15 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Bent River Equestrian Campground accommodates horses on its property with 4 tent sites nestled in a pastoral setting. Horses are kept in the barn area separate from the camping field, allowing campers and their equine companions to enjoy the peaceful surroundings. The campground offers a rustic outdoor shower and porta-potty facilities for campers. Clean facilities and the opportunity to interact with the resident horses and barn cats enhance the camping experience. Fire pits are available at each site, providing a comfortable atmosphere for overnight stays. Campers with well-behaved dogs find the open field layout ideal for off-leash time, though leashing is occasionally required when near the resident horses.
Located 35 miles northwest of Conestee, Bent River serves as a strategic base camp for accessing nearby mountain biking and hiking trails. The campground sits in a field setting that provides ample space for horse trailers and camping equipment. Wash Creek Horse Camp in Pisgah National Forest offers another option for equestrians, featuring tent and RV camping with picnic tables and toilets. Campgrounds in the region maintain sanitary dump stations and trash collection to ensure cleanliness for both horse and human guests. The host at Bent River is known for being fantastic and helpful, answering questions and ensuring guests have a comfortable stay. Beautiful sunsets and the peaceful farm atmosphere create a serene camping experience for visitors exploring the Carolina equestrian trails.
"Its a clean and well maintained park with beautiful trails and lake. Perfect for equestrian as most of the trails are horse friendly and there is a large arena free to use."
"state Park with equestrian facilities, a lake for fishing and boating, paddle boat rentals, and lots of liking and equestrian trails. Bath houses and dump stations."
"There are several large play areas in walking distance. There appeared to be beautiful lake views from almost every site. We very much enjoyed our stay and plan to return for a longer visit."
"Perfect for kids, right on the lake. Loved the playground 😊 warning! Don’t feed the geese! The campers next to us fed them and the next day we woke up with goose poop on everything!"
from $20 - $50 / night
Check Availability"Small campground, but there are free off road sites not too far down the road. Cell service disappears but I love that kind of disconnect."
"This is a great campground next to the beautiful North Mills River. Hosts were very accommodating and delivered ice and firewood for a cheap price upon request."
from $31 - $62 / night
Check Availability"Only 23 sites, spaced a good distance apart. Each site has a fire pit and picnicking area. Trails nearby. Horses and other pets allowed."
"Mostly away from everyone and was right next to a 9 mile loop hiking trail. Had a great stay in our roof top tent and will be back"
from $5 / night
Check Availability"Chickens and horses on site. Playground and lots of fun. Sites are wooded and quaint. Roads are a little narrow, but passable. One of our favorite sites."
"We fished right next to our camp site and then relaxed with a camp fire listening to the sound of the River."
from $20 / night
Check Availability"My friend and I hiked the Raven Cliff Falls loop trail a while back and have added it to our list of top 10 favorite trails."
"Wonderful trails with breath taking views and technical climbs plus discrete camping."
from $4 - $20 / night
Check Availability"I got there just in time to see a beautiful sunset and say hello to the horses. The host is fantastic. I would definitely stay again."
"Cute horses and barn cats to pet and watch"
from $30 - $900 / night
Check Availability"The first campsite we stayed at was on the Green Valley Trail, the second one was on the Panthertown Valley Trail right near the Schoolhouse Falls Trail, and the third was on Mac's Gap right past the Granny"
"The sites near the middle of Macs Gap trail are huge and there is easy access to a couple streams. Bring a good map and stick to the trails that your map covers."
"just a quick 15 minute walk across the river and up the trail (follow Daniel ridge trail loop from parking lot)."
"With that said:
- remote- you have to want to get up here but it's really easy to do once you drive it a few times.
*clearly marked spots. I am actually located at ucc-2. ** The Dead End spot."
GuideSpent many weeks here over the past few years. Its a clean and well maintained park with beautiful trails and lake. Perfect for equestrian as most of the trails are horse friendly and there is a large arena free to use. The barn is clean as well and provides stall shavings for a small fee.
Scoutstate Park with equestrian facilities, a lake for fishing and boating, paddle boat rentals, and lots of liking and equestrian trails. Bath houses and dump stations. Many flat camping spaces and lots of shade. A camping store on site and many other stores within a five minute drive.
GuideSmall campground, but there are free off road sites not too far down the road. Cell service disappears but I love that kind of disconnect. No power, can use a generator but only for a few hours during non quiet time. Quiet hours strictly enforced. Horse trails nearby. Roads lead to blue ridge Parkway. There is a shower and working toilet, but also outhouse for off season use. Hosts make you feel like family.
TravelerCompared to some other state parks in SC, this one was less crowded and more peaceful. It had rained right before we arrived, and we got stuck in the mud trying to back-in our pop-up on a hill (lake campground #29). The campers all pitched in to pull us out. It was silent at night. Nice hiking around lake, fishing, and boat rental. Saw some turtles while paddling, and there were frogs and lots of fireflies near our campsite. We enjoyed seeing the equestrian visitors too.
GuideIt’s also a horse camp with a large ring. The first camping loop is the best. Head back to the end of the camping loop away from the office and find a trail that leads down to a nice swimming creek. Great place for exploring all over the park. Sites were well spaced with picnic table and fire ring.
GuideThe only amenity is pit toilets. No water, no electric. Only 23 sites, spaced a good distance apart. Each site has a fire pit and picnicking area. Trails nearby. Horses and other pets allowed.
Stayed two nights with three other campers and never heard a sound except for nature. Would return again.
GuideWe stayed at three different campsites throughout our trip (went backpacking 4 days, 3 nights - could have just set up camp and day hiked, buttttt didn't necessarily think that through).
The first campsite we stayed at was on the Green Valley Trail, the second one was on the Panthertown Valley Trail right near the Schoolhouse Falls Trail, and the third was on Mac's Gap right past the Granny Burrell Falls Trail.
All the campsites were beautiful, but the Green Valley Trail campsite was our favorite. It was the most secluded and in an utterly beautiful location. There was foliage covering it from the trail and there was a creek steps away which made it easy to get water and make for. The Panthertown Valley Trail campsite was our least favorite, but that is because it was right off the main trail and not secluded whatsoever and kind of disappointing compared to the Green Valley campsite. It was also dirty with water bottles and socks and lots of mud from horses stepping all over the place. We were also woken up at 2AM by a group of loud hikers which left us concerned because it was down pouring and they were being extremely belligerent. However, we camped here because we were exhausted and wanted to stay near Schoolhouse Falls to be able to swim around and get wet and there were some unknown animal tracks in the sand near Schoolhouse Falls. We stayed on Mac's Gap for the same reason - to be near Granny Burrell after a long day - and even though it was the most crowded trail, it was a lot of fun. There was a pack of llamas we were next to and they were so sweet (part of a boys camp), and we felt the safest from predators (read: bears). Even though there were a lot of people, I felt a strong sense of camaraderie.
You will need a bear canister, practice the Bearmuda Triangle, and make sure to bring a poop shovel. Pack out what you packed in.
LegendThis is a remote campground in the national forest, and it is close to equestrian camping as well. With that said, there will be horseflies. However, it is a quiet campground. A big disadvantage, as far as I am concerned, is that it does not have water access. With that said, plan to dry camp and bring your own water. There is a pit toilet, so that is one good thing I can say about this campground.
Avoid campsite 4 if you are in a tent, unless you have a rake. There are a lot of sweetgum balls. Since I was there at the beginning of the week, there were only two or three other campers and they were in RVs.
Overall, it’s not bad for camping if you are prepared and know that you will need to take everything in, including water.
TravelerCamp ground used by hunters alot. Horse trail and hinking here. Valt toilets
Bent River Equestrian Campground sits at an elevation of approximately 2,300 feet in the Carolina mountain transition zone, about 35 miles northwest of Conestee. The camping field features flat terrain suitable for various tent arrangements with horses kept separately in the barn area. Most equestrian campers bring portable containment systems for their horses rather than relying solely on the barn facilities.
Waterfall exploration: Visitors at North Mills River can access nearby waterfalls in Pisgah National Forest. "This is a great campsite if you like fishing! We stayed here and were close to some amazing spots to fish! The campsite was great, not very crowded," notes Natalie M.
Backcountry hiking: Panthertown Valley Backcountry Area offers remote hiking trails with wilderness camping. "Beautiful camp site at Tranquility Point in Panthertown Valley. Approximately 0.4 miles up from Schoolhouse Falls, it can accommodate around 4 tents. Huge rock face to walk on and observe stars or overlook the valley below," explains Kevin G.
Equestrian access: Horse owners appreciate the regional trail networks connecting several equestrian campgrounds. A guest at Bent River notes the horses are "kept in the barn area separate from the camping field," providing separation between camping and equine activities.
Clean facilities: At South Cove County Park, campers appreciate the well-maintained grounds. "My family stayed at South Cove on a Friday night. We were impressed with the large number of pull through sites and the cleanliness of the campground. We arrived late in the day and the camp hosts were friendly and quick to assist with checking in," reports Kelli P.
Trout fishing access: The stream running through Lazy J Campground creates ideal fishing conditions. "We did a spontaneous trip to the mountains and we found this nice camp site along the North Fork French Broad River and we camped right along the river. It felt like we were camping deep in the woods and the Fall leaves were still clinging to the trees and made it absolutely beautiful. We fished right next to our camp site," shares Ricky J.
Budget-friendly options: Campers seeking economical stays appreciate national forest campgrounds. "Spent new years at site 16 and it was a little damp due to a heavy rain but a great site. Mostly away from everyone and was right next to a 9 mile loop hiking trail. Had a great stay in our roof top tent and will be back," writes Jacob L. about Brick House Campground.
Bear activity: Take proper precautions when camping in the Carolina mountains. "Just spent the weekend at Panthertown Valley and loved it! However - be aware that the bears here are extremely bad. I actually had an encounter with a very large bear who charged my group and destroyed at tent, and heard similar stories from other campers," warns Phoebe A.
Limited cell reception: Many campgrounds in the area have minimal or no cell service. A South Cove camper mentions, "The area very serene, quiet and pretty. Nice hiking area and swimming area. If you need to get ahold of someone though you'll have to drive 10 to 15 minutes into town."
Water access varies: While some sites have ready water hookups, others require preparation. At Upper Cove Creek dispersed camping, a visitor notes "Creek is located very close nearby. But not on the clear spots for tents," indicating campers need to plan for water collection.
Playground access: South Cove County Park offers play areas for children. "There are several large play areas in walking distance. There appeared to be beautiful lake views from almost every site," notes Kelli P.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Kids enjoy seeing the resident animals at equestrian campgrounds. A Lazy J visitor mentions, "Hosts were very friendly and hospitable. Firewood sold on premises for a great value, and the campsites were nice and private as well as right on the river!"
Water safety: Supervise children closely around streams and lakes. At Lazy J Campground, "You can tube down and get out right at your site. Three Falls waterfall is just up the road. You can get tubes at the office," according to Tracy S.
Site leveling challenges: Be prepared for uneven terrain at mountain campgrounds. At Oconee State Park, a camper observed, "Campsites are often uneven with alot of tree roots running throughout. It does require consideration before parking your trailer or RV."
Gate closure times: Note restricted entry hours at some campgrounds. "The campground has a gate that gets locked at 10 pm. You can leave but you can't come back into the campground after the gate gets locked," advises Amanda W. about South Cove County Park.
Road conditions: Access to some horse campgrounds near Conestee requires navigating unpaved forest roads. At Pisgah National Forest Wash Creek Horse Camp, a visitor notes, "bit of a drive through the forest to get here, but great spots if you're looking to get away from civilization."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Conestee, SC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Conestee, SC is Croft State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 26 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Conestee, SC?
TheDyrt.com has all 15 equestrian camping locations near Conestee, SC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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