Are you planning a trip to Loda with your horse? We've got you covered. Equestrian camping is the best way to experience nature. At The Dyrt, you can find top-rated spots for horse camping, as reviewed by campers.
$40 - $20 / night
Our Class-A Premium campground is located in the main park with shower facilities, flush toilets, and all sites have electricity. Water is available by pump at designated locations throughout the campground and at the sanitary dump station. This is a very wooded area with 4 loops-Oak, Hawthorne, Osage & Hickory. Pit toilets are also located near each loop. Alcohol is prohibited and credit cards are not accepted at the site.
The Equestrian Campground off Illinois Route 113 is open from April 1 through October 31. Equestrian trails operate on a seasonal basis. There is no water available in the Equestrian Campground.
Traveler
Can get a little crowded ar times
LegendPotowatami campground is divided into four loops. We camped in the Osage loop. Garbage cans are at the start of the loop. A central shower house is on the main road midway between the loops. Right at the start of Osage is an entrance to the crushed gravel bike path. It gave us a great hike through the trees. You can find picnic areas and playground equipment by following the bike path. The camp host checks you in. He gave us the signal in case we drive out of camp. Wave the sign out your window and re-enter camp. He also told us about rock creek nature trail. It’s just across the main road near the ranger office entrance. There are another couple miles of trails if you want some diversity.
TravelerFirst off the camp hosts were amazing! Very friendly and helpful!
Ok. Came in on a Thursday with no reservations. Camp Hosts got me a spot for Thursday and only had 2 available spots in the whole campground for the weekend so I took Oak 1 over the only other open spot.
Thursday night was GREAT. It was quiet and peaceful. Had a great day chilling on Friday during the day too. Friday afternoon people started funneling in and it still wasn’t too bad into the evening.
About 8 is when it got a little worse. There was a group that came in and occupied 2 sites. They were a little more loud but bearable. About 9:45 another part of their group came rolling in. That’s when it wasn’t as nice. They were trying to set up their tent with headlights/flashlights shining into our camp. Yelling back and forth between the 3 sites, etc. Finally I think the quieted down about midnight. Saturday. Still loud and a few of the cars in their group were in and out several times. Not a big deal except every time they were driving out a one way.
ScoutPerfect place for walking relax super quiet Helpful people I like it
Traveler
First stop on a cross county trip. We were directed to Catfish Bay for tent camping. It was lightly drizzling and on an overcast day most of the tree-covered campsites were dark. There are some nice sites right on the water (be prepared to walk your gear in from parking lot). Site #21 was private, with more open sky and a shorter walk to parking/outhouse. The outhouse was in really rough shape--looked like it hadn't been swept out or hosed down for awhile. Won't be back.
TravelerWe group camped with about 6 tents and 12 people, had a great time, very quite secluded area for group camping. Good fishing and kayaking, facilities could be a little cleaner but not bad, the water is TERRIBLE and looks like coffee or tea. But otherwise, if you bring your own water, not bad...
GuideThis is a beautiful state park, lovely camping. I was on site P16 which offers a lake view.
They have recently paved the roads which was nice. The main shower hpsue was nice and well maintained.
The swimming beach is apparently only open on the weekends but there are plenty of places to get in the water so it wasn't a big deal.
The price was great at $20 a night. We stayed 3 nights. We'll definitely be back.
GuideSpacious sites with lush jungle-like greenery grown in between, which provides perfect privacy. Easy access to water pump. Have to drive to get to the toilet/ shower station though.
GuideWe stayed over the Memorial Day weekend, so the park was at max capacity. It was still a good stay. After 10 pm it was completely quiet. The site was level and we had 30 amp electricity. It's a family environment, with lots of joyful kids all over, which I liked. The sites are pretty close together, but we've had far worse. I will note that site P 30 is next to a trail and lots of people cut through the site, so some may not want that site for that reason. The lake is great for boating and lots of campers were fishing. The staff were helpful. Only one imajor ssue - we made a huge mistake by not noticing that the potable water tank has to be filled BEFORE the entrance, where the dump station is. DO NOT fill your tank with the water from iside the camp as it's full of dirt. It's literally orange. It took us several flushings to get all of the dirt out of our fresh water tank. The showers have the same water and my hair felt like I had toothpaste in it afterwards. In spite of this, we had a fine time. It was our mistake for not noticing the water sign on the way in. We would definitely stay again, but I do hope they clean up the water supply there. It's probably not a good thing.
GuideSingle night stay.
ScoutThis is an awesome place to stay. We got a first come, first serve tent spot right on the lake which made for a gorgeous sunrise. The amenities were great and there’s plenty to do around the area.
ScoutThis was our first camping here and we really enjoyed our stay in the campground. The campground manager was very friendly and helpful and our site was clean with a nice fire pit with built-in grill and very clean. Lots of shower stalls in the shower house. We will definitely be back!
GuideNice sites in the Potawatomi Campground! Would have been a 5 star but no Campground host on duty the night I camped and no toilet paper in the toilet in the Oak loop. Can't make a reservation day before camping so that kinda sucks as everything is walk in... Am on a "purpose trip" and not a journey, so not partaking of park amenities. I would definitely camp here again!!
TravelerEasy access from the highway. Drove in without reservations, mid-week, just before dark, for a quick overnight while on a cross country trip. The very nice hosts (father/daughter team) helped us with the process. Lots of good sites available with long, relatively level gravel pads with 30amp electric. Got water on the way in, by the dump station. Firewood bundles for $8. Lots of beautiful, tall trees. I imagine it would be nice on a summer day, with plenty of shade. Clean and basic bathroom, there were free showers but I didn’t use them. This was an excellent overnight stay for only $20.
ScoutSo we loved staying here for 2 weeks, it was cozy and quiet. It had excellent 5G AT&T, 30amp service and lots of shade. We stayed in our 44’ Newmar Dutchstar.
The Sites have lots of slope so bring many leveling pads/blocks (we needed 9 - 1.5” thick dica road warrior jack pads (highly recommend). It’s also never super convenient to need to pack up just to go to a dump station but as long as your fine walking to the community restrooms, you should be fine.
If my wife wrote this - it would be 4-stars due to showers without temp control and button timer style where you get 30-60 seconds of water for each push…
Overall it was a great camp spot for Illinois and a good place to stay if your prepared for it!
TravelerGorgeous camp ground with lots of trees and a lake. They could do a little better cleaning out the fire pits. Had garbage and cigarette butts from the previous camper that we cleaned out.
GuideI wish we were able to stay longer than one day! I loved this spot! We loved riding our bikes along the river and just being away from the hustle and bustle. Not many amenities other than showers, toilets and hookups, but it just adds to the appeal here. A great spot to get away and experience some silence and solitude!
ScoutWe had four sites on Osage loop for tent camping. Two were very small (14&15), and little grass for tent setup, fine for RV or trailer campers. They were private with brush between sites. 16&17 were amazing for tents!! Open, tall trees for our tight rope and hammocks and shade. Grass for tents 16&17 Osage loop also open to 9&10 on Hickory loop. With a lot of space between so no site setup is on top of each other. Wish we knew more about individual site layout. Grills were new. Bathrooms inclu vault were cleanest I’ve seen. Bike path/hike path is long and wide and very nice. We had kids under age 8. River is fast, tried to fish. Stars were out. Had rain Saturday but we all just hang out and manage just fine. Overall, where the loops get close on the map, the sites back up with good space without ground brush - if you’re trying to string together a few sites for a group where you can pass through - also fine for strangers. Biggest spaces. Can add that 13, 6, 5, ,4 Osage are good RV but not good tent.
ScoutThe park used to be so well maintained by volunteers and it seems have gone downhill over the years
TravelerNice state park in the not so great state of Illinois. Stayed July 4th weekend and it was blistering hot. This was a couple years ago. Pretty noisy also but that can happen anywhere. Nice lake for fishing and the whole park was great to take bike rides in. State park operated restaurant in park is a nice touch. Very handy for ice and drinks on a hot weekend.
TravelerThis campground surprised us. We got there in the dark and woke up to Fall colors, Canadian geese, trails, playgrounds. We got in without a reservation and upgraded to a beautiful spot on the water. The LTE was a bit weak, that’s the only downside.
ScoutWe walked in to do camping and we only had spots available at Tall Timber. It’s primitive along with nice trail.
GuideA suitable local choice for camping if you desire more trees surrounding your site. There are a few very short hike-in primitive sites for extra seclusion.
ScoutWe went here with a group of tent campers sight unseen, so that’s always rolling the dice. We stayed until the main part where you could reserve online through reserve America. Would not recommend that area to anyone. Sites are right on top of each other in every direction. Not sure who would seek this out or agree to it after seeing it.
Upon finding the rustic tent sites, we’d wished we’d known about that area before going. Those were still a little close together but were at least wooded and you could walk from your car.
The dispersed camping sites were the closest to what I’d been used to coming from New Hampshire, but it was more of a hike than I would be looking for.
GuideStayed overnight here... it was fairly quick of the highway. Easy in and easy out. Did check out the facilities.
TravelerLarge body of water. Not really clean enough to enjoy swimming. Campsites are a little cramped. We have stayed here a few times with our camping club.
There is a boat club near by. Gibson City has a great drive in movie theater and German Restrurant. Gibson is about 20 minutes from the camp ground.
Only electric hook ups.
ScoutNice place no alcohol. 'Lake' has had a lot of algae over the last couple years
Horse camping in Illinois offers a unique experience for equestrian enthusiasts, combining the beauty of nature with the joy of riding. With several campgrounds catering specifically to horse camping, adventurers can enjoy well-maintained facilities and scenic trails.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Loda, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Loda, IL is Moraine View State Recreational Area with a 3.9-star rating from 27 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Loda, IL?
TheDyrt.com has all 3 equestrian camping locations near Loda, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
