Campgrounds and RV parks near Cherry Branch, NC

Cherry Branch is a small community on the south bank of the tidal Neuse River in southeastern Craven County, reached by North Carolina Highway 306 (Ferry Road), with a free state ferry running across the Neuse to Minnesott Beach in Pamlico County. It sits between Havelock and the Croatan National Forest, giving RV travelers quick access to the river, marinas, and the Crystal Coast beyond. The surrounding landscape is dominated by the Croatan National Forest, a coastal forest where pine woodlands, saltwater estuaries, pocosins, and winding rivers meet, bordered on three sides by tidal rivers and Bogue Sound. Private RV parks cluster along US-70 toward Havelock and Beaufort, including Dixon Landing RV Resort, Beaufort Waterway RV Park, Beaufort Waterfront RV, Waters Edge RV Park, and Moonlight Lake RV Park and Campground. Most visitors use Cherry Branch as a base for the Neuse River, Croatan trails, and the historic Beaufort waterfront. The Croatan sits between New Bern, Morehead City, and the Crystal Coast, and supports hiking, camping, fishing, paddling, and wildlife viewing.

Reservations split between two systems. Federal sites in the Croatan National Forest, including Flanners Beach at the Neuse River Recreation Area, are booked through Recreation.gov on a rolling six-month window, and rangers can be reached at the Croatan Ranger District, 141 E. Fisher Avenue, New Bern, at (252) 638-5628. Reservations there must be made at least three days in advance, and holiday weekends fill early. Private parks such as Dixon Landing RV Resort, Beaufort Waterway RV Park, Beaufort Waterfront RV, Waters Edge RV Park, and Moonlight Lake RV Park and Campground take reservations directly through their websites or by phone. Waterfront pull-throughs in Beaufort book fastest for summer weekends. Larger rigs should call ahead to confirm site length and hookup compatibility.