Campgrounds and RV parks near Apex, NC

Apex sits in western Wake County, roughly 30 minutes from downtown Raleigh and within easy reach of Jordan Lake, the largest cluster of public campgrounds in the Triangle. Jordan Lake State Recreation Area is in Chatham and Wake counties, 24 miles west of Raleigh, about a 30-minute drive away. The lake is a large reservoir with multiple developed access areas, several of them built specifically for RV and trailer camping. Three of the largest campgrounds sit on the Jordan Lake shoreline: Crosswinds, Poplar Point, and Parkers Creek. Crosswinds offers 182 campsites for recreational vehicles, tent and trailer camping, with 134 sites that have electric and water hookups. Parkers Creek offers 250 sites for RV, tent and trailer camping, with 120 sites that have electric and water hookups. Poplar Point offers 579 sites for RV, tent and trailer camping, with 363 sites that have electric and water hookups. North of Apex, William B Umstead State Park adds a smaller wooded campground close to Raleigh-Durham, and Goodwins RV Campground in nearby Moncure provides a private, full-hookup option for travellers who want a simple base close to Jordan Lake.

Jordan Lake and William B Umstead are both part of the North Carolina State Parks system. At Jordan Lake, campsite reservations open 11 months in advance and can be made up to 24 hours before arrival, with a 14-day maximum stay within a 30-day period. William B Umstead uses a shorter window: reservations can be made up to 6 months in advance and must be booked at least 1 day ahead of arrival. Not every site is reservable. Loops 3 and 4 at Parkers Creek and Loop E at Poplar Point are walk-up campsites available on a first-come, first-served basis. Goodwins RV Campground is privately run and books directly with the campground; reservations are required for all sites.