Are you an equestrian lover who prefers a more rustic experience when you visit Willmar? Equestrian camping is the best way to experience nature. Search horse campsites and discover top-rated spots, as reviewed by other campers.
Sites are available in two campgrounds. Sites in the Lakeview Campground are near the lake and well-shaded. Oak Ridge sites include a variety of wooded and open locations.
Tie lines and water are available. Vault toilets only. For reservations, contact the state park reservation service by phone or online.
$25 / night
Ranger
This is now my favorite MN State Park. Campground is VERY WELL MAINTAINED. BRAND NEW Bathroom/shower building with large ADA showers.
I was there Tuesday through Saturday and I was THE ONLY CAMPER in the whole park Wednesday through Saturday!
Drinking water is very good and many fountains and hydrants are located all throughout the park, even way out on the trails there are water fountains.
Large stone pavilion for groups picnics.
In JULY The Prairie Trails are stunning with all the wild flowers in full bloom. Many trails and nice overlooks too. I walked and hiked the trail over and over because of the beautiful flowers and trails.
The MN State Historical Society could do a much better job at EDUCATING what really happened at the Fort and why. The signage is in need of repair and restoration. Make sure to read up about the fort before arriving so that you can appreciate the importance of the site you’re camping on.
The horse campground is also very well maintained and has nice shower/bathroom building. No flys and people have been great at cleaning up manure and putting it in the compost pile.
The creek through the campground is beautiful and the sound of water over the rock is great for sleeping. The creek is cool temperature even in July but kids have fun swimming and splashing. There are marked areas for crossing the creek which make great wading areas too.
Scout
Camped in site 81 in the Oak Ridge campground - this site was big enough for three tents, was nicely shaded and had great access to water and a bathroom w/shower. Was perfect for our group of 4. Saw a polite racoon that wandered into our campsite and then promptly left once we got it in our headlamps, we saw no evidence of its return once we turned in for the night.
Bugs at the camp site were minimal, a little heavier on the trail but nothing bug spray couldn't handle. Heard sites were very close at Lakeview so chose Oak Ride, but felt they were still pretty close and had many vehicles traveling on the one way drive from 10p until midnight. If you're a light sleeper or early to bed might be a challenge at this state park.
It was a short walk to the interpretive center and the Mt Tom trail. Beautiful views of the oak savannahs from the Mt Tom overlook and the big blue stem was just starting to fill out in the surrounding prairies. Swimming at Lake Andrew was fantastic and the beach was full of people enjoying the lake.
Overall a great park to spend a weekend at!
Guide
We had a lovely weekend overlooking Lac Qui Parle from our campsite. The lack of mature trees on the upper campground bluffs is a plus. A gentle breeze keeps the bugs down and allows for nice views. We have a 26’ travel trailer and got 2 bars of T-Mobile 5G service.
GuideI love checking out the state park walk-in camp sites. These sites are the first I've been at where you behave to hike up a steep hill. Totally worth it if you're staying for multiple nights. We only stayed one night, so lugging all our stuff up was not fun.
The main campground is a bit crowded with not a ton of space between sites. We did think #37 was a good pick: spaced farther away and the river sounds drawn-out anyone else.
Legend
The trails in the park have nice rolling hills and offer a unique type of beauty. The campground is small, but offers some electric sites as well as some primitive sites. I do believe there were 2 or 3 cabins that I saw. Unsure if there is a group camp with this campground being so small as it is. Firewood is available at the check in/office building. There is a bathroom/shower building in the loop with the electric sites. The electric loop and primitive loops both have vault toilets. Each loop also has a few water stations to fill containers with potable water and each loop has a dumpster for disposing of waste. Not sure if there is a dump station for RVs as I typically use a tent when camping. Nice state park in Rural central Minnesota
LegendNice beach for swimming. Shower and bathrooms available in the campground. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. Firewood is available at the office for about $6 per bundle. There are 2 campgrounds in the park.
Guide
We were here for a night in pouring rain but it looked very nice.
GuideWe tent camped at Sibley State Park from August 31 through September 3, 2022, in drive-in campsite #91 of the Oak Ridge campground. It was a last minute trip for us, right before the Labor Day weekend. We had the non-electric loop all to ourselves from Wednesday through midday Friday, and then the campground was a non-stop hub of activity as more campers arrived for the holiday weekend.
The park has two campgrounds. Oak Ridge is mostly wooded with some prairie sites and is more private. Lakeview is very open without privacy between campsites, but it has some mature trees for shade and is close to the beach and picnic area.
The reservation website mostly does not include tent pad dimensions, so we took a chance on a site not knowing whether our 10x14 tent would fit. Luckily, it did. Site #91 was spacious and wooded on three sides. We walked both campgrounds to check for non-electric sites that would accommodate our tent. If you have a large tent, consider these campsites: Oak Ridge 77, 78, 81, 83, 84, 87, 88, 90, 91, 93, and 94; Lakeview 46, 66, and 70.
The park is beautiful. There are lots of trails, a very nice beach and picnic area, and lots of wildflowers. We saw a lot of wildlife, including deer, raccoons, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, turkeys, song birds, butterflies, and frogs.
The high point in the park is Mt. Tom, and there is a trail to its peak. If you don’t want to do the hike, you can drive most of the way then walk a short, paved, moderately inclined path to the top. The view is lovely.
The biting bugs weren’t too bad during the day, but they were plentiful and aggressive in the evening. Remember your insect repellent!
GuideNice campground. Bathrooms clean but dated. Beautiful swimming beach short walk from campground. Good hiking trails. Good biking trails nearby.
Guide
ScoutCampsite 37 is right on a bend in the river and has an amazing view! Most others along the river don’t have the view but you can still sleep to the sound of running water (until you wake to the same sound…). Best part: no cell reception there (but there’s an app to help you not get lost that doesn’t require cell reception.
GuidePlenty of sites. Not too cramped. Plenty of trails with beautiful views. Next to a nice trout stream.
ScoutFun spot not far from the Twin Cities. Campsites are nicely spaced and pretty secluded. Nice trails, beach, and beach rentals.
GuideBeautiful wooded campsite on a creek. Great hike up to the lookout!
GuideGreat family campground. Lots of shade cover. Oak ridge is perfect for larger rigs (<35 feet - anything bigger there are only 2 spots that will fit) (no electric or water). Clean vault toilets. Lots for kids to do. Canoeing, fishing, paddle boards. Great hiking trails. Loop for kids to bike on easily. Easy to get to.
For those using the dump station it’s on a hill and tougher for bigger rigs to use. No flushing station. But water throughout park. Firewood at the station. Small number of electric sites in the first campground but sites are closed together and less privacy/shade. Bathhouse is in first campground.
Guide
Good spot to stop for a short stay. Not much room for bigger rigs to get around but doable if dry.
TravelerThis place is woods meets prairie, awesome trail with a great view
TravelerBusy place but nice trails
ScoutOff the beaten path..so lots of peace & quiet to enjoy..beautiful rustic camping spots throughout the park..picnic table & fIrepit at each spot & bathrooms nearby..can camp right next to the creek..fun fishing for kids..trails throughout the park for walking..horse camping avail also..beautiful place to relax and have some fun!
RangerOverlooks the Pomme De Terre River, free to camp, wayside rest and with canoe drop in.
Traveler
About 1/2 seasonal sites and intermingled short-term sites. Well-kept with fair amount of trees. Nice beach, but small. On site horseback riding was great. Unfortunately, during COVID, the bar was not available. Can't wait to stay during one of the music events.
TravelerOur favorite part of this trip was renting stand up paddle boards. The lake water was crystal clear and glass like calm.
The weekend we camped it was scorching hot. Most of the hiking trails in the park were through the prairie grass. The High Peak Trail did have some lovely views though!
GuideThis was a nice campground and great hiking.
TravelerPretty nice campground with water and electric. Bathhouse, walking trails, fishing and beautiful lake views. Some sites are a little difficult to get into but not impossible.
TravelerWe booked our stay at the Lower Campground on a whim as it was one of the only campsites available in MN on a two week notice during Covid. It turned out to be a pleasant surprise! The park is perfect for a short weekend trip. Campground was well maintained with easy access to the hiking trails and a nice view of the lake. There was enough exploring to fill a day or two. The sites are close side-to-side, but trees line the outside sites and there is good back-to-back space between the inner sites. Not all sites have hammock trees though. We got very lucky with the August weather as the bugs were completely manageable both at the campground and on the hikes. The Lower Campground is the only one with electric sites, but the Oak Ridge had nice shade and space. Preferred sites in Lower Campground would be 7 for non-electric for privacy and lake views, and 14e, 16e, and 18e for electric. Bathrooms were not open for use when we came. Also, the water fill and dump stations are on the opposite side of most campers which was the only downside. There was not water supply at the dump station to rinse out the tank. But overall, it’s nice trip that’s only two hours from the Twin Cities. We enjoyed the prairie views and the lake. Will be back!
TravelerWe tent camped in the non electric sites in the Lower Campground. They were shady thank goodness, but not very flat or large. Your tent will be on rocks, not grass.
When we were visiting, the shower house was closed due to Covid, so no review of that. The vault toilet was stocked with TP and fairly clean. The portapotty was near full and smelled awful. Didn’t look like it had been emptied all summer! Gross.
The lake was really high when we visited, which led to a useless campground fishing pier and a boat dock that you had to swim to to use. There was no beach, but there may have been if the water level was normal. Watch out for biting sunnies in the swim area and enormous snapping turtles stealing the fish off your hook at the fishing pier near the swim area.
We did go into Starbuck which is 5 miles away. Very impressive beach, groceries and a DQ all an easy drive away.
TravelerWe had a great site with plenty of room for my large family. The campground was clean and nice with plenty of area for the kids to explore. The strong wind off the lake made fishing from shore nearly impossible. Only one dock was in the water, but the kids loved the beach.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Willmar, MN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Willmar, MN is Oak Ridge Campground — Sibley State Park with a 4.1-star rating from 19 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Willmar, MN?
TheDyrt.com has all 8 equestrian camping locations near Willmar, MN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
