St. Joe State Park offers specialized facilities for horse riding enthusiasts in eastern Missouri. Trails connect directly to the equestrian camping area in Campground 2, creating convenient access for riders without needing to trailer between locations. The park maintains a network of distinct trail systems that separate equestrian use from hiking and off-road vehicle traffic. This approach increases safety for all trail users while providing varied terrain suitable for different riding skill levels. Electric hookups at campsites accommodate both recreational and competitive riders visiting the area.
What to do
Trail riding and connecting routes: Riders at Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park can access multiple trail networks. "There is a beautiful bike trail connecting the campground to the rest of the park," notes Charlotte B., who also mentions proximity to nearby attractions: "Also in close proximity to Elephant Rock State Park."
Equestrian adventure options: Horse owners staying at Huzzah Valley can access both trail riding and water activities. "They offer trail rides on their horses. Dog friendly. Connected to ozark trail," reports Alicia B. The facility provides full services for both horses and riders with combined outdoor recreation opportunities.
Water activities during summer months: The rivers near equestrian camping areas provide cooling options during hot Missouri summers. "We floated from Scotia to Ozark Outdoors, which is a very pretty 5 mile float in the Huzzah," shares Mara F. about her experience. Many equestrian campgrounds offer combined trail and water recreation options.
What campers like
Mixed-use recreational opportunities: Sam A. Baker State Park Campground offers both equestrian and water features. "Great multi use if you enjoy hiking, mountain biking ATV and horses," says Ashley Y. This combination creates versatile vacation options for visitors bringing horses.
Equestrian-specific campground layouts: Horse owners appreciate the specialized design at St. Francois State Park Campground. Grant M. explains, "The campground 2 sites are set up for horses, something I know almost nothing about, but they make the sites larger to accommodate equestrian needs and that's nice. Hiking, MTB, and horse trails are separate from the atv trails."
Natural water features: Rivers provide natural recreation after trail riding. "The sites are a bit more snug together than I would prefer. There are some nice hiking options within the park," notes Gonzo A. Many riders appreciate the ability to cool off in water after dusty trail rides in summer months.
What you should know
Seasonal trail conditions vary: Weather impacts trail usability for horses, with some areas becoming muddy after rain. "We had a beautiful campsite with soft grassy ground. We did have a mole or something burrowing around so you had to watch for loose dirt clods but that was NBD," shares Leah H. about Berryman Trail & Campgrounds.
Distance between facilities: Some equestrian campgrounds separate shower facilities from horse camping areas. Hannah W. points out some campgrounds have "well kept vault toilets and no other services, but is fee-less to match."
Reservation requirements: Popular equestrian campgrounds fill quickly during peak season. "Managed to get the most secluded spot in the campground which is hard to do considering that you usually need to book months in advance," notes Charlotte B. about securing sites.
Tips for camping with families
Consider noise factors: Not all equestrian campgrounds maintain the same quiet hours. J.T. reports about St. Joe State Park: "Good place to ride your off road vehicles. Lots of trails and plenty of different types of trails to try out. Good clean campground for the hole family to enjoy."
Check pet policies: Some trails restrict dogs while allowing horses. Erin J. cautions: "We didn't check the nearby trails to the shut-ins before coming. The shut-ins trail DOES NOT allow dogs so that's a bummer. Found some other local hiking trails so overall it wasn't too bad."
Kid-friendly amenities: Some equestrian campgrounds include features specifically for children. At Cherokee Landing, Kristine K. shares, "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."
Tips from RVers
Site dimensions matter: RVers with horse trailers need to confirm site dimensions before booking. "Big and spacious sites. First come first serve. You can fit multiple tents on one site. Amenities are limited especially during the off season," reports Dave B., highlighting the importance of site sizing for equestrian setups.
Electric connections vary: Some equestrian sites offer limited electrical options. "Fifty-one Class BE campsites, 95 Class C campsites, an equestrian site with eight stalls for horses, and four Class D (primitive) campsites are available throughout the area," notes J.K., showing the variation in site services available to RVers with horses.
Setup configuration: RVers appreciate buddy sites that allow coordinated parking with friends. Joy F. explains, "We enjoyed the buddy sites so that our front doors faced our friends and the hookups were on the outside of each campsite. They also had group buddy sites that allowed four rigs to all front doors to face each other all being pull through sites."
