Matthiessen State Park Equestrian Campground provides rustic accommodations for horse owners camping near Morris, Illinois. The campground offers essential equestrian facilities including toilets, drinking water, and trash collection. While the campground lacks electric hookups, it allows fires and is pet-friendly. Riders appreciate access to designated horse trails throughout the state park. The campground maintains a walk-in access policy that keeps the environment quieter than drive-in facilities. Campers reference The Dyrt for top tips on camping near Morris, Illinois.
Kankakee River State Park Equestrian Campground offers another option for horse camping in the region, located approximately 30 miles from Morris in Bourbonnais. This facility features drinking water, sanitary dump stations, showers, toilets and trash disposal. The campground connects directly to bridle trails through the 4,000-acre state park, providing varied terrain alongside the Kankakee River. Trail riders should note that while the equestrian campground allows drive-in access, it lacks electric hookups and water hookups at individual sites. The spacious layout of camping areas allows ample room for horse trailers while maintaining natural surroundings.
"Quiet, family orientated, fishing lake, miniature golf, activities"
from $37 / night
"Clean, with large sites, about a 5 mile walk around the nearby lake- saw several deer and rabbits - T-Mobile worked just fine- no Wi-Fi"
"Away from All the City Noise And Not Very Far Away Dump Station And Potable Water Supply"
from $18 - $35 / night
"Many miles of paved and crushed limestone trails. The actual Kankakee River access is sort of outside of the campground- that would be my only complaint."
"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 staff are super nice and the campground has great social distancing rules in place for the check-in shack and bathrooms."
"Half of them were in the Prairie and the other half was tucked into wonderfully private spots with burn pits and picnic tables. We hiked the trail and saw a mother deer feeding her 2 babies."
from $12 - $35 / night
"hey, there were some pretty outstanding trails to hike during the day and the friendly on-site ranger made a call over to nearby Starved Rock SP to secure me a camping spot over there, so not all was"
"quite a bit of detail on this campground, I’m following up on that review by sharing more fotos as well as providing a topline update: Highlights: (1) Great hiking abounds in this particular Illinois"
from $10 / night
ScoutNice, clean, quiet, simple state park set up. Many miles of paved and crushed limestone trails. The actual Kankakee River access is sort of outside of the campground- that would be my only complaint. You have to walk or bike a little distance to be near the river. Seemed very well maintained and we loved it!
ScoutAway from All the City Noise And Not Very Far Away Dump Station And Potable Water Supply
ScoutJJust ok. Facilities were disappointing
RangerFirst, you have to make reservations in advance online. The website says otherwise. They are spacious sites and well maintained the water. Spicket are a significant distance from each campsite so come prepared for that.
TravelerI had a private, large spot in one of their "neighborhoods " Host was knowledgeable, friendly and I was a walk in. Beautiful stroll along the river with my pup.
TravelerThis was my first camping trip with family. After lots of research, I picked Kankakee river state park. This is a reasonablly priced campground with all facilities in great condition. And it is very spacious with woods separating your neighbors. The only complaint is the noise level after 10pm. The quite time was not strictly enforced. It could be we are there on a Saturday night.
TravelerMy fiancé and I stayed in the Hickory Loop spot 3. We are very new campers, so we just have a very basic tent setup. When we checked in with the host, there were bundles of firewood for $8 (either cash or cash app). The spots are not huge, and not super private (you have next door and across the street neighbors), but we didn’t mind that! There were two outlets available, and a small rectangular fire pit with a grate on top. There are a few water pumps and vault toilets within walking distance, but we were pretty close to the shower house, which had stalls for toilets and showers. The showers were pretty great for a camp ground!
It rained a ton during our trip so we didn’t explore much, but would definitely recommend for a simple camping trip where you want flushable toilets, showers, and some electricity.
TravelerThis is a pretty new camp site, so the trees need some time to get big enough to provide some shade.
The flush toilet building was very clean, but there was no TP in the ladies' room. And I have to wonder why you would build a new campground without showers?
It is very close to the cities so we will stay here again.
Travelercame in without a reservation and got a nice spot for a camper, showers were decent and hosts were nice!!
Equestrian camping near Morris, Illinois offers specialized facilities in state parks within driving distance of the town. The area features a mix of prairie and woodland terrain with elevations ranging from 500 to 650 feet above sea level. Winter camping options are limited, with most equestrian campgrounds closed from December through March due to freezing conditions and trail preservation efforts.
Trail riding: At Big Rock Campground, riders can access nearby forest preserve trails. "There appears to be some equestrian space and trails. Quiet," notes Jeff G., highlighting the less crowded nature of these routes compared to state park options.
Canoeing and kayaking: The Kankakee River provides paddling opportunities near equestrian camping areas. "The river was nice to visit and we were able to take the kids to some knee deep water to play (swimming is NOT allowed in the river)," shares Linda N. about her experience at Potowatomi Campground.
Wildlife viewing: Look for deer, wild turkeys and birds while hiking trails that connect to equestrian areas. "If you are especially quiet, you'll come across no shortage of white-tailed deer or wild turkeys foraging through the crabapple and plum trees that are scattered throughout the forest," writes Stuart K. about Matthiessen State Park Equestrian Campground, located approximately 20 miles from Morris.
Spacious sites: Many equestrian campgrounds offer larger sites than standard camping areas to accommodate trailers. "Sites are spacious and nicely shaded," says Stuart K. about Matthiessen State Park Equestrian Campground, making it easier to set up camp with horses.
Trail access: Direct trail connections from camping areas to riding paths ranks high on equestrian campers' priority lists. "Great hiking abounds in this particular Illinois SP where there exists a combination of EZ, intermediate and difficult hiking and riding paths," notes a review of Matthiessen State Park.
Clean facilities: Basic but well-maintained amenities matter to equestrian campers. At Paul Wolff Campground, "The staff are super nice and the campground has great social distancing rules in place for the check-in shack and bathrooms. It is a super clean campground with multiple hosts and forest preserve staff," reports Marisa A.
Registration requirements: Most equestrian campgrounds in the area operate on a first-come, first-served basis. As Stuart K. explains about Matthiessen, "There's a registration envelope that you'll pick up when you arrive at Matthiessen SP, where you'll simply need to fill this out with your name, # of days that you are planning to stay and then deposit the envelope in the drop-off kiosk."
Horse-only restrictions: Some campgrounds only permit campers with horses. "Got kicked out cause I didn't have a horse. Even though it was completely empty," warns Amanda C. about her experience at Matthiessen State Park Equestrian Campground.
Limited amenities: Prepare for basic facilities at most equestrian sites. "The facilities are basic-to-bad, so lower your expectations and bring your own sanitary wipes," advises Stuart K. about camping with horses at Matthiessen State Park.
Ranger programs: Some parks offer educational opportunities for children. At Potowatomi Campground, "We did have a really awesome time at the main office/nature center, where my kiddos got to feed and hold a variety of reptiles!" shares Linda N.
Playgrounds: Look for sites near play areas, but consider seasonal timing. "Playgrounds are unfortunately exposed so it was not suitable for the 100 degree days we had," notes Linda N. about Kankakee River State Park facilities.
Water activities: Shallow water access points provide safer options for families with children. "The river was nice to visit and we were able to take the kids to some knee deep water to play," reports a family camper at Potowatomi Campground.
Water supply planning: At many campgrounds, water sources aren't conveniently located near each site. At Leisure Lake Resort, "Water quality has been very bad. On one occasion, our pet had stomach issues after drinking tap water, which was concerning," warns Iryna R., suggesting RVers bring filtration systems.
Level sites: Most equestrian campgrounds provide reasonably flat parking areas for trailers. "The spaces are pretty level," notes Jeff G. about Big Rock Forest Preserve, making it easier to stabilize both living quarters and horse trailers.
Hookup limitations: Electric options vary between parks, with some offering no hookups at equestrian sites. "There is electrical at the sites and water spigots throughout, although not really at each space. I saw where some campers hooked about 150' of hose to spigots behind the loops to run to their campers," explains a reviewer about Big Rock Campground.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Morris, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Morris, IL is Leisure Lake Resort with a 3.7-star rating from 3 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Morris, IL?
TheDyrt.com has all 7 equestrian camping locations near Morris, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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