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Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground near Ligonier, Indiana offers primitive and electric campsites suitable for equestrians. While the park does not have dedicated horse corrals according to the data, the campground accommodates horse trailers in its spacious sites, particularly in the primitive camping area where sites are larger and more wooded than the RV section. The park features a network of trails with ratings from easy to rugged, ranging from 1 to 4 miles in length, many of which interconnect to create longer hiking routes suitable for day rides. The nine lakes connected by waterways provide scenic riding opportunities with well-marked trails that occasionally feature map displays to help riders stay oriented. Sites include picnic tables and fire rings, with drinking water available throughout the campground. The primitive sites are particularly well-suited for those camping with horses as they offer more space and a natural setting.
The trail system at Chain O' Lakes provides multiple options for riders, with clearly marked paths that wind through forests and along lakeshores. Equestrians should note that while horses are permitted on designated trails, the park requires that riders bring their own portable containment systems as no permanent corrals are available. Water access for horses is available at various points throughout the park, though riders should check seasonal availability. The campground stays open year-round, offering different seasonal riding experiences from summer lake views to fall foliage trails. Reservations are recommended, especially during peak seasons when the campground fills quickly. Trail maps are available at the well-stocked camp store, which provides essentials for both riders and horses. The bathroom facilities are clean but can become busy during peak weekends when the park reaches capacity.
"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"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."
"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"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 Availabilityfrom $5 - $10 / night
Check Availability"We camped in a tent had a fire went hiking found little waterfalls and there is another part that allows horses!!"
"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."
from $14 - $35 / night
Check Availability"I return to Salamonie River State Forest year after year because it truly feels like Northeast Indiana’s best-kept secret."
"The trails can get extreme.. if you’re really into hiking this is a great place. Three waterfalls and lots of trails with horses walking around."
from $13 - $15 / night
Check Availability"If you can get a lake view site enjoy. Some spot are far away from the shower houses but you can drive to them. Nice marina with a great store and boat rentals"
"There’s also an entire beach close by, the parking lot needs to be maintained at the beach. I saw DNR once a day. The boat launch is close if you have a boat. The restrooms are clean but primitive."
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.
TravelerI return to Salamonie River State Forest year after year because it truly feels like Northeast Indiana’s best-kept secret. This 21‑site primitive campground offers peaceful seclusion, 4 pit toilets, and two water sources—including a spring‑fed spigot with crisp, cold, delicious drinking water. I’ve stayed at several sites, with Site 18 and Site 20 as favorites. Tent‑friendly, small camper-friendly, pet‑friendly, and just $15/night, it sits beside horse trails, hiking routes, and great fishing. A small campground with big shine—highly recommended.
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.
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.
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
TravelerMet 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.
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.
Chain O' Lakes State Park and surrounding areas provide diverse options for equestrian camping near Ligonier, Indiana. The region features glacial terrain with interconnected lakes surrounded by mixed hardwood forests at approximately 900 feet elevation. Summer temperatures average 75-85°F while spring and fall can bring unpredictable weather patterns that affect trail conditions for riders.
Lake activities: Chain O' Lakes State Park offers opportunities beyond trail riding with nine connected lakes. "We stayed on a group site. As usual the group sites are much larger, and also more expensive. Group sites usually aren't too full so large space and few neighbors is always a plus," notes a visitor to Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground.
Mountain biking: For equestrians looking to vary their activities, nearby Potato Creek State Park Campground offers trail alternatives. "The Peppermint Hill mountain bike/hiking loop was really fun and not to be missed," shares one camper. This provides options for days when horse trails might be too muddy.
Waterfall exploration: When taking a break from riding, consider visiting Salamonie River State Forest. A camper notes, "Even the trails we frequent always seem new because each season offers a different kind of beauty." Small waterfalls provide cooling spots during summer rides.
Clean facilities: Despite heavy use during peak seasons, Chain O' Lakes maintains good standards. "Nice quiet campground with lots of wildlife. Tent lots are flat and a good size. RR and showers nearby," reports one camper at Chain O' Lakes State Park.
Family-friendly atmosphere: The parks welcome all ages with varied activities. A visitor to Lost Bridge West State Recreation Area shares, "Nice level lots, beach, playgrounds, 15 miles of hiking/walking. Gorgeous lake sunrise/sunsets. Lots of eagle sightings! Plenty of deer."
Natural setting: The primitive camping areas often provide better equestrian experiences. At Salamonie River State Forest, a camper notes, "Cheap, $13 self pay. No electric or showers but do have bathroom. Very secluded luv it here." These areas typically offer more space for horse trailers.
Site selection: Choose carefully based on your trailer size and needs. At Pokagon State Park Campground, "Sites are shorter and sometimes uneven," according to one RVer. Similar conditions exist at other area campgrounds.
Seasonal challenges: Mosquitoes can be problematic during summer months. "We were in the tent portion and it was very loud, the pit toilets did not have doors, and there were some mosquitoes," reports one Chain O' Lakes visitor.
Reservation requirements: Book well ahead for equestrian-friendly sites. A Salamonie River State Forest camper notes, "No reservations, but sites seem readily available, even on weekends in the summer. Spacious sites. Fairly wooded." This makes it a good backup option.
Multiple activities: Parks offer alternatives when children need breaks from riding. At Chain O' Lakes, "There is so much to do. Between the hiking trails, boating, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and biking. You won't ever get bored," notes one family.
Beach access: Most lakes in the region have designated swimming areas. "Kayaking and the beach was a huge hit with the kids," shares a Chain O' Lakes visitor, providing essential cooling options after dusty trail rides.
Playground options: Lost Bridge State Recreation Area features "3 playgrounds" according to reviews, making it suitable for families with younger children who need breaks between riding sessions.
Hookup planning: Electric service varies between campgrounds. "Be ready with back up cords, some sites require 75 ft to hook up," advises an RVer about Potato Creek, which applies to several parks offering equestrian camping near Ligonier.
Site positioning: Choose locations based on your priorities. "Sites 221-243, 202-204 offer lake views. I say VIEWS, not access," shares a camper at Lost Bridge State Recreation Area, helping horse owners balance scenic spots with practical access to trails.
Water availability: Most parks require filling tanks at central stations. "Fill up on water at the water filling station before going to your site," notes an RVer, important advice when planning multi-day horseback riding trips.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Ligonier, IN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Ligonier, IN is Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 54 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Ligonier, IN?
TheDyrt.com has all 8 equestrian camping locations near Ligonier, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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