Dispersed Camping Hovey Lake Equine Trailhead offers free primitive camping with dedicated access for riders and their horses within the Hiawatha National Forest near Seney. The campground features vault toilets and provides multiple access options including drive-in, hike-in, and walk-in routes suitable for horse trailers. The camping area connects directly to the equestrian trail system with sites situated to accommodate both tent and RV campers traveling with horses. While the area lacks designated horse corrals, the open forest setting provides ample space for portable corrals or highlines for securing horses overnight.
The Hovey Lake area trail system includes multiple routes designed specifically for equestrian use, with paths connecting to broader forest riding opportunities throughout the western Upper Peninsula. Riders access miles of maintained bridle paths directly from their horse campsites without needing to trailer to a separate trailhead. The forest terrain offers a mix of wooded trails and open areas suitable for various riding skill levels. Campers should bring water for horses as no drinking water is available onsite. The campground remains accessible throughout the standard riding season, with best trail conditions typically occurring from late spring through fall. Vault toilets provide basic sanitation facilities for campers, but riders should pack out all horse waste as no manure disposal areas are provided at this primitive site.
"The staff was very friendly and they actually had campsites that were more private then almost all the Michigan state parks we have stayed at."
"Easy drive to the falls, nice clean grounds, and right next to ATV trails"
"I have absolutely nothing but positive things to say. I am more one to frequent rustic and secluded campgrounds."
"This campground is very close to trailhead. Well maintained, decent wifi. Don't expect any Verizon cell coverage here. Sites are nice and large, staff is friendly and the bar has good food"
from $33 - $55 / night
"Was slightly passed the pin marker on the same unlaced road - only about 1/4-1/2 off the highway."
"There was only 1 car drive by in 2 days."
"This has and will remain my favorite campground in Michigan."
"Located just outside of the town of Paradise on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $36 - $41 / night
from $25 - $50 / night
"Horses allowed"
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $20 / night
"Went all the way to the back and got a lakeside spot down the other side of the hill from the main site. Nice and tucked away."
"Great site located between two lakes. In response to the previous review, your best directions will come from locating the site on your GPS (in our case Google Maps) and dropping a pin."
"Watch the sunset from your tent on top of a 40 foot over lake MI."
from $8 / night
ScoutGreat spot, easy to get to. Could only find two pull off spots which are both relatively small, and only one has a fire pit in good condition so you’d need to build back up the other a bit. Very convenient spot that met all my needs
ScoutPerfect spot to pull off and camp for the night or weekend! Big pull in area where we stayed for the night, there was one other person but we stopped once we noticed the fresh tracks and didn’t go any further back. Perfect overnight spot.
TravelerThis was a great campsite, bathroom was super nice, the owners came and said hi to everyone and gave advice on where to visit in the area. Super relaxed environment and very clean, also the water from the pump actually tastes pretty good. Not rusty at all.
TravelerThe campsites are pretty tight and close together so if you go, don’t go on a holiday. The comfort station is clean and there are handicapped options. The sites are mostly heavily forested so Starlink connectivity was spotty.
LegendWent all the way to the back and got a lakeside spot down the other side of the hill from the main site. Nice and tucked away. Thought the skeeters were insane, but this time of year, it's to be expected.
ScoutAwesome
ScoutLong nice road with a few pull offs once you are close to the end there is one official site with a table and fire circle. Is first come first serve but if you keep driving down there are two different boat launches with room to park/camp. We stayed in our car just in case. NOTE! the camp site is closed for updates until the end of October apparently. No service with mint
ScoutSolid spot. About 10min from Munising.
TravelerWas slightly passed the pin marker on the same unlaced road - only about 1/4-1/2 off the highway. Sites are fairly spacious but don’t have any of the hookups or amenities mentioned on the site profile - some do have rudimentary fire pits though. There are 3 sites in total. Ground is flat enough to comfortably tent camp. Camp in early September, bugs were minimal. At times the night was eerily silent, at other times I heard dirt bikes and tractor trailers in the distance, also heard a pack of coyotes at one point and pretty sure I heard some sort of padfooted animal walk by my site once or twice.
Horse camping in Michigan offers a unique experience for equestrian enthusiasts, combining beautiful landscapes with facilities tailored for both riders and their horses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Seney, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Seney, MI is Newberry Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 6 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Seney, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 10 equestrian camping locations near Seney, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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