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Best Equestrian Camping near Hinkley, CA

26 Reviews

Big Pine Equestrian Group Campground serves horse enthusiasts in the San Bernardino mountains near Hinkley, California. The campground permits horses and offers reservable campsites for both tent and RV camping. While this dedicated equestrian area allows pets, it lacks some basic amenities like drinking water, electric hookups, toilets, trash service, and showers. Fire rings are available for campfires. The campground does not offer permanent horse corrals, so campers should bring portable corrals or highline equipment. Most equestrian campers typically set up portable electric fencing or use horse trailer ties during their stay.

Located near the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail), Big Pine provides access to numerous mountain trails suitable for day rides. The mountain terrain offers varied riding experiences through pine forests and desert landscapes. Trail access directly from the campground eliminates the need for additional horse transport once settled. Reservation requirements should be confirmed before arrival as the site is managed by the US Forest Service. The roads leading to the campground can be rough in places, making careful navigation necessary when pulling horse trailers. Weather conditions vary significantly with season, making spring and fall generally the most comfortable for both riders and horses. Winter camping is possible but requires preparation for potentially cold conditions at higher elevations.

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Best Equestrian Sites Near Hinkley, California (9)

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Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near Hinkley, CA

5 Photos of 9 Hinkley Campgrounds

Equestrian Camping Reviews near Hinkley, CA

26 Reviews of 9 Hinkley Campgrounds

  • Rick S.
    May. 4, 2018

    Mojave Narrows Regional Park

    Could be better, like it once was

    Been here many times since it is local to me.

    This place has changed a lot over the years, and not necessarily for the good, in my opinion.

    What there is:

    • Trailer camping
    • Tent camping
    • Fishing
    • A playground
    • Small water park
    • Two lakes to fish at
    • Trains, lots of them
    • Bathrooms with showers
    • Frisbee golf
    • Picnic tables and shelters

    What there is no longer:

    • Paddle boats
    • Horse riding stables
    • Horses and cows
    • Other interesting animals
    • Water in the grass fields where the animals roamed
    • Arenas

    Beware of skunks and loud trains!

    It is still a somewhat nice place to visit for a couple hours with the kids.

    We have camped in a tent. The tents sites are adjacent to the lake.

    Trailer camping isn't too bad, other than being adjacent to the busy railroad. Most sites have grass.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 26, 2023

    Mojave Narrows Regional Park

    You'd better like trains!

    General: A mix of FHU RV sites tent sites, group sites around Horseshoe Lake and some additional dry camping and equestrian sites around Pelican Lake. There are also four RVs you can “rent” in the Horseshoe Lake area. The sites around Horseshoe Lake are close to an active rail line. And by active, I mean really active – I stopped counting after I counted 24 trains lumbering by during our short overnight stay. 

    Site Quality: IMO the waterfront tent sites are the nicest. They are farthest away from the trains (but not far enough!) The other dry sites have paved camper pads; some are “doubles” which would kind of suck if both sites were occupied by people who did not know each other! (Ours was one but fortunately, this was not the case for us on a Sunday in November). 

    Bath/Shower House: There were two restrooms about equidistant from our campsite, but both were very basic– no soap, hooks or shelves and no mirrors (it looked like they had been ripped off the wall). The floors were concrete, and the entire appearance was very drab. I did not use the shower. 

    This was an overnight stop for us, so we did not take advantage of any of the activities (horseback riding, hiking, disc golf, fishing). There was a very nice playground in the day-use area, a reasonable walking distance from the Horseshoe Lake sites. I had called about a week ahead of time to make a reservation (the online reservation system has been down for quite some time) and was assured would not need a reservation. However, there is a gate that is locked at 4 pm and we knew we would not arrive in time, so we called and were able to make a phone reservation when our site was assigned. We were a little concerned when we saw a security guard making rounds around 10 pm (and this combined with the locked gate), we wondered if we were in a safe environment, although we did not encounter any problems. Make sure you know that the park is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (which seems a bit bizarre) so you will need to know the gate code after 4 pm and on those days (the code seems to change daily). Also, I read that seniors (62 and older), active duty military, and veterans receive a $5 discount Sundays through Thursdays but you have to go to the office and show proof and then you will receive a “rebate” a few days later (which we did). This was just an overnight for us as we worked our way back home but we would likely not stay here again.

  • Jessica B.
    Oct. 15, 2023

    Deep Creek Hot Springs Camp Retreat

    Great spot in the high desert away from the city & next to HOT SPRINGS!

    • Easy going campground with all the necessary amenities for camping and a great spot for our large group of 18 adults & 10 kids to gather and camp out together. You will have to drive 6 miles of mountainous dirt roads to reach the property, but it takes you away from all signs of the city and surrounds you in nature when you get there, making a very nice camping experience.  The spring pools at our site were so relaxing to have all to ourselves and well worth it to reserve for our party! The deep creek hot springs were absolutely fabulous, as they were situated next to a cold creek where we could do therapeutic hot cold plunges. The hike to the hot springs was fairly tough, but we found it easily with the trail starting right on the property! Definitely recommend camping here, just make sure you download directions prior so you don't end up at the wrong place and run into a crazy guy at a shack next door!
  • Michelle K.
    May. 17, 2018

    Mojave Narrows Regional Park

    Not bad

    This is a nice little retreat from the desert. The only real complaint I have is the train. It takes a little while to get used to it going by. Wish they still had the paddle boats and horse back riding. The little zero gravity water park is nice if you have children.

  • B
    Jun. 2, 2021

    Borax Bill Substation

    Out in the middle of no where....

    My family would camp here once a year for 4-5 days.  It is dispersed camping, so there are no hookups or designated sites.  It is primarily for off road enthusiasts, however, we just came out here to enjoy the desert and go for walks.  We would usually go toward the end of the year when it is not so hot (Oct-Dec) and have had a variety of weather over the years.  From beautiful skies, to wind, rain and snow.  The wind always picked up in the evening, so don't forget to roll up your awning.  Our rig is a 30' bunkhouse trailer being pulled by a full size 4x4 truck.  Although you don't need 4x4 and probably any car can make it out there.  You just might have to drive slow as some of the road are pretty tore up.  The camping is all over the valley and I can't see ever showing up and not being able to find a good spot (for what it is).  There will be dust and some dirt bikes, trucks and OHV's rolling around.  You will probably hear some of them long into the night.  But I think there are areas you can go to get away from a lot of it and enjoy the stars and solitude of the desert.  As you drive in you pass a ranger station.  $10 gets you water to fill up your tanks and a pass to use their dump station.

  • James's C.
    Aug. 12, 2021

    Hesperia Lake Park and Campground City Park

    Nice little campground

    Water and electric only on camp sites. No dump site there. There's nice shade on probably half the sites, the other ones have little or none. Nice views of the lake but it's fenced off and access to the lake and park close in the evening. There is a small older bathroom there a flush toilet and a shower

  • Dan X.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 5, 2021

    Deep Creek Hot Springs Campground

    good spot for desert hooligans

    Easy access to the hot springs and no services to speak of. Basically a patch of dirt you can occupy for $10 a night. Loved it.

  • Tommy B.
    Nov. 16, 2020

    Rainbow Basin/Owl Canyon Campground

    Nov. weekend trip.

    We really enjoyed our weekend. We camped one night and explored/ hiked around the area. We also did the scenic drive. Very cool spot in the Mojave. We will be back.

  • E C.
    Sep. 8, 2023

    Mojave Narrows Regional Park

    Beautiful Park

    The RV Park is located in a natural reserve. The scenes are beautiful!! We stayed by the river and had a great time. The only downside is that there are railways near the park and trains running by all night long.

Guide to Hinkley

Equestrian camping near Hinkley, California offers options in San Bernardino National Forest and surrounding desert areas. The region sits at elevations ranging from 2,000 to 7,000 feet with temperature shifts from below freezing in winter to over 100°F in summer. The Mojave Desert landscape features both arid terrain and mountain ecosystems, creating varied riding environments with seasonal access considerations.

What to do

Trail riding through desert terrain: Access varied trails directly from Rainbow Basin/Owl Canyon Campground where riders can explore the geological formations. "We camped one night and explored/hiked around the area. We also did the scenic drive. Very cool spot in the Mojave," notes Tommy B.

Hot springs day rides: Plan day trips to natural hot springs from equestrian campsites. At Deep Creek Hot Springs Camp Retreat, campers appreciate the trail access. "The hike to the hot springs was fairly tough, but we found it easily with the trail starting right on the property," mentions Jessica B.

Wildlife viewing on horseback: Morning and evening rides offer best wildlife spotting opportunities. "We saw mule deer and of course the horses!" reports Francisco G. from Holcomb Valley Ranch, noting the benefit of elevated horseback positioning for spotting wildlife in meadow areas.

What campers like

Natural hot springs access: Riders appreciate soaking after long rides. "The deep creek hot springs were absolutely fabulous, as they were situated next to a cold creek where we could do therapeutic hot cold plunges," shares Jessica B. about Deep Creek Hot Springs Campground.

Secluded camping spots: Many appreciate distance between sites at horse-friendly campgrounds. "We had two picnic benches and far from any other campers," notes ReadySetCamp S. about Holcomb Valley Ranch. "Plenty of room to be by yourself and shoot some pictures," adds Bryan about Mojave Narrows Regional Park.

Desert night skies: The area offers minimal light pollution for stargazing after riding. "Dark nights. Very quiet. Clean," reports Michele H. about Rainbow Basin, highlighting the benefit of remote desert locations for evening relaxation after trail rides.

What you should know

Seasonal riding conditions: Summer temperatures limit comfortable riding to early morning or evening. "Went in January with snowfall, hardly any campers and nature all around! Two nights are perfect," advises Kelly Anne M. about Deep Creek Hot Springs Campground.

Water availability: Many equestrian sites lack permanent water sources. "No shade, go in the cooler months... The hotsprings is clothing optional, so if you don't mind naked people, or you wanna strip down yourself, you should go check it out," notes Jake P.

Road conditions for trailers: Access roads to many horse-friendly sites require careful navigation. "Go slow! 5 mile washboard road in!" warns Michele H. about Rainbow Basin. "The drive up is treacherous if you have a lil sedan - I was worried for my Honda Fit," cautions Emily B. about Holcomb Valley Ranch.

Tips for camping with families

Supervised riding areas: Some campgrounds offer dedicated riding zones for beginners. "Plenty of off-roading trails, sites to see and exploring," mentions ReadySetCamp S. about Holcomb Valley Ranch, which applies to both motorized and horse trails.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Hinkley, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Hinkley, CA is Rainbow Basin/Owl Canyon Campground with a 3.5-star rating from 4 reviews.

What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Hinkley, CA?

TheDyrt.com has all 9 equestrian camping locations near Hinkley, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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