13 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Several horse-friendly campgrounds near Dexter, Michigan offer equestrian camping options with trail access. Hell Creek Ranch & Campground provides direct connections to the Waterloo-Pinckney trail system with on-property stables offering riding lessons and trail rides. The campground features clean facilities including a shower house, swimming pool, and both rustic and electric sites that accommodate horses and their owners. Heavenly Horse Stables operates on the property, allowing campers to arrange trail rides or meet barn animals during their stay. The campground's spacious sites accommodate horse trailers with easy access to riding trails.
Sleepy Hollow State Park Campground maintains extensive equestrian trails with a dedicated staging area for horse owners. Located approximately 30 minutes from Lansing, the park offers miles of trails suitable for horseback riding through wooded terrain. The equestrian area allows riders to unload and access trails directly from the campground. Pontiac Lake Recreation Area and Ortonville Recreation Area also feature equestrian campgrounds with vault toilets, picnic tables, and fire rings near their trail systems. The extensive trail networks through these recreation areas provide varied terrain for riders of all experience levels. Campgrounds typically operate from spring through fall, with some requiring advance reservations during peak season.
"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"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"
"Direct connections to the Waterloo Pinckney trail system. Near Hell, Michigan and Chelsea, Michigan. Large pool in season. Priced reasonably."
from $20 - $35 / night
Check Availability"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."
"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."
"Nice campgrounds easy to get around and my children loved it"
"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"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."
"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. "
"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 $25 - $101 / night
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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.
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.
Bishop Lake Campground in Pinckney provides family-friendly sites with electric hookups, beach access, and shower facilities approximately 12 miles from Dexter. The terrain features grassy campsites surrounding a lake system that connects to the Huron River watershed. Summer temperatures average 75-85°F during the day, dropping to the 50s at night, making spring through fall the optimal camping seasons.
Lake activities: Visitors to Bishop Lake Campground can enjoy swimming, kayaking, and fishing. "The lake is pretty good for swimming" and "nice for kayaking," with "a nice area with shade trees beach and nice lake water," according to reviewers.
Hiking access: The Waterloo-Pinckney trail system connects directly to campgrounds in the area. "Nice walking trails" are accessible from multiple recreation areas, with varying difficulty levels from beginner to experienced hikers.
Swimming and water play: Waterloo Sugarloaf Modern offers a sandy beach with additional amenities. "They rode bikes around the loop and loved swimming and the playground. Facilities were nice and clean and many sites had trees to give shade at certain times of day."
Clean facilities: Campers consistently mention well-maintained bathrooms and shower houses. At Hell Creek Ranch & Campground, reviewers note "bathrooms were clean and well kept" and the "big pool and bathrooms were immaculate, with surrounding patio furniture sanitized nightly."
Private camping spots: Several campgrounds offer secluded sites with natural buffers. At Pontiac Lake Recreation Area, "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."
Family-oriented atmosphere: Camping areas provide dedicated amenities for children. One reviewer at Waterloo Sugarloaf noted their site "has a very nice play area for the children and clean bathrooms," while another mentioned "a nice park and clean bathrooms" that keep families coming back.
Insect preparation: Michigan campgrounds can have significant insect activity, especially in warmer months. At Highland State Recreation Area, campers should "bring bug spray" as mosquitoes can be abundant in the rustic camping areas.
Reservation requirements: Most campgrounds require advance booking during peak season (May-September). Sites fill quickly, especially on weekends and holidays.
Site spacing varies: Some campgrounds offer more privacy than others. While Pontiac Lake provides wooded separation between sites, other parks have more open layouts. At Bishop Lake, a reviewer noted "the sites are on top of each other and very loud."
Weather considerations: Michigan weather can be unpredictable, especially in spring and fall. Pack layers and rain gear, as conditions can change quickly throughout the day.
Beach access logistics: At Seven Lakes State Park Campground, "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. Our site had 'private' access and our boys just played in the water for three days."
Playgrounds and recreational facilities: Multiple campgrounds offer dedicated play areas for children. As one reviewer mentioned, "Big playground and nice bathrooms" make for an enjoyable family experience.
Biking opportunities: Paved campground roads provide safe cycling areas for children. "The campground has a private lake that's good for swimming and fishing. Plenty of hiking/biking trails easily accessed from the campground," according to a Seven Lakes visitor.
Special activities: Some campgrounds host scheduled events for families. At Bishop Lake, there's "Jump Island! $15 for a 45 minute jump session. Follow on Facebook for coupons. You can also just swim at the lake- nice area with shade trees beach and nice lake water."
Electrical hookup access: Extension cords may be necessary at some campgrounds. At Sleepy Hollow State Park Campground, "be sure to bring at least 100 feet of extension chord if you want electricity, because the power ports are not as accessible from some areas."
Site selection for large rigs: Check site specifications before booking. Seven Lakes has "sites are decently sized with most being easily gotten into with an RV," while at Waterloo Sugarloaf, one camper noted their "site was a little small for our 38foot - we had to go sideways which opened us up to other campers."
Dump station locations: Most campgrounds offer dump stations, but locations vary. At Brighton Recreation Area, there's "sanitary dump" available, but some parks require using facilities on the way out rather than at individual sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Dexter, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Dexter, MI is Bishop Lake Campground — Brighton Recreation Area with a 4.3-star rating from 30 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Dexter, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 13 equestrian camping locations near Dexter, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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