Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park Campground
Malaney H.
Reviewed Apr. 14, 2018

Wild Horses!

I would say that most people who go camping like the outdoors and love the wildlife. Well I would say my favorite part was the wild horses that roamed the wetlands. I happened to go when there was a new born calf and oh my goodness was he cute! You can literally walk along the wetland trail and stand right next to a horse! They don"t approach you (and I wouldn't recommend doing so either) but it definitely got my blood pumping being next to such a majestic creature. Wild bison also roam the prairie, but I did not see any while I was there. The visitor center would have an update of what animals were viewed most recently and they had a variety of activities to do inside (for kids to!). I especially like the tower that looked over the wetlands.

The campsites were a good size however unlike a lot of places, you could not park your car directly in your site. There were 4-5 sites in a group and parking was in a "lot" of 7-8 spaces in front of the sites. This was a little inconvenient for unpacking and repacking purposes. Also, if you have a car tent (or sleep in your car), you would not have been able to use it because of this.

There were also good trails that went through the campground for hiking and biking (and like I mentioned above, a beautiful trail along the prairie. Dogs were not allowed on this trail). A nearby lake allowed for fishing and kayaking, canoeing and boating.

Month of VisitNovember
  • Review photo of Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park Campground by Malaney H., April 14, 2018
  • Review photo of Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park Campground by Malaney H., April 14, 2018
  • Review photo of Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park Campground by Malaney H., April 14, 2018
  • Review photo of Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park Campground by Malaney H., April 14, 2018
  • Review photo of Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park Campground by Malaney H., April 14, 2018