the park and not online."
Layout variations: The A loop at Chippokes has a specific design feature. Johnathan M. explains, "The campsites on the A loop are a little more on an angle, they converted tent site lots to camper lots so they come with a level tent area as well."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near White Oak, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near White Oak, 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 White Oak, NC?
TheDyrt.com has all 4 equestrian camping locations near White Oak, NC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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