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Equestrian Camping near Golconda, IL

22 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.

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    SUMMARY PRESENTED BYT-Mobile

    Hayes Canyon Campground features horse corrals and direct access to Shawnee National Forest trails. The campground accommodates both tent campers and RV users with several amenities including electric hookups, water, shower facilities, and sewer connections. Horse owners find adequately sized corrals for their animals with convenient access to riding areas. The campground maintains a rating of 5 stars from visitors who appreciate the well-maintained trails and maps available on site. A camp store provides basic supplies for both horses and riders. The campground offers cabin options for those preferring indoor accommodations while still having horse facilities nearby. The Dyrt provides user ratings for locations near Golconda, Illinois.

    Trails accessible from the Hayes Canyon area connect to extensive riding networks throughout the Shawnee National Forest region. High Knob Campgrounds, located in the same forest system, caters specifically to equestrians with trails marked for horse traffic. The campground includes stalls described as nice and safe by regular visitors. Multiple trailheads provide various route options for riders of different experience levels. Maps available at the campgrounds help navigate the extensive trail system, though some trails need better markings according to experienced riders. The campgrounds in this region allow horseback access to scenic areas including rocky, cliffy terrain and connections to the River to River trail. Groups can use these facilities as staging areas or base camps for longer riding excursions throughout the forest.

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    Best Equestrian Campgrounds near Golconda (22)

    Filters    Tent onlyRVDispersedCabinGlampingPetsEquestrian

      1. Shawnee Forest Campground

      4.5(37)21mi from GolcondaRVs, Tents, Glamping

      "We followed our GPS to the clearly marked CG entrance but our GPS showed we still had about a half mile to go."

      "Super friendly camp host, conveniently located off the interstate and feels pretty secure and tranquil. I will say some of the gravel was washed out which is surprising given how dry it’s been."

      from $40 / night

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      2. Little Lusk Trail Lodge & Campground

      4.0(4)15mi from GolcondaRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "Little Lusk is the most Spacious and beautiful equestrian campground in southern IL.    Bring your horses, or just come and camp and stay in the lodge. "

      "There are horses on the property, and it’s very cheap for tent camping. The staff was amazing. She showed us around with her 4x4 the whole property, the horses, and the pony or a donkey."

      from $30 / night

      3. Bear Branch Campground

      3.0(2)11mi from GolcondaRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "Under new ownership buy many cabins from 40 a night on up nice shower houses electric sewer and water at a lot of sites great trails well marked maps available stalls available store and restaurant to"

      from $30 - $200 / night

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      4. Hayes Canyon Campground

      5.0(1)12mi from GolcondaRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "A luxurious crowded but nice campsites older stalls cabins available great trails and maps available store and cowboy church. Permanent sites available"

      from $15 - $32 / night

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      5. Camp Cadiz Campground

      4.7(6)20mi from GolcondaTents

      "On a gravel road, in the back country like most everything else on this side of Illinois , fill your gas tank up and your food locker or you will be driving back out a ways to refill. "

      "It's super quiet despite the gravel road nearby. The vault restroom is kept very clean. It has easy access to the River to River trail, and I love the CCC stonework."

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      6. Canal Campground- Lake Barkley COE

      4.5(24)30mi from Golconda115 sitesRVs, Tents, Glamping

      "Right outside Grand Rivers , Ky and along the canal that connects the two lakes. Reserve WAY ahead if you want one of the premium sites."

      "Stayed at site 77, which was next to the lake with great views. Staff was friendly and the facilities were clean. Close to Grand Rivers, which has a grocery store and some restaurants."

      from $20 - $256 / night

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      7. High Knob Campgrounds

      3.3(4)19mi from GolcondaRVs

      "deffinitly caters to equestrians, my only complaint is the shower houses. The potty area is clean but showers are usually kinda gross."

      "High Knob is a Horse campground in Shawnee National Forest near Garden of the Gods off Il1. The entire area has extensive trails through some awesome, hilly, rocky, cliffy areas."

      Check Availability

      8. Deer Ridge Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park

      4.3(16)29mi from GolcondaRVs, Tents

      "Ferne Cliffe State Park is situated in the Shawnee National Forest, in the southern part of Illinois."

      "Dog friendly, pretty well spaced out campsites but some are used as paths with to get to farther back campsites. Good set up, not too close to neighbors and it’s heavily wooded in between."

      Check Availability

      9. Dutchman Lake Camp

      4.7(7)25mi from GolcondaTents

      "We pulled in around midnight and left at 8 am."

      "It’s off the highway down Amish/Dutch country. It has a maintained gravel road beautiful lake and in June it’s covered with lightening bugs. Lots of wild flowers and the sunset- WOW!"

      10. Double M Campground

      5.0(1)22mi from GolcondaRVs, Tents, Cabins
      Check Availability
    View all 22 campgrounds

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    Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near Golconda, IL

    3 Photos of 22 Golconda Campgrounds

    Equestrian Camping Reviews near Golconda, IL

    203 Reviews of 22 Golconda Campgrounds

    • Michael M.
      Oct. 23, 2017

      Giant City State Park Campground

      Campground Improving in 2017

      There are currently 25 equestrian camp sites in this park in a different area than the normal RV and Tent campground. The campground is being upgraded this year in which I belive they are adding 50 amp full service to many of the electric only sites. There is currently walk in only unless you are reserving a horse camp. There are fantastic hiking trails and equestrian trails here and you would think you are in the mountains here. The geology is much like the Missouri area near the other bank of the Mississippi river. I have tent camped here and camped in a pop-up camper in the fall both times. Hiking is the best activity here unless you ride horses and that is great here too. This one and Wolf Creek on Lake Shelbyville are the best parks in Illinois for horse trails.

    • d
      May. 29, 2019

      Little Lusk Trail Lodge & Campground

      A beautiful equestrian lodge and campground. Ride out of several trail hea

      Address: 50 Barger Rd, Stonefort, IL.

      Little Lusk is the most Spacious and beautiful equestrian campground in southern IL.    Bring your horses, or just come and camp and stay in the lodge.  Ride or hike in the beautiful Shawnee National Forest.  Campsites are spacious and can accommodate very large rigs. High lines behind sites.  Stalls can be reserved. some sites are full hookup. Primitive camping also available.  CALL them for more info at 270-205-7138.  Arena and huge event barn on site. Event barn can be reserved for weddings.  Numerous sites have electric and water.  They have a Facebook page with numerous photos.

    • Myron C.The Dyrt PRO User
      Jun. 15, 2019

      Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park

      Campground with a Lot of Activities but Doesn't Feel like a Gated Community

      Pennyrile Forest State Park was a pleasant surprise, especially compared to the many state parks I visited in my earlier years in North Carolina. However, when you reserve your site make sure you ask about the specific site’s terrain. Site 48, where I was, was sloped with no grass and had just been repaired. There were a lot of grassy sites, and they were much better. When I talked to the campground host, he was very pleasant and explained that you do not have to have a horse to camp in the equestrian sites. Those sites are level pull-through sites. There is a camp store, although it is small and limited, but they do sell firewood. Not only does this state park have a putt putt course, but it also has an 18-hole golf course complete with pro shop. The thing I enjoyed best about his state park is the waterfront. There is a large sandy beach and a place to rent canoes, kayaks, and paddle boats. Also at the beach are picnic tables, grills, a playground, and concessions. From the beach area, you can hike the lake trail, but it is moderate. There is a good view of the lake from the trail, and if you walk to the left before crossing the wooden bridge, you can see a very small waterfall. Even though you have to drive a little from the campground to get to it, there is a swimming pool and a lodge. Other activities include tennis courts and basketball. Staying at the campground, other than the sloping site, was a pleasant experience. It was not crowded and the bathrooms have hot showers, but I would suggest paying the extra$15.00 to get one of the equestrian sites.

    • A
      Aug. 12, 2018

      High Knob Campgrounds

      Lots of trails

      deffinitly caters to equestrians, my only complaint is the shower houses. The potty area is clean but showers are usually kinda gross. Love the sites most have a little shade and the stallsa are nice and safe. The trails are great maps available some trails need marked a bit better.

    • Anton T.
      Jul. 31, 2016

      Deer Ridge Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park

      Ferne Cliffe State Park

      Ferne Cliffe State Park is situated in the Shawnee National Forest, in the southern part of Illinois. It is not among the best known parks, and its distance from bigger cities makes it more obscure and less frequented than other places I have visited. The campground is small, situated on a limestone bluff which is cut by a small rivulet and some seasonal small waterfalls. The area is really a hidden gem - one has to hike down to discover the natural canyon with the awesome sites. The campground is clean and well maintained. A site of interest nearby is the Garden of the Gods wilderness, which 300 million years ago was the bottom of a sea. The whole area was spared by the glacier activity, yet the weathering of the rocks has given us a sandstone plateau with numerous hoodoos. Close nearby are also Cave in Rock and Land Between the Lakes, both worth seeing.

    • Shelly S.The Dyrt PRO User
      Jul. 31, 2017

      Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park

      Going down

      Pennyrile Forest State Park off Ky69 outside Dawson Springs, Ky. A newer trail Pennyrile Nature Trail is 13.5 mile long hiking trail, from Dawson Springs to the park. There is also a site for the Pennyrile Trail which is a 75 mile driving loop connecting several Kentucky parks.

      The park is multi-leveled with the views and some cool rock formations. The beach has some confusing parking signs, but we figured it off. It was busy and had some loud visitors with loud vehicles and loud vehicles. Not surprising considering the neighborhood it is located in.

      The campground has some interesting sites all along the roadway. The campground and horse campground are connected. Several of the sites can be challenging due to not being level or being shallow, but they are workable.

      I'm not sure if biking would be great due to the hills but it would be challenging. Hiking and backpacking definitely and of course swimming and horseback riding( on your own horse)

    • Kacie E.
      Aug. 22, 2018

      Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park

      Beautiful and Spacious

      First of all, the drive to Dawson Springs is GORGEOUS. Rolling hills, farmland, trees, really gets you in the mood! Upon arrival, the camp store worker was very friendly, gave us a campground map and hiking map and answered all of our questions. We stayed in the regular campground but they also have a campground for people with horses/horse trailers, as the park has horse trails to go on as well! We didn’t swim in the lake, but it did look beautiful and looked to be a nice place to swim and kayak and paddle boat (which they have for rental as well). The hiking trails are gorgeous and vary in length and intensity. The spot that we were at had plenty of room to spread out and relax. One side had the picnic table and fire pit, and the other side was a grassy area with trees where we hung our hammock. It was stunning! We will definitely be back!

    • Shelly S.The Dyrt PRO User
      Jun. 21, 2018

      High Knob Campgrounds

      The way to travel

      High Knob is a Horse campground in Shawnee National Forest near Garden of the Gods off Il1. The entire area has extensive trails through some awesome, hilly, rocky, cliffy areas. There are some excellent things to see. The trail traverses some of the River to River trail that meanders through the area. There used to be an annual ride through “One Horse Gap” I don’t know if it’s still a thing. 

      The campground has options in addition to sleeping in your rig, cabins, travel trailers and a “hotel” . There’s also stalls and tie outs in the area you park in. A good staging area for Shawnee NF treks with several trailheads to pick from. Groups can set up in here and either stage or use it as base camp. Quiet , depending on who you are camping with, all amenities available on site too. (showers, laundry, store)

      We enjoyed the trails though we went no where near as far as the horse people do. (There is so much to see, we have been going to Shawnee NF for over 20 years but I still find something or somewhere new almost every visit.)

    • Moishe F.
      Jul. 9, 2026

      Little Lusk Trail Lodge & Campground

      Peaceful camping night

      We were on our hike in Shawnee National Forest, and we found this campground. And it was an amazing experience. It has a beautiful view of the sunset, and there are ponds. There are horses on the property, and it’s very cheap for tent camping. The staff was amazing. She showed us around with her 4x4 the whole property, the horses, and the pony or a donkey. The showers were pretty decent and cleaned

      I would recommend this place for everyone

    Guide to Golconda

    Equestrian camping near Golconda, Illinois places visitors in the heart of Shawnee National Forest, where the terrain features sandstone bluffs, dense hardwood forests, and elevations ranging from 350 to 700 feet. The region experiences mild winters and humid summers with average July temperatures reaching 90°F. Most equestrian trails remain open year-round but become muddy after rainfall, requiring proper footwear and tack.

    What to do

    Trail riding at Garden of the Gods: Connected to several campgrounds in the area, these trails offer unique geological formations with sandstone outcroppings. "Trails accessible from the Hayes Canyon area connect to extensive riding networks throughout the Shawnee National Forest region," according to a visitor who explored the extensive system.

    Fishing at Dutchman Lake: Just 40 minutes from Golconda, this quiet recreation area offers bank fishing opportunities. "Great little spot right off the interstate. Lots of nice scenery and decent fishing," notes Jonathan H. from Dutchman Lake Camp.

    Hiking the River to River Trail: This 160-mile trail spans southern Illinois and connects to several horse-friendly campgrounds. "The campgrounds in this region allow horseback access to scenic areas including rocky, cliffy terrain and connections to the River to River trail," reports one experienced rider.

    Walking on old golf course paths: Some camping areas have been converted from former recreational facilities. "Unique campground in that it is on a former golf course. Has the old golf cart paths as walking/biking paths!" shares Greg S. from Shawnee Forest Campground.

    What campers like

    Well-marked trail systems: Many equestrian trails have adequate signage and campgrounds provide maps. "The trails are great maps available some trails need marked a bit better," notes Alicia B. from High Knob Campgrounds.

    Paved walking paths: Several campgrounds feature accessible walkways for evening strolls with or without horses. "There are paved trails around the large CG area, which made it nice to walk our dogs," mentions MickandKarla W. when describing their stay.

    Wildlife viewing opportunities: The area hosts diverse fauna including deer and migratory birds. "Lots of deer, and skunks, but they don't bother you," reports Jessica F. from Canal Campground.

    Clean facilities: Many campgrounds maintain their shower houses and restrooms regularly. "A fresh shower was refreshing," notes Brian F. about his stay at Shawnee Forest Campground, highlighting the importance of clean facilities after a day of riding.

    What you should know

    Seasonal trail conditions: Spring brings muddy conditions while summer can be hot and humid. "Camp filled up with hunters who started generators at 3 in the morning to get ready to head out for turkey," warns Art S. from Camp Cadiz, indicating the importance of checking hunting seasons when planning your trip.

    Campground layout variations: Some campgrounds offer little privacy between sites while others provide more separation. "The sites are large but there isn't any foliage between them," notes a camper about one location's layout.

    Water access points: Not all campgrounds have water hookups at individual sites. "Water only available at few spots and you would need a really long hose to attach if open faucet available," explains Glenda about Deer Ridge Campground.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Golconda, IL?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Golconda, IL is Shawnee Forest Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 37 reviews.

    What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Golconda, IL?

    TheDyrt.com has all 22 equestrian camping locations near Golconda, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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