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Best Equestrian Camping near Springfield, IL

76 Reviews

Questing Hills Equestrian Campground at Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area accommodates horses and riders with camping options for both tents and RVs. Located near Chandlerville, Illinois, the campground provides electric hookups, water access, and sanitary facilities including showers and toilets. The campground features reservable sites specifically designed for visitors traveling with horses. Trailer parking is available with easy access to the equestrian camping areas. The campground receives positive reviews for its horse-friendly amenities and accessibility. Security regularly patrols the grounds, creating a safe environment for both horses and campers.

Horseman's Park in Sand Ridge State Forest offers another option for horse camping near Springfield. The campground includes toilet facilities and drinking water with spacious sites that accommodate horse trailers. Located approximately 50 miles from Springfield, the park connects riders to an extensive network of trails through the forest's diverse terrain. The equestrian trails wind through pine plantations and native sand prairies, providing varied riding experiences. Trail riders should note that some areas may have sandy footing that can be challenging for horses unaccustomed to such terrain. Most equestrian campsites include picnic tables and are designed to provide adequate space for both camping equipment and horse accommodations. The campground operates on a reservation system with specific guidelines for horse management.

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Best Equestrian Sites Near Springfield, Illinois (10)

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Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near Springfield, IL

1 Photos of 10 Springfield Campgrounds

Equestrian Camping Reviews near Springfield, IL

76 Reviews of 10 Springfield Campgrounds

  • Aaron B.
    Sep. 6, 2024

    Sangchris Lake State Park Campground

    Lakeside Relaxation

    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.  About half the sites were filled by the second day we were there.  We settled on 62, which is spacious and provides access to the path from the front and behind where you can walk into site 64 as well.  A parking area with a single spot for each camp site is well marked and by two vault toilets.  Park staff and host were great.  A decent fishing spot is just in front of site 64.  $8 for IL residents is hard to beat, if you don't need an RV spot with electric.  A water source is also by the parking spots.  The weekend we were there the weather had cooled some and a great breeze was coming off the lake.  Springfield being so close is a bonus.

    The only negative is like any spot and how previous people leave the camp looking before you are there.  Some garbage in the fire pit and random spots are par for the course in any state park.  Pick up the trash and dump it in the dumpster by the parking lot.  Leave the site better than you found it is our motto.

  • David F.
    Sep. 2, 2024

    Jim Edgar Panther Creek - Family Campground

    JIM Edgar Panther Creek S.P.

    Praire Lake Campground has 3 facilities on the lake. FAMILY camp for Rv, Tentand cabins. 1. 84 sites with Electric or 19 have FHU. 2. Primitive Camp has seven three-sided shelters to camp near or in for a fee of $6 per night 3. Group camp area. A separate location has the equestrian campground, Questing Hills, with 51 electric sites.

  • Keith M.
    May. 13, 2018

    Sangchris Lake State Park Campground

    Beautiful Campground near Springfield, IL

    We stopped here for 2 days on a trip to WI. We had never been to Springfield, IL and wanted to see all the historical sites for Abe Lincoln. This campground is clean, quite and sits on the beautiful Sangchris Lake. We will definitely come back sometime soon. We camped here in June of 2017.

  • Art S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 31, 2019

    Horseman's Park — Sand Ridge State Forest

    Sandy forested equestrian camping

    This is the campground for horses and their riders. Tie up posts are in each campsite along with picnic tables. The campground is one loop so the inner ring of sites are almost like a group site setup. The outer ring sites are more private and up against the woods. A set of vault toilets is commonly located. Along with garbage cans there are multiple spots to pile manure. There were a couple sites occupied the first night but it emptied out on Saturday. 

    Most trails in this natural area are accessible to horses. Trails head out from camp. The longest being almost 15 miles. Hiking and hunting also happen here so keep an eye open on the trails. If you have an energetic horse that you want to work hard, head into the yellow loop. The ranger said it tires everyone because it’s steep hills of sand. 

    Across the road is a spot for day use riders to park their trailers. There were a bunch parked when we passed it. 

    This is a hidden gem and worth giving a chance.

  • Joy H.
    Jun. 10, 2018

    Horseman's Park — Sand Ridge State Forest

    Illinois’ desert

    A friend and I were looking for somewhere to spend a weekend backpacking that wasn’t a 4+ hour drive away from central IL. This fits the bill but does leave some to be desired. The terrain is an interesting change from most IL hiking since the trails are incredibly sandy while the forest itself is mostly pine. Watch out for cacti along the trail! My only real complaints are the lack of water sources, and the inconsistencies between the trail map and the actual trail. Each trail is marked very clearly with directional sign posts as often as necessary, however, the first night we were hiking in to find BC1 and according to the map we should have passed it in our hike but never saw any sort of campsite at all. We ended up setting up camp off the trail in an unmarked clearing that worked quite well. The next day we moved on to look for site BC7. After hiking much farther than the map indicated, we finally stumbled on BC7. It turned out to be a pretty picturesque little clearing among the pines with an actual fire slab and a signpost marking the entrance trail. Overall it was a good trip, just don’t be fooled by how close things look on the map! Also, the bugs (of all kinds including ticks and mosquitoes) are pretty terrible and I would recommend going either in the early spring or late fall. Not June.

    The forest grounds also have an equestrian campgrounds and the trails would be perfect for riding.

  • A
    Aug. 12, 2018

    Questing Hills Equestrian Campground — Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area

    Well maintained

    We camp at the equestrian loop, unlike some campgrounds we have our own shower house with three showers and three bathroom stalls. Their is also a vault toilet in the middle of camp and the opposite end of the main bathrooms. Most sites have at least partial shade. The sites are always maintained with hitching rails and electricity water is not at every site but through out the park. Trails are well marked and maintained over 26 miles of trails.

  • M
    Sep. 5, 2021

    Illinois State Fair Campground

    Can’t beat it for the money but…

    We came Labor Day weekend to site see Lincoln museum and when we arrived there were motorcycle races going on next to the camp office and shower house and it was packed! The host took us to the opposite side of the fair and found us a site with electric and water on grass near the harness track barns and across from the grandstand. There were alot of a class RVs there for the Morgan horse show going on in the Coliseum parked by us. No tables or fire rings. We were near public toilets but no showers in our area. It was fine for two nights

  • David F.
    Nov. 30, 2023

    Primitive Campground — Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area

    State Park away from busier Illinois

    https://camp.exploremoreil.com/ 84 electric RV sites all reservable except 21 First Come sites. 18 sites are full hookup. Several 50 amp sites but majority are 30 amp. Modern Shower house and 7 Vault toilet buildings. Newer Campground so Shade Trees are smaller still. Have camped here 4 times past 3 years. Like the quite agricultural Illinois environment but suggest shopping for your needs prior to leaving larger cities as most of the few small towns are limited to a Bar and Dollar store.

  • K
    Nov. 25, 2019

    Primitive Campground — Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area

    We had the place to ourselves

    It was March, it was cold at night, but this ADA cabin had heat & electric, 5 beds with mattresses, beds with mattresses (2 pr bunks beds in the second room). Cement sidewalks from parking area to toilets & cabins, each with a waterfront view, fire pit & picnic table. From our cabin we walked grassy paths to a lovely bridge. Around the pond's perimeter are dispersed sites for tent-camping or possibly day-use. It was a challenge to find the park entrance, at night, and the closest small town is about 10-miles away. The very reasonable cost was transacted online.

Guide to Springfield

Horse camping in Illinois offers a unique blend of scenic trails and well-equipped facilities for equestrian enthusiasts. With a variety of campgrounds catering to horse lovers, you can enjoy the great outdoors while ensuring your equine companions are well taken care of.

Equestrian campgrounds include ample amenities for horses

Equestrian campers like these nearby activities

Campers appreciate these amenities for horses

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Springfield, IL is Illinois State Fair Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 12 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 10 equestrian camping locations near Springfield, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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