31 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Few campgrounds around Shaver Lake accommodate horses, with most requiring visitors to bring their own portable corrals or high-line equipment. The Forest Service dispersed camping areas throughout Sierra National Forest provide options for equestrians seeking trail access, though these primitive sites lack dedicated horse facilities. Campers report securing horses using high-lines between trees or portable electric corrals when staying overnight. Sample Meadow Campground allows horses but has no permanent corrals, requiring campers to bring containment systems. The primitive nature of these camping areas necessitates packing in water for horses or utilizing nearby creeks, which visitors note often run well into late summer.
Trail riders access the Kaiser Wilderness and surrounding national forest lands via several trailheads near Shaver Lake. Kaiser Pass Road provides access to multiple equestrian-friendly trails, though the road becomes increasingly narrow and challenging for horse trailers beyond certain points. The high elevation trails generally open from June through October, with significant snow limiting access in other months. Riders should check trail conditions with the Prather Ranger Station before traveling with horses, as recent forest fires have affected some areas. Trailer parking remains limited at most trailheads, and the steep terrain requires horses accustomed to mountain trails. Forest Service regulations require all feed brought into wilderness areas to be certified weed-free to protect native plant ecosystems.
"The site is pet friendly and has horse stables. Our neighbors were friendly and quiet. The site had a picnic table, fire pit, water spout and full electricity hook ups."
"Driving from the West toward Yosemite this location is one which will allow you to find a camping option before getting into the big crowds. "
from $41 - $43 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $41 - $43 / night
Check Availability"After accidentally driving to this location following the directions of another reviewer for the “Yosemite Boondocks” campground across 41 (which we never found) we were very happy with this location."
"Great spot about 5 minutes away from Yosemite entrance. Only a few other campers nearby but plenty of space to where they were only seen from a distance."
"I agree the road out is pretty scary I don't advise trailers but I have seen them while driving in. It is one lane and you must pull out for opposing traffic."
"Our campground was right next to the river, and hiking trails to lakes, meadows and hot springs run directly off of the campground. The host was wonderful, it was all around perfect."
from $37 - $78 / night
Check Availability"Typical California foothills hardpan and dead grass sites - large and able to accommodate very long combo rigs and have enough width to disconnect and park adjacent to the towable."
"There are many ways to arrive here, but the most direct and easiest is on California State Highway 180. The park is open, but the office is not, so it’s find a spot and check yourself in."
from $40 - $55 / night
Check Availability"Easy walk to campstore, post office, restaurant, and visitor center. Many trails close by. Very busy in summer. No reservations. Tent only loops available."
"Very quiet but some sledding and hiking activity close by. Sites are a little close to each other, but being so quiet it's not a big deal."
from $32 / night
Check Availability"It is a beautiful campground located off Kaiser Pass Road. Even in June there was so many wildflowers and vibrate green. There was bathrooms and each site had a picnic table, fire pit, and bear box."
"When I visited some people had buried human waste next to the campsite and I cleaned it up. Most easily accessed via Kaiser Pass. Be aware that the road is steep, narrow, and has blind corners."
"Thousand Island Lake is a trek to get to but once you get there, well you don’t really want to leave."
"Thousand Island Lake is a backcountry camping area located at 9,839 feet elevation in Ansel Adams Wilderness within the Inyo National Forest, California."
from $5 / night
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GuideGreat location right in the middle of Yosemite Valley. Great access to beautiful hikes and scenery. The camp sites are spacious. Because it's an equestrian campground, you will smell the horses and stables....be prepared. The river is close to the campgrounds and are refreshing on a hot day.
GuideI agree the road out is pretty scary I don't advise trailers but I have seen them while driving in. It is one lane and you must pull out for opposing traffic. But definitely one of my most favorite places in the Sierras. The views are amazing, I recommend giving yourself extra time to stop and get out for the views a few times on the way in.
Once in the campground/resort area there are two separate loops to camp in as well as cabins to rent and a small dispersed camping area there is also a general store, bath house, and small Cafe that are all seasonal since the road is closed most of the year. So open and close dates vary depending on snow. You can get firewood, drinking water at the store but it can be a little pricey, so I recommend bringing your own. The baths/showers are usually included for anyone paying for a campsite, but this may have changed. It is very cheap for day use persons to use the showers though. The sites are all very nice and surprisingly private though some are pretty close together. All provide a firepit, table, bear box, and parking space. I love that there are bear boxes at such a remote place! There are vault tiolets and dumpsters for trash. The river runs along one side of the campsites so about half of the sites are on the river. Bring extra bugspray for these sites as you are close to the water.
Most important if you made it this far reading 😅😂 there are multiple NATURAL HOT SPRINGS!! There are several different pools located across the river from the campgrounds. They are all over the hillside and range in temperature from lukewarm to bath water to Hot. They also pump the natural mineral water to the bathhouse for the showers! The springs are the main reason to come out and camp. There are also tons of hiking trails and other lakes in the area including 2 thermal lakes and tons of breathtaking views. I highly recommend this place. 🏞🏕
Also: I have not personally stayed in the cabins or dispersed camping area only the paid sites along the river, but I have been here several times and have seen them. There is also a corral area for horses so I'm not sure if that qualifies it as an equestrian camp but there is a spot for the horses.
TravelerIf you wanna get away and camp next to a river and down a trail and shoot your gun or go fishing you can freedom you can horseback ride if you have horses he can fish there are fish there trout it's beautiful peaceful.
TravelerThis campground is in the heart of Yosemite Valley. It is great to camp on the valley floor, especially during peak season as traffic from all main gates to the valley floor is very congested. There is a shuttle stop right outside the campground. You are also in easy walking distance to the path to Mirror Lake and the ever popular Mist Trail. Shuttle stops at all valley attractions and you can easily get to the Pizza Deck in Half Dome Village, the deli in Yosemite Village, and many different hiking trails. Some spots are right along the Merced River. No showers here, but hot showers are close by at Half Dome Village. We will be back!
LegendIt is hard to get a Camping spot in Yosemite but well worth it if you do. I got up early many a morning to try and get a day here or there for our summer trips out west. You can always try the daily lottery in the village office which we did one day. So Any campground in the valley is good and in close proximity to everything going on. This campground is located on the Merced river and is primitive. The horse stables are in this loop as well.There is a water station by entrance to fill up. No electric, sewer or shower. There are bathrooms with an outlet (Yea- can charge your Phone but get in line) You can bathe in river like I do or go to curry village and pay for a shower at housekeeping. You get a fire ring and a bear box at each site. Generator hours are limited so plan accordingly.
ScoutAlthough this campground is located in the midst of so much dramatic beauty, few campgrounds capture that beauty like this one. While sitting in your campsite, you can see majestic mountains and a very quiet. It is located across from horse stables if you like that and near a little store. Fishing appears to be the popular activity here although we are not fisher persons. It is a great base camp to all of the June Lake and Mammoth region
RangerThousand Island Lake is a trek to get to but once you get there, well you don’t really want to leave. This view is absolutely beautiful, and it changes rapidly with the rising and setting sun so make you have your camera ready for it. This is completely back country so you gotta pack it all in. There are some rules you have to follow while camping at this lake, 30 feet off of the trail and then another 100 feet away from the water. This can be hard to do as your camp may be on a slant or in the wide open, however you have plenty of space to choose from at this location. There is another rule about camping past a certain peninsula but from everyone we talked to they had no idea which peninsula the map was actually referring to, so you just walk past a couple of them and hope you’re in the right spot. The water is very cold but still feels great after a long hike all day.
There are multiple routes to getting to this lake, you can come. The John Muir trail and the PCT lead to this location, also Mammoth California has a trail that leads here as well. We even encountered mule train options on our way in if you prefer that type of transportation. But this is definitely somewhere you want to visit.
GuideWe were lucky to get 5 days in a row during 4th of July weekend in 2021 at one of the best sites within North Pines campground. We set up camp at site #515, we had a fire pit, bear locker, picnic table and two tents! Within walking distance is the edge of the Merced river, from there you have views of Yosemite Falls. One of my favorite activities was take a short walk with a floating tube from the campsite to the entrance of the campground and hop into the river float back down and get off near our campsite! Our site also offered a good amount of shade and was a short walk from the restrooms. We were surround amongst the giant granite cliffs. One of the best camping trips with great company. 10/10 would recommend.
TravelerAfter accidentally driving to this location following the directions of another reviewer for the “Yosemite Boondocks” campground across 41 (which we never found) we were very happy with this location.
First, to tell you how to properly get here and find all the spots, drive to the end of the road (don’t pay attention to the gate and “off road” dirt road you see to the left before the parking lot. Don’t go there. Go to just before the big Snow Play parking lot and head right through the dirt. There is no paved road but the area is flat and any car, truck or rv/trailer can make it back here easily. I got nervous at first about ability to turnaround so I parked prematurely near the entrance. Keep going and you’ll find at least 4 or 5 big private areas separated by huge cut logs all with plenty of room to turnaround and not have to back up.
If you’re nervous, we watched several cars, vans, and trailers camp overnight in the big paved parking lot right past this, and that’s fine, but you’re in a parking lot. Come out to the right and you’re in heaven.
We were the only RV here and had it to ourselves an entire week (granted it’s early November). Can’t beat the proximity to Yosemite south entrance.
Equestrian camping near Shaver Lake, California typically runs from late May through September when mountain passes are accessible. Most sites sit above 7,000 feet elevation, resulting in temperature drops to the 30s even during summer nights. The region offers multiple options for horse-friendly camping across the Sierra National Forest, with campsites ranging from primitive to those with basic amenities like vault toilets and bear boxes.
Trail riding near Mono Hot Springs: The area around Mono Hot Springs provides access to numerous riding trails. "The dispersed area is always open, though you need a 4WD to access. The scenery is great. Doris lake is pretty, with several cliffs to jump from ranging all sizes up to 60 feet," notes Chris M.
Mountain views from Kaiser Pass: Riders can access high-elevation vistas above 9,000 feet. "The road in was an adventure. The last 18 miles over Kaiser Pass took 1.5 hours. A sub-par road surface little bigger than one lane in many places made transit interesting. However, the views were incredible," reports Chris M.
Alpine lake destinations: Horseback riders enjoy trips to remote alpine lakes. At Fish Creek Campground, "I went here with my two kids and they loved playing in the creek. It doesn't have many amenities, but the space is nice with a fire pit and picnic table," shares Aya-Mei D.
Natural hot springs access: The geothermal features near Mono Hot Springs attract equestrians. "There are a dozen hot springs and mud baths peppered around a couple acres on the south side of a very pretty, clear, cold stream. Plenty of people fishing," explains Chris M.
Dispersed camping freedom: Many riders prefer the flexibility of dispersed sites. At Goat Meadow, "When you drive up to the snowplay area, continue straight off of the paved road (don't make the left) and you'll find a plethora of places to park and set up shop," advises Alexander Mark C.
Creek access for horses: Water sources for horses are highly valued. "The Forebay is stocked every year several times with fish. Campsites are on both sides there is a pit style toilet," notes Regina P. about Portal Forebay Campground.
Bear safety requirements: The Sierra National Forest enforces strict food storage rules. "This is active black bear country, so you must use approved bear canisters for food and odoriferous items (toothpaste, soap, lip balm, insect repellent, etc). Stiff fines by rangers await if you foolishly ignore this law," warns Dave V.
Seasonal road challenges: Mountain passes close during winter months. "Kaiser Pass was a bit of an adrenaline rush. It took 2 hours to drive 18 miles on a one lane road that is not in good repair. But WORTH it!" explains Chris M.
Limited facilities: Most horse camping areas have minimal amenities. At Sample Meadow Campground, "This campground has many spread out sites with one pit toilet. There is no water unless you use the creek," reports Collin.
Creek play areas: Children enjoy natural water features while parents tend horses. "The Campsites are far enough apart to feel like you are all alone in the woods! The Kaiser Creek provides hours of fun for the kids and you are close enough to trail heads for the adventure seekers in your group," shares Regina P.
Bear box availability: Secure food storage simplifies camping with children and animals. "It is a beautiful campground located off Kaiser Pass Road. Even in June there was so many wildflowers and vibrant green. There was bathrooms and each site had a picnic table, fire pit, and bear box," notes Darlene M.
Temperature preparation: Mountain elevations mean significant night cooling. "The road gets extremely cold at night so make sure to bring warm clothes and have a good tent and sleeping bag," advises Darlene M.
Access limitations: Large horse trailers face challenges on mountain roads. "The road getting there has tons of potholes and the road in the site is super super bumpy," warns Paige about Goat Meadow.
Seasonal closure awareness: Check opening dates for equestrian-suitable campgrounds. "The road is closed most of the year. So open and close dates vary depending on snow," notes Mollie M.
Campsite selection strategy: Choose sites that accommodate both rigs and horses. At Sequoia RV Park, "Lots of room to get around. Grassy large spots with full hook ups," reports Rick L., though you'll need to bring your own portable corral equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Shaver Lake, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Shaver Lake, CA is Sweetwater with a 4.2-star rating from 10 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Shaver Lake, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 31 equestrian camping locations near Shaver Lake, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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