Best Equestrian Camping near Columbus, OH

Palmerosa Horse & Hike Campground accommodates horse enthusiasts with 44 sites that include electric hookups and thirty-amp service. Located in Laurelville, about an hour from Columbus, the campground provides essential amenities for both riders and horses, including picnic tables, drinking water, and dedicated areas for equine companions. The horse-friendly environment offers accessible terrain for trailer parking and space for temporary corrals or tie-outs. No permanent horse corrals are available on site, so campers should bring their own containment systems. The campground maintains clean restroom facilities with showers and trash service. Sites are spacious enough to accommodate both camping equipment and horse trailers on the same pad, eliminating the need for separate parking areas.

The bridle trails accessible from Palmerosa connect riders to scenic routes through the rolling hills of southern Ohio. Trails vary in difficulty, offering options for beginners and experienced riders seeking more challenging terrain. Water access points along the trails provide natural drinking opportunities for horses during rides. The campground's location offers convenient access to expanded riding opportunities in nearby Hocking Hills region, where additional trail networks await exploration. Old Stone Church Campground in Shawnee provides another horse camping option with primitive facilities and trail access, though it lacks electric hookups and water connections. Riders appreciate the well-maintained paths that lead through wooded areas and open meadows, creating diverse riding experiences for day trips or multiple-day excursions. Advance reservations are recommended, particularly during peak riding seasons in spring and fall when equestrian camping demand increases.

Best Equestrian Sites Near Columbus, Ohio (10)

    1. Alum Creek State Park Campground

    80 Reviews
    Lewis Center, OH
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (740) 548-4039

    "Alum Creek State Park is just under 40 minutes from Columbus. It makes a great weekend getaway from the city. The campground offers some spots next to the water which have a wonderful view."

    "Alum Creek State Park is a beautiful park and great campground just outside the hustle and bustle of downtown Columbus and minutes away from attractions such as the Columbus Zoo."

    2. Korbel Campgrounds at Ohio Expo Center

    5 Reviews
    Columbus, OH
    1 mile
    Website
    +1 (888) 646-3976

    $60 / night

    3. Delaware State Park Campground

    37 Reviews
    Radnor, OH
    29 miles
    Website

    "This state park spans over 2,000 acres and is just north of the cute Ohio town of Delaware. "

    "Great state park to camp in to get away but still be near Columbus and some great things to do in central Ohio."

    4. Hocking Hills State Park Campground

    109 Reviews
    South Bloomingville, OH
    45 miles
    Website

    $29 - $46 / night

    "Best state park in Ohio for sure! 2 1/2 hour drive from Cincinnati, 1 1/2 hour drive from Columbus, and 3 hour drive from Cleveland."

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

    5. Buck Creek State Park Campground

    33 Reviews
    Clarence J. Brown Dam and Reservoir, OH
    39 miles
    Website
    +1 (937) 322-5284

    $23 - $35 / night

    "A well manicured campground just outside Dayton, easy to get to, back in pavement site with 30A electric, picnic table and fire pit. Plenty of potable water spigots around, just not at the site."

    "I did not spend enough time here to give a thorough review, but what I will say is that this site is nice if you need a campsite for a couple nights while passing through Ohio."

    6. Dillon State Park Campground

    26 Reviews
    Nashport, OH
    47 miles
    Website

    "I camped at this state park in the very scenic rolling hills of central Ohio on a hot and sunny weekend and was happy to find plenty of shade."

    "I have been extremely disappointed with Ohio State Park campgrounds."

    7. Palmerosa Horse & Hike Campground

    4 Reviews
    South Bloomingville, OH
    41 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."

    8. Pine Creek Cabins & Camping Resort

    2 Reviews
    South Bloomingville, OH
    43 miles
    Website
    +1 (740) 478-2520

    $15 - $999 / night

    "This cabin also comes with two horse stalls. Bridle trail access right from campground."

    9. Great Seal State Park Campground

    1 Review
    Chillicothe, OH
    41 miles
    Website
    +1 (740) 663-2125

    "Equestrians, mountain bikers, and hikers seem to use this park often. Although no utilities... there is a shelter, restroom and trash recepticle. Campfires are permissible."

    10. Old Stone Church Campground

    2 Reviews
    New Lexington, OH
    47 miles
    Website

    "Each pull-thru is set-up for horses, but RVs are allowed (according to NFS website)."

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Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near Columbus, OH

2 Photos of 10 Columbus Campgrounds


Equestrian Camping Reviews near Columbus, OH

327 Reviews of 10 Columbus Campgrounds


  • O
    Jun. 9, 2019

    Hocking Hills State Park Campground

    Amazing State Park!

    Best state park in Ohio for sure! 2 1/2 hour drive from Cincinnati, 1 1/2 hour drive from Columbus, and 3 hour drive from Cleveland. This park has plenty of trails for all types of people, my favorite is conkles hollows, so I highly recommend that!

  • Grace D.
    May. 8, 2019

    Alum Creek State Park Campground

    Peaceful, quiet, and scenic.

    Alum Creek State Park is just under 40 minutes from Columbus. It makes a great weekend getaway from the city. The campground offers some spots next to the water which have a wonderful view.

  • 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.

  • Vicki H.
    Oct. 1, 2018

    Alum Creek State Park Campground

    Would be 5 star except for this

    Alum Creek is just beautiful, nice sites, most of them are at least partially shaded, lots of woods, hiking trails, the lake, it is what I think of when I think of State Park campground camping in Ohio. There are a couple problems. 1. Only ONE little dump station. This is a big campground, so if you're leaving Sunday, you better get up at the crack of dawn to get to the station, otherwise be prepared to wait in a long long line of RV's. We by-passed the long line and stopped at a different State Park campground on the way home and paid 10.00 to use their dump station. 2. They never answer their phone at the campground office. I mean NEVER. If you have a question you will just have to deal with the reserveamerica people who really know nothing other than what they read on the campground website. So basically you know as much as they do. It's maddening. We will go back, but it's a 2 hour drive so it won't be anytime soon.

  • Marshall P.
    Apr. 13, 2021

    Alum Creek State Park Campground

    Beautiful State Park close to Columbus Ohio

    Alum Creek State Park is a beautiful park and great campground just outside the hustle and bustle of downtown Columbus and minutes away from attractions such as the Columbus Zoo.

    The campground has good sized sites and is wooded throughout with clean bath houses, well maintained roads, and easy access for big rigs.

    There is also a very nice dog park in the park including dog beaches with lake access for your pups to swim.

    We love this campground and the beautiful lake and appreciate the easy access to local attractions, shopping, and more.

  • s
    Jul. 18, 2016

    Alum Creek State Park Campground

    Much more here than you realize

    Less than 30 minutes north of Columbus and you are in a rustic area with LOTS to offer. Besides the camping there is a sail boat dock and horse riding trails. The lake is big enough to spend hours on! It is rarely crowed here. Makes for a great community!

  • Nancy W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 22, 2017

    Delaware State Park Campground

    Nice Ohio State Park

    This state park spans over 2,000 acres and is just north of the cute Ohio town of Delaware. We stayed here for two nights while visiting friends in the area but wished we would have stayed to enjoy all that the park had to offer. The campground was really nice and quiet when we stayed there which was during the week and in the spring and not very crowded. We can imagine that this park is pretty full in the summer with all their amenities and close proximity to major Ohio cities. 

    The 'pod' layout of the campground made for large campsites (some sites are over 90 feet in length and well suited for large RV’s) with good separation between sites. There are 212 sites that have 50 amp electric. The campground also has yurts for rent (May through October) that are furnished with beds, table and chairs, a cooler, ceiling fan, outdoor charcoal grill and a picnic table with canopy. This is a great option for those wanting to stay in something more than a tent but don’t have an RV.

    There is no sewer or water at individual sites but there is a dump station and water fill station near the park entrance. Roads and campsites are paved with grassy patios that feature picnic tables and fire pits. The park does not provide wifi but our Verizon hotspot and 4G phone worked well. There are centrally located bath/shower houses with coin-operated laundry facilities.  

    The park is open year-round and great for outdoor activities; especially, those that are water-related. There are numerous boat launches, fully equipped marina, and swimming area. We launched our kayaks and had a great time paddling around the lake.  Be aware that there is no horsepower limits for boats on the lake and weekends are very popular for anglers in high-powered bass boats. The northern portion of the lake is a “no wake zone” which makes for a more pleasant paddling environment.  If you don’t have a boat, boat rentals are available at the marina. 

    For those wanting to hike there are plenty of hiking/biking trails for you to get out and explore the park.  Many of the trails link together so you can decide how long you want to hike. The Lakeview Trail was perfect for us as our dog loved jumping in the water during our hike. Other amenities in the park include a nature center, 18-hole disk golf, hunting, archery, volleyball, horse shoe pits, picnic areas, and an 800-foot designated swimming area.  At the camp store/office you can rent bikes as well as other sporting equipment.

    If you decide to venture out of the park you are only about 40 miles from downtown Columbus and less than 20 miles to the world-renowned Columbus Zoo (which is definitely worth a visit). The nearby town of Delaware is really nice with downtown shopping, restaurants, a historic theater and brewery (Stass Brewing Company has great Belgian-style beer with a fun atmosphere).  

    Would definitely camp here again if we were in the area.

  • E
    Feb. 1, 2020

    Delaware State Park Campground

    Love this park

    Great state park to camp in to get away but still be near Columbus and some great things to do in central Ohio. We've camped here a couple of times and the campsite are always clean and the showers are spotless. Yes in the summer it can fill up pretty quick but during the week there are plenty of sites open. As have been mentioned boating opportunities, a free archery range, and plenty of trails to hike. The staff has always been great and helpful to answer questions. We'll be back, this is one of our go to parks.

  • Mary S.
    Jul. 16, 2020

    Alum Creek State Park Campground

    Alum Creek State Park

    This is a huge campground! I tent camped by myself--felt very safe.  Happened to be next to the park host. No choice of where to locate my large tent.  Showers/bathrooms were OK--older facilities.  Wish this park had a laundry facility--another Ohio park I recently stayed at had a fairly new shower facility that included a laundry facility!  Did not appreciate the waste management company emptying the dumpsters at 4:00 AM!!!  There is a huge, lakeside beach that was just packed with people (no social distancing) and there was trash everywhere--not enough dumpsters.  Near to shopping (Polaris), if you are interested.  Will try to get a lakeside site next time.


Guide to Columbus

Ohio offers a variety of options for horse camping enthusiasts, providing scenic landscapes and well-equipped facilities for both riders and their horses.

Equestrian campgrounds include ample amenities

Campers appreciate these amenities for horses

Equestrian campers like these nearby activities

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Columbus, OH?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Columbus, OH is Alum Creek State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 80 reviews.

What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Columbus, OH?

TheDyrt.com has all 10 equestrian camping locations near Columbus, OH, with real photos and reviews from campers.