Uwharrie National Forest

Horseback Riding

For those who believe the only way to see the Uwharries is on horseback, the Badin Lake Recreation Area in the Uwharrie National Forest has two horse camps and 25 named trails accounting for more than 40 miles of horseback trails. The Equestrian Trail System can be accessed from Canebrake Horse Camp or the Badin Lake Horse Camp with trails varying in length from 0.3 mile to 3.6 miles and ranging from easy to difficult.

Horseback Riding Trails

  • Name- Length- Rating- Blaze
  • Greg's Loop- 1.5 miles- Easy- Green
  • Blackburn- 2.2 miles- Easy- Green
  • Josh- 2 miles- Easy- Green
  • Lake Trail- 1.1 miles- Easy- Green
  • Leslie- 1.2 miles- Moderate- Dark Green
  • Big Rock Loop- 1.2 miles- Moderate- Dark Green
  • Tony- 1.8 miles- Moderate- Dark Green
  • Todd- 2.1 miles- Moderate- Dark Green
  • Indian- 1.1 miles- Easy- Magenta
  • Megan- 1.7 miles- Easy- Magenta
  • Home- 2.5 miles- Easy- Magenta
  • Larry- 1.5 miles- Easy- Magenta
  • Helen's Loop- 2.2 miles- Easy- Magenta
  • River- 3.6 miles- Moderate- Salmon
  • Wren- 0.3 miles- Easy- Salmon
  • Tanager- 0.7 miles- Easy- Salmon
  • Rudolph- 0.3 miles- Easy- Salmon
  • Burl Tree Way- 1.7 miles- Easy- Salmon
  • Morgan- 1.7 miles- Easy- Salmon
  • Hang Glider- 1.4 miles- Difficult- Salmon
  • Buttermilk- 1 mile- Moderate- Salmon
  • Berner- 0.6 mile- Easy- Yellow
  • Fraley- 2.5 miles- Difficult- Yellow
  • Bates- 1.7 miles- Moderate- Yellow
  • Robbins- 1.7 miles- Easy- Yellow

Carolina Mule Association Ride in the Uwharrie National Forest Video

Horse Camps

Canebrake Horse Camp- McLeans creek Rd. off of Mullinix Rd. in Troy, NC is a premier horse camp with 28 sites with parking spurts for horse trailers. Four sites are double camp sites. Each site has picnic table, grill, fire ring, lantern post, tie posts, tack tables and electrical hook ups ($7 surcharge for electric.) Up to two vehicles are allowed at each site. The camp has water spigots for drinking water, hot showers and flush toilets. There are no water/sewer hook ups at each site, but a sewage dump station and a horse washing station are centrally located in the camp. Open year round, reservations can be made calling 1-877-6777 or 1-877-833-677 or at www.recreation.gov. Reservations must be made at least 3 days in advance and can be made up to 240 days in advance. Check-in is 4pm with check-out at 2pm.

Overflow Horse Camp- Near Canebrake Horse Camp (above) is open when needed as overflow for Canebrake. It is an open field with horse tie outs but not water or bathrooms.

Badin Horse Camp or Old Horse Camp- Mullinix R. off of NC Hwy 109 in Troy, NC is a primitive camping area where you can camp in self contained RV/Horse trailers. It is located in an open field with tie outs for the horses. No amenities available. It is open year round on a first-come basis.