Best Equestrian Camping near Madison, AL

Owl Creek Horse Camp provides direct access to a network of equestrian trails in Bankhead National Forest. The campground features potable water from spigots available year-round and pit toilets. Located in a large field with loblolly pines, the site offers ample space for horse trailers and camping setups. Riders can access 22 miles of connected trails directly from the campground. The $5 nightly fee ($3 for day use) makes this an affordable option for equestrians. The campground accommodates both tent and RV camping, though it lacks electric hookups. The nights sky offers excellent stargazing opportunities in this open setting. Cell service is available with approximately two bars of Verizon 4G LTE coverage, allowing riders to coordinate travel plans.

The horse trails at Owl Creek are primarily designed for equestrian use but are also accessible to mountain bikers. The campground's strategic location provides convenient access to the heart of Sipsey Wilderness, just 15 minutes away by vehicle. This proximity allows equestrians to explore both designated horse trails and hiking paths throughout the area. The large, open field design of the campground accommodates multiple horse trailers and provides adequate space for horses. Water access for horses is convenient with the year-round spigots. While the campground offers basic amenities, nearby Brushy Lake provides additional facilities for those seeking more comforts. The major advantage of this site is its direct access to horseback riding trails, making it ideal for equestrians planning extended trail rides.

Best Equestrian Sites Near Madison, Alabama (8)

    1. Red Coach Resort

    1 Review
    Harvest, AL
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (256) 937-6142

    $17 - $50 / night

    "A beautiful large creek runs through it, with miles of walking paths, a horse barn, and spaces to play and relax."

    2. Lake Guntersville State Park Campground

    43 Reviews
    Guntersville, AL
    39 miles
    Website
    +1 (256) 571-5455

    "The campground is right on the banks of Lake Guntersville and it has a beach area so it's great if you want to play in the water."

    "This is a nice state park in a small town in north Alabama. The lake is really pretty and the campground has a nice view of it."

    3. Sharon Johnston Park

    3 Reviews
    Union Grove, AL
    23 miles
    Website
    +1 (256) 379-2868

    "The park is about 200 acres and the RV sites are located through gate one. There are three rows of sites and the best ones in my opinion are the ones located against the treeline/creek. "

    4. Fairview Campground — Tims Ford State Park

    22 Reviews
    Winchester, TN
    49 miles
    Website
    +1 (931) 968-3536

    "Gravel drives & pads with water & electric at sites. Our site #28 had an exceptional view out the kitchen window & from the pinic table of the lake. Newer shower house centrally located."

    "We stayed in lot 59 which while not lakefront, it’s situated in a triangular spot right at the entrance with plenty of space for full setup. Picnic table and campfire grill also on site."

    5. Walls of Jericho - Clark Cemetery Backcountry Campsite

    11 Reviews
    Estillfork, AL
    43 miles
    Website
    +1 (931) 968-6215

    "Park at either the Alabama or the Tennessee trailhead (make sure not to park at the horse trailhead earlier on the road) and descend down into the canyon."

    "It is also at an easy access point to the falls as well as the other trails in the area. The site has easy access to water most of the year and can provide space for over 10 tents."

    6. Owl Creek Horse Camp

    2 Reviews
    Addison, AL
    38 miles
    Website

    "While staying in the area we stopped by and checked out this campground and associated trails. It is in a wonderful part of Bankhead and close to so many trail access points."

    7. Ray of Hope Guest Ranch and Horse Motel

    1 Review
    Lewisburg, TN
    46 miles

    "The entrance of the yurt faces sunrise and the farm animals serenade you in the morning when the mist begins to burn off the valley. "

    8. Sipsey Wilderness Backcountry Site (Trail 200 Site D)

    1 Review
    Bankhead National Forest, AL
    45 miles
    Website

    "Small but secluded backcountry site with easy access to the river for pumping water. This site is nice because it is level and removed from the water enough that there is no concern of flooding."

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Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near Madison, AL

2 Photos of 8 Madison Campgrounds


Equestrian Camping Reviews near Madison, AL

84 Reviews of 8 Madison Campgrounds


  • Asher K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 1, 2017

    Owl Creek Horse Camp

    Stopped by on our way through

    While staying in the area we stopped by and checked out this campground and associated trails. It is in a wonderful part of Bankhead and close to so many trail access points. Additionally the campground is located directly on the horse trail so you can stay here with your animals and get up and go trekking the next day. For people like me who are more hikers than riders you just drive 15 min down the road and you are right in the heart of Sipsey wilderness. The campground doesn't have much in terms of amenities but if you prefer a little more you can stay at Brushy lake nearby. The major advantage to this site is its access to the horseback riding trails.

  • Asher K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 27, 2017

    Walls of Jericho - Clark Cemetery Backcountry Campsite

    Great backpacking

    The walls of Jericho are an incredible site to see if you are willing to make the backpacking adventure to them. The hike in takes only about an hour and is all downhill. Park at either the Alabama or the Tennessee trailhead (make sure not to park at the horse trailhead earlier on the road) and descend down into the canyon. When you reach the bottom of the trail and cross a river there are several campgrounds that you can set up at. After getting settled keep following the trail back into the canyon and you will get to the first waterfall/pool. Don't stop there though cause the real view is the waterfall at the back of the canyon that takes a little scrambling to get to. While there recently with my wife we spent 2 nights camping at the horse campground and spent our full day doing a loop hike into Tennessee. The only thing you have to be cautious of is it can get pretty muddy if it has rained heavy recently. I would suggest going in spring cause that is when everything is blooming and so beautiful.

  • Gregg G.
    Feb. 10, 2021

    Owl Creek Horse Camp

    Horse Camp with cell Service

    This is off the beaten path a bit, but it has its perks. Here you can find potable water from the spickets all year long. It is essentially a large field with some very large loblolly pines. The nights sky is wonderful. Also, from here you can link together 22 miles worth of trail. We rode our bikes, the trails are more geared for the equestrian rider, but was friendly enough for bikes. We enjoyed staying here after being out of cell service for a few days at brushy lake, so we were able to catch up and coordinate our next destination.  As far as campground amenties outside of whats already been covered there are a had full of picnic tables and a pit toilet. 

    Cost is $5 a night or $3 for day use. 2 bars of Verizon 4G LTE.

  • Asher K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 1, 2021

    Walls of Jericho - Clark Cemetery Backcountry Campsite

    Great for groups

    This is one of the larger campsites available at Walls of Jericho and definitely the easiest to find. I have stayed here a couple of times and always enjoyed it. The one downside to this site is that it can get somewhat flooded after heavy rains. It can also get fairly crowded since there are multiple firepits and tent clearings not far apart from each other. This is definitely the best site if you have a large group or want to be able to set up multiple tents. It is also at an easy access point to the falls as well as the other trails in the area. The site has easy access to water most of the year and can provide space for over 10 tents. If it seems crowded and you want more privacy though you can turn left off the trail and walk a short ways to the horse camp which is more secluded and removed from the trail. My last suggestion is that if you are here on a clear night head out to the field abutting the site and enjoy some stargazing!

  • Steve V.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 24, 2019

    Walls of Jericho - Clark Cemetery Backcountry Campsite

    Clark Cemetery

    The Clark Cemetery campsite is a moderate sized campsite along the Walls of Jericho trail and is located just yards from the Clark Cemetery and the Turkey Creek Bridge. The site is approximately 3.1 miles from the Alabama hikers trailhead parking lot. The campsite is level and large enough to accommodate many tents. There are also many trees that would be suitable for hammock camping. You can choose from a shaded space to a sunny space depending on which side of the site you set up on. I counted at least six fire rings at this site, so multiple groups could be accommodated. With the very close proximity to the Clark Cemetery (a 1800’s family cemetery) I imagine the campfire stories could be very entertaining. 

    This is backcountry camping so plan appropriately (no bathroom, pack it in- pack is out). We found no cell phone service with Verizon at this site. Water can be sourced from Turkey Creek if it is flowing, but should be treated/filtered (on this visit Turkey Creek was pretty dry after a very dry summer, but Hurricane Creek is just a short walk away).

  • Bruce G.
    May. 10, 2022

    Red Coach Resort

    Amazing, Simply amazing!

    This place was still being built and was already amazing. There are large spaces in the woods only minutes from Huntsville. A quiet piece of heaven. A beautiful large creek runs through it, with miles of walking paths, a horse barn, and spaces to play and relax. LOTS OF SPACE Lee and Joy are fantastic hosts and will do almost anything to make the stay comfortable. We got a sneak preview while they were just getting open and I cannot impress on you how much this Park has to offer. Did I mention fossils? All over the place some of the oldest creatures to crawl the earth are there for you to find! I'm not kidding we saw trilobites everywhere along the creek. I cannot judge access really as they were still working on the roads and with the plans they have, it will be very easy to get aro[und. We have a 44 ft DRV and with a little care were easily able to get around. we had a boondocking site and had to go fill and empty tanks and could do so easily. Did we mention how much space there is? We did have poor coverage for our mobile data but the phones and texting always worked.

  • Ally B.
    Oct. 3, 2018

    Lake Guntersville State Park Campground

    It's great if you want to be close to the water or see wildlife!

    The campground is right on the banks of Lake Guntersville and it has a beach area so it's great if you want to play in the water. It doesn't have as much shade as it used to due to tornados but it is still a really great campground. There are a lot of great hiking, biking, and horse-riding trails. On anygiven day you can drive through the park and see an abundance of deer. The state park is also home to a zip line and an excellent golf course and the lodge has a pool and a really great restaurant.

  • Bounding Around The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 1, 2020

    Lake Guntersville State Park Campground

    Beautiful lake

    This is a nice state park in a small town in north Alabama. The lake is really pretty and the campground has a nice view of it. The facilities were really nice and there is a store and restaurant all within the park. It’s a bit of a drive to get to town so try to get the essentials before setting up camp. The campground is nice– a definite recommend!

  • Asher K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Feb. 28, 2020

    Sipsey Wilderness Backcountry Site (Trail 200 Site D)

    Large easy access site along the trail

    Small but secluded backcountry site with easy access to the river for pumping water. This site is nice because it is level and removed from the water enough that there is no concern of flooding. This site does have less privacy though so take that into account. 

    Sipsey Wilderness is a protected but unmaintained area in Northwest Alabama that is well known for its intersecting creeks, streams, and rivers that play together with the many waterfalls and magical rock faces. The wilderness area is contained within the larger Bankhead National Forest and is accessible from a variety of different trailheads many of which are only reachable on dirt roads. Hiking here you definitely get the feeling that you have left the rest of the world behind and are in complete wilderness. Different times of year provide completely different experiences whether its the exciting and boundless blooms of spring, the overgrown wild of summer, the bold and expansive colors of fall, or the high river levels and easy boating access of winter. Just make sure to always do your research and plan ahead since it can change so drastically depending on when you go. My favorite is either fall or spring since the summer can be particularly hot and buggy. This trip we had planned to kayak down the river from the Sipsey River Trailhead to the Highway 33 Bridge take out but were thwarted by a recent lack of heavy rain and unusually low river levels for the season. Several sites online suggested over 4 feet gauge height would be fine but after talking to the Rangers we were told the only time that it was really navigable was in the winter or fall for a couple of days after a major rainfall. With that plan out the window, we decided instead to throw some packs in the car and move our gear around to make it a semi backpacking/hiking trip.


Guide to Madison

Horse camping in Alabama offers a unique blend of scenic trails and equestrian-friendly amenities, perfect for riders looking to explore the great outdoors with their horses.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Madison, AL?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Madison, AL is Red Coach Resort with a 5-star rating from 1 review.

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TheDyrt.com has all 8 equestrian camping locations near Madison, AL, with real photos and reviews from campers.