14 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Waterloo Recreation Area's Sugarloaf Modern Campground provides a combination of horse-friendly camping options near Stockbridge, Michigan. While no dedicated horse corrals are listed among the facilities, the campground welcomes equestrians with spacious campsites that can accommodate trailers alongside tents, RVs, cabins, and even glamping options. The park features electric hookups, drinking water, sanitary dump stations, showers, and modern toilets, making it comfortable for extended stays with horses. Sites include fire pits and picnic tables, with most arranged in an open layout that allows for easy vehicle and trailer positioning. The well-maintained grounds feature some shade trees, though many sites remain relatively exposed. Mosquitoes can be prevalent in summer months, particularly in evening hours. Campground facilities remain open from May through October with full amenities.
Hell Creek Ranch & Campground offers another horse-friendly option in the Pinckney area, approximately 15 miles from Stockbridge. The property connects directly to the Pinckney State Recreation Area trail system, providing immediate access to bridle paths and riding opportunities. The campground accommodates various camping styles with tent sites, RV spots with 30-amp hookups, and glamping options. Amenities include a swimming pool, basketball court, and clean shower facilities that are regularly maintained. Horse owners appreciate the direct trail connections to the Waterloo-Pinckney trail network, which offers extensive riding routes through diverse terrain. Heavenly Horse Stables operates on the property, providing riding lessons, trail rides, and meet-and-greet opportunities with barn animals. This combination of camping facilities and equestrian services makes it a practical base for riders looking to explore the extensive state recreation areas surrounding Stockbridge.
"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."
from $35 - $40 / 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 $32 - $37 / 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"What can I say, I love the Michigan State Parks. I find they are the best, Sleepy Hollow is not different and it has so many things to do. "
"Quietly tucked into Clinton co Michigan. Sleepy is easily accessible. Its close to Lansing. There are shopping centers nearby. Country party store is closer!! Very large lake....Ovid is her name!"
from $20 - $160 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $100 - $160 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $20 / night
Check Availability"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 $20 - $80 / night
Check Availability"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. "
from $32 - $37 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $20 / night
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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.
LegendWhat can I say, I love the Michigan State Parks. I find they are the best, Sleepy Hollow is not different and it has so many things to do. I would advise if you want to camp there on a weekend to make reservations well in advance. We stay here because there are only 2 campgrounds in the Lansing East Lansing Area this being one of them and the other does not have all full hook ups and charges more. When we visit our daughter at Michigan State University this is the place we stay, 20 - 30 minutes into the University depending upon the traffic.
It has large wooded sites only electric but you can fill up the water at the dump station. Each site has a picnic table and Fire ring. Each campsite has a asphalt pad. They sell fire wood at the campground office. Bring what you need or you can go into St. johns to the Kroger or Walmart. they have 2 main camping loops with 2 loops in each of the main loops and a shower restroom in each main loop. The restrooms are very clean and kept up. I love the showers hot water and for me that is hot and great pressure, I could shower all day. Sure beats our shower in the RV.
The State Park is on Ovid Lake and it is a beautiful lake, great for fishing, canoeing, paddle boards, kayak, and swimming. they have a shelter for you if you have a big party.
They also have a group campsite and a picnic area for large groups. d You can also bring your horses go to the Equestrian area and unload and get on the trail.
You can rent canoes, kayaks, paddle boats and paddle boards. They also have a great play ground for the kids and a fishing pier. Bring Bikes or just hike on the trails and head down to the beach.
Travelerquiet campground during the day, short drive to the beach, biking and equestrian trails available. loud around the restroom at night, cleaning crew came through at 10 pm.
TravelerQuietly tucked into Clinton co Michigan. Sleepy is easily accessible. Its close to Lansing. There are shopping centers nearby. Country party store is closer!! Very large lake....Ovid is her name! Offers many species of fish for catching!! There are fishing docks, ONE IS NOT VERY ACCESSIBLE TO NON AMBULATORY PERSONS !!! THIS ONE'S IN THE CAMP AREA! The path is nicely groomed. The bea h is a long way from the parking lot a d there is no beach access from camp. The park is usually a clean family place...but for really young children or elderly persons it may. Ot be your first choice. I live nearby and have camped there zillions of times. I love it and shower bouses in camp are clean! Friendly staff a d they ate SERIOUS about quiet time! Bug spray required !!
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.
GuideI frequent this park if I am camping or not. decent disc gof course and access to Lake Ovid is great, miles of trails to hike/bike/ride horses. Hosts are very friendly and is always a joy to talk with the rangers
ScoutFun backpacking trails best trails close to state capital
fishing ,boating, disc golf, horse and bike trails,
Geocaching available.
GuideThis was our last stop on a trip where we camped in 6 different Michigan State Parks. This may be an older camp or the DNR was trying to save money when it was built. Most electrical posts are designed to accommodate at least 2 adjoining lots, and as many as 4. This in itself is not a concern until you realize the posts are way too far away to reach without an extension. We tried several lots and couldn’t reach any of the outlets. We finally met a couple who saId they had extensions at the office. So, we finally got set up with an extension cord from the camp office and decided to walk to the beach. Our site was adjacent to the path leading to the beach so we figured we could use a little walk. The path led to another path that led to a parking lot for the beach. After crossing the parking lot we still had to cross a large yard/park that finally opened onto the beach on this small lake. It was all very scenic, but we weren’t expecting a major hike to get to the beach. Showers are nice. They also have a neat ice cream vending machine that I had to check out for scientific purposes only. For a Michigan state park we were quite disappointed.
Waterloo Recreation Area spans over 20,000 acres near Stockbridge, Michigan, making it the largest state park in the Lower Peninsula. The area experiences warm summers with temperatures averaging 75-85°F and cold winters dropping to 15-25°F. Campers can find multiple horse-friendly camping options within a 15-mile radius of Stockbridge, with several campgrounds offering direct access to bridle paths.
Lake activities at Waterloo Sugarloaf Modern: The park features a "nice beach but super busy on the weekend," according to Beth G. Many visitors take advantage of the boat launch near the campsites which offers convenience "not having to leave the campground" as noted by Debra B., who appreciated the "nice flat campsites near the beach area."
Explore the Waterloo-Pinckney Trail: The extensive trail system connects multiple recreation areas. At Hell Creek Ranch & Campground, you'll find "direct connections to the Waterloo Pinckney trail network, which offers extensive riding routes through diverse terrain." Ryan F. observed at nearby campgrounds that "several kids on bikes toting rods" use the trails to access fishing spots.
Winter activities: Don't overlook cold-weather options. Mike S. from Waterloo Recreation Area described "the pleasure of visiting first weekend in February, on the coldest weekend of the year" staying in a rustic cabin. He "heard lots of wolves, saw lots of tracks" and recommends a "pro tip for cold nights is to block the back room and sleep in the main area."
Private campsites: Many visitors appreciate campsites with natural separation. At Pontiac Lake Recreation Area, Sarah P. notes this is her "FAVORITE in Oakland County" because "there are trees between sites so from most of the sites you can't really see your neighbors." Mary H. confirms "park offers lots of private sites" and specifically mentions "site 118 and could not see neighboring sites!"
Family-friendly amenities: Brighton Recreation Area draws families with its water activities. Kayla Q., a fifth-generation visitor, notes "from beaches to boats...from camping to cabin-ing, theres endless enjoyment to be had!" Beth G. specifically mentions "Jump Island" which "costs $15 for a 45 minute jump session" and recommends to "follow on Facebook for coupons."
Budget-friendly options: Lisa D. at Hell Creek Ranch praised the value, noting "the price we paid was W/E $30/night. Cannot beat that for a fun getaway on a budget!" For an even more economical option, Northstorm T. mentioned Eaton County Fairgrounds offers "only $20 nightly, full hookup, nice wooded sites."
Mosquitoes and ticks: Bug protection is essential in this area. Kevin C. at Waterloo Sugarloaf Modern noted "my only complaint, and the reason that I'll have a hard time talking my wife into going back was the mosquitoes were pretty bad the evening that we were there." At Pontiac Lake, Kristina J. warns "every night we had to triple check each other and our pets for ticks. We found at least 1 a night on us."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Stockbridge, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Stockbridge, 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 Stockbridge, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 14 equestrian camping locations near Stockbridge, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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