The Dyrt can help you find the perfect horse camping site near Staples. Camping with horses is a beautiful way to experience nature. Search nearby equestrian campsites or find top-rated spots from other campers.
$21 / night
$14 / night
$30 - $60 / night
Legend
stayed here in the winter when the park was doing their lantern-lit snowshoe trail. They have 1 site available in the winter (125e I believe.. in the lower campground). We had room for a truck bed camper and a pop up clam ice fishing tent. Fire ring and picnic table at the site. The bathrooms and showers were closed for the season but cannot recall. Firewood is available at the office.
Ranger
Nice trails along the Mississippi River, easy to walk, good signage on trails, and good information signs with history of each site along the trail.
Very Clean men’s bathroom. One shower needs a new shower head.
Sites 40 to 45 are very nice and secluded. Sites 58 and 59 are prime secluded sites.
ScoutThis is a great state park. Group camping comes with its own bathroom building and shelter building with wood stove. The water is quite clean. Also there's even hot water in the bathroom.
GuideThe campsite was pretty wooded on most sides. I visited in the late spring so there were quite a few mosquitos since the campground is near the river. Bathrooms/showers were cleanish, water was mid from the outdoor taps but not horrible
LegendThis is a more rustic State Park. There's lots of history here most of it is just a plaque not actually something to see. The river was really high and there was a fair amount of mosquitoes outside but a lot of trails and a lot of signs and a lot of history in the park.
RangerNice wooded campground. Gravel sites, fairly level. Water fill and firewood available at the registration building. The water was high in iron.
Canoe and kayak rentals available. Lots of trails for hiking and biking. Bring bug spray in the summer!
Historical sites along hiking path.
Bathrooms and showers were decent. Dump station on site.
LegendCamped here on Oct 9, 2023. Large wooded campground on the lakefront. Easy access to the beach. Hiking trail. Very clean restroom/shower house. Level gravel campsite with metal fire ring and table. Water spigot short walk from campsite. Campground can accomodate all sorts of camping rigs. Paved campground loop road. Nice hosts and park ranger. Need to reserve online. Quiet. peaceful evening.
GuideNice park on the Mississippi and Crow Wing Rivers. The park encompasses the 1850’s town of Crow Wing. Great hiking trails. A lot of mosquitoes. Bring spray.
TravelerEnd of October, Stopped for just one night, probably about a 20ish minute drive from 94. Was able to purchase firewood after closing, and the campsite were easy to find after (7$)entry to the park. Campsites are reserved through an online system. We found the top campsite completely empty and plenty of sites had good tree coverage for privacy/ way no protection. Nice level sites with soft ground. Each site had a fire ring and picnic table. The only bathroom in walking distance to the upper campsites was a vault toilet located amongst the cabins. Seems like a great place to stay any season.
ScoutTent site is an open area with tall trees. It also offered an open view of the night sky & enjoyed watching the full moon! Next to the shower house which makes it a convenient trip to the bathroom. Stayed one night but will stay longer when bringing the kayaks. Price for this spot made my trip super cheap!
GuideNice larger sites, usual campground stuff. I stayed across from the lake and it was great. Fire pits, wood for sale, showers, water, etc.
GuideThere are plenty of campsite in the lower area that are very close to the water and good for RV people who do not care for privacy (like camping on a golf course). If you want privacy, go for the upper area which is completely forested with plenty of trees and brush between sites. I was in site 17 and was totally pleased... With one exception.
I paid full price for this site. But, the restrooms. showers, and water were shut off. If I am paying full high season rates, I want full services!!!!!! I appreciate there is no padlocked gate keeping people out in the off season. But, if it easy to turn off the water, showers, and bathrooms, it should also be easy to create a reduced rate for reduced services. Some other County, State, and Federal campgrounds charge nothing for no services off season camping. What is Minnesota's problem? Give people what they pay for!!!
This is purely a ripoff. It left me with a very unpleasant memory of this area and Minnesota.
GuideWe have been camping here in the middle of October for about 5 years now. The views in the fall are amazing! There are awesome trails through the woods and the chance to see plenty of wildlife. I only gave it 4 stars because the park rangers were rather rude this year compared to years passed. The bathrooms and shower houses are very well kept and the water gets hot enough too!
GuideThis campground has a upper and lower loop for camping. The lower is on the lake and the upper is more in the trees. The lower has a pretty view and is right on the lake but the sites are pretty close together. There seems to be a little more space in the upper loop but there is no view of the lake and it is quite a hike to get to it. Overall a very nice campground but I can imagine it is very busy in the summer.
ScoutWe introduced our youngest to camping at this campground. It’s a crazy story. In summary you couldn’t ask for a better first time family campground as far as my sons first camping experience lol well I’m surprised he doesn’t deeply hate camping. Everything that could of went wrong did including rain on a clear forecast and we didn’t equip the rain fly.
ScoutIt was a last minute booking over 4th of July. This was our first camping trip in our 30' camper, in a state park Campground. Not alot of room to maneuver 5th wheel around, spote are skinny, close together, not much shade. Showers are push button and lasted 5 seconds, NOT IMPRESSED!!
Legend
We were staying in the area so we took a look at the campground. It is very sufficient for what you need if you are staying with your horses. It is a primitive campground with running water out of spigots and vault toilets. Some excess firewood in the middle and plenty of space for your horses. The hitching posts were mostly in the shade but not all were. It is separated in two different parts but for the most part you can find shade unless this gets completely full.
We walked some trails and went up to lost lake...disappointed to see someone took apart a camper and left it there in a pile. The black flies were bad on our walk, but it did have some nice views along the way. Loads of raspberries along the road so we stopped in the shade and had a couple snacks. Lots of trails to hike and ride in the area and plenty of signs to warn you not to spook the horses which I think is good.
We did stop in at the local ranch and asked about the programs they offered. We are thinking to come back in the winter when they have sleigh rides.
GuideOutstanding! Not hesitate, this place is fabulous. The bathrooms/showers are clean. The sites are huge. The price cannot be beat for camping.
ScoutNice separation of sites. Easy access off of Highway 371. Bathrooms not updated as they are at other State Park campgrounds.
GuideI came the end of June 2021. It was extremely low cost to camp, however you need to pay the $7 entry fee per day as well (yearly pass is $35). There are showers and bathrooms available. Camp site 16 was amongst trees and added privacy and shade, however this is a busy campground so expect people walking through. People did quiet down and respect quiet times 10 PM- 8 am. I went into surrounding towns during the day and my campsite was left alone, so it was very secure.
Guide
Beautiful quiet riverside campground
RangerTent camp here once and a while, but finally got around to officially doing the hiking club trail. Love doing a sunset hike, this trail is just over two miles, all along the river, with pretty much continual sunset views if you take the trail East to West. It's a loop, which is always preferred I think. Nice picnic area by the river. Historic signs describing the old town are along the beginning part of the trail near the picnic area. Kinda fun to read about and feel what old settlements were like!
Easy and pretty trail, took just half an hour, went with the kids. Just an awesome sunset walk and a bit of moonlight!
ScoutGreat state campground, good hiking trails, Paul Bunyan Bike Trail passes through park(120 miles long).Crow Wing town site interesting. Sites pretty close together.
RangerI live close so I visit frequently to use the trails for running.
This park boasts an amphitheater, trails along the river, a group center, an historic site, decent bathroom facility, and spacious camp sites.
The electric site area isn’t super awesome, as it gets crowded and is more like a huge group camp. But the rest are way more private.
One thing missing is tent pad areas- still grassy and flat enough to truly be NBD, BUT, always nice to have a designated surface.
Great access for canoeing and kayaking the Mississippi water trail. If you start at Kiwanis Park in Brainerd- you can make it to crow wing in four hours leisurely, or three fairly easily.
Nice trails, good parking, good shower facilities, and pretty trails.
GuideThe lower campground has electric sites and is situated along Lake Carlos but there is little privacy between sites (126 and 127). We camped with another family so it was nice to have the open space between our sites where the kids could play and run. The boat launch was quite busy and there seemed to be a lot of people not staying in the campground who use the park for the day. The hiking trail along the lake was busy but once we got a little farther out the trails were quiet and peaceful. The highway outside the park was loud at night, it sounded like people were drag racing the Friday and Saturday nights we stayed.
GuideLots of screaming kids the weekend we were here, but we found the quiet trails. Lower campground offers no privacy, but a newer shower house and views and access to the lake. Upper campground has a handful of sites that are tucked into the woods and are really quite lovely.
GuideExcellent hiking trails away from the lake. Lake Carlos itself is fairly developed and busy with motor boats. The campground was nearly full and clean.
Horse camping in Minnesota offers a unique opportunity to explore the great outdoors while enjoying the company of your equine friends. With a variety of campgrounds catering specifically to horse enthusiasts, you can find the perfect spot to set up camp and ride the scenic trails.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Staples, MN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Staples, MN is Crow Wing State Park Campground with a 3.9-star rating from 25 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Staples, MN?
TheDyrt.com has all 6 equestrian camping locations near Staples, MN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
