Wolf Creek State Park offers equestrian camping with 13 dedicated sites and additional trailer parking for 6 more rigs with tie-out posts for day riders. The park features several miles of horse trails set apart from hiking trails and other camping areas. Ramsey Lake State Recreation Area also provides horse camping, though the equestrian sites lack electricity. Both parks maintain water access and toilet facilities near the horse camping areas. The trails at Ramsey Lake are wide and well-maintained, though some visitors note they aren't marked particularly well. Wolf Creek's equestrian area is completely separate from the main campground, providing a more specialized experience for horse campers.
The horse trails at Wolf Creek connect to a comprehensive trail system maintained by the US Corps of Engineers. Riders can access multiple trail options directly from the equestrian camping area without crossing main roads or public areas. Fall camping, particularly October when leaves are changing colors, offers the best riding experience according to regular visitors. Equestrians should note that Wolf Creek's horse camp requires campers to actually bring horses - this policy is strictly enforced, especially during busy holiday weekends. Reservations are recommended for both parks, particularly during peak seasons when equestrian sites fill quickly. The parks accommodate various camping styles, from primitive tent camping to RVs, though hookup availability varies between the equestrian camping areas.
"The park is reasonable priced, beautiful surrounding and friendly staff. Would definitely come again. The only downside is that it’s somewhat far from supply stores"
"Shut down some karaoke party in a loop around 9pm. Will go back."
"These walk in sites check all the boxes. At the western part of the RV loop, is a peninsula of primitive tent camping spots to choose from. "
"Lots of trails, Lake Sangchris is very close by for fishing & kayaking. Quiet campground; great place to unwind."
"The park is huge and is one of the only state park's in Illinois with horse camping and horse trails."
"Lots of equestrian parking and camping flush toilets neat trails very swell nice better if s en during the fall. Fishing and boatibg here as well."
"Most of the sites are large and a good distance from the next one. Shower house is alright. The store/restaurant has been closed for a year or two now because of the Illinois budget."
"It's a small campground that offers a playground,bathhouse, hiking trails, and a small swimming area. There is easy access walking down to the marina. With small towns close to this state park."
"We were in the equestrian campground due to our 73 foot overall length. It was a great stay for visiting family. There are a lot of outdoor activities at the lake area, but no pool."
"It is directly on Carlyle Lake, ,the largest lake in Illinois. It has activities for children on the weekends."
"Right next to the marina and with many sites right on the lake, you can’t go wrong here."
from $30 / night
"The primitive sites were perfectly quiet and away from others. Toilet was close and so was parking. I kind of miss tent camping!!!"
"Bathrooms are basic and in the front of the camp loops so you have a walk if you stay in the back like I did. Also, water is in the center of the loop so not very convenient. "
"As mentioned, only well water available on the campgrounds here, however you still have access to amenities available at hickory point just a short drive away."
"The showers are at the Hickory Point campground (just a minute or two drive) and available for use with the Deer Run camp sites as well."
"But a beautiful lake and campground."
TravelerCamp Host is very friendly and brought firewood to our site. Bath/shower house was clean. We were in the equestrian campground due to our 73 foot overall length. It was a great stay for visiting family. There are a lot of outdoor activities at the lake area, but no pool.
TravelerThe campsite is nice plenty of spaces spaced out nicely, but there’s absolutely no signage. took us forever to decide where we could park and what to do. tiny little sign on the Rangers house. Led us to a website and then charged us $50. Not what we were expecting. Plan ahead on this one.
ScoutThis campground is primarily for RVs and people with boats, given the lake nearby. There are five tent sites set back into the trees a bit. They are nicely laid out. There are a couple of picnic sites on the lake that are pleasant. What it needs for TLC is give the pit toilets a rehab. The one I used was filthy and the throne was almost completely unbolted. The water pump by the tent sites is inoperative and there seems to be only one location where one works, so you have to use your car to get water. It doesn't have showers but you can use one at a nearby campground if you really need. Bottom line: fix the toilets and water and I'd give this a four.
RangerOur campsite was the best! At the end of the road with lake frontage, it was quiet, private and relaxing. Cell service with AT&T was weak with 1 bar. Vault toilet nearby with very clean showers about 500 yds away. Great host!
ScoutCampground host is super cool. Best campground in the Springfield area, in my opinion!
ScoutThis is the bigger campground between hickory point and deer run options. The shower house, snack shop, and city water are onsite. There are vault toilets near the primitive camping, as well as another water spigot. Playground, pavillion, and sand volleyball court give options to entertain kids, with plenty of fishing, trails, and lake views to entertain the adults. We primitive camped here at the closest site to the parking. #57 is the closest, with the rest of the primitive sites being more of a trek to the site. However, the privacy, quietness, and views are 100% worth the trek to us. We did camp with a doggo, who does bark at passerby’s that are “too close” in her opinion but otherwise doesn’t. All the campers during our stay except for one very disruptive couple, did not complain at all and many came to give her loves or treats to help prevent further barking when they passed by. And honestly, the couple that did make the comment, clearly need to be at different campgrounds because the host had to come break them up after quiet hours began and they didn’t respect that rule. We also then were woken up by the same couple as they were packing up the next morning due to them yelling at each other. The hosts did try to make sure they slowed down while passing this site though, and I do believe if we had made some sort of complaint to them, they would have handled it immediately. We love this campground, and honestly we feel as if anywhere there are rvs allowed, you will likely have someone make a comment about the dog. It’s never been other tent campers, even the ones on electric sites. The snack shop has ice (currently $3 even a bag, with hosts including tax in the $3 to make it easier for campers), firewood bundles (not sure on price) as well as many smaller campground necessities including snacks and drinks, some fishing tackle, and some other camping things such as bug spray and sunblock. I did not check any prices on those. There is technically a bait shop also nearby, though between two longer stays here and at deer run, we’ve only seen him open once. And according to one of the hosts, he doesn’t seem to have “regular hours” other than he’s for sure closed Sundays and Mondays. The following Tuesday after learning this, he was also closed all day. So I’m not sure about anything there. He does also have an ice machine outside though.
ScoutCouple camping here, spent multiple nights in a row in primitive camping here. As mentioned, only well water available on the campgrounds here, however you still have access to amenities available at hickory point just a short drive away. Shower house and city water available that way. Playground for kiddos on site. Lots of people bring pets, including equestrian for those campsite. Those do include the post to tie up on at each site. The hosts (bob and dawn were really checking in on us that stay, including being able to help when we accidentally killed our car battery. They also made thorough and consistent rounds which we appreciated. Also had Lynn, one of the idnr guys here, come back at the end of his shift to make sure we had learned about the storms coming in. He even checked in again the next chance he got to make sure we were okay still. We did end up leaving early, to which there is not refunds (I think this is state parks in general) however at $6 a night for primitive, we took that loss especially during an extreme heat warning (for multiple days). If you want a quieter campsite, I would recommend this one over hickory point as hickory point seems to be more RVers instead of the more primitive style of camping tends to be.
RangerRolled in on a July Saturday at 6:30pm. There are hundreds of sites at this campground and so many were still open. Was looking for a Class C site (I.e. rustic site, no hookups). Chatted with camp hosts « papa Bruce » and « grandma sugar burger » They were so sweet and accommodating. For same day, it’s first come first serve so bring cash - you can online pay with a card online 3 days minimum before. 8$ Class C and 20$ Class A (hookup). Dump station and water and trash receptacles. Lots of hiking trails and eating activities - sadly we didn’t have time to explore.
TravelerWe've stayed at Hickory Point before, but this was our first time at Deer Run. It has not disappointed! The primitive sites (there are 5 with no electric or water hookups) are off set in the back of the campground, providing privacy and quiet, which is what we were going for this time. The primitive sites without electric or water are $6 a night, and you can for pay up to 14 nights at a time. There are electric and water hook up sites for $8 a night, they just aren't as private but still lovely! The showers are at the Hickory Point campground (just a minute or two drive) and available for use with the Deer Run camp sites as well. There are well water spigots at Dee Run and Hickory Point, but the city water spigot is at Hickory Point only. It rained quite a bit our first two nights here, but there are so many trees covering the primitive sites you couldn't really feel it until it was thunder storming. We stayed nice and dry inside the tent. There are a LOT of sassy raccoons who will still your food - and the containers that never had food in them in fact- as well waking up to crows cawing every morning- may not be everyone's thing, but I sure enjoy that aspect. The hosts are fantastic and make rounds every 2-3 hours each day, anything we've needed they e been able to help with or point us in the direction to go next. Great campground to stay at, whether for a night or a week, no complaints here thus far!
Equestrian campgrounds near Ramsey, Illinois offer trail access and specialized facilities for those traveling with horses. Lake Shelbyville borders the region with 11,100 acres of water surrounded by hardwood forests. Camping options include electric and primitive sites, with horse-specific amenities varying between parks.
Fishing access: Lake Shelbyville: Clean bathhouse facilities complement the fishing opportunities. "The sites were clean and the fireplace was clean and ready. Camp host were once again very helpful and polite," notes a visitor to Sangchris Lake State Park Campground.
Shoreline exploration: Carlyle Lake: Dam West Spillway offers direct lake access with beach areas within walking distance. "Had a lake front site with beachfront access. It was flat ground, everyone was so nice and it was so clean and the area was lovely," reports a camper.
Trail hiking: Sangchris Lake: The park features multiple trails through wooded areas. Some visitors note trail maintenance can be inconsistent: "The only reason I am giving 4 stars is the fact that the trails and bridges were in horrible condition. It was heartbreaking to see them in this condition as I've walked them since a child."
Swimming: Dam West: Within walking distance of most campsites, the beach provides summer recreation. "There is a beach very near the campground that is within walking distance. There are also pools located near to the campground that can be used by the public."
Spacious sites: Dam West Spillway: The campground offers large sites with natural features. "Big, spacious campsites with really pretty, big trees for lots of shade. The bathroom and shower facilities are FABULOUS, and super clean," notes a reviewer at Dam West Spillway.
Quiet atmosphere: Wolf Creek State Park: Weekday stays provide the most solitude. "We were at campsite 18 and it was about 10 min hike down over there. Beautiful and big! Maybe good swimming I would assume? Too late in the year for us," shares a camper from their October visit.
Clean facilities: Stephen A. Forbes Recreation Area: Regular maintenance keeps amenities in good condition. "This state park is a basic but nice state park facility. The tent sites were basic but fairly level and clean. Most of the sites had fire pits and picnic table. The bathrooms were big and clean."
Equestrian amenities: Deer Run Campground: Horse owners appreciate the dedicated spaces. "The sites were large and the primitive sites at the back were incredibly beautiful! The prices were very low," comments a satisfied visitor to Deer Run Campground — Sangchris Lake State Park.
Reservation options: Many campgrounds offer both reservation and first-come-first-served sites. At Wolf Creek State Park Campground, "You can reserve spots online in advance but clearly we did not because we didn't know we'd be headed there. Same day is first come first serve."
Wildlife presence: Take precautions with food storage. "Raccoons are really brave and are not afraid of humans. They know how to rip open a tent for food. Nothing is safe here. But a beautiful lake and campground," warns a visitor to Whitley Creek.
Weather considerations: Spring camping can bring unpredictable conditions. "Went in late April and had a good time with not ideal weather. Kid had a blast at playground with other kids," shares a camper at Ramsey Lake State Recreation Area.
Horse regulations: Each equestrian campground enforces specific rules. Ramsey Lake offers equestrian sites but lacks electricity according to visitors, while other areas have stricter policies about actually bringing horses to equestrian-designated sites.
Playground access: Multiple campgrounds offer playground equipment. "The park is reasonable priced, beautiful surrounding and friendly staff. Would definitely come again. The only downside is that it's somewhat far from supply stores," notes a camper at Ramsey Lake State Recreation Area.
Educational opportunities: Ranger programs operate seasonally. "They have activities for children on the weekends. The campsites have sewer and water on some sites, as well as other sites with electricity available," mentions a Dam West visitor.
Fishing with kids: Lake access points make fishing accessible for children. "This is a great little place to go fishing and just spend some time relaxing. Deer Run is mostly trailers and RVs, but can easily accommodate tent campers, and is less crowded than Hickory Point."
Swimming safety: Beach areas vary in maintenance. "The beach was small and also not well kept. I only saw one hiking trail. Many of the other campers had boats, so I guess it might be a good place to stay if you're a boater."
Hookup availability: Electric is standard but water access varies. At Sangchris Lake State Park Hickory Point, "Electric only but water available and nice dump station. All sites at Hickory Point very close to lake. Several fishing docks in campground."
Site leveling: Many campgrounds have mixed reviews on site leveling. "I was surprised when I arrived that there wasn't a ranger, host, or campground office to check in with. There was a self registration kiosk on the site that was supposed to be the host."
Water access distance: Water spigots can be distant from sites. "Nice park, spacious sites, bring plenty of water hose. The water faucets for fill up can be a bit far away. Shower house was older but was heated and water was hot. Definitely will be back again."
Supply considerations: Isolated locations mean limited access to stores. "The park is reasonable priced, beautiful surrounding and friendly staff. Would definitely come again. The only downside is that it's somewhat far from supply stores."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Ramsey, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Ramsey, IL is Ramsey Lake State Recreation Area with a 4.3-star rating from 4 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Ramsey, IL?
TheDyrt.com has all 9 equestrian camping locations near Ramsey, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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