7 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Despite available data, no dedicated equestrian camping facilities exist at the listed campgrounds near Bristol, Indiana. The JSON data specifically indicates "NO horse-corral" as a feature for all campgrounds, including Potato Creek State Park, Chain O' Lakes State Park, Pokagon State Park, Fort Custer Recreation Area, Covert/South Haven KOA Holiday, and Kosciusko County Fairgrounds. While these campgrounds offer various accommodations including tent, RV, and cabin camping, they lack specific horse-friendly amenities such as corrals, stalls, or dedicated equestrian campsites.
Campers seeking to bring horses to this region should contact individual parks directly to inquire about possible horse trailer parking and any unofficial arrangements for horses. The parks provide various recreational opportunities including hiking trails, biking paths, and water activities, but specific bridle trails or horse-related facilities are not mentioned in the available data. Park policies regarding temporary horse containment systems, highlines, or portable corrals are not specified in the provided information. Visitors interested in horseback riding opportunities should explore dedicated equestrian facilities separate from these campgrounds or consider traveling to areas with designated horse camping.
"Overall Rating: 4 for access to the area, very clean facilities, and not too many campers thus time of year.
Price 2024: $35 for water/electric only.""A little close to your neighbors but the way the sites are angled you had plenty of room. Very friendly people. Easy in and out."
"I feel this is one of the best state parks in Indiana. Come with your own water as they don’t have water hookups at your campsite but there are some nearby. The sites are very spacious and clean."
"Younger families tend to book up front near the playground and the noise and activities are more robust. Be ready with back up cords, some sites require 75 ft to hook up."
from $20 - $90 / night
Check Availability"Met up with 18 other skoolies our first Indiana meet. Met great people had a fantastic time. Great park kids swam, showers are clean. Electric at sites but water isn’t but very close by."
"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."
from $14 - $80 / night
Check Availability"Sites are in a well wooded area situated on 5 different loops (1 non-electric, 4 electric)."
"This site was fairly level but very close to other sites…wouldn’t recommend it."
from $20 - $480 / night
Check Availability"The trails are great for hikers, bikers, & equestrians. We’ve had family camp outs there, as well my husband & I alone. It’s all dog friendly too! 🐕🐶"
"Several no wake lakes for kayaking, canoeing and fishing. One lake with swimming beach. Lots of trails for hiking, horses and mountain bikes."
"Good spots for RV/pull behind/tents. Clean facilities and only a 20 min drive from South Haven’s beautiful beaches!"
"Nice very busy pool and slide, play areas, walking trail, camp store with hot food. Not far from Lake Michigan and places to buy fresh fruit and veggies. Check it out you'll be happy you did."
from $5 - $10 / night
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GuideEquestrian 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.
Guide...although you probably wouldn't want to camp in the Indiana winter. I grew up coming here mostly to sled on the hills! But, there is a lot more to do. It surrounds Worster Lake and there are cabins, RV sites, and tent sites along with horse trails and bike trails. In the winter, there's sledding hills and ice fishing. The campgrounds are pretty standard, nothing special. If you live in the area, it's a fine little getaway.
ScoutI feel this is one of the best state parks in Indiana. Come with your own water as they don’t have water hookups at your campsite but there are some nearby. The sites are very spacious and clean. Bath houses are always clean! Playground areas for the kids throughout the park lots of bike and walking trails. No pools but a beautiful man made lake for swimming and fishing. Lots of wildlife throughout the park. A great nature center is a must to see for the little ones. My family has camped here for many years. There is also a separate campground for horse lovers.
TravelerPokagon State Park has an excellent state park campground. Sites are in a well wooded area situated on 5 different loops (1 non-electric, 4 electric). Many sites are flat (good for tent camping) while others are slightly rolling hills (helps breakup the sites a bit). There is a lot to do in the park including many trails, horse riding (horse stable on site), and lake swimming on a nicely improved beach. Only cons are no full hook up and the fire rings/grills could be improved.
TravelerThe trails are great for hikers, bikers, & equestrians. We’ve had family camp outs there, as well my husband & I alone. It’s all dog friendly too! 🐕🐶
LegendI have camped here a couple of times while visiting northern Indiana to have repairs done on my RV. Overall, I like this campground where for $30/night you can get a 50 amp full hook-up site or $23/night a 30 amp and water site. If you plan on staying longer weekly and monthly rates are really good. The campground sits in the middle of the county fairgrounds so there is usually something going on – either a fair, concert, horse event, or an RV rally. Depending on what time of year you are here and part of the week, the campground could be very crowded or very empty. The nice thing is the people in the office let you pick whatever site you want and don’t assign one to you. There are 275 full hook-up sites with 50 amp full hook-up and 30 amp water & electric only. There are no fires allowed and some sites don’t have picnic tables but you can request one and they will bring it to your site.
There is very little shade and during my last visit the late September fall temperatures climbed to nearly 90 degrees and was brutal. This campground is better suited for RVs than tents but you are permitted to tent camp. Bathrooms and showers are scattered about and I was amazed at always how clean they (and the grounds as a whole) are. They do offer WiFi which worked pretty well in non-peak hours like early morning but was not reliable and sometimes frustrating. Since many sites have a clear view of the sky, you most likely will get satellite television reception and a dozen or so antenna channels.
One of the things I like about this park is the vast expanse of grounds to wander about walking my dog. There is a trail system just outside of the park that allows you miles and miles of walking and biking trails. Downtown Goshen is less than two miles away and has some great restaurants (including Venturi Pizza, Maple Indian Cuisine – which has an awesome buffet, and Goshen Brewing Company). The Saturday farmers market is great with lots of produce, breads, meats, cheeses, and crafts.
The last time I visited coincided with the Mennonite Relief Fund which was a big fund raiser for their charity that packed the grounds with stuff for sale, food, and activities. It was fun to be there during the event but it meant the campground and grounds were packed.
Now for the bad about this campground. It is located right next to very busy train tracks that operate 24/7 and blow their horns quite often. They were really annoying in the middle of the night. Sites are close together so if it is crowded and you have a neighbor, you will be right on top of them. There is no shade which can be very miserable.
Pros:
· Price - $30/night for a 50 amp full hook-up site
· Nearby downtown stores and restaurants
· Sites are not assigned so you can pick where you want to camp
· Grassy patios
· Large grounds to meander around
· Nearby biking/walking trail
Cons:
· Very noisy from nearby trains operated at all hours
· Few trees for shade or privacy
· Some sites are very tight and close to your neighbor
· Can be very crowded
· WiFi provided but not reliable
TravelerThis 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.
LegendCampground= 4 stars; check-in= 2 stars. Very large campground with close to 300 sites plus a horse camp and about 20 cabins. We picked this park solely because it was convenient to our next destination, so we were not concerned with amenities. We did not make a reservation because I really do not want to pay the extra fee if it is not necessary. Upon arrival, we paid the $9 entrance fee ($7 for Indiana residents) and drove the 3 miles to the campground office. Somewhat surprised to find both staffed at 6 pm on a Thursday after Labor Day. We were told to drive around and pick several desired sites as they could not tell us which ones still had people due to arrive that night who had reserved. Huh?? So, we drove around two of the five loops and picked half a dozen sites that would be suitable. But that’s where the fun began- not! There seemed to be some computer glitch in that every site we asked about showed as not available, even though more than half the sites were empty. Eventually, we were told to just go to one of the sites we picked and set up and that a security guard would come and collect our money. Eventually, at just before 9 pm, the security guard did come and told us the glitch had been fixed and asked that we come to the office and register. The glitch was not fixed! But we paid our fee and were able to stay the night and the staff was very apologetic.
There is no differentiation between RV and tent sites (the only one that is separate is the horse camp). The E Loop seemed to be the most crowded, mostly with RVs. The sites in the D Loop were spaced a decent amount of distance apart but other than that, there was no real privacy between them. This was not a problem because the loop had many empty sites and we were able to easily find one that had an empty one on either side of us. There are paths to the beach accessible from the D and E loops but note the beach is only open from Memorial Day through Labor Day. There is no longer a dog beach at Potato Creek. There is a general store(open until 8 pm) and bike rentals which, if we were going to stay longer, we might have taken advantage of. There are boat rentals in season. Several trails and playgrounds so I imagine that in the summer, this is a nice family campground (even the name is Family campground).
The mosquitos were vicious, likely worse due to the amount of rain the area has had this year. Bathrooms were very clean and there was hot water, a nice luxury but you have to be careful not to bump your head on the shelf over the sink when washing your face. Didn’t use them but there were also showers.
The check-in process notwithstanding, our stay was fine for the night.
ScoutMMichigan State park with large sites and lots of privacy. $25per night with electric. Several no wake lakes for kayaking, canoeing and fishing. One lake with swimming beach. Lots of trails for hiking, horses and mountain bikes. Roads quiet and could easily ride your road bike to nearby bike paths. I loved the lack of lights in the park at night making for a beautiful night sky.
While equestrian camping options are limited near Bristol, Indiana, the region offers diverse camping experiences across state parks and recreation areas. The area sits within northern Indiana's lakes region, with elevations averaging 800-900 feet above sea level and a humid continental climate featuring warm summers and cold winters.
Hiking diverse trails: At Potato Creek State Park, trails accommodate various skill levels. "The Peppermint Hill mountain bike/hiking loop was really fun and not to be missed," notes Christy Y. Trail #1 also receives praise: "My favorite trail is probably number one, which is a 1 mile weird loop that has some neat scenery, especially in the summertime," shares Kaley A.
Mountain biking: Fort Custer Recreation Area has dedicated mountain biking trails on one side of the recreation area. "Endless hiking trails and two lakes where you can fish, swim, and boat," says Bob B. For riders looking to visit regularly, "This has now officially become a favorite... we loved our site as it's close to the trails for riding," explains Joel K.
Blueberry picking: A unique activity at Covert/South Haven KOA Holiday involves harvesting fruit. "This KOA has blueberry fields everywhere on the property. For a period of time in summer and early fall, you can pick your own blueberries in the morning to have in your breakfast pancakes!" shares Cindy B. The campground is "camp with blueberries right outside your door!" according to Amy J.
Privacy between sites: Many campers appreciate the spacing at Chain O' Lakes State Park. "Tent lots are flat and a good size. RR and showers nearby," notes Karson G. The park offers varied camping experiences including "group sites [that] are much larger, and also more expensive. Group sites usually aren't too full so large space and few neighbors is always a plus," according to Ted C.
Family-friendly amenities: Visitors with children appreciate activities at Covert/South Haven KOA Holiday. "This campground never disappoints. Heated pool and lots of activities for kids," states Amy J. Another family notes, "The kids love the activities and the pool and my family who are not necessarily 'outdoorsy' love that they can sleep in an air conditioned cabin with cable!" shares Lisa P.
Well-maintained grounds: Pokagon State Park receives consistent praise for upkeep. "This is a great campground. We stayed one night in a non-electrical spot. The park is beautifully maintained. The bathroom and shower facilities were clean and updated," reports Mary H. Another camper adds, "There's 500+ sites, but all nicely separated and shaded," according to Amy K.
Seasonal considerations: Water conditions can vary at Potato Creek. "Blue-green algae warnings made us not want to put more than our feet in the water. The beach area is nice, though," explains Tony P. During summer, "Natural wetlands abound, so definitely bring the mosquito spray," advises Frank M.
Site selection strategy: At Fort Custer Recreation Area, "Sites are easy to get in and out of with RV/TT," according to Bob B. However, "Since there are no water or sewer hook ups, lines at the dump/fill station can get long," he cautions.
Beach crowds: When considering horse campgrounds near Bristol, Indiana or alternatives, note that some public areas get busy. At Chain O' Lakes, "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," shares Whitley K.
Choose sites strategically: At Potato Creek State Park, consider your location carefully. "We recommend securing a spot in the back sites 230-287 for larger lots and quieter atmosphere. Younger families tend to book up front near the playground and the noise and activities are more robust," advises Frank M.
Maximize activity options: Families appreciate Pokagon State Park for its variety. "There's an inn, restaurant, cabins, boat rentals, horseback riding, bike trails, beach, toboggan run, etc. Tons of picnic areas and pavilions; would be a great spot for a family reunion," suggests Amy K. Another camper confirms, "There are trail, beaches, boats, horses... so many things to do," says Becky N.
Consider comfort options: While traditional equestrian camping near Bristol, Indiana is limited, family-focused alternatives exist. "The campground is made for families. It has a pool and lots of activities for kids," shares Amy J. about Covert/South Haven KOA Holiday.
Electrical hookup planning: For RVers at Potato Creek State Park, "Be ready with back up cords, some sites require 75 ft to hook up," warns Frank M. The park takes "10-15 mins to drive out of campground, so keep this in mind," he adds.
Utilities and dump station: At Fort Custer, RVers should plan for basic services. "Sites have electrical service only. Must use the dump station," notes VB S. This means planning water usage carefully during your stay.
Site spacing concerns: Chain O' Lakes State Park offers mixed experiences for RVers. "The campground at self is very clean and easy to navigate. I was not particularly happy with my campsite it was a lot smaller space for my tent then what look like in the picture," shares Julie B.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Bristol, IN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Bristol, IN is Elkhart County Fairgrounds with a 3.5-star rating from 8 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Bristol, IN?
TheDyrt.com has all 7 equestrian camping locations near Bristol, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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