13 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Waterloo Recreation Area features facilities for equestrians within its extensive trail system. The park allows horses on designated trails, though no dedicated horse corrals are available at the campgrounds. Riders must provide their own portable corrals or use highlines for containing horses overnight. Trailer parking is available at designated staging areas. The Sugarloaf Campground accommodates both tent and RV camping with electric hookups, while rustic cabin options are also available throughout the park. Most campsites have picnic tables and fire rings. Sites can be close together, making it challenging for large horse trailers to maneuver and park.
The Pinckney Recreation Area connects to Waterloo through a network of equestrian-friendly trails, creating extensive riding opportunities. Trails vary from easy flat terrain to more challenging hills and wooded sections. Most bridle paths are well-marked and maintained, though some sections become muddy after rainfall. Horse owners need to bring water buckets as natural water sources may be limited along trails. Hell Creek Ranch provides an alternative with direct access to the state recreation trails. The campground is suitable for families combining horse activities with general recreation, offering a swimming pool and clean facilities. Reservations are recommended during peak season, especially for campers with horses, as equestrian-friendly sites are limited in the area.
"Lots of trails within reach and a horse riding stable if that is your thing. Heard lots of wolves, saw lots of tracks but no animals. I’d like to go back in the spring and hike around some more!"
"It is usually easy to get multiple sites next to each other with reservations.
There is a decent sandy beach here with a playground and volleyball net."
from $38 - $43 / night
Check Availability"Campground Review: Bishop Lake is a great campground located in the middle of the Brighton Rec Area. The upper and lower campgrounds are both modern, with every site including electric."
"Great family place with paved and dirt biking/hiking trails. Very nice beach with grass and sand. There are 2 areas of inflatables, one of them is for the little kids 48 in. and under."
from $35 - $40 / night
Check Availability"Direct connections to the Waterloo Pinckney trail system. Near Hell, Michigan and Chelsea, Michigan. Large pool in season. Priced reasonably."
"As an added plus a horse barn (Heavenly Horse Stables) right on property offering riding lessons, trail rides and meet and greets with their houses and other barn animals, my daughter wanted to move here"
from $20 - $35 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $20 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $100 - $160 / night
Check Availability"Friendly staff, clean park, close to supermarkets and other food locations. RV repair and sales nearby. I got lucky and woke up to a horse and dog competition at no extra cost to me."
"We used our Starlink Mini and it worked well on a nearly cloudless day with unobstructed access to the sky. I would definitely stay here again."
"Great hiking and world class mountain bike trails. Nice big lake. Only drawback is you must drive to the lake or hike 1.8 miles through the woods on a trail to get there. No camp store."
"An extensive horse back riding trail system and MTB trails are easily accessible."
from $20 - $80 / night
Check Availability"What can I say, I love the Michigan State Parks. I find they are the best, Sleepy Hollow is not different and it has so many things to do. "
"Quietly tucked into Clinton co Michigan. Sleepy is easily accessible. Its close to Lansing. There are shopping centers nearby. Country party store is closer!! Very large lake....Ovid is her name!"
from $20 - $160 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $20 / night
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TravelerThis was our first time staying here. Great private campground with rustic, elec, water/elec (30 amp), and concrete pad sites. Very clean campground with nice shower house. Owners are very friendly. Direct connections to the Waterloo Pinckney trail system. Near Hell, Michigan and Chelsea, Michigan. Large pool in season. Priced reasonably.
LegendWhat can I say, I love the Michigan State Parks. I find they are the best, Sleepy Hollow is not different and it has so many things to do. I would advise if you want to camp there on a weekend to make reservations well in advance. We stay here because there are only 2 campgrounds in the Lansing East Lansing Area this being one of them and the other does not have all full hook ups and charges more. When we visit our daughter at Michigan State University this is the place we stay, 20 - 30 minutes into the University depending upon the traffic.
It has large wooded sites only electric but you can fill up the water at the dump station. Each site has a picnic table and Fire ring. Each campsite has a asphalt pad. They sell fire wood at the campground office. Bring what you need or you can go into St. johns to the Kroger or Walmart. they have 2 main camping loops with 2 loops in each of the main loops and a shower restroom in each main loop. The restrooms are very clean and kept up. I love the showers hot water and for me that is hot and great pressure, I could shower all day. Sure beats our shower in the RV.
The State Park is on Ovid Lake and it is a beautiful lake, great for fishing, canoeing, paddle boards, kayak, and swimming. they have a shelter for you if you have a big party.
They also have a group campsite and a picnic area for large groups. d You can also bring your horses go to the Equestrian area and unload and get on the trail.
You can rent canoes, kayaks, paddle boats and paddle boards. They also have a great play ground for the kids and a fishing pier. Bring Bikes or just hike on the trails and head down to the beach.
Travelerquiet campground during the day, short drive to the beach, biking and equestrian trails available. loud around the restroom at night, cleaning crew came through at 10 pm.
TravelerQuietly tucked into Clinton co Michigan. Sleepy is easily accessible. Its close to Lansing. There are shopping centers nearby. Country party store is closer!! Very large lake....Ovid is her name! Offers many species of fish for catching!! There are fishing docks, ONE IS NOT VERY ACCESSIBLE TO NON AMBULATORY PERSONS !!! THIS ONE'S IN THE CAMP AREA! The path is nicely groomed. The bea h is a long way from the parking lot a d there is no beach access from camp. The park is usually a clean family place...but for really young children or elderly persons it may. Ot be your first choice. I live nearby and have camped there zillions of times. I love it and shower bouses in camp are clean! Friendly staff a d they ate SERIOUS about quiet time! Bug spray required !!
GuideVery nice sites. Wooded and up north feel. Great hiking and world class mountain bike trails. Nice big lake. Only drawback is you must drive to the lake or hike 1.8 miles through the woods on a trail to get there. No camp store. Equestrian trails and I hear they have a remote control airplane field and shooting range.
TravelerFriendly staff, clean park, close to supermarkets and other food locations. RV repair and sales nearby. I got lucky and woke up to a horse and dog competition at no extra cost to me.
GuideI frequent this park if I am camping or not. decent disc gof course and access to Lake Ovid is great, miles of trails to hike/bike/ride horses. Hosts are very friendly and is always a joy to talk with the rangers
ScoutFun backpacking trails best trails close to state capital
fishing ,boating, disc golf, horse and bike trails,
Geocaching available.
GuideThis was our last stop on a trip where we camped in 6 different Michigan State Parks. This may be an older camp or the DNR was trying to save money when it was built. Most electrical posts are designed to accommodate at least 2 adjoining lots, and as many as 4. This in itself is not a concern until you realize the posts are way too far away to reach without an extension. We tried several lots and couldn’t reach any of the outlets. We finally met a couple who saId they had extensions at the office. So, we finally got set up with an extension cord from the camp office and decided to walk to the beach. Our site was adjacent to the path leading to the beach so we figured we could use a little walk. The path led to another path that led to a parking lot for the beach. After crossing the parking lot we still had to cross a large yard/park that finally opened onto the beach on this small lake. It was all very scenic, but we weren’t expecting a major hike to get to the beach. Showers are nice. They also have a neat ice cream vending machine that I had to check out for scientific purposes only. For a Michigan state park we were quite disappointed.
Waterloo Recreation Area and surrounding parks near Chelsea, Michigan offer a variety of camping options within 60 miles of Detroit. The terrain features rolling hills, glacial landforms, and over 40 lakes and ponds. Campground elevations range from 850 to 1,000 feet above sea level, with summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F during peak camping season from May through October.
Trail connections for horseback riders: Waterloo Recreation Area and Pinckney Recreation Area provide over 20 miles of designated bridle trails. Brighton Recreation Area adds additional riding options. "There's a decent sandy beach here with a playground and volleyball net. Also in the park are some small dirt trails for hiking and biking," notes Mike B. about Waterloo Sugarloaf Modern.
Swimming in clear lakes: Several parks have swimming beaches with varying amenities. "We had fun and the kids had a blast. They rode bikes around the loop and loved swimming and the playground," says Kim S. about her family's experience at Waterloo. At Seven Lakes State Park, "Sand Lake was our spot and the water was breath taking - it's a small pond really, but great for kayaking. Crystal clear, clean water, a good public beach," according to Andy B.
Visit Hell, Michigan: This uniquely named town is near several equestrian campgrounds. "This was our first time staying here. Great private campground with rustic, elec, water/elec (30 amp), and concrete pad sites. Very clean campground with nice shower house," reports Jason F. about Hell Creek Ranch Campground, which offers direct trail access.
Rustic cabin options: For those wanting shelter while maintaining a rustic experience. "Had the pleasure of visiting first weekend in February, on the coldest weekend of the year! Nice little cabin set in about 800' from where you park. It has a table, wood stove, and 4 sets of bunks in a back room," explains Mike S. about the Southfork Rustic Cabin at Waterloo.
Privacy between sites: Many campers appreciate sites with good separation. At Pontiac Lake Recreation Area, "This campground is my FAVORITE in Oakland County. The sites aren't super far away from each other but there are trees between sites so from most of the sites you can't really see your neighbors," notes Sarah P. Another reviewer adds, "We stayed in site 118 and could not see neighboring sites!"
Group camping areas: Larger gatherings can be accommodated at several parks. At Highland State Recreation Area, Tammy P. shares: "Tenting at its finest... brother his wife and 5 kids my husband at the time and 4 kids reserved a group area and had a blast teaching and showing those who had never camped how fun it could be!"
Water access may require hiking or driving: At some parks, the beach isn't adjacent to the campground. At Pontiac Lake, "Only drawback is the distance from the lake. The lake is not within walking distance, you would need to drive," explains Renee R. Similarly at Sleepy Hollow, Nick W. notes: "Our site was adjacent to the path leading to the beach so we figured we could use a little walk. The path led to another path that led to a parking lot for the beach."
Insect preparation essential: Bug protection is necessary, especially in wooded or wetland areas. "There are tons of mosquitoes and ticks, so make sure you bring bug spray," advises Kristina J. about Pontiac Lake. At Bishop Lake Campground, campers should bring insect repellent, especially during summer months.
Electrical hookup limitations: Be prepared with extension cords. "Most electrical posts are designed to accommodate at least 2 adjoining lots, and as many as 4. This in itself is not a concern until you realize the posts are way too far away to reach without an extension," advises one camper at Sleepy Hollow State Park.
Beach amenities for kids: Several parks offer family-friendly water features. "Such a cool place to enjoy with the kids, we had a blast at Jump Island!" shares Jillian E. about Bishop Lake. Another visitor explains: "It's connected but costs money. $15 for a 45 minute jump session. Follow on Facebook for coupons."
Playgrounds and recreation: Many campgrounds have dedicated play areas. Kim S. mentions her Waterloo experience: "The kids had a blast. They rode bikes around the loop and loved swimming and the playground." Similarly, at Seven Lakes, campers can enjoy "a good public beach" with areas for children to play.
Halloween camping events: Special seasonal activities occur at some parks. As Stephanie C. explains about Sleepy Hollow, "Every year they put together an awesome Halloween trick or treat weekend, but be sure to book the day of six months before because otherwise you will not get a site."
Site selection for privacy: Choose carefully for maximum comfort. "The property is very well maintained with a nice park and clean bathrooms. The campground has some nice full-grown trees, but isn't extremely wooded. The trees offer shade, but are spaced out enough that a group can pull their campers around for privacy," advises Jonah H. about Waterloo.
Levelness varies by campground: Some sites require additional equipment. At Seven Lakes State Park, Edward C. notes: "Sites tend to slope towards Sand Lake so have leveling blocks if that's important to you." Similarly, Ryan F. shares about Lake Murray Rustic Sites: "Our site wasn't level, so we were rolling around a bit."
Size limitations at some sites: Large RVs may not fit at all locations. "Nice site was a little small for our 38foot - we had to go sideways which opened us up to other campers. Not my favorite," cautions Beth G. about her experience at Waterloo Sugarloaf.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Chelsea, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Chelsea, MI is Sugarloaf Campground — Waterloo Recreation Area with a 4.1-star rating from 14 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Chelsea, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 13 equestrian camping locations near Chelsea, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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