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West Branch State Park Campground maintains a horse camping area separate from the main campground in Wayland, Ohio, approximately 50 miles from Cleveland Heights. For riders seeking horse campgrounds near Cleveland Heights, this primitive equestrian camping section accommodates both horse trailers and tents, with sites designed specifically for riders with their animals. The horse camping area features direct access to bridle trails and includes designated spaces for horse trailers. Unlike the main camping area, the primitive horse camping section lacks electrical hookups or water connections at individual sites. Recent changes have allowed tent campers without horses to use this area as well, which some equestrian campers report has created safety concerns with children running between horse sites. Riders exploring horse camping near Cleveland Heights will find the 20 miles of bridle trails at this site among the most accessible equestrian campsites in the region.
The 20 miles of bridle trails at West Branch connect to the equestrian camping area, providing riders with scenic routes through the 5,000-acre park. These multi-use trails are shared with snowmobilers during winter months. Water access points along the trails allow horses to drink, though campers should bring their own water buckets. Campground hosts in the equestrian section help educate non-horse campers about safety around animals that may spook easily. Horse owners must clean up after their animals, with manure disposal areas provided. The primitive facilities in the horse camping area contrast with the main campground's full hookup sites, leading some equestrians to question why they cannot access the more developed camping areas with their horse trailers.
"The bathrooms are clean and include a laundry and sinks outside to wash your dishes. Campground hosts and staff are friendly and helpful. Sites are roomy and clean. Lots of variety."
"There is no WiFi and barely one bar of cell service; your best internet access is at the nice public library 7 miles away in Ravenna Sand beach is an easy walk from all camp sites and boat trailers can"
from $30 - $52 / night
Check Availability"This park is one of my favorites in Ohio at this time. Most of the sites are some what private. There are many trails and even a fog park next to the lake."
"They told me Ohio State Parks were voted #1 in the US. Well there is a reason for that. Beautiful, clean, great spots, not a bad site in the entire park."
from $27 - $80 / night
Check Availability
TravelerYou need to make reservations well in advance for the “primo” sites. The bathrooms are clean and include a laundry and sinks outside to wash your dishes. Campground hosts and staff are friendly and helpful. Sites are roomy and clean. Lots of variety. If you’re into hiking, disc golf, kayaking, fishing, equestrian pursuits, etc, this is the park for you.
Traveler3 Immaculate bath houses all with laundry facilities, all sites have electric (no f-ing generators) and many have have water and sewer hook ups. There is no WiFi and barely one bar of cell service; your best internet access is at the nice public library 7 miles away in Ravenna Sand beach is an easy walk from all camp sites and boat trailers can be parked on your camp site Boat launch has a big trailer parking lot, too. There are hiking, equestrian and mountain biking trails in the park and launching off paddle boards is ok at the boat launch or the nearby beach Friendly staff and camp hosts!
RangerThis park is one of my favorites in Ohio at this time. Most of the sites are some what private. There are many trails and even a fog park next to the lake.
GuideFirst time here. They told me Ohio State Parks were voted #1 in the US. Well there is a reason for that. Beautiful, clean, great spots, not a bad site in the entire park. Wood is dry and cheap right outside the park entrance. Bass fishing is top notch on the lake. I would definitely come back here again and again.
LegendRanger Review: Morsel Spork at West Branch State Park
**Campground Review: **
This state park was very welcome after our first two unlucky Ohio state park experiences. We had no trouble pulling in at 3 pm on a Sunday after Labor Day with no reservations and snagging a very nice spot (Site 50 backs up to Kirwan Reservoir). There are two loops that are on Jay Lake where there is a beach; it was understandable that there weren’t any water view spots that had not been reserved here. A very quiet park that is well-maintained with lots of amenities. Even the rumbling of the nearby trains was on the quiet side! Nice playground with toy stocked sandpit, volleyball net, cheap laundry ($3 per load, wash and dry), dishwashing sinks, showers, and clean bathrooms. There was even a step stool for kids to be able to reach the sinks. A staffed store(9am-7pm on Sunday, 11am-7pm Monday– Thursday and 9 am– 8:30 pm on Saturday) with basic supplies and, of course, t-shirts and sweatshirts. Some of the sites have a slight grade so be cautious when selecting. Many trees that provide separation between sites. Several short hiking trails. A side note: I only saw one non-Ohio license plate besides ours in the entire park, almost like it is an Ohio secret (not anymore!)
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**Product Review: **
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I have the opportunity to test products. At this campground, I tested the large Morsel Spork from Outdoor Element. I have to admit that when I unpacked my box from Outdoor Elements, I was surprised at how LONG our morsel sporks were(we have other sporks that are much shorter so I was expecting these to be a similar size) but then I saw a photo of someone using it with their freeze-dried meal and it was an aha moment! No need to dirty another dish because this mighty spork can reach to the bottom of the pouch with no problem! These sporks are also sturdier than others we have used. The rubber scraper edge is a nice touch – would be great for getting the last delicious bits of meals from the freeze-dried meal pouches and I’m thinking also in glass or plastic containers. A very nice addition to our camping tools.
LegendHere's what's great about this campground situated at an easy drive from major cities like Columbus and Cleveland...its scenic, a fully loaded campground with bathhouses, parks, hiking paths, swimming resivoir with boat rental...we highly recommend renting a pontoon for the day and hanging out in the resivoir for swimming and lounging! It's both relaxing and nice to get away from the beach crowd!
ScoutStayed in two different areas of West Branch State Park while visiting Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Very impressed with large, clean bath houses, including fully private showers. Sites were very large and spread out, visit bing lots of nice privacy. Though we did not take advantage, the park also offered horse bridle trails, mountain biking and water activities on the lake. What a gem!
GuideWe just got back from our first trip to Mosquito Lake State Park Campground. All in all, it was a great experience.
We stayed in site 67, which is a waterfront site, with electric. The water is about 25 yards from the pad, but is visible from the entire site. The site was spacious, but not as private as some of the others. There is some woods between this site and the sites on either side, but other sites are visible. The fire pits and picnic tables were staggered, so it created some distance to make it feel more private.
The campground as a whole, was very quiet. We stayed from Wednesday to Friday. The group next to us seemed a little rowdy when we first pulled in, but by 10:00 there was no noise anywhere near us.
Most sites seemed pretty level from side to side, but where we were, several had a slope from front to back. Away from the waterfront, most sites looked pretty level. The amount of space between sites varied from site to site. Some sites had woods on both sides, while others were pretty open. Some had nice large grassy areas, others were much smaller. Sites from 214-224 are in a cul de sac and are water front, but they were pretty close together with very little privacy between sites, if any. They are very close to the water though.
There are bathrooms and water scatter about, but from what I saw there was only 1 shower house.
Wal-mart and other shopping and restaurants were about 3 miles away. Park was easy to get to, only one turn for us off the highway. Lake was great for kayaking and paddleboarding. Very nice dog park in a different part of the park. There is a boat launch accessible from inside the campground.
Dump station has 2 lanes which was nice when checking out. Fresh water fill up was also located near the dump station.
GuideBeautiful area for a get away in Ohio. The beach is never too packed. You can take kayaks out and venture off around the shores.
West Branch State Park in Wayland offers equestrian camping options 50 miles northeast of Cleveland Heights. The park maintains 20 miles of bridle trails across the 5,000-acre property with water access points for horses along the routes. Trail riding enthusiasts can access these multi-purpose paths directly from the horse camping area. Campsites in this section accommodate both horse trailers and tents, with recent policy changes allowing non-equestrian campers to use the primitive facilities.
Lakefront recreation: West Branch State Park Campground provides extensive waterfront activities with multiple lake access points. "Great site! Shades lots of space semi private area. Right off the water with area to tie boat for easy water access," notes Katelyn P. about the West Branch State Park Campground.
Dog-friendly activities: Mosquito Lake State Park features a lakeside dog park that receives high praise from visitors. "The dog park is amazing. Theres so much to do here. Swimming, boating, fishing. We love it," writes Courtney C. about her experience at Mosquito Lake State Park Campground.
Kayaking opportunities: Multiple inlets and calm waters make the lakes near Cleveland Heights excellent for paddlers. "We can launch our kayaks right from our campsite," explains Alisa G. about West Branch State Park. Similarly, Rino S. notes about their lakefront site: "Beach is right next door too! Great trails, clean facilities, no complaints."
Clean facilities: Bathroom and shower cleanliness receives consistent praise at horse campgrounds near Cleveland Heights. "Best barhrooms around! showers great. bathrooms great. lots of 'lakefront' spots," reports Kim B. about West Branch State Park. Similar sentiments are common among visitors who appreciate the well-maintained facilities.
Private, spacious sites: Campsites at West Branch offer good separation between neighbors. "West Branch has private, spacious, shady sites," according to Alisa G., who adds, "The shower house and bathrooms are large and clean. There is even a book exchange shelf at the shower house in case of rainy days."
Evening activities: Organized events enhance the camping experience, especially for families. "An ice cream social is held on Saturday evenings that my children always love to attend," shares Alisa G. about West Branch State Park. At Mosquito Lake, "They offer activities up by the marina with some concession stands," Samantha J. points out.
Sloped sites: Many campsites in the region have uneven terrain that requires preparation. "We were only off 2 inches side to side but front to back we had to lower the front 15 inches. The jack was down as low as it would go and we were still off by 1.5 inches," warns Andrea F. about West Branch State Park Campground.
Water fill station challenges: RV campers should plan for potential water access issues. "First the water fill is on an incline so when our tank was 'full' pulling away from fill station it was really only 2/3 full. This was okay for a short weekend but not good planning," Andrea F. notes about West Branch.
Reservation requirements: Popular lakeside sites book quickly, especially during summer. "Make reservations! (6 months in advance). Waterside sites fill up quickly!" advises Alisa G. about securing spots at West Branch State Park.
Playground options: Dedicated play areas keep children entertained throughout their stay. "Nice playground with toy stocked sandpit, volleyball net," Lee D. observes about West Branch. At Mosquito Lake, "There an epic playground for kids. If your kids are 8 and under they'll love the nature playground and nets provided to catch critters," Joe F. recommends.
Beach access: Swimming areas provide relief during hot summer months. "We're at site 160. No electricity, no hook ups, but a HUGE lakefront site. Beach is right next door too!" shares Rino S. about West Branch State Park Campground.
Recreational equipment: Some campgrounds offer complimentary activities. "The park office loans games and sports equipment to campers," mentions Alisa G. about West Branch, providing additional entertainment options beyond hiking and swimming.
Hookup availability: Electric and water connections vary between sites and campgrounds. "We're in a self contained RV so it's not a problem for us," notes Rino S. about non-hookup lakefront sites at West Branch. For those requiring connections, Joe F. advises, "Only negatives I have are some of lots are pretty uneven."
Weather considerations: Seasonal conditions can impact site usability. "Unfortunately our campsite was under water due the extensive rains recently this past week and spring overall. But the staff at the camp office gave us a list of all of the open sites that we could choose from," explains Samantha J. about Mosquito Lake State Park Campground.
Distance to amenities: Plan for travel between camping areas and facilities. At Mosquito Lake, Samantha J. notes, "They offer activities up by the marina with some concession stands, but bring your bike or second vehicle marina's a trek."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Cleveland Heights, OH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Cleveland Heights, OH is West Branch State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 66 reviews.
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