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Ortonville Equestrian Campground is the primary equestrian camping destination near Davison, Michigan. The campground provides rustic camping experiences for horse owners with picnic tables, fire rings, and vault toilets. Each site accommodates both camping equipment and horse trailers with ample space for setting up temporary corrals or using highlines. The campground is particularly popular among equestrians seeking weekend getaways. Basic amenities include vault toilets and trash collection, though no hookups, showers, or water connections are available. Most equestrians bring portable corrals or tie-out systems as permanent corrals are not provided. The rustic nature of the facilities appeals to experienced horse campers who appreciate the focus on trail access rather than luxury amenities.
The extensive trail system connects directly to the Ortonville Recreation Area's bridle paths, offering riders varied terrain through wooded areas and open fields. Riders access approximately 8 miles of designated equestrian trails that wind through the recreation area's diverse landscape. The staging area provides additional parking for day riders or those preparing for longer excursions. Water for horses must be brought in or collected from natural sources along the trails. The lakes within the recreation area offer additional recreational opportunities when not riding. Seasonal considerations include spring mud and summer insects, with fall providing optimal trail conditions with cooler temperatures and minimal bugs. Camping with horses requires self-sufficiency as on-site services are limited and the nearest feed stores are located in surrounding communities.
"Large play areas, dog run, basketball court, lots of walking trails, and family friendly."
"The location is pretty great, off the beaten path but, within 30 minutes of major stores and conveniences. "
"There are over 20 sites, about half of which are located lake side (not directly on the lake, but there are little paths that lead you there and you can somewhat see the water from these sites.)"
"Wish there was a few additional water filling points and that the dumpsters were all located near the camp entrance/exit. But really nothing to complain about. "
"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 $22 / night
Check Availability"The park has a beautiful 2.5 mile trail around the lake that makes this campground great. We brought our own kayaks but they do rent boats. We saw deer and rabbit."
"Always a great local retreat away from our hectic daily life. Don’t have to travel far to find some nature. Most sites generously sized, hookups available, clean restrooms."
"The campground here is actually a quite popular equestrian campground. There is a campground and a staging area. Rustic vault toilets, picnic tables, and fire rings."
"This is another great scout ing campground with cabins, rustic camping, tent sites, lakes, horses to ride, this is one HUGE camp ground for scouts to enjoy and learn.."
"Addison Oaks is a campground that features hiking and mountain biking trails, campground, cabins, disc golf course, and a lake for boating."
"The grounds are huge with bike/hike trails, a lake and a disc golf course. Mountain biking seems to be very popular there are dirt trails off the paved hiking loop."
"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 $17 - $90 / night
Check Availability"Great time to unplug and just enjoy our surroundings and begin to learn our own creativity!"
"This is one of our family's favorite close to home sites. Extra large camp sites, lots of room for the kids to run around. Extensive trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding."
LegendThe campground here is actually a quite popular equestrian campground. There is a campground and a staging area. Rustic vault toilets, picnic tables, and fire rings. The campground itself isn’t really much to write home about (unless you have horses that is). The lakes and launches are however very nice and there are some great trail systems through the area.
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.
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.
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 !!
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.
ScoutWhat started as a little get away turned into not wanting to leave! A swimming pool and playground with basketball court to keep my kids entertained and clean facilities convinced me I had made the right choice. 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. Other perks to this campground: Openings to Pinckney State trails right on property and all sorts of lakes, parks and small town downtown areas for food and shopping nearby, H.C.R.C. was a hidden gem.
Horse enthusiasts visit Ortonville Equestrian Campground near Davison, Michigan, to access 8 miles of designated riding paths through the Ortonville Recreation Area. The campground offers rustic sites with fire rings and vault toilets, serving as the primary destination for equestrian camping in the region. Sites accommodate both camping equipment and horse trailers, with space for temporary corrals or highlines.
Kayaking at Seven Lakes State Park: Located approximately 13 miles from Davison, Seven Lakes State Park Campground provides excellent water activities. "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," notes Andy B.
Mountain biking at Pontiac Lake: Riders enjoy extensive trail systems at Pontiac Lake Recreation Area, about 25 miles from Davison. "Extensive mountain biking trails and the lake is open to boating, kayaking, and other water sports," reports Mary H. The park features "world class mountain bike trails" according to Christie V.
Disc golf at Addison Oaks: The park features a well-maintained disc golf course. "The park offers nice holiday activities - we were last there for Halloween camping," says Barb L. at Addison Oaks County Park. The park also includes "hiking and mountain biking trails, campground, cabins, disc golf course, and a lake for boating," according to Kate K.
Private campsites: Many campers appreciate the natural separation between sites at Highland State Recreation Area. "The sites are very private and spacious in the primitive camping area. The natural scenery is STUNNING with fields of flowers and trees," notes Adrienne C. Another camper mentions, "Extra large camp sites, lots of room for the kids to run around."
Family activities: Christian-focused activities at Covenant Hills Camp make it popular with families. "They take very good care of this campground. Lots to do for kids!" says Carol M. Another camper reports, "Lots of things to do. climbing wall, zip line, swimming, fishing alot of pike."
Swimming beaches: Water access ranks high on camper priorities. "The campground has a private lake that's good for swimming and fishing," writes Holly S. about Seven Lakes State Park. "The water is clear and warm (perfect lake for swimming) and there is both sand and grassy areas on the fairly large beach," notes a camper at Bishop Lake Campground.
Seasonal conditions: Spring mud and summer insects can affect camping enjoyment at horse campgrounds near Davison. "Seasonal considerations include spring mud and summer insects, with fall providing optimal trail conditions with cooler temperatures and minimal bugs," notes a regular visitor to Ortonville.
Wildlife awareness: Be prepared for encounters with local wildlife. "We ran up on a group of probably 70 wild turkeys on the trail!" reports an Adrienne C. at Highland State Recreation Area. Another camper advises, "Make sure that all food and garbage is secure at night, the raccoons have no fear."
Limited hookups: Most equestrian campgrounds offer minimal amenities. At Bishop Lake Campground, a camper notes, "It was our first time camping dry but super easy to learn." Another mentions, "30 amp service. Kayaking, fishing and kid friendly."
Pack bug spray: Michigan summers bring insects. "Do make sure you bring plenty of bug netting/spray/gear if you come in the summer, the bugs are brutal," warns Maggie M. about Seven Lakes State Park. This is especially important for camping with children.
Consider seasonal events: Holiday-themed camping activities provide extra entertainment. "We stayed in area A in a water/electric site. It was a Boo Fest weekend. Lots of socially distanced activities for the kids and a scavenger hunt (finding clues on signs in park to solve a mystery)," shares Tim & Nancy C.
Book ahead for lake views: Sites with water access fill quickly. "There are over 20 sites, about half of which are located lake side (not directly on the lake, but there are little paths that lead you there and you can somewhat see the water from these sites)," explains Kerri R.
Extension cords needed: At some parks, electrical hookups are far from RV pads. "Depending where you set up your rig, you may need an extra long extension cord," advises Neil T. Another camper at Pontiac Lake Recreation Area notes, "If you are hoping to hook up to electrical, bring extension cords; some hook ups are exceptionally far away from the designated RV parking pad."
Leveling equipment: Terrain at some campgrounds requires preparation. "Sites tend to slope towards Sand Lake so have leveling blocks if that's important to you," advises Edward C. Another RVer mentions, "The sites don't level out very well."
Site selection strategy: Research camp layout before booking. "Nice hike to the lake. Large sites and great biking area," notes Wendy K. about Highland Recreation Area. For equestrian camping near Davison, choose sites with adequate space for both camping gear and horse equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Davison, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Davison, MI is Covenant Hills Camp with a 4-star rating from 8 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Davison, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 13 equestrian camping locations near Davison, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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