Van Buren State Park Campground features equestrian campsites with horse pens that provide a convenient alternative to keeping horses tied up. The campground includes both regular sites and a dedicated horse camping area. Most campsites offer electric hookups, though some sites may have non-functional electric service. The grounds are well-maintained with level areas for camping and shaded sites throughout. No shower facilities are available, but the campground provides clean pit toilets and centralized well water access. The sites are mostly flat with ample space for both camping equipment and horse trailers. Users note the horse camp is nice with some newer pens for keeping horses safely contained.
The park connects to a network of trails suitable for horseback riding within the 295-acre recreation area. Located 20 minutes from Findlay, Ohio, the campground offers easy access for riders looking to explore the park's terrain. The trails provide varied terrain through wooded areas and open fields. The campground layout includes two main loops of sites with the equestrian section specifically designed to accommodate horses and their owners. Reservations must be made online or by phone as no walk-in sites are available. The dump station for RVs is located in a separate area of the park, requiring a short drive. Campground hosts are described as friendly and helpful, making the check-in process smooth even for late arrivals. The park also features a playground, dog park, and small wildflower garden for additional recreation options.
"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"
$35 / night
"Since Van Buren State park is an easy 20 minutes away from home for me, i visit there often. it is clean and quiet, they dont get too busy and loud."
"It’s a small campground with one side as equestrian and the other side not. All sites had electric and water, no full hookup. There were only drop toilets and no showers."
"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."
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.
ScoutSince Van Buren State park is an easy 20 minutes away from home for me, i visit there often. it is clean and quiet, they dont get too busy and loud. the horse camp is nice with some new pens to keep your horse instead of them having to be tied up. They keep the restrooms clean, but no flush toilets, which dont bother me. My only complaint about Van Buren State park is that there are no shower facilities.
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
LegendWe stayed one night on our way to IN. We’ve never been here before and wanted to check it off our list. It’s a small campground with one side as equestrian and the other side not. All sites had electric and water, no full hookup. There were only drop toilets and no showers. They were clean but I don’t think I’d want to do more than a weekend there. It had a nice playground for kids and plenty of trails to hike or go horseback riding. They also had a dog park and small wildflower garden. The check in cabin had ice and wood for sale but no store. Our site was really nice. The pads were recently paved and had a huge bumper at the end. The fire ring was nice and the site had plenty of space for tents.
TravelerWe stayed during the week for one night. Campground was clean and quiet, had electric hookups at most sites. Host was very friendly. They also have a camp area for horses. Only criticism is you have to drive to another area of the park for an RV dump.
TravelerCampground is small but well maintained. Hiking is great. Probably better for people with horses. Electric did not work at all sites. Pit toilets did not seem sufficient for all camp sites.
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-
RangerThis is a nice place to camp if you dont mind the bigger parks. There is electrical on each site and is mostly a place for campers and RVs. There are fire pits and picnic tables at each site. 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. Also in the park are some small dirt trails for hiking and biking. There are enough loops here to go for walks as well.
Most of the sites are in the sun, but there are a few sites with more shade and tree cover.
LegendWe stayed in the Southfork Rustic Cabin at the end of Feb and it was lovely much needed get away. The cabin was semi modern (solar lighting) but only a wood stove for heat. Small kitchen unit with table for eating. You had to hike in about a quarter mile to get there, and it sleeps four people with two bunk beds. There is an outside vault toilet behind the cabin. Lots of trails connecting the cabin to the rest of the park. Cheap too! Only $68 per night.
Van Buren State Park Campground sits on 295 acres in northwest Ohio, approximately 20 minutes from Findlay. The campground operates year-round and features electric sites arranged in two loops. Winter visitors can access cross-country skiing trails when conditions permit, while summer campers enjoy multiple recreational options within the park boundaries.
Horseback riding trails: Van Buren State Park offers varied terrain for riders looking to explore on horseback. One visitor notes, "I came cross country skiing here in early January and it was absolutely amazing. It is cold but the terrain is simple for first time skiers," showing the multi-seasonal use of the park's trail system.
Swimming beaches: Waterloo Sugarloaf Modern provides water recreation opportunities with a clean swimming area. According to one camper, "There is a nice swimming area in crystal clear water and a beautiful bathhouse," making it a good alternative for those seeking water activities near Temperance.
Playground facilities: Many equestrian campgrounds near Temperance, Michigan offer family-friendly amenities. A visitor at Van Buren State Park mentioned, "It had a nice playground for kids and plenty of trails to hike or go horseback riding. They also had a dog park and small wildflower garden."
Quiet atmosphere: Horse campgrounds in the region typically offer peaceful settings. One camper noted about Van Buren, "We stayed during the week for one night. Campground was clean and quiet, had electric hookups at most sites. Host was very friendly."
Level campsites: Wayne County Fairgrounds RV Park provides flat, accessible sites. A reviewer mentioned, "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."
Community features: Some campgrounds offer unexpected amenities. At Wayne County Fairgrounds, "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."
Seasonal closures: Check operating schedules before planning trips. One camper reported about Wayne County Fairgrounds: "I arrived for a 2 week stay in the area on 11/12. I discovered this campground was closed for the season."
Toilet facilities: Many horse campgrounds near Temperance have basic facilities. At Van Buren State Park Campground, "No running water for bathrooms if that's important for you. The park is also just off a country road so traffic can occasionally be heard but it's not excessive."
Site selection considerations: Pay attention to site location when booking. One camper advised, "Some of the sites are small so you have to be careful which you site you reserve if you're a tent camper. The outside of the circle is your best bet."
Playground proximity: Select sites near recreational amenities for convenience with children. A visitor to Van Buren noted, "Kids loved having the playground so close to the camper. Will be back soon."
Beach activities: Waterloo Recreation Area offers family-friendly swimming. One family reported, "Spent 4 nights and 5 days camping with my husband and 2 kids. We had fun and the kids had a blast. They rode bikes around the loop and loved swimming and the the playground."
Loop roads for cycling: Several equestrian campgrounds feature child-friendly riding areas. At Waterloo Sugarloaf, a camper mentioned, "There are enough loops here to go for walks as well," providing safe areas for children to ride bikes away from traffic.
Dump station location: Plan for separate dumping trips at some horse campgrounds. At Van Buren State Park, one RVer mentioned, "Only criticism is you have to drive to another area of the park for an RV dump."
Site configuration: Consider arrangement when booking. At Wayne County Fairgrounds, "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."
Electric reliability: Verify hookup functionality before setting up. A camper at Van Buren State Park noted, "Electric did not work at all sites. Pit toilets did not seem sufficient for all camp sites."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Temperance, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Temperance, MI is Wayne County Fairgrounds RV Park with a 3-star rating from 7 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Temperance, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 4 equestrian camping locations near Temperance, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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