10 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Maple Springs Campground accommodates horse campers with specialized sites featuring highline ties and adequate space for trucks and trailers. Located near Preston, Minnesota, approximately 35 miles northwest of Elma, Iowa, this campground provides direct access to regional bridle trails and Forestville Mystery Cave State Park's equestrian routes. The campground offers full hookups including water, electric, and sewer connections for RVs, while tent sites are also available. Riders particularly appreciate the proximity to trout streams and scenic valley terrain. The horse sites include water access and electric service, with a gravel pad plus picnic table and fire ring at each location.
Forestville Mystery Cave State Park connects to Maple Springs through a short road ride, offering extensive trail networks through oak and maple forests. Trails accommodate both riders and hikers throughout the park's heavily wooded terrain. The equestrian sites are slightly separate from regular camping areas, providing a more specialized environment for those traveling with horses. Water crossings are common on the trail system, with routes varying from easy to moderate difficulty. Lake Louise State Park, located approximately 25 miles southwest, offers additional horse camping options with multiple miles of trails and a small lake near the camping area. Both locations require advance reservations during peak summer months, with self-registration available during off-season periods. The sandy soils at Forestville ensure trails dry quickly after rain events.
"The group sites are close by and they were quite loud, but the rest of the park was nice and quiet. There is horse camping here, and the lake is nice for swimming."
"Our group of 12 stayed at one of the two group sites at Lake Louise State Park. Our site holds up to 30 and the neighboring site holds up to 50."
from $20 - $75 / night
Check Availability"Mystery Cave State Park is surrounded in in a lush green forest with huge oak and maple trees that hang over the road like a huge living canopy."
"Has horse tie ups and great trails"
from $25 - $90 / night
Check Availability"Some girlfriends and I wanted to stay at the camp for the weekend and have a place to social distance ourselves. We rented the horse camp sites and we couldn't have been happier."
"Beautiful spaces of various size, a river runs next to it and they have duck races."
from $35 / night
Check Availability"Dump station and dumpsters near the exit. Clean bathrooms and showers. Lots of space at each campsite. Good hiking and horse trails."
"It runs along the Cedar River and has a put in for paddlers nearby. It is situated right off the blacktopped road."
"Big grassy field surrounded by huge (walnut) trees. There a gravel track that goes along a large river. Trees everywhere so bring bug spray. Quiet, peaceful. Not private but worth it."
"** Iowa state parks are a bargain! This one is $11 for a non-electric site, $16 for an electric site. (Rates go down to $6 and $11 from 10/1-4/30.)"
"On Cedar Valley bike trail (100+miles of interconnecting bike trial. major Hwy on two sides of park, sleeping in a tenet it was very noisy at night. and a train track close by (again at night)"
from $16 - $24 / night
Check Availability"Kids had a great time playing in the water, our site was about 20 ft from the waters edge."
"We love coming to Clear Lake! The campgrounds are always very well kept, bathrooms very clean! Easy access to the lake, and the town has so much to do during the summer months!"
"Clear lake state park is a nice campground. It does get very busy during peak season and traffic is continuous. It is clean and close to the beach. Down town and other shopping is a short drive away."
from $18 - $38 / night
Check Availability"Right on the bike trail.. Hot showers.. Good place to camp..."
from $14 - $26 / night
Check Availability
TravelerYou will love this park. There are about 20 self-serve sites with electric and water. Self serve firewood. Dump station and dumpsters near the exit. Clean bathrooms and showers. Lots of space at each campsite. Good hiking and horse trails. Sitting right on the Cedar River, it’s a great location to kayak and tube. Cheap at $20 a night. We showed up at 8:00 on a Fryevening and spots were available!
GuideGood time! It rained and was a little muddy, but it was nice. Site 11 is kind of small for a large tent like we have. The group sites are close by and they were quite loud, but the rest of the park was nice and quiet. There is horse camping here, and the lake is nice for swimming.
RangerMystery Cave State Park is surrounded in in a lush green forest with huge oak and maple trees that hang over the road like a huge living canopy. My new word while we stayed there was “Forresty” due to feeling like we had entered a different world. There are so many activities to do both within the park and surrounding areas, but my most favorite thing to do was walk the endless miles of hiking trails. (Word to the wise, some of the trails are hiking/equestrian so watch your step😂) We didn’t do our homework, but if we would have known, we would have brought our fishing rods as the rivers were full of trout!!
We arrived at 2:00pm on Saturday, after a long 5 hour drive from northern Minnesota. It was amazing to watch the landscape change from iron ore mining pits to countless acres of corn and potatoes!! Check in time is 4:00pm, but our spot was empty when we arrived, so the park rangers let us set up early (Friendly and most helpful!!) We grabbed a bundle of wood for $6.00 for a campfire while we were at the park office. (that is pretty normal rates as you can’t bring in your own wood at State Parks in Minnesota) There are 3 different loops, an additional equestrian loop, and 5 cabins. We stayed in loop “C” with has bigger sites for RV’s and offers electricity. Loops “A” and “B” have smaller sites (still big!!) and both of those loops are non-electric. None of the sites are “full” hook up, but there is a dump station & fresh water fill right off the park office. The restrooms and showers are just off of the “C” loop, as was the amphitheater, and there are garbage/recycling bins every 4-5th site. The park was very noisy, but that all changed when most of the folks left Sunday. It was very peaceful the rest of the week.
There are so many things outside the park to do too!! We were not aware, but the Mystery Cave is a short drive from the state park. We took the scenic tour, and our guide Kip was fantastic!!! Hey let everyone ask all the questions they wanted to, and didn’t rush us at all!! The rate is $15.00 for adults, $10.00 for kids 5-12, and kids under 5 go for free. The pictures just don’t do it justice!! The next day we drove to Masonic Park in Spring Valley and we were amazed by the sheer size of the rock face!! There is no charge to picnic or visit there and there is one spot for camping, but you need to get permission from the city before doing so. We also toured Niagra Cave which is a longer drive, but well worth it!! The underground waterfall was super cool!! They charge $16.00 per adult, kids 4-12 are $10.00, and children under 4 are free.
All in all this was a great get away for our family, and I highly recommend staying at the park:)
LegendWhy Should You Camp Here?
Iowa state parks are a bargain! This one is $11 for a non-electric site, $16 for an electric site. (Rates go down to $6 and $11 from 10/1-4/30.) There is no separate park entry fee (unlike some states).
You can rent kayaks, canoes or pedal boats near the campground at Wyth Lake. And there are 3 other nearby lakes.
There's a small beach at Wyth Lake.
The Cedar River is on the edge of the campground.
You're so close to Cedar Falls and Waterloo which means there are craft breweries!
We were only there for a night but I saw this on reserveamerica.com: "The Lake-to-State Park Bike Route is a 50 mile route connecting Pine Lake and George Wyth State Park. The route primarily utilizes county highways and established bike routes and paths once inside Cedar Falls/Waterloo."
We didn't do everything we could do there, because we were just passing through. Check this out: https://iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/george-wyth-state-park/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=IA&parkId=610125
Amenities
The usual fire ring and picnic table
Dump station and potable water
Flush toilets and running water in bathrooms along with push button showers. Ok, push button showers are not ideal. Just keep pushing that button and hopefully you'll be okay with the temperature that you can't control!
ScoutSome girlfriends and I wanted to stay at the camp for the weekend and have a place to social distance ourselves. We rented the horse camp sites and we couldn't have been happier. The sites have water and electric. There are high ties for the horses. The sites have a nice gravel pad with a picnic table and fire ring at each site. There is also a dump station that we were able to use before we left on Sunday. None of us had been at this campground before and love trying new places. We are endurance riders so we are used to early nights and up at dawn for riding. This camp was so nice and quiet! We had a nice fire after dinner listening to the water and birds. There were families with children, couples of all ages and well behaved dogs everywhere! The owner Andy as so gracious answering our many emails and questions. He went the extra mile at every turn. We can't thank him and his employee(who's name I sadly can't remember) we're just absolute delights! We will absolutely be back. And we will always check here first to see if their horse sites are open before checking the state camp. It's a very short road ride to the park trails and the campground and their amenities are first rate. I can't wait to return!!!
TravelerCampsites are flat and grassy. They back up to each other so good for groups camping together. Has horse tie ups and great trails
ScoutIt’s quiet, clean, and has some pretty views of the Iowa nite sky
TravelerI’m probably a little biased. My parents started coming to this park to ride horses in the 70s. We spent at least 3wks every year here when I was a kid trail riding, hiking, even tubing down the Root River (there’s no commercial tubing available and you have to get up and walk through rocky shallow spots, so it isn’t ideal for this, but tell my 10yr old self that).
I stayed here recently in the “people campground.” I hiked 12mi in one day and had a great time. The campsite itself was great—privacy and no loud neighbors. I always make sure to stay in spots without electric if possible to escape the culture and noise that accompanies RV camping. Site #4 isn’t very level, but it backs up to the river and the access trail out of the campground. Forestville never disappoints me—I even randomly ran into my own uncle while hiking!
ScoutNice park with some easy hiking trails and great bike paths. Both also good for any runners. All are really flat and would be easy for older people or young children to do. There is also a beach that is open seasonally and docks dotted throughout for fishing boats or kayaks. Really nice for kayaking and paddleboarding. Not much if any current (unless your in the river portion) which makes it smooth for anyone to do including kids. Campground isn't bad. Usually very clean and the hosts are nice. There is a nice playground in the middle and we've rarely had any noise problems. If you plan it right you can get a site right next to the Cedar River. Really pretty in the evening. That being said, because it is so close to river anytime it rains heavily there is flooding in several areas of the park. And almost every year (usually late summer, early fall) it rains enough to flood a good portion of the park. In 2 out of the last 3 years it's even been bad enough to close the park completely. And it is fairly close to the highway. That's good for convenience sake of getting in and out of the park, but it does mean there is some road noise in the parts of the park.
Located in northeastern Iowa, the equestrian camping region around Elma offers terrain characterized by limestone bluffs, river valleys, and rolling farmland. The area generally sits at elevations between 1,100-1,300 feet above sea level with several trout streams creating natural water crossings for horse trails. Winter temperatures can drop below 0°F, while summers average in the mid-80s with high humidity, affecting both human and equine comfort during rides.
Trout fishing access: Multiple campgrounds offer convenient access to cold-water trout streams. At Forestville Mystery Cave State Park Campground, visitors can fish in the park's streams after exploring the cave system. "I came here to explore the caves and it blew me away. I think the cave was around 12-13 miles long and there was water and different formations," notes Kevin T.
Cave exploration: The region contains impressive limestone cave systems open for guided tours. "Mystery Cave State Park is surrounded in a lush green forest with huge oak and maple trees that hang over the road like a huge living canopy. My new word while we stayed there was 'Forresty' due to feeling like we had entered a different world," shares TyAnn J. about her experience at Forestville.
Historical sites: Visit restored 19th-century villages within state parks. "On top of that it has this awesome living history 1800's village managed by the Minnesota Historical Society. There's also a very interesting cave with a museum and all the talactites, stalagmites, and underground pools you can imagine," describes Jason S. from Forestville Mystery Cave State Park Campground.
Specialized horse facilities: Equestrian campers appreciate dedicated areas with proper amenities. At Maple Springs Campground, "The sites have water and electric. There are high ties for the horses. The sites have a nice gravel pad with a picnic table and fire ring at each site," according to Jen M., who visited with her endurance riding group.
Trail variety: The region offers diverse riding experiences from beginner to advanced. "There is a nice gravel track that goes along a large river. Trees everywhere so bring bug spray. Quiet, peaceful," reports Ax H. about Shellrock River Preserve, noting the mix of riverside and wooded riding options.
Quiet atmosphere: Many equestrian sites are separated from general camping areas, creating a peaceful environment. "This camp was so nice and quiet! We had a nice fire after dinner listening to the water and birds," writes Jen M. about Maple Springs Campground, highlighting the serene setting even with families and other campers nearby.
Cell service limitations: Connectivity varies widely throughout the region. At Lake Louise State Park Campground, "There is no cell service (TMobile) here," mentions Lacey F., while another camper notes, "There was little to no cell phone coverage for AT&T." Plan communications accordingly, especially for equestrian emergencies.
Weather considerations: Sandy soils in some areas allow quick drying after rain. "We had some wet weather come through, but because of the sandy soils, things dried out and drained very quickly," reports ERolf P. about trail conditions, making this region more reliable for riding after rain compared to clay-based soil areas.
Reservation requirements: Popular equestrian sites fill quickly, especially during peak season. "Reserve early!" warns Lisa M. about Clear Lake State Park Campground, where securing spots can be difficult more than a week before holidays.
Beginner-friendly trails: Several parks offer gentler terrain suitable for novice riders. "There are 3 different loops, an additional equestrian loop, and 5 cabins. We stayed in loop 'C' with has bigger sites for RV's and offers electricity," shares TyAnn J. about Forestville, noting the variety of accommodation options for families with different experience levels.
Swimming options: After dusty trail rides, cooling off is essential. At Clear Lake State Park Campground, "Easy access to the lake, and the town has so much to do during the summer months!" according to Vanessa H., providing additional recreation beyond riding.
Playground facilities: Many campgrounds include play areas for children. "For little ones, there is a large sand playground area with slides and swings. There is a sand beach to swim, where they also rent kayaks & canoes," notes Steve R. about George Wyth State Park Campground, offering options when kids need breaks from riding activities.
Site leveling: RV pads vary in quality throughout horse campgrounds. "Sites are decent size. They have a shelter and small playground. There is a spigot to fill your tanks and electric hook ups," reports Chantal C. about Camp Comfort Recreation Area, highlighting practical details about hookup access.
Hookup availability: Electric services and water access vary by campground. At Black Hawk County Park, "Nice place good amenities. Has plenty of fishing access archery gun range. Boat access. Decent shower/bathroom facilities," notes Travis R., mentioning the comprehensive facilities available to RVers.
Dump station locations: Not all horse campgrounds have on-site sanitary dumps. "There is a dump station & fresh water fill right off the park office," mentions TyAnn J. about Forestville, providing critical information for longer stays with horses requiring extended RV facilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Elma, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Elma, IA is Lake Louise State Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 6 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Elma, IA?
TheDyrt.com has all 10 equestrian camping locations near Elma, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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