The Dyrt – find campgrounds for tents, RVs, cabins, glamping and more.
Open in App

Best Equestrian Camping near Madisonville, KY

94 Reviews

Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park provides specialized equestrian camping areas with full hookups for travelers with horses. The horse camping sites are notably level pull-through sites, making them significantly more accessible than the standard camping areas which often have difficult slopes. Campers do not need to have horses to use these equestrian sites. The facilities include electric hookups, water connections, and sewer hookups suitable for RVs and trailers. The park's horse-friendly accommodation options are designed to accommodate various camping styles including tent camping, RV setups, cabins, and glamping opportunities.

Located within the 15,000-acre Pennyrile State Forest, the park offers extensive trail networks ideal for horseback riding. The trails wind through hardwood forests and around Pennyrile Lake, providing scenic riding routes with varying difficulty levels. Riders have access to numerous hiking and horse trails that connect directly from the equestrian campground area to the broader trail system. The nearby beach area provides additional recreation options after a day of riding, featuring canoe, kayak and paddleboat rentals. Horse owners particularly appreciate the spacious camping areas that provide ample room for both horse trailers and camping equipment. The equestrian sites must be specifically reserved, and campers should note that the park operates seasonally, typically open from April 1st to October 31st. The wrangler campground is considered significantly better maintained than the standard camping areas.

Map showing campgrounds near Madisonville, KentuckyExplore the Map

Best Equestrian Sites Near Madisonville, Kentucky (10)

    1. Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park

    19 Reviews
    Dawson Springs, KY
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 797-3421

    $12 - $40 / night

    "Pennyrile Forest State Park off Ky69 outside Dawson Springs, Ky. A newer trail Pennyrile Nature Trail is 13.5 mile long hiking trail, from Dawson Springs to the park."

    "When I talked to the campground host, he was very pleasant and explained that you do not have to have a horse to camp in the equestrian sites. Those sites are level pull-through sites."

    2. Lake Mauzy East

    3 Reviews
    Morganfield, KY
    27 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 389-3580

    "The tent pads are right by the water, offering stunning lake views. Each site comes equipped with a fire ring, picnic table, and access to toilets—everything you need for a comfortable stay."

    "Lake mauzy is very quiet. No hookups but if you want to boondocks this is a great place."

    3. Lake Barkley State Resort Park

    19 Reviews
    Cadiz, KY
    41 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 924-1131

    $17 - $25 / night

    "the staff was helpful and friendly. the park had a great beach area. make sure you have extension cords and hoses as the utilities are positioned in between two sites. i only gave it 4 stars because of"

    "Although this is a remote campground, it is situated in a State RESORT park, so it is more like glamping."

    4. Canal Campground- Lake Barkley COE

    21 Reviews
    Grand Rivers, KY
    46 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 362-4840

    $20 - $256 / night

    "Canal campground is right on the canal that connects Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake at the north end of Land Between the Lakes."

    "Grand Rivers KY Canal Campground at Barkley Lake COE Site 111 This is a great COE campground located between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, with views of the Barkley Dam."

    5. KOA Campground Kentucky Lakes Prizer Point

    14 Reviews
    Cadiz, KY
    40 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 522-3762

    "You can't beat having a lake next to you while you are camping. This is something my family and I always look for when we are camping. Water is always a great place to entertain the kids and family."

    "Most sites have great views of Lake Barkley! Large camp store with a restaurant that serves sandwiches, pizza, beer and sodas... Golf cart rentals and the marina has boat rentals."

    6. Union County Fair

    1 Review
    Morganfield, KY
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 333-4107

    7. Cravens Bay - LBL Lake Access

    7 Reviews
    Kuttawa, KY
    40 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 924-2000

    "Tucked away on an old dead end road (Forrest Service Rd 118), Craven's Bay campground is remote back country camping, right on the lake, but far away from any visitor attraction in Land Between the Lakes"

    "This gem in the Land Between the Lakes Rec area is a great spot to set up camp if you don’t mind the lack of showers."

    8. Camp Cadiz Campground

    6 Reviews
    Karbers Ridge, IL
    44 miles
    Website

    "On a gravel road, in the back country like most everything else on this side of Illinois , fill your gas tank up and your food locker or you will be driving back out a ways to refill. "

    "It's super quiet despite the gravel road nearby. The vault restroom is kept very clean. It has easy access to the River to River trail, and I love the CCC stonework."

    9. High Knob Campgrounds

    4 Reviews
    Karbers Ridge, IL
    49 miles
    Website
    +1 (618) 275-4494

    "deffinitly caters to equestrians, my only complaint is the shower houses. The potty area is clean but showers are usually kinda gross."

    "High Knob is a Horse campground in Shawnee National Forest near Garden of the Gods off Il1. The entire area has extensive trails through some awesome, hilly, rocky, cliffy areas."

    10. Double M Campground

    Be the first to review!
    Karbers Ridge, IL
    47 miles
    Website
    +1 (618) 275-4440
Show More
Showing results 1-10 of 10 campgrounds

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented byToyota Trucks

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win

Madisonville Contest

Enter to Win

Equestrian Camping Reviews near Madisonville, KY

94 Reviews of 10 Madisonville Campgrounds

  • Shelly S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 31, 2017

    Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park

    Going down

    Pennyrile Forest State Park off Ky69 outside Dawson Springs, Ky. A newer trail Pennyrile Nature Trail is 13.5 mile long hiking trail, from Dawson Springs to the park. There is also a site for the Pennyrile Trail which is a 75 mile driving loop connecting several Kentucky parks.

    The park is multi-leveled with the views and some cool rock formations. The beach has some confusing parking signs, but we figured it off. It was busy and had some loud visitors with loud vehicles and loud vehicles. Not surprising considering the neighborhood it is located in.

    The campground has some interesting sites all along the roadway. The campground and horse campground are connected. Several of the sites can be challenging due to not being level or being shallow, but they are workable.

    I'm not sure if biking would be great due to the hills but it would be challenging. Hiking and backpacking definitely and of course swimming and horseback riding( on your own horse)

  • Myron C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 15, 2019

    Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park

    Campground with a Lot of Activities but Doesn't Feel like a Gated Community

    Pennyrile Forest State Park was a pleasant surprise, especially compared to the many state parks I visited in my earlier years in North Carolina. However, when you reserve your site make sure you ask about the specific site’s terrain. Site 48, where I was, was sloped with no grass and had just been repaired. There were a lot of grassy sites, and they were much better. When I talked to the campground host, he was very pleasant and explained that you do not have to have a horse to camp in the equestrian sites. Those sites are level pull-through sites. There is a camp store, although it is small and limited, but they do sell firewood. Not only does this state park have a putt putt course, but it also has an 18-hole golf course complete with pro shop. The thing I enjoyed best about his state park is the waterfront. There is a large sandy beach and a place to rent canoes, kayaks, and paddle boats. Also at the beach are picnic tables, grills, a playground, and concessions. From the beach area, you can hike the lake trail, but it is moderate. There is a good view of the lake from the trail, and if you walk to the left before crossing the wooden bridge, you can see a very small waterfall. Even though you have to drive a little from the campground to get to it, there is a swimming pool and a lodge. Other activities include tennis courts and basketball. Staying at the campground, other than the sloping site, was a pleasant experience. It was not crowded and the bathrooms have hot showers, but I would suggest paying the extra$15.00 to get one of the equestrian sites.

  • A
    Aug. 12, 2018

    High Knob Campgrounds

    Lots of trails

    deffinitly caters to equestrians, my only complaint is the shower houses. The potty area is clean but showers are usually kinda gross. Love the sites most have a little shade and the stallsa are nice and safe. The trails are great maps available some trails need marked a bit better.

  • Kacie E.
    Aug. 22, 2018

    Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park

    Beautiful and Spacious

    First of all, the drive to Dawson Springs is GORGEOUS. Rolling hills, farmland, trees, really gets you in the mood! Upon arrival, the camp store worker was very friendly, gave us a campground map and hiking map and answered all of our questions. We stayed in the regular campground but they also have a campground for people with horses/horse trailers, as the park has horse trails to go on as well! We didn’t swim in the lake, but it did look beautiful and looked to be a nice place to swim and kayak and paddle boat (which they have for rental as well). The hiking trails are gorgeous and vary in length and intensity. The spot that we were at had plenty of room to spread out and relax. One side had the picnic table and fire pit, and the other side was a grassy area with trees where we hung our hammock. It was stunning! We will definitely be back!

  • Shelly S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 21, 2018

    High Knob Campgrounds

    The way to travel

    High Knob is a Horse campground in Shawnee National Forest near Garden of the Gods off Il1. The entire area has extensive trails through some awesome, hilly, rocky, cliffy areas. There are some excellent things to see. The trail traverses some of the River to River trail that meanders through the area. There used to be an annual ride through “One Horse Gap” I don’t know if it’s still a thing. 

    The campground has options in addition to sleeping in your rig, cabins, travel trailers and a “hotel” . There’s also stalls and tie outs in the area you park in. A good staging area for Shawnee NF treks with several trailheads to pick from. Groups can set up in here and either stage or use it as base camp. Quiet , depending on who you are camping with, all amenities available on site too. (showers, laundry, store)

    We enjoyed the trails though we went no where near as far as the horse people do. (There is so much to see, we have been going to Shawnee NF for over 20 years but I still find something or somewhere new almost every visit.)

  • Staci R.
    Aug. 27, 2017

    Canal Campground- Lake Barkley COE

    Premier Glamping!!

    Canal campground is right on the canal that connects Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake at the north end of Land Between the Lakes. Sitting on the north side of the Canal, just outside of Grand Rivers, KY, where the famous Patti's Settlement boasts a two inch thick pork chop and home cooked everything. Canal campground books fast, and offers a substantial number of activities for all ages. Very well upkept and constantly making improvements, this is a favorites campground for folks from miles around.

  • J K.
    Nov. 1, 2019

    Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park

    tons of water activities

    Great place to visit. Is beautiful with a lot of walking trails 10 things to do. In summer for swimming and rental boats paddle boats and some battery powered boats.I was there for a fall photography contest it was a little too soon and theirwas very little color. You can camp in tents or campers you can ride horses or enjoy the lake and many miles of walking trails. They also have hotel rooms and cabins if you care to spend multiple nights the beautiful Park and I highly recommend it to anybody that enjoys outdoor Beauty.This year 2019 makes the fifth year tha I've gone to Pennyroyal for the fall photography contest I've also been there a few springs for the spring photography contest. These photos are not the best cuz I took them from the restaurant through a window screen so you can kind of see it in the in the images I'll try to upload better ones later.

  • Art S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 17, 2021

    Camp Cadiz Campground

    Dusty, rustic camping at the edge of Shawnee

    This small, rustic camp is at the edge of Shawnee and only had a few campers staying multiple nights with us. Then the turkey hunting season came upon us and the sites filled.

    We had site choices that ended up being along the gravel forest road that goes by camp. This put us away from other dogs but caused other issues. Every vehicle that went by generated dust which then coated everything in our camp. If you come here, we suggest taking the site that is furthest from the road (it's right next to the small forest road that heads off to the hiking trails. They had shade as well as sun and no dust. 

    The sites are large but there isn't any foliage between them. Luckily the dogs were in camps further away from our dog so she was able to relax. The water pump got frequent use and the twin vault toilets were plenty for the campground. 

    The hiking trails that headed out from the camp were wonderful. We even hiked down the forest road and found a hidden cemetery tucked away. The river to river trail heads out from camp too - we saw a group of backpackers leave their cars and head off for the night. Garden of the Gods area is a short drive away for more hiking options.

    Choose your time wisely. Camp filled up with hunters who started generators at 3 in the morning to get ready to head out for turkey. Once we realized what was going on, we put our dog's bright shirt on. Everyone was wonderful and we had some interesting conversations. It was also morel mushroom time so some people were hunting for them.

  • Travis R.
    Sep. 14, 2020

    High Knob Campgrounds

    Horse camp only

    They do not accept tents, this is strictly a horse camp, they will rudly tell you so if you call.

Guide to Madisonville

Horse camping in Kentucky offers a unique blend of scenic trails and well-equipped facilities for equestrian enthusiasts. With a variety of campgrounds catering to horse campers, you can enjoy the great outdoors while ensuring your equine companions are well taken care of.

Equestrian campers like these nearby activities

Most campgrounds have horse-focused amenities like full hookups

Tips for equestrian camping near Madisonville, Kentucky

  • When visiting Canal - Lake Barkley, arrive early to secure a site with water and electric hookups, as they can fill up quickly.
  • At Camp Cadiz Campground, take advantage of the quiet atmosphere and limited campsites for a more private experience.
  • Be prepared for narrow roads and tight turns at Cravens Bay - LBL Lake Access, which can be challenging for larger trailers but rewarding for those seeking seclusion.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Madisonville, KY?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Madisonville, KY is Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park with a 4-star rating from 19 reviews.

What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Madisonville, KY?

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

Keep Exploring