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Ortonville Equestrian Campground in the Ortonville Recreation Area features a dedicated horse camping area with rustic sites designed for equestrian use. Each campsite includes picnic tables and fire rings. The campground welcomes tent camping and smaller RVs but does not offer electric hookups or modern facilities. Vault toilets provide basic sanitation. The campground is heavily used by trail riders seeking access to the extensive trail system throughout the recreation area. Most visitors note the campground's convenient location near two lakes and multiple trail systems, making it popular despite its rustic amenities.
Trail riders access miles of equestrian-friendly paths directly from the Ortonville Equestrian Campground, with routes winding through woodlands and along scenic viewpoints. Staging areas provide ample room for horse trailers and equipment setup before hitting the trails. The campground typically operates year-round but experiences peak usage during summer and fall months when trail conditions are optimal. The D-bar-A Scout Ranch, though primarily designated for Boy Scout use, maintains additional horse facilities in the region with riding opportunities for organized groups. Riders should bring their own water for horses as drinking water is limited to designated stations. The sandy soil conditions throughout many of the trails provide good footing for horses during dry weather but may become challenging after heavy rainfall.
"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."
"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"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."
"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. "
"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."
"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."
"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"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. "
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.
The Ortonville Recreation Area encompasses over 5,400 acres of rolling hills and woodland terrain in eastern Michigan. Sandy soil conditions characterize much of the area, creating well-drained campsites and trails. Winter temperatures typically range from 15-30°F while summer months average 70-85°F with moderate humidity levels.
Trail riding access: The equestrian trail system at Ortonville Equestrian Campground — Ortonville Recreation Area offers miles of paths through diverse terrain. "The lakes and launches are however very nice and there are some great trail systems through the area," notes Kate K., highlighting opportunities beyond just camping.
Mountain biking adventures: Biking enthusiasts can explore extensive trails at Pontiac Lake Recreation Area. "Nice hike to the lake. Large sites and great biking area," reports Wendy K. The recreation area maintains dedicated mountain biking trails suitable for various skill levels.
Fishing opportunities: Multiple lakes throughout the region provide excellent fishing conditions. At Seven Lakes State Park Campground, campers report successful catches. "Saw several kids on bikes toting rods," mentions Neil T., indicating the popularity of fishing in the park.
Spacious equestrian sites: Horse campers appreciate the room available at equestrian-focused campgrounds. At Highland State Recreation Area, campers enjoy "Extra large camp sites, lots of room for the kids to run around," according to Jennifer H.
Wildlife encounters: The natural setting provides opportunities to view local wildlife. "We ran up on a group of probably 70 wild turkeys on the trail!" shares Adrienne C. about Highland State Recreation Area. Animal sightings add to the outdoor experience.
Water activities: Lakes in the region offer swimming, fishing, and boating options. At Bishop Lake Campground, visitors enjoy water recreation. "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," says Debra B.
Site privacy varies: Campground layouts differ significantly across the region. At Addison Oaks County Park, "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," explains Sarah P., contrasting with more open campgrounds.
Weather considerations: Sandy soil creates specific conditions after rain. At many horse campgrounds near Oxford, Michigan, trails become challenging after precipitation. Pack appropriate footwear for potentially muddy conditions.
Reservation requirements: Most equestrian campgrounds require advance booking, particularly during peak season (May-October). Weekends fill quickly at popular horse camping areas, especially those with direct trail access.
Kid-friendly activities: Parks offer structured recreation options for children. At Addison Oaks County Park, "They have kids activities on the weekends, a lake for swimming, great playgrounds and everything is really clean," according to Wendy K.
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature dedicated play areas. "Nice campground and well maintained. Two different loops to choose from for camping," notes Renee R. about Pontiac Lake Recreation Area, which includes facilities for children.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Oxford, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Oxford, MI is Addison Oaks County Park with a 4.5-star rating from 13 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Oxford, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 13 equestrian camping locations near Oxford, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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