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Ortonville Equestrian Campground offers specific accommodations for trail riders within Ortonville Recreation Area. The campground allows tents and RVs but does not permit pets. Campsites include fire rings, picnic tables, and access to vault toilets. Water is available for horses and riders, though no electric or sewer hookups are provided. Sites are heavily wooded with trails accessible directly from the campground area. The clean, well-maintained grounds provide ample space for horse trailers at each site.
Located 28 miles from Madison Heights, the campground connects to extensive bridle paths throughout the 5,400-acre recreation area. Trail riding opportunities range from beginner-friendly loops to more challenging terrain with scenic overlooks. Horse owners must bring their own containment systems as the campground does not feature built-in corrals or stalls. Sites must be claimed on a first-come, first-served basis as reservations are not accepted. Visitors note the peaceful setting and well-marked trails make this location popular with equestrians during summer and fall months. The campground remains open year-round, though winter access may be limited by weather conditions and seasonal maintenance schedules.
"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 $20 - $80 / 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."
"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."
"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."
from $20 - $186 / 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 $32 - $37 / night
Check Availability"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."
"We used our Starlink Mini and it worked well on a nearly cloudless day with unobstructed access to the sky. I would definitely stay here again."
"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. "
from $32 - $37 / 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"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.."
"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."
from $20 / 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.
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.
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.
LegendThis 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
GuideThis 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..
ScoutA very quiet campground. The sites are spread out and only 2 vehicles per site are allowed. The East campground is more open and had 3 small cabins that can be rented. The West camping is more wooded and isolated. An extensive horse back riding trail system and MTB trails are easily accessible.
TravelerThis 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.
TravelerThis was our first time camping. 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. Our spot #18 I felt was spacious and not to close to the people next to us and trees behind us. We had privacy and it was quiet. The people we did talk to were all very friendly. We heard the showers were decent but we used our own. I would stay again.
Ortonville Equestrian Campground occupies 5,400 acres of rolling terrain within Oakland County, approximately 28 miles north of Madison Heights. The facility maintains dedicated trails spanning over 17 miles through wooded landscapes and open meadows. Trail difficulty ranges from beginner loops with minimal elevation change to intermediate routes featuring moderate climbs and water crossings.
Trail riding with experienced horses: Pontiac Lake Recreation Area offers diverse riding terrain near the equestrian sites. "This is one of the best areas for hiking and biking and kayaking and swimming," notes Christine A., highlighting the various activities available beyond horseback riding.
Overnight horse camping: Riders can access multiple loops directly from Ortonville Equestrian Campground, with routes suitable for various skill levels. "The campground here is actually a quite popular equestrian campground. There is a campground and a staging area," explains Kate K., detailing the specialized facilities available.
Explore connected trail networks: The wider recreation area provides access to additional bridle paths connecting to nearby conservation areas. "Great hiking and world class mountain bike trails. Nice big lake," reports Christie V., describing the recreational options at nearby facilities.
Private camping areas: Highland State Recreation Area provides secluded sites near equestrian trails. "The sites are very private and spacious in the primitive camping area. The natural scenery is STUNNING with fields of flowers and trees," according to Adrienne C., describing the natural setting.
Well-maintained trail systems: The bridle paths throughout the region receive regular maintenance, with clear markings and periodic rest areas. "Extensive trails for hiking and biking. They have kids activities on the weekends, a lake for swimming, great playgrounds and everything is really clean," shares Wendy K. about Addison Oaks County Park.
Wildlife encounters: Morning rides often provide opportunities to view deer, wild turkeys, and various bird species. "We ran up on a group of probably 70 wild turkeys on the trail!" exclaims Adrienne C., describing unexpected wildlife sightings during her visit to Highland State Recreation Area.
Seasonal operations: While the equestrian campground remains open year-round, trail conditions vary significantly by season. "The campground remains open year-round, though winter access may be limited by weather conditions and seasonal maintenance schedules."
No permanent containment areas: Horse owners must bring portable corrals or high-line equipment. "Nice hike to the lake. Large sites and great biking area," notes Wendy K. from Bishop Lake Campground, describing the spacious nature of many regional sites.
Water availability: Water access points exist throughout the campground, but not at individual sites. "Water is available for horses and riders, though no electric or sewer hookups are provided."
Site allocation system: "Sites must be claimed on a first-come, first-served basis as reservations are not accepted."
Beach access options: While equestrian camping focuses on riding, several nearby recreation areas offer swimming beaches. "It was our first time camping dry but super easy to learn. Nice place pretty full. Nice bathrooms. Great Lake," remarks Beth G. about the facilities at Bishop Lake Campground.
Pack accordingly for weather variations: Spring and fall camping requires layered clothing due to significant day/night temperature fluctuations. "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," shares Ashley S. from Hell Creek Ranch & Campground.
Prepare for limited amenities: The equestrian focus means fewer recreational facilities for non-riders. "Extra large camp sites, lots of room for the kids to run around. Extensive trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. Lovely little no wake lake perfect for swimming, fishing or paddling," Jennifer H. notes about Seven Lakes State Park.
Site selection for trailers: Position vehicles carefully to maximize space for both camping and horse care areas. "Because it's a state park, they have fresh drinking water, would for bonfires in private spots," Christine A. mentions about Pontiac Lake Recreation Area.
Arrival timing: Early arrival recommended during peak season (May-October) to secure desirable sites. "Only drawback is the distance from the lake. The lake is not within walking distance, you would need to drive," advises Renee R., noting a common consideration for many campgrounds in the region.
Water management: Due to limited hookups, bring additional water storage for extended stays. "Camp site was nice with blacktop pad and once parked felt very secluded and could barely see site past truck in parking spot," Daniel shares about the privacy at Pontiac Lake Recreation Area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Madison Heights, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Madison Heights, MI is Pontiac Lake Recreation Area with a 4.4-star rating from 19 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Madison Heights, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 12 equestrian camping locations near Madison Heights, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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