Hell Creek Ranch & Campground offers equestrian facilities near Saline, Michigan with direct access to the Waterloo-Pinckney Trail system. The campground accommodates horses with designated areas for trailer parking and proximity to riding paths. While the property does not feature permanent horse corrals, temporary paddock setup is permitted in designated areas. The campground provides electric and water hookups for RVs along with tent sites, making it suitable for various camping styles while traveling with horses. Several reviews mention the property connects to extensive trail networks ideal for day rides, with the staff often helping arrange sites suitable for campers with horses.
Located within 30 minutes of Saline, Wayne County Fairgrounds RV Park occasionally hosts horse and dog competitions that campers can enjoy at no additional cost. The fairgrounds provides seasonal camping from April through October with full hookup sites for RVs and designated areas for horse trailers during equestrian events. The property features grassy areas suitable for horses with nearby access to riding opportunities. Horse owners should call ahead to confirm availability during specific equestrian events, as the campground layout changes when hosting competitions. The proximity to both natural trails and event facilities makes this location practical for equestrians participating in shows while enjoying camping amenities, though sites are positioned close together with limited shade.
$17 - $90 / night
"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."
"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"
"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."
$20 - $35 / night
"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."
$22 / night
"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."
"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."
"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. "
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
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.
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.
GuideHad the pleasure of visiting first weekend in February, on the coldest weekend of the year! 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. 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! Pro tip for cold nights is to block the back room and sleep in the main area-
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.
RangerWow.. what a nice little getaway in Hell, Michigan area! Camp host, “Lightening” is a friendly and helpful guy who NEVER stopped working (except to chat with campers here and there). The big pool and bathrooms were immaculate, with surrounding patio furniture sanitized nightly (I watched from my RV window and was so impressed with Lightening’s genuine dedication). The site we had was very large and pretty level. The price we paid was W/E $30/night. Cannot beat that for a fun getaway on a budget! Neat area to find trails and lakes to enjoy as well. Highly recommended campground!
Equestrian campgrounds near Saline, Michigan provide direct trail access from campsites to extensive riding paths. Most horse-friendly locations operate seasonally from April through October with varying levels of equestrian amenities. Winter temperatures in the region typically drop below freezing, making camping impractical during winter months unless utilizing heated cabins or RVs.
Trail riding at Waterloo Recreation Area: The Waterloo-Pinckney Trail system offers connections to numerous horseback riding paths through diverse terrain. At Waterloo Sugarloaf Modern Campground, visitors can access multiple trail loops directly from the camping area. "There are enough loops here to go for walks as well," notes Mike B., who recommends the campground for its proximity to small dirt trails suitable for hiking and biking.
Swimming at Bishop Lake: The clear waters at Bishop Lake Campground provide a refreshing break after trail rides. "The beach is pretty good for swimming," according to Mike B., who also mentions "the bathrooms are clean and the showers were warm." During summer months, the beach area includes designated swimming zones separate from boating areas.
Fishing at Seven Lakes State Park: Sand Lake at Seven Lakes State Park Campground offers excellent fishing opportunities with clear waters. Debra B. describes Bishop Lake as "nice for kayaking" with trails connecting the lake to the campground. Multiple reviewers mention seeing "several kids on bikes toting rods" indicating the popularity of fishing at this location.
Clean facilities: Many campgrounds near Saline maintain well-kept bathroom and shower facilities. At Waterloo Sugarloaf Modern Campground, Kevin C. noted "a beautiful bathhouse" among the amenities. Similarly, at Bishop Lake, campers appreciate that "the bathrooms are clean and the showers were warm."
Private, wooded sites: Highland State Recreation Area receives praise for its secluded camping spots. Brett B. describes it as a "magical campground" that is "private, quiet, and full of wildlife." Jennifer H. adds that the area offers "extra large camp sites, lots of room for the kids to run around."
Lake access: Multiple camping areas provide water access for swimming, fishing, and boating. At Seven Lakes State Park, Andy B. found "the water was breath taking - it's a small pond really, but great for kayaking. Crystal clear, clean water, a good public beach." The proximity to water activities remains a consistent highlight among reviews.
Reservations recommended: During peak summer season, most campgrounds fill quickly, especially on weekends. At Hell Creek Ranch & Campground, which connects to horse trails, one reviewer noted they "were told if we arrived by 9 PM we could have a campsite" but arrived to find "the office was closed" with no accommodation options.
Bug preparation: Michigan's wooded campgrounds often have significant insect activity. At Highland Recreation Area, Tammy P. recommends having Lysol available for porta potties. At Brighton Recreation Area's rustic sites, Rebecca M. warns to "bring bug spray" as "there are TONS of mosquitos."
Site privacy varies: Campground layouts differ significantly in terms of proximity to neighbors. Chad B. notes Hell Creek Ranch is "fine for RVs, not great for tent campers" because "it was almost impossible to see anything natural around us since we surrounded by RVs and pop-ups."
Water activities for kids: Brighton Recreation Area offers numerous water-based recreation options. Melissa M. mentions "the lake you can rent kayaks, paddle boards, row boats or paddle boats" and notes "the lake has water activities you can pay extra for if you would like to do that."
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature dedicated play areas for children. At Bishop Lake, Mary O. notes there's a "big playground and nice bathrooms" making it suitable for families with pets as well. Holly S. describes Seven Lakes State Park as "family friendly" with "a private lake that's good for swimming and fishing."
Activity planning: Many sites offer limited cell service, creating opportunities for unplugged family time. At Highland Recreation Area, Tammy P. explains there's "no cell/internet service but that was perfect!! Great time to unplug and just enjoy our surroundings and begin to learn our own creativity!"
Site selection considerations: When choosing a campsite for RVs, level sites with appropriate hookups are essential. At Pontiac Lake Recreation Area, Mary H. advises: "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."
Hookup availability: Different campgrounds offer varying levels of services for RVs. Jason F. describes Hell Creek Ranch as having "rustic, elec, water/elec (30 amp), and concrete pad sites" making it suitable for different RV setups. At Seven Lakes State Park, one camper notes "depending where you set up your rig, you may need an extra long extension cord."
Site privacy: RV campers often mention concerns about proximity to neighbors. At Pontiac Lake Recreation Area, Sarah P. appreciates that "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."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Saline, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Saline, 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 Saline, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 9 equestrian camping locations near Saline, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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