Best Equestrian Camping near Hampton, IA

Brushy Creek State Recreation Area provides specialized equestrian camping opportunities near Hampton, Iowa with both North and South Equestrian Campgrounds. The campgrounds feature electric hookups with fifty-amp and thirty-amp options, water hookups, sewer connections, and shower facilities. Sites accommodate both tents and RVs with picnic tables and fire rings at each location. The campgrounds remain open from April 1 to December 31, with reservations required for overnight stays. Sites are well-maintained with grassy areas suitable for horse trailers and camping vehicles.

Trails throughout Brushy Creek connect directly to the equestrian campgrounds, offering extensive riding opportunities through varied terrain. The recreation area encompasses numerous miles of designated horse trails that wind through wooded areas, open fields, and along waterways. Riders appreciate the clearly marked trail system with varying difficulty levels suitable for beginners and experienced equestrians. The Beach Campground within the same recreation area provides additional camping options for those with horses. Adequate parking for horse trailers is available at both equestrian campgrounds, making it convenient for visitors traveling with multiple horses. Water access points throughout the trail system allow horses to drink and cool off during rides, especially important during summer months when temperatures rise.

Best Equestrian Sites Near Hampton, Iowa (10)

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Equestrian Camping Reviews near Hampton, IA

59 Reviews of 10 Hampton Campgrounds


  • B
    Aug. 19, 2016

    North Equestrian Campground — Brushy Creek State Recreation Area

    Nice campground

    I stayed here at the start of the summer and had a great time. We chose to stay in the equestrian campsite (even though we didn't have horses) because it was a bit more secluded and shaded. The campsites were nice and the lake and stream were very nice as well. I was surprised to see a school of muskie while fishing, but it appeared that they were spawning at the time. If you go camping in May, make sure to bring a slightly heavier fishing pole to handle the musky. They're worth it.

  • T
    Jun. 5, 2021

    Cedar Bridge County Park

    Terrific little RV park!

    You 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!

  • S
    Jul. 6, 2021

    North Equestrian Campground — Brushy Creek State Recreation Area

    North Equine Campground

    The only open site was in the North Equine Campground so we took a chance. We really did like the Campground, it was well maintained, clean and quiet. There were a few campers with horse but not many. Hitching posts behind each site which we enjoyed seeing. The roads inside the campground were all asphalt so lots of bikers enjoying rides around the grounds. There was also a nice playground for the kids surrounded by a well maintained, large, grassy area. There were many empty sites because so many had no electric. It made for lots of nice open space. Unfortunately, we had no shade in the afternoon so weren't able to eat dinner outside or enjoy a fire in the evening. We are fortunate we camped in a 5th wheel so we could escape the heat, we would have left after the first night otherwise.
    We did drive through the Beach Campground and the South Equine Campground. Beach had very little shade and was primarily families with younger children. The beach looked real nice, not too crowded for a hot, July day. North Equine was where most of the horse folks were staying it was quite crowded. A very bustling area.

  • Mary S.
    Aug. 31, 2018

    George Wyth State Park Campground

    Another bargain at an Iowa State Park

    Why 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!

  • Andrea H.
    May. 15, 2020

    South Equestrian Campground — Brushy Creek State Recreation Area

    Relaxing never bored

    First time camping at south campground. Loving it so far! Restrooms/showers and playgrounds are all still closed due to covid but there is still plenty to do! Walking, hiking and exploring. People are here camping with their horses but the campground is still nice and quiet.

  • B
    Jun. 11, 2022

    Shellrock River Co Preserve

    It’s nice quiet to listen to old podcast. Have a fire. Not much more is needed

    It’s quiet, clean, and has some pretty views of the Iowa nite sky

  • Jennifer T.
    Oct. 3, 2018

    George Wyth State Park Campground

    Great park for kids, but floods easily.

    Nice 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.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 25, 2023

    Pilot Knob State Park Campground

    Layout of campground would be challenging if full

    General: A mixture of tent (non-electric) and electric sites, mostly arranged in several rows. 

    Site Quality: Mixed. Not all sites are level, and most do not have delineated parking pads (there is a small pavement indent to show where to access the site). A fire pit and picnic table complete the site. Most of the sites are too close together for our liking, however, when we were there (a Monday at the end of August, the day before school started), we were only one of three sites occupied so for our stay it didn’t matter. 

    Bathhouse: Basic but clean. My biggest complaint is there were no hooks or shelves for toiletries by the sinks. The showers looked nice but we did not use them. 

    Activities: Horseback riding (there are trails for this), hiking, fishing. Although we did see several trailheads, I did not have a map so didn’t explore them. There is an observation tower, but it is a two-mile walk/drive from the campground (on paved roads; I didn’t try to find hiking trails to get there). 

    Misc: A shout-out to the great host, Pam, who greeted us as we arrived. The observation tower, entrance gates, and picnic shelter were all constructed by the CCC and were beautiful. It almost seemed like the campground was an afterthought as it is outside the entrance gates and nowhere near the tower. The layout of the campground would be challenging if all sites were occupied.


Guide to Hampton

Campers seeking equestrian-friendly accommodations in north central Iowa have several options beyond the specialized facilities at Brushy Creek. Hampton sits at approximately 1,130 feet above sea level in relatively flat terrain punctuated by river valleys and small lakes. Winter camping is available at select locations with temperatures often dropping below freezing from November through March, while summer highs typically reach the mid-80s.

What to do

Fishing opportunities: Clear Lake State Park provides access to a 3,600-acre natural lake with varied fish species. "Great campground. Family and friends get together a must here. Close to the beach, town and the lake has great fish. Reserve early!" notes Lisa M.

Trail riding: North Equestrian Campground offers direct trail access with hitching posts behind each site. "The roads inside the campground were all asphalt so lots of bikers enjoying rides around the grounds," states Stephanie B., who appreciated the layout even without horses.

Water recreation: Beyond horseback activities, George Wyth State Park offers multiple water-based options. "You can rent kayaks, canoes or pedal boats near the campground at Wyth Lake. And there are 3 other nearby lakes," explains Mary S. The park also features "a sand beach to swim, where they also rent kayaks & canoes," according to Steve R.

What campers like

Spacious sites: Brushy Creek's Beach Campground provides ample room for equipment. "Great place to camp if you like fishing, horseback riding or a nice place to get away," shares Taylor A.

Budget-friendly options: Pilot Knob State Park offers affordable camping near Hampton. "Nice place to spend the weekend or a week! Came in late and a resident helped me find a great spot. When driving to my site two fawns were laying near the playground," reports Roger.

Clean facilities: Cedar Bridge County Park maintains high standards according to visitors. "You 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," writes Tim M., who also notes it's "sitting right on the Cedar River, it's a great location to kayak and tube."

What you should know

Seasonal operation: Most equestrian campgrounds near Hampton close during winter months, with main facilities operating from April 1 to December 31. "Open for off season camping. 14$/night for full hookups with pull thru RV sites," notes Anna C. about South Equestrian Campground.

Reservation requirements: Popular horse camping areas fill quickly during peak season. "Sad that there were so many back up sites over the holiday weekend, would have liked to have been able to camp here. It being full more than a week before the holiday, shows how great it is," shares Jennifer D. about Clear Lake.

Weather considerations: Local parks may experience flooding or closures during heavy rain. "This is a state campground. So as most will know the sites could be better maintained... When there is heavy rain you will however have your own pond at most sites," advises Lisa M. about Clear Lake State Park.

Tips for camping with families

Playground access: Several equestrian campgrounds include play areas for children. "There was a nice playground in the middle and we've rarely had any noise problems," mentions Jennifer T. about George Wyth State Park.

Swimming options: Pilot Knob State Park provides water recreation beyond horse activities. "Located by New Ulm, MN this campground has plenty of activities in the park or very near the park. Plenty of hiking trails, playground for the kids, and an amazing sand bottom swimming pond surrounded by sand beach," recommends Michael W.

Educational opportunities: Black Hawk Park offers diverse family activities. "Nice place good amenities. Has plenty of fishing access archery gun range. Boat access. Decent shower/bathroom facilities," reports Travis R.

Tips from RVers

Site selection: When choosing equestrian camping spots with RVs, consider shade availability. "Unfortunately, we had no shade in the afternoon so weren't able to eat dinner outside or enjoy a fire in the evening. We are fortunate we camped in a 5th wheel so we could escape the heat," shares Stephanie B. about North Equestrian Campground.

Power requirements: Different horse campgrounds near Hampton offer varied electrical hookups. "I like beach camp, but I LOVE north equestrian camp. Wish the boxes accommodated my rig. It's easy in spring or fall, we can get by with 30 amps. If you need 50 amps, you're going to want to head to the Beach Camp," advises Jeannie D.

Seasonal availability: Some equestrian facilities remain open year-round with reduced rates. "For $12/night on a 30AMP hookup, I really can't complain. This is my first of many stops in the new RV, needed a place to camp out before getting it serviced the next day," notes Jacob B. about Pilot Knob State Park.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Hampton, IA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Hampton, IA is Clear Lake State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 12 reviews.

What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Hampton, IA?

TheDyrt.com has all 10 equestrian camping locations near Hampton, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.