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Best Equestrian Camping near Harrisburg, IL

204 Reviews

Hayes Canyon Campground features horse corrals for equestrian visitors camping in southern Illinois. The facility accommodates both horses and riders with dedicated equine infrastructure alongside tent sites, RV hookups, cabins, and glamping options. Standard campground amenities include drinking water, electric hookups, shower facilities, and sewer connections. The campground maintains clean shower houses while providing adequate space for horses and their owners. Trail access from the campground connects riders directly to miles of forested paths through the Shawnee National Forest region.

Located approximately 40 miles southeast of Harrisburg, Little Lusk Trail Lodge & Campground offers spacious sites capable of accommodating large rigs with horses. High lines behind campsites provide secure areas for horses, while stalls can be reserved for additional equine comfort. Multiple sites feature electric and water hookups, with full hookup options available alongside primitive camping areas. The property includes an arena and event barn on site, making it suitable for group equestrian activities. Trails from the campground lead directly into the Shawnee National Forest, providing extensive riding opportunities through varied terrain. The campground serves as an ideal staging area for day rides or longer trail expeditions, with well-marked routes accessible from the property.

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Best Equestrian Sites Near Harrisburg, Illinois (22)

    1. Shawnee Forest Campground

    36 Reviews
    Vienna, IL
    28 miles
    Website
    +1 (618) 658-0619

    $40 / night

    "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."

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

    2. Little Lusk Trail Lodge & Campground

    3 Reviews
    Eddyville, IL
    12 miles

    $30 / night

    "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. "

    "I will be back next time I'm near shawnee."

    3. High Knob Campgrounds

    4 Reviews
    Karbers Ridge, IL
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (618) 275-4494

    "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."

    4. Camp Cadiz Campground

    6 Reviews
    Karbers Ridge, IL
    20 miles
    Website

    "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."

    5. Hayes Canyon Campground

    1 Review
    Eddyville, IL
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (618) 672-4751

    $15 - $32 / night

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

    6. Deer Ridge Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park

    15 Reviews
    Goreville, IL
    27 miles
    Website
    +1 (618) 995-2411

    "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."

    7. Gun Creek

    21 Reviews
    Whittington, IL
    32 miles
    Website
    +1 (618) 724-2493

    $18 - $30 / night

    "One of the first campgrounds that you come to at Rend Lake when you get off the highway, this campground has lots of positives and few negatives."

    "The lake had the most amazing sunset! Everyone is super friendly and we recommend the blue jay loop for best views and swimming access to the lake."

    8. Bear Branch Campground

    2 Reviews
    Eddyville, IL
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (618) 672-4249

    $30 - $200 / night

    "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"

    9. South Sandusky Campground

    19 Reviews
    Sesser, IL
    32 miles
    Website
    +1 (618) 724-2493

    $16 - $26 / night

    "North and South Sandusky campground is located in southern Illinois on Rend Lake. It is a large state park with tons to do. From boating and swimming to hiking and relaxing."

    "Well maintained on beautiful Rend Lake in southern Illinois. Reservations accepted on reservation.gov. Walk ins also welcome."

    10. Harmonie State Park Campground

    34 Reviews
    New Harmony, IN
    40 miles
    Website
    +1 (812) 682-4821

    $20 - $30 / night

    "It is located back in the hills, far off the highway. Very little cell phone signal. Very relaxing and enjoyable."

    "Located in Southwest Indiana, about 40 miles from Evansville.  This is a typical Indiana State Park. Some sites are pretty close together, some are spacious."

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Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near Harrisburg, IL

2 Photos of 22 Harrisburg Campgrounds

Equestrian Camping Reviews near Harrisburg, IL

204 Reviews of 22 Harrisburg 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.

  • Jessica T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 3, 2025

    Shawnee Forest Campground

    Great spot for location

    Overall we’ve really enjoyed our stay. Came over the Labor Day weekend and staying a week. 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. A little noisy at night with the interstate in the distance but we’d expected that. Only thing we wish we would’ve known about was the paving of the road happening directly outside of the park. They obviously can’t control that but a heads up would’ve been helpful. One day we couldn’t get out for a bit and thankfully we had flexible plans. Overall- it’s a great park with decent proximity to a lot of nature. Anna, Marion and Harrisburg are your best bets for restaurants and grocery etc. Vienna only has a dollar general and a few restaurants- a diner, longhorn cafe, Mexican restaurant and Family Pizza- we tried the last one and it was good! Prepare for a 40 min wait time if picking up and it gets packed if you want to dine in. Would def stay here again to visit Shawnee.

  • 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
    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.)

  • Cindy C.
    Aug. 7, 2018

    South Sandusky Campground

    Wonderful for all ages. Located on Rend Lake Illinois.

    North and South Sandusky campground is located in southern Illinois on Rend Lake. It is a large state park with tons to do. From boating and swimming to hiking and relaxing. The sites have many areas that fit different needs. I have stayed this year in both. My site at North Sandusky was on the water and I could pull my pontoon right behind my campsite. The kids were close enough to the bathrooms and showers to walk. And there was fresh water located there as well. There was a park a bit further down the way as well. But no need as the lake was in the backyard.

    South sandusky site was across from a park, bathrooms, showers and water. The beach was a 2 mi hike on a beautiful trail. But we could walk across the street to a fishing swimming spot as well.

    The beach is super clean and monitored well.

    The bathrooms were cleaned every morning before 7 am. Water had great pressure and was always nice and hot.

    I love these campgrounds and can’t wait to go back.

  • M
    Aug. 19, 2018

    South Sandusky Campground

    Picture perfect

    Full hookups to tent camping and spacious sites. This is a Corps of Engineer Campground so bring your America the Beautiful pass! Well maintained on beautiful Rend Lake in southern Illinois. Reservations accepted on reservation.gov. Walk ins also welcome.

  • Travis R.
    Sep. 14, 2020

    High Knob Campgrounds

    Horse camp only

    They do not accept tents, this is strictly a horse camp, they will rudly tell you so if you call.

Guide to Harrisburg

Horse camping in Illinois offers a unique blend of scenic trails and well-equipped facilities for equestrian enthusiasts. With a variety of campgrounds catering specifically to horse camping, adventurers can enjoy the beauty of nature while ensuring their horses are well cared for.

Equestrian campers like these nearby activities

Campers appreciate these amenities for horses

  • Bear Branch Campground features spacious sites with electric and water hookups, ensuring comfort for both campers and their horses.
  • At Camp Cadiz Campground, equestrians can enjoy a rustic experience with access to nearby trails and a tranquil environment.
  • Double M Campground provides horse stalls and a sanitary dump station, making it convenient for those traveling with their equine companions.

Most campgrounds have horse-focused amenities like stalls and trails

  • Hayes Canyon Campground offers horse corrals and well-marked trails, ensuring a great experience for riders.
  • Camp Ondessonk features reservable sites and a focus on equestrian activities, making it a popular choice for horse campers.
  • Shawnee Forest Campground is well-reviewed for its amenities, including electric hookups and easy access to trails suitable for horseback riding.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Harrisburg, IL is Shawnee Forest Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 36 reviews.

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

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

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