Posted 2007-07-25 7:48 PM (#64407) Subject: DuPont State Forest in N.C. and Ultimate Ride Campground
Veteran
Posts: 140 Location: Ft. Lawn, South Carolina
Planning to go to DuPont State Forest in North Carolina (around Brevard area) to ride and the reviews on the Ultimate Ride Campground are really mixed....they were either GREAT or HORRIBLE! Go figure.... anyway, I would love for someone to give an opinion, especially if you have been there lately. The reviews of the camp were from the Trail and Campground Review...The extreme comments made me wonder which ones to believe!!!! Help, if you can! Of course, EVERYONE loves the riding there in DuPont. My big question is about getting my new rig (3-H, 10' LQ) into the camp. Some said no problem.....of course, the "other side" was complaining! Sure would appreciate any input...Happy Trails (I think.....or maybe not so happy trails!)
Posted 2007-07-26 3:30 PM (#64451 - in reply to #64407) Subject: RE: DuPont State Forest in N.C. and Ultimate Ride Campground
Veteran
Posts: 235 Location: Keymar,Maryland
I've never been there but if you are referring to horsetraildirectory.com take all those unsigned posts with a grain of salt. I've no doubt some have had a bad experience and the place does seem controversial but public forums provide plenty of smear factor for the gutless who can't sign their name. Now, the one review from the woman who posted her name ( she was with a group that decided to bail early) I have traded e-mails with. You be the judge, fire off some emails to those that have signed. Rich M.
Posted 2007-07-26 8:24 PM (#64462 - in reply to #64451) Subject: RE: DuPont State Forest in N.C. and Ultimate Ride Campground
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 379 Location: Columbia, TN
I haven't been there but was at Blowing Rock this past weekend and was camped next to some people that go there and they warned against that place and gave me the name of another place that they stayed it was Holly something . I will try and locate it but they said the riding was spectacular with all the waterfalls.
Posted 2007-07-27 8:02 AM (#64474 - in reply to #64451) Subject: RE: DuPont State Forest in N.C. and Ultimate Ride Campground
Veteran
Posts: 140 Location: Ft. Lawn, South Carolina
EXACTLY, Rich!!! I'm with you on the unsigned posts!! Seemed too much either great or disaster...nothing inbetween.I'll try to get some of the ones complaining to respond.....sure does aggravate me that people do this!! Sounds like a real-life "Hatfield vs MCcoy feud!! But guess what....when in doubt, check it out!! I*m heading up that way on Monday and check the place and situation out for myself!! I can certainly live with rules and thank you for having them!!! I'll report back to ya"ll when I get back....thanks for the input...P.S.Should try Cooper-Black in the S.C. Sandhills State Forest. Great facilities, nice sandy trails....excellent for beginning horse and riders...and everyone else in-between..but go in cooler months...gets pretty "toasty" in summer. (Although we ride out early AM and later evening..full moon and you can ride forever!!)
Posted 2007-07-27 8:13 AM (#64475 - in reply to #64462) Subject: RE: DuPont State Forest in N.C. and Ultimate Ride Campground
Veteran
Posts: 140 Location: Ft. Lawn, South Carolina
Ice Crm....how was the camping at Blowing Rock? I used to ride there alot, but haven't been in a few years. I understand they are under new mgment and have made changes. My question to you is about taking a good size LQ rig up there.(3-h, 10'sw).......I have gone down into the "hole" area to camp (more like camping in a parking lot)and hate worse that awful steep hill you come down and go up getting into/out the area (before you get to the arena on your left) More persons than one have scraped plumbing on that rascal! How about some feed back on the camping situation....I do enjoy riding B-Rock. Yes, there is another camping place at DuPont....Foxfire? or something like that. I e-mailed them because it wasn't too clear if they let you camp with your trailer (hook-ups, etc) or if you had to stay in their cabins.. Let us know about any places with hook-ups at DuPont......would really like to spend a few days there. Thanks all...
Posted 2007-07-29 1:35 PM (#64572 - in reply to #64407) Subject: RE: DuPont State Forest in N.C. and Ultimate Ride Campground
Regular
Posts: 85 Location: Foothills of the Smokeys
We just got back from Blowing Rock about a week ago, we may have been the ones you spoke to about Ultimate Ride Campground. We didn't stay there, but we did go check it out. Can't say about all the rules or the woman who runs it, but I can say that the campground is laid out on a very hilly piece of ground. Drive is a narrow one lanewith lots of twists and turns. I doubt you could get in and out without 4 wheel drive. All of the campers we saw had pulled forward into their site rather than back in, and left their truck hooked up to thier trailers. In other words, once you got there, there was no unhooking and going to town or anything. We heard several stories of burned out transmissions, people just trying to pull out. On the upside, it is the only campground that has a trail directly into Dupont.
We stayed at Holly View Farm. Hookups, nice level campground and super nice owner. She'll shuttle you to and from the trailheads at a very reasonable price so you don't have to break camp. She also cleans and beds your stall while you are riding.
As for Blowing Rock, you can now enter through the horse pasture so you don't have to pull your trailer in and out of the narrow paved drive. There's no place like it to ride in July and August, nice and cool. My only complaint is the price of the stalls. $20 a night per horse, you clean your own and ALSO provide your own bedding. Of course they will sell it to you, but at that price, I think it ought to be provided.
Posted 2007-07-31 9:28 AM (#64739 - in reply to #64572) Subject: RE: DuPont State Forest in N.C. and Ultimate Ride Campground
Veteran
Posts: 140 Location: Ft. Lawn, South Carolina
Thanks for getting back.....I too went to check out Ultimate Ride...met and talked with Dana (owner) for some time. Personally, I understand her reasoning for her regulations.......yep, kinda challenging getting about, but I suppose it is do-able..... Blowing Rock.....where are the "camping" areas? Down in the "hole" or are there other areas with hookups? Does Holly View camp have a website? Appreciate your help! Happy Trails!
The Camping at blowing Rock is basically in the parking lot of a show grounds. There are three sections with water and electric. On top of a hill behind the show arena, there is a small section with sewer hook-up also. Since there is no dump station, we always try to camp there. Sites are first come, first served.
DuPont State Forest in N.C. and Ultimate Ride Campground
