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Highland State Recreation Area offers rustic camping with spacious sites suitable for horse trailers and access to extensive equestrian trails. The campground provides large sites with room to set up portable corrals or tie-lines near campsites. The recreation area features a network of horse trails that wind through fields, forests, and past scenic viewpoints. The extra large campsites allow adequate distance between camping units and room for horses. The natural scenery includes fields of flowers and wooded areas that create an "up north" feel despite being located in southeast Michigan.
Horseback riders access miles of maintained bridle paths directly from the camping areas with terrain varying from open meadows to forested trails. Pontiac Lake Recreation Area nearby also accommodates equestrians with trailhead access and parking suitable for horse trailers. Trail loops connect through diverse landscapes including wetlands and rolling hills. Horse owners should bring water containers for their animals as natural water sources may be seasonal. Both recreation areas maintain primitive equestrian camping with basic amenities including vault toilets and potable water sources. The trails throughout Highland Recreation Area provide extensive options for day rides with some trails connecting to nearby trail systems for longer excursions. Many sites remain open year-round for winter trail riding opportunities.
"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 $22 / 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 $17 - $90 / night
Check Availability"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. "
"The park has a beautiful 2.5 mile trail around the lake that makes this campground great. We brought our own kayaks but they do rent boats. We saw deer and rabbit."
"Always a great local retreat away from our hectic daily life. Don’t have to travel far to find some nature. Most sites generously sized, hookups available, clean restrooms."
"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"
"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"Addison Oaks is a campground that features hiking and mountain biking trails, campground, cabins, disc golf course, and a lake for boating."
"The grounds are huge with bike/hike trails, a lake and a disc golf course. Mountain biking seems to be very popular there are dirt trails off the paved hiking loop."
"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."
"The 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."
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.
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
GuideThis is another great scout ing campground with cabins, rustic camping, tent sites, lakes, horses to ride, this is one HUGE camp ground for scouts to enjoy and learn..
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.
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.
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.
Highland State Recreation Area provides exceptional equestrian camping near Walled Lake, Michigan with spacious sites designed for horse trailers. Located in White Lake, about 15 miles from Walled Lake, the recreation area covers over 5,900 acres of rolling terrain with elevation changes up to 200 feet. Fall temperatures typically range from 45-65°F, creating comfortable conditions for both riders and horses during peak trail riding season.
Trail riding at Pontiac Lake Recreation Area: Access miles of maintained bridle paths with terrain suitable for various skill levels. The recreation area features "world class mountain bike trails" that are shared with equestrians in designated areas. As one visitor notes, "Nice hike to the lake. Large sites and great biking area" (Pontiac Lake Recreation Area).
Explore historical sites: Visit nearby historical landmarks while camping in the area. At Highland Recreation Area, trails lead to interesting historical features. "There's Haven Hill deep in the woods on a trail. It was the Ford family summer getaway spot back in the 1930's and was shockingly burned down by a fire! There's still many of the walls and a beautiful fireplace remains!" (Highland State Recreation Area).
Paddling opportunities: Many lakes near Walled Lake offer peaceful paddling opportunities for when you need a break from horseback riding. At Seven Lakes State Park, "Sand Lake was our spot and the water was breath taking - it's a small pond really, but great for kayaking. Crystal clear, clean water, a good public beach" (Seven Lakes State Park Campground).
Privacy between sites: Many equestrian campers appreciate the ample space between camping areas. At Pontiac Lake Recreation Area, "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. The camping loops also link to a one mile trail which will lead you to the beach if you like hiking!" (Pontiac Lake Recreation Area).
Wildlife viewing: The natural setting around Walled Lake provides excellent wildlife watching opportunities during your horseback riding trips. One visitor to Highland Recreation Area shared, "We ran up on a group of probably 70 wild turkeys on the trail! There's a quiet lake perfect for unwinding after a long day or to get a nice rinse off" (Highland State Recreation Area).
Year-round accessibility: Unlike some seasonal campgrounds, several equestrian camping areas near Walled Lake maintain availability throughout the year. Bishop Lake Campground provides "full size sites for RVs. There is electric on each site along with fire rings and picnic tables. Some good spots have some shade to stay out of the sun. The beach is pretty good for swimming" (Bishop Lake Campground).
Mosquito and tick preparations: Insect protection is essential when camping with horses in this area. One camper at Pontiac Lake warns, "There are tons of mosquitoes and ticks, so make sure you bring bug spray. Also make sure that all food and garbage is secure at night, the raccoons have no fear" (Pontiac Lake State Rec Area).
Lake distance considerations: Some campgrounds require transportation to reach water features. "Only drawback is the distance from the lake. The lake is not within walking distance, you would need to drive." This is important to consider when planning daily activities with your horses.
Vault toilets at rustic sites: Primitive equestrian camping areas typically offer basic facilities. "This rustic campground is obviously well-tended and has an almost magical feel to it. It's private, quiet, and full of wildlife. There are two paved sites for handicapped accessibility, running water, a dumpster, and two outhouses."
Playgrounds and beaches: Many campgrounds that accommodate horses also provide family-friendly recreation areas. At Addison Oaks County Park, visitors enjoy "nice walking trails. The beach is nice but you have to walk a trail to get to it from the campground or drive. Nice walking trails" (Addison Oaks County Park).
Educational opportunities: Use equestrian camping trips as learning experiences. One family reported, "We stayed in area A in a water/electric site. It was a Boo Fest weekend. Lots of socially distanced activities for the kids and a scavenger hunt (finding clues on signs in park to solve a mystery)."
Site selection for shade: When camping with children and horses, consider temperature management. "Our campsite had a view of the lake, but no shade. The beach was nice but you have to walk a trail to get to it from the campground or drive."
Extension cord needs: Some equestrian sites have unique electrical hookup placements. "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."
Level site considerations: When bringing an RV to horse-friendly campgrounds, check site conditions. "Our site wasn't level, so we were rolling around a bit. If I went there again I'd try to find a spot towards the end of the loop by the exit. These sites were higher and some of them were private."
Off-season advantages: Consider equestrian camping during shoulder seasons for more peaceful experiences. "When in this area this its the place to stay. If I lived in this area it would be a destination. Price is right!" (Oakland County Addison Oaks).
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Walled Lake, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Walled Lake, MI is Pontiac Lake Recreation Area with a 4.4-star rating from 19 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Walled Lake, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 15 equestrian camping locations near Walled Lake, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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