Map showing campground location near Hillsborough, North Carolina

Camper submitted image from Eno River State Park Campground

Eno River State Park Campground

Hikers and paddlers find extensive trail networks and direct river access at Eno River State Park Campground, where primitive backpack-in sites require a one to three-mile hike from parking areas. The campground operates year-round across multiple sections including Cole Mill, Fews Ford, and Fanny's Ford, each accessed through different trailheads along the winding Eno River corridor.

Sites sit on gravel pads with fire rings and rustic benches, though several campers note the hard surface makes sleeping pads essential. Most camping areas position within earshot of the river's flow, and sites maintain reasonable spacing despite limited privacy screening between them. Kelley E. found the experience so compelling that "we extended it by two nights" during their last visit.

The river serves as both the park's main attraction and water source, with many campers using filtration systems rather than packing in all their water. Swimming holes like Bobbitt Hole provide cooling opportunities, while the waterway supports paddling and fishing activities. Trail difficulty ranges from easy riverside paths to the more challenging Cox Mountain Trail, with the Mountain to Sea Trail passing through the park and attracting through-hikers.

Access requires advance planning since gates close at 7:30 PM and reopen around 7 AM, effectively securing the camping areas overnight. Permits cost $13 and reservations are available through the park office. Caroline G. recommends campers "bring a water filter and TP" as the primitive sites lack running water and rely on pit toilets.

The campground works best for backpackers comfortable with minimal amenities who prioritize river access and extensive hiking opportunities. For those seeking additional options, campgrounds around Hillsborough provide alternatives with full hookups and drive-in access.

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Holiday booking date rules are as follows: 2 nights Minimum Stay on holiday weekend (Friday/Saturday or Saturday/Sunday) 2 nights Minimum Stay still apply to cabin rentals at Hanging Rock, Morrow Mountain, and Cliffs of the Neuse State Parks 1 night Minimum Stay on holiday weekend if the booking dates within 14 Days before Arrival Date Rule applies to the following holiday weekends: Memorial Day July 4th Labor Day

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Location

Public Campground

Eno River State Park Campground is located in North Carolina

Directions

Eno River State Park is located in Durham and Orange counties, northwest of the city of Durham. From Interstate 85 exit 173, take Cole Mill Road northwest away from Durham. After five miles, Cole Mill Road will end at the park's Fews Ford Access. From Interstate 85 exit 170, take Hwy. 70 west to Pleasant Green Road. Turn right and follow Pleasant Green 2.2 miles, then turn left on Cole Mill Road. After one mile, Cole Mill Road will enter the park's Fews Ford Access. The park's five different gated accesses, several picnic areas, 2 picnic shelters and several campsites are spread out over many miles. Call the park office at (919) 383-1686 to be sure you are going to the access you desire.

Address

6101 Cole Mill Rd
Durham, NC 27705

Coordinates

36.07873768 N
79.00198518 W

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Connectivity

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Good Coverage
AT&TLTE
Some Coverage

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Connectivity

T-Mobile5G
Good Coverage
Verizon5G
Good Coverage
AT&TLTE
Some Coverage

Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site
Walk-In
Park in a lot, walk to your site.
Hike-In
Backcountry sites.

Site Types

Tent Sites
Group
Tent Cabin

Features

For Campers

Picnic Table
Reservable
Electric Hookups
Toilets
Pets
Fires

For Vehicles

Sewer Hookups
Water Hookups
30 Amp Hookups
50 Amp Hookups

Contact

General Info

Reservations

Make reservation

Drive Time

10 min from Durham, NC
27 min from Burlington, NC
32 min from Raleigh, NC
43 min from Greensboro, NC

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5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

4.5

out of 5

21 Reviews

Guests commonly noted this primitive backpack-in campground offers peaceful riverside sites accessed via scenic 1-mile hikes. Many campers appreciated the clean facilities and helpful staff, though visitors should prepare for basic amenities and gravel tent pads.

Scarlett C.

Traveler

Reviewed Nov. 17, 2022

Great quiet and peaceful camp grounds

The river is beautiful, the trails are very nice, and it’s incredibly peaceful. I’m staying at the River Creek Campsites, and it is ~1 mile moderate hike to the sites. There was firewood set out for each site, which is nice. The gates close at 7:30pm at the Cole Mill parking area, and reopen at 7 or 7:30am. Which is great to give that added safety. Overall an amazing spot. I’d highly recommend.

SiteRiver Creek 7

Month of VisitNovember

(9) View All

Le'Andra W.

Traveler

Reviewed Dec. 29, 2021

Perfect First time Primitive Experience

I really enjoyed my time here. The Park Superintendent was totally friendly, and very helpful as well. From the Park Office, Primitive Camping is about 1.2 miles away. It’s not a bad hike at all, but make sure you have your map so you don’t get lost!

Very quiet, very peaceful - I will be back!

SiteLoop 4

Month of VisitDecember

(6) View All

KB H.

Scout

Reviewed Jun. 7, 2021

Perfect weekend getaway!

This was my first time ever visiting Eno River State Park. My partner and I camped at Fanny’s Ford at one of the primitive sites. The sites are well spaced but not a lot of privacy. We didn’t mind and everyone was cordial. On Friday there were a few logs left for campers at the entrance to the sites, which we appreciated given the recent rain. The proximity to the water is amazing and you can hear the nearby rapids at night. Recommendations: bring in your own water, or at least your own containers to fill up at the picnic area parking lot, bring a sleeping pad (the gravel on each site is unforgiving), don’t be afraid to contact the park rangers if you need something (folks were camping without permits in our reserved space and the rangers helped sort everything out)

Big tip: instead of following the ~1 mile trail to the sites, park at the canoe access and walk down to Fews Ford, cross the river via the Ford and continue right until you see a fannys Ford camping sign on your left. It will make your trek SO MUCH easier!

Site2 and 4

Month of VisitJune

Roy H.

Scout

Reviewed Apr. 21, 2021

Eno

Amazing trail in the triangle

Month of VisitJanuary

Kat M.

Traveler

Reviewed Jan. 30, 2021

Great Place!

Spent 2 nights out there last weekend. Had a great time. Nice moderate hike to the site. Chilly weekend so it was just me out there at night! Loved it!!

Sarah W.

Guide

Reviewed Jul. 24, 2020

So thankful for this local treasure!

We hike and swim Eno nearly weekly and are so thankful this resource is so close to us! We also backpack into the primitive sites frequently. We love the trails. The sites are always clean. The primitive sites are spaces far enough apart that it truly feels like solitude. Piper Creek is our favorite. Flat and easy 1.2 mile hike in along the river.

(6) View All

Samantha P.

Traveler

Reviewed May. 11, 2020

So green! Gorgeous River!

This is one of my favorite camping spots in the North Carolina triangle area. There is a tremendous amount of hiking and trails to do around here. The Eno River is more than safe to swim or paddle in. Dogs are welcome here! If you can camp close to the river, I recommend, it's great to fall asleep to the sounds of the river. Bring bug spray!

Kelley E.

Guide

Reviewed Apr. 5, 2020

Beautiful, Spread-out campsites

Eno River State Park has amazing backpack in camping that is well worth the beautiful walk through the woods. The last trip here was so wonderful that we extended it by two nights!

I’ve camped here numerous times, at different sites each time and have not had a bad experience yet. The hike to get to the campsites winds around the river and across bridges. The actual hikes do not gain much elevation so while it’s not as easy as walking on pavement, it does not take an advanced hiker to reach the remote camp sites. Each campsites I’ve stay at has been fairly spread out from other sites, while you’ll be able to see and hear others these are not uncomfortably close sites.

There’s plenty to explore, so its definitely worth staying for multiple nights. It’s on the Mountain to Sea Trail so a lot of campers around us were through hikers and only stayed one night, but we spent four here and it was four of the most peaceful and relaxing days I can remember. All the sites I’ve stay at have had fire pit rings and tent pads. There’s never been a picnic table, just a rustic wood bench, so I recommend a camp chair or my personal favorite- a tree hammock as there are plenty of places to hang on.

With rivers running through the whole park, we packed minimal water and used a life straw. The rivers here are very clean and didn't not give us any second thoughts to drink it. The cool, delicious water is better than anything bottled :)

I've gone in both September and April and the weather was perfect both months, cool at night and around 70 during the day.

This is hands down, one of my favorite State Parks to camp at in both North and South Carolina.

Month of VisitApril

(6) View All

Elizabeth V.

Guide

Reviewed Aug. 21, 2019

Beautiful

We loved the educational experiences at this park. Very knowledgeable and clean.

Emily H.

Scout

Reviewed May. 8, 2019

Beautiful scenery, Amazing experience

I went camping with a bunch of classmates here and we absolutely loved it! The hike into the campsite from the parking lot was longer than we expected but not too bad in terms of difficulty, and absolutely beautiful to walk. The campsite was great, it had a nice layout and enough space for us to all comfortably fit. You cross the Eno river on the walk in on this cute little bridge, and the river is beautiful. It's also so close to the campsite and very easy to go hangout around and explore. We had an absolute blast!!

Month of VisitMarch

Myron C.

Legend

Reviewed May. 5, 2019

A State Park with Primitive Camping, Fishing, Paddling, and Good Hiking

I would personally rate this as a four or five star campground for my taste, but since rating systems have to consider everything, I only rate it a three. Why? Many campers want the luxuries of RV sites with water, electricity, and sewer ... and lots of amenities such as a swimming pool camp store, horseshoes or basketball, etc. You will not find any of that here. That's why I would personally rate it at four or five stars. I LOVE this state park because of its primitive nature. The trails take you into rolling hills and beside the Eno River, which is great for paddling a canoe or kayak. I have stayed at this campground before and revisited it several times. The park is divided into at least three sections, and to get to the primitive camping areas, you have to backpack in. The only facilities are pit toilets with no showers or running water. That is why you need to be prepared and take in your own water and toilet paper. The first time, I stayed at the Fews Ford area, but that campsite area moved to a different location in Fews Ford since then. This time I was in the Cole Mill section. The trails I took before and also this time are easy to moderate. The Cole Mill and Bobbitt Hole trails are connected, and I took both. The Bobbitt Hole trail takes you to a bend in the Eno River where some people go in to cool off. The trail beside the river is really pleasant and easy. One of my favorite sections to hike is in the Fews Ford area, and in order to get to the camping area, you have to cross a suspension bridge. For those who don't like "bouncy" foot bridges, avoid this one. There is also a group camping area and a cabin for groups during stormy weather. There are no doors--just doorways. This state park is long since it follows the Eno River, so don't expect to see everything it offers unless you are willing to spend at least a week exploring it. There are a couple of canoe access areas if you are interested, and there are picnic facilities. The most difficult trail (that I remember) is the Cox Mountain Trail. It is at least moderate. With all that said, this is not a park for RVers, but it is a great park if you like hiking, canoeing, or primitive camping.

Site8

Month of VisitApril

(11) View All

Caroline G.

Ranger

Reviewed Oct. 30, 2018

Great hike-to campsites

Easy 1 mile hike from the parking lot with beautiful views! This is the best primitive camping I have found near Raleigh, NC. Permits are required and available at the park office for $13. Make sure you bring a water filter and TP.

Site2

Month of VisitOctober

(11) View All

Timothy A.

Traveler

Reviewed Aug. 31, 2018

Good place to picnic and hike

Love hiking here with the family and friends plenty of beautiful family and pet friendly trails.

Sydney S.

Guide

Reviewed Aug. 2, 2018

Secluded, small amenities, pack in/pack out

This camp ground requires a bit of a hike to get to (3.5 miles). Packing everything in and out was fun but there was no running drinking water at the site. The campground had a gravel base and picnic table with fire pit. The grail was very painful to sleep on. There were also few trees so we could see other campers at nearby sites. The hike to the grounds was by far the best part. A beautiful walk along Eno river with lots of animals along the way (including deer).

Month of VisitOctober

(5) View All

Sarah L.

Traveler

Reviewed Aug. 2, 2018

Beautiful hike into the group sites

Be smart about what you pack to hike into these campsites, the walk isn't far but you do have to cross a bridge. They have nice hiking trails throughout the park. The parking lot is close enough to the campsites so you don't have to bring everything into the site. Be prepared that you may have to gather firewood on your own, it isn't always provided.

Month of VisitNovember

Sarah M.

Guide

Reviewed Sep. 22, 2016

Cliff jumping in quarry

For the quarry, you need to be careful to park in the neighborhoods or parking lot and not along service roads (whoops!). It takes 1-1.5 miles to walk in. Its a great spot for picnicking, swimming and popular for its ~10 foot jump into the quarry from the highest rock!

Daniel P.

Guide

Reviewed Aug. 30, 2016

Cool Quarry in the park

Great quarry for easy cliff jumping and swimming in the summertime. Campsites around also very solid.

Kimberly S.

Guide

Reviewed Jul. 28, 2016

Great for a day trip

Great for a day trip but I would not budget much time here.

Bran P.

Legend

Reviewed Jul. 15, 2016

Fabulous Site for sure!

Eno is where it's at. We really enjoy the hiking trails here and can't get enough of them! The suspension bring is pretty sweet too! Very peaceful as you walk through the park. Stay here soon!

Sarah L.

Traveler

Reviewed Jul. 9, 2016

Great group site off the trail

Came here with a group of friends and there families. Great hike,kid friendly. Close enough to parking lot we were able to cook at picnic tables near parking lot. Camped here in the winter, crossing the bridge with all our winter gear was tough but we made it work. Will definitely go back again

Chris B.

Guide

Reviewed Jun. 18, 2016

I love this hike-to-camp

I've been here a few times solo, and hiked my gear to the primitive sites. Its a great place for a weekend getaway. Pack out a tent and a daypack, setup, then explore the great trails in the area. You will need to bring a filter for water if you dont want to pack out a gallon or two. No big.

(8) View All

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping facilities are available at Eno River State Park?

Eno River State Park offers primitive backcountry camping that requires a short hike from the parking area. Campsites feature gravel bases, picnic tables, and fire pits. No running drinking water is available at the sites, so visitors need to bring their own water or a water filter for the river. Camping permits are required and can be obtained at the park office for approximately $13. The sites are accessible via a bridge crossing, and the hike to the campsites ranges from approximately 1 to 3.5 miles depending on the specific site location.

Is Fanny's Ford a good campground location within Eno River State Park?

While Fanny's Ford is a known location within Eno River State Park, the available information doesn't specifically address it as a camping location. Eno River State Park has several backcountry camping areas that require hiking to reach. For the best camping experience, contact the park office directly to ask about Fanny's Ford specifically. They can provide current information about site availability, trail conditions, and whether this location is designated for camping or better for day use activities.

How do visitor reviews rate the camping experience at Eno River State Park?

The camping experience at Eno River State Park is highly rated, with most campers giving it 4-5 stars. Visitors particularly appreciate the beautiful setting, peaceful atmosphere, and accessibility for a quick weekend getaway. The primitive nature of the sites appeals to outdoor enthusiasts seeking a more natural camping experience. While the hike-in requirement and lack of amenities like running water may not appeal to those seeking more developed facilities, the park's natural beauty and trail system make it a favorite among Triangle area campers looking for an accessible wilderness experience.

What outdoor activities can you do while camping at Eno River State Park?

Eno River State Park offers an abundance of outdoor activities for campers. Hiking is extremely popular with numerous trails throughout the park that accommodate various difficulty levels and are family and pet-friendly. Swimming and wading in the Eno River provide refreshing options during warmer months. The park features a quarry that's popular for swimming and cliff jumping (from approximately 10-foot heights). Paddling on the river is another option for water enthusiasts. Educational programs are also available, providing opportunities to learn about the local ecosystem. The park's natural setting is perfect for wildlife observation, photography, and picnicking.

Description

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Location

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Address

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Is Eno River State Park Campground sold out?

Connectivity

Access

Site Types

Features

For Campers

For Vehicles

Contact

Drive Time

What camping facilities are available at Eno River State Park?

Is Fanny's Ford a good campground location within Eno River State Park?

How do visitor reviews rate the camping experience at Eno River State Park?

What outdoor activities can you do while camping at Eno River State Park?

What camping facilities are available at Eno River State Park?

Is Fanny's Ford a good campground location within Eno River State Park?

How do visitor reviews rate the camping experience at Eno River State Park?

What camping facilities are available at Eno River State Park?

What outdoor activities can you do while camping at Eno River State Park?