Horse campgrounds near Beaver, Minnesota provide trail access across diverse terrain in southeastern Minnesota where elevations range from 650 to 1,300 feet. The area features a unique driftless region topography that escaped glaciation during the last ice age, creating dramatic limestone bluffs and valleys. Many equestrian camping facilities maintain shaded trails that stay rideable even during hot summer days.
What to do
Trail riding access: Haycreek Valley Campground offers direct trail connections that don't require trailering horses after arrival. "The bike trail that was so close, paved and had lots of tree cover to keep us cool. Very nice ride to Red Wing right from our site!" reports Karin W.
Cave exploration: Located about 45 minutes from Beaver, Forestville Mystery Cave State Park Campground offers underground tours for $15 per adult and $10 for kids 5-12. "The cave tours are well done and the sites are scenic and tucked into the woods. There is also a winery (Four Daughter) not far away that's more than worth stopping at," notes Elisabeth M.
Fishing opportunities: Multiple water bodies in the region provide fishing access. At Chester Woods Park, "The lake offers the opportunity to fish for panfish, catfish, and bass. There are a lot of submerged trees from before the Creek was dammed that provide good habitat in deep water," explains Brian K.
What campers like
Clean facilities: Chester Woods Park maintains well-kept restrooms and shower facilities. "The bathrooms and showers we pristine clean and close and easy to walk to. The beach was great and clean. Fishing was great," reports Erik O.
Spacious sites: Many equestrian campgrounds offer generous site dimensions. "Large open sites and NO mosquitos!!!! Will be back with our group again," notes Bill H. about his stay at Haycreek Valley Campground.
Natural water features: Maple Springs Campground integrates water elements into the camping experience. "A river runs next to it and they have duck races. Dog park, small general store, backs up to a national park, close to town, immaculately maintained," shares Joseph M.
What you should know
Limited cell service: Several campgrounds in the region have minimal connectivity. "There is NO CELL SERVICE in the campground - no Verizon, ATT or T-Mobile. Wifi down at the ranger office," reports Jim C. about Forestville Mystery Cave State Park.
Hookup considerations: Money Creek & Vinegar Ridge offers primitive camping without standard amenities. "There is no water or electricity. One pit toilet for the site. 5 miles from Rushford MN. Access to Root River trail close by," notes Scott S.
Seasonal accessibility: Most horse campgrounds in the Beaver area operate from spring through fall. Maple Springs Campground runs "mid April to mid October," while Chester Woods Park operates from "3rd weekend May to 2nd weekend October."
Tips for camping with families
Educational opportunities: Historic sites complement camping experiences near Beaver. "I loved the campground area which nestled in a small valley. On top of that it has this awesome living history 1800's village managed by the Minnesota Historical Society," shares Jason S. about Forestville Mystery Cave.
Water recreation options: Lake Louise State Park Campground provides swimming access in a family-friendly setting. "This is a great family park where the kids and grown-ups can have fun! You can go fishing at the pond without having to purchase a Minnesota Fishing License!" explains Rodney A.
Group facilities: Several parks accommodate larger family gatherings. "Our group of 12 stayed at one of the two group sites at Lake Louise State Park. Our site holds up to 30 and the neighboring site holds up to 50. Our site was a beautiful spot with large shade trees, three picnic tables and two fire pits," reports Steph H.
Tips from RVers
Electrical hookups: Chester Woods Park provides electric-only sites with centralized water access. "Only electric hooks ups at each site. They do have a fresh water filling station and a dump station. Well worth the $30 per night charge," notes Kirk J.
Dump station locations: RV campers should plan their arrivals and departures around servicing needs. "In the tent sites there was very little light, which made star gazing amazing. With no Verizon cell service, not sure if others did, I needed to communicate with family," explains John C. about Maple Springs Campground.
Site positioning: Some horse campgrounds have unique configurations for RVs. "Our site was rather odd as the electric and water post was on the opposite side of our camper. Our standard water hose and electrical cord wouldn't reach so we ended up backing up the hill to get next to the water and filled our tank for the weekend," reports Karin W. about her experience at Haycreek Valley.
