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Equestrian Camping near Piru, CA

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    Horse Flats Campground offers primitive camping in Angeles National Forest with accommodations for equestrians and their horses. Located at a higher elevation, this campground provides year-round access for tent and RV campers who bring horses for trail riding in the San Gabriel Mountains. The rustic campground includes toilets, picnic tables, and trash collection, but lacks drinking water for humans or horses—visitors must bring their own supply. Horse Flats permits fires in designated rings when fire restrictions aren't in place. Pet owners bringing both horses and dogs find the campground particularly accommodating, though nearby wildlife sightings require vigilance when animals are present.

    Musch Trail Camp in Topanga State Park connects to an extensive network of bridle trails ideal for day rides from the camping area. The hike-in nature of this camp limits accessibility to those willing to travel light with their horses on established trails. Basic amenities include vault toilets, picnic tables, and trash receptacles, though the absence of water hookups and electric service emphasizes its primitive character. Campers should note that alcohol and pets other than horses are prohibited at this location. The campground's proximity to Malibu and Los Angeles makes it popular for weekend equestrians seeking quick escapes without traveling far from urban areas, though advance planning is essential due to limited availability.

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    Best Equestrian Campgrounds near Piru (12)

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      1. Tapo Canyon Park

      4.1(12)8mi from PiruRVs, Tents

      "This is a very nice campground near everything but still away from it all. No issues parking our 42' 5th wheel here. Clean and quiet despite the peacocks. They can be rather loud when startled."

      "This campground happens to be very close to home so we went here to try out our brand new pull behind camper trailer for the very first time.
      The campground is small, quiet and very well-kept."

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      2. Malibu Creek State Park Campground

      4.2(43)22mi from Piru53 sitesRVs, Tents, Glamping

      "It is prime location for some great hiking and at night it is super quiet. There are restrooms and showers as well."

      "The grounds were beautiful and well maintained, the camp host super friendly and helpful, the bathrooms well positioned and clean, and the sites had shade and everything we needed."

      from $45 - $225 / night

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      3. Valencia Travel Village

      4.1(8)10mi from PiruRVs, Tents, Cabins

      "A little remote and you have to drive to the nearest town(s), but clean grounds and nice site. Very easy to book online.  The RV park is pretty large so it's a nice daily walk."

      "I didn’t actually stay here as I was looking for a tent camping spot, but I did drive around the facility and it was super clean and looked like a great spot if you’ve got an RV."

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      4. Musch Trail Camp — Topanga State Park

      4.6(5)24mi from PiruTents

      "If you want a longer hike you can hike up the East Topanga Fire Road and then drop down into Musch Camp on the Backbone Trail from Eagle Junction."

      "Although it’s not the most scenic campground itself, the state park has plenty of beauty to offer on its hiking trails. Not a single other party at the campsite on a Tuesday in September."

      from $7 / night

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      5. Halfmoon Campground

      5.0(2)23mi from PiruRVs, Tents

      "Coming from Frazier, CA I was able to access the camp site with a 2012 Chevy Equinox LS FWD (By no means an off-roading vehicle) and return back home with no issues."

      "Beautiful drive down grade valley to get to this awesome site. We were looking for a more remote place to camp and this site satisfied all our needs."

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      6. Reyes Creek Campground

      4.8(15)34mi from Piru27 sitesRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "It's about a 40 minute drive from the nearest town (and therefore the nearest gas station or market - plan ahead). There is no power, or water."

      "There is a bar at the campground entrance if that is your speed, but we took advantage of the winding creek side path behind site 18."

      from $30 - $154 / night

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      7. Holiday Group Campground

      4.0(1)28mi from Piru1 siteRVs, Tents, Cabins

      "They got a nice nature trail , this time there was decent size water flowing , got tables and bathrooms. There was a trail was had to much poison oak in the entrance we couldn’t enter."

      from $150 - $154 / night

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      8. Horse Flats Campground

      4.4(8)45mi from PiruRVs, Tents

      "Horse Flats is not as popular as Buckhorn, and is a little less "green" with regards to the immediate scenery. It is also quieter for this reason, which is nice."

      "We usually only see rangers come around in the morning. With that said, we still like Horse Flats because there is usually a spot or two open if we arrive on a Saturday."

      from $12 / night

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      9. Malibu Mountaintop Ocean View

      Be the first to review25mi from PiruTents

      from $100 / night

      10. Bear Canyon Campground

      4.7(3)40mi from PiruTents

      "But otherwise a great spot to spend a few summer days away from anyone not hale enough to trek in a few miles."

      "Crossing the tiny bridge at the west end of Switzer Picinic area(park up top during the weekdays, adds half a mile), you’ll see Switzer Trail Camp."

      Check Availability
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    Equestrian Camping Reviews near Piru, CA

    106 Reviews of 12 Piru Campgrounds

    • Erik M.
      Jan. 9, 2021

      Musch Trail Camp — Topanga State Park

      Easy Backpacking Trip in Los Angeles

      Musch Camp is an easy one mile hike from from the Trippet Ranch Parking Lot in Topanga State Park. If you want a longer hike you can hike up the East Topanga Fire Road and then drop down into Musch Camp on the Backbone Trail from Eagle Junction. This will add a few more miles to your hike and allow you to make a loop by hiking back to Trippet Ranch via the one mile Musch Trail.

      The cost is $7 per person per night. You can pay at the Entrance Station at the Trippet Ranch Parking Lot or the Iron Ranger at the camp. If you are parking your vehicle overnight in the parking lot please leave a note on your dashboard so that the Rangers are aware that you are camping at Musch Camp.

      The campground has around 6 campsites in two sections surrounded by fencing. Each site has a picnic table.  FIRES ARE NOT ALLOWED. There is also a restroom with flush toilets' and sinks as well as a water spigot. There are also horse corrals across the trail from the campground. Some of the sites have shade.

      There are meadows down the trail on either side of the campground. There is limited cell service at the campground.

    • Les R.The Dyrt PRO User
      Aug. 7, 2016

      Horse Flats Campground

      Standard, quiet campground

      Disregard the "closed for the season" post in the name - this campground is open.

      There are a few campgrounds in this area of the Angeles National Forest. Horse Flats is not as popular as Buckhorn, and is a little less "green" with regards to the immediate scenery. It is also quieter for this reason, which is nice. The individual sites are large and spread out from each other, so it is easy to have some privacy. Make sure to get food and firewood before you start the drive up the mountain, as there is no place to purchase such supplies near the camps.

    • Les R.The Dyrt PRO User
      Jul. 25, 2018

      Horse Flats Campground

      Ranger Review: Mountain House freeze dried meals at Horse Flats Campground

      Campground Review

      We come to this campground throughout the year, and its one of our favorite spots for summer camping when we're short on time. It's an hours drive from LA and because the campground is at elevation it stays cooler during the hot months. This is my third review for this campground, and one thing I will say that I've noticed over time is that as the popularity of the campground has increased, so has the noise. We've been kept awake by other campsites on three different occasions now. Part of the issue is that rangers aren't regularly monitoring in order to enforce the quiet hours. We usually only see rangers come around in the morning. With that said, we still like Horse Flats because there is usually a spot or two open if we arrive on a Saturday. Also, the sites are relatively well spread out compared to other SoCal camping options. And it's dog friendly, which is a must for us.

      Things to know before coming

      • bring all your water with you. There is no running water at this campground
      • purchase firewood before driving up the mountain. I've unfortunately seen too many campers collecting wood around the campground to use for fires. Don't do it! Different woods burn differently and also carry differently in smoke, and the Angeles National Forest is often at elevated fire danger levels
      • the drive from the base of the mountain to this campground is about 45 minutes. make sure you have enough gas and have a map / driving directions ready, because there is no cell phone service

      Things to do nearby

      • bouldering, just a short hike away. See more info on routes here
      • hike the Pacific Crest Trail to historic Glenwood Cabin. Here is the route I mapped out if you want to pick up the trail near Bandido campground. And here is more info on the cabin
      • take a scenic chair lift and play disc golf at Mt Waterman, a 10 minute drive away. More info here
      • Hike Rosenita Saddle to Mt Hillyer, see route here

      Product Review

      As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to test products to review for some of my camping trips. On this trip, we tested out two meals from Mountain House. (See my review of other meal options in my Meander Lake campground review). After cooking these pre-made camping meals, I may never go back! On this trip we had the Noodle with Chicken for dinner and Granola with Milk and Blueberries for breakfast. They were seriously DELICIOUS. Better than anything I can cook with my backcountry kitchen set-up. Here's what I love about these meals:

      • super great taste
      • quick to make. These meals are ready in 10 minutes or less, some are ready as soon as you add water. After a long day of climbing or hiking, or when you're waking up in the morning, it's so nice to have food ready so quickly
      • easy to make. Just add water (boiling, usually). This also means that all we need to pack is a Jetboil, which is so much more convenient than packing a stove, pots, cooking oil, ingredients, cutting boards, etc.
      • lightweight, and you can choose among packaging options for more compactness

      All in all, I'd say these meals are a game changer for short trips or backcountry camping , when you want to pack minimally. If you're doing a week of camping with easy access to your car, then these meals aren't necessarily your cheapest option for the whole week, but it's totally worth the money in terms of taste and convenience (so you can spend more time on other outdoor activities!).

      There are only two things I'd like to see change to further improve Mountain House meals. First, there are no vegan options, and very few vegetarian options. Second, I find the serving amounts to be unhelpful in their current format, because the calories per serving are so low. For example, with the Noodle with Chicken, the pouch says "2.5 services", but there are only 220 calories per serving. If this were your sole meal item for dinner, I'd say that more like 1 serving, especially if you're consuming these meals after a day of rock climbing or hiking. So if I meal plan with Mountain House pouches, you have to calculate servings based on the calories, rendering the "servings" as advertised uninformative.

    • Tony C.The Dyrt PRO User
      Jun. 24, 2019

      Henninger Flat - PERMANENTLY CLOSED

      Great local campsite

      I recently moved to WA from Los Angeles so this review is legit 😁 This was and still continues to be one of my favorite campsite close to Los Angeles, I have plenty of fond memories with close friends at this site. It’s completely exposed all the way to the top, a well worth 3 mile uphill hike to three different camp sites. My favorite is the middle site where you get a clear view of the city, beautiful views at night. They say there’s no water but there is, there’s a spout located by the restroom close to the museum, you’ll have to treat it before using (but don’t take my word for it, they tend to shut it off so take plenty of water for your time there and check it out if you need more) If you continue past the middle campsite to the upper site, you’ll have plenty of space for tents and hammocks just no view due to the trees on the edge. If you continue on that trail for another 3 miles i believe, you’ll get to idlehour campground. It’s a small site right next to a creek, you can continue on to Mt Lowe campground and inspiration point. Back to Henninger, plenty of trees for hammocks and sometimes they have firewood collected. At the museum you can buy soda cans so take some change. Hauling a 24 pack of cold Modelos in my pack was not fun at all, but boy did they taste good at the top hahaha. Bugs can get annoying so carry some bug spray, hang your food and PACK IT OUT!!! Leave no trace behind.

    • J
      Dec. 6, 2021

      Halfmoon Campground

      Beautiful Remote Campsite

      Spare of the moment trip idea lead me to finding this campsite. Coming from Frazier, CA I was able to access the camp site with a 2012 Chevy Equinox LS FWD (By no means an off-roading vehicle) and return back home with no issues. The drive down into the little valley is spectacular. There are few cool rock faces on the drive into camp which I had a great time doing some bouldering. The campground was shared by one other vehicle and it was fantastic. The site was pretty clean! Only found and picked up the usual (glass, caps, twist ties, styrofoam, toilet paper, etc.) There are a lot of trails near by and the scenery is pretty incredible.

    • Kate O.
      Jul. 18, 2018

      Horse Flats Campground

      Popular with Climbers

      Horse Flats is a popular campground deep in Angeles National Forest.

      There are a bunch of sites (more than 20) and there are vault toilets, fire pits, and picnic tables.

      $12 fee per site, not sure how many cars that means but you might need the adventure pass if you have a lot of other cars parking overnight.

      It's a great escape from the city, about an hour from DTLA. Popular with climbers as there's bouldering in the area.

      Know before you go - it's closed from November-ish to April-ish - so check the forest website before you head out there.

      When driving there, you take a left off the 2 and it's a little past Bandido Group site. Some people have a hard time finding it their first time going.

    • John Y.
      Aug. 16, 2019

      Reyes Creek Campground

      Off The Grid

      I prefer primitive or dispersed camping because I usually like as much privacy as I can get when I'm camping, but with current fire restrictions I was limited to developed campsites if I wanted a campfire (and what's the point of camping without a campfire?). I was also planning the trip on short notice, so developed, reserveable campsites were in short supply. Then I found Reyes Creek.

      The campground is very isolated. It's about a 40 minute drive from the nearest town (and therefore the nearest gas station or market - plan ahead). There is no power, or water. There's no cell service in the camp, but a 5 minute drive up the mountain there's a dirt lot they call the 'phone booth' that gets decent reception. The camp hosts were super friendly and helpful. There are 2 loops for campsites - the center of the main loop seemed pretty flat, but all the sites were visible to your neighbors. Sites on the outside of the main loop offered more privacy, but most appeared to not be very level, and not necessarily well laid out. I stayed in site 11 on the outside of the loop which was large and fairly quiet, but my 6 person tent just barely fit in between some trees which offered some shade and was only on a slight angle. The one downside was the bathrooms - vault toilets that varied in condition, but none that I used were particularly good. If bathroom condition is a major sticking point with you, you may want to look elsewhere.

      As an added bonus, as isolated as the place is, right outside the entrance to the campground is a bar & grill called the Camp Scheideck Lodge. They have a full bar and great food (and the customer-only bathroom is a great step up from the campground). It just changed owners last month (second time in a couple years) and the new owner, Devin, is friendly and welcoming.

      The temperature varies greatly from day to night (90's to 50's when I was there) and there are bugs a plenty, so bring repellant. Firewood is available at the camp, and ice is available at the lodge.

      So if you want a little isolation with privacy, a campfire, and a friendly bar within walking distance, this place is for you. I'll definitely be coming back.

    • Adriela A.
      May. 7, 2019

      Reyes Creek Campground

      Relaxation readily available

      This site is highly accessible but still felt local and gives a great mixture of relaxation and creature comforts. There is a bar at the campground entrance if that is your speed, but we took advantage of the winding creek side path behind site 18. Our fellow campers were very respectful and the grounds were tidy.

    • Antonio C.
      Oct. 2, 2019

      Halfmoon Campground

      Nice and lonesome

      Beautiful drive down grade valley to get to this awesome site. We were looking for a more remote place to camp and this site satisfied all our needs. We were the only ones there and the scenery was pleasing. There is access to some nice hiking trails of Los Padres National Forest. There was some water still available in the nearby creek.

    Guide to Piru

    Equestrian camping near Piru, California offers access to high-desert terrain at elevations ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 feet. Angeles National Forest and Los Padres National Forest provide most camping options, with seasonal creek access varying dramatically between winter and summer months. Fire restrictions are common during dry seasons, when temperatures can exceed 90°F during summer days and drop below 40°F at night.

    What to do

    Archery practice: Tapo Canyon Park offers weekend archery lessons. "There is archery with lessons for kids on the weekends. Very fun! If you are new to RV camping, it's a good place to practice," explains one camper at Tapo Canyon Park.

    Creek exploration: Follow seasonal waterways through shaded canyons. "Follow the creek (which is GORGEOUS with waterfalls and shade in the spring) and go all the way to the end. Trail tends to get iffy at points, but you kinda get to know the flow of it if it disappears into rocks," notes a visitor to Bear Canyon Campground.

    Wilderness hiking: Access multiple trail systems from remote camping areas. "There are a lot of trails near by and the scenery is pretty incredible," reports a visitor at Halfmoon Campground. The campground connects to Los Padres National Forest trail networks.

    What campers like

    Water features: Many campgrounds offer creek access during spring months. "Beautiful creeks & hikes, cute abandoned town for a photo opp and awesome camp host. We ended up in group site 1 due to Covid they can't have big groups and it was spacious and great for our doggos," writes a camper about Reyes Creek Campground.

    Stargazing opportunities: Higher elevation campgrounds provide excellent night sky viewing. "Sleeping with a completely open tent and viewing the night sky was amazing. Moon lit the entire mountain up," reports a visitor to Horse Flats Campground.

    Cell service limitations: Many campers appreciate the disconnected experience. "No Wi-Fi here and as best we could tell, no cellular signal for any provider. Go here to relax and disconnect! We loved it," explains a Tapo Canyon Park visitor.

    What you should know

    Water availability: Many campgrounds lack potable water. "Bring all your water with you. There is no running water at this campground," warns a Horse Flats visitor. Check current conditions before arrival.

    Fire restrictions: Regulations change seasonally and vary by location. "Fires are not allowed," notes a reviewer at Musch Trail Camp. Many campgrounds require contained fires in established rings only.

    Wildlife awareness: Mountain lions and rattlesnakes inhabit the region. "Mountain lions were spotted while there," cautions an RVer at Tapo Canyon Park. Rattlesnake warnings are posted at many campgrounds.

    Tips for camping with families

    Playground access: Some campgrounds feature child-friendly amenities. "The campground has a lush grass area and nice covered playground. The showers and bathrooms are nice," notes a Tapo Canyon Park visitor.

    Creek exploration safety: Supervise children near seasonal waterways. "The creek made it really fun for the kids and adults too and the little ghost town at the entrance makes an ideal photo op for the kids," reports a Reyes Creek camper.

    Educational opportunities: Regional parks offer learning experiences. "The state park is a former movie set and is filled with easily accessible trails for hiking and some for mountain biking," explains a visitor at Malibu Creek State Park Campground.

    Tips from RVers

    Size limitations: Many forest service roads restrict larger vehicles. "Best for tents, tight for RVs," notes a visitor to Malibu Creek State Park. Most equestrian-focused campgrounds accommodate mid-size trailers but not large motorhomes.

    Full hookup availability: Limited at most locations. "Full hook ups. 15, 30, 50 amp electrical, water, sewer, but no phone or internet. That's the best part. Good place to disconnect and listen to nature," reports a visitor to Tapo Canyon Park.

    Site leveling challenges: Primitive campgrounds often feature uneven terrain. "Sites on the outside of the main loop offered more privacy, but most appeared to not be very level, and not necessarily well laid out," explains a Reyes Creek visitor.

    Frequently Asked Questions

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

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Piru, CA is Tapo Canyon Park with a 4.1-star rating from 12 reviews.

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

    TheDyrt.com has all 12 equestrian camping locations near Piru, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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