Jami M.
Guide
GuideIonia State Recreation Area
Great get away
Clean, family friendly, beautiful. Take a walk through the equestrian to check out the horses.
Equestrian Camping near Belmont, MI
12 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
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SUMMARY PRESENTED BY
Hungerford Equestrian Group Campsite in Big Rapids offers specialized facilities for horse owners in the Manistee National Forest. The campground features group sites specifically designed for equestrian use, with ample space for horse trailers and camping equipment. Sites include fire pits and picnic tables, with vault toilets available for campers. The campground connects directly to miles of horse trails throughout the forest. Timbers Edge Campground provides another option for equestrian camping with large, shady lots that accommodate both horses and camping equipment. The sites are spacious enough for horse trailers, though some visitors note they can be close together in certain areas. Facilities include pit toilets, drinking water, and trash disposal. The campground maintains a quiet atmosphere that makes for a nice getaway, particularly during equestrian weekends.
The trail system accessible from Hungerford Equestrian Group Campsite extends throughout the Manistee National Forest, offering varied terrain for riders of all experience levels. Dispersed camping options are available near the trails for those seeking a more primitive experience. Ely Lake Campground, located in Allegan County, provides another horse-friendly option with designated equestrian sites and specific trails for horseback riding. The campground attracts many equestrian campers, especially on weekends when visitors can see horses on the trails. Reservations are recommended for equestrian sites during peak season, particularly on weekends. Duke Creek Campground offers on-site horseback rides for those who don't bring their own horses but want to experience trail riding during their camping trip. The natural setting of these campgrounds provides excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing while on horseback.
Best Equestrian Campgrounds near Belmont (12)
1. Duke Creek Campground
"Right across the road from Michigan's Adventure amusement park"
"Train rides, Pool, Scavenger hunt, trails, bike rides, there just weren't enough hours in the day! We should have reserved an entire week!"
2. Scalley Lake Park Campground and Cabins
"Amazing spot away from the city! The owner of the place is very accommodating and pleasant to be around. Private lake with no motors so it is very quiet and peaceful!!!"
"The cabins are clean and nice, the view of the lake is beautiful. My 6 children had a great time here"
3. Ionia State Recreation Area
"Take a walk through the equestrian to check out the horses."
"There is a disc golf course, mountain bike trail, equestrian trails, hiking trails, a beautiful no wake lake perfect for swimming, kayaking, or fishing. "
from $20 - $160 / night
Check Availability4. Double RR Ranch RV Resort
"We enjoyed a reasonable trailride on horses thru a shallow part of the river. Very easy for inexperienced riders and kids. It is close to a town to get take out food if it rains."
5. Ely Lake Campground
"No power motor lake but there is another lake close by that is. We take the canoe with a trolling motor and hit that as well. Pet friendly. They have horse campsites and trails."
"All rustic sites, horses welcomed, vault toilets, and water pumps. Pay for site by money drop in tube so bring your check book. The lake is great for kayaking. Miles of trails to wander and discover."
from $17 / night
Check Availability6. White River Campsite #1
"We explored the area while camping at nearby Pines Point campground."
7. Timbers Edge Campground
"We stayed here during their Equestrian Weekends several years in a row, great hosts and large lots make this place a nice hidden gem!"
"A lot of horses and hunters. Price was good for electric and water. Nice for dog walking. Friendly managers. No cell service"
8. Double JJ Resort
9. Hungerford Lake Campground
10. Equestrian Campground — Yankee Springs Recreation Area
from $20 / night
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Drive Time
- 8 min from Grand Rapids, MI
- 37 min from Muskegon, MI
- 53 min from Kalamazoo, MI
- 1 hr 11 min from Battle Creek, MI
Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near Belmont, MI
2 Photos of 12 Belmont Campgrounds
Equestrian Camping Reviews near Belmont, MI
48 Reviews of 12 Belmont Campgrounds
- JJames K.
TravelerEly Lake Campground
Beautiful rustic sites with loud parties at night
Ely Lake Campground is a County campground in Allegan Michigan. All of the sites are rustic. Here are the bullet points:
- There are no bathrooms, just pit toilets.
- There is no electricity.
- There is a hand pump for water, although I would recommend bringing your own drinking water because the water from the hand pump is very discolored.
- Each site has a fire pit and a picnic table.
- They don't sell firewood, but you can by some in town on your way in.
- There is a beach.
- You can make reservations online ahead of time, or show up and find an empty site (but bring cash or check to pay because its a drop box).
- They have equestrian trails and sites.
First the positives: It is a beautiful rustic campground. We stayed on the side with sites 49-73 (specifically site 50) which has larger more secluded sites than the other side of the Lake. The Lake is for non-motorized recreational use so it is mostly used for kayaking and canoeing and fishing. There is about a 1 mile trail that you can walk around the exterior of the Lake, however it is ill defined in some places so just keep your eyes peeled for yellow markers on the trees (which are everywhere so you wont get lost).
This place also attracts a lot of equestrian campers and they have trails specifically for horseback riding. So if you have kids that love horses, you may see some on the weekends.
The negatives: It is a wonderful experience until about 10:30 PM on Friday and Saturday night. This place attracts a rowdy crowd and in the evenings (apparently there is no where else for the locals to have a rager). There is loud music , people yelling, fireworks going off and… not very much sleep. And I am not just talking about a few people with their music on -- it was someone blasting their sub-woofer with electronic dance music until 4:45 AM. It was really disappointing because otherwise the experience was positive. Luckily my kids are all deep sleepers so I was the only one who had to sit up all night.
They clean the bathrooms daily from what I can tell, but otherwise the campground is not maintained. There was trash around our site, and when you walk the trail about the lake you will see cigarette packets and beer bottles occasionally. Also along the trail were two massive hornet nests that really should have been removed by park management - but it's clear they don't ever maintain the trail.
If you're willing to overlook some garbage, and if the party people stay away you could have a wonderful camping trip. Allegan County has a beautiful natural resource here, but sadly it seems like it is being squandered, and wont last.
- Joshua E.Traveler
Ionia State Recreation Area
Great activities for outdoors lovers
Ionia has so many great outdoor activities for almost anyone. There is a disc golf course, mountain bike trail, equestrian trails, hiking trails, a beautiful no wake lake perfect for swimming, kayaking, or fishing. The beach is fantastic especially for little kids who might not be the best swimmers ready for Lake Michigan or lakes with lots of boats and waves to deal with. Nice and sandy and a nice store and ice cream shop at the beach.
The campground itself is very nice, but you may find the activities are a short drive away from your site to get there. The sites are all a little bit shallow especially if you have a larger travel trailer you may find it a bit tight. There is a great variety of shaded and sunny sites. There is only one bathroom for the campground so it can be a bit busy and it could probably use an update.
Suzi K.
ScoutEly Lake Campground
Words Can't Describe
This is always my go to campground! All natural camping with plenty of nice people! One word of advise is to bring your own tp though lol they seem to always run out on Sunday mornings lol but are back up and running by mid afternoon. No showers and just outhouses but that's REAL camping right!!!? No power motor lake but there is another lake close by that is. We take the canoe with a trolling motor and hit that as well. Pet friendly. They have horse campsites and trails. Walking trails around the lake that offer nature at it's purest! I have been coming to this lake to camp for over 40 years and I hope I have 40 more years left!!!
- Becky P.
RangerTimbers Edge Campground
Quiet Getaway!
We stayed here during their Equestrian Weekends several years in a row, great hosts and large lots make this place a nice hidden gem!
Arron P.GuideHungerford Lake Campground
Rustic camping at finest!
Dispersed camping and camp sites available. There are horse staging areas and hiking trails. The lake is nice, small enough for a kayak/ no motor boat, nice.
- SSharon S.Scout
Timbers Edge Campground
Nice for horses and hunting
I went in November. Most campers were there on the weekend. Pit toilets, a pond, hot showers but shower room unheated, no dump station,nice size lots. A lot of horses and hunters. Price was good for electric and water. Nice for dog walking. Friendly managers. No cell service
- EEllen S.Traveler
Ely Lake Campground
Great Rustic Campground
I have been camping here a couple years. It is open year round. All rustic sites, horses welcomed, vault toilets, and water pumps. Pay for site by money drop in tube so bring your check book. The lake is great for kayaking. Miles of trails to wander and discover.
- Joanie C.Scout
Double RR Ranch RV Resort
Lots to do
There is a river to explore and we always get a riverfront site. Rivers are just fun for fishing, throwing stones, canoeing. There is a campstore, Firepits, large trees, they do hayrides for kids, too. We enjoyed a reasonable trailride on horses thru a shallow part of the river. Very easy for inexperienced riders and kids. It is close to a town to get take out food if it rains. There are some larger vacation lodges to rent that ars nestled away in the woods, and a bunkhouse with rentals. My husband liked the golf course that came with renting spot. Seen lots of wildlife. Very relaxing time in our pop up not too far from Grand Rapids.
Guide to Belmont
Equestrian camping near Belmont, Michigan offers access to miles of trails through the Manistee National Forest. The area features a mix of sandy soil and rolling terrain with elevation changes between 800-1,000 feet. Summer temperatures typically range from 70-85°F, while spring and fall can bring cooler weather and occasional rainfall that creates muddy trail conditions.
What to do
Trail riding adventures: Several campgrounds provide direct access to horse trails throughout Manistee National Forest. At Double RR Ranch RV Resort, visitors can enjoy "a reasonable trailride on horses thru a shallow part of the river. Very easy for inexperienced riders and kids," according to Joanie C.
Fishing opportunities: Ely Lake offers excellent fishing from shore or small watercraft. As Brad B. notes, the lake is "perfect for beach front and small boat launch - no motors. We love it in the spring and fall."
Kayaking and canoeing: Scalley Lake Park Campground and Cabins provides access to "private lake with no motors so it is very quiet and peaceful," according to Nolyn S., making it ideal for paddling.
Horseback riding for non-owners: Duke Creek Campground offers options for visitors without their own horses. Cheyanne P. mentions "the best part about it was the on-site horseback rides!" which allows all visitors to experience trail riding.
What campers like
Spacious equestrian sites: At Timbers Edge Campground, campers appreciate the accommodations for horses. Becky P. mentions "We stayed here during their Equestrian Weekends several years in a row, great hosts and large lots make this place a nice hidden gem!"
Family-friendly amenities: Duke Creek Campground offers numerous activities beyond horseback riding. As Nicole C. reports, "The campground was great, and clean. The park was nice and so we're all the kid activities! The pool is very nice and the store is stocked nicely."
Natural surroundings: Ely Lake Campground provides a more rustic experience with access to nature. James C. calls it a "hidden gem" noting "Nothing changed, just good ole wilderness camping!"
Cabin options: For those who prefer not to tent camp, Scalley Lake Park offers well-maintained cabins. Nora M. notes "The cabins are clean and nice, the view of the lake is beautiful. My 6 children had a great time here."
What you should know
Rustic conditions: Many equestrian campgrounds have limited amenities. At Ely Lake Campground, TheSydliks warns: "Caveat: no electric, no running water, no sewer/septic, no dump, no fill... Can run your generator (inverter type is best). Solar is a negative due to tree cover."
Weekend noise levels: Some campgrounds can get loud on weekends. James K. reports about Ely Lake: "This place attracts a rowdy crowd and in the evenings... There is loud music, people yelling, fireworks going off and… not very much sleep."
Water quality concerns: At some rustic sites, water quality varies. As noted about Ely Lake Campground: "There is a hand pump for water, although I would recommend bringing your own drinking water because the water from the hand pump is very discolored."
Site spacing: At Duke Creek Campground, Clint points out that "The sites were very small at this campground. Our fire pit was so close to our trailer we didn't dare use it." Consider booking premium sites if you need more space.
Tips for camping with families
Train rides and activities: Families with children enjoy the organized activities at Duke Creek. Becky P. enthusiastically shares: "Your kids will LOVE this place-we had a blast! Train rides, Pool, Scavenger hunt, trails, bike rides, there just weren't enough hours in the day!"
Swimming options: White River Campsite #1 offers natural swimming areas. While this is a dispersed camping area with "no facilities or amenities," Kendra H. notes it's "more suitable for tents or maybe small campers" but provides good water access.
Cabin camping alternative: For families not ready for tent camping, Scalley Lake offers cabin options. Nicole B. simply states: "Great campground! Cabins, electric and bath houses!" making it suitable for families needing more amenities.
Trail safety: When exploring trails around equestrian campgrounds, remember that visibility can be limited. Vegan T. advises about White River: "It's in a forest, so bring a compass if you plan to do some hiking."
Tips from RVers
Site selection for large rigs: For RVers with larger units, carefully research your options. At Ely Lake Campground, TheSydliks cautions: "Sites range from small tent sites to fairly large, but the 'roads' inside the campground are tight so think twice before bringing the longer 5th wheels."
Water and electrical hookups: For those requiring utilities, Sharon S. notes about Timbers Edge Campground: "Price was good for electric and water" but also mentions there's "no dump station," which is important for longer stays.
Seasonal considerations: Weather affects road conditions at dispersed sites. At White River Campsite #1, Kendra H. advises: "Best access seems to be along 160th avenue south of Arthur road. The road seems a bit sketchy but should be okay for most vehicles."
Dust concerns: Josh N. warns about Double JJ Resort: "Maybe it was due to weather but the sites were full of dirt and dust that got everywhere over the weekend," something to consider when planning an RV trip with outdoor equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian
campsite near Belmont, MI?
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Belmont, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Belmont, MI is Duke Creek Campground with a 3.8-star rating from 6 reviews.
What is the best site to find
equestrian camping near
Belmont, MI?
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Belmont, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 12 equestrian camping locations near Belmont, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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