12 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Ortonville Equestrian Campground in the Ortonville Recreation Area serves horse owners with rustic amenities in a natural setting. The campground features individual campsites designed for trailers and tent camping alongside horses. Fire rings and picnic tables are available at each site, with vault toilets providing basic sanitation facilities. The campground includes a separate staging area that serves as both overflow parking and a gathering point for day riders. Sites are positioned with ample space to accommodate both camping equipment and horses, though without electric hookups or modern amenities. Trails in the recreation area are well-maintained and clearly marked for riders exploring the surrounding terrain.
Direct access to the extensive trail system begins right from the campground, offering riders varied terrain through wooded areas and around multiple lakes. The trail network connects to two lakes within the recreation area, providing water access for horses after rides. Sites require recreation passports for entry, with both overnight camping and day-use options available. The campground typically sees moderate weekend use during summer months but remains relatively uncrowded compared to other state recreation areas. Most visitors bring portable corrals or use high-lines for securing horses overnight, as permanent corrals are not provided. The trails feature well-compacted surfaces with minimal rocky sections, making them appropriate for horses of various experience levels. Camping is available year-round, though spring conditions can create muddy trail sections that may require careful navigation.
"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 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 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."
"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.."
"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
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 $17 - $90 / night
Check Availability"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."
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.
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.
GuideAwesome campground, horse trails available, volleyball nets, beach, and trails! Don’t get too rowdy however because the DNR constantly patrols the area.
Equestrian camping near Genesee, Michigan offers access to over 20 miles of trail systems across multiple recreation areas. The terrain features a mix of glacial moraine landscapes with elevations ranging from 850 to 1,050 feet. Most equestrian trails remain open from April through October, though spring conditions often create muddy sections requiring careful navigation.
Trail riding through varied terrain: At Pontiac Lake Recreation Area, riders can access "extensive mountain biking trails and the lake is open to boating, kayaking, and other water sports. Park offers lots of private sites!" The trail system connects to two small lakes within a 3.8-mile circuit.
Lake access for horses: Seven Lakes State Park Campground provides water access points where horses can cool down after rides. One camper noted, "The campground has a private lake that's good for swimming and fishing. The sites are decently sized with most being easily gotten into with an RV. Plenty of hiking/biking trails easily accessed from the campground."
Overnight camping with horse accommodations: Most equestrian campers at Ortonville bring portable corrals or use high-lines for securing horses. According to a visitor, "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."
Privacy between sites: Bishop Lake Campground offers vegetative screening between many sites. A regular visitor mentioned, "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."
Well-maintained facilities: Riders appreciate that Covenant Hills Camp maintains clean amenities. As one camper shared, "They take very good care of this campground.. Lots to do for kids!" Another mentioned it has "Large sites, all full hookup. Plenty of onsight activities on the weekend."
Trail quality and accessibility: The equestrian trails near Genesee feature mostly compacted surfaces suitable for horses of all experience levels. At Pontiac Lake, a rider commented, "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."
Recreation passports required: Entry to state recreation areas requires a Michigan Recreation Passport, available at park offices or when renewing vehicle registration for $12 annually.
Limited hook-ups at equestrian sites: Most horse-friendly camping areas offer only basic amenities. At Ortonville, expect vault toilets rather than modern facilities with showers or electricity.
Spring conditions: Trail conditions vary seasonally, with Addison Oaks County Park offering some of the most consistent riding. A visitor noted, "Modern and submerged in nature! Tons of trails for hiking and biking. They have kids activities on the weekends, a lake for swimming, great playgrounds and everything is really clean."
Reservation requirements: During summer months, weekend reservations should be made 2-6 months in advance, especially for groups with multiple horses.
Kid-friendly activities: Beyond riding, families can enjoy swimming beaches and playgrounds at several parks. At Covenant Hills Camp, one camper reported, "Good, quiet campground (unless your on a site around the playground) lots to keep the kids busy, bonus ice cream store."
Guided experiences: Sleepy Hollow State Park Campground offers occasional ranger-led programs for young riders. A visitor shared, "I grew up camping at this campground and would recommend it. There isn't much to do in the area, but if you are all about sticking around the campground, it is a fun place to be."
Safety considerations: Keep children supervised around horses, especially at communal water areas. As one family noted at Seven Lakes, "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."
Site accessibility: Most equestrian campgrounds have limited large-rig access. At Pontiac Lake, "Nice hike to the lake. Large sites and great biking area."
Power requirements: Bring extension cords of at least 50 feet. A Sleepy Hollow camper noted, "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."
Water access points: Plan trailer positioning for optimal water hookup access, as spigots are often shared between multiple sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Genesee, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Genesee, MI is Covenant Hills Camp with a 4-star rating from 8 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Genesee, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 12 equestrian camping locations near Genesee, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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