18 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Ortonville Equestrian Campground in Highland Recreation Area provides primitive horse camping opportunities with direct access to extensive horse-riding trails. The rustic campground features sites that can accommodate horse trailers and horses alongside tents or RVs. Spacious sites allow for proper distancing of horses from other camping equipment. The campground maintains trails specifically designed for horseback riding throughout the 5,900-acre recreation area. Sites are equipped with picnic tables and fire rings, while outhouses serve as the only bathroom facilities. The extra large campsites give plenty of room for horses to be properly secured while campers set up their equipment. Drinking water is available on-site, though no electrical hookups exist.
The trail system connects riders to a network of routes throughout the Highland Recreation Area, offering varied terrain from wooded areas to open fields. Riders appreciate the well-maintained paths that wind through fields of wildflowers and natural scenery. The natural terrain provides diverse riding experiences with both flat stretches and some hills for more challenging rides. The park enforces standard equestrian camping rules, including proper manure management and restrictions on tying horses directly to trees. Trail riders frequently encounter wildlife including wild turkeys along the paths. The multi-use trail system allows for rides of different lengths, from short loops to longer routes that can take several hours to complete. Water access for horses is available at designated points throughout the recreation area.
"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 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"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."
from $20 - $186 / night
Check Availability"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."
"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."
from $20 / 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."
"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"This 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.."
"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
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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.
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.
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 !!
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.
Highland Recreation Area encompasses 5,900 acres of varied terrain near White Lake, Michigan. The park contains open meadows, hardwood forests, and elevations ranging from 925 to 1,150 feet. Trail systems throughout the area accommodate hikers, bikers, and equestrians with separate designated paths for each activity.
Horseback riding trails: Highland Recreation Area offers extensive horse trails with direct access from the Ortonville Equestrian Campground. This dedicated equestrian facility provides proper accommodations for horses and riders. "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," notes Kate K.
Hiking through historic sites: The trail system at Highland State Recreation Area connects to remnants of local history. "There's also 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," shares Adrienne C.
Swimming and water activities: Many recreation areas feature swimming beaches with designated areas for families. At Brighton Recreation Area, visitors can enjoy multiple water activities. "The lake has water activities you can pay extra for if you would like to do that... A lot of trails for biking and hiking," mentions Melissa M.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: The natural areas around White Lake provide chances to observe diverse wildlife. "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," explains Adrienne C. from Highland State Recreation Area.
Private, wooded campsites: Pontiac Lake Recreation Area offers secluded sites that provide privacy despite being in a popular area. "Camp site was nice with blacktop pad and once parked felt very secluded and could barely see site past truck in parking spot. Great for getting away and seeing the night sky," writes Daniel.
Well-maintained facilities: Campgrounds in the region typically maintain clean, functional amenities. "The bathrooms and showers were nice and clean with hot water. Site 71 wasn't the most private but still nice. The spots are all pretty private due to trees and vegetation," notes Sam H. about Pontiac Lake Recreation Area.
Insect preparation is essential: Michigan's wooded areas can have significant insect activity, particularly in warmer months. "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," advises Kristina J. from Pontiac Lake Recreation Area.
Beach and lake access varies: Not all campgrounds provide direct access to swimming areas. "Only drawback is the distance from the lake. The lake is not within walking distance, you would need to drive," reports Renee R. about Pontiac Lake Recreation Area.
Horse campgrounds near White Lake have specific regulations: Equestrian camping facilities maintain rules for horse management and campsite use. Most horse camping areas require users to properly manage manure and follow designated trail systems. "The rustic campground features sites that can accommodate horse trailers and horses," states Brett B.
Look for campgrounds with kid-focused activities: Seven Lakes State Park offers family-friendly amenities and water features. "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. Our site had 'private' access and our boys just played in the water for three days," shares Andy B.
Choose campgrounds with playgrounds: Many parks in the area feature dedicated play areas for children. "Nice lakes for swimming and can take your pet as well! Big playground and nice bathrooms," recommends Mary O. about Brighton Bishop Lake Campground.
Consider seasonal events: Some campgrounds host special activities during peak seasons or holidays. "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)," explains Tim & Nancy C. about Addison Oaks County Park.
Check electrical hookup locations: Addison Oaks County Park provides RV sites with utilities, but positioning can be challenging. "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," advises Mary H.
Prepare for varying site conditions: RV sites throughout the region have different surface types and levelness. "We stayed in one of the group sites and it was beautiful. Less tree cover than we would have liked, you're basically in a giant grassy field, but it was perfect for a large group," notes Jennifer O. from Addison Oaks County Park.
Consider seasonal availability: Most equestrian campgrounds and state recreation areas have specific operating seasons. At Hell Creek Ranch & Campground, which operates April through October, visitors appreciate the accommodations. "Camp host, 'Lightening' is a friendly and helpful guy who NEVER stopped working. The big pool and bathrooms were immaculate, with surrounding patio furniture sanitized nightly," reports Lisa D.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near White Lake, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near White 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 White Lake, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 18 equestrian camping locations near White Lake, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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