7 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Hell Creek Ranch & Campground provides equestrian access with direct connections to the Waterloo-Pinckney trail system. The campground offers water and electric hookups with 30-amp service at most sites, accommodating both RV and tent camping near equestrian trails. The property features clean facilities including immaculate bathrooms and a large swimming pool that is sanitized nightly. Horse enthusiasts can access the on-site Heavenly Horse Stables offering riding lessons, trail rides, and meet-and-greet opportunities with barn animals. Sites are relatively spacious with level ground, making them suitable for camping with horse trailers.
Located near Hell, Michigan, the ranch serves as an ideal base for horseback riding throughout the Pinckney State Recreation Area. The equestrian-friendly campground connects directly to state park trails with no need to trailer horses between camp and riding areas. Riders particularly appreciate the convenience of having the stable directly on the property, eliminating transportation concerns. The surrounding area offers numerous lakes, parks and trail systems accessible to horses. Most sites include water and electric hookups for $30 per night, providing an economical option for equestrians. The campground accommodates group equestrian camping, making it suitable for family reunions and horse clubs seeking shared experiences on the trails. The area is noted for having considerable mosquito activity, so appropriate protection for both humans and horses is recommended.
"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."
"Sites are in a well wooded area situated on 5 different loops (1 non-electric, 4 electric)."
"This site was fairly level but very close to other sites…wouldn’t recommend it."
from $20 - $480 / 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"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"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."
"Nice campgrounds easy to get around and my children loved it"
GuideEquestrian trails and campgrounds are popular here. Horse rides sold on site. There is a nice hotel that sometimes hosts events actually located in the park. Come tobagginging and ice fishing in the winter and then pamper yourself in the hotel, or visit in the summer and have a beach day or easy hike with the family. Great spot for Pokémon Go because of the available cell service.
TravelerPokagon State Park has an excellent state park campground. Sites are in a well wooded area situated on 5 different loops (1 non-electric, 4 electric). Many sites are flat (good for tent camping) while others are slightly rolling hills (helps breakup the sites a bit). There is a lot to do in the park including many trails, horse riding (horse stable on site), and lake swimming on a nicely improved beach. Only cons are no full hook up and the fire rings/grills could be improved.
TravelerThis is an extremely large campground. About seventy-five percent of the sites are electric. We stayed in Site 255, which was not electric (booked last minute). This site was fairly level but very close to other sites…wouldn’t recommend it. However, Site 269 (next to Site 277) afforded great privacy and was large; among the non-electric sites this was the best I saw. I did not survey the electric sites, but I’m sure the site matters a lot. Non-electric sites are $20.00, plus a $9.00 park entrance fee.
There are numerous walking trails, along with horse and bike trails. Additionally, there are boat rentals, horseback rides, pony rentals, swimming, nature center, and a restaurant at the inn.
This is a family oriented park. Extended family groupings are very common. Nevertheless, people and their children are well behaved.
I would recommend this campground for two days or more. A one day stay will mean you probably won’t see much of this wonderful park. The only reason I gave it a four was that even in mid-September it was packed.
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
TravelerThere are trail, beaches, boats, horses... so many things to do
LegendThis state park was established in 1925, so almost 100 years old. The campground must be the original layout. There's a maze like quality to it. The roads are narrow & you may be driving off the road for a big rig.
Some sites are level, some aren't. Some can accommodate larger rigs, most can't. Check the site descriptions carefully & to be doubly sure, call the office & ask.
There's water stations that look very old. They have wooden, shingled roofs. There's 2 dump stations located in loops 3 & 4. IN THE CAMPGROUND! NEXT TO CAMPSITES!!!!
There's 5 loops to the main campground.
100 loop is small & closer to the lake than the other loops. It's the loop we chose this time.
The sites are on the small side. There's 3 campsites that are close to the lake. 115, which is a larger site. 117 & 119 which have clear views of the lake. 117 is more a tent or popup site & is small. 119 is the best of the bunch. A large pad & a large site. There's no privacy bushes. These sites have a view of the lake with trees & brush & are on a ridge overlooking the lake. They aren't ON the lake.
On either side of 117 & 119 are 2 trails that lead to the lake. There's benches & a dock to tie up your boat.
The rest of the sites are a mixed bag. Some are level, some have an incline. If you have a big rig, be aware that the road to the 100 campsites branches into one way. Leading into the campsites, the road is narrow & has a ravine on one side!
200 Loop is non electric
300 Loop is the biggest loop & seems like the best bet for larger rigs. As stated above, some sites are better than others. There's a uniformity here that's missing from the other loops.
Stay away from sites 393& 395!!! These sites are literally right on top of the dump station! As always watch for pit toilets near the sites.
400 loop is a smaller loop next to the 200 loop. There's only one shower house for both loops. Avoid site 444 & probably site 454. These sites are VERY close to the dump station.
500 loop is also smaller& has some nice sites tucked by themselves in the trees. There seems to be more privacy brush on this loop with SOME sites.
512 is close to the shower house. 511 & 513 were somewhat secluded.
If you have a boat you want to tie up at the dock, go for the 100 loop. If you can't get it, be aware there's no parking near the trails to the lake. You can park by the bathhouse & walk.
The shower & restrooms are atrocious!!! Worst looking buildings since Spring Mill SP! Dirty & need an entire overhaul. In fact, raze the buildings & build new ones! They're "cleaned" once a day. Suuuuuure they are. There was actual poop on the door of one of the women's toilet stalls the whole time I was there. Mold & spiders& dirt in the corners. Looks like the last upgrade was in the 50s.
ScoutWe visited for just one night on a fall weekday. Campground was not crowded. Our site #315 was spacious with a nice foliage buffer around it. Many nice sites, but also many small, not private at all sites. We enjoyed a hike on one of the nice hiking trails, saw many families enjoying the bicycle trails and paved park roads. There is an Inn and restaurant in the park. We talked about how nice it would be to meetup with non Camping family members at this location. There are horse stables and a winter toboggan run as well
Equestrian camping near Onsted, Michigan offers access to over 40 miles of interconnected trail systems through the Waterloo-Pinckney Recreation Area. The region features glacial topography with rolling hills, kettle lakes, and mixed hardwood forests at elevations ranging from 850-1,100 feet. Summer temperatures typically range from 60-85°F with increased humidity and mosquito activity from June through August.
Trail riding networks: Waterloo Sugarloaf Modern Campground provides equestrians with trail access to the wider recreation area. "There are trail, beaches, boats, horses... so many things to do," notes Becky N., highlighting the multi-use nature of the area trails.
Swimming in crystal clear lakes: Take a break from riding at the various swimming areas throughout the region. Kevin C. mentions Waterloo has "a nice swimming area in crystal clear water and a beautiful bathhouse" where riders and horses can cool off after trail excursions.
Explore state recreation land: The connected trail systems allow equestrians to ride between campgrounds without trailering. "There are fire pits and picnic tables at each site. It is usually easy to get multiple sites next to each other with reservations," explains Mike B., making this area ideal for group trail rides.
Horseback lessons for beginners: At Hell Creek Ranch & Campground, non-equestrians can experience trail riding without bringing their own horses. "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," shares Ashley S.
Direct trail access: Riders appreciate campgrounds with immediate access to riding trails. Jason F. noted Hell Creek Ranch's "Direct connections to the Waterloo Pinckney trail system" that allow equestrians to ride directly from their campsites without loading horses into trailers.
Clean facilities: Bishop Lake Campground maintains quality restrooms and shower facilities important after long days of riding. "The campgrounds restrooms and showers were clean. Our campsite had a view of the lake, but no shade," reports Debra B., highlighting the balance of amenities.
Level sites for horse trailers: Finding flat, spacious campsites is crucial for equestrian campers. Kamdyn E. mentions Hell Creek Ranch has "Relatively spacious sites, group accommodations, super clean amenities/pool area," making it ideal for horse clubs planning group trail rides.
Swimming options after riding: After a dusty day on horseback, swimming areas provide welcome relief. "The beach was nice but you have to walk a trail to get to it from the campground or drive. Nice walking trails. Our favorite was the lake for kayaking," explains Debra B. about Bishop Lake.
Mosquito protection is essential: The wooded, lake-rich environment breeds mosquitoes, particularly in summer months. Ryan F. warns at Brighton Recreation Area: "The biggest problem was mosquito activity. The camping area sits on an inaccessible lake with a marsh area...We didn't have anything but our tent and a hammock with a big net so everyone got bitten up while cooking and hanging out by the fire."
Reserve well ahead for equestrian sites: Horse-friendly sites book quickly, especially during summer and fall color seasons. "We've used this campground as a get-together place for our family reunion for the past 7 years, and we've never had anything less than a great experience," notes Kamdyn E. about Hell Creek Ranch.
Varying site privacy: Some campgrounds offer more seclusion than others. Sarah P. observes about Waterloo Sugarloaf: "This campground was what we needed for squirrel hunting, however, it is very open and not very private. It is another one of those 'parking lot campgrounds' where you can see all of your neighbors at all times."
Seasonal limitations: Most equestrian facilities operate from April through October. Wayne County Fairgrounds notes: "Closed 11/1 thru 4/1," according to Mike M., so plan accordingly for off-season trips.
Horse introduction opportunities: Pokagon State Park offers family-friendly equestrian experiences. "Tons of things to do (playgrounds, lake, beach, hiking, horseback and pony rides etc)," notes Anand, making it perfect for families with varying horse experience levels.
Kid-friendly amenities: Children need activities between trail rides. "The camp sites were nice, there was a nice swimming area in crystal clear water and a beautiful bathhouse," Kevin C. reports about Waterloo Sugarloaf.
Multiple recreation options: When not riding, families appreciate diverse activities. "Nice little cabin set in about 800' from where you park. It has a table, wood stove, and 4 sets of bunks in a back room. Lots of trails within reach and a horse riding stable if that is your thing," shares Mike S. about rustic cabins at Waterloo.
Budget-friendly options: Equestrian camping can be economical for families. Melissa M. notes about Brighton Recreation: "They offer all types of camping. The lake has water activities you can pay extra for if you would like to do that," providing flexibility for different budget levels.
RV site selection for horse trailers: Wayne County Fairgrounds RV Park provides functional spaces for equestrians with larger rigs. "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," notes Nancy W.
Hookup availability: Most equestrian campgrounds offer partial hookups. Martin W. mentions about Waterloo Sugarloaf: "Absolutely love this place. Only downfall is no water hookups on site," so prepare accordingly with water tanks filled.
Navigation considerations: Getting large horse trailers into campgrounds requires planning. Jason F. notes about Hell Creek Ranch: "Great private campground with rustic, elec, water/elec (30 amp), and concrete pad sites," providing options for different rig configurations.
Site spacing for horse trailers: RVers with horse trailers need adequate space. Lisa D. appreciates that at Hell Creek Ranch "The site we had was very large and pretty level," which accommodates both living quarters and horse trailer configurations common among equestrian campers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Onsted, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Onsted, MI is Sugarloaf Campground — Waterloo Recreation Area with a 4.1-star rating from 14 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Onsted, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 7 equestrian camping locations near Onsted, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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