Best Equestrian Camping near Erie, MI

Van Buren State Park Campground provides equestrian camping facilities with horse-friendly accommodations. The campground has newly built pens for horses, eliminating the need for tying them up throughout a stay. Riders can enjoy direct access to multiple trails on the property for day rides. Electric hookups are available at most sites, though no sewer or water connections are offered directly at campsites. The park is easily accessible from I-75, making it convenient for horse trailers and RVs. Campground hosts are described as friendly and helpful, and the facilities are well-maintained and clean. The campground features two separate loops, with one designated specifically for equestrian use. Sites are mostly flat and shaded, providing comfortable spots for both horses and campers.

The equestrian area of Van Buren State Park includes access to centralized water sources for horses. While the campground lacks shower facilities, it maintains clean pit toilets throughout the property. Campers must make reservations by phone or online, as walk-in camping is not permitted. The park offers a relatively quiet experience without excessive crowding, providing a peaceful environment for both riders and their horses. For RV campers, it's important to note that the dump station is located in a separate section of the park, requiring a short drive. The surrounding recreation area offers numerous trails for riding, a small wildflower garden, and a dog park. The property is well-suited for weekend equestrian camping trips, with ample space at each site for both camping equipment and horse gear.

Best Equestrian Sites Near Erie, Michigan (4)

    1. Wayne County Fairgrounds RV Park

    7 Reviews
    Belleville, MI
    30 miles
    Website
    +1 (734) 697-7002

    "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"

    2. Van Buren State Park Campground

    12 Reviews
    Van Buren, OH
    46 miles
    Website
    +1 (419) 832-7662

    "Since Van Buren State park is an easy 20 minutes away from home for me, i visit there often. it is clean and quiet, they dont get too busy and loud."

    "It’s a small campground with one side as equestrian and the other side not. All sites had electric and water, no full hookup. There were only drop toilets and no showers."

    3. Waterloo Sugarloaf Modern — Waterloo Recreation Area

    14 Reviews
    Chelsea, MI
    50 miles
    Website
    +1 (734) 475-8307

    "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."

    4. Hell Creek Ranch & Campground

    10 Reviews
    Pinckney, MI
    50 miles
    Website
    +1 (734) 878-3632

    $20 - $35 / night

    "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."

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Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near Erie, MI

1 Photos of 4 Erie Campgrounds


Equestrian Camping Reviews near Erie, MI

43 Reviews of 4 Erie Campgrounds


  • William E.
    Sep. 24, 2020

    Wayne County Fairgrounds RV Park

    Great stay, great place to re-up

    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.

  • Angie B.
    May. 19, 2018

    Van Buren State Park Campground

    Quiet

    Since Van Buren State park is an easy 20 minutes away from home for me, i visit there often. it is clean and quiet, they dont get too busy and loud. the horse camp is nice with some new pens to keep your horse instead of them having to be tied up. They keep the restrooms clean, but no flush toilets, which dont bother me. My only complaint about Van Buren State park is that there are no shower facilities.

  • A
    Sep. 14, 2018

    Hell Creek Ranch & Campground

    Perfect for the whole family

    What 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.

  • Nancy W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 19, 2017

    Wayne County Fairgrounds RV Park

    Typical Fairgrounds Campground

    This is a typical fairground campground with open grassy areas for campsites surrounded by barns and tracks. The fairgrounds is located just off I-94 which makes for easy entrance and exit to the campground, but, means there is lots of road noise. Close by are plenty of stores, restaurants, gas stations, etc. In fact, there is a gap in the fence that runs around the fairgrounds allowing you to walk to a Walmart, McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts, and more. 

    We arrived without a reservation and the women in the office was very helpful providing a map with all available sites during our stay and letting us choose which one we wanted. One of the first things you notice is that a number of people are here long-term so we went to the back area hoping it would be quieter and less crowded. A number of the campsites are “buddy” sites meaning your patio opens to your neighbors so be careful which one you pick. This is pretty undesirable when the neighbor is a total stranger so we chose a site where we didn’t have anyone next to us. 

    They offer 50 amp full hook-up sites, 50 amp/water, and 30 amp/water sites with pull-thru and back-in options. There is a dump station located in the middle of the park which is easy to get to. The roads are wide and a lack of trees makes this campground accessible for any size RV. The sites are level but some lack grassy making the patio pretty dusty or muddy. Unfortunately, where we were was pretty muddy just after a light rain. This campground works best for RV’s and not tents. For tenters there is a designated section that is set in a corner of the park with large trees for shade but not much privacy between you and others. A water spigot is in the tent area and there was one picnic table. The camp office sells firewood but we only saw two fire pits in the whole park. Be aware that noise from the interstate and nearby train tracks may make for a restless night. Bathrooms are centrally located in the campground and were old and tired but relatively clean. On-site laundry is available.

    Apparently, management is having some issues with campers not obeying some of the rules. One of the sad things about this campground is that campers have to be reminded to clean up after their dogs. Apparently, it is such an issue that we got a letter stating that if you don’t pick up your dogs poop you would be asked to leave. How sad is that? There is free WiFi which worked pretty well. Upon checking in, we had to sign a piece of paper stating that we would not download copyrighted material or stream movies or we would be asked to leave. 

    My favorite aspect of this campground is that they had a community garden that you were welcome to pick from. We got tomatoes, Swiss chard, peppers, broccoli, and more. Overall, this campground was fine for the few nights we were here and close to the attractions we wanted to visit. We never felt unsafe even though it was close to major cities. We chose this campground because we wanted to go to Ann Arbor and Dearborn and it was a very convenient location.

    Pros:

    ·        Good location if you want to visit Ann Arbor and Dearborn

    ·        Close to interstate for easy access

    ·        Long, level sites that will fit any RV

    ·        Community garden you can pick from vegetables

    ·        Stores and restaurants are nearby (some within walking distance)

    Cons:

    ·        Lots of road noise from I-94

    ·        No trees for shade or privacy

    ·        Would not recommend for tent camping

    ·        Many campers are long-term

    ·        “Buddy” campsites with patios facing each other

  • Shannon G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 2, 2025

    Van Buren State Park Campground

    Small and peaceful

    We stayed one night on our way to IN. We’ve never been here before and wanted to check it off our list. It’s a small campground with one side as equestrian and the other side not. All sites had electric and water, no full hookup. There were only drop toilets and no showers. They were clean but I don’t think I’d want to do more than a weekend there. It had a nice playground for kids and plenty of trails to hike or go horseback riding. They also had a dog park and small wildflower garden. The check in cabin had ice and wood for sale but no store. Our site was really nice. The pads were recently paved and had a huge bumper at the end. The fire ring was nice and the site had plenty of space for tents.

  • Nicole G.
    Jul. 8, 2018

    Van Buren State Park Campground

    Quiet campground

    We stayed during the week for one night. Campground was clean and quiet, had electric hookups at most sites. Host was very friendly. They also have a camp area for horses. Only criticism is you have to drive to another area of the park for an RV dump.

  • Jason F.
    Sep. 22, 2018

    Hell Creek Ranch & Campground

    Great, clean private campground with easy access to the state parks.

    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. Owners are very friendly. Direct connections to the Waterloo Pinckney trail system. Near Hell, Michigan and Chelsea, Michigan. Large pool in season. Priced reasonably.

  • A
    Jul. 2, 2018

    Van Buren State Park Campground

    Fair campground

    Campground is small but well maintained. Hiking is great. Probably better for people with horses. Electric did not work at all sites. Pit toilets did not seem sufficient for all camp sites.

  • Mike S.
    Feb. 7, 2021

    Waterloo Sugarloaf Modern — Waterloo Recreation Area

    Southfork Rustic Cabin

    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. 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! Pro tip for cold nights is to block the back room and sleep in the main area-


Guide to Erie

Horse camping in Michigan offers a unique experience for equestrian enthusiasts, combining the beauty of nature with the joy of riding. With several campgrounds catering to horse camping, you can enjoy the great outdoors while ensuring your equine companions are well accommodated.

Equestrian campers like these nearby activities

  • At the Wayne County Fairgrounds RV Park, families can enjoy a variety of activities, including trails for horseback riding and spacious areas for your horses to roam.

Equestrian campgrounds include ample amenities

  • The Van Buren State Park Campground provides essential amenities such as electric hookups and picnic tables, making it a comfortable spot for both you and your horse.

Tips for equestrian camping near Erie, Michigan

  • When visiting the Wayne County Fairgrounds RV Park, remember that the campground is open from April 1 to October 31, so plan your trip accordingly to enjoy the full experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Erie, MI?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Erie, MI is Wayne County Fairgrounds RV Park with a 3-star rating from 7 reviews.

What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Erie, MI?

TheDyrt.com has all 4 equestrian camping locations near Erie, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.