Shan B.
Guide
GuideNine Eagles State Park Campground
Nine Eagles
This campground is so open and dark that the sky is full of stars 🌟
It feels very desolate and remote.
Equestrian Camping near Leon, IA
4 campgrounds with availability this weekend
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Nine Eagles State Park Campground features excellent equestrian opportunities near Leon, Iowa, with trails designed specifically for horseback riding. The park maintains well-kept trails that wind through varied terrain, making it popular among riders seeking day-long adventures. Campsites accommodate both horses and riders, with designated areas where horses can be kept nearby. Wonderful trails for horses attract equestrians from throughout the region, with many visitors noting the park's suitability for extended riding excursions. The campground offers various accommodation options including tent sites, RV hookups with electric service, and cabin rentals, though riders should verify which specific sites best accommodate horse trailers. Water access is available, though primitive equestrian sites may have more limited amenities than the main camping areas.
Whitebreast Equestrian Campground in Stephens State Forest provides another option for horse enthusiasts, located approximately 35 miles north of Leon. The campground connects directly to forest bridle paths that traverse rolling woodland terrain. Electric hookups are available for RVs and trailers at equestrian sites, making extended stays comfortable for both riders and their animals. Riders should bring their own water supplies for horses as drinking water access can be limited. Most equestrian sites include picnic tables and fire rings, with sufficient space for trailer parking. The equestrian camping areas remain open from April 1 through December 31, giving riders ample opportunity to experience Iowa's seasonal changes from horseback. Trail conditions vary throughout the season, with spring often presenting muddier paths while fall offers some of the most scenic riding opportunities through colorful woodland areas.
Best Equestrian Campgrounds near Leon (6)
1. Nine Eagles State Park Campground
"Nine Eagles is near Lamoni, Iowa near the Iowa-Missouri border right off of Interstate 35. I camped here with my son and his Boy Scout troop in the youth group part of the campground."
"Wonderful area for horses. Great trials."
55 Sites AvailableAvailable this weekend
from $10 - $75 / night
2. Whitebreast Equestrian — Stephens State Forest
Check Availabilityfrom $14 / night
3. Lucas Primitive Campground — Stephens State Forest
Check Availabilityfrom $10 / night
4. Lake of Three Fires State Park Campground
"Now on the spot where the fires burned, is said to be the Iowa State Park “Lake of 3 Fires” Located in Southwest Iowa just north of the county seat of Bedford Iowa, is a little hidden treasure for outdoor"
"Frisbee golf course, playground, horse shoe pits and samdy heach area groomed daily. No wake lake perfect for fishing, canoeing and kayaking. Clean well-kept shower and bath buidling as well."
60 Sites AvailableAvailable this weekend
from $10 - $75 / night
5. Singing Mesa Ranch
Check Availabilityfrom $15 - $75 / night
6. Madison County Fairground Campground
Check Availabilityfrom $11 - $105 / night
Drive Time
- 1 hr 4 min from Des Moines, IA
- 1 hr 29 min from Ames, IA
- 1 hr 33 min from St. Joseph, MO
- 1 hr 48 min from Kansas City, MO
Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near Leon, IA
2 Photos of 6 Leon Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Equestrian Camping Reviews near Leon, IA
20 Reviews of 6 Leon Campgrounds
Teresa T.
LegendNine Eagles State Park Campground
Big park. Lots of trails
This park is huge with a lot of trails most of which are not on a map and a map isnt provided out on them either so one just kind of has to make guesses on where to go. The electric campground is completely exposed to the sun. Nice right now but has to be brutal in the summer and the sites are right on top of one another as well. It is also a long ways from the beach as is the primitive campground. Horse campground is adorable but there are only primitive sites there which I always find so surprising. They have multiple trails leaving from there though which is cool. Firewood is sold in the small town a mile away and there is a very old cemetery right outside of the park which is cool to meander through. Bathrooms were closed but the water and electric were on and the price is very reasonable.
- Teresa T.Legend
Lake of Three Fires State Park Campground
Rated so high due to the trails
Tons of miles for biking and hiking and if you fold in the trails on the public lands around, more then anyone can do in a weekend. We'll maintained. Campground, not so much. That would get a much lower score if I rated just that. Very few electric spots and they are close and in disrepair. Bathrooms are oddly placed like the group campground would need to walk all the way across the picnic area to have any access. Once they close the shower facilities, some campgrounds have no bathrooms available. Oddly, there is a LOT of vehicles driving through which for winter was surprising. All in, lots of trees, nice beach, Frisbee golf, super interesting cemetery right outside the property and loads of other public lands all sitting around a very nice lake. But bridges out, an entire row of non-working electric posts and weird bathroom placement leads to an overall odd use of a state park.
- Tina T.
ScoutNine Eagles State Park Campground
Campsites
Facilities are available and very convenient and comfortable. Nice lake to swim and fish. Absolutely beautiful park and really nice trails. Thanks, Tina
- MMegan M.Guide
Lake of Three Fires State Park Campground
Gem But Could Be Better
As tent campers we found a lot to love at Lake of Three Fires, but also found ourselves wanting more. It’s got a gorgeous lake, and some camping sites are out of this world, but it can be inconsistent and there’s not a lot to do.
Pros: -While the electric hookup sites were full, primitive campers had their pick of the campground even during the middle of the summer. Plenty of open non-electric sites to choose from.
-Site 55 is an absolute GEM. Spacious and right on the water! We didn’t have any neighbors so it was like we had the whole place to ourselves. -Good fishing at the lake, and plenty of quiet spots to fish from -The lake is quiet and relatively calm -Excellent (and clean!) modern bathrooms, by far the best we’ve encounteredCons: -There’s not a lot to do other than fishing and hanging out by the campsite -The trails are quite poorly marked and seem to only have entry and exit points at each end of the point, so unless you want to commit to the full 8 miles, you’ll have to turn back at some point -The sites can be inconsistently sized. We found some tent sites that were less than half the size of our site, and they were packed like sardines. -A lot of the sites are sloped, so even ground can be hard to find. -The park is pretty rural, so if you need to make an emergency grocery or supplies run you might be out of luck. -No firewood on site, so you’ll have to come prepared or hope you can find some in town.
Isaac F.ScoutLake of Three Fires State Park Campground
Had the lake to ourselves!
Although there were RVers and a nice group of Boy Scoutspaet of the time, there was no one else in our tent camping side. We had chilly weather, but marvelous views of the water with a rare flock of pelicans! Some of the trails were muddy, but there plenty of others to choose from. Red buds and flowers were starting to bring the forest to life.
All fire pits have an incredible grate system for cooking. There's an over abundance of limbs and twigs for firewood, although a saw would come in handy. Clean, quiet, and as beautiful as ever- that's our lake!
- RRichard R.Guide
Madison County Fairground Campground
Cost Effective, all hook ups,great long term
I stayed at this campground from August until November 13 in my pull behind camper.
Water,gas and Sewer was $15 daily,$105 weekly, and$420 monthly. Prices go up to $120 weekly when it gets cold. Shower house was shut down for COVID and shuts down in winter.
Tenting is cheaper$11
No ground fires allowed.
Friendly,helpful hosts on site.
Close to the Bridges,John Wayne sites,lauandromat,and grocery stores.
You might get a view of bridesmaids and grooms at the fairgrounds on the weekend heading to a wedding in the fairground building, nice to see during my work COVID isolation.
When the trees get big and fill in and COVID is over and the shower house is open it will be 4 stars.
CM
TravelerLake of Three Fires State Park Campground
Great trip!
Nicely maintained. Nice clean no-wake lake. Gets very quiet at 10:30 curfew. Clean showers/bathroom once the night bugs were cleared out.
- Kayla F.Traveler
Lake of Three Fires State Park Campground
Pretty Decent Campground
The bathrooms and showers were well kept. Was lucky and got a campsite under some shade, but quite a few weren't so lucky. Ended up with site 60, right in front of the showers and bathrooms, which was great but also sucked. As soon as the bathroom doors opened the fans came on, which late at night was kind of annoying. Firewood is not sold on the campground, so you can burn what's on the ground or head to Hyvee for some wood in town. Unfortunately we got there late the first day so Hyvee had just closed and we had to try to find sticks in the dark. There are no signs showing what numbers were in that area or to the beach area, bathrooms, or garbage so you just have to explore to find it. Also there are lots of deer in the area at all hours of the day, so keep an eye out for them when traveling to and from town,
Overall it was a great weekend and will probably be back. The only thing I really wish, was that the firepit be cleaned before we got to the site. We had to try and dig out all the burnt cans and foil with sticks.
Guide to Leon
Equestrian camping options surround Leon, Iowa in southern Iowa's gently rolling terrain. The region sits at approximately 1,100 feet above sea level with hardwood forests and open meadows creating ideal trail riding conditions. Seasonal temperatures range from winter lows averaging 14°F to summer highs around 86°F, making spring and fall the most comfortable seasons for horseback riding adventures.
What to do
Trail riding tours: Nine Eagles State Park features multi-use trails through varied woodlands. According to camper Dorothy H., the park offers "Wonderful area for horses. Great trials."
Fishing opportunities: Lake of Three Fires State Park Campground maintains a no-wake lake stocked with multiple fish species. One visitor noted, "There are plenty of fish to be caught including bluegill, largemouth bass and channel catfish."
Winter camping: For cold-weather enthusiasts, the Lake of Three Fires camping areas remain open year-round. Camper Isaac F. reported, "We had chilly weather, but marvelous views of the water with a rare flock of pelicans!"
Frisbee golf course: Lake of Three Fires offers recreational options beyond equestrian activities. Camper Caralee D. shared, "It has a great frisbee golf course that my boys loved playing."
What campers like
Shaded campsites: Many horse campgrounds near Leon provide tree cover for comfort during summer months. At Lake of Three Fires, camper Tara K. appreciates that "This campground offers a lot of shaded with trees hookup sites and beautiful grassy non hookup sites."
Clean facilities: Nine Eagles State Park Campground maintains well-kept amenities. Recent visitor Tina T. confirmed, "Facilities are available and very convenient and comfortable. Nice lake to swim and fish. Absolutely beautiful park and really nice trails."
Privacy between sites: Some campgrounds offer more secluded options. At Lake of Three Fires, Megan M. discovered "Site 55 is an absolute GEM. Spacious and right on the water!"
Helpful staff: Park employees provide assistance when needed. One camper at Lake of Three Fires shared, "We had problems with the rv hookups, immediately a park worker came to help."
What you should know
Firewood availability: Some equestrian campgrounds near Leon require campers bring their own supplies. At Lake of Three Fires State Park, Kayla F. advised, "Firewood is not sold on the campground, so you can burn what's on the ground or head to Hyvee for some wood in town."
Limited shower access: Seasonal or maintenance closures may affect amenities. At Madison County Fairground Campground, Richard R. noted, "Shower house was shut down for COVID and shuts down in winter."
Variable site conditions: Topography affects tent placement options. One Lake of Three Fires camper observed, "A lot of the sites are sloped, so even ground can be hard to find."
Trail marking inconsistency: Some paths lack clear signage. According to Megan M., at Lake of Three Fires "The trails are quite poorly marked and seem to only have entry and exit points at each end of the point."
Tips for camping with families
Water activities: Nine Eagles State Park offers swimming options for children. Camper Matt S. shared his experience: "They have spent some money since I was last here building new pavilions and updating some of the equipment."
Group camping areas: Several sites accommodate larger family gatherings. At Nine Eagles, Matt S. described the youth campground as "a large open space surrounded by tall trees. The grass is well maintained and the campsite is clean and beautiful."
Playground facilities: Some horse campgrounds provide dedicated play areas. Tara K. mentioned Lake of Three Fires has a "playground, horse shoe pits and sandy beach area groomed daily."
Wildlife viewing: Children can observe local fauna during camping trips. Isaac F. spotted "a rare flock of pelicans" during their spring visit to Lake of Three Fires.
Tips from RVers
Utility hookups: Madison County Fairground Campground provides full service connections. Richard R. confirmed, "Water, gas and Sewer was $15 daily, $105 weekly, and $420 monthly."
Site selection strategy: Choose locations based on shade and proximity to amenities. At Lake of Three Fires, Kayla F. advised, "Was lucky and got a campsite under some shade, but quite a few weren't so lucky."
Overnight quiet hours: Parks enforce noise restrictions. As one camper noted about Lake of Three Fires, "Gets very quiet at 10:30 curfew."
Seasonal rate changes: Pricing varies throughout the year. Madison County Fairground's Richard R. mentioned, "Prices go up to $120 weekly when it gets cold."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian
campsite near Leon, IA?
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Leon, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Leon, IA is Nine Eagles State Park Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 8 reviews.
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Leon, IA?
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Leon, IA?
TheDyrt.com has all 6 equestrian camping locations near Leon, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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