Riverbend Wilderness Camping

Courtney Brockway

09/02/2024

I spent a long time searching for a place that fit our requirements for a weekend of camping. A lot of campgrounds seemed to be open field concepts, not very private, or they were overly groomed. We were searching for something more akin to actual camping while still maintaining some amenities if we needed them. We wanted something private, heavily wooded, surrounded by nature and this ticked all of the boxes for us. I read all of the reviews prior to booking and was not discouraged by the negative ones as a lot of the complaints seem to centered around: 1. Not understanding that this is Wilderness Camping, there isn't meant to be the same kind of groomed campsites you'd be accustomed to if you were visiting a provincial or national park. This campground isn't meant for people looking for all the modern amenities (although I believe there is a store, laundry, showers etc), it's meant for people looking for a more authentic experience of camping. 2. Issues with the owner - I can only speak to our experience and won't comment on how others perceive him but for us he was helpful, no issues with his communication, open about the expectations, checked in with us before we left to ask about our experience. There isn't much more we would expect to call out interactions positive. A few notes: The tent sites aren't accessible by car but most seem to be easily walkable. He brought our things down when we arrived but we carried our stuff up on the way back as it's only a 5-7 minute walk each way. Campsites on River Road are equipped with a picnic table and a fire ring (old tire rim) and there's plenty of dead wood lying around to use for fire (bring an axe for chopping). The campsite you booked may not be the campsite you get when you arrive but he's very accommodating in letting you choose another one (and that worked better for us as the campsite we ended with was nicer than the one we booked). There's a beautiful trail to an island off River Road that I highly suggest checking out. So many beautiful mature trees around, some of the largest oak trees I've ever seen. Didn't see many critters but lots of birds in the area. Cell reception was oddly amazing for this part of Salisbury, we weren't necessarily looking to use our phones but it was nice to have just in case. Expect noise at times, there were a lot of children in other parts of the campground and while the trees cut down on most regular noise it cannot cut down on the carried sounds of children yelling and screaming. Also they do have a Saturday night jam session that can be heard all around the park. We were told about this upon entry and invited up to join, while we weren't up to it that night it sounded like it was a lot of fun. Overall it was a very positive experience, the property is beautiful, and we'll certainly be back next year!

Claire VH

06/29/2024

The owner is very friendly and helpful!! There is a ton of nightlife here I guess.. there’s music and dancing coming from one end of the campground. Actually as I’m writing this, fireworks are going off- lol crazy timing. This campground is super relaxed (no check in, just pull up to a gate and say your name and they let you in and tell you where to park). It feels like we’re guests on someone’s lawn in a way.. lots of kids running around and friendly folks. Our 40 ft RV fit in a pull through spot. A downside was that the campsites seem to not be maintained well- they are flat, but the weeds are definitely overgrown and creeping into the road and camp sites. Definitely is wilderness I guess. Thank you owner for being so friendly and fun! He has good stories to tell

Joel Mansvelt

06/03/2024

Had a great time staying at Riverbend Wilderness Camping this weekend. We stayed at one of the wilderness camp sites on the river. It was beautiful, private and relaxing. It’s always hard to find a site that you want based on photos from the website and initially we accidentally booked a site that was in the woods rather than near the water. The owner was very accommodating and let us have a look around and pick a site we would like. Check in/out was a bit of an informal process, but after asking a few questions we were able to figure out what to do and where to go. There is an ATV that picks up your gear and brings it to the campsite. It was very nice to not have to lug all the gear to the site ourselves. I would be prepared for any weather and have a tarp to cover your gear, or have it in waterproof packs, and you shouldn’t have any issue with gear getting wet. We visited early in the season when there didn’t seem to be many people tenting, so they were very prompt in dropping off our gear and coming to pick it up when we called after packing everything up, but I could see how if it was really busy you may need to plan for a bit of a delay as there is only one ATV and trailer. There are washrooms with showers in the building that houses the office. This is about a 5-8min walk from the wilderness sites. They are nice and were clean. There is also an outhouse that is rustic, but nice and clean as well. It is located in the wilderness area so you don’t have to walk all the way to the main washrooms. The wilderness sites are in the woods, so expect the possibility that there could be flies and insects. In early June the files weren’t bad. There were definitely more in the wooded/grassy sites, but basically none at our site by the water. To maximize your enjoyment, I would plan to be fairly self sufficient. Pack like you are going to a more backcountry area, but with the ability to bring some more luxury and bulky items (bigger tent, dutch oven, comfy camp chairs, dual burner stove etc). Having an axe and saw is nice. There was some wood at some of the sites, but you do really need an axe to process it for burning. (I wouldn’t expect to have dry, split wood.) They did mention that we were free to gather deadfall to use for firewood, and we had no problem with having wood for a fire. If you are at one of the riverside sites, you can get water from the river and boil/filter it. If you are at a site that isn’t by the water, I believe the nearest spigot is at the main office, so I would be prepared to bring enough water or be prepared to carry it from the office. This is a fairly new campground, so you can tell that they are working out some kinks, but it does seem like they have made many improvements and are working to make things even better! What really makes this campground special is the rustic nature of the sites. Everything isn’t perfect and manicured, but that is kind of the point. Thanks for a great weekend. We enjoyed our time at your campground!

Christy VH

06/29/2024

Dirty, overgrown, terrible signage, looks deserted. My advice: do not stay at this campground. We booked here the night before our stay as we needed a stop on our way to another spot. There is a closed gate when you arrive, you need to call them to let them know you’re there. The friendly owner met us by at the gate and was very helpful. There was no “check-in” process, campground maps, etc…just a finger pointing to our spot. Every single campsite is very overgrown with weeds, scraggly underbrush and downed trees. The owner told our travel companions he won’t cut until Spring (it’s late June…does he mean NEXT Spring?) because he wants to leave the pollinators, etc. undisturbed. I don’t think mosquitoes are pollinators but they sure were “undisturbed” in all of the standing water on the property. Our fellow campers hoped to have a campfire but opted out when they discovered a pile of turkey feathers, bones and innards in their fire ring…no one wants turkey-guts smoked marshmallows. The campground was buzzing with happy, adventurous children walking their puppies, riding bikes and hollering across the road at one another until easily 10 p.m….just in time for the unannounced fireworks and BLASTING, THUMPING music that filled the campground until 1a.m. We wouldn’t have minded the music or the fireworks had we known they were going to happen. It was like being an unwanted guest at a rowdy family picnic or reunion. My advice if you are looking for a clean, safe and fun camping experience, KEEP LOOKING.

C n F

06/04/2024

Myself and my husband went to riverbend Campground this past weekend. If you're looking for a peaceful place in nature to get away this should be it. We can't wait to go back again to an outback location next time.