Hannah S.
Ranger
RangerCovert/South Haven KOA Holiday
Nice shady, sandy spots not far from South Haven
Good spots for RV/pull behind/tents. Clean facilities and only a 20 min drive from South Haven’s beautiful beaches!
Equestrian Camping near South Haven, MI
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Ely Lake Campground in Allegan County offers horse campsites with dedicated riding trails within its rustic setting. Located approximately 20 miles from South Haven, this primitive campground accommodates equestrians with sites designed for trailer parking adjacent to camping areas. The campground provides access to the extensive trail system throughout Allegan State Forest, making it popular among local horse enthusiasts. No showers or modern facilities exist on-site, with only vault toilets and a hand pump for water. The campground maintains a natural environment with minimal development, allowing horses and riders direct access to trails from campsites.
The Allegan State Forest bridle trails connect directly to Ely Lake's horse camping areas, providing riders with miles of wooded trails through diverse terrain. Horse owners must bring all necessary supplies as no feed stores or equestrian services exist within the immediate vicinity. Trail rides offer peaceful forest experiences with minimal elevation changes, suitable for riders of various experience levels. Horse camping remains primitive, requiring self-sufficiency with portable corrals or highlines as no permanent stalls exist on property. The sandy soil drains well after rain, allowing for year-round riding when weather permits. During summer months, the small lake provides a water source for horses after trail rides, though bringing supplemental water is recommended during dry periods.
Best Equestrian Campgrounds near South Haven (3)
1. Covert/South Haven KOA Holiday
"Good spots for RV/pull behind/tents. Clean facilities and only a 20 min drive from South Haven’s beautiful beaches!"
"The campground is only about 14 miles from South Haven where you can shop in a charming downtown, go to a spacious beach or catch the Kal-Haven bike trail to Kalamazoo."
2. Ely Lake Campground
"No power motor lake but there is another lake close by that is. We take the canoe with a trolling motor and hit that as well. Pet friendly. They have horse campsites and trails."
"All rustic sites, horses welcomed, vault toilets, and water pumps. Pay for site by money drop in tube so bring your check book. The lake is great for kayaking. Miles of trails to wander and discover."
from $17 / night
Check Availability3. Fort Custer Recreation Area
"The trails are great for hikers, bikers, & equestrians. We’ve had family camp outs there, as well my husband & I alone. It’s all dog friendly too! 🐕🐶"
"Several no wake lakes for kayaking, canoeing and fishing. One lake with swimming beach. Lots of trails for hiking, horses and mountain bikes."
Drive Time
- 43 min from Niles, MI
- 45 min from Kalamazoo, MI
- 48 min from Grand Rapids, MI
- 51 min from South Bend, IN
Equestrian Camping Reviews near South Haven, MI
71 Reviews of 3 South Haven Campgrounds
Cindy B.RangerCovert/South Haven KOA Holiday
Perfect campground if you like blueberries!
This KOA has blueberry fields everywhere on the property. For a period of time in summer and early fall, you can pick your own blueberries in the morning to have in your breakfast pancakes! The campground is nice with camping sites that are level and roomy. It has a nice pool and play areas, but the real attraction are the blueberry patches! The campground is only about 14 miles from South Haven where you can shop in a charming downtown, go to a spacious beach or catch the Kal-Haven bike trail to Kalamazoo. We rode 47 miles round trip from Bloomingdale to Bell's Brewery in Kalamazoo.
Olivia S.
GuideCovert/South Haven KOA Holiday
We’ve stayed many times...
This is one our top options when camping with tents, pop-up camper, or even cabins when we come to visit South Haven. The spots are great, a little sandy because it is Michigan. Good showers and clean bathrooms. This KOA has always been a reliable camp spot. The South Haven beaches are just a short twenty minute drive away!
Don’t forget to get Sherman’s while you’re there!
- EElisabeth D.Guide
Covert/South Haven KOA Holiday
Great Family Visit
This is a great place to camp with young children, as there are many activities around the camp. It is family owned and operated and you can tell- warm and friendly. If you want to explore, there are six Lake Michigan beaches within 15 minutes, and it's located between South Haven, MI and Saint Joseph, MI.
- Amy J.Guide
Covert/South Haven KOA Holiday
great family campground
Close to our favorite vacation town of south haven. This campground is made for families. It has a pool and lots of activities for kids.
Dan W.
TravelerCovert/South Haven KOA Holiday
Had everything
Sites weren’t too tight. Campstore had everything incredible ice cream and pizza that could be delivered to your site. Bathrooms and showers were clean. Perfect for kids activities. Close to adulting fun, food, and shops in South Haven.
- Melissa B.Traveler
Covert/South Haven KOA Holiday
Lots of kids activities, new, small, clean
There are a lot of lodging options, tons of kids activities, both free and for a small fee, great pool, cafe and store! Lots of sports equipment to loan as well. Not too big, very clean and well taken care of. Bathrooms/showers are NICE! And it’s only 10-15 minutes from the beach in south Haven-beautiful!
- JJames K.Traveler
Ely Lake Campground
Beautiful rustic sites with loud parties at night
Ely Lake Campground is a County campground in Allegan Michigan. All of the sites are rustic. Here are the bullet points:
- There are no bathrooms, just pit toilets.
- There is no electricity.
- There is a hand pump for water, although I would recommend bringing your own drinking water because the water from the hand pump is very discolored.
- Each site has a fire pit and a picnic table.
- They don't sell firewood, but you can by some in town on your way in.
- There is a beach.
- You can make reservations online ahead of time, or show up and find an empty site (but bring cash or check to pay because its a drop box).
- They have equestrian trails and sites.
First the positives: It is a beautiful rustic campground. We stayed on the side with sites 49-73 (specifically site 50) which has larger more secluded sites than the other side of the Lake. The Lake is for non-motorized recreational use so it is mostly used for kayaking and canoeing and fishing. There is about a 1 mile trail that you can walk around the exterior of the Lake, however it is ill defined in some places so just keep your eyes peeled for yellow markers on the trees (which are everywhere so you wont get lost).
This place also attracts a lot of equestrian campers and they have trails specifically for horseback riding. So if you have kids that love horses, you may see some on the weekends.
The negatives: It is a wonderful experience until about 10:30 PM on Friday and Saturday night. This place attracts a rowdy crowd and in the evenings (apparently there is no where else for the locals to have a rager). There is loud music , people yelling, fireworks going off and… not very much sleep. And I am not just talking about a few people with their music on -- it was someone blasting their sub-woofer with electronic dance music until 4:45 AM. It was really disappointing because otherwise the experience was positive. Luckily my kids are all deep sleepers so I was the only one who had to sit up all night.
They clean the bathrooms daily from what I can tell, but otherwise the campground is not maintained. There was trash around our site, and when you walk the trail about the lake you will see cigarette packets and beer bottles occasionally. Also along the trail were two massive hornet nests that really should have been removed by park management - but it's clear they don't ever maintain the trail.
If you're willing to overlook some garbage, and if the party people stay away you could have a wonderful camping trip. Allegan County has a beautiful natural resource here, but sadly it seems like it is being squandered, and wont last.
Suzi K.
ScoutEly Lake Campground
Words Can't Describe
This is always my go to campground! All natural camping with plenty of nice people! One word of advise is to bring your own tp though lol they seem to always run out on Sunday mornings lol but are back up and running by mid afternoon. No showers and just outhouses but that's REAL camping right!!!? No power motor lake but there is another lake close by that is. We take the canoe with a trolling motor and hit that as well. Pet friendly. They have horse campsites and trails. Walking trails around the lake that offer nature at it's purest! I have been coming to this lake to camp for over 40 years and I hope I have 40 more years left!!!
Guide to South Haven
Ely Lake Campground offers primitive horse camping approximately 20 miles from South Haven, Michigan. Located within the sandy soil terrain of Allegan State Forest, this rustic destination features 10 designated equestrian sites and miles of connecting bridle paths. The campground sits at 689 feet elevation and receives 38 inches of annual precipitation, creating favorable trail conditions for most of the riding season.
What to do
Fishing at multiple lakes: Fort Custer Recreation Area includes several no-wake lakes perfect for fishing. "Lots of trails to wander and discover. The lake is great for kayaking," notes Ellen S. about Ely Lake Campground.
Blueberry picking: During summer months, collect fresh blueberries at certain campgrounds near South Haven. "This KOA has blueberry fields everywhere on the property. For a period of time in summer and early fall, you can pick your own blueberries in the morning to have in your breakfast pancakes!" explains Cindy B. about Covert/South Haven KOA Holiday.
Mountain biking excursions: Fort Custer provides extensive trail networks specifically designed for mountain biking. "Lots of trails for hiking, horses and mountain bikes. Roads quiet and could easily ride your road bike to nearby bike paths," shares Janet N.
What campers like
Year-round availability: Unlike seasonal campgrounds, some locations maintain winter access. "This campground is open year round. All rustic sites, horses welcomed, vault toilets, and water pumps," writes Ellen S. about Ely Lake.
Trail connectivity: The extensive trail networks connecting camping areas offer diverse exploration opportunities. "We hiked on a multi-use trail that the ranger suggested. The blue trail goes around a couple lakes and was wonderful," reports Art S. about Fort Custer Recreation Area.
Secluded camping options: Many sites offer substantial privacy from neighboring campers. "We found a campsite that was large with vegetation separating us from neighbors," notes Art S., while another camper specifically recommends: "We just stayed at 51 and it is extremely secluded! We had an amazing time tent camping it was so quiet!"
What you should know
Varying levels of maintenance: Some horse campgrounds receive less attention than others. "They clean the bathrooms daily from what I can tell, but otherwise the campground is not maintained. There was trash around our site, and when you walk the trail about the lake you will see cigarette packets and beer bottles occasionally," reports James K. about Ely Lake Campground.
Limited facilities: Most horse-friendly campgrounds maintain minimal infrastructure. "No showers and just outhouses but that's REAL camping right!!!?" comments Suzi K., who has been visiting Ely Lake for over 40 years.
Weekend noise concerns: Some campgrounds experience increased activity and noise levels during weekends. "This place attracts a rowdy crowd and in the evenings (apparently there is no where else for the locals to have a rager). There is loud music, people yelling, fireworks going off and... not very much sleep," warns James K.
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly amenities: Several campgrounds offer specific features for children. "There are a lot of lodging options, tons of kids activities, both free and for a small fee, great pool, cafe and store! Lots of sports equipment to loan as well," shares Melissa B. about Covert/South Haven KOA Holiday.
Beach access options: Multiple campgrounds provide swimming opportunities for families. "Good spots for RV/pull behind/tents. Clean facilities and only a 20 min drive from South Haven's beautiful beaches!" notes Hannah S.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: The trail systems surrounding horse campgrounds support diverse ecosystems. "Walking trails around the lake that offer nature at its purest!" exclaims Suzi K., highlighting the natural experience available at Ely Lake.
Tips from RVers
Electrical connections only: Plan water usage accordingly at state recreation areas. "Sites have electrical service only. Must use the dump station," explains VB S. about Fort Custer Recreation Area.
Dump station logistics: Popular campgrounds may experience congestion at service facilities during peak times. "Since there are no water or sewer hook ups, lines at the dump/fill station can get long," warns Bob B.
Site selection considerations: Research specific campsite characteristics before booking. "This meant a longer walk to the restrooms and showers. On the other hand, we were right across from an access trail to the blue hiking trail," notes Art S. about their Fort Custer experience, highlighting the tradeoffs between amenities and trail access.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near South Haven, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near South Haven, MI is Covert/South Haven KOA Holiday with a 4.7-star rating from 17 reviews.
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