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Best Equestrian Camping near Money Creek, MN

68 Reviews

Reno Horse Campground in the R.J.D. Memorial Hardwood State Forest offers primitive tent camping for equestrians with trail access. The campground area connects to multiple hiking trails, including paths that lead to sandstone bluffs overlooking the forest and Mississippi River. No designated horse corrals are provided at the camping area, making it necessary for visitors to bring their own containment systems. Many riders use highlines or portable corrals when staying overnight. The camping area remains open throughout riding season, generally May through November when trail conditions permit.

Located near the Wisconsin border and Mississippi River, this primitive camping destination serves as an access point to the extensive trail network throughout the hardwood forest. The terrain features varied elevations with some challenging sections across bluffs and valleys. During peak season, horse owners should arrive early to secure camping spots as the area operates on a first-come basis without reservations. The small quarry area near the campground provides a large open space suitable for multiple tents with handmade rock fire pits. The trails include both wooded segments and some routes that offer views across the valley. The bugs are typically manageable with no significant tick problems reported during normal conditions. The natural setting provides quiet camping with minimal road noise for a peaceful experience with horses.

Best Equestrian Sites Near Money Creek, Minnesota (14)

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Equestrian Camping Reviews near Money Creek, MN

68 Reviews of 14 Money Creek Campgrounds

  • Crystal B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 27, 2026

    Oak Ridge / Wet Bark Recreation Area — R.J.D. Memorial Hardwood State Forest

    Rustic equestrian friendly campsites in bluff country near Houston MN.

    Located on state forest land there are 2 separate areas right next to each other. The first loop is for smaller vehicles and tents and the larger area should be reserved for larger vehicles with horse trailers. There are hiking and equestrian trails present into the state forest land. There is one vault toilet. No other amenities. Beautiful area!

  • TyAnn J.
    Aug. 23, 2018

    Forestville Mystery Cave State Park Campground

    Family friendly adventures await among the tall oakes and maples

    Mystery Cave State Park is surrounded in in a lush green forest with huge oak and maple trees that hang over the road like a huge living canopy. My new word while we stayed there was “Forresty” due to feeling like we had entered a different world. There are so many activities to do both within the park and surrounding areas, but my most favorite thing to do was walk the endless miles of hiking trails. (Word to the wise, some of the trails are hiking/equestrian so watch your step😂) We didn’t do our homework, but if we would have known, we would have brought our fishing rods as the rivers were full of trout!!

    We arrived at 2:00pm on Saturday, after a long 5 hour drive from northern Minnesota. It was amazing to watch the landscape change from iron ore mining pits to countless acres of corn and potatoes!! Check in time is 4:00pm, but our spot was empty when we arrived, so the park rangers let us set up early (Friendly and most helpful!!) We grabbed a bundle of wood for $6.00 for a campfire while we were at the park office. (that is pretty normal rates as you can’t bring in your own wood at State Parks in Minnesota) There are 3 different loops, an additional equestrian loop, and 5 cabins. We stayed in loop “C” with has bigger sites for RV’s and offers electricity. Loops “A” and “B” have smaller sites (still big!!) and both of those loops are non-electric. None of the sites are “full” hook up, but there is a dump station & fresh water fill right off the park office. The restrooms and showers are just off of the “C” loop, as was the amphitheater, and there are garbage/recycling bins every 4-5th site. The park was very noisy, but that all changed when most of the folks left Sunday. It was very peaceful the rest of the week.

    There are so many things outside the park to do too!! We were not aware, but the Mystery Cave is a short drive from the state park. We took the scenic tour, and our guide Kip was fantastic!!! Hey let everyone ask all the questions they wanted to, and didn’t rush us at all!! The rate is $15.00 for adults, $10.00 for kids 5-12, and kids under 5 go for free. The pictures just don’t do it justice!! The next day we drove to Masonic Park in Spring Valley and we were amazed by the sheer size of the rock face!! There is no charge to picnic or visit there and there is one spot for camping, but you need to get permission from the city before doing so. We also toured Niagra Cave which is a longer drive, but well worth it!! The underground waterfall was super cool!! They charge $16.00 per adult, kids 4-12 are $10.00, and children under 4 are free.

    All in all this was a great get away for our family, and I highly recommend staying at the park:)

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 28, 2019

    Pietrek County Park

    Nice little county park

    This was an interesting little campground sandwiched between the road and the Trempealeau River. The backstory on the park is that the gentleman who originally owned the land had asked that when he died that it be preserved as a wildlife area. His death came much sooner than anyone thought, and the family worked with the county to donate the land to the county as a park. There are about six tent only sites set back near the river, with three of them in close proximity to each other (I think it is used as a group camping area). When I was there the sites were poorly maintained and only had two fire pits and tables for all six sites combined. There are 25ish RV type sites with either just electric or electric and water. Some of these sites are set up back to back in an open field, which is not very appealing. The grass had been let to grow very long before the recent cutting, so it was like walking through freshly mown hay. There is a horse arena (very muddy when I was there), and it looks like you can camp with your horses on the edge of the RV area. The showers were really nice and fairly new.

  • 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.

  • Brian K.
    May. 7, 2017

    Chester Woods Park

    Great weekend spot!

    Chester Woods is a county park just east of Rochester, MN. It has a campground and man-made lake (created when Bear Creek was dammed for a flood control project) with hiking trails, a horse trail, picnic shelters, a beach, and a playground. The campsites have nice, soft ground for tents, and electrical outlets are available. It can get noisy on the weekend, but the sites are nice along the edge of the campground.

    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, and there is also good shoreline structure and weed beds. There is a fish cleaning house next to the campground which has electric lighting, but no running water.

  • Mary S.
    Aug. 19, 2018

    Big Paint Campground — Yellow River State Forest

    Small campground has nearby hiking and fishing

    This review is for Yellow River State Forest's Big Paint Campground which consists of sites 35 through 61. Big Paint is a couple miles from Little Paint, a larger campground with 70+ sites. There are two equestrian campgrounds (Creekside and Little Frontier with sites numbered 1 through 34) as well as hike in campgrounds for backpackers. A photo of an area map is included.

    Why did we choose Big Paint instead of Little Paint?

    It's smaller and that's just our personal preference. There were only 4 sites occupied early Friday afternoon and a few more were reserved. We liked site 35, the first site on the left as you enter. This site is like being in a garden with trees and flowers surrounding the site. It had rained and more rain was coming, so the gravel parking pad on #35 was appealing. Most of the sites are completely on the grass.

    Activities

    Stocked trout streams are an attraction for fishermen; see photo of stocking calendar. We enjoyed hiking despite the mosquitoes and humidity in August and were able to make a 5+ mile loop leaving from the campground. You can also hike from Little Paint, and there are equestrian trails. This would also be a good area for X-country skiing and snowmobiling. A photo of the trail map is included. Caution: hunting is allowed in the non-campground area of the state forest.

    Amenities

    Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. Other than that, you can dispose of your trash and use a vault toilet. There's water at the information center (and a camp host site) outside the campground about 100 yards to the left.

    Cost

    You're not getting much (and that's not a bad thing) so the $9 fee seems fair. Pay up front at the entrance station, or make a reservation online at last 2 days ahead of time (and pay a reservation fee). There are 7 non-reservable sites at Big Paint. I doubt that Big Paint fills up; just check the reservation site to see if they get crowded.

    https://iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/yellow-river-state-forest/r/campsiteSearch.do?search=site&page=siteresult&contractCode=IA&parkId=610130

  • Crystal B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 29, 2025

    Zumbro Bottoms Central — R.J.D. Memorial Hardwood State Forest

    Nice small horse camping

    The campground is down a minimum maintenance road, but the road is pretty good though. Just one circle with 17 sites. There are many miles of horse and hiking trails in the area. 2 Vault toilets. No showers. Some picnic tables/fire rings/tie outs for horses.

Guide to Money Creek

R.J.D. Memorial Hardwood State Forest offers several equestrian-friendly camping options near Money Creek, Minnesota. The forest sits at approximately 1,200 feet above sea level with terrain characterized by sandstone bluffs, hardwood forests, and valley views. Camping areas remain accessible May through November when trail conditions permit, though early arrival is recommended during peak riding season for the first-come, first-served sites.

What to do

Trout fishing access: Maple Springs Campground provides access to quality fishing areas. "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," notes Todd W.

Cave exploration: Visitors can explore underground formations at Forestville Mystery Cave State Park Campground. "The cave tour is well worth the entry fee. If you go on weekend probably need to make reservations," reports Jim C. The cave tours cost $15 for adults and $10 for children 5-12.

Trail riding networks: The extensive trail system throughout R.J.D. Memorial Hardwood State Forest connects various camping areas. "We went the extra mile at every turn... It's a very short road ride to the park trails and the campground and their amenities are first rate," explains Jen M. from Maple Springs Campground.

What campers like

Quiet camping environment: Campers appreciate the peaceful setting at Money Creek & Vinegar Ridge — R.J.D. Memorial Hardwood State Forest. "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," notes Scott S.

Spacious camping areas: Horse owners value sites that accommodate their equipment. "The sites have water and electric. There are high ties for the horses. The sites have a nice gravel pad with picnic table and fire ring at each site," reports Jen M. about the horse camp at Maple Springs.

Wildlife viewing: The forest environment supports diverse wildlife. "Bird life is colorful. Lots of places to hike. Scenery is lush," writes Tori L. about Big Paint Campground — Yellow River State Forest, located just across the Minnesota-Iowa border.

What you should know

Limited facilities: Most horse campgrounds near Money Creek are primitive. "Small campground, usually no one here except during hunting season. Not much to this place," explains Michael V. about Oak Ridge / Wet Bark Recreation Area.

Cell service limitations: Communication can be challenging in this rural area. "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.

Site availability: During hunting seasons, campgrounds experience increased use. "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," explains Michael V.

Tips for camping with families

Swimming opportunities: Chester Woods Park offers water activities for children. "The campground is very clean and nice. The beach was great and clean. Fishing was great," notes Erik O. The park includes a swimming beach, boat docks, and fishing piers.

Educational activities: Forestville Mystery Cave State Park offers learning experiences. "I came here to explore the caves and it blew me away. I think the cave was around 12-13 miles long and there was water and different formations," explains Kevin T.

Site selection: For families with tents, consider terrain features. "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," reports Justin S. about Pietrek County Park.

Tips from RVers

Hookup information: Understand available utilities before arrival. "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," advises Kevin about Chester Woods Park.

Accessibility considerations: Large rigs should verify access routes. "This park is beautiful. It's as green as green gets. Lots of room. Only electric hooks ups at each site. They do have a fresh water filling station and a dump station," notes Kirk J.

Weather planning: Heavy rain can impact site conditions at equestrian campgrounds. "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," explains Andy C. about camping conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Money Creek, MN?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Money Creek, MN is Money Creek & Vinegar Ridge — R.J.D. Memorial Hardwood State Forest with a 3.7-star rating from 3 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 14 equestrian camping locations near Money Creek, MN, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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