Creating a limited length side scroll map

Hi guys. 

I’m looking for the most efficient way to create a map plane featuring hills and dips in which a character will run across. This is not an infinite side-scroller… the map must have an end point (eg. finish line)

What I’m confused about is how to create the plane, which has a texture (e.g. grass and mud), and allow a camera to follow the player across the plane.

Do I draw a long plane in Photoshop and apply a physics body to it? or is there a potentially more memory efficient method?

I just can’t wrap my head around it, any answers will be appreciated! 

Freddie.