8 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Horse camping near Boonville, California is limited, with no dedicated equestrian facilities among the available campgrounds. Middle Creek Campground in Upper Lake permits horse camping but lacks dedicated corrals or equine-specific amenities. The campground features spacious pull-through sites that accommodate vehicles with horse trailers, potable water access, vault toilets, and fire pits with grills. Sites include picnic tables and are positioned along a creek that provides natural water access. The campground's $8 nightly fee offers an economical option for riders bringing their own containment systems.
The surrounding Mendocino National Forest provides access to multiple trail systems suitable for horseback riding, though availability may be affected by seasonal closures due to fire damage or weather conditions. Elk Mountain Road connects riders to various trails, though the road condition deteriorates significantly beyond the campground area. Riders should prepare for primitive conditions, as the campground operates without hookups, showers, or hose fittings at water spigots. The nearby town, approximately 15 minutes away, offers basic supplies including gas, groceries, and dining options. Weekend visitors should anticipate increased noise and activity from off-highway vehicle users who frequent the area for its extensive trail network.
"There are many sites next to the ocean."
"PROS Campground is adjacent to the beach. You can hear the ocean and sometimes catch peeks of the ocean from the campground.
→ Campsites have bear lockers."
from $45 - $260 / night
Check Availability"Clean bathrooms, drinking water was right next to our site."
"While this campground is set off from the highway it is very busy on weekends from tourists out for the day. Lush setting with the hike and bike area located near showers and restrooms."
from $45 - $140 / night
Check Availability"This campsite is centrally located on the peninsula. Access to several roadside dog friendly beaches within minutes. The bay and the beach are within walking distance to campground."
"There are also equestrian trails, so you can book a horseback ride from a local ranch as well!!"
from $45 / night
Check Availability"If you talk to the the ranger at the gate, most of the time they will let you drive around the grounds and pick any open site."
"The walk down to swim in the lake was a significant downhill but the dip was worth it! Funny dead trees sticking out of the lake were fun to climb on."
from $25 - $100 / night
Check Availability"Beautiful location, campground was easily accessible going up Elk Mountain Road. Camped in Site 11, pull through, no hook ups, nice picnic table, grill and fire pit. Vault toilets, no showers."
"If it's in a beautiful location and if you're into four-wheeling or dirt bikes, you're going to have a blast."
from $8 / night
Check Availability"There was a small creek behind the campground which was nice. It was about a 30 minute drive to fort Bragg made for an easy day trip. The campground is maintained by cal fire $20 a night."
"Jackson State Demonstration forest is about 6 miles from fort Bragg on hwy.20 Campground is about 3 miles down a dirt road down into the forest from the highway. Beautiful, clean and peaceful."
"Was 0.75 miles away from water (we have been in a drought?) but beautiful spacious campsite. Even with annoying neighbors, you can have peace and quiet."
"The local store is about a 10 minute drive away and during the summer has ice beer and provides firewood for sale (during winter no ice but plenty of snow)."
from $5 / night
Check Availability
RangerThis campsite is centrally located on the peninsula. Access to several roadside dog friendly beaches within minutes. The bay and the beach are within walking distance to campground. The bathrooms are clean and the showers are coin operated. Sites are flat and semi private. The staff is friendly and campground is large.
GuideIt is always windy and therefore cold on the beach. That is why there are such big sand dunes.
Regardless, a beautiful place to visit and camp. There are also equestrian trails, so you can book a horseback ride from a local ranch as well!!
LegendWe stayed one night here in early October, after exploring the Mendocino area on a campervan road trip. Campsite was quiet and secluded, lots of trees so was pretty quiet and private. Clean bathrooms, drinking water was right next to our site. There were hiking trails right nearby, but sadly we arrived fairly late and were leaving the next morning so we didn't get to do much exploring. Area was pretty damp so a little chilly because of that. there were giant yellow banana slugs all over, which was pretty neat to see. Site had a picnic table and fire ring. Lots of open sites when we arrived (mid week in early Fall), no reservation needed. Convenient to explore Mendocino/Fort Bragg area, we took a walk around Mendocino and visited the glass beach. I would like to go back and explore the hiking there!
http://adventuresneaker.com/2017/03/23/california-road-trip-days-7-8-9-bodie-historic-ghost-town-lake-tahoe-russian-gulch-state-park/
RangerWhile this campground is set off from the highway it is very busy on weekends from tourists out for the day. Lush setting with the hike and bike area located near showers and restrooms. Campsite includes a table and fire pit. Within walking distance of the beach and a short drive to coastal towns.
LegendThis is such an incredible area to camp! The California coast is hard to beat. This campground is in the sand dunes, with a short walk to the beach. This is absolutely one of the best places to see the sunset. The campground had showers and full bathrooms! 10/10 would recommend.
RangerI like this campground. There are some cool hikes to the dunes and to the beach. Go to the wharf near by to pick up some live crab to boil over the fire. Overall a great campground for adults and kids. Go with a group or a romantic getaway. Experience northern California Coast and see where they filmed Hitchcock's "The Birds."
GuideNice campground at a state park in Northern California. Nice large sites but some have views of nearby housing. Some also have a LOT of sand. Clean bathrooms and showers.
GuideI’ve been camping cross country for the last month with my husband. We’re from New York, and like to think we’re not easily rattled or intimidated. This was the first time on our trip that we were both scared.
The forest service website says this campground is not open for camping, just dirt bike and horse riding, so I had found a campground further into the National Forest to camp at. When we drove by Middle Creek, we could see the sites from the road and a few of them had tents and we could see some folks, the campground was pretty clearly operating to some extent. We just wanted somewhere to stay overnight on our way into SF so we doubled back and found a site, paid the $8 and had a snack. We explored our corner of the campground a little- pretty clean, a fine campground. No visible host.
Lots of wasps and flies, like standing right next to a dumpster. There was a woman who seemed to be experiencing homelessness and/or mental illness occupying multiple sites. She pretty clearly was stealing from sites people weren’t present at, right in front of us. She also had a dog that didn’t seem to be hers.
The man at the campsite next to us didn’t have a tent or anything, just paid then sat in his truck screaming and cackling and breaking stuff loudly and pounding beers.
We left without spending the night. The police need to go take a look out there.
GuidePack earplugs if you are not a deep sleeper, keep reading to find out why. The campsite is located in a unique location near the pacific coast highway 1. There are large trees and sandy dunes to explore. There's a little bird under habitat protection, so no dogs on trails, but you can take your dog walking on Marshall beach just a few miles up north on the coast. There's a RV park with a friendly little cafe with sunny outdoor seating and honey lavender lattes back down south. The campground is quite large and bushes give excellent privacy. The state park staff offer a large cardboard box of firewood for $10 dollars. Lower light pollution makes for good night sky views. Unfortunately the proximity to the highway and a lighthouse make the night noisier than it should be. The boat horn from the lighthouse can be heard every 10 seconds blasting faintly, but loudly enough to make falling asleep tough, I used earplugs which made this maneageable, but the lighthouse starts the horn interval at nightfall and doesnt stop sounding the horn until 6AM. The amenities like a sink and indoor bathrooms make up for this.
Equestrian camping near Boonville, California offers access to diverse terrain in the Mendocino and Sonoma coastal regions. The area sits at elevations ranging from 200 to 1,500 feet, with summer temperatures averaging 85-95°F and winter lows reaching 30-40°F. Coastal influence creates microclimates with fog patterns that can significantly impact camping conditions, particularly in spring and fall.
Coastal hiking trails: At Mackerricher State Park Campground, trails connect directly to beach areas. "There's a trail to the beach and Laguna Point isn't far," notes reviewer Mea H., who appreciated the ocean proximity. The park offers wildlife viewing opportunities, including sea lion observation points.
Mountain biking routes: Experienced riders can access backcountry trails through the Mendocino National Forest. "When the water level is high great fishing from this camp ground," mentions Jeanette C. about Oak Flat Campground, which sits near multiple trail systems that accommodate both horses and bikes.
Water activities: Lake Sonoma features kayaking and swimming options. "The walk down to swim in the lake was a significant downhill but the dip was worth it! Funny dead trees sticking out of the lake were fun to climb on," says Kelly M. about her experience at Liberty Glen, noting the distinctive dead trees that provide unusual climbing features.
Privacy between sites: Russian Gulch State Park Campground offers secluded camping spaces. "The campsites are so beautiful and surrounded by trees. We couldn't even see our neighbor, it was private and secluded," explains Christina H., highlighting the natural separation between sites that many horse campers prefer.
Natural water access: Streams and creeks provide drinking water for horses at several locations. "A stream runs through camp and empties on to the beach," reports MarinMaverick about Russian Gulch State Park, an advantage for those traveling with animals that need regular water access.
Varied terrain options: The region offers both coastal and inland camping experiences. "We had a great time when we stayed a night here in October. The campground is nice and has a lot of availability- even on weekends!" notes Joshua H. about COE Mendocino Lake Bu-Shay Campground, which maintains availability even during popular weekend periods.
Seasonal closures affect trail access: Wildfire damage frequently impacts accessibility. "I arrived 9/10/25 but did not camp here because the camp is closed for some flood damage repair," reports Robert C. about COE Mendocino Lake Bu-Shay Campground, demonstrating how weather-related closures can affect plans.
Water spigot limitations: Many campgrounds lack hose fittings for filling large containers. "Problem is that the spigots don't have any hose fittings, so you can't hook up, which I think is a good thing to keep people from taking over water for an extended period of time," explains Justin W. about Middle Creek Campground, a consideration for equestrians needing to fill water troughs.
Weekend crowding: OHV enthusiasts frequent certain areas, creating noise concerns. "Quiet and peaceful, watch elk, birds, lizards, toads/frogs on weekdays." cautions Angela about Oak Flat Campground, specifically warning that "All but the hardiest of wildlife and people should avoid the weekends."
Beach accessibility: Some coastal campgrounds offer easy beach access for children. "This campground is adjacent to the beach. You can hear the ocean and sometimes catch peeks of the ocean from the campground," shares Mea H. about Mackerricher State Park, noting the proximity that makes beach trips manageable with children.
Playground facilities: Select campgrounds include play equipment. "Our young kids had a great time playing on the playground which was an unexpected bonus," mentions Joshua H. about COE Mendocino Lake Bu-Shay Campground, highlighting amenities beyond standard camping features.
Protected camping areas: Wind protection varies significantly between campgrounds. "This campground is protected by a buffer of coastal trees. It's not nearly as windy at the campground as it is on the beach," explains Mea H. about Mackerricher State Park, an important consideration for families with tents or young children.
Pull-through site availability: Bodega Dunes Campground offers accessible sites for larger vehicles. "The sites are generally smaller pull-in sites geared more toward tents, vans, and small travel trailers. There are just a handful of sites that can accommodate bigger RVs," advises Shari G., providing important context for RV campers with horse trailers.
Dump station fees: Budget for additional costs beyond site fees. "The dump station has a mandatory fee of $10. You pay with a credit card. When payment is approved, the cap to the dump hole unlocks," explains Mea H. about Mackerricher State Park, a cost consideration for longer stays.
Level site selection: Choose campsites carefully based on vehicle needs. "Sites were large, water fill stations and bathrooms (with showers) were easily accessible, though one was out of order for construction," reports Dustin C. from Bodega Dunes Campground, noting the importance of checking facilities before arrival.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Boonville, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Boonville, CA is COE Mendocino Lake Bu-Shay Campground with a 3.7-star rating from 3 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Boonville, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 8 equestrian camping locations near Boonville, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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