Best Equestrian Camping near Kirkwood, MO

Greensfelder County Park features a distinctive horse camping area with tie stalls under a covered roof, a round pen with mounting blocks, and campsites specifically designed for horse trailers. The equestrian camping section includes electric hookups (sites 20-29) with 20-amp plugs and one 30-amp connection at most sites. Campers report the park maintains these facilities well, with frost-free water available at both ends of the campground. Each site includes a fire pit, picnic table, and grill, with showers and restrooms available year-round. The park becomes busy with equestrians on weekends who use the campground as a staging area for trail rides.

The trail system at Greensfelder connects riders to well-marked routes with varying terrain, including some with eventing jumps. Two trailheads begin on opposite sides of the camping area, providing direct access to the trail network that accommodates horses, hikers, and mountain bikers. Most sites can fit trailers 26 feet or less with one slide, though sites 24-26 can accommodate larger fifth wheels. Trail riders appreciate that about 90% of hikers and bikers encountered on the trails yield to horses. While primarily serving as an equestrian park, non-horse campers are also welcome. The park's location near Six Flags St. Louis offers convenience while still providing a natural setting for primitive horse camping experiences.

Best Equestrian Sites Near Kirkwood, Missouri (8)

    1. St. Louis West / Historic Route 66 KOA

    30 Reviews
    Eureka, MO
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (636) 257-3018

    "Our site was gravel to park on with grass around it. Close to train tracks and highway, but didn’t notice with AC on in the camper. Close to 6 flags."

    "This campground is fairly close to downtown and very close to lots of shopping. A great place to stay to stock up on supplies before heading west."

    2. Greensfelder County Park

    8 Reviews
    Eureka, MO
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (314) 615-4386

    "Heavy equestrian park, it’s not required (to have a horse) to stay here. A few piles of horses droppings but very well maintained."

    "Pretty nice wooded campground close to St. Louis! Each site has a picnic bench, a fire pit and grill."

    3. Horseshoe Lake State Park Campground

    10 Reviews
    Collinsville, IL
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (618) 931-0270

    "Great spot in a beautiful area close to St. Louis. No power but access to drinking water and waste water dump for just 8$."

    "Horseshoe Lake is one of my most visited parks and most favorite park in the STL and surrounding areas. First off absolutely beautiful land and peace is easily achieved."

    4. Cuivre River State Park Campground

    43 Reviews
    Troy, MO
    39 miles
    Website
    +1 (636) 528-7247

    $15 - $38 / night

    "Plenty of gorgeous campsites and a lake to swim and kayak! And if you need a place to camp with your horse they have an entire equestrian section. Close to St."

    "Our site, though, was the smallest in the loop, tucked away in the weeds, and the only area to pitch our tent was on a slight slope."

    5. St. Francois State Park Campground

    28 Reviews
    Bonne Terre, MO
    43 miles
    Website
    +1 (573) 358-2173

    "Not a huge campground but, Its a really simple beautiful place to enjoy Missouri's rolling hills. It is located 1 hour from St. Louis and 30 ish min from Elephant Rock State park."

    "My site was close to the camp host and the shower house. Shower house was nice with 4 separate showers with locking doors. Water pressure was great and they were clean."

    6. McCully Heritage Project

    5 Reviews
    Kampsville, IL
    50 miles
    Website
    +1 (618) 653-4687

    $20 - $100 / night

    "Nice hiking trails near. Watch for ticks. Don’t be alarmed if you see cats or the neighbors dogs roaming around the site. They are friendly."

    "There’s a house to rent or primitive camping trails have a map but need a little more marking on newer sections. Very well maintained. Neat look out points"

    7. Cherokee Landing

    3 Reviews
    Bonne Terre, MO
    44 miles
    Website
    +1 (573) 358-2805

    $25 - $36 / night

    "We love the beautiful lake, the swimming area is big and has a nice patio for access. You can rent a cart to go running around the huge campground. Very friendly staff."

    8. World Shooting and Recreational Complex

    2 Reviews
    New Athens, IL
    45 miles
    Website
    +1 (618) 295-2700
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Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near Kirkwood, MO

1 Photos of 8 Kirkwood Campgrounds


Equestrian Camping Reviews near Kirkwood, MO

127 Reviews of 8 Kirkwood Campgrounds


  • Matt S.
    Sep. 3, 2016

    St. Francois State Park Campground

    St. Francois SP is Fair to Average.

    This campground was packed, but it started off on the wrong foot. The entrance comes up quick and is right off a state highway with traffic moving between 65-80 mph so of course I passed the entrance and had to double back.

    When I pulled into the park there was bunch of construction. There were a few trails but honestly it really seemed like an RV park with very few tents. The showers and bathrooms were clean but there were too many people, it was very crowded.

    I should add as a positive that here were equestrian trails and a large parking lot to park your horse trailer.

    St. Francois State Park is close to St. Louis so it is probably a popular destination, it just didn't feel like camping. I'm sure it will improve a little when the construction is completed, but I doubt it will be above three stars.

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 29, 2017

    Greensfelder County Park

    Ranger Review: Greensfelder County Park Camping

    Campground Review: This is a nice little hidden gem outside St Louis in a great county park. If you are a Six Flags kinda person, the amusement park sits at the southern entrance to Greensfelder. The park itself has some great hiking and biking trails, but the big draw is equestrian in nature (including eventing jumps along some of the trails). This campground caters to the horse-set, with more campsites attached to the equestrian park than not, which means you should make reservations in advance as it is a busy little campground. The equestrian camping area has a standing stall type open barn, a round pen for turn out, and large campsites designed for horse trailers. All of the sites with electric are meant for horse trailers as there are no amenities for RV's. The showers and toilets are in the horse camping portion of the campground. The non-horse camping area seemed to be an afterthought, and is along side a park artery leading to a boarding barn and more trails. I did like that there were two trail heads on opposite sides of the camping lot, and the trails were well marked. Expect this campground area to be busy as it is the staging area for equestrians who use the park.

    Product Review: In July I won some gear from Primus for reviewing some campgrounds I visited earlier this summer. This was the first opportunity I had to try out my Primus Profile Camp Stove. This is a nice car camping stove; at eleven pounds, it isn't something to carry far. Things I liked about it include the wind guards, the latching lid, and the fairly thin profile when collapsed. For a two burner stove, it really didn't take up much room in my trunk and it is sturdy enough that I wasn't worried about piling gear on top of it. However, while new out of the box, the igniter didn't work. Glad I always pack a lighter. It's not going to boil water in record time, but certainly held a steady flame and was easy to adjust. I have other stoves, but this one seems like it will be my go to when car camping with friends as I can cook more on two burners than one. https://primus.us/collections/camping-stoves

  • J K.
    Aug. 6, 2019

    Cuivre River State Park Campground

    Beautiful park with everything you need!

    This is a perfect place to enjoy with the family. Plenty of gorgeous campsites and a lake to swim and kayak! And if you need a place to camp with your horse they have an entire equestrian section. Close to St. Louis but far enough out to enjoy peace and quiet!

  • Matthew H.
    Mar. 6, 2021

    Greensfelder County Park

    Rvs and trailers

    Small campground ground ram by saint louis county parks. We were the only ones here. Heavy equestrian park, it’s not required (to have a horse) to stay here. A few piles of horses droppings but very well maintained. We stay about 30 feet to the right of the horse pin, and behind it where they dump the horse stuff really can’t smell anything. Only sites 20-29 have electric and 28 can’t be reserved. Pro -Most sites are great for trailers 26’ or less and 1 slide (sites 24-26 can fit a fifth wheel probably no bigger than 36-38 ft) -2-20 amp plugs and 1-30amp plug -Not to many trees hanging over your camper that would drop branches -site 29 where we stayed can fit a 40’ fifth wheel -a lot of room to back in -showers and restrooms year around -frost free water at both ends of the campground -usual fire pit, picnic table and grill -park campers on grass to be closer to one side or another of your site -sites are reservable

    Cons -no water at sites -no 50 amps -no dump but KOA and RV dealer 5-7 mins away

    -site 29 only have 2-20 amp plugs no 30 didn’t realized till we parked. Only this one doesn’t have 30 -horses traffic on Saturday eventually from what the ranger told me once Covid is better -most sites back up to main road(mostly light traffic and none at night)

  • K
    Aug. 29, 2018

    Greensfelder County Park

    Hidden Gem in St. Louis County

    Pretty nice wooded campground close to St. Louis! Each site has a picnic bench, a fire pit and grill. It was very quiet when we stayed there on a Friday night, but it go really busy on Saturday morning because the equestrian folks use the campground as a staging area. There are two trail heads near the campground(very nice hiking!)

  • Lucas  M.
    Jun. 18, 2020

    Greensfelder County Park

    Good for City Folk

    For those who need to get out of town yet can't imagine not checking the latest tweet, Tik Tok, or Instagram post, this park is for you. Not 2 miles from Six Flags, and 5 minutes from the freeway, you'll find plenty of beauty, creature comfort amenities, and cell service. 

    We are looking at 3 primitive campsites(closed at the time of this review), 6 family tent sites, as well as plenty of RV spaces with electrical hookups. 

    The park is known for its well-groomed trails, which are used by hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians alike. Plenty of stables surround the area, where you may rent a horse and go for a stroll through the woods. 

    The primitive sites are large, with picnic tables and an outhouse, while the family tent ones are near restrooms, showers and a source of water. 

    The whole park is rather pretty with plenty to do and see. 

    Now, with that said, I was not a huge fan. This is not a place for a person who wants to get away from people. The Family tent sites are very close to the road, as in 10ft from it, so traffic to and from the stables are rather annoying. Being very close, the freeway noise is still present, and you'll find many motorcycles riding by you on their way through the winding roads of Wildwood. It's a nice sight but the noise sucks. The place has A LOT of deer which means that ticks are everywhere-which is not a big deal if you know what you're doing. 

    During the time I spent here 2 different homeless looking kids stopped by asking for food, money, to borrow my phone to make a call. One after the other had to be shooed out of my site. That was followed by a STL County Police Officer patrolling the location. That did not settle well, and the night was a bit odd. Keep in mind that I was here alone and during the middle of the week so, chances are, during the weekend you might not have the same experience. 

    Overall, this is well maintained park with plenty of activities and close to all the luxuries that a town can offer, lots of amenities nearby or on site. 

    You would enjoy it: 

    • If you want to be near civilization. 
    • If you are a family with children. 
    • If you want to enjoy Six Flags and then go camping. 
    • If you would like mountain biking. 
    • If you need facilities such as bathrooms and showers 

    You'd, maybe, not enjoy it so much: 

    • If you'd like to disconnect. 
    • If you are looking for less noise 
    • If you are looking for less cars/traffic 
    • If you are looking to be alone with your thoughts.
  • Marla F.
    Jul. 25, 2018

    St. Francois State Park Campground

    If you want a party campground, this is for you.

    We have stayed here many times. It is busy and has a party atmosphere on the weekends but is nice and quiet during the week. There are some nice trails here that are around 3 miles and 1 long trail that equestrian friendly and also has a hike in camp site. I did score it down because the shower house is older and could use updating. The electric sites are nice. The basic area has some sites that are washed out and red clay is exposed so very messy in wet weather, There also seems to be a drag racing track nearby because you can sometimes hear the noise. Great place for wildflowers and butterflies.

  • D M.
    May. 13, 2022

    St. Louis West / Historic Route 66 KOA

    Close to St Louis, but won't ever return to this site

    Good location that is right off I-44 and right next to Six Flags St. Louis. It's about 30 minutes to downtown.

    Spots are level and there is decent space. Nice benches at each site, cable TV hookup, good water pressure (40 psi) and 30amp connection. There are 50 amp sites available.

    KOA store, restroom and showers are nice and clean. The staff were also very friendly.

    One cool activity is to visit the wolf sanctuary. It's very close by.

    Only complaint is KOA allowed a U-Haul and car to park next to us. They had 4 dogs, unleashed and they were using the water spigot (no hose) to cool their dogs off, which wouldn't have been a problem if the spaces were bigger. They also kept entering our outdoor space and allowing their dogs to run all the way up to my rig. Very little was done to rectify the problem, even after a phone call and going up to the office. The three solutions were to have us relocate to another site, ask them if they would move, but it would be up to the U-Haul party to relocate or refund us if we decided to leave.

    This was the first time staying at a KOA and it basically negated the positives. We will not be returning to this site and will most likely stay away from KOA all together.

  • A
    Aug. 12, 2018

    Greensfelder County Park

    Great trails well marked great camp area

    There’s tie stalls under a roof and a round pen mounting blocks shower and bathrooms in camp. Electricity at each site and water nearby m. Kinda busy maybe make reservations when it’s a holiday. Trails are well marked maps available Awsome views and a cool trail by six flags this park is busy with hikers and bikers I’d say 90% of them are polite and yield to horses. Love this place!


Guide to Kirkwood

Greensfelder County Park offers equestrian camping facilities near Kirkwood, Missouri, approximately 15 miles west of downtown. The park contains about 1,600 acres of wooded terrain with trails connecting to the broader St. Louis County parks system. Most tent sites can accommodate vehicles with trailers up to 26 feet in length, while some sites can fit larger fifth wheels up to 38 feet.

What to do

Trail riding access: Direct trail connections from the equestrian camping area let riders explore miles of marked routes. "There are two trail heads on opposite sides of the camping lot, and the trails were well marked," notes Annie C. about Greensfelder County Park.

Swimming opportunities: When temperatures rise, head to nearby water spots. At Cherokee Landing, "the swimming area is big and has a nice patio for access," according to Kristine K. At St. Francois State Park, campsites are "right next to the river and swimming holes," shares Kristen R.

Fishing spots: Several area campgrounds offer fishing access. At McCully Heritage Project, visitors appreciate that their largest site "has good fishing and a place for us to launch our paddleboards and kayaks," as Eric notes.

What campers like

Privacy between sites: Many horse campers appreciate space between camping areas. At Cuivre River State Park, "the campsites are fairly large and provide lots of shade," according to Tracie S., while the park's equestrian section offers additional room for horse trailers.

Natural surroundings: The wooded setting creates a natural camping experience. "Campground is beautiful and very woodsy. We saw bunnies hopping around and when we first arrived to our site a deer was grazing nearby," shares Maria E. about Cuivre River State Park.

Wildlife viewing: The regional parks host diverse wildlife. Lucas M. mentions that Greensfelder County Park "has A LOT of deer which means that ticks are everywhere," recommending proper tick prevention when visiting horse campgrounds near Kirkwood.

What you should know

Seasonal considerations: Weather impacts trail conditions year-round. "We are looking forward to coming back in the spring to walk these nice wooded trails," mentions a reviewer at St. Francois State Park, highlighting how seasons affect trail experiences.

Electric options: Electric hookup availability varies by campground. At Horseshoe Lake State Park, Helge notes visitors can find "access to drinking water and waste water dump for just 8$," while Matthew H. points out that Greensfelder offers "2-20 amp plugs and 1-30amp plug" at most sites.

Noise factors: Some campgrounds experience more noise than others. At St. Louis West KOA, Brian W. warns to "be prepared for a lot of noise from the busy main road and passing trains in the near distance," which can potentially startle horses.

Tips for camping with families

Kid-friendly amenities: Several parks offer features specifically for children. The St. Louis West KOA has "a pool, bike rentals, dog park, movie night, basketball court, and more," according to Crystal H., making it suitable for families with varied interests.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Kirkwood, MO?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Kirkwood, MO is St. Louis West / Historic Route 66 KOA with a 4.2-star rating from 30 reviews.

What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Kirkwood, MO?

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