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Best Equestrian Camping near West Columbia, WV

234 Reviews

Zaleski State Forest offers primitive camping with a dedicated area for horse camping, making it a prime destination for equestrian enthusiasts near West Columbia, West Virginia. The forest features backpacking trails and a designated horse camp where riders can set up overnight accommodations alongside their animals. The trails are well-maintained and clearly marked, with multiple reviewers noting the numerous blazes that make navigation straightforward even for first-time visitors. Backpackers and horse riders share some trail systems, though designated horse trails are available. The forest maintains several outhouses at established camping areas, though campers should bring their own toilet paper. The primitive nature of the sites means there are no horse corrals, so equestrians must bring portable containment systems.

Located approximately 90 miles from West Columbia, Zaleski's trail system includes multiple loop options ideal for both day rides and overnight excursions with horses. The terrain features a mix of ridge riding and valley paths with moderate elevation changes that provide a good workout without being overly strenuous. Water access is available at three backpack camping areas, providing drinking options for both riders and horses after long trail days. Campers frequently encounter wildlife along the trails, including deer and various bird species. While the forest doesn't offer deluxe horse amenities, its undeveloped nature provides an authentic backcountry experience for equestrians seeking solitude and natural surroundings. The trails criss-cross logging roads but visitors report minimal vehicle traffic, allowing for uninterrupted riding experiences. For equestrians willing to make the drive from West Columbia, Zaleski represents one of the better horse camping options in the region.

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Best Equestrian Sites Near West Columbia, West Virginia (13)

    1. Hocking Hills State Park Campground

    109 Reviews
    South Bloomingville, OH
    41 miles
    Website

    $29 - $46 / night

    "This particular campground is amazing because it's located nicely to many hiking trails but far away that you aren't overly crowded so you still get the feeling that you're in nature."

    "The site was angled so we had to turn around before we could back in/park - our 5th wheel is 43’ and it was tight even with all spots not full."

    2. Lake Hope State Park Campground

    35 Reviews
    New Plymouth, OH
    28 miles
    Website
    +1 (740) 596-5253

    "At lake hope you can enjoy camping in many ways rather if it’s by tent (the way I prefer) or by camper. It’s a very nice place to have some family fun. Very nice beach and swimming area."

    "Lake Hope has plenty of recreational opportunities for everyone and the campground is close by! The campground is quiet and well kept."

    3. Zaleski State Forest

    17 Reviews
    Zaleski, OH
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (740) 596-5781

    "Twice it rained so much some of the trails were uncrossable but even then we still enjoyed ourselves. The is one spot about 3 miles in that is pretty far off trail, flat and on top of a hill."

    "Zaleski State Forest is adjacent to Lake Hope State Park. Off Rt 278 near Zaleski, Oh, true Ohio countryside to enjoy on the way in. Signal is spotty."

    4. Strouds Run State Park Campground

    10 Reviews
    Athens, OH
    26 miles
    Website
    +1 (740) 592-2302

    "The go to camping location for Athens. Many campsites, trails, and amenities. Anything from boat rentals, a small store, and docks to use near the lake."

    "Sites are only rented in person once you arrive, they have clear instructions at the entrance. Sites were nice and level, but a bit on the smaller side. Plenty of trails for hiking around the park."

    5. Burr Oak State Park Campground

    33 Reviews
    Glouster, OH
    38 miles
    Website
    +1 (740) 767-3683

    "The Blue Trail goes through here and provides a fun hike. There is a bathroom across the road and access to water at the entrance of the site. Showers are 15 minutes walk or a quick drive away."

    "Burr Oak State Park is on the eastern edge of Wayne National Forest, outside Glouster, Oh , off Rt 13. The Lodge is on the opposite side of the lake off Rt 78."

    6. Iron Ridge - Lake Vesuvius

    8 Reviews
    Pedro, OH
    39 miles
    Website
    +1 (740) 534-6500

    $15 - $20 / night

    "The hiking trails are scenic and pretty and the lake while not overly big, is clean and great for swimming(there's a beach) , kayaking, and fishing."

    "Great campground with super easy access to the trail and lake. The sites are spread apart enough so you aren’t right beside someone - and shaded."

    7. Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area

    6 Reviews
    Pedro, OH
    40 miles
    Website
    +1 (740) 534-6500

    $35 - $52 / night

    "If you're a tent person using Vesuvius as a home base for trail hiking, stick with Iron Ridge."

    "Great location to earn some backpacking miles. Feels quite remote, but along the trails there are shelters, bathrooms, trash reciprocals, and other useful hookups."

    8. Dorr-Run Red Oak Trailhead

    2 Reviews
    Nelsonville, OH
    37 miles

    "The second night we only had one tent near us. There are plenty of pull-off areas on the road leading up to this trailhead that were being used night one as well."

    "OHV trails closed for winter. Hiking allowed year-round. Most campsites inaccessible during off-season. Pit toilet closed for winter. Probably busy on weekends during the season. Nice place."

    9. Palmerosa Horse & Hike Campground

    5 Reviews
    South Bloomingville, OH
    44 miles
    Website
    +1 (740) 416-1066

    $40 - $70 / night

    "The old horse stalls have been torn down and 28 new covered stalls have been built! They are amazing and plenty if room for larger horses. "

    "Stacked Stones has a very nice location and the camp hosts/owners are wonderful. They truly make you feel like family."

    10. Mountwood Park Family Campground(Wood County Park)

    5 Reviews
    Petroleum, WV
    46 miles
    Website
    +1 (304) 679-3611

    $20 - $40 / night

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Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near West Columbia, WV

2 Photos of 13 West Columbia Campgrounds

Equestrian Camping Reviews near West Columbia, WV

234 Reviews of 13 West Columbia Campgrounds

  • Brady R.
    Aug. 15, 2019

    Hocking Hills State Park Campground

    Fave Midwest State Park

    I get asked "where should we go camping or hiking in the Midwest?" Hocking Hills State Park is always my go-to answer. 

    It has a ton of different terrains, it's easily accessible from Columbus, OH, and has great hiking opportunities. 

    This particular campground is amazing because it's located nicely to many hiking trails but far away that you aren't overly crowded so you still get the feeling that you're in nature.

    I've been here a ton growing up in the horse campground area, but most recently was there for tent camping. We were surrounded mostly by RVs, but we fit in quite nicely into our site. 

    The sites were nicely spaced out and the hiking trails were all nearby.

  • Lori L.
    May. 22, 2018

    Lake Hope State Park Campground

    Away from hocking hills crowds

    Lake Hope gave me a new way to experience an area I grew very close to and appreciate but cannot stand the swarms of people. It was a great quiet and spacious campground with solid amenities and it’s own nearby sites. We were in Wayne National Forest and right next to the infamous Moonville tunnel. It was no problem to drive over to the caves in hocking hills but it was also nice to stay close by a couple days too. This is likely the only way we’ll do the area moving forward

  • Betsy B.
    Aug. 20, 2018

    Hocking Hills State Park Campground

    Youth Campground

    Stayed at the youth campground from 8/17/18 to 8/19/18. We had 5 people staying at site 7. From driving around it seems we had one of the better sites because many were joint sites (next to each other). Most of the other sites had some flooding and another campers car got stuck in the mud.

    There are no toilets close to this site but the toilets at this campground left something to be desired. 2 smelled so bad, I couldn’t use them. They were also covered in spiders, ants, and other bugs.

    There is no running water in this area and the closest showers are back at the visitors center 6+ miles away.

    Some ATT and Verizon service can be found at the site but it is very inconsistent.

    I would not recommend this area for camping. It is far away from attractions and no running water. The ground is uneven and there are a lot of bugs. One night we had an issue with a raccoon.

    You will need to drive everywhere as walking on the main road is extremely dangerous.

    At this site you are close to Ash Cave, Firetower, and Cedar Falls.

  • Jonathan W.
    Jul. 11, 2018

    Lake Hope State Park Campground

    Very nice campgrounds and lake

    At lake hope you can enjoy camping in many ways rather if it’s by tent (the way I prefer) or by camper. It’s a very nice place to have some family fun. Very nice beach and swimming area. Hiking and horse back riding trails. Canoe/kayak rental. Very nice dinning area at the lodge. I would recommend this place to anyone and everyone.

  • CampgroundKaren ..
    Aug. 14, 2023

    Pine Creek Cabins & Camping Resort

    Cabin stay

    We stayed in one of the small cabins and loved it! Very clean, with thoughtful amenities. Hot tub on the back porch. This cabin also comes with two horse stalls. Bridle trail access right from campground.

  • Tamara W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 23, 2022

    Hocking Hills State Park Campground

    Quiet, Clean, Be Careful With Big Rigs

    The site was angled so we had to turn around before we could back in/park - our 5th wheel is 43’ and it was tight even with all spots not full. The pad was level and full hook ups but the site was small and the fire pit was RIGHT next to the camper. Beautiful wooded view behind us.

    There was also quite a bit of mud at the front of campsite which we used fallen leaves to cover but there should be material added there.

    Walking distance to all state park trails which was great! Bathhouse was warm and clean.

  • Dave V.
    Oct. 31, 2019

    Hocking Hills State Park Campground

    Close proximity to natural attractions

    Hocking Hills State Park, Oh-Site 89. https://thehockinghills.org/

    Hocking Hills State Park offers close proximity to most of the popular natural attractions...Old Man’s Cave, Ash Cave, Cantwell Cliffs, etc....but for a tent camper that prefers solitude and space, I found it unappealing.

    I did arrive late on a Monday evening, mid-October and got one of the last available sites. Packed on a Monday night!

    I found the camping sites a bit cramped both in depth and width. Site 89 and 90 shared the same parking pad. Limited flat locations existed for a tent and my tent footprint is fairly small. You do have a firepit and picnic table with all three in fairly close proximity, so you must be extremely cautious with wind direction when deciding for a fire, else you’ll have embers dotting your tent and picnic table. Even though the neighbors were trying to be respectfully quiet...you heard every conversation and saw their every move.

    No electric, which is fine in my book...the water spigot is centrally located on the loop and happened to be next to my site.

    The restroom/shower facilities were not well cared for upon my visit. The floors were very muddy and trash was piled up in the corner of one stall and out of necessities.

    Construction and dump truck noise started early with a project behind the restrooms.

    The visitor’s center was well-stocked and the employee was pleasant. Cell service is unavailable and even sketchy at the visitor’s center. Wood can be purchased at the visitor’s center.

    Close proximity to local attractions and a swimming pool are likely the big draw.

    Knowing that I prefer solitude and distance when camping, I’ll likely not return but choose nearby Lake Hope State Park for my local visits.

  • Diana M.
    Oct. 1, 2019

    Palmerosa Horse & Hike Campground

    Needs work

    Stayed one week with horses, corral falling down, outhouses and shower facilities beyond gross. 3/4 mile from trails, had to ride along very narrow road. Only saw owner once. There are better places to stay and enjoy riding at Hocking Hills. Place could be nice with some work

  • TThe Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 2, 2024

    Old Stone Church Campground

    Easy Access - Mostly Quiet

    Easy pull-thru site for our small travel trailer. Each pull-thru is set-up for horses, but RVs are allowed (according to NFS website). Maybe because it was Halloween night, maybe due to hunting season, I dunno, but there seemed to be more traffic than expected for this road. Our only neighbors got a little... rowdy, but it was okay.

    Campsite fee is $15 on the honor system. If you have a National Park's Golden Age or Access pass, they honor a 50 percent discount.

    I had good 4G ATT cell service. Worked well, with no drops. Data was a bit slower than usual but still good.

    The only facilities here were a single pit toilet (surprisingly clean) and a trash can at each site. There may be more services during the height of the season, at least water for horses, but nothing else I could tell.

    A short distance further down the road, just after it turns to gravel, at the Old Stone Church trailhead, there are grassy places to back in smaller campers/RVs. And even further down the road, after it turns back to asphalt :D, there's a private campground with utilities, I think, but we only saw it and didn't check it out.

Guide to West Columbia

Horse camping in West Virginia offers a unique opportunity to explore the great outdoors while enjoying the companionship of your equine friends. With a variety of campgrounds catering to horse enthusiasts, you can find the perfect spot to set up camp and hit the trails.

Equestrian campgrounds include essential amenities

  • The Zaleski State Forest provides a welcoming environment for horse campers, featuring accessible trails and basic facilities like toilets and drinking water.
  • At Paddle Creek Horse Camp, you'll find a dedicated space for horse camping, although it lacks some amenities like electric hookups and showers.
  • Stacked Stones Retreat and Horse Camp offers a rustic experience with access to trails, though the facilities may need some improvements.

Tips for equestrian camping near West Columbia, West Virginia

Campers appreciate these features for horses

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near West Columbia, WV?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near West Columbia, WV is Hocking Hills State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 109 reviews.

What is the best site to find equestrian camping near West Columbia, WV?

TheDyrt.com has all 13 equestrian camping locations near West Columbia, WV, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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