Lums Pond State Park Campground features equestrian-friendly sites with access to dedicated horse trails throughout the 1,790-acre park. The campground accommodates both riders and their horses with spacious sites that can fit trailers and rigs up to 45 feet long on concrete pads. Full hookups are available for RVs, while tent campers have designated areas near the equestrian facilities. The park maintains an equestrian center where riders can access the extensive trail system circling the pond. Trails remain well-maintained year-round with minimal mud issues even after rain. Horse owners note the convenient off-leash area where horses can cool down after rides, with water access points along the trail system.
Located 30 minutes from Mantua, French Creek State Park offers 200 individual campsites across four loops with horse-friendly accommodations in Loop C. The park connects to over 35 miles of trails where horseback riding is permitted on designated equestrian routes. Trailer parking areas provide easy access to the trail system, though some routes are labeled as "more difficult" for riders. Water access points for horses are available throughout the trail network. The park requires advance reservations for equestrian camping, particularly during summer months when sites fill quickly. Riders appreciate the well-marked trails and the ability to take extended rides through the adjacent Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, creating a comprehensive riding experience through varied terrain.
"There are some equestrian and tent sites as well. Lots of boating (electric motors only) and kayaking on the pond and a decent amount of hiking."
"I took her older cousins to the fishing pier, and we didn't even get a nibble, but I think it was too cold for panfish that close to shore."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $27 - $45 / night
"We were looking for someplace close to the city but away from the hustle and bustle of our city life, this was the perfect little steal-away; relatively close by, great car camping spots, nice easy hikes"
"Activities See the photo that shows 35 miles of hiking trails. It's an excellent brochure! "
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $20 - $75 / night
"Campsite decent size, but some don't have clear boundaries to neighbors, and sometimes not optimally configured (e.g., the site next door's fire pit was placed on the edge of its site/right next to my"
"First off, I will start by saying you have to drive a good amount of distance to get into the campground and that is something I really enjoyed!"
from $3 - $60 / night
"This campground has 2 small loops, the Lake Loop and the Fiddler's Loop. Lake loop is the bigger of the two, however the “sites” are smaller and it's more open. It is popular with group tenters."
"Large campsites at the Lake Loop. Map is a little deceiving- the sites are farther from the lake than I expected and there are no running water bathrooms. Very clean and wooded sites."
from $15 - $50 / night
"The only thing about this site specifically is the trail was close by so you’d occasionally see people walking by but not enough that it didn’t still feel secluded."
"I was only one in the forest ATM but saw some hikers occasionally throughout the day walking by."
from $25 / night
ScoutRestrooms are filthy with mold and mildew.
Water puddled on the restroom floor.really gross.
Cabin was mostly clean. The windows were full of dirt and bugs on the tracks.mattresses were terrible.The fireplace was nice. Kitchen was clean.
Can t wait to move on to a cleaner park.
GuideBeautiful campground but made the mistake of going on a holiday weekend, the campgrounds next to us were screaming and blasting music all day and throughout the night so we ended up leaving early. A beautiful campground when there aren’t noisy capers ruining it.
ScoutFirst time at this campground really like it a lot will be returning. The bathrooms are always clean. The grounds are always kept up. Just a really nice place to stay. Most of the sites have some kind of shade.
LegendWe spent a weekend at French Creek State Park as our home base for the Chester County Balloon Festival. We stayed for 2 nights at a full-hookup paved site, which ran us $55.25 per night.
WHAT I LIKED:
Peace& Quiet: The state park itself was lovely, serene, and felt nice and spacious.
Prime Location: At just 30 minutes away from the balloon festival, this is the closest campground.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE SO MUCH:
The"Leveling" Challenge: We were at site#C-241, which had a pretty significant slope. It took a few boards under the rear wheels and fully extended jacks just to get us anywhere near level.
Tight Fit for Big Rigs: Even though there was plenty of open space behind our site, the actual driveway pad was too short to comfortably fit our motorhome and Jeep together. Compared to other state parks we’ve visited, the interior roads and layouts felt a bit on the tight side.
WOULD WE COME BACK?
LegendOverall, this is a nice, small (about 65 sites) state park with plenty of recreational opportunities inside the park. There is nice separation between sites so you don’t feel like you are on top of your neighbor. Tall trees are scattered about which provide shade at some sites but overall, the park is pretty open. Roads getting to the park are easy to navigate with any size RV. Within the park, roads are paved and free of potholes and there are no low hanging branches. Since the roads are one-way they are not very wide so backing in big-rigs can be a little tight and you might have to run over the grass.
All RV sites are full hook-up and there is a separate area for tents and there is one canvas yurt for rent. The tent sites are nice in that they are tucked along the wood line slightly away from RVs with more privacy and shade. The only downside is that they are pretty far away from the centrally located bathroom and showers. The bathroom has separate rooms for showers which is nice and private. They were tended to daily and very clean. Also, located in the center of the campground is a playground, camp store and laundry. The dumpsters and recycle bins are located in a separate area on the way out of the campground and were frequently full and overflowing. Campsites are paved and some have wide enough that the patio is paved but others have a narrow pad for the RV and gravel patio. We discovered that most sites are level but a few are not (like 22 and 24). The campground is very clean and camp hosts were diligent about picking up trash and cleaning out fire pits every day.
Across the pond (north of the campground) is where most of the amenities are located such as concessions, ball fields, horseshoe pits, disk golf, and more. For those wanting to fish there is a pier in the campground and a self-serve vending machine with bait in it. There are additional fishing piers located in other parts of the park and there are boats, canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards for rent. We stopped in at the Nature Center but it was a bust– just a few taxidermy specimens and not much information. One of the most popular areas of the park is Go Ape which is a ropes/zip line course through the canopy (which does require admission fee). There are nice trails that leave right from the campground– some 17 miles in all. There is a boat launch about a quarter mile from the campground entrance which is suitable for trailerable boats and paddle craft but there are no docks so you can’t leave your boat tied up there. There is an off-leash dog area but it is located far from the campground so it’s best to drive.
ScoutBathrooms are clean and staff is nice
TravelerThe camp site was amazing. Everything is neat and clean and really beautiful place so quiet.
GuideThis campground has everything. Conveniently located, short drive to Dover, Wilmington, Annapolis and Baltimore. The sites were very large and spacious. Sites can accommodate any type of trailer or vehicle. Plenty of site hookups, areas for tents. There is a camp store, several washer and dryers. The best private, individual shower booths and even a pond to go fishing in.
ScoutThis is our 3rd time at this park, it is one of our favorites. Well maintained, very quiet. We stay in Loop A (full hookup) pet friendly. Sites are spacious, generally large but they are all back-in sites.
Brendan Byrne State Forest offers equestrian camping in New Jersey's Pine Barrens, 25 miles east of Mantua. The forest maintains well-marked riding trails through stands of pitch pine and Atlantic white cedar swamps. Camping areas accommodate both riders and non-riders, with primitive sites situated in heavily wooded terrain. Ground conditions remain relatively dry in summer but can become muddy during spring rain seasons.
Trail riding with horses: Lums Pond State Park Campground provides over 17 miles of equestrian-friendly trails around a 200-acre millpond. "The trails were well marked, and the day we took a hike, we ended up on the equestrian trail that runs all the way around the pond. It was a long, but easy hike," notes Mark, who appreciated the clear trail markings.
Fishing opportunities: French Creek State Park Campground features two lakes stocked with multiple fish species. "There are two lakes in French Creek, Hopewell and Scott's Run and each contain many species of fish. We spent Saturday afternoon fishing but not catching anything at Scott's Run," mentions Ellen C., though she still enjoyed the experience.
Mountain biking: Brendan Byrne State Forest offers extensive mountain biking trails through the pine forests. "There are probably hundreds of miles of trails through the woods and bogs to explore. Can't tell you how much I love it. Could spend a whole vacation just with these trails and never leave this state park," writes Benjamin K. about the trail system.
Canoe and kayak rentals: Visitors can rent small watercraft at Hibernia County Park for exploring Chambers Lake. "Lots of boating (electric motors only) and kayaking on the pond and a decent amount of hiking," reports Ellen B., who visits regularly for water activities.
Private, spacious sites: Blackbird State Forest Campground offers well-separated camping areas. "Only 8 sites in the campground, very spaced apart. Each site has lots of room, very much enjoyed our stay and will return!" shares Sarah M., highlighting the privacy between sites.
Clean facilities: Brendan Byrne State Forest maintains well-kept bathroom facilities. "The bathrooms and showers here were in really good condition, well cleaned and stocked, and was pleasant to use!" writes Dorian P., who appreciated the campground's maintenance standards.
Natural setting: Hibernia County Park provides a dense wooded environment for camping. "We LOVE this campground. It's tiny (19 sites in Fiddlers loop), it's quiet, it's heavily wooded. There is NOTHING to do except walk or bike the beautiful trails," Jennifer S. explains about the peaceful atmosphere.
Easy access: Several horse campgrounds near Mantua, New Jersey offer good accessibility. "Easy access from I-95, beautiful park setting with fantastic sites—spacious, level, good-working hookups, and paved," notes Matt S. about Lums Pond State Park, making it convenient for travelers with horse trailers.
Reservation requirements: Popular equestrian campgrounds fill quickly during peak season. "Book early because it fills up fast!" advises Ellen B. about Lums Pond State Park Campground, where reservations can be difficult to secure.
Seasonal considerations: Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area offers year-round access but with specific group camping requirements. "There are two primitive youth group camping areas. There are specific rules that need to be followed and the guidelines are on the website," notes Gen F. about their camping restrictions.
Fire regulations: Some parks restrict campfire hours. "Only weird rule I saw was that fires can only go from 6pm till 7am which was odd but wasn't a deal breaker," mentions Dorian P. about Brendan Byrne State Forest's fire policies.
Limited amenities: Blackbird State Forest provides basic facilities. "No running water- only port a potties but they were clean," reports Sarah M., indicating campers should bring their own water supplies.
Playground access: French Creek State Park provides multiple play areas for children. "Nice playground area and clean. Very nice playground area and clean," writes Jen R., who found the recreation facilities suitable for families with young children.
Kid-friendly fishing: Hibernia County Park maintains a dedicated fishing area for younger anglers. "Great children's pond for 12 and under. Brandywine creek and Chambers Lake are there too. Great playground," explains John Z., highlighting the age-appropriate fishing opportunities.
Bathroom proximity: Consider site location relative to facilities with children. "Some engineering genius put the bath houses furthest from the people that need them most. Tent campers... keep your shoes handy, it's a hike," warns al K. about Lums Pond State Park's layout.
Trail difficulty ratings: Select appropriate hiking routes for children. "The trails were well marked, and the day we took a hike, we ended up on the equestrian trail that runs all the way around the pond. It was a long, but easy hike," Mark notes about Lums Pond State Park's accessible trail options.
Site leveling requirements: Lums Pond State Park Campground offers level sites for RVs. "The site was fairly level, side-to-side, so I really only needed to level front to back. That was a bonus," explains Mark, who found the concrete pads convenient for setup.
RV size limitations: Hibernia County Park accommodates some larger rigs in specific sites. "Though at first glance the sites don't look big enough to house an RV, there are a few sites that will, including #3, #17 & #18 and plenty of sites will fit a small RV or pop up camper," advises Jennifer S., noting not all sites work for larger vehicles.
Hookup availability: Check for utility connections when reserving. "Sites are full hook up with about 5 tent sites. All are pretty much level. Close to shopping if needed," points out Sandy E. about Lums Pond State Park's amenities.
Off-season camping: Consider shoulder season for better availability. "In February, about 1/4 of the sites were occupied. It was very quiet. The sites are large and well spaced," notes Adam and Suzanne B. about winter camping at Lums Pond State Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Mantua, NJ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Mantua, NJ is Lums Pond State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 53 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Mantua, NJ?
TheDyrt.com has all 6 equestrian camping locations near Mantua, NJ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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