Kankakee River State Park Equestrian Campground offers dedicated facilities for riders approximately 70 miles from Crown Point, Indiana. The campground provides primitive camping with access to drinking water, toilet facilities, and showers. Located near the Kankakee River, the equestrian area features vault toilets and trash disposal, though it lacks electric hookups or water connections. Campground access is drive-in, making it convenient for horse trailers and equipment transport. Nearby Potawatomi Campground within the same park accommodates tent and RV camping with more amenities including electric hookups and water access, though this area is not specifically designated for horses. The campground connects to an extensive network of trails through forested terrain. Campsites are very spread out, offering private, quiet camping experiences.
The trail system at Kankakee River State Park includes crushed gravel bike paths that can be used by riders to access various areas of the park. The 14-mile trail system follows the Kankakee River, providing scenic riding opportunities through wooded areas. While no dedicated horse corrals are present, the equestrian campground is designed with horse owners in mind, allowing for appropriate containment systems brought by campers. The park remains open year-round, though trail conditions vary seasonally. Tippecanoe River State Park, located further east, offers an alternative horse-friendly option with more developed amenities including electric hookups and sewer connections. Both locations require proper cleanup and management of horse waste. The parks enforce quiet hours after 10pm, though these rules are not always strictly maintained during busy weekends.
"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."
"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."
$14 - $50 / night
"There was a horse camp available as well as youth tenting and cabins to rent. This is a great State Park with more things to offer in addition to the ones mentioned above."
"Trails and the river close by. Bathrooms are phenomenal!! Enjoy!"
$37 / night
"Quiet, family orientated, fishing lake, miniature golf, activities"
RangerGreat place for a weekend camping trip of kayaking and some hiking.
Pro's
Con's
LegendThis is a North Central State Park in Indiana. Not one of the better units, but it has some charms. The mosquitos get bad in the summer, so come prepared. We camped the end of May& they were just getting going. Spring& late fall would be a good time to visit.
None of the campsites have a view of the river. Only 112 campsites in the electric side. There's a primitive tent campground by the river, with a few sites. There's also a horsemans campground, which we didn't look at. This is a well established campground& has nice shade trees in all the sites.
Get water before setting up at the water station after the small gatehouse. There's 2 sides at the dump station. In the campground there's 2 comfort stations. Station A looked like it had been totally rehabbed in the last 5 years. Everything looked nice& the showers could be turned to your preferred temperature. Cleaner than the last state park we were at for sure!
Handicap accessible sites are 109/110/111/112. There are 2 pit toilets in the campground, though I don't know why. The modern bathrooms are right across the road. Stay away from sites 73/75& 105/106. Right by the pits, with a sidewalk between them. The sites are typical state park. No privacy for most. There's gravel for your camper pad. Not dirt.
The best sites are site 1- right on the main drag, but the most private site in the place. If you enjoy watching the rigs come in& leave, this is your site! Vegetation separates you from site 2. Site 58 is the only pull through in the campground. Site 63 is also a pretty good site. All sites are not too far from the bathrooms.
For the playground, sites 2,3,4,6,&7 have direct access to a playground& you can watch your children from your site. All the interior sites by comfort station B have direct access to the playground from your site & you can watch your children from your site. Avoid if you dislike the sound of children playing.
We stayed in site 102, which is right across from bathroom A. All the outer sites are pretty good. Our site ponded water after a rain, but soaked in fast.
There's some trails that can be accessed from the campground- Trails 1,3,4&5.
All in all an average park. Nothing really special except for the river. Fishing was poor according to my husband.
LegendPotowatami campground is divided into four loops. We camped in the Osage loop. Garbage cans are at the start of the loop. A central shower house is on the main road midway between the loops. 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 camp host checks you in. He gave us the signal in case we drive out of camp. Wave the sign out your window and re-enter camp. He also told us about rock creek nature trail. It’s just across the main road near the ranger office entrance. There are another couple miles of trails if you want some diversity.
TravelerThis campground is a great place for families and pets.
We camped in the electric part of the park. During our stay we enjoyed the hiking opportunities for us and our dogs.
There were children involved in bike riding and playing at the playground every day and activities like the park Challenge to explore the park in a guided way, looking for local animals and skeletal remains.
Yu can also fish, canoe, Kayak or tube on the Tippecanoe River.
The Comfort Buildings were well lit and clean. They were also well stocked.
There was a horse camp available as well as youth tenting and cabins to rent.
This is a great State Park with more things to offer in addition to the ones mentioned above. We will definitely be back.Check it out for yourself soon!
GuideThis campground was nice enough. Clean bathrooms and convenient access to trails from the campground. However, the mosquitos are absolutely terrible due to the campgrounds proximity to the Tippacanoe River. Yeah, I know there will be bugs when camping but the amount of mosquitos at the park was like nothing I have ever experienced. I would not go back unless it was in the late fall/winter.
TravelerI’ve been to many state parks but this is one of my favorites. Big lots, friendly staff. Trails and the river close by. Bathrooms are phenomenal!! Enjoy!
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.
GuideGreat campground. Our site had plenty of space for our tent and other gear. Close walking distance to several bathrooms/bath houses. Did not check out any trails or other options there. Did participate in a star gazing event being held that weekend and it is still something my husband and I talk about regularly. I have AT&T service and could not use my phone at all, my husband has Verizon and had no problems with cell service.
ScoutThis small 10 campsite area of The Tippecanoe River State Park only has 1 water spigot & 4 vault toilets (2 men's & 2 women's) for the more adventurous campers. The main reason I like it there is that you're camping directly on the river. On one of the sites you can actually get out of your tent & throw a rock into the river.
Prior to this year (2018) this non-electric smaller area of the park WAS known as "The Canoe Camp", stipulating you must have a canoe or some kind of boat to camp here.
Now, this area is "The River Tent Area". Anyone with a tent can camp here now. I have camped there 3 times this year & had a few things happen. (All in one trip)
In the camping brochure it plainly states "No swimming" in 2 separate paragraghs. I had picked THAT weekend because there was free fishing for Indiana residents & my friend wanted to take her 2 young boys fishing & camping. We caught nothing. Probably due to the people belly flopping in the river a mere 20 ft. away.
Our day FAR from over. Some other campers that night decided to play flashlight games in ALL 10 campsites. It's not too easy getting 2 small boy's to bed while there are scary shadows being cast on all 4 sides of our tent.
The park rangers DO come around & check on things 👍 but I was getting ice in the main campground after the fishing incident & my friend,who had never camped there before, didn't feel it was her place to say anything. The reservations were in my name. Plus we packed & left 1st thing in the morning after the flashlight ordeal. ((back to work) I did call the office & inform that evening at home.
I'm worried that opening that area up to anybody with a tent wasn't a very good idea.
Kankakee River State Park Equestrian Campground provides accommodations for riders traveling with horses approximately 70 miles from Crown Point, Indiana. Located near the Kankakee River, this specialized camping area features primitive sites with access to basic amenities including vault toilets and trash disposal. The equestrian facilities connect to a 14-mile trail system through varied terrain, with crushed gravel paths that follow the river corridor and wind through wooded sections of the park.
Trail riding along the Kankakee River: The extensive trail system provides scenic riding routes through forested areas with river views. "The area is well kept, clean, and well managed. I have frequented this park because it offers a lot of activities from primitive camping, RV parking, fishing, hiking, biking, backpacking, etc," writes Andrea F. about Kankakee River State Park.
Explore Indian caves and historic areas: Several archaeological and historical points of interest exist within riding distance. Andrea F. notes, "There are Indian caves through the creek where you can still find arrowheads. Exploring the area is pretty cool and the park is quite expansive and impressive for this state."
Visit the nature center: When not riding, equestrian campers can access educational opportunities. Linda N. mentions 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!"
Spacious, private camping: Equestrian sites are designed to accommodate trailers and provide adequate space for horses. "The campsites are very spread out and you will have a very private quiet campsite," confirms phillip L. about Kankakee River State Park.
Clean facilities despite heavy use: The shower facilities receive regular maintenance. "The shower house was good. We went during July 4th so it was busy (the toilet paper was completely out when I stopped by and it looked like some kids had a water balloon fight in there) but the team came out to clean up promptly," shares Linda N.
Natural setting with riverside access: The proximity to the Kankakee River adds recreational value. "I loved this spot! We loved riding our bikes along the river and just being away from the hustle and bustle," reports Jacqueline F. about Kankakee River State Park.
Site selection matters for equipment needs: Not all sites accommodate larger trailers equally. Shannon H. advises about Kankakee River, "We had four sites on Osage loop for tent camping. Two were very small (14&15), and little grass for tent setup, fine for RV or trailer campers... Wish we knew more about individual site layout."
Seasonal considerations affect trail conditions: Weather impacts riding conditions significantly. "It rained a ton during our trip so we didn't explore much," notes Emma H., while Andrea F. adds, "It's great during all times of the year."
Alternative equestrian options available: Tippecanoe River State Park offers another horseman's campground within reasonable distance. "This is a well established campground& has nice shade trees in all the sites," reports Cynthia K., though warning, "The mosquitos get bad in the summer, so come prepared."
Check playground proximity: For families balancing riding with children's activities, some campgrounds offer convenient playground access. Cynthia K. advises, "For the playground, sites 2,3,4,6,&7 have direct access to a playground& you can watch your children from your site."
River safety awareness: The Kankakee River permits limited water activities but requires caution. Linda N. warns, "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)."
Educational programs enhance stays: Leisure Lake Resort offers additional family-friendly amenities beyond equestrian facilities. Karel M. notes the "Quiet, family orientated, fishing lake, miniature golf, activities" available.
Water access varies between campgrounds: While the equestrian area offers limited hookups, nearby campgrounds provide more services. Ray S. notes about Kankakee River State Park, "This is a reasonablly priced campground with all facilities in great condition."
Leveling and site selection: The terrain varies throughout the area, affecting setup. Emma H. shares, "My fiancé and I stayed in the Hickory Loop spot 3. We are very new campers, so we just have a very basic tent setup...There were two outlets available, and a small rectangular fire pit with a grate on top."
Noise levels fluctuate by day and location: Weekends bring increased activity. Ray S. notes, "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."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Crown Point, IN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Crown Point, IN is Potowatomi Campground — Kankakee River State Park with a 4.5-star rating from 17 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Crown Point, IN?
TheDyrt.com has all 4 equestrian camping locations near Crown Point, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
