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Best Equestrian Camping near Hayward, MN

73 Reviews

Lake Louise State Park Campground offers equestrian camping with dedicated trails for horseback riding. The campground features regular camping sites along with a separate horse camp area. Trails wind through forest and prairie landscapes, giving riders varied terrain to explore. The park maintains clean facilities with exceptionally well-kept bathrooms according to visitor reports. Horse owners need to bring their own portable corrals or tethering equipment as permanent corrals are not provided on site. The campground's quiet setting makes it popular for those seeking a peaceful riding experience with minimal highway noise in the background.

Located approximately 25 miles from Hayward, Minnesota, the equestrian trails at Lake Louise connect to the wider regional trail system. The park offers good trailer parking with space for larger rigs and easy access to riding paths. Water is available for horses at designated locations throughout the campground. The riding season typically runs from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, with some trail limitations possible during wet conditions. Riders particularly appreciate the diversity of bird species visible along the trails. The Shooting Star Trail traverses through the campground, providing additional riding opportunities. Reservation requirements apply for the horse camping area, especially during peak summer weekends when the limited equestrian sites fill quickly.

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Best Equestrian Sites Near Hayward, Minnesota (8)

    1. Pilot Knob State Park Campground

    12 Reviews
    Forest City, IA
    32 miles
    Website
    +1 (641) 581-4835

    $10 - $18 / night

    "Located by New Ulm, MN this campground has plenty of activities in the park or very near the park."

    "When driving to my site two fawns were laying near the playground."

    2. Sakatah Lake State Park Campground

    24 Reviews
    Waterville, MN
    42 miles
    Website
    +1 (507) 362-4438

    "Great park if you’re not looking to drive too far to enjoy a bit of nature. Wonderful hiking paths and biking paths. Our site was nice a secluded and right next to the trail heads."

    "Sites are wooded and shady but some are close to neighboring sites. Not too many mosquitos or flies for August in Minnesota! Sakatah Singing Hills paved trail runs through the park. "

    3. Clear Lake State Park Campground

    12 Reviews
    Clear Lake, IA
    38 miles
    Website
    +1 (641) 357-4212

    $12 - $20 / night

    "We love coming to Clear Lake! The campgrounds are always very well kept, bathrooms very clean! Easy access to the lake, and the town has so much to do during the summer months!"

    "Clear lake state park is a nice campground. It does get very busy during peak season and traffic is continuous. It is clean and close to the beach. Down town and other shopping is a short drive away."

    4. Lake Louise State Park Campground

    6 Reviews
    Le Roy, MN
    37 miles
    Website
    +1 (507) 724-2107

    "The group sites are close by and they were quite loud, but the rest of the park was nice and quiet. There is horse camping here, and the lake is nice for swimming."

    "You can go fishing at the pond without having to purchase a Minnesota Fishing License!"

    5. Kamp Dels

    12 Reviews
    Waterville, MN
    43 miles
    Website

    "We reserved a spot right next to the pool area. It was a tight fit to back the camper it, but I was able to do it. They have cement pads for a patio area and a fire ring."

    "The one drawback, in my opinion, is that the lake it is right next to doesn’t have a beach for swimming. That was a little disappointing for me."

    6. Shellrock River Co Preserve

    4 Reviews
    Nora Springs, IA
    34 miles
    Website
    +1 (641) 423-5309

    "Big grassy field surrounded by huge (walnut) trees. There a gravel track that goes along a large river. Trees everywhere so bring bug spray. Quiet, peaceful. Not private but worth it."

    7. Cedar Bridge County Park

    1 Review
    Osage, IA
    32 miles
    Website
    +1 (641) 732-5204

    "Dump station and dumpsters near the exit. Clean bathrooms and showers. Lots of space at each campsite. Good hiking and horse trails."

    8. Cannon River Wilderness Area

    2 Reviews
    Faribault, MN
    50 miles
    Website

    "We found a site tucked away from people which is what we like. We set up hammocks right next to the river."

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Equestrian Camping Reviews near Hayward, MN

73 Reviews of 8 Hayward Campgrounds

  • T
    Jun. 5, 2021

    Cedar Bridge County Park

    Terrific little RV park!

    You will love this park. There are about 20 self-serve sites with electric and water. Self serve firewood. Dump station and dumpsters near the exit. Clean bathrooms and showers. Lots of space at each campsite. Good hiking and horse trails. Sitting right on the Cedar River, it’s a great location to kayak and tube. Cheap at $20 a night. We showed up at 8:00 on a Fryevening and spots were available!

  • Hannah H.
    Jul. 10, 2021

    Lake Louise State Park Campground

    Lake Louise Summer

    Good time! It rained and was a little muddy, but it was nice. Site 11 is kind of small for a large tent like we have. The group sites are close by and they were quite loud, but the rest of the park was nice and quiet. There is horse camping here, and the lake is nice for swimming.

  • Nick G.
    Sep. 4, 2021

    Cannon River Wilderness Area

    Perfect place Found a great site

    For free the area is awesome right by the river. We found a site tucked away from people which is what we like. We set up hammocks right next to the river. The hike from parking is not bad at all about a 10 minute walk from parking to the farthest site.

  • Eric T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 31, 2022

    Sakatah Lake State Park Campground

    Short Ride South of MInneapolis

    Great park if you’re not looking to drive too far to enjoy a bit of nature. Wonderful hiking paths and biking paths.

    Our site was nice a secluded and right next to the trail heads.

    Only downside, if you’re looking for complete quiet, this isn’t the park. It’s next to the highway and there are residents that live on the lake that can be noisy.

    Otherwise, wonderful park especially for families.

  • Patty M.
    Sep. 1, 2022

    Sakatah Lake State Park Campground

    Close to Twin Cities, Wooded sites

    Beautiful, small state park less than an hour south of Twin Cities. Sites are wooded and shady but some are close to neighboring sites. Not too many mosquitos or flies for August in Minnesota! Sakatah Singing Hills paved trail runs through the park.  It was pouring on Saturday so most of the other campers checked out and we had the campground mostly to ourselves. Super friendly and helpful staff, clean restrooms. Faribault is 15 minutes away so we went antique shopping at Keeper's Antiques downtown and had cocktails at 10,000 Drops Distillery for rainy day activities.

  • Fitore M.
    Sep. 4, 2019

    Sakatah Lake State Park Campground

    A perfect getaway

    Everything was beautiful. We camped for a week in southern Minnesota state parks, but this one is our favourite.

  • R
    Jul. 9, 2021

    Lake Louise State Park Campground

    Nice Little Park

    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!

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 25, 2023

    Pilot Knob State Park Campground

    Layout of campground would be challenging if full

    General: A mixture of tent (non-electric) and electric sites, mostly arranged in several rows. 

    Site Quality: Mixed. Not all sites are level, and most do not have delineated parking pads (there is a small pavement indent to show where to access the site). A fire pit and picnic table complete the site. Most of the sites are too close together for our liking, however, when we were there (a Monday at the end of August, the day before school started), we were only one of three sites occupied so for our stay it didn’t matter. 

    Bathhouse: Basic but clean. My biggest complaint is there were no hooks or shelves for toiletries by the sinks. The showers looked nice but we did not use them. 

    Activities: Horseback riding (there are trails for this), hiking, fishing. Although we did see several trailheads, I did not have a map so didn’t explore them. There is an observation tower, but it is a two-mile walk/drive from the campground (on paved roads; I didn’t try to find hiking trails to get there). 

    Misc: A shout-out to the great host, Pam, who greeted us as we arrived. The observation tower, entrance gates, and picnic shelter were all constructed by the CCC and were beautiful. It almost seemed like the campground was an afterthought as it is outside the entrance gates and nowhere near the tower. The layout of the campground would be challenging if all sites were occupied.

  • Steph H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 17, 2017

    Lake Louise State Park Campground

    Great Group Site

    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. We also had a large grassy area to play and an area to put up our tents that was away from the activities. A vault toilet was beside us but it was also for the other group site so they had to constantly walk thru our site to get to it. The trails were nice but small and the beach is not recommended. Even though it's part of a river it was very stagnant yucky water and dirty sand.

Guide to Hayward

Horse camping in Minnesota offers a unique opportunity for equestrians to explore the great outdoors while enjoying the company of their horses. With various campgrounds equipped with horse-friendly amenities, riders can experience the beauty of nature alongside their equine companions.

Campers appreciate these amenities for horses

Most campgrounds have horse-focused amenities like trails and facilities

Tips for equestrian camping near Hayward, Minnesota

  • When visiting Kamp Dels, arrive early to secure a spacious site that accommodates both your horse and camping gear comfortably.
  • At Clear Lake State Park Campground, be sure to check the availability of horse trails and plan your rides accordingly to make the most of your stay.
  • Consider bringing your own firewood and supplies when camping at Cedar Bridge County Park to enhance your camping experience and ensure you have everything you need for a fun-filled adventure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Hayward, MN?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Hayward, MN is Pilot Knob State Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 12 reviews.

What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Hayward, MN?

TheDyrt.com has all 8 equestrian camping locations near Hayward, MN, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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