Best Equestrian Camping near Nora Springs, IA

Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Nora Springs, IA has a lot to offer. Nora Springs is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. You're sure to find the perfect campground for your Nora Springs camping trip.

Best Equestrian Sites Near Nora Springs, Iowa (7)

    1. Shellrock River Co Preserve

    4 Reviews
    Nora Springs, IA
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (641) 423-5309

    "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."

    2. Clear Lake State Park Campground

    12 Reviews
    Clear Lake, IA
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (641) 357-4212

    $17 - $35 / night

    "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."

    3. Cedar Bridge County Park

    1 Review
    Osage, IA
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (641) 732-5204

    "Dump station and dumpsters near the exit. Clean bathrooms and showers. Lots of space at each campsite. Good hiking and horse trails."

    4. Pilot Knob State Park Campground

    12 Reviews
    Forest City, IA
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (641) 581-4835

    $10 - $28 / night

    "Located by New Ulm, MN this campground has plenty of activities in the park or very near the park."

    "When driving to my site two fawns were laying near the playground."

    5. Camp Comfort Recreation Area

    1 Review
    Clarksville, IA
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 278-4237

    "Kids had a great time playing in the water, our site was about 20 ft from the waters edge."

    6. Lake Louise State Park Campground

    6 Reviews
    Le Roy, MN
    36 miles
    Website
    +1 (507) 724-2107

    "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."

    7. Black Hawk County Park

    2 Reviews
    Cedar Falls, IA
    48 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 433-7275
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Equestrian Camping Reviews near Nora Springs, IA

38 Reviews of 7 Nora Springs Campgrounds


  • 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!

  • Hannah H.
    Jul. 10, 2021

    Lake Louise State Park Campground

    Lake Louise Summer

    Good 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.

  • 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

  • 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.

  • Steph H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 17, 2017

    Lake Louise State Park Campground

    Great Group Site

    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. Our site was a beautiful spot with large shade trees, three picnic tables and two fire pits. We also had a large grassy area to play and an area to put up our tents that was away from the activities. A vault toilet was beside us but it was also for the other group site so they had to constantly walk thru our site to get to it. The trails were nice but small and the beach is not recommended. Even though it's part of a river it was very stagnant yucky water and dirty sand.

  • B
    Jun. 24, 2021

    Lake Louise State Park Campground

    Cozy little gem in Southern MN

    Our sight overlooking a small grove of trees. Several species of birds I don't recognize kept us entertained the whole time. Bathrooms were exceptionally clean best I've encountered. We got bikes from nearby LeRoy city hall ($5.00 donation) really great program. The bike path traverses through the campground (shooting star trail). One drawback is the faint highway noise. I would visit this campground again.

  • M
    Aug. 26, 2018

    Pilot Knob State Park Campground

    Camping in the woods near town

    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. Golf is also nearby at The New Ulm Country Club which is open to the public. Nice level sites with electric, picnic tables and fire rings.

  • Vanessa H.
    Sep. 11, 2022

    Clear Lake State Park Campground

    Great spot

    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!

  • T
    Jul. 13, 2021

    Clear Lake State Park Campground

    Nice

    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. Lots of families camp here. Spots are nice.


Guide to Nora Springs

Horse camping in Iowa offers a unique opportunity to explore the great outdoors while enjoying the company of your equine friends. With a variety of campgrounds featuring amenities tailored for horse enthusiasts, you can find the perfect spot to saddle up and enjoy nature.

Campers appreciate these amenities for horses

  • At Pilot Knob State Park, visitors can enjoy horseback riding trails that wind through beautiful landscapes, making it a great choice for equestrian camping.
  • Cedar Bridge County Park offers ample space for horse camping, with electric hookups and nearby water spigots for convenience.
  • Black Hawk County Park features a variety of outdoor activities, including access to archery and fishing, alongside facilities for horse camping.

Tips for equestrian camping near Nora Springs, Iowa

Most campgrounds have horse-focused amenities like trails and water access

  • Cedar Bridge County Park is well-equipped with electric hookups and water access, making it a convenient choice for horse campers.
  • Pilot Knob State Park features a friendly atmosphere with hosts who are eager to assist, ensuring a pleasant experience for both you and your horse.
  • Black Hawk County Park offers a variety of amenities, including sanitary dump stations and clean shower facilities, catering to the needs of horse campers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Nora Springs, IA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Nora Springs, IA is Shellrock River Co Preserve with a 3.3-star rating from 4 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 7 equestrian camping locations near Nora Springs, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.