Top Horse Camping near Arcola, IN

We're here to help you find where to go horse camping in Arcola. It's easy to find Arcola equestrian campgrounds with the Dyrt. These scenic and easy-to-reach Indiana campsites are perfect for your horse camping excursion.

Best Equestrian Sites Near Arcola, IN (8)


Recent Equestrian Reviews In Arcola

126 Reviews of 8 Arcola Campgrounds


  • Camper-submitted photo from Salamonie River State Forest
    August 17, 2024

    Salamonie River State Forest

    Primitive sites

    Small campground. 13$. No reservations, but sites seem readily available, even on weekends in the summer. Spacious sites. Fairly wooded. Firewood only available Mon - Friday 8-3.

  • Camper-submitted photo from Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground
    May 28, 2024

    Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground

    Nice but older

    Our site was 21 inches unloved from front to back and 7 inches down on the passenger side! With poison oak all over the back of our site so bring a lot of leveling block and no kids! Other that that it was a decent park with lots of activities but a very hard campsite to navigate and a busy weekend forget about dumping lol your gonna be there a while. Also no Verizon signal but our friend had T-Mobile and he was ok signal.

  • Camper-submitted photo from Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground
    November 3, 2023

    Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground

    four different camping areas, know your preferences

    We stayed in the Turner lake south loop, which has nice and private sites. This is in contrast to Honeysuckle hollow which is open and row after row of RV sites. Fox den and Prairie view loops are nice as well with mostly primitive sites. Be aware that the map on www.ExloreMoreIL,com  (where you make your reservations) doesn't show where the restrooms are. In the Turner loop, the pit toilets are next to the path to the fishing pier, while the showers and full restrooms are between Turner and Fox den, there is a short path between sites 60 & 61. Facilities are clean and well lit.
    Fire pits are slightly raised steel troughs with a heavy adjustable grill.
    This is a BIG park, the campgrounds are two miles from the front gate, and it's a drive to the main boat launch at Maple Grove, where you have access to the Fox River and Grass lake. This location has a huge parking lot for boat trailers, a very well stocked general store with fishing supplies, a cafe, boat rentals and good firewood.
    To get away from the crowd if you're a canoeist or kayaker it's nicer to leave the park and go back in at Oak Point picnic area and boat launch at the northern border. This will put you on the Fox river with developments to the north (including a bar & grill) or to the south which is all nature. I think the distance by boat between the two launches is 4-5 miles, but I'm not sure, Halfway there you'll meet up with the Goldfinch trail which is the shortest loop and the most diverse in term of flora.
    There are horse/ snowmobile trails, but no equestrian campground.
    Chain o' Lakes is one of the busiest waterways in Illinois, with motorboats everywhere in the height of the summer season. We canoe, and both times we stayed there it was October, so I can't tell you how crowded, but the vast number of picnic areas must be there for a reason.
    An odd thing is that you can hear a Steam Train whistle quite often, this is from Richardson's Adventure Farm in Spring Grove. We don't have kids so we went to Stade's Farm & Orchard (which is also large and kid friendly) because they have an orchard and vegetable market.
    One last thing, the gates close at 10:PM and there are tire shredders, you can leave but you can't get back in... unless you want to walk 2+ miles in the dark :)

  • Camper-submitted photo from Pokagon State Park Campground
    July 21, 2023

    Pokagon State Park Campground

    Old campground

       This state park was established in 1925, so almost 100 years old. The campground must be the original layout. There's a maze like quality to it. The roads are narrow & you may be driving off the road for a big rig. 

       Some sites are level, some aren't. Some can accommodate larger rigs, most can't. Check the site descriptions carefully & to be doubly sure, call the office & ask.

       There's water stations that look very old. They have wooden, shingled roofs. There's 2 dump stations located in loops 3 & 4. IN THE CAMPGROUND! NEXT TO CAMPSITES!!!!

     There's 5 loops to the main campground.

     100 loop is small & closer to the lake than the other loops. It's the loop we chose this time.

        The sites are on the small side. There's 3 campsites that are close to the lake. 115, which is a larger site. 117 & 119 which have clear views of the lake. 117 is more a tent or popup site & is small. 119 is the best of the bunch. A large pad & a large site. There's no privacy bushes. These sites have a view of the lake with trees & brush & are on a ridge overlooking the lake. They aren't ON the lake. 

    On either side of 117 & 119 are 2 trails that lead to the lake. There's benches & a dock to tie up your boat. 

       The rest of the sites are a mixed bag. Some are level, some have an incline. If you have a big rig, be aware that the road to the 100 campsites branches into one way. Leading into the campsites, the road is narrow & has a ravine on one side!

        200 Loop is non electric

        300 Loop is the biggest loop & seems like the best bet for larger rigs. As stated above, some sites are better than others. There's a uniformity here that's missing from the other loops.

      Stay away from sites 393& 395!!! These sites are literally right on top of the dump station! As always watch for pit toilets near the sites. 

       400 loop is a smaller loop next to the 200 loop. There's only one shower house for both loops. Avoid site 444 & probably site 454. These sites are VERY close to the dump station. 

      500 loop is also smaller& has some nice sites tucked by themselves in the trees. There seems to be more privacy brush on this loop with SOME sites.

       512 is close to the shower house. 511 & 513 were somewhat secluded.

        If you have a boat you want to tie up at the dock, go for the 100 loop. If you can't get it, be aware there's no parking near the trails to the lake. You can park by the bathhouse & walk. 

       The shower & restrooms are atrocious!!! Worst looking buildings since Spring Mill SP! Dirty & need an entire overhaul. In fact, raze the buildings & build new ones! They're "cleaned" once a day. Suuuuuure they are. There was actual poop on the door of one of the women's toilet stalls the whole time I was there. Mold & spiders& dirt in the corners. Looks like the last upgrade was in the 50s.

  • Camper-submitted photo from Ouabache State Park Campground
    July 19, 2023

    Ouabache State Park Campground

    Camp sites are tiny

    Camp sites are tiny. We had site 88 and it was supposed to be full shade. It was full sun and they have it set up so the camp side of the trailer faces the road. The fire pit is also three feet from the road. Who wants to have a fire next to the road?

  • Camper-submitted photo from Ouabache State Park Campground
    May 28, 2023

    Ouabache State Park Campground

    Good trails

    We enjoyed our stay here. The park has great trails for hiking and biking. The bison exhibit and ranger programs are great too. The campsites are variable, size and privacy definitely depends on the site you book. The potable water is brown and smelly.. be sure to bring your water filter! But we did enjoy our weekend here.

  • Camper-submitted photo from Pokagon State Park Campground
    August 11, 2022

    Pokagon State Park Campground

    Quiet and laid back.

    Lovely little quiet campground and spacious park with plenty to do for 1-2 days. Staff is non-intrusive, and the site has plenty of room to camp about and roam. Find your own little quiet corner and unplug for a few days. It's better than Ohio's only National Park!

    Note: the DNR trail maps are inaccurate but well worth your time, so research your trials well or you'll get a bit lost. Trail signs are also very confusing. Bring plenty of water as posted 'mile' hikes quickly turn in 5 mile hikes. I recommend walking the 'Wetlands' trail around dusk.

  • Camper-submitted photo from Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground
    July 22, 2022

    Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground

    Beautiful lakes and sites

    First time taking out my 1988 pop up and it was a blast. Our site was HUGE! Plenty of space to play bags with good canopy coverage and have many guests at our fire and a short drive to the kayak launch. Kayaking the 13 lakes can easily last from morning to sundown. All in all it was a great weekend with the family!

  • Camper-submitted photo from Pokagon State Park Campground
    March 29, 2022

    Pokagon State Park Campground

    Visit in Winter for Tobagganing

    Equestrian trails and campgrounds are popular here. Horse rides sold on site. There is a nice hotel that sometimes hosts events actually located in the park. Come tobagginging and ice fishing in the winter and then pamper yourself in the hotel, or visit in the summer and have a beach day or easy hike with the family. Great spot for Pokémon Go because of the available cell service.

  • Camper-submitted photo from Kosciusko County Fairgrounds
    March 28, 2022

    Kosciusko County Fairgrounds

    Not a campground unless bringing trailer for event.

    This is only meant as a fair ground and place for events. People that are participating in local events may bring RV here but not for public use.

  • Camper-submitted photo from Salamonie River State Forest
    March 28, 2022

    Salamonie River State Forest

    Fun trails, small waterfalls, good fishing.

    As far as Indiana parks goes, this is a hidden gem. We have camped here many times. Even the trails we frequent always seem new because each season offers a different kind of beauty.

  • Camper-submitted photo from Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground
    March 28, 2022

    Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground

    Great for one or two days doing easy day hikes or short floats on small connected lakes.

    My family and I go to Chain O Lakes for short hikes, kayaking and camping. We come here out of convenience, since we live twenty minutes away. The campground is decent. There are no backpacking spots. There are a handful of paddle up camping spots that are very hard to reserve. The beach is often overcrowded with local partiers, drinking and smoking, and leaving trash everywhere. After peak hours these people clear out and usually aren't actually camping there. Overall, a great place for families hiking with small children or those who camp just to relax.

  • Camper-submitted photo from Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground
    January 30, 2022

    Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground

    Camping with my bf's family!

    It was my first time camping with my bf's family and we had a blast! We booked several sites and the sites that we got had a good amount of trees caving in so it was nicely shaded. There was a nice dock for fishing and the bathrooms were clean. We found a cave as well so some of us went to explore it!

  • Camper-submitted photo from Lost Bridge West
    January 5, 2022

    Lost Bridge West

    Great fall camping

    Nice level lots, beach, playgrounds, 15 miles of hiking/walking. Gorgeous lake sunrise/sunsets. Lots of eagle sightings! Plenty of deer. Leaves are beautiful in fall

  • Camper-submitted photo from Pokagon State Park Campground
    October 24, 2021

    Pokagon State Park Campground

    Recommend

    Enormous park, very clean and grassy. The staff was very helpful and friendly. We stayed there for 1 night only. The bathrooms are nice and clean, also has a nice shower.

  • Camper-submitted photo from Pokagon State Park Campground
    September 19, 2021

    Pokagon State Park Campground

    Extensive Campground

    This is an extremely large campground. About seventy-five percent of the sites are electric. We stayed in Site 255, which was not electric (booked last minute). This site was fairly level but very close to other sites…wouldn’t recommend it. However, Site 269 (next to Site 277) afforded great privacy and was large; among the non-electric sites this was the best I saw. I did not survey the electric sites, but I’m sure the site matters a lot. Non-electric sites are $20.00, plus a $9.00 park entrance fee.

    There are numerous walking trails, along with horse and bike trails. Additionally, there are boat rentals, horseback rides, pony rentals, swimming, nature center, and a restaurant at the inn.

    This is a family oriented park. Extended family groupings are very common. Nevertheless, people and their children are well behaved.

    I would recommend this campground for two days or more. A one day stay will mean you probably won’t see much of this wonderful park. The only reason I gave it a four was that even in mid-September it was packed.

  • Camper-submitted photo from Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground
    September 11, 2021

    Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground

    Great weekend!

    Got to camp 9/10 and will be staying thru 9/12. Lot 102 is perfect! Shade the majority of the day, very back of the camp ground and close enough to walk to everything! We got up Saturday morning and rented a row boat for the day. Spent the day checking out the lakes, then hiked a couple of the trails. Trail 1 had a huge snake on a tree that I found fascinating lol. Great neighbors made it the perfect weekend get away! Will definitely be back! The staff is amazing, the restroom/showers were clean, and the whole park is very well maintained. I have Verizon and had no service from Albion all the way to the park. My wife has ATT and had spotty service in the park, just FYI

  • Camper-submitted photo from Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground
    September 5, 2021

    Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground

    Labor Day at Chain

    We stayed at site #99 which is fairly easy to find and somewhat secluded from the main camper section of the campground. The site and neighboring sites are non-electric which makes you have to be creative if you need an air mattress. The site is partial sun midafternoon. The campground can get busy and loud but for the most part everyone was was respectful of others.

    Chain is perfect for kayaking and canoeing with 9 connected lakes and 11 total. A couple lakes are perfect for boat fishing as long as you have an electric motor only. Overall, in my opinion, this is one of the more underrated state parks in Indiana. Worth the trip up north away from the more popular parks in the southern part of the state.

  • Camper-submitted photo from Lost Bridge State Recreation Area
    August 29, 2021

    Lost Bridge State Recreation Area

    Awesome Place

    This is one of the best parks we have been to in Indiana. We Volunteer all over our the USA at State Parks and National Forest. So we know what to look for. Friendly people to answer questions plenty to do. And affordable.

  • Camper-submitted photo from Pokagon State Park Campground
    August 24, 2021

    Pokagon State Park Campground

    Great family friendly campground

    We stopped here for a night on our cross-country trip, wish we had 2 nights because we had lots of thunderstorms.  We camped in our teardrop on the primitive tent loop.  Sites were nice and secluded where we were, but you could hear a few late night partiers nearby.  Tons of things to do (playgrounds, lake, beach, hiking, horseback and pony rides etc).  The lodge is a nice structure but the food we sampled was mediocre.

  • Camper-submitted photo from Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground
    August 7, 2021

    Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground

    A True Campers Campground

    This is the campground that sparked my love for camping! Its not the fanciest or modern but it's filled with families weekend after weekend that share the same passion for true camping. Lot's of people cooking over their fires, hiking the trails, getting out on the water and talking around campfires late into the night.

    Site 311 isn't my favorite but getting a site is better than not going at all.

    Sites- gravel/grass and always groomed! Bathrooms- older, lots of iron stain the walls from well water but cleaned multiple times throughout the day! Staff- great! They have lots of hosts that will help you throughout your stay. Playground - centrally located and HUGE! Kids will make friends at Chain O'Lakes. Activities - if you like to be outside during the day you have plenty to do!

    No seasonal campers which adds to the energy that flows through this campground.



Guide to Arcola

Camping near Arcola, Indiana, offers a mix of beautiful landscapes and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a family-friendly adventure, there are plenty of campgrounds to explore.

What to do:

What campers like:

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate the cleanliness at Johnny Appleseed Campground. A visitor said, "Restrooms are very clean and comfortable."
  • Friendly Hosts: Many enjoy the welcoming atmosphere at Johnny Appleseed Campground. One camper remarked, "Nice place and very friendly camp hosts."
  • Spacious Campsites: At Gordons Campground, families love the room to spread out. A reviewer stated, "We had our kids and grandkids with us a few times, and everyone had a blast."

What you should know:

  • Site Variability: Campsites can vary in size and privacy. A camper at Ouabache State Park Campground mentioned, "The campsites are variable; size and privacy definitely depend on the site you book."
  • Crowded Beaches: Some campgrounds can get busy, especially during peak times. One visitor at Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground noted, "The beach is often overcrowded with local partiers."
  • Limited Amenities: Not all campgrounds have extensive facilities. A reviewer at Kil-So-Quah - J. Edward Roush Lake mentioned, "No bathhouse, just pit toilets."

Tips for camping with families:

  • Choose the Right Site: Look for private sites at campgrounds like Johnny Appleseed Campground. One camper said, "Our site was one of the more private which earned the 5-stars."
  • Plan Activities: Make sure to have a list of activities, like fishing or hiking, to keep everyone entertained. A family at Gordons Campground enjoyed, "Lots of activities for the kids, crafts, hayrides."
  • Pack Snacks: Keep snacks handy for the kids during outdoor adventures. A camper at Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground mentioned, "It was a great weekend with the family!"

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Site Size: Make sure your RV fits the site. A visitor at Kil-So-Quah - J. Edward Roush Lake noted, "Electric sites are small and not private."
  • Be Prepared for Noise: Some campgrounds can be noisy, especially on weekends. A camper at Indian Springs Campground said, "Very loud and rambunctious campers on the weekend."
  • Bring Your Own Supplies: Some campgrounds may not have firewood or other essentials. A visitor at Kil-So-Quah - J. Edward Roush Lake mentioned, "Bring your own toilet paper and firewood."

Camping near Arcola, Indiana, has something for everyone, from families to RV enthusiasts. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the great outdoors!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Arcola, IN?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Arcola, IN is Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 48 reviews.

  • What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Arcola, IN?

    TheDyrt.com has all 8 equestrian camping locations near Arcola, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.