Hermit Park Open Space features three distinct campgrounds serving different visitor needs. Kruger Equestrian Campground accommodates horse owners with sites designed for trailers and trail access. The campground connects directly to trail systems, allowing riders to explore directly from their campsites without relocating their horses. The area's elevation ranges from 7,880-8,964 feet, creating varied terrain for riders with different experience levels.
What to do
Trail riding from camp: At Terry Bison Ranch, visitors can experience unique riding opportunities. "Horse drawn wagon ride to senator steak house. Omg absolutely fresh and delicious meal," notes Victoria G., highlighting the ranch's dining options for riders.
Wildlife viewing: The open spaces near Curt Gowdy State Park Campground offer excellent wildlife spotting. "Every morning a little fawn would come up out of and sniff around," writes Jennifer G., describing the regular wildlife visits to camping areas.
Mountain biking: Several networks of trails near Ault accommodate various skill levels. "Lots of trails for hiking and biking in the park," states Hannah F. about Hermits Hollow Campground, noting the convenient trail access from camping areas.
What campers like
Spacious sites: Equestrian campers appreciate well-designed spaces. "RV site not level at all. Picnic table covered in bird poop, tree branches hanging low our TT barely fit under them," warns Chris M. about Fort Collins North-Wellington KOA, highlighting site conditions that can affect large rigs with horse trailers.
Trail access: Direct connections to riding trails rank high among equestrian visitors. "Our site was a nice size and felt private enough despite somewhat close neighbors. Good balance of shady spots and sunny spots," reports Lisa about Bobcat Campground, noting the terrain features that provide privacy between sites.
Clean facilities: Horse owners value well-maintained amenities. "The vault toilets were the cleanest we have ever seen!" exclaims Shana D., appreciating the maintenance standards at Bobcat Campground despite the primitive facilities.
What you should know
Reservation requirements: Equestrian sites fill quickly during peak seasons. "Sites are very hard to get your unit level. Very high price for no hookups," notes Pat about Bobcat Campground, highlighting pricing considerations for horse camping.
Road conditions: Access to some equestrian sites requires navigating challenging roads. "The road in is a bit narrow so if you have a trailer/RV over 30-35 feet, it'll be tight. With that being said, I pulled my 30 foot trailer with no problems.... just go slow," advises Nathan P. about maneuvering larger rigs to Bobcat Campground.
Wildlife awareness: Horse owners must prepare for wildlife encounters. "After driving for nearly 4hrs to find a spot in any of the first come first serve camp grounds up Poudre Canyon we started to head home only to pull into Pingree Park for one last cry for help... we stumbled upon Jack's Gulch," shares Lara B., adding "some coyotes at night definitely woke us up! I don't believe they made it to the campsite but they were close."
Tips for camping with families
Bear safety training: Equestrian sites require proper food storage. "You must first stop at the base to check in this is where very friedly people checked us in explained the bear behavior and bear safty. The site have bear boxes," reports David L. from Kruger Equestrian Campground.
Kid-friendly trails: Families appreciate accessible riding paths. "There is a great hike up to the top of kruger rock thats not to hard," adds David L., noting terrain suitable for various ages.
Weather preparation: Mountain conditions can change rapidly. "The wind gusts must have been close to 60mph!" mentions Joey P. about Bobcat Campground, emphasizing the need for secure horse containment in variable weather.
Tips from RVers
Site selection for horse trailers: "We stayed at site B32 (bobcat campground). Access in our pop up was easy (a tad bumpy in spots), but I think some of turns and narrow roads might be tricky for bigger trailers," advises Lisa, highlighting navigation considerations for combined rigs.
Hookup options: Electric availability varies between equestrian sites. "We were extremely happy to find a site on Labor Day wkend with full hookups," shares Steve G. about Fort Collins North-Wellington KOA, though noting "there is a very large feedlot just down the road & if wind is in the wrong direction you will have odor & flies."
Dump station access: Plan for waste management needs. "They do charge an additional $15 to use the dump station. That felt like a rip off considering what we already paid to stay here with no services," warns Shana D. about Bobcat Campground.