Best Equestrian Camping near Virginia City, MT

Taylor Fork Road Dispersed offers horse-friendly dispersed camping with wooden corrals available for public use. Located in a remote area near Virginia City, Montana, these sites provide scenic mountain views overlooking a creek with meadows of wildflowers. The area features multiple campsites spread over 11 miles with wooden horse fences at designated spots. Campsites include rock fire rings and uneven parking spots where levelers are recommended for RVs and trailers. The area feels secluded with no cell reception and no visibility of paved roads or buildings. The wooden horse corrals accommodate multiple horses and are maintained for public use at several of the camping areas.

The meadow slopes downhill with flat tent spots found primarily at the edge of fields just inside tree lines. Easy access to creek water provides a convenient water source for horses and drinking water after filtering. The area connects to multiple riding trails with breathtaking cliff views and green grass throughout. A pit toilet is available down the road from the primary campsites. Campers should be prepared for potential temperature fluctuations, as overnight temperatures can drop significantly even in summer months, sometimes reaching the mid-30s in August. The drive in is manageable though unpaved, with ample room for horse trailers at designated sites. Wildlife sounds are common at night, adding to the authentic Montana backcountry experience.

Best Equestrian Sites Near Virginia City, Montana (13)

    1. Lake Shore Lodge

    1 Review
    Ennis, MT
    16 miles
    +1 (406) 682-4424

    $40 / night

    "We stayed at Lake Shore Lodge Campground while visiting my parents in Ennis."

    2. Spanish Lakes

    4 Reviews
    Big Sky, MT
    26 miles

    "Once arriving at the top; you’ll find a stunning array of crystal lakes, snow melts, and glistening cliffs. We camped on top of a large cliff system across the first lake."

    "To get there you drive into the Spanish Creek Picnic area. Then you follow the trails on the map to Spanish Lakes. The trails are pretty well marked. It’s about 9.5 miles in and up."

    3. Spanish Creek Picnic Area

    3 Reviews
    Gallatin Gateway, MT
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 932-5155

    "The campsites were easily accessible near the trailheads. It was extremely quiet and peaceful the whole time I was there."

    4. Spanish Creek Cabin

    1 Review
    Gallatin Gateway, MT
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 522-2520

    $65 / night

    "Comfortable and beautiful scenery, hiking trails near by."

    5. Taylor Fork Road Dispersed

    7 Reviews
    Big Sky, MT
    39 miles

    "There was a small corral for horses and plenty of room for a horse trailer and truck."

    "You cannot hear traffic from the highway which is about 1/3 miles away.

    There are wooden horse fences and corrals which are for public use."

    6. Langohr Campground

    11 Reviews
    Gallatin Gateway, MT
    48 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 646-1012

    $26 - $60 / night

    "Some are drive-in or back into sites, and a few are literally next to Hyalite Creek which is an added bonus."

    "We were looking for a campground near Bozeman and a friend recommended Hyalite Canyon. We lucked out finding Langohr! Wonderful and secluded camping spots, and we found one right by a river."

    7. Countryside RV Park

    4 Reviews
    Dillon, MT
    38 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 683-9860

    $42 - $47 / night

    "This is a great place in Montana. Easy access. Right outside Dillon MT. We stayed here one night and then the the Lewis and Clark Limestone Cavern tour. It is about an hour."

    "Easy on/off, full hookups, beautiful location located just off I-15. Amenities in town just opposite the exit for the rv park. Beautiful location with mountains all around."

    8. Wapiti Cabin

    1 Review
    Big Sky, MT
    36 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 823-6961

    $65 / night

    9. Cinnamon Lodge & Adventures

    1 Review
    Big Sky, MT
    37 miles
    Website

    $50 - $169 / night

    "They offer a zipline for the kids and often have "wildlife" on the premises (goats, horses, musicians).

    Yellowstone's West Entrance is 37 miles south; Big Sky is 6 miles north."

    10. Windy Pass Cabin

    1 Review
    Big Sky, MT
    41 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 522-2520

    $55 / night

    "This is a great spot located right below the ride in a little valley. The hike to get there isn’t to bad but the drive to the trail head can be a bit of a challenge."

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Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near Virginia City, MT

1 Photos of 13 Virginia City Campgrounds


Equestrian Camping Reviews near Virginia City, MT

35 Reviews of 13 Virginia City Campgrounds


  • Cody K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 7, 2024

    Taylor Fork Road Dispersed

    Beautiful Site

    We stayed one night on our way back from Yellowstone. My RTT was perfect for this. There was a small corral for horses and plenty of room for a horse trailer and truck.

  • Risen F.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 9, 2025

    Taylor Fork Road Dispersed

    Stunning cliff views, secluded, and quiet

    This is very remote feeling with no cell reception or views of any paved roads or buildings. You cannot hear traffic from the highway which is about 1/3 miles away.

    There are wooden horse fences and corrals which are for public use. There is a rock fire ring and a very uneven parking spot - bring your levelers!

    The scenery is stunning with easy access to the creek and a huge cliff on the other side. The area is wooded with green grass and wildflowers everywhere.

    We camped in site 1, the first of three on the first loop.

    So far, the only thing we can hear are birds chirping, the flowing creek, and the sounds of our children squealing with delight as they play out in the grassy field. There are the occasional vehicles passing by on the dirt road (other campers, assumably).

    10/10, would stay here again in a heartbeat!

  • Lisa C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 21, 2019

    Cinnamon Lodge & Adventures

    LOVE the Cinnamon!

    My friends, my girls and I have stayed here on multiple occasions and "The Cinnamon" never disappoints! With awesome hosts and a great restaurant, we didn't need to leave to have fun. They have several cabins that are on the Gallatin River, so serene and peaceful... They offer a zipline for the kids and often have "wildlife" on the premises (goats, horses, musicians).

    Yellowstone's West Entrance is 37 miles south; Big Sky is 6 miles north. The Bozeman Airport is the nearest airport.

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 8, 2024

    Countryside RV Park

    Lots of green grass!

    This is a great place in Montana. Easy access. Right outside Dillon MT. We stayed here one night and then the the Lewis and Clark Limestone Cavern tour. It is about an hour. Camp ground is super clean and all the sites are very easy to access. Very nice hosts.

  • Ruby W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 6, 2020

    Spanish Lakes

    BREATHTAKING Alpine Lakes

    An absolutely stunning area to camp. A relatively challenging nine-mile-hike in from the Spanish Creek campground. Turn left at the trail map and follow the well marked signs. You’ll have stunning views of the mountains, rivers, and pines on your hike in. A few other places to camp on the way in. You’ll cross a couple rivers—so be prepared to take off those boots. Once arriving at the top; you’ll find a stunning array of crystal lakes, snow melts, and glistening cliffs. We camped on top of a large cliff system across the first lake. As you hike in, there are multiple little lakes to camp and fish around. The highest lake (about 100 meters past the first) is indescribably breathtaking. Surrounded by massive mountains, a rolling stream, and a little dead forest accompanied by a campsite and fire ring—AH! I felt like I was in a simulation. Apparently you can summit the nearby mountains and reached a higher lake called Beehive. My friends went and said they enjoyed it. Tons of fishing in all of the lakes. Diverse wildflowers. Tons of bugs. But all great fun! Will certainly return when I go back to Montana.

  • Mai K.
    Jul. 7, 2019

    Langohr Campground

    Cute Little Campground with Just the Right Amenities

    About 20 minutes south of Bozeman, MT on scenic Hyalite Canyon Road sits Langohr Campground. There are 19 spacious single sites and the 20th site is a group picnic site for day use. Langohr Campground runs along Hyalite Creek and is tucked inside Custer Gallatin National Forest in a small open meadow with Douglas fir, Lodgepole pine, and Englemann Spruce. 

    I was fortunate to find a campsite as a walk-in even after arriving mid-afternoon at the beginning of June 2019 because it was too late to reserve online. Each site does have a picnic table and fire ring, and electrical sites are available. Some are drive-in or back into sites, and a few are literally next to Hyalite Creek which is an added bonus. A heavy snowfall occurred a week before and remnants of it were scattered along the campground. Good thing I brought a snow scraper to clear the picnic table of snow. The fee is $20.00 per campsite for two vehicles and $8.00 for any additional vehicles. The group picnic site is $45.00 for day use. I paid cash for the site, but I believe you may also pay by credit card.

    Many of the campers were settling in and had parked RVs and pop-ups. Pets are allowed but must be on a leash as wildlife such as bears, deers, moose, and elk frequent the area. Bear lockers should be used for food storage or properly stored in vehicles. There are huge bear safe trash and recycling containers near the entrance for campers to use. The bathroom is clean, free of odor and bugs, and it is a vault toilet. There are no showers, dump station, or camp store, but you are close to Bozeman.  The camp host was settled on site 11 and sells firewood for $6.00. You can take a walk along the Hyalite Creek or drive 3.5 miles south down to Hyalite Reservoir for other activities such as fishing, kayaking, canoeing, climbing, hiking, and boating. The night sky was pretty spectacular especially with the trees around on a clear day.

  • Danielle R.
    Aug. 15, 2017

    Langohr Campground

    Breathtaking

    We were looking for a campground near Bozeman and a friend recommended Hyalite Canyon. We lucked out finding Langohr! Wonderful and secluded camping spots, and we found one right by a river. This was probably the best campsite of our week-long Montana camping excursion.

  • Jennifer H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 12, 2023

    Countryside RV Park

    Easy on/off, full hookups, beautiful location

    Easy on/off, full hookups, beautiful location located just off I-15. Amenities in town just opposite the exit for the rv park. Beautiful location with mountains all around. Great place to stopover driving thru. Potentially Windy.

  • Dexter I.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 2, 2019

    WF1 Backcountry Campsite — Yellowstone National Park

    Camp in a meadow of Wildflowers

    Yellowstone National Parks back country campsite WF1 sits on the edge of a large meadow of wildflowers with amazing views of the mountains to the west. Campsite WF1 is the first back country site along Black Butte Trail in the North West corner of the park. It is about a 2.2 mile hike to the campsite from the trail head. Campsite WF1 is open to backpackers and stock animals, however I could see no evidence of any stock animals using this site recently. The site has a large rock fire ring in the cooking area with logs sitting around it to sit on. An arrow on a tree with the site number points to the sites toilet just up hill in the trees. Don't get to excited about the toilet, think of an outhouse with out any walls, and the hole in the ground is not very deep, but a back country site with a seat to sit on is a rare treat. Just on the other side of the large trees at the cooking area is a meadow full of wildflowers, the meadow slopes downhill making a flat area in the field for your tent hard to find, but you can find spots at the edge of the field just in the trees with flat spots for your tent. Water is no problem at this site, the creek is just next to the cooking area, best spot to filter the water is right where you cross to enter the campsite.

    Black Butte Trail head(WK2) is located on U.S. Hwy 191. The trail head is easy to miss, the sign for the tail is on the east side of the Highway where the trail starts, the parking area is just south of the sign on the west side of the highway. You will need to obtain a back country permit to stay at WF1. The closest place to obtain a permit is at the visitor center in West Yellowstone. The cost is$3 per person with a maximum of$15 for the night. Site is limited to one group of ten.


Guide to Virginia City

Horse camping in Montana offers a unique blend of stunning landscapes and equestrian-friendly facilities, making it a perfect getaway for riders and their horses.

Equestrian campers like these nearby activities

  • At Spanish Lakes, visitors can enjoy fishing in pristine waters while taking in breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains.
  • The Taylor Fork Road Dispersed area provides ample opportunities for horseback riding along scenic trails, with plenty of space for setting up camp.
  • Windy Pass Cabin offers access to hiking trails where equestrians can explore the beautiful valley and potentially spot wildlife.

Campers appreciate these amenities for horses

Equestrian campgrounds include essential features

  • Countryside RV Park offers spacious sites with full hookups, making it convenient for those traveling with horse trailers.
  • Lake Shore Lodge provides electric hookups and sanitary dump facilities, catering to the needs of equestrian campers.
  • 320 Guest Ranch features a market and restaurant on-site, ensuring that both campers and their horses are well taken care of during their stay.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find horse camping in Virginia City?

Taylor Fork Road Dispersed offers excellent horse camping with wooden corrals for public use, ample space for horse trailers, and a remote setting away from traffic noise. This free camping area provides a perfect base for equestrian adventures. Another option is Langohr Campground, located about 20 minutes from Bozeman in Hyalite Canyon with spacious sites that can accommodate horse trailers. Most horse camping areas in the region are open from late spring to early fall, though availability may be limited during peak summer weekends. Reservations are recommended where available, especially for groups with multiple horses.

Are there boarding facilities for horses in Virginia City?

While temporary boarding options exist near Virginia City, permanent boarding facilities are limited. Cinnamon Lodge & Adventures offers accommodations with horse facilities, making it suitable for overnight boarding during your stay. For travelers passing through the area, Countryside RV Park near Dillon provides convenient access and could potentially accommodate horses with advance arrangements. When planning your trip, it's advisable to contact facilities directly about current boarding availability, rates, and specific requirements such as health certificates or proof of vaccinations. Seasonal availability may vary, with more options typically available during summer months.

What horse trails are available near Virginia City?

The Virginia City area offers several scenic horse trails for riders of all experience levels. The trails near Spanish Creek Picnic Area provide excellent riding opportunities with well-marked paths that wind through pine forests and mountain terrain with stunning views. For more adventurous riders, the trails near Spanish Lakes offer challenging routes with river crossings and alpine scenery. Many of these trails connect to larger networks in the Gallatin National Forest, allowing for both short rides and full-day excursions. Most trails are best used from late spring through early fall when conditions are optimal and wildflowers are abundant.