Best Equestrian Camping near Merced, CA
Are you looking for a place to stay in Merced with your horse? Finding a place to stay in California while traveling with your horse is easy. Find California equestrian campgrounds with ease on The Dyrt.
Best Equestrian Sites Near Merced, CA (12)
1. Wildcat Campground — Point Reyes National Seashore
Raymond, California14 Reviews•71 Photos•217 SavesThis recreation area is part of Eastman Lake
- Tents
- Group
- Equestrian
- Trash
- Drinking Water
- Toilets
2. Codorniz Campground
Raymond, California8 Reviews•11 Photos•43 SavesOverview
Codorniz Campground on Eastman Lake is a perfect launchpad for activities like canoeing, birding and hiking. Tucked in the Sierra Nevada foothills, the area attracts abundant wildlife like bobcats, golden eagles, mountain lions, hawks and wood ducks.
Recreation
Eastman Lake is the first designated Trophy Bass Fishery, by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Both young and old anglers will find fishing on Eastman lake a satisfying challenge. At the campground, visitors can try their hand at disc golf or challenge a group of friends to a game of volleyball. Horseshoe pits are also available for a little friendly competition.
Natural Features
The rolling hills around Eastman Lake are surrounded by tall grasses and scattered oak trees, giving way to stunning mountain views. The lake features 1,780 surface acres, fed by the cool waters of the Chowchilla River.
Nearby Attractions
The Sierra National Forest is a short drive to the east of the campground.
- Pets
- Fires
- Electric Hookups
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- RVs
$20 / night
3. Goat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site
Fish Camp, California29 Reviews•51 Photos•1070 SavesDispersed Camping is allowed in the National Forest except in the area surrounding Huntington Lake, Shaver Lake, Bass Lake, Redinger Lake, and the Merced River Canyon. Campfire permits are required at all times whenever you plan to have a fire on public land outside of a developed campground. When building a fire please remember to only pick up down and dead wood that is no larger than wrist size and to never leave a campfire unattended.
You can obtain a campfire permit at any Forest office or online at http://www.prevetnwildfireca.org/. Be sure to check and see if campfire restrictions are in effect, when campfire restrictions are in place you will not be able to make a fire in dispersed camping areas (Developed Designated Campgrounds Only) but, you will be able to operate gas stoves, and lanterns with your permit.
When camping in the Forest proper food storage is also required either using a bear box, or by the proper use of the counter balance method. While camping anywhere in the forest also keep in mind that there are other people in the forest and we advise you to respect them and their space.
You may stay at one campsite for a limit of 14 days and you may stay on each district for a limit of 21 days before we will ask you to vacate. Please follow ENVUM maps for all designated roads and vehicle limitations.
We ask you to always remember to pack out what you pack in. Human waste needs to be buried 6 to 8 inches deep. For any other questions about visiting and camping in the forest and in the wilderness please visit LeaveNoTrace.org.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- RVs
- Tents
- Group
4. Modesto Reservoir
Waterford, California5 Reviews•7 Photos•32 SavesModesto Reservoir Regional Park is located at 18143 Reservoir Rd., a few miles from the town of Waterford, just off Highway 132. It offers over 3,200 acres of land and 2,800 acres of reservoir for recreation and camping.
- Fires
- Electric Hookups
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- ADA Access
- RVs
$40 - $60 / night
5. Woodward Reservoir
Oakdale, California16 Reviews•9 Photos•162 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Electric Hookups
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- ADA Access
6. Yosemite Ridge
Groveland, California3 Reviews•2 Photos•33 SavesYosemite Ridge Resort is located on State Highway 120, which is open all year and only 12 miles from Yosemite National Park’s west gate. We are located in Buck Meadows, population 50, within the beautiful Stanislaus National Forest surrounded by pine covered mountains. Since we are so close to the park, our lodging near Yosemite Park is the perfect base camp for your Yosemite Adventure, whether it be for one night or one week.
- Pets
- Electric Hookups
- Reservable
- RVs
- Tents
- Group
$40 - $80 / night
7. USBR Gloryhole Rec Area Big Oak Campground
Fall River Lake, California4 Reviews•12 Photos•34 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- ADA Access
- RVs
8. Glory Hole Recreation Area
Angels, California4 Reviews•10 Photos•93 SavesOverview
Glory Hole Recreation Area is located at New Melones Lake on the Stanislaus River. The 12,500 surface-acre lake is the fourth largest reservoir in California and is situated along the edge of the Mother Lode, the rich gold vein that prompted the California Gold Rush of 1849. At an elevation of 1100 feet, the diverse and resource-abundant Foothill Oak Woodlands hug the 100 miles of shoreline. Popular activities on and around the large, yet uncrowded lake include fishing, boating, water skiing, wake boarding, jet skiing, sailing, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, wildlife viewing, rock climbing, hiking, biking, horseback riding and picknicking. The New Melones Visitor Center offers year-round interpretive events and a museum highlighting natural and cultural resources.
Recreation
Hiking, fishing, wakeboarding, waterskiing, boating, sailing and road and mountain biking are just a few of the activities available in Glory Hole Recreation Area. Camping is also permitted in designated campsites. Equestrian trails are also present in the Peoria Wildlife Mitigation Area and open for the general public. Other interesting sites include Natural Bridges, which can be accessed from Parrott's Ferry Road and has a nice hiking trail and a creek that flows through a marble cave. The Table Mountain Trail provides visitors an opportunity to hike to the top of an extensive lava flow which occurred over nine million years ago.
Natural Features
New Melones Lake is located in Northern California between the historic gold rush towns of Sonora and Angels Camp. The terrain varies from rolling hills to steep marble cliffs, and the vegetation consists of oaks, Ponderosa pines, chamise and buckbrush shrubs. Visitors can experience the beauty of New Melones by hiking the many trails in the Tuttletown and Glory Hole Recreation Areas. The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. For those who wish to venture outside the main recreation areas, there are many unique places to visit. Overall, the geography is quite varied and provides many opportunities for all types of recreation.
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (209) 459-7290.
Nearby Attractions
Glory Hole Recreation Area is surrounded by many places of natural beauty including Natural Bridges, Camp Nine, Yosemite National Park, Stanislaus National Forest, Moaning Caverns, Big Trees State Park and Columbia State Park. Angels Camp Museum, Calaveras County Museum and Sonora Military Museum also provide great opportunities for learning interesting information about the area. Surrounding communities are popular vacation and retirement destinations and provide necessary services and shopping opportunities. Golfing, snow skiing, river rafting, commercial caves, historical railroad and Native American museums are close by as well.
Charges & Cancellations
All site changes and cancellations need to be done through the Recreation.gov website.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- RVs
- Tents
$22 / night
9. Pacheco State Park Campground
Hollister, California1 Review•6 Saves- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Equestrian
- Trash
- Toilets
- Alcohol
10. Sierra National Forest Summit Camp Campground
Fish Camp, California2 Reviews•4 Photos•47 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Reservable
- ADA Access
- Tents
- Group
Recent Equestrian Reviews in Merced
88 Reviews of 12 Merced Campgrounds
- K
Kevin T.
Guide
Goat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site
Ideal
Quite a large level area, though it was November and not peak season so there were loads of space. We pulled in and there were a couple of trailers with horses and a couple of other vehicles and we parked with loads of space between. When we left early in the morning a handful more of vehicles had joined.
Tyler S.Guide
Wildcat Campground — Point Reyes National Seashore
Hike-in Costal Camping
This is an awesome spot, the hike out was absolutely gorgeous. We accessed it from the Palomarin trailhead. Beware, the costal weather can be volatile and you could get flash rain. Also, I highly recommend planning your visit with the sunny weather because it’s easy to pick a day that has endless overcast here, and it’s just not quite as much fun.
Also be careful what campsite you reserve. Some are absolute gems off on the ocean bluff. Others are more inland and packed in
Nathan W.
TravelerGoat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site
Close, free, and beautiful
We got there at 5pm on a Sunday. Went all the way to the back and In my opinion got the best spot. We had plenty of trees around us for privacy and shade. Highly recommend if you’re trying to camp close to Yosemite without a reservation. Only downside were the mosquitoes were on another level. They turned off once it got dark though.
Brian and Janet S.Guide
Codorniz Campground
Not as advertised
No wifi, bathrooms did not have hot water.
Cool park with extremely friendly and helpful staff. Cannot say enough about the great park rangers and camp hosts.
There were people close by to us with several tents and campers in one spot, not sure how this is monitored.
Spotty T Mobile Service $32 per night
JJ D.GuideGoat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site
Free
A quiet, large space for setting up.
Vinny D.GuideGoat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site
Great spot, only down fall is the mosquitos!
This spot is great, right outside the YNP, but the mosquitos will suck ever last drop of blood out of you! This was the very back spot but also a quiet spot.
- Vinny D.Guide
Goat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site
Great spot
Got there late at night, around midnight. Had to find a spot but very quiet. Will stay there again!
Aidan D.GuideGoat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site
Decent spot
This is a good location right near the south entrance of the park, but still about an hour from the valley. It was a little crowded and pretty bumpy road to get into the sites. But it worked well for staying for the night.
- EEric W.
ScoutGoat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site
Love
It’s great
Caroline D.TravelerGoat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site
Great free camp at the exit of Yosemite park
Great location, close to Yosemite Park which allows you to sleep for free. the spot was clean, impressive camper vans were present and they were parked on the tarmac. lots of pitches, vans can be placed under the trees with the tents.
Erik J.GuideCodorniz Campground
Gorgeous setting and easy access
There are few gems along the Hwy 99 route between Sacramento and Bakersfield but this is definitely one of them! Located a short 20 miles east of 99, just north of Fresno, this Army Corps of Engineers campground is stunning. Situated among rolling hills that are luscious green in the spring, this campsite is quiet and packed full of things to do. Whether you want to bike, hike, fish, boat or just sit and enjoy the peace and quiet, this is the site for you!
We're dry camping at the Wildcat site which the ranger said is rarely used. There is no one else in the whole campground!
Coyotes howled in the distance last night and it was dead quiet. Going to take the road bike out today and explore some of the roads around the Lake. Lake is full after the 2023 season.
- ZZoe J.Traveler
Goat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site
Great quiet campsite
We stayed here when visiting Yosemite and it was a great location, easy to find in the dark, and quiet. Part of the road was closed due to the season but we were still able to find a spot and had the place to ourselves. No cell service, bathrooms, or clear fire pits but it didn’t bother us!
Amanda H.ScoutGoat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site
Perfect place to stop
Was a great place to stop so we could get an early start towards Yosemite. The stars were beautiful as there is almost no light pollution. There were a few others parked around the edge of the big lot and people were friendly. Easy to find. Will keep this spot saved. It was very cold, a bit icy in the morning the second week of November.
Samantha M.GuideGoat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site
As good as it gets
Stayed Saturday and Sunday. This is the most perfect dispersed camping in the area. Just a few minutes from Yosemite NP entrance. Spots are pretty obvious which is great. Some have fire pits already established by previous campers. There’s a huge pile of wood that’s great for your fire. There’s a large paved area for RVs as well. Everyone was respectful. Some arrived closer to 10pm and still found a spot. No problem with noise after 10pm.
Erich J.GuideGoat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site
Great stop!
Had a lovely evening here. Camp sites are clean and free of garbage. Spread out nicely to avoid any noisy neighbors. Beautiful way to start a cross country road trip.
Candy H.GuideCodorniz Campground
Very remote
It’s a quiet campground on a hill. You are at least 30 minutes from any stores. The lake is beautiful but the campsites with power and water do not give a view of the lake at all with the exception of 42. AT&T cell signal from 45 was non existent but T-mobile worked well enough to stream Netflix. I enjoyed my stay. Clean and the camp hosts were great.
- TTaylor A.Guide
Wildcat Campground — Point Reyes National Seashore
Oceanfront site worth the hike
A very cool spot for backpacking in with 6-8 miles to hike in, depending on the trails you take. The tall grass gave some privacy between neighboring campsites. Nice to have a water spigot on-site. Vault toilets with paper towel, no soap. Trash and recycling containers were handy. Just yards away from the beach. Just a reminder to cancel your reservation if you don’t plan to come, there were 2/8 sites not occupied on a Saturday that could have been used by someone who really wants to experience this great location.
NoSleep F.GuideGoat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site
Awesome spot
This spot is located right next to the snow play area. Just off to the right hand side of the road there is a dirt trail. I even saw some Camry and a Honda deep in the woods here. Once you go deeper then the road become more bumpy and a 4x4 might be more beneficial. We enjoyed this spot. No water bathrooms or trash.Thank you.
Jaime G.GuideGoat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site
Goat Meadow
First Dispersed camp site, arrived at 10pm and had no problem finding a camp site. It’s super dark so arriving early would hand been best. Great experience. Were several others camped out as well. Will stay again.
- SSusan Y.Guide
Glory Hole Recreation Area
Be prepared for the heat in summer
We were there for 1 night. The view at campsite 57 is gorgeous! However, be prepared for the heat. It can reach up to 110F in summer. It is toasting even with shade. Restroom and showers need maintenance.
Mandi W.GuideGoat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site
Peaceful
Stayed here on a Wednesday night, there were only a couple other people there and the sites are far apart so it felt private and very quiet. It was really hot during the day and chilly at night, probably 50°. Tons of firewood around. For RV camping there is a paved lot you can park in instead but definitely not as pretty. Pro tip- turn your vehicle off immediately upon entering your site because the exhaust attracted literal swarms of mosquitoes. Some spray, a fire and a thermocell remedies the problem quickly. Cell service was pretty good here (Verizon). It’s just a few minutes to get into the south entrance of Yosemite. Overall a really nice spot.
- LLogan R.Scout
Goat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site
Lots of room
Road getting there is pretty scary at night, but it’s super close to the park. There’s a parking lot to the left for rvs/vans and a dirt path that opens into an area for tents or any dispersed camping. We stayed in tents, there’s plenty of room to find a tent spot
No cell service
- CCaligo U.Scout
Goat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site
Great spot no service awesome get away
Great spot for overnight car camping, no service, plenty of firewood
- Haley M.Guide
Codorniz Campground
Clean and family friendly
We rented sites #10 & #11 for the weekend of 6/2-6/4/23. Sites #9-11 make up the cul-de-sac so it was great for our kids to ride their bikes and scooters. It would make the perfect group site as they were a bit tucked back from the other sites. Site #12 could easily be connected to site #11 as the brush is well-cleared between the two.
These are the closest sites to the water in the campground, but unfortunately water access is pretty limited (there’s a small trail that leads down to a rocky edge, but wouldn’t be great for small children). We drove to a beach area found about a mile up the road. There is also a day-use area across the lake with some good swimming sites.
The campground was very clean and had rangers and a sheriff patrolling regularly (but not bothersome).
There is a small pit toilet right next to site #12, but there are larger bathrooms up the road with flushing toilets and showers. There is also a nice playground for the kids too.
Unfortunately site #10 does not have a shade structure but #9 does, and #11 is well shaded by trees.
We had one raccoon visitor the first night (came out of the drainage pipe under site #12) but otherwise no other wildlife. We were warned that rattle snakes are out, but we were fortunate not to see any ourselves. There is also quite a bit of brush around the campsites so be aware if you bring dogs. They are supposed to be kept on leash at all times, but our lab just brushed by some of the weeds and was littered with foxtails. So just something to be cautious of.
Although we were disappointed with not having better water access, it really is a nice campsite overall if you’re okay with driving up the road to swim.
Courtney F.GuideGoat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site
Dry camping near Yosemite
Update 5/16: they removed the porta potties and its packed! Spots are few and far between in the lot. We ended up in paved lot due to a tree being down and blocking any access to the dispersed woods camping. They did clear it which was good because it has even very busy here with the NP closing 2 campgrounds. The spot is beautiful and super close to south entrance of the park (like 5 mins). There are trash and porta potties at thus location. Help clean up trash from snow play users so this site stays open.
- rryleeTraveler
Goat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site
Perfect pit stop
Literally right outside of Yosemite! There’s still a fair amount of snow outside so camp is basically a big parking lot with some porta-potties. Great for car camping at the moment, we arrived around dusk, parked, and slept with no problems.
Gary V.GuideCodorniz Campground
Codoriz campground
Our first time here, reservation required before showing up. This was the off season so everything was open and quiet. Nice bathrooms no charge. Playground for kids. They have full hook ups or you could do dry camping. Every camp has it own water so that was nice. Good price for $20
Guide to Merced
Horse camping in California offers a unique way to explore the state's stunning landscapes while enjoying the company of your equine friends. With a variety of campgrounds catering to horse enthusiasts, you can find the perfect spot to set up camp and ride the trails.
Equestrian campers like these nearby activities
- At Wildcat Campground — Point Reyes National Seashore, you can enjoy breathtaking coastal hikes that lead to stunning ocean views, perfect for both riders and hikers.
- Codorniz Campground offers access to fishing and boating, making it a great spot for families who want to mix equestrian activities with water sports.
- The Wawona Horse Campsites — Yosemite National Park provide direct access to numerous trails within the park, allowing for unforgettable rides through iconic landscapes.
Most campgrounds have horse-focused amenities like corrals
- Glory Hole Recreation Area features designated horse camping areas with picnic tables and fire rings, ensuring a comfortable stay for both you and your horse.
- At USBR Tuttletown Recreation Area Oak Knoll Group Site, you’ll find facilities that accommodate horses, including access to water and trails for riding.
- Sierra National Forest Summit Camp Campground allows for horse camping with ample space for setting up and enjoying the natural surroundings.
Campers appreciate these amenities for horses
- Woodward Reservoir offers full hookups and easy access to water, making it a convenient choice for horse campers looking for comfort.
- Modesto Reservoir provides a variety of camping styles, including options for horse camping, with nearby fishing and boating activities.
- Goat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site is a free option that allows for horse camping, offering a peaceful environment close to nature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Merced, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Merced, CA is Wildcat Campground — Point Reyes National Seashore with a 4.8-star rating from 14 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Merced, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 12 equestrian camping locations near Merced, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.