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Equestrian Camping near Marion, KS

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    Boulder Bluff Area at El Dorado State Park features an Equestrian Loop with campsites positioned near water where waves can be heard hitting the shoreline. The loop provides primitive back-in sites with fire rings, grills, and picnic tables. Water and electric hookups are available at most sites, though the parking pads are not consistently level. The facilities include pit toilets within the loop, while shower houses are located elsewhere in the park. Most sites accommodate horses with sufficient room for trailers. The bathhouse facilities need maintenance with lukewarm water, inconsistent shower function, and limited privacy.

    The park spans a massive area with multiple camping sections including the Walnut River Area, which offers similar horse-friendly accommodations. Paved trails and roads throughout the campground are suitable for riding and biking, while wooded trails provide additional riding opportunities. The campground connects to both the reservoir and a river that runs through the property. Sites must be reserved in advance, which can be challenging when the park office is closed and no camp hosts are available. Sand Hills State Park provides another equestrian option in the region with over 600 acres of equestrian trails. The park maintains clean facilities with level, paved sites suitable for overnight stays with horses while traveling through Kansas.

    Best Equestrian Campgrounds near Marion (3)

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      1. Boulder Bluff Area — El Dorado State Park

      3.5(12)35mi from Marion55 sitesRVs, Tents

      "My husband, our 2 dogs, and I stayed at the Equestrian Loop. We pulled in our PUP for a night sleep."

      "We stayed in the equestrian loop. All but a couple primitive sites are back-in. The layout of the fire rings, grills and picnic tables are all weird..."

      from $10 - $23 / night

      Check Availability

      2. Walnut River Area — El Dorado State Park

      2.8(6)37mi from Marion165 sitesRVs, Tents, Cabins

      from $12 - $95 / night

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      3. Sand Hills State Park Campground

      4.4(5)49mi from Marion64 sitesRVs, Tents

      "Horse friendly. Over 600 acres of equestrian trails tent and rv sites. Good, clean restroom/showers."

      "Nice pull through & back in site just 4 miles from Kansas fairgrounds"

      from $21 - $24 / night

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    Equestrian Camping Reviews near Marion, KS

    23 Reviews of 3 Marion Campgrounds

    • R
      Jul. 30, 2018

      Sand Hills State Park Campground

      Very nice low key. Easy to find. Friendly staff.

      State park. Reservations accepted. Horse friendly. Over 600 acres of equestrian trails

      tent and rv sites. Good, clean restroom/showers.

    • Brittany G.
      Oct. 4, 2020

      Boulder Bluff Area — El Dorado State Park

      Peaceful stay

      My husband, our 2 dogs, and I stayed at the Equestrian Loop. We pulled in our PUP for a night sleep. The spot we chose to pop up was right near the water, and you could hear the waves hitting the shore all night long. A beautiful and peaceful sound.

    • T
      Sep. 19, 2020

      Boulder Bluff Area — El Dorado State Park

      Beautiful and peaceful

      We stayed in the equestrian loop. All but a couple primitive sites are back-in. The layout of the fire rings, grills and picnic tables are all weird... Not consistent and usually on the wrong side of your trailer. The parking pad was nowhere near level, so you'll want to plan for that. The trees are lovely. You're very near the water and the breeze was beautiful. The toilet at the loop are pit. The bath house was not clean and many of the showers didn't work.. Water is lukewarm but water pressure was great. No stall doors on toilets or showers. We used the city of El Dorado dump station. The park is massive. Lots of amenities in El Dorado. And a quick jump to Wichita. We will be back.

    • Angie S.
      Jul. 20, 2018

      Boulder Bluff Area — El Dorado State Park

      Walnut River Area, Big Oak Campground

      You'd think the Big Oak Campground in El Dorado State Park would be amazing. It's shaded with huge trees, nice sized sites some of which are very spread out, a quick walk to the swim beach and a quick drive to put your boat in the water. Unfortunately these pluses are far outweighed by the negatives. First the bathrooms were horrible. I realize they are older restrooms but they smelled awful, they were never obviously cleaned, the showers were not even a tiny bit private, the door to the restroom was broken and had to be propped open with a tree branch. Just over the bridge at the swim beach they were worse and some of the doors in the women’s room were missing. Yuck! Secondly basic campground rules were not enforced at all. The site across from us easily had 30 people camping and were up until 4am with loud music and a bright light on. I’m not kidding, my daughter was up around 3 to use the restroom and we walked by twice. The family in the site next to us had at least 4 cars and 2 tents set up outside the site on the walking path in addition to their two tents in their own site. The dog free swim beach had dogs on it. We camp with our dogs, one of which loves to swim and even I don’t want dogs on a public beach. Our camping weekend was negatively affected by poor camping etiquette and a sever lack of basic rule enforcement. We won’t be back to El Dorado State Park Big Oak campsite any time soon. Cross Timbers and Fall River are much better!

    • Angie S.
      Jul. 20, 2018

      Walnut River Area — El Dorado State Park

      Big Oak Campground

      You'd think the Big Oak Campground in El Dorado State Park would be amazing. It's shaded with huge trees, nice sized sites some of which are very spread out, a quick walk to the swim beach and a quick drive to put your boat in the water. Unfortunately these pluses are far outweighed by the negatives. First the bathrooms were horrible. I realize they are older restrooms but they smelled awful, they were never obviously cleaned, the showers were not even a tiny bit private, the door to the restroom was broken and had to be propped open with a tree branch. Just over the bridge at the swim beach they were worse and some of the doors in the women’s room were missing. Yuck! Secondly basic campground rules were not enforced at all. The site across from us easily had 30 people camping and were up until 4am with loud music and a bright light on. I’m not kidding, my daughter was up around 3 to use the restroom and we walked by twice. The family in the site next to us had at least 4 cars and 2 tents set up outside the site on the walking path in addition to their two tents in their own site. The dog free swim beach had dogs on it. We camp with our dogs, one of which loves to swim and even I don’t want dogs on a public beach. Our camping weekend was negatively affected by poor camping etiquette and a sever lack of basic rule enforcement. We won’t be back to El Dorado State Park Big Oak campsite any time soon, at least not during the busy summer camping season. Cross Timbers and Fall River are much better!

    • Jason S.
      Apr. 14, 2018

      Boulder Bluff Area — El Dorado State Park

      Fun Area

      This Park is closer to home so just took my son on a quick fishing/camping overnigh for his birthday. Stayed at the Walnut River Area, the Blue stem area was still closed down for winter in April. Lots of good places to fish on this reservoir, fish weren't biting so we spent quite a bit of time riding our bikes around the area. There is a large playground for kids, a nice swim beach away from the main lake, an archery range, and they are building a pistol/ rifle range next to the ranger station for public use.

    • Z
      May. 27, 2018

      Boulder Bluff Area — El Dorado State Park

      El Dorado State Park Bluestem for an easy, laid-back weekend!

      Restrooms with showers and dumpsters (for you campsite garbage) are widely available during camping season. The designated swim areas are great for the whole family because there is a wide and far out area that doesn't get too deep while being roped off. NO STICKERS IN THE GRASS AT THE DESIGNATED CAMP SITES!!!!! At some sites, you can fish just feet from your tent. Beware at the box turtle camp site though, a channel runs 3-4 feet out from the shore and drops about 12 feet QUICK so don't swim there! The general store and bait shop at Bluestem is wonderful. If you visit Kansas State Parks frequently, it pays to purchase an annual vehicle permit early in the year when they are discounted rather than pay per day every time you visit.

    • Kara S.
      May. 3, 2018

      Boulder Bluff Area — El Dorado State Park

      Great Spot for a Short Trip

      We will stay here for overnight trips since it's only about 40 minutes from home. We usually stay on the Walnut River side as there is a large playground with tent sites close enough to keep an eye on the kiddos. They also have a swim area on this side. Bathroom and shower are next to the playground which is also convenient for us. There are some cool little hiking spots to explore. We just kicked off camping season last weekend here.

    Guide to Marion

    El Dorado State Park offers extensive equestrian camping near Marion, Kansas with over 8,000 acres of parkland surrounding the reservoir. The park maintains specialized camping areas for horse owners throughout summer and fall seasons. Water levels in the reservoir fluctuate seasonally, affecting shoreline access at certain campsites.

    What to do

    Trail riding opportunities: El Dorado State Park provides extensive paved trails and roads suitable for riding, plus wooded trails for more adventurous equestrians. "There are lots of paved trails and paved roads in the campground that are nice for biking. There are some trails through the woods also," notes Mary, who visited the Walnut River Area.

    Swimming areas for cooling off: Several designated swimming beaches are available within the park system. "The designated swim areas are great for the whole family because there is a wide and far out area that doesn't get too deep while being roped off," according to Zephyr Y. at Boulder Bluff Area.

    Fishing access: Many campsites provide shoreline fishing access. "At some sites, you can fish just feet from your tent. Beware at the box turtle camp site though, a channel runs 3-4 feet out from the shore and drops about 12 feet QUICK so don't swim there!" advises Zephyr Y.

    What campers like

    Waterfront camping experiences: Campers appreciate sites positioned near the reservoir. "The spot we chose to pop up was right near the water, and you could hear the waves hitting the shore all night long. A beautiful and peaceful sound," shares Brittany G. about staying at Walnut River Area.

    Convenient facilities for horse owners: The Equestrian Loop accommodates horse trailers with spacious sites. "We stayed in the equestrian loop. All but a couple primitive sites are back-in," reports Tracy N., though noting "The layout of the fire rings, grills and picnic tables are all weird... Not consistent and usually on the wrong side of your trailer."

    Family-friendly atmosphere: The park offers playgrounds and recreation areas for children. "We usually stay on the Walnut River side as there is a large playground with tent sites close enough to keep an eye on the kiddos. They also have a swim area on this side," explains Kara S.

    What you should know

    Bathroom conditions vary: Facility maintenance appears inconsistent throughout the park. "The bathhouse was not clean and many of the showers didn't work. Water is lukewarm but water pressure was great. No stall doors on toilets or showers," reports Tracy N. about the Equestrian Loop.

    Challenging reservation process: Getting a campsite can be difficult during certain periods. "It was very confusing to get a site because there was no camp host available and the park office was closed. (It was Saturday.) There were a lot of local campers in the park. There are maps on bulletin boards but no printed maps were available," explains Mary.

    Rule enforcement issues: Some campers note concerns about park management. "Basic campground rules were not enforced at all. The site across from us easily had 30 people camping and were up until 4am with loud music and a bright light on," reports Angie S. about the Big Oak Campground at Sand Hills State Park.

    Tips for camping with families

    Playground access: Select sites near recreation areas for easier supervision. "We will stay here for overnight trips since it's only about 40 minutes from home. We usually stay on the Walnut River side as there is a large playground with tent sites close enough to keep an eye on the kiddos," recommends Kara S.

    Swimming beach considerations: Choose campsites with proximity to designated swim areas. "You'd think the Big Oak Campground in El Dorado State Park would be amazing. It's shaded with huge trees, nice sized sites some of which are very spread out, a quick walk to the swim beach and a quick drive to put your boat in the water," notes Angie S.

    Weekend timing: Holiday weekends bring different crowds than weekdays. "This is a popular weekend get-away. It's less than an hour from Wichita, clean, taken care of. My experience over the holiday weekends has usually been that's when the rowdy crowd shows up but this campground was comfortable and family-oriented," shares Brad H.

    Tips from RVers

    Site leveling preparations: Bring leveling equipment for RV camping. "The parking pad was nowhere near level, so you'll want to plan for that," advises Tracy N. about the Equestrian Loop. Similarly, at Sand Hills State Park, Victoria S. notes, "Park was a little unlevel so definitely need to bring extra wood to level correctly."

    Utility hookups: Most sites offer water and electric connections for RVs. "We had electric and water," confirms Mary about the facilities at Walnut River Area, though site assignments can be confusing without staff assistance during off-hours.

    Dump station access: Plan your tank management accordingly. "Stopped here early in February 2021 for one night, on the way home to Missouri from Arizona. Needed a quiet place to get a nights sleep and drain the tanks before putting the RV back in storage for the rest of the winter," explains Paul P. about his stay at Sand Hills State Park, adding, "Also saw a dump station that was free."

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Marion, KS?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Marion, KS is Boulder Bluff Area — El Dorado State Park with a 3.5-star rating from 12 reviews.

    What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Marion, KS?

    TheDyrt.com has all 3 equestrian camping locations near Marion, KS, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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