12 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Ortonville Equestrian Campground in the Ortonville Recreation Area accommodates tent and RV camping for horse owners. The campground maintains toilet facilities and picnic tables at each site, with trash collection available throughout the grounds. Fires are permitted at designated fire rings. Riders can access multiple trails directly from the camping area, with both wooded and open terrain suitable for various riding experiences. The sites are adequately sized for horse trailers and camping equipment. The campground remains open year-round with direct access to trail systems throughout the seasons.
Highland State Recreation Area provides primitive camping options for equestrians visiting the area. Sites include picnic tables, access to toilets, and designated areas for fires. The recreation area features drinking water and firewood availability for campers. Reservations are required for the equestrian sites, which accommodate both tent and RV setups alongside horses. Trash collection services maintain cleanliness throughout the camping areas. The park connects to trail systems that wind through varied terrain and wooded areas, making it suitable for day-long rides.
"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. "
"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"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. "
"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"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 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."
"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."
"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."
"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.."
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 campgrounds near Montrose, Michigan provide access to trail systems varying between 15-30 miles in length. The area contains mixed terrain with elevations ranging from 750-950 feet above sea level. Most horse camping facilities remain open from April through October, with some offering limited winter access when ground conditions permit.
Trail riding through diverse terrain: Highland State Recreation Area offers both wooded and open field riding opportunities. "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. Lovely little no wake lake perfect for swimming, fishing or paddling," notes Jennifer H.
Swimming after trail rides: At Seven Lakes State Park Campground, riders can cool off after a day on horseback. "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," reports Andy B.
Wildlife observation: The recreation areas support diverse animal populations. "We ran up on a group of probably 70 wild turkeys on the trail! There's a quiet lake perfect for unwinding after a long day or to get a nice rinse off," shares Adrienne C. about Highland State Recreation Area.
Private camping spots: Ortonville Equestrian Campground provides separation between sites. At nearby Highland Recreation Area, campers appreciate that "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.
Clean facilities: Sleepy Hollow State Park Campground maintains its amenities well. "Rangers working the area are very friendly. Many options to choose from in terms of camping, from rustic, tent to fully functional cabin lodging. Bathrooms are well spaced between the campsites, and have showers along with some vending machines outside of them," says Nathan V.
Horse-friendly setup: The equestrian campgrounds include designated areas for horses. "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," notes Kate K. about Ortonville Equestrian Campground.
Extension cords needed: Many equestrian sites have electrical hookups positioned at a distance. At Sleepy Hollow State Park, "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," cautions Nick W.
Weather considerations: The region experiences significant temperature variations. "We stayed during very hot weather at the beginning of July 2020. Our site backed up to trees and I can't recall seeing our neighbors to the left or right. Because we didn't get any shade from the nearby trees we had to run the ac," explains Amy D.
Water access varies: Some horse campgrounds require driving to reach swimming areas. "The beach is pretty good for swimming" at Sleepy Hollow, but at other locations like Pontiac Lake, "Only drawback is the distance from the lake. The lake is not within walking distance, you would need to drive," advises Renee R.
Kid-friendly activities: Covenant Hills Camp offers numerous options for children. "Lots to do for kids. climbing wall, zip line, swimming, fishing alot of pike. Wooded lots very friendly," shares C P.
Consider noise levels: Select sites away from common areas. "Good, quiet campground (unless your on a site around the playground) lots to keep the kids busy, bonus ice cream store," recommends David B.
Pack for wildlife encounters: Prepare for local wildlife at all horse campgrounds. "Make sure that all food and garbage is secure at night, the raccoons have no fear," warns Kristina J.
Site selection important: For horse trailers plus RVs, choose larger sites. At Pontiac Lake Recreation Area, "If you are hoping to hook up to electrical, bring extension cords; some hook ups are exceptionally far away from the designated RV parking pad," advises Mary H.
Level surfaces vary: Check site conditions when booking. "Wonderful place for a quick get away. Park is clean. Beach is a 1.8 mile hike from the East loop in the campground but is well worth the walk. Park offers lots of private sites! We stayed in site 118 and could not see neighboring sites! The site was very spacious," notes Mary H.
Seasonal considerations: Most horse campgrounds close water systems in colder months. "The campground remains open year-round with direct access to trail systems throughout the seasons," though amenities may be limited.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Montrose, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Montrose, MI is Covenant Hills Camp with a 4-star rating from 8 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Montrose, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 12 equestrian camping locations near Montrose, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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