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Best Equestrian Camping near Hiawatha National Forest

28 Reviews

Dispersed Camping Hovey Lake Equine Trailhead offers free camping with access to toilets and fire pits within the Hiawatha National Forest. This horse-friendly dispersed camping area accommodates tents and RVs through drive-in, hike-in, or walk-in access. Located near equestrian trails, campers can bring their horses without dedicated corrals but with ample space for portable containment systems. The campground features primitive camping conditions with no water, electric hookups, or trash collection services, making self-sufficiency essential for visitors.

Located approximately 30 minutes from Manistique, the Hovey Lake area connects to extensive horse trails throughout the forest. Riders access numerous trails directly from the campsite, with routes winding through dense forest and around scenic marshlands. Trail maps are available from the Rapid River/Manistique Ranger District office. The area remains largely undeveloped, allowing for quiet, secluded camping experiences with horses. Camping spots are first-come, first-served with no reservation system in place. The surrounding forest roads accommodate horse trailers, though larger rigs may find maneuvering challenging in some areas. Seasonal access varies with weather conditions, with spring often bringing muddy trails and summer offering the most reliable riding conditions.

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Best Equestrian Sites Near Hiawatha National Forest (8)

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Equestrian Camping Reviews near Hiawatha National Forest

28 Reviews of 8 Hiawatha National Forest Campgrounds

  • Lora H.
    Jul. 1, 2019

    Jack Pine Lodge and Campground

    Last of the wilderness on the East coast.

    The U.P. has so much to offer if you're into the great outdoors. Jack Pine is a small campground in the Hiawatha National Forest. It's a big attraction for Quads and dirt bikes during the summer and I'm told snowmobiles, during the winter. Being that in the summer, it doesn't get dark until 10 pm, you can spend all day and most of the evening riding the trails. This year, the gnats were just about unbearable, but no fault of the campground (welcome to the UP). Camp Hosts Fred and Nancy, were extremely nice and helpful. The bar/restaurant on site, is a plus if you're wanting a quick bite or cocktail. They do have decent wifi throughout the campground, which is good because there was no Verizon signal. The cabins had Satellite, but they were in an open field, the campsites are in the pines, which may cause poor reception. They sell firewood for $5 a bundle. There's a small camp store, with a few necessities & ice. Bathrooms were clean, and showers were enclosed with a locking door. I would definitely stay here again, but I will bring my netted gazebo, to keep the gnats and flies at bay.

  • Y
    Oct. 15, 2020

    Newberry Campground

    Close to falls, Hot Showers, Nice folks!

    We stayed here on the very last night they were open this season. The staff was very friendly and they actually had campsites that were more private then almost all the Michigan state parks we have stayed at. It was a bit pricey for camping $40 for a pop up truck camper with only electric and water. 

    They have hot showers that were clean and looked taken care of. They have a  playground, playroom and a pool. None of this was open during our visit but I imagine in the summer it is all going strong and the kids have a blast. My one complaint was it is pretty close to the road and during a heavy tourist season it could probably be pretty loud.

  • Ben L.
    Aug. 24, 2020

    Ironjaw Lake Dispersed Campsite

    Awesome Site

    Great site located between two lakes. In response to the previous review, your best directions will come from locating the site on your GPS (in our case Google Maps) and dropping a pin. That took us straight to the location no problem. Totally legit dispersed camp site. Will definely be going back. Because the access to both lakes is near the camp site, we did encounter vehicles driving by, maybe 2 a day. It is the end of the road though so no one was driving to fast and it didn't cause any issues.

  • KThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 11, 2025

    Hickey Marsh Dispersed Camping

    Easy to find

    Was slightly passed the pin marker on the same unlaced road - only about 1/4-1/2 off the highway. Sites are fairly spacious but don’t have any of the hookups or amenities mentioned on the site profile - some do have rudimentary fire pits though. There are 3 sites in total. Ground is flat enough to comfortably tent camp. Camp in early September, bugs were minimal. At times the night was eerily silent, at other times I heard dirt bikes and tractor trailers in the distance, also heard a pack of coyotes at one point and pretty sure I heard some sort of padfooted animal walk by my site once or twice.

  • Richie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 26, 2020

    Jack Pine Lodge and Campground

    My literal home away from home during my travels.

    I have absolutely nothing but positive things to say. I am more one to frequent rustic and secluded campgrounds. I found this place on a whim years ago... and now JackPine has a special place in my heart.

    When I need to truly rest my bones, this is my go to in this neck of the woods.

    Clean and warm cabins, modern and rustic campsites, bathhouse, a super cool bar, cold beer, great food and nothing but exceptional and friendly staff. Not to mention... WIFI throughout the property. When you go to the bar- be sure to grab a JackPine Burger and fries.

    I have traveled almost every corner of The Yoop. I have not found a campground (of the modern and resort nature) that nearly compares to this place. Not in quality of stay or the constant desire to return.

  • D
    Sep. 20, 2020

    Newberry Campground

    Great spot, easy drive to falls

    Easy drive to the falls, nice clean grounds, and right next to ATV trails

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 3, 2020

    Ironjaw Lake Dispersed Campsite

    My nightmare

    The site only gives you coordinates that are actually an hour away from the site. There is no real address to get there. We pulled in pretty late, had a rough long drive so we got to where we thought it was at around 11:30 pm. Then we can’t find the site, so we go to the website and it gives us strange directions to somewhere an hour away. As we drove out there, we lost all service, were on dirt roads and we were miles past any signs of civilization. We started to get a strange feeling but we trekked on. Suddenly it gets very foggy and spooky looking and we all debate turning back, but still we keep going. Finally, we turn onto the road that it is on, just a ways down, and the stop sign is filled with bullet holes however we haven’t seen a single sign of people out there. We keep going and finally decide this all seems like an elaborate ploy to lure campers in and kill them. We decide to turn around and end up in some weird abandoned summer camp, still around thirty minutes left on the road to get to the actual site.  We decide there are far too many creepy signs pointing towards this not being a good idea then as we leave and get service back, we look up the site and realize there are zero reviews at all. The site doesn’t exist on google except for these camping sites, with the same two photos only on every site and zero reviews. As we are driving away, we get an email at one am saying “hello your site is still empty, please enjoy your stay” as if there was someone waiting for us at the site even though it was a remote site with no formal check in. How did they know we were not at the site yet? And what are the chances they email us right as we turn around? I’m glad we didn’t end up staying, we all had a horrible gut feeling and I suggest no one else stay here either. Nothing about it seemed legit or safe.

  • C
    Jul. 13, 2021

    Newberry Campground

    Quiet Family Oriented camping

    Very nice camp ground, central location for upper peninsula activities. Very nice heated pool. Campsites are a bit close to each other but otherwise very nice.

  • S
    Oct. 20, 2025

    Ironjaw Lake Dispersed Campsite

    Isolated

    Long nice road with a few pull offs once you are close to the end there is one official site with a table and fire circle. Is first come first serve but if you keep driving down there are two different boat launches with room to park/camp. We stayed in our car just in case. NOTE! the camp site is closed for updates until the end of October apparently. No service with mint

Guide to Hiawatha National Forest

Horse camping near Hiawatha National Forest in Michigan offers a unique blend of scenic trails and well-equipped campgrounds, perfect for equestrian enthusiasts looking to explore the great outdoors.

Campers appreciate these amenities for horses

Equestrian campers like these nearby activities

Most campgrounds have horse-focused amenities like water hookups

  • Jack Pine Lodge and Campground features water hookups and sanitary dump stations, ensuring a comfortable stay for horse campers.
  • At Newberry Campground, you'll find electric hookups and ample space for both horses and campers.
  • St. James Township Campground offers a unique camping experience with no electric hookups, allowing for a more rustic feel while still accommodating horse camping.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Hiawatha National Forest?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Hiawatha National Forest is Jack Pine Lodge and Campground with a 4.8-star rating from 9 reviews.

What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Hiawatha National Forest?

TheDyrt.com has all 8 equestrian camping locations near Hiawatha National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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