Horse camping is the perfect way to enjoy Blue Ridge Parkway. If you're an equestrian lover who prefers nature-based adventure, yet still wants comfort, this is the perfect opportunity for you. Equestrian camping is an adventurous and unique way to experience the city. These scenic and easy-to-reach Virginia campsites are perfect for your horse camping excursion.
$23 / night
Located along the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway in the lush green expanses of North Carolina, Julian Price Campground is a top destination for boating, hiking, fishing and more. Whether it's for a family camping excursion or a peaceful getaway, this campground has something for everyone. Some campsites at this facility are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Status of these sites is not available online.
Canoe rentals are available at Price Lake, and other types of non-motorized boats are permitted. Fishing is also available at the lake, with a dock provided.Price Lake Trail offers a refreshing hike around the edge of the water, and the Boone Fork, Green Knob and Tanawha Trails are just a few of the trails that are conveniently accessed through the campground. Hebron Falls: A small waterfall accessed from the Boone Fork Trail. The Cascades: A beautiful waterfall accessed by the easy 1-mile loop Cascades Trail. A great hike for children. Moses Cone Flat Top Manor: A historic estate house (currently undergoing restoration) once owned by the Cone family. The grounds offer 25 miles of carriage roads to hike. Tours of the home are available. Currently houses the Southern Highland Craft Guild. Wildlife viewing is also popular as campers have a good chance of spotting bears, grouse, turkeys, owls, hawks and more.
Julian Price Campground is adjacent to Price Lake, a pristine body of water that sparkles against the backdrop of rolling Carolina hills. The surrounding forest offers hemlock, white pine, oak, hickory and birch trees, along with a colorful assortment of wildflowers in the spring and an array of vivid orange and red foliage displays in autumn. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a scenic byway that follows the high crests of the central and southern Appalachians for 469 miles from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina.
The beautiful town of Blowing Rock, located just 20 minutes away on the Blue Ridge Parkway, offers fine dining, shopping and more.
$30 / night
Fox Creek Horse Camp is a premiere destination for riding enthusiasts who are looking for the rare opportunity to ride from their campsite onto hundreds of miles of trails in the spectacular Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. Located at almost 4,000 feet, it serves as a welcome retreat for summer camping and horseback riding.
While hiking and horseback riding are the primary attractions near the campground, there are also ample native trout streams, the Mount Rogers Scenic Byway, local festivals and music, the Appalachian Trail and the Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail.
The campground is adjacent to Fox Creek, a small rocky trout stream with large boulders and rhododendron and northern hardwoods along the banks. The campsites are located in open fields on either side of the creek.
The Mount Rogers High country offers opportunities for day trips and overnight pack trips. This open setting offers expansive views, summer rhododendron flowering, blueberry picking, and spectacular fall colors. The Mount Rogers National Recreation Headquarters is located about 20 minutes from the campground and offers maps, directions, and a variety of bookstore items.
$5 / night
Old Virginia Group Horse Camp provides group equestrian camping just minutes from a large network of horse trails in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. Old Virginia is a secluded, picturesque campground that can accommodate up to 25 guests and 25 horses. The picturesque views of the mountains and the trickling sounds of the stream create a relaxing, serene vibe for visitors at the primitive camping site.
Old Virginia offers easy access to the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail, which connects to the Iron Mountain Trail. From the Iron Mountain Trail, riders can also access the Virginia Creeper Trail to the west or the New River Trail to the east. The Virginia Creeper Trail boasts 33.4 miles of scenery with about 100 trestles and bridges.
The campground sits in the Fairwood Valley along a stream that flows into Fox Creek. The valley is part of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests in western Virginia. The forests span 1.8 million acres of rugged Appalachians through Virginia and parts of West Virginia and Kentucky.
Mount Rogers National Recreation Area high country trails, Virginia Creeper Trail, Grayson Highlands State Park, Hungry Mother State Park
$50 / night
$15 - $45 / night
The nonelectric units are available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Hussy Mountain is a primitive campground offering three group camping loops. Each has parking for 4 or 5 vehicles with trailers, wooden picnic tables, fire rings, hitching rails, garbage containers, and direct access to horse trails. Potable water is available. Vaught toilets are available in each of the camping loops. East Fork Dry Run Creek is located adjacent to the campground as a source of water for horses. Horse owners need to have a current negative Coggins test certificate for any horse they take to a public place for recreation use in Virginia.
Hussy Mountain is in the east fork of the Dry Run Valley. The area is well-shaded with hardwoods, hemlocks, and pines. Dry Run provides fishing, wading, watering horses. The camp provides access to several trails: East Fork Divide Trail (4617), Dry Run Gap Trail (4613), and Highlands Horse Trail (337).
Hussy Mountain Horse Campground is in the east fork of the Dry Run Valley. The area is well-shaded with hardwoods, hemlocks, and pines. The elevation is approximately 3,000 feet. Summer days are warm with temperatures in the upper 70s to low 90s, and evenings cool down typically into the 60s. The campground is shaded with hardwoods and pines.
For facility specific information, please call (276) 783-5196.
$7 / night
Legend
We’ve camped at Stone Mountain multiple times over the years. We tent-camped when my boys were small. Most recently in our RV (3-4 times in the past three years). It is a great park. The hiking is excellent. The campsites are large and spacious. The park is well-kept. Make sure you hike to the top. The views are great, and you can spend time at the Homestead farm in the valley below.
We camped here this past weekend and enjoyed it once again. We were at site 56. It is an excellent site on the stream, with no site immediately next to you, so there is lots of privacy. The firepit, picnic table, water, and electricity are all great. We had limited cell service for AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. We could send and receive text messages, but coverage was very spotty.
We will be back again in the Fall.
TravelerThe campground, paths, and bathrooms were very clean. Beautiful views at Rock Falls. If we didn't have our dogs with us we would have done hikes longer than 4 miles.
TravelerThis campground is well-maintained and in a beautiful location.It’s a pretty clean place with a friendly and personable staff.
Guide
Nice campground. Had a nice site on a little creek. Owner was nice. However, the shower house was the worst of any campground I have ever seen. Dirty, plumbing was a mess. Not sure if I was better off going in than when I came out.
Scout
On 8/25/23 - 8/27/23, WE went camping for the first time this year and left early that sunday morning. Which turned into a nightmare for my family on the following Monday 8/28/23 we had a social worker come out to investigate my family due to steel creek making a HUGE mix up on giving the wrong site number and wrong information to dss. AND All Steel Creek had to say was they are sorry!! Our life was turned upside down for over two weeks due to Steel Creek giving out wrong information. Shouldn't Steel Creek make sure they give the right information to a department like child protective services? The case was eventually closed because we were the wrong family, but now dss says it will always be on my husband's record with them that he was investigated for child abuse even when we were the wrong family to start with! a weekend that was supposed to be a nice and relaxing vacation turned into my husband having to lose time at work, lawyer fees, and emotional distress for my family. My husband tried to contact Steel Creek after everything was over, but they are screening his calls and staying silent on this situation. The very least they could have done was offer a refund of our stay if not more for everything steel creek has put us through. All of this was due to Steel Creek giving wrong information to the Department of Social Services! Be very aware because this can happen to you! This could be your information given next! I've been going to steel creek since I was a little girl and I'll never go back or recommend this camp ground to anyone and will always tell my story of the wrong steel creek camp ground has put us through especially since the owner Joey has not even reached out to my husband for the trouble his camp ground has caused my family! A little business suggestion for you if at any time a department like social services is calling you for information, you need to make sure yourself and / or your employees are giving out the right information. And to your employees who give false information should be fired! This was an awful situation this camp ground put us in! SHAME ON YOU, STEEL CREEK!
On another note our site was also full of dog crap, people who stay here with dogs are supposed to clean up after them and 90% of them never do so just know if you do choose to stay at this campground have plans on dodging dog crap during your stay. If it's not dog crap you will hear of the many dogs barking the whole time during your stay, which is annoying when you are trying to relax with your family.
TravelerFirst time visiting and camping, really enjoyed how clean and quiet the campground was. Campsite itself was perfect, close to hiking and easily accessible. Definitely will return!
GuideCampground has decent amenities, sites are small and on top of each other. Bathrooms and showers leave a lot to be desired. My site is not what was pictured on the website, and I paid to reserve it, so buyer beware. Camp store is decent, and playground is nice. River swimming is the real attraction, and to my kids it was worth it.
LegendAwesome place! Campgrounds were nice and spaced out, well maintained...we were right by a small stream that you could hear...stone loop mountain trail is incredible! Long and strenuous but all ages were hiking it...homestead was so neat to walk around at the base of the mountain. Only negative is there showers. Very frustrating....you have to push the shower head to get water...great way to conserve but it gave you no time to enjoy the water. Made it hard to shower and it came out blasting all over the place....only complaint :)
Guide
I really like his place. Stayed on the lake side. Plenty of room great walking area and friendly people
Legend
Passed thru found it. Looks remarkable and remote. 5.00 or less with pass
Guidethe campground is very well maintained with lots of space between sites. shower / bathrooms are clean. we were in the electric loop. some of the non electric sites are not large enough for even a small pop up. the hiking here is some of our favorites in NC. mountains, waterfalls, old homesteads, there’s something for everyone.
GuideGreat trails, and lots to do. Climbing up Stone Mountain was fun.
GuideI loved staying at this campground. My campsite had a lake view and was high enough to see over the tents that would be in front of me by the lake. Clean bathrooms, and friendly staff. A lot was going on that weekend so it was quite noisy across the lake. (Weddings, festivals, Highland Games) i can’t wait to go back.
RangerI stayed here for three nights in early November, 2022. The camp sites are mostly level, well maintained and have tent pads, tables and fire rings. I chose a site that had water and electric hook-ups. The bathrooms were heated, clean and the men’ bathroom had two showers.
GuideGreat place to spend a night. Everything open during the winter
GuideWe got a quiet spot with no one around us. There are spots right on the lake but we didn’t book far enough in advance.
ScoutDefinitely visit the falls, it has a lot of stairs, but it is quite close/short walk, and very worth it! Also, the longer trails have amazing views, including the flora, the distant landscapes, and (chiefly) the spectacular rock formations.
Also good facilities in general. Am going back soon with a group, to explore even more of this park. Another good thing is how easy it is to access from the Triad or Charlotte, and even from Raleigh it isn't that bad of driving time. An extra bonus is all of the wineries nearby!
TravelerSpent a weekend car camping at Julian Price which served as a great Basecamp for exploring the Blue Ridge and surrounding area. The site has a nice tent pad, fire pit and picnic table. It would be amazing in the spring because it's loaded with rhododendron. The site is near a bathroom and there is quite a bit of traffic throughout the camp. And of course you hear the Parkway but if you go into it knowing you are staying at a campground that is highly trafficked with somewhat close and loud neighbors...then you've picked a great campsite to car camp.
RangerCute little campground. Tent only or RV sites. Upper part of loop A is nice and woodsy. We stayed at site 15, up against a wooded hillside. We had some noisy neighbors but not too bad. Bathhouse was great. Sink for dishes there and a spigot nearby the site. Can buy ice and firewood at the office.
I took a hike up the hill behind this campsite and saw several deer.
You should look at Stone Mountain falls while you’re there. It’s only a 15/20 min hike from parking lot. There are A LOT of stairs to get to the bottom of the falls, but it is very worth it!
GuideQuiet campground despite the number of sites. We enjoyed our stay, and even had deer wander near our site a few times. Our tent site was in Loop B but near the bathroom/showers in Loop D. Really liked how the toilet and shower were together in the same individual bathrooms.
Campground is conveniently located near Blowing Rock and other sights on the Parkway, like Cone Manor and Linn Cove Viaduct. Nice area.
Guidenothing special about the campground, facilities were well maintained. this state park is amazing. honestly one of my favorite places we’ve visited. the hiking is awesome. views are incredible. so glad we took this side trip from BRP. we will definitely be back!
GuideWe enjoyed our stay at Stone Mountain, especially the hiking and camping. We stayed on a weekend, and the campground was quiet. The B loop is nice, with most the sites having ample spacing but not very private. Great area for hiking and waterfalls. Restrooms were modern and clean.
GuideClean sites, showers, and restrooms. The parking spot at the site was flat for our van. Clean and roomie. Dog friendly. Walked around and enjoyed nature. Lots of trees.
LegendGreat sites. Clean bathrooms, close to many hiking trails and waterfalls.
GuideStayed on the C loop. Very private sites other than the path that goes by for the bathroom. No road noise. C loop does not allow generators so no hum. Has bathrooms near by. Showers on another loop. Tent pads are good size, flat and free of large rocks. Mine was half covered in moss. Overall really happy with the site.
LegendMany choices of what kind of site you want and honestly it wasn’t worth the money. Very expensive to get nice level sites. If you choose one of the least expensive sites they are very bumpy and not updated and still cost a lot in my opinion. It’s nice to have things to do on site but they still require a drive and additional fee. The hike to the top of the mountain was short but intense, great view at the top. Playgrounds were beautiful for the kids!!
ScoutStayed there for a weekend, great location close to Stone Mtn park. Hiked from there into the state park. Very clean kept campground and nice owner
Horse camping near the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia offers a unique opportunity to explore stunning landscapes while enjoying the company of your equine companions. With several well-reviewed campgrounds catering specifically to horse enthusiasts, you can find the perfect spot to set up camp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Blue Ridge Parkway?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Blue Ridge Parkway is Stone Mountain State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 56 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Blue Ridge Parkway?
TheDyrt.com has all 11 equestrian camping locations near Blue Ridge Parkway, with real photos and reviews from campers.
