Jonathan M.
Scout
ScoutChain O' Lakes State Park Campground
Nice Fall Weekend
For our first fall, chilly camping weekend, it was a nice getaway. We got to enjoy the Halloween decorations and the quiet chilly mornings.
Equestrian Camping near Elkhart, IN
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Horse-friendly campgrounds near Elkhart, Indiana include Potato Creek State Park Campground, a popular state park offering tent, RV, cabin, and glamping accommodations. The campground provides electric hookups, water, and sanitary facilities for visitors. While the state park does not have dedicated horse corrals according to the data, it offers multiple trails and outdoor recreation opportunities. Sites are spacious with decent privacy between campsites, making it suitable for those traveling with animals. The campground is especially family-friendly with paved bike trails, hiking options, and water activities.
Located about 25 minutes from South Bend and 40 minutes from Elkhart, Potato Creek State Park Campground serves as a convenient base for exploring the region. The park features miles of trails suitable for various activities, though specific bridle trails are not identified in the data. Campground amenities include drinking water, electric hookups, fire rings, picnic tables, showers, and toilets. Sites are reservable and accommodate various camping styles. For horse owners seeking facilities with dedicated equestrian amenities, it's advisable to contact the park directly as the data does not specifically list horse corrals or specialized equestrian facilities at any of the campgrounds near Elkhart.
Best Equestrian Campgrounds near Elkhart (6)
1. Potato Creek State Park Campground
"Great walking trails, great for families with youngsters. Park activities and lots of trail walking. 25 mins away from South Bend/Mishawaka and 40 mins away from Elkhart and there RV Hall of Fame."
"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."
from $20 - $90 / night
Check Availability2. Elkhart County Fairgrounds
"Elkhart County 4-h Fairgrounds: Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good
(72 yr olds in 27’ trailer.)"
"We followed our RV Trip Wizard GPS directions straight to the fairgrounds, and since we had stayed here before, we knew to use the second entrance."
3. Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground
"Chain O Lakes State Park, Albion Indiana. Northwest of Fort Wayne. 416 electric, nonelectric & primitive campsites. Water is available & 3 dumps.
This was our 3rd time camping here."
"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."
from $14 - $80 / night
Check Availability4. Pokagon State Park Campground
"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 Availability5. Covert/South Haven KOA Holiday
"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."
6. Kosciusko County Fairgrounds
from $5 - $10 / night
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Drive Time
- 28 min from South Bend, IN
- 30 min from Niles, MI
- 53 min from Michigan City, IN
- 1 hr 2 min from Kalamazoo, MI
Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near Elkhart, IN
1 Photos of 6 Elkhart Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Equestrian Camping Reviews near Elkhart, IN
190 Reviews of 6 Elkhart Campgrounds
- Frank B.Scout
Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground
Relaxing September Evening at Chain O' Lakes State Park
I stayed one evening last Wednesday here, a first time for me. Just tent camping / sleeping in the car. There were other campers around enjoying the pleasant evening, mainly in RVs. Everyone was very quiet and respectful. The shower buildings are old fashioned with a common area to place clothes and a towel, and only a shower curtain for each individual shower. However, I was the only one showering at the time anyway. The shower area was state park clean, I guess. Before leaving, I viewed the one room schoolhouse on the grounds, just from the windows as it wasn't open at the time. Quaint and old school. Overall, I recommend camping at the park if you can live with the shower building or have an RV for added convenience.
Michael M.
GuidePokagon State Park Campground
Simple stop
We used Pokagon State Park as a two-night stopover on our way home from Northern Michigan, and overall, it was a good option for a short stay.
We stayed in Site 109, which was tucked away and felt fairly isolated from the rest of the campground. In early spring or late fall, I imagine the site would have a nice view of the lake, but in August the tree cover was too thick to see much of it.
The gravel pad was reasonably level, but we needed a couple inches of leveling blocks to get the RV sitting flat. There wasn’t really much of a grassy area at the site for the dogs, but we were able to walk them easily just down the road.
We brought our bicycles, which was a great way to explore the park. We rode around to the nature center, equestrian facility, and beach, and enjoyed being able to see more of the park without having to drive everywhere.
One thing that surprised us was the single dump station for the entire campground. Since none of the sites have full hookups, I would imagine the line could get ridiculously long after a busy weekend.
Overall, we’d stay here again, but probably only as a one- or two-night layover rather than a longer destination stay. Site 109 worked well for us because of its privacy and quiet location.
- Tom O.Guide
Pokagon State Park Campground
Lots to Do
A very large campground with lots to do. Spacious site. Charges a vehicle fee along with campground fee. Sites in loop 1 are gravel and mostly not level. Lots of noise from motor boats on the lake during the day.
- ttammy I.Scout
Pokagon State Park Campground
Stay away from loop 6
I love this state park. My kids wanted to Join us a week or to our. Site 507 and 509 were available. Do not stay there. The sewer smell was so bad we did not want to leave our trailer. If that was our first trip we would never returned
- AAngela B.Scout
Pokagon State Park Campground
Great site/ DNR presence too much
Great site, however, DNR drives by every five minutes. The primitive bathroom facilities are absolutely horrid, the newer ones up the road from site 238 are beautiful.
Cynthia K.
LegendChain O' Lakes State Park Campground
Nice State Park!
Chain O Lakes State Park, Albion Indiana. Northwest of Fort Wayne.
416 electric, nonelectric & primitive campsites. Water is available & 3 dumps.
This was our 3rd time camping here. We were in handicapped site 325 which was a pretty good site. We had good neighbors which helps. The campground is well established & shaded. Read the site descriptions carefully for inclines & site dimensions.
What is really interesting is they have 7 canoe campsites. They have their own pit toilets & a little dock. Site 3 is behind the pit toilet, but the rest looked ok. They're just off trail 4 as well.
Cabins are also available.
Hot showers& bathrooms. They were state park clean, but definitely need some upgrading.
This is a boating/fishing/hiking park.
There's 29 miles of fairly easy trails- all can be looped.
9 connecting glacial kettle lakes make for great kayaking & canoeing. Electric motor only makes for a peaceful lake experience. Fishing was pretty good according to my fisherguy.
There's a 1915 schoolhouse that's open on the weekends.
There's a small swimming beach with food for sale. There's also boat rental with canoes, kayaks & small boats.
Nice campground for a summer weekend!
- SScott B.
RangerPotato Creek State Park Campground
Nice park
Lots to do here. Swim, bike, trails, kids parks, good camp store. Towns near the park. You can rent bikes and canoes. Our site #55 was big but 3”dip drivers side and 12” dip back to front.
Cat L.ScoutPotato Creek State Park Campground
Great mid spring camping
Swimming, boating, fishing…this was a perfect weekend. The campground and park were easy to navigate and the DNR staff was very helpful and friendly. Highly recommend.
Guide to Elkhart
Potato Creek State Park serves as a central destination for outdoor recreation near Elkhart, Indiana, located 40 minutes south of the city. The park encompasses over 3,800 acres of wetlands, woodlands, and prairie landscapes with Worster Lake as its centerpiece. This region experiences humid continental climate with warm summers and cold winters, making late spring through early fall the optimal camping season.
What to do
Trail exploration: Potato Creek State Park offers diverse hiking options ranging from easy to moderate difficulty. "I've not camped at this park, only hiked it. I've probably hiked it two dozen times at least and it's got nice trails for the part of Indiana that it's in. Most of them are relatively flat with some trails, like number two, having some hills and stairs in them," notes reviewer Kaley A.
Water activities: Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground provides boating access to a connected chain of small lakes. "We go to Chain O Lakes for short hikes, kayaking and camping. We come here out of convenience, since we live twenty minutes away. There are a handful of paddle up camping spots that are very hard to reserve," explains Whitley K.
Cycling opportunities: The paved bike paths at Potato Creek State Park accommodate riders of all skill levels. "With dog friendly beaches, beginner MTB trails and paved bike paths, this checks all our boxes. Natural wetlands abound, so definitely bring the mosquito spray," advises Frank M.
What campers like
Privacy and space: The back section of Potato Creek State Park Campground offers larger, quieter campsites. "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," shares Frank M.
Blueberry picking: Covert/South Haven KOA Holiday offers a unique agricultural experience. "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! The campground is nice with camping sites that are level and roomy," explains Cindy B.
Year-round activities: Pokagon State Park Campground maintains seasonal programming throughout the year. "There's 500+ sites, but all nicely separated and shaded. There's an inn, restaurant, cabins, boat rentals, horseback riding, bike trails, beach, toboggan run, etc. Tons of picnic areas and pavilions," notes Amy K.
What you should know
Equestrian options: While horse campgrounds near Elkhart, Indiana are limited, Pokagon State Park offers horseback riding opportunities without dedicated equestrian campsites. "Only electric hookups, but good for a short weekend. Best bike orbs, horseback riding, and quiet," mentions Kristen S.
Site selection challenges: Popular campgrounds fill quickly during peak seasons. "We pulled in on Thursday and were unable to stay through the weekend because the park was full—full because of buy up of sites for solicitation," reports Sue B. about Potato Creek State Park.
Connectivity limitations: Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground and other parks in the region have limited cell service and internet. "Typical Indiana Campground with basic amenities, older comfort stations and spotty WIFI. I like unplugging but sometimes work demands I respond promptly," notes Frank M.
Tips for camping with families
Activity planning: Pokagon State Park offers diverse family-friendly options within walking distance. "There are trail, beaches, boats, horses... so many things to do," explains Becky N.
Beach awareness: Chain O' Lakes State Park has beach areas that vary in crowding and cleanliness. "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," advises Whitley K.
Playground proximity: Covert/South Haven KOA Holiday provides extensive children's activities. "There are a lot of lodging options, tons of kids activities, both free and for a small fee, great pool, cafe and store! Lots of sports equipment to loan as well," shares Melissa B.
Tips from RVers
Power connections: Prepare for potentially long electrical cord runs at Potato Creek State Park. "Be ready with back up cords, some sites require 75 ft to hook up. Takes 10-15 mins to drive out of campground, so keep this in mind," suggests Frank M.
Weekend planning: Horse-friendly camping areas near Elkhart fill quickly during summer weekends. "We camp here every year with our family since it is perfectly halfway between us, in Michigan, and my family in Chicago. The kids love the activities and the pool," reports Lisa P. about Covert/South Haven KOA.
Access considerations: Allow extra time for entering and exiting larger campgrounds. "Takes 10-15 mins to drive out of campground, so keep this in mind," notes Frank M. about navigating the extensive grounds at Potato Creek State Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
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campsite near Elkhart, IN?
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Elkhart, IN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Elkhart, IN is Potato Creek State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 51 reviews.
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equestrian camping near
Elkhart, IN?
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Elkhart, IN?
TheDyrt.com has all 6 equestrian camping locations near Elkhart, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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