Campgrounds and RV parks near Pembroke, NC

Paddling is the signature activity. The Lumber River is well known for canoeing and kayaking, with wildlife viewing along cypress-lined banks and fishing for black crappie and largemouth bass for anglers holding a state license. Visitors can put in at Princess Ann or Chalk Banks and, with planning, string together multi-day river trips using the state park's canoe-in sites. On land, the park offers hiking trails, birdwatching, and shaded picnic areas. In town, the Museum of the Southeast American Indian on the UNC Pembroke campus and the annual Lumbee Homecoming in early July give the area a distinct cultural identity. Families traveling with kids often use the KOA and Bass Lake properties as a base, then day-trip to Fayetteville or the beaches around Wilmington and Myrtle Beach, each within about a two-hour drive.

Spring and fall are the most comfortable windows for RV travel in the Pembroke area. March through May brings mild days, blooming wildflowers along the Lumber River, and lower humidity, while October and early November deliver cool nights and fall color in the hardwoods. Popular weekends such as spring wildflower season, July 4th around Lumbee Homecoming, and October color fill up several months out, and private parks like the Lumberton / I-95 KOA Journey book especially fast around Darlington race weekends in nearby South Carolina. Summer is hot, humid, and thunderstorm-prone, with afternoon storms common from June through August. It is also peak Atlantic hurricane season from August into October, and Robeson County has flooded severely during past tropical systems, so travelers should monitor forecasts and river gauges. Winters are short and generally mild, with occasional freezes. Lumber River State Park charges no day-use fee, though camping fees are collected for overnight stays, so off-season trips can be an affordable way to have the river largely to yourself.

The terrain around Pembroke is flat coastal plain, which makes towing and maneuvering large rigs straightforward. Private parks along I-95 tend to offer full hookups with 30- and 50-amp service, pull-through sites, and dump stations, and highway noise can be noticeable at properties closest to the interstate. At Lumber River State Park, expect a different experience. Drive-in sites at Princess Ann and Chalk Banks include a picnic table, grill, lantern holder, and fire pit with no hookups, and canoe-in sites reached by paddling the river are spaced out for a more secluded stay. Rigs staying at the state park should arrive with full fresh water and empty tanks. Pets are allowed at campsites but must be on an attended leash no longer than six feet at all times. Mosquitoes and biting flies are common from late spring through early fall, so pack repellent and screens.