A dark green Toyota pickup with a roof tent parked in tall dry grass as mist closes in.

Forest Service horse camp

Canebrake Horse Camp

Forest Service horse camp in National Forests in North Carolina, Montgomery County, North Carolina. 469 feet. 4.5 miles from Badin.

Managed by
Forest Service National Forests in North Carolina
Elevation
469 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
28 28 equestrian electric
Longest rig
75 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
Electric
Reservations
Recreation.gov

Overview

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.

Recreation

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.

Facilities

This campground offers many conveniences for horse campers, including a horse washing station, hitching racks, tack tables, parking spurs for horse trailers and direct access to trails.

Campsites are arranged around two loops. Each site is equipped with an electric hookup, picnic table, grill, campfire ring and lantern post, and many sites are shaded. The facility also provides drinking water, showers, flush toilets and a centrally-located dump station.

Natural Features

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.

Nearby Attractions

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.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • biking
  • boating
  • camping
  • hiking
  • horseback riding
  • hunting
  • swimming site
  • water sports
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Canebrake Horse Camp

The ringed pin is this horse camp; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated March 11, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.