Best Equestrian Camping near Dakota, MN
Are you planning a trip to Dakota with your horse? We've got you covered. Camping with your horse in Dakota just got easier. You're sure to find the perfect site for your Minnesota horse camping excursion.
Best Equestrian Sites Near Dakota, MN (11)
1. Wildcat Mountain State Park Campground
Ontario, Wisconsin19 Reviews•45 Photos•150 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Electric Hookups
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- ADA Access
2. Money Creek & Vinegar Ridge — R.J.D. Memorial Hardwood State Forest
Money Creek, Minnesota2 Reviews•7 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- RVs
- Tents
- Equestrian
3. Forestville Mystery Cave State Park Campground
Preston, Minnesota17 Reviews•54 Photos•88 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Electric Hookups
- Reservable
- ADA Access
- RVs
$35 / night
5. Pietrek County Park
Galesville, Wisconsin2 Reviews•19 Photos•10 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Electric Hookups
- Phone Service
- ADA Access
- RVs
6. Oak Ridge / Wet Bark Recreation Area — R.J.D. Memorial Hardwood State Forest
Houston, Minnesota1 Review•3 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Group
- Equestrian
7. Maple Springs Campground
Preston, Minnesota10 Reviews•8 Photos•21 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Electric Hookups
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- RVs
$35 / night
8. Chester Woods Park
Eyota, Minnesota5 Reviews•18 Photos•50 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Electric Hookups
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- ADA Access
9. Whippoorwill Ranch Kampground
Plainview, Minnesota1 Review•3 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Electric Hookups
- Reservable
- RVs
- Tents
10. Zumbro Bottoms Central — R.J.D. Memorial Hardwood State Forest
Be the first to review!Kellogg, Minnesota•1 SaveCentral Assembly Area is moderate in size; it is a primitive campground designed to furnish only the camper's basic needs, vault toilets, and hand-pumped water. There are fire rings, picnic tables, picket lines, and manure bunkers in the campground.
There are no designated campsites in this campground, and campers can set up as they wish, keeping in line with these rules:
Portable pens must be 50 feet from the road to minimize damage to the grass and not be around trees. Horses cannot be tied to trees. Keep the size of your campsite reasonable. To allow for other campers to use only the amount of space you need. All camping is first-come, first-serve. Do not block off space for friends who will be arriving later. Clean up your campsite when you leave. Take all garbage with you and put all hay and manure in the bunkers provided. This is a popular camping area and on busy weekends can accommodate about 20 camping units. Quiet hours are between 10:00 p.m.–8:00 a.m. (this includes no generator use). Please be considerate of others around you.Zumbro Bottoms offers access to 44 miles of horseback riding trails. The trails have been marked with brown signs showing appropriate uses.
- Fires
- RVs
- Tents
- Equestrian
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Dispersed
$14 - $16 / night
Recent Equestrian Reviews in Dakota
58 Reviews of 11 Dakota Campgrounds
- Jarrett G.
Traveler
Wildcat Mountain State Park Campground
Sweet place
Very cool secluded walk in sites, pet friendly, awesome trails.
- S
Steve S.
Scout
Maple Springs Campground
WiFi intermittent
WiFi intermittent At far end of campgrounds. Very clean showers and bathroom near office
- SSteph
GuideWildcat Mountain State Park Campground
Beautiful area and great Kickapoo access
This is a smaller campground but makes up for it with all the access around it. Ice Cave trail was a neat, quick walk. The trails around have gorgeous views of the driftless area and Kickapoo river. I stayed at site 1. While it is right next to the campground road and a trail, trees block the views from people looking in and there was not that much traffic. It is a tent only site and can fit one tent. Was a good site for just me and would stay at this site again as most of the other sites are very explored.
- Kristi D.
LegendWildcat Mountain State Park Campground
Lovely quiet park
Nice campground, quiet would come back! It was our first time to WI so the scenery to the park was just beautiful.
Our campsite was nice. Spaced out enough from neighbors that we were comfortable. Do not like the nickel and diming of WI state parks. Charge the site fee which is reasonable enough but then a $8 reservation fee that gets you to $40 and then another $11 to NR's for the vehicle pass. You can get an annual pass for $38 but when you are just passing through it's not worth it. Brought us to $51 for the stay and it was worth it since we needed a place to camp, but I've stayed in better places for less. This park was much better than Rocky Arbor.
Bathrooms were super clean for a campground. Good shower with directions on wall, which was a nice touch. The cement in shower is stained so it looks dirty but it's really pretty clean. Enjoyed my hot shower here.
Hiked the Old Settlers Trail. It was nice, some elevation changes that get you attention. It was muggy and hot as I hiked right after the rain, so temperature was miserable at times, but it is July! The entire trail was about 3 miles round trip from the campground. Definitely check out observation point! Beautiful view!!!
Jennifer O.GuideMaple Springs Campground
Great Campground close to State Park
Really nice campground. Well maintained and level sites. Had a river to walk along and playground and animals for kids to enjoy. Staff were really nice and helpful. They had (free) loaner electric cords and water hoses for the sites that had a longer distance to go to the box/spigot. The state park was just down the road with great hiking.
Brian O.LegendWildcat Mountain State Park Campground
the best river for canoeing / kayaking in Wisconsin
This was our second visit to this park. On both occasions we wanted to canoe the scenic Kickapoo river. Our first trip was five years ago and we got portage service for our canoe from Titanic Rentals in Ontario. We went from there (bridge 1) to bridge 12 Which took nearly all day, but we were able to have lunch at the park's Wildcat landing, the only real and equipped picnic site along the river. NOTE; Google maps makes it look like the campground and landing are near each other. They are not. It's three miles of very steep roads, so don't think you're going to fetch anything you left behind.
The campground is on top of the ridge, which means in the morning you will look out over a fog shrouded valley through the trees. The views from the overlooks, which are a short hike, are worth checking out. Campsite 15 is the only one with a clear view.
There are walk in sites and the paths are wide and clear. The park provides large carts for your stuff so you can really pack stuff in and get away from it all. But the family tent and RV sites generally well spaced, check the map as some are more private than others.
Our second trip was in August, 2023 and we canoed from bridge 12 to LaFarge (bridge 21). It was later in the season than our previous trip, and in the slightly less scenic stretch of the river. As a result, we didn't see any other boaters.
Campsites have basic fire ring, and there are pit toilets as well as one Full facility with running water and hot showers. Firewood is available at the Ranger station.
There's also Equestrian camping elsewhere in the park and lots of trails for both hikers and horses.
The town of Ontario has a good general store and a couple bars, but this is pretty much wilderness and small farms. Two unique places however are Wild Things Furrier near bridge twelve. Want a coonskin cap or some smoked trout? This is the place.
More unique than that if you want to treat yourselves, go 34 miles south to the St. Frances Hermitage restaurant. It's run by a small order of French Monks and Nuns who raise their own animals and grow the vegetables they serve. Their bakery is also delicious. This is not fast food, this is a gastronomic experience.
Michael V.
RangerMoney Creek & Vinegar Ridge — R.J.D. Memorial Hardwood State Forest
Good hunting campground
Stayed here multiple times throughout the years, not much to it. Put toilets, usually slow except during hunting season. Camp sites are decent but primative.
- Michael V.Ranger
Oak Ridge / Wet Bark Recreation Area — R.J.D. Memorial Hardwood State Forest
Horse trail campground
Small campground, usually no one here except during hunting season. Not much to this place.
- BBridgerScout
Wildcat Mountain State Park Campground
Great area for canoeing and kayaking
Pretty cool state park. Campground is located on the top of the hill. Wish there were more hiking trails. You can also hike on the horse trails if you want. Would highly recommend canoeing or kayaking the Kickapoo River if you are spending a weekend there.
- KKevinGuide
Chester Woods Park
Large sites
Nice place but it is a campground not an rv park, 30 & 50 amp service but no water hookup (fill when you come in) and dump tanks when leaving,
Justin S.Traveler
Pietrek County Park
Well maintained
Nice big tent sites down by the river. Walking trails were nice but recommend pants as the grass was long in spots. Plenty of wildlife and could not hear the cars from the highway.
anne K.Guide
Forestville Mystery Cave State Park Campground
1st tent camp of the season
Stayed here one night in early may and hiked the big spring trail. Site #42 was private with partial shade and a very nice and level gravel tent pad. The site was plenty big with plenty of room for activities. The shower facilities were very clean, same story for the latrines.
Anthony L.TravelerWildcat Mountain State Park Campground
Family Campsite #29
A chilly weekend at Wildcat. Site 29 is nestled in between the family campground and the bathroom/shower facility. Electric is provided. Wood sales run until 5pm or 7pm depending on the day.
The site is open and near two others on the corner, but with enough distance to keep relative privacy.
Excellent hiking options with incredible overlooks.
- JJOSEPH M.Scout
Maple Springs Campground
Eden
We stayed here for the month of august, and this place is awesome! Beautiful spaces of various size, 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, volley ball court, lots of shade trees, easy access, and Andy(owner/operator) is the nicest person you’ll ever want to meet. For those so inclined there’s church service on Sunday in an old (cool looking!) barn! Fire pits at every spot. There is WiFi there, but little to no phone service unless you have a cell booster. 5/5 will definitely be back!
- MMichelle A.Traveler
Whippoorwill Ranch Kampground
Mature crowd and tons of fun!
We had a fabulous experience at BJ's this weekend. Mark, Sheri and the staff are good people who work hard to make sure you have a great time. The food is excellent and comes out SO FAST; bravo to the kitchen staff! Bartenders are very attentive; Tasha took excellent care of us! The campsites are well kept and spacious. There are no picnic tables in the sites, but we got along just fine without. We can't wait to go back!
- jjoleenScout
Maple Springs Campground
Clean, friendly, with a trout stream running past
Well maintained trails, lovely hosts & amenities. Not like any other campground.
- Anthony L.Traveler
Wildcat Mountain State Park Campground
Amazing Cart-In Experience
My son and I stayed at site 106. Carts for hauling gear are in great condition. Clean restroom/shower facilities. Water available on trail next to the site. Access to the parks trail system is right by the parking area as well.
Will head back again before winter.
Mark N.GuideChester Woods Park
Nice County Park
Nice park for everyone’s type from tents, cabins and all size RV’s. Electric only at the camp sites but have water and dump station on site. Clean bathrooms and showers. Best value I’ve seen for fire wood. Has many walking trails that you can take your dog on and just a couple that you can’t.
Josh F.LegendWildcat Mountain State Park Campground
I love this small but mighty state park
This is a small state park in terms of overall number of campsites, but its network of hiking and horseback riding trails is extensive. What makes this state park particularly interesting from a camping perspective are the walk-in(or cart in) sites. There are 12 sites you can't drive to, and the park provides very nice carts for each site(unlike other state parks where there is one or two carts for all of the sites or none at all(Blue Mounds and Gov. Dodge State Parks respectively).
Walk-In Sites
If you are looking for privacy, cart-in site 119 is quite a ways off the trail and far from the parking lot, but it's a bit small. It has some nice midday sun but is otherwise obscured by a lot of foliage which gives it a nice amount of privacy. Number 103 is in a heavily-wooded area and doesn't get a lot of sun but is nicely situated off the main path providing it quite a bit of privacy, but not too far from the parking area. On the other hand, number 104 directly across the gravel path from 103 is situated with a east-facing view of a very nice prairie, providing ample morning sunshine. However, a grove of trees on its western side provides very nice afternoon shade.
s 103 and 104 are also a very easy walk to some of the cleanest vault toilets you'll ever find, or just a little farther to the very nice shower and running water toilet building. I think 103 and 104 are my two favorite walk-in sites. 105 is on the same side of the road as 103, and is also nestled into a grove of pine trees. It is a bit smaller than 103 and if you have a large tent or a couple of small tents you might want 103 instead. If you're looking for wide open big sky prairie overlooks, sites 106 and 107 are just for you. They are probably some of the furthest walk-in sites from the parking lot, but afford a lot of privacy and lots of sunlight.
Car Camping Sites
Now for the "car camping" sites. All of the electric sites are in a wide open in a large grassy area, and do not provide any privacy between sites or from the road. On the other hand, the non-electric sites afford a bit more privacy on their loop. The sites on the right hand side of the one-way street have far more privacy than the ones on the other side of the road. I would not like sites 1 through 5 because they are located between the main road and the campsite loop road, which would mean lots of car traffic and headlights in your tent all night long. On the left hand side of the road site 6, 9 and 11 are decent.
I would like to add a special note about sites 13 through 16. Three of these are on the outside of a small cul-de-sac loop, and are nicely situated in the woods, though they are close to the main road and would experience a fair amount of traffic noise. However, if you have a choice I would highly recommend avoiding site 16, it's in the middle of the loop has no privacy and isn't very pleasant except that it is completely shaded.
About the Park Itself
This state park has an extensive system of horseback riding and hiking trails. The nice thing is that the horseback trails are shared by hikers. This state park also has one of the most beautiful and well-maintained overlooks, peering down into and across the Kickapoo River Valley.
I highly recommend visiting this overlook in the morning, at sunset, and even in pure darkness. We saw a wide array of stars and the Milky Way thanks to low light pollution. I'm not saying there is no light pollution, but it's pretty darn dark. I fell in love with this state park. It has fewer than 50 campsites, well maintained shower and vault toilet blocks, and a beautiful selection of walking trails. It also has a very accurate map of the walking trails, so you can hike confidently.
The park office sells firewood for$5 a bundle, which is about the same kind and quantity as they sell for$7.50 at the gas station 7 miles down the road in Ontario, Wisconsin. If you need a groceries or gasoline, the Cenex gas station has a small but sufficient grocery supply if you you need something. We forgot to bring eggs and pancake mix and they had both.
Kayaking the Kickapoo
This is a great place to start your Kickapoo River kayaking adventure. We booked two kayaks with one of the Ontario-based outfitters and spend a glorious September day paddling and floating the absolutely beautiful river. I HIGHLY recommend taking a day to explore the beautiful scenery from the silence of a river kayak.
ANDY C.TravelerMaple Springs Campground
Pretty good.
Overall a nice place. It was very wet, standing water in the grass from lots of rain. Spot 105. Not much room between sites there and had to back turn around and back down the road to park. Memorial wknd, they had a very nice pot luck lunch and pork chops on a stick, all free and great food. Shower house is a quaint old farm house, it was very nice. General store and firewood. Dump station was in odd spot, if it were busy it wouldn't be good. Overall a nice time.
- ddaniel H.Guide
Forestville Mystery Cave State Park Campground
Feels like you’re in the middle of the woods
For a campground that’s not too far out of the way, you feel so secluded and hidden away in the woods. Its quiet and really easy to get some solitude.
- CChad P.Guide
Wildcat Mountain State Park Campground
Beautiful views
Not a lot of flat area. But great place to camp
- TTod S.Legend
Forestville Mystery Cave State Park Campground
Private sites, no mosquitoes
This is a pretty great campground with mostly large, private sites. Not all sites are level and there’s little to no cell coverage. The tours of the cave and historic Forestville are extra costs and are only available Thursday - Saturday
- TTodd W.Guide
Maple Springs Campground
Peaceful spot in the valley
We stayed here for a week in June to start our trip around the country and it was a great place to start our camping experience! The owner/host does a great job and is extremely helpful. Plenty to do in the area... we floated down the root river for about 3 hours and had a great time. The campground had everything we needed including a great little trout stream on the edge of the property, a hayride, movie for the family in the old red barn, and a church service in that same barn on Sunday. We will look forward to camping there again in the future!!
Scott S.GuideMoney Creek & Vinegar Ridge — R.J.D. Memorial Hardwood State Forest
Nice State Forest Campground
The are 8 sites. There is no water or electricity. One pit toilet for the site. 5 miles from Rushford MN. Access to Root River trail close by.
Megan L.TravelerForestville Mystery Cave State Park Campground
Open land, surrounded by trees
Campsites are flat and grassy. They back up to each other so good for groups camping together. Has horse tie ups and great trails
Megan J.TravelerForestville Mystery Cave State Park Campground
Great place
Bathrooms are close to camp. Camp sites are close to eachother, but there is tons of camping to get away!
Guide to Dakota
Horse camping in Minnesota offers a unique blend of outdoor adventure and equestrian-friendly amenities, making it a great choice for riders and their horses.
Equestrian campgrounds include these options
- The Reno Horse Campground provides a peaceful hike-in experience with ample space for multiple tents and stunning views of sandstone bluffs.
- Money Creek & Vinegar Ridge — R.J.D. Memorial Hardwood State Forest features primitive campsites that are perfect for those looking to enjoy nature without the distractions of modern amenities.
- Zumbro Bottoms West — R.J.D. Memorial Hardwood State Forest offers a drive-in option with basic facilities, ideal for equestrian campers seeking a rustic experience.
Equestrian campers like these nearby activities
- At Reno Horse Campground, enjoy numerous hiking trails that lead to breathtaking views of the forest and the Mississippi River.
- Money Creek & Vinegar Ridge — R.J.D. Memorial Hardwood State Forest is conveniently located near the Root River trail, perfect for exploring on horseback.
- Zumbro Bottoms Central — R.J.D. Memorial Hardwood State Forest provides access to scenic trails that are suitable for both hiking and horseback riding.
Campers appreciate these amenities for horses
- Reno Horse Campground features handmade rock fire pits and plenty of open space for setting up camp with your horse.
- At Money Creek & Vinegar Ridge — R.J.D. Memorial Hardwood State Forest, campers can enjoy a relaxed atmosphere where pets are welcome, making it a great spot for horse owners.
- Zumbro Bottoms West — R.J.D. Memorial Hardwood State Forest offers essential amenities like toilets and picnic tables, ensuring a comfortable stay for both horses and their riders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Dakota, MN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Dakota, MN is Wildcat Mountain State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 19 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Dakota, MN?
TheDyrt.com has all 11 equestrian camping locations near Dakota, MN, with real photos and reviews from campers.