17 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Highland State Recreation Area offers extensive trails for horseback riding within 5,900 acres of forest and meadows near Novi. The recreation area maintains rustic camping with spacious sites suitable for horse trailers and camping equipment. Extra large campsites provide ample room for horses and gear, with extensive trails specifically designated for horseback riding throughout the property. The park's trail system connects directly to camping areas, making it convenient for riders to access routes directly from their sites. Restroom facilities include outhouses and running water is available at central locations. The recreation area is particularly known for its natural scenery with fields of wildflowers and wooded areas that create an up-north feel despite its proximity to metro Detroit.
Pontiac Lake Recreation Area provides additional equestrian camping options with 3,745 acres of woodland and wetland terrain. The park features horseback riding trails that connect to a broader trail network, allowing for varied riding experiences. Horse owners can access the extensive trail system directly from the campground, though some trails require a 1.8-mile ride to reach the main equestrian paths. The campground maintains clean facilities with private, well-separated sites that offer ample space for horse trailers. Many sites cannot see neighboring campers due to the wooded setting. Both recreation areas remain popular with local equestrians seeking weekend getaways without traveling far from the Detroit metropolitan area. The parks typically operate seasonally, with most equestrian facilities available from April through October when trail conditions are optimal for riding.
"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 $35 - $40 / 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 $20 - $80 / night
Check Availability"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"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 $35 - $40 / 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"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."
"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."
from $38 - $43 / 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."
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.
ScoutThis is a fabulous campground! 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.) There is a boat launch on one end of campground and the amazing beach on the other. The water is clear and warm (perfect lake for swimming) and there is both sand and grassy areas on the fairly large beach. The beach also offers picnic tables and benches. The only negative aspect I can see about this campground is that the sites are right on top of each other, so if you have a loud group or a generator next to you, it is noisy. But most campgrounds have sites set real close together, so you will find this pretty much everywhere. Def camp here! About an hours drive from a Pictured Rocks National Park. There are no showers or running water. Camp hosts were very nice, helpful, & welcoming.
Equestrian camping near Novi, Michigan provides access to extensive trail systems within short driving distance. The region features a mix of woodland and wetland terrain with elevations ranging from 850 to 1,150 feet above sea level. Campgrounds in the area often remain open from April through October, though some offer year-round access with seasonal facility limitations.
Trail exploration on horseback: Seven Lakes State Park Campground offers access to dedicated riding paths. "This place has some great water so bring a boat, board, or kayak. Very popular for fishing and paddling," notes Kate K. The park maintains several miles of trails suitable for horseback riding.
Swimming and water activities: At Bishop Lake Campground, visitors can enjoy water recreation after trail rides. "The campgrounds restrooms and showers were clean. Our campsite had a view of the lake, but no shade. The beach was nice but you have to walk a trail to get to it from the campground or drive," reports Debra B. The clear water makes it ideal for cooling off after riding.
Winter horseback riding: Some trails remain accessible during colder months for experienced riders. "Had the pleasure of visiting first weekend in February, on the coldest weekend of the year! Heard lots of wolves, saw lots of tracks but no animals," shares Mike S. about Waterloo Recreation Area. Winter riding requires additional preparation and appropriate gear.
Privacy between sites: Pontiac Lake Recreation Area offers seclusion for horse owners. "Camp site was nice with blacktop pad and once parked felt very secluded and could barely see site past truck in parking spot," reports Daniel. This privacy is particularly valued by those traveling with horses.
Natural surroundings: The scenic landscapes provide an immersive experience. "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," says Sarah P. The wooded setting creates a sense of isolation while remaining close to facilities.
Access to water features: Many equestrian campers appreciate the proximity to lakes for after-ride relaxation. "Nice hike to the lake. Large sites and great biking area," mentions Wendy K. about Pontiac Lake Recreation Area. These water features provide opportunities for fishing or swimming after trail rides.
Mosquito preparation: Bug protection is essential at many sites. "There are tons of mosquitoes and ticks, so make sure you bring bug spray. Also make sure that all food and garbage is secure at night, the raccoons have no fear," warns Kristina J. about Pontiac Lake Recreation Area.
Trail connections: Some campgrounds require short rides to access the main trail systems. "Hidden Gem - Very 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," explains Christie V.
Seasonal variations: Weather impacts trail conditions significantly. "We stayed at lot M18 of the rustic site, Murray Lake. The site was large and had a picnic table and fire pit. There are TONS of mosquitos," notes Rebecca M. about Brighton Recreation Area. Spring and fall typically offer better riding conditions with fewer insects.
Beach access considerations: Family-friendly amenities enhance the experience for children. "Jump Island - It's connected but costs money. $15 for a 45 minute jump session. Follow on Facebook for coupons. You can also just swim at the lake- nice area with shade trees beach and nice lake water," advises Beth G. about Bishop Lake Campground.
Spacious sites for equipment: Highland State Recreation Area offers ample room for families with horses. "This rustic campground is obviously well-tended and has an almost magical feel to it. It's private, quiet, and full of wildlife. There are two paved sites for handicapped accessibility, running water, a dumpster, and two outhouses," reports Brett B.
Children's activities: Beyond horseback riding, look for additional entertainment options. "This is a larger state park with full size sites for RVs. There is electric on each site along with fire rings and picnic tables. The beach is pretty good for swimming. The bathrooms are clean and the showers were warm," notes Mike B. about Bishop Lake Campground.
Site selection for horse trailers: Addison Oaks County Park accommodates larger rigs. "This is the second time staying in these campgrounds in two weeks. Both times stayed in the more wilderness area D with lots of trees and sites for tents or back-in trailers. Sites have electricity and water and are well spaced out," shares Richard T.
Hookup locations: Extension cords may be necessary at some sites. "Wonderful place for a quick get away. 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. about Pontiac Lake Recreation Area.
Leveling requirements: Prepare for uneven terrain at certain campgrounds. "Very pretty park. Sites and facilities are well maintained. Sites tend to slope towards Sand Lake so have leveling blocks if that's important to you," suggests Edward C. about Seven Lakes State Park Campground.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Novi, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Novi, MI is Bishop Lake Campground — Brighton Recreation Area with a 4.3-star rating from 30 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Novi, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 17 equestrian camping locations near Novi, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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