Horse camping is the perfect way to enjoy Clarklake. If you're an equestrian lover who prefers nature-based adventure, yet still wants comfort, this is the perfect opportunity for you. Camping with your horse in Clarklake just got easier. You're sure to find the perfect site for your Michigan horse camping excursion.
Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into state parks and recreation areas, state boat launches, state forest campgrounds and state trail parking lots. The Michigan Recreation Passport does not cover local, county, municipal, or metropolitan parks or recreation areas. Learn more: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/buy-and-apply/rec-pp
Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into state parks and recreation areas, state boat launches, state forest campgrounds and state trail parking lots. The Michigan Recreation Passport does not cover local, county, municipal, or metropolitan parks or recreation areas. Learn more: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79134_79210---,00.html
$17 - $90 / night
$20 - $35 / night
Scout
Great out of the way campground. It was nice and quiet. Bathrooms were clean and well kept. The gentleman that checked us in moved things around so we could all be together not on different sites well away frome each other. Would definitely go there again.
Guide
Well maintained and up kept with some neat features and trails.
Avoid the vending machines.
Scout
They have good hiking trails, nice refreshing waters, good food options at certain places
ScoutMy husband and I had a wonderful experience the website was well informed; pull in and pick your own site and the site manager will come by and collect your money for night stayed. In fact, we enjoyed it so much we called to ask for another night, without hesitation, and any disruption to our camping they came by later that evening, and collected for an additional night ( just as the website advised), Charlotte is a wonderful town with wonderful events. This fairground camp area very clean and well organized. Well done Eaton county, see you in May 2024. 💯
Ranger
This was a campground that we stayed at on our way to the northern part of the state. This for me, was a place that I would like to come back to for a longer stay. The camp sites were nice, there was a nice swimming area in crystal clear water and a beautiful bathhouse. It had a more modern layout that could accommodate many campers. My only complaint, and the reason that I'll have a hard time talking my wife into going back was the mosquitoes were pretty bad the evening that we were there. Other than that I liked it a lot.
Scout
I arrived for a 2 week stay in the area on 11/12. I discovered this campground was closed for the season.
LegendThis state park was established in 1925, so almost 100 years old. The campground must be the original layout. There's a maze like quality to it. The roads are narrow & you may be driving off the road for a big rig.
Some sites are level, some aren't. Some can accommodate larger rigs, most can't. Check the site descriptions carefully & to be doubly sure, call the office & ask.
There's water stations that look very old. They have wooden, shingled roofs. There's 2 dump stations located in loops 3 & 4. IN THE CAMPGROUND! NEXT TO CAMPSITES!!!!
There's 5 loops to the main campground.
100 loop is small & closer to the lake than the other loops. It's the loop we chose this time.
The sites are on the small side. There's 3 campsites that are close to the lake. 115, which is a larger site. 117 & 119 which have clear views of the lake. 117 is more a tent or popup site & is small. 119 is the best of the bunch. A large pad & a large site. There's no privacy bushes. These sites have a view of the lake with trees & brush & are on a ridge overlooking the lake. They aren't ON the lake.
On either side of 117 & 119 are 2 trails that lead to the lake. There's benches & a dock to tie up your boat.
The rest of the sites are a mixed bag. Some are level, some have an incline. If you have a big rig, be aware that the road to the 100 campsites branches into one way. Leading into the campsites, the road is narrow & has a ravine on one side!
200 Loop is non electric
300 Loop is the biggest loop & seems like the best bet for larger rigs. As stated above, some sites are better than others. There's a uniformity here that's missing from the other loops.
Stay away from sites 393& 395!!! These sites are literally right on top of the dump station! As always watch for pit toilets near the sites.
400 loop is a smaller loop next to the 200 loop. There's only one shower house for both loops. Avoid site 444 & probably site 454. These sites are VERY close to the dump station.
500 loop is also smaller& has some nice sites tucked by themselves in the trees. There seems to be more privacy brush on this loop with SOME sites.
512 is close to the shower house. 511 & 513 were somewhat secluded.
If you have a boat you want to tie up at the dock, go for the 100 loop. If you can't get it, be aware there's no parking near the trails to the lake. You can park by the bathhouse & walk.
The shower & restrooms are atrocious!!! Worst looking buildings since Spring Mill SP! Dirty & need an entire overhaul. In fact, raze the buildings & build new ones! They're "cleaned" once a day. Suuuuuure they are. There was actual poop on the door of one of the women's toilet stalls the whole time I was there. Mold & spiders& dirt in the corners. Looks like the last upgrade was in the 50s.
Traveler
We stayed at lot M18 of the rustic site, Murray Lake. The site was large and had a picnic table and fire pit. There are TONS of mosquitos.
Gas and convenience is not far away. I had spotty Verizon service but I did get all of my notifications. Internet use was slow.
ScoutNice campground. Sites are close together and sites 60-72 or so are really tent site, not level, and need extension cord for electric. No water hookups. No ATT service.
GuideI have not camped here but had a family member use the campground while visiting the area. They spoke very highly of it. They have a large camper and stayed for a few nights.
I've been here quite a few times to fish. Great fishing spot.
ScoutThis is a fairgrounds RV and tent park. Very peaceful when there are no ongoing events. Large bath house with Showers. No office in park, so find a space and park. The manager will stop by to collect your $20. Confidently located a mile outside of Charlotte, with all the conviences of restraunts, walmart, Meijer etc.
ScoutWe loved the area around the campground. Waterloo is a great area! But... most of the campsites are tiny! Campers are crowded in together
GuideLovely little quiet campground and spacious park with plenty to do for 1-2 days. Staff is non-intrusive, and the site has plenty of room to camp about and roam. Find your own little quiet corner and unplug for a few days. It's better than Ohio's only National Park!
Note: the DNR trail maps are inaccurate but well worth your time, so research your trials well or you'll get a bit lost. Trail signs are also very confusing. Bring plenty of water as posted 'mile' hikes quickly turn in 5 mile hikes. I recommend walking the 'Wetlands' trail around dusk.
ScoutAbsolutely no place to pay for camping permit was yelled at by a handicapped guy over there who told me I had to pay them $20 for camping and there’s no place to give them this money, they just want to harass people and provide them with no outlet to actually show up in camp. twenty dollars way too expensive for the way that you treat people there
ScoutCamp ground was adding new spots so there were lots of piles of dirt. Not many trees, nice pool, dirt roads. Camp ground attacks bikers.
GuideEquestrian trails and campgrounds are popular here. Horse rides sold on site. There is a nice hotel that sometimes hosts events actually located in the park. Come tobagginging and ice fishing in the winter and then pamper yourself in the hotel, or visit in the summer and have a beach day or easy hike with the family. Great spot for Pokémon Go because of the available cell service.
ScoutHorseback riding, swimming at the beach, fishing on the dock. Took my children and their friends they looked it
TravelerEnormous park, very clean and grassy. The staff was very helpful and friendly. We stayed there for 1 night only. The bathrooms are nice and clean, also has a nice shower.
ScoutHow far to stay at this Campground has been really nice is very quiet and the people here are very nice it does have showers that are really hot and steamy and it also has some pipes to grab some water and jugs if needed to
TravelerThis was our first camping experience in Michigan, so we weren’t exactly prepared. My rating takes this into consideration.
First of all, if it’s rainy or muddy, you might want to think twice about entering the rustic camping area. We have a 4Runner, so it was no problem but a few little cars did slide around and have trouble on the hill by our site.
Our site wasn’t level, so we were rolling around a bit. If I went there again I’d try to find a spot towards the end of the loop by the exit. These sites were higher and some of them were private. I’d examine the map carefully because some of the sites were horrendously open and basically on the road. Maybe good for a vehicle with a rooftop tent or a trailer of some sort, but it would have been annoying for us. Site M22 was big and far enough away from other campers, but again not level. Probably a good location for a group of hammock campers.
All that aside, the biggest problem was mosquito activity. The camping area sits on an inaccessible lake with a marsh area.
When we rolled in the first thing we noticed was that everyone had screen houses set up.
We didn’t have anything but our tent and a hammock with a big net so everyone got bitten up while cooking and hanging out by the fire. It was pretty miserable. Yes, I realize this is mostly our fault.
I’ve since purchased a thermacell backpacker and some bug net hats and stuff. I’m looking into constructing an ultralight screen house that can be suspended from trees.
The last problem was drunk campers hooting and hollering all night but that isn’t the camping areas fault.
This place is super close to where we are living so I’ll probably schedule it next spring and come prepared. There are lots of nearby lakes and recreational trails so it’s a fun place to be with family.
ScoutThis was a great campground! There is so much to do. Wonderful amenities.
ScoutGreat campground sites have lots of grass and they allow alcohol.
TravelerThis is an extremely large campground. About seventy-five percent of the sites are electric. We stayed in Site 255, which was not electric (booked last minute). This site was fairly level but very close to other sites…wouldn’t recommend it. However, Site 269 (next to Site 277) afforded great privacy and was large; among the non-electric sites this was the best I saw. I did not survey the electric sites, but I’m sure the site matters a lot. Non-electric sites are $20.00, plus a $9.00 park entrance fee.
There are numerous walking trails, along with horse and bike trails. Additionally, there are boat rentals, horseback rides, pony rentals, swimming, nature center, and a restaurant at the inn.
This is a family oriented park. Extended family groupings are very common. Nevertheless, people and their children are well behaved.
I would recommend this campground for two days or more. A one day stay will mean you probably won’t see much of this wonderful park. The only reason I gave it a four was that even in mid-September it was packed.
TravelerIt was alright. Our neighbors across from us had 30 kids using one fire pit. (They had 6 sites together) and were up past midnight running around. Our fire ring was so close to the road. The bathrooms are pretty far away as there is only one building. The lake and trails were great.
ScoutThere are wooded sites on the upper area with shade and sunny sites on the lower area. Something for everyone. Just a couple of sites face the water. The beach is a modest bicycle ride on a nice and wide path. Or you can jump in a vehicle and make the drive to the separate beach entrance. Like other State Parks the lake is void of any homes which makes it a nice lake for swimming, canoeing, kayaking, floating, etc. A well established mountain bike trail is within the recreation area. The locals call it Torn Shirt.
Scoutno tent camping
GuideCamped here in Sept. A bit chilly at night but absolutely gorgeous area!!
Horse camping in Michigan offers a unique blend of outdoor adventure and equestrian-friendly amenities, making it a great choice for horse lovers looking to explore the state's beautiful landscapes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Clarklake, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Clarklake, MI is Waterloo Sugarloaf Modern — Waterloo Recreation Area with a 4-star rating from 13 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Clarklake, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 7 equestrian camping locations near Clarklake, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
