10 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Palmerosa Horse & Hike Campground accommodates equestrians with 44 dedicated sites near Laurelville, Ohio. Located within easy access of bridle trails, the campground provides tent and RV camping with electric hookups at 30-amp service. Horses enjoy direct access to riding trails from the campsite areas, eliminating the need for additional transportation to trailheads. Camp amenities include picnic tables, fire rings where campfires are permitted, and drinking water for both riders and horses. The campground maintains clean restrooms with shower facilities for overnight guests. While no dedicated horse corrals are available at the campsites, campers can set up temporary containment with approval. The grounds feature terrain suitable for trailer parking and maneuvering, with sites spacious enough to accommodate both camping equipment and horse trailers.
Shawnee State Park offers horse-friendly camping opportunities with designated equestrian camping areas. The Equestrian Campground within Shawnee State Park provides primitive camping specifically for riders accessing the park's extensive bridle trail system. These trails wind through the diverse terrain of what locals call "The Little Smokies of Ohio" due to the rolling, forested landscape. Trail connections from the equestrian campsites lead directly to well-maintained riding paths that showcase dense forest, stream crossings, and varying elevation changes. Riders particularly appreciate the peaceful setting and natural terrain ideal for different skill levels. Though facilities at the equestrian campground are basic with no electric hookups, water availability, or shower access, the primary appeal remains the direct trail access and natural camping experience. Additional horse-friendly camping can be found at Ben's Happy Trails Horse Stable & Campground, which supplements camping with cabin options for riders seeking enclosed shelter.
"The lake is smaller, but nice beach area and pedal boats are fun. We hiked the Greenbriar and CCC Trails. They are not too challenging but beautiful."
"Ranger Review: Morsel Spork at Pike Lake State Park Campground Review:
We stayed at site 67 next to the camp host. The camp site was nicely shaded with a small creek behind it."
from $33 - $200 / night
Check Availability"There are lots of caves, trails, camping options and activities in the area. Be careful, however, every year someone is injured or dies going off trail, often falling from a cliff."
"If you stay away from the main roads, you might feel like you're in a smaller campground."
from $20 - $70 / night
Check Availability"Some are smaller, close to neighbors while other have seclusion with trees. From past experience, if it rains, some of the sites do flood. We had great weather this weekend."
"Enjoy a few hours or the day hiking one of eight trails or all of them. If you have horses take them out on the two loops especially for them. Lodge, campground, cabins so many options."
from $39 - $52 / night
Check Availability"One loop is for equestrian camping but when we were there, I only saw one horse trailer, and the rest were occupied by RV campers. "
"They have horseback riding trails , bring your own horses , witch they have accomidations for or rent from near by stables ."
from $39 - $52 / night
Check Availability"Autumn is the best time to camp in Ohio. Lots of small bathrooms. Lake access. Only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was due to the fact there was no quick reentry."
"Cowan Lake State Park is near Wilmington, Ohio and they have been making a lot of improvements to the park. It is a great location between Cincinnati and Columbus with easy access from the highway. "
from $29 - $160 / night
Check Availability"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."
from $23 / night
Check Availability"Great spot for horse camping, they have plenty of dedicated horse stalls. Gravel pads for electric/water sites are fairly level."
"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. "
from $25 - $70 / night
Check Availability"This cabin also comes with two horse stalls. Bridle trail access right from campground."
from $40 - $999 / night
Check Availability
GuideAutumn is the best time to camp in Ohio. Lots of small bathrooms. Lake access. Only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was due to the fact there was no quick reentry. Had to wait for rvs in front of me to register.
LegendCowan Lake State Park is near Wilmington, Ohio and they have been making a lot of improvements to the park. It is a great location between Cincinnati and Columbus with easy access from the highway. This is good if you want to meet with friends somewhat in between. It isn't too close to the highway so you don't hear the road noise as it is a few miles away but it is an easy drive to the park.
They have been revamping the Nature Center to make it more accessible to folks as they have recently added a ramp. The Nature Center actually has two buildings side by side used for different purposes. Then behind the Nature Center they have a location where several birds are located in cages. Then next to where the birds are kept you will notice a new paw print trail that is a short but informative hike.
The commissary has great pizza and ice cream. We also bought our firewood and ice from them as well. We didn't need to leave the park. We had a few trails to pick from and picked two of the shorter ones for members in our group.
The cabins have been revamped as well. They are all close to each other so if you wanted to have a family reunion or a get together this would be a great spot to do so. At the end of the main road it will lead you to the lake. You can use the dock to put your boat out (kayak and certain motor boats). Folks are fishing at the lake or simply enjoying the beauty of the lake.
The beach is simple but that is part of the charm. It is clean and we were able to swim on the hot days that we had while camping.
LegendThis was a last minute reservation and only available due to a cancellation. The campground was full for the weekend. The campground is pretty big with different types of sites. Some are smaller, close to neighbors while other have seclusion with trees. From past experience, if it rains, some of the sites do flood. We had great weather this weekend. The site we reserved had a hill right next to the passenger side/door side of your camper. If you had a big camper, it might be tight to open your slides and an awning. You most likely would not sit right outside your camper door. In fact, the fire ring is behind the site and up a small hill. We set up our ez-up in the back and out of the way, it worked for us. There was also a path that led you into the playground. Speaking of playgrounds, you will hear a lot of kids if the weather is nice. We were right across from the camp host (very nice lady) and very short walk to the bathhouse. The bathhouse had 4 flushable toilets and I think 3 showers. The showers did not have benches in the stall, only on the outside directly across. With a full campground, the bathrooms were kept very clean with the amount of people using it. We walked around and noticed a lot of bathhouses and another playground. We took a hike that led us to the lodge - it was an in and out and just under 5 miles. On our way back we stopped at the camp store which was well stocked with items you may need or not. There is a putt putt course, frisbee disc course, horse trails, dog park, nature center, golf course and more trails nearby. There are plenty of things to do if you like to keep busy or are trying to keep kids entertained. (The bees and stinkbugs were out and about while we were there.)
LegendGeneral: Huge state park with over 400 sites. All are pet-friendly and electric. About 20 are FHU. While tent camping is permitted, certain sites are not recommended for it as there would be no place to pitch a tent. One loop is for equestrian camping but when we were there, I only saw one horse trailer, and the rest were occupied by RV campers.
Site Quality: All camper pads are paved and most appeared level or just very slightly sloped. A picnic table and fire ring complete the site. Some sites have more trees to provide privacy while others are closer together with little separation.
Bath/Shower House: Not all loops have their own bath house and the I loop where we stayed was one of them. We used the one in the H Loop. The bathhouses were clean, and the shower had nice hot water, however, it doesn’t seem like there were sufficient facilities for how large the campground was (H Loop had two showers, two toilets, and three sinks). Hooks or shelves would have been appreciated.
Activities/Amenities: Many activities can be enjoyed here including mini golf (small nine-hole course), soccer, basketball, tennis, volleyball, corn hole, boating, and bicycling. Playgrounds are in several loops (I saw them in C and G). Rentals are available but most are only in season (ended September 30). There is a nature center and several hiking or paved biking/walking trails. There is also a camper beach for boating and swimming.
When we reserved months earlier, we knew that our first night (a Saturday) was 100% full as we got the very last site. What we did not know is that there was a HUGE Halloween celebration complete with 30-40 decorated golf carts parading through the campground. The road was closed until 6:45 pm (we arrived around 7 pm) and cars lined both sides of the approximately two-mile road! If that's your thing, great but it wasn't necessarily ours!
I appreciate that this park encourages so much outdoor activity, but it is not very pedestrian-friendly. I walked the road from one end to the other and there was no shoulder and, in many spots, no place to safely step off into the grass. I’m guessing it is assumed you will either have a car or golf cart to get around.
One final note: for a park so close to a large city (Cincinnati), I was surprised the cell service was so lacking (on Verizon). We eked out one and occasionally two bars of 4G.
TravelerI've stayed here in the past and Cowan Lake does not disappoint. The B site campground is all non-electric tent camping, and far enough away from the larger RV pads that it's a quiet little campsite! Also, these sites are super close to the bathrooms on the beach, which were very clean during our stay. I was incredibly impressed, because the beach gets pretty busy during the day. The beach itself was clean (for a lakeside beach- there are geese, it's Ohio) and the lake was gorgeous! I will say, the only MILD annoyance is that some of the other campers would drive to the parking lot in front of our campsite and park there into the evening hours to fish or head down to the docks. I'm an early riser, so the headlights and car doors slamming were mildly annoying after about 10p. Not enough to make me choose a different campsite, but worth noting. We rented a tandem kayak and explored the lake, and the equipment was all in good condition. The Commisary is pretty limited but they do have a small kitchen and ice cream, as well as the basics like firewood and ice, as well as the boat rentals. Overall, one of my favorite lakeside campgrounds!
GuideThis is one of the best state parks and in my opinion the most scenic. There are lots of caves, trails, camping options and activities in the area. Be careful, however, every year someone is injured or dies going off trail, often falling from a cliff. We have camped here in tents many times over the years. The state park campground is above par compared to others in the Ohio system. The naturalists are great and run many programs even in the off seasons. Fall is the best season, the foliage is awesome. Popular with Boy and Girl Scout groups. Campground has an outdoor pool.
LegendOld Man's Cave Cave Campground in Hocking Hills State Park is a large campground. At many of the sites, you'll feel like you're in a large campground. If you stay away from the main roads, you might feel like you're in a smaller campground.
Choosing a Site
Study the photo of the site map included here to get a sense of where you might want a site. You'll be able to see electric/non-electric and reservable/non-reservable sites. There's quite a mix of sites and the map has a legend that will guide you.
A reservation is a good idea. You'll definitely need one on weekends during the summer/fall, or you should arrive by Thursday for a chance for a non-reservable site for the weekend. I've been here in July and mid-September, and the park was crowded. I just keep an eye on reservations on reserveamerica.com.
Electric sites: I recommend sites 152-163, 164-172, and 141-151 because you are away from the main roads (long straightaways). In my opinion, sites 161-163, 150-151 and 171-172 are the best because you're at the end of spurs off a main road.
Full hookup sites: Sites 66-70 at the end of the full hookup stretch (24-70) are good.
Warning about full hookup sites: There's some kind of pumping station behind the sites on the left as you enter so it's noisy all the time. If I wanted a full hookup, I'd avoid sites from #24 up to at least #35 because you're going to have constant noise. It probably doesn't matter when you're inside because units with full hookups typically have closed windows and AC/heat.
Reservable non-electric sites 81-93: I like #92 and #93 and the first couple at the beginning.
Non-reservable sites: #1-23 are electric and #76-78 are non-electric.
Amenities
Picnic table and fire ring at sites
Swimming pool
Pay attention to the map if the location of showers and toilets is important to you. There are 3 showerhouses with showers, flush toilets and sinks. For some reason, the floor in the showerhouse near the pool was always wet and dirty even in September when the pool was closed. Other toilets throughout the campground are pit toilets.
Gray water disposal stations and potable water stations
Laundry facility near the shower house by the pool
Dump station
Activities
Scenery and hiking are what make this park special...and crowded.
See photos that show a map and descriptions of 8 hiking areas. Some of these areas are outside the park, and you'll need to drive to the trailheads or take a shuttle ($5 fee). Ohio does a good job of consistently marking trails and posting information boards that show where you are and where you can go from your current location.
Cell Phone Service: It's spotty. As you walk around, sometimes you have it and sometimes you don't!
Cool Feature of Ohio Parks
When you use reserveamerica.com, you can participate in a rewards program for Ohio state parks. We were able to apply points to stay free one night out of three.
GuideSimple and safe... Fifteen reservable sites via online or phone. 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. Hiking trails head off from this park that cover many miles. A steep hike up Sugar Loaf will wake you up in the morning.
ScoutThey have horseback riding trails , bring your own horses , witch they have accomidations for or rent from near by stables . Basketball courts , bike rental, Bridle Path , Cornhole , drinking water ,dumpsters. Hiking , kayak rentals , nature center , mini golf ,mountain bike trailhead parking , pickle ball , ping pong , playground ,recycling , shelter house , shower houses ,soccer , volleyball ,wifi , all play courts are ADA accessable , full hookups , electric only hookups , boat ramps both camping & public sandy beeches , Really Nice Eauestrian Camping , golf cart use 416 sites
Equestrian camping near Cynthiana, Ohio offers access to southeastern Ohio's rolling terrain, with elevations ranging from 600-1200 feet across the region. Trail systems wind through oak-hickory forests and past limestone outcroppings characteristic of the unglaciated Appalachian Plateau. Summer temperatures typically range from 75-85°F with humidity, while spring and fall provide milder camping conditions with occasional showers.
Hiking at Pike Lake State Park: Several trail options ranging from 1-3 miles in length with varying difficulty levels. The Greenbriar and CCC Trails offer woodland scenery with moderate elevation changes. "We like to hike and there were plenty of trails to follow. Some of the trails are horse and some are not," notes Shannon G., who appreciated the well-marked pathways.
Boating and fishing: Multiple parks offer water access, with Pike Lake providing boat rentals for around $20-30 daily. "There is a small lake with a beach you can kayak or canoe and fish (renting them is an option)," says Shannon G. For larger bodies of water, East Fork State Park has a 2,160-acre lake accessible via dedicated camper beach and marina areas.
Horseback riding at Palmerosa Horse & Hike Campground: Direct trail access from 44 equestrian sites with 30-amp electric hookups available. "The horseback riding is awesome, airplane rock has a view second to none. The box canyon with waterfall is gorgeous," writes Timothy M. Trail difficulty ranges from beginner to intermediate with several loop options.
Mountain biking: Great Seal State Park offers dedicated mountain biking trails over varied terrain. The park features 15 primitive campsites and trail connections that cover many miles through the rolling Appalachian foothills. "Equestrians, mountain bikers, and hikers seem to use this park often," notes Michael L.
Natural settings and privacy at Pike Lake State Park: Sites with creek access and forest surroundings. "We stayed at site 67 next to the camp host. The camp site was nicely shaded with a small creek behind it. We had a lot of shade and didn't feel like we were on top of our neighbors," reports Shannon G. Most sites feature fire rings and picnic tables with nearby water spigots.
Family-friendly facilities: Campgrounds offer playgrounds, recreational facilities, and organized activities. "The park was very clean and maintained. Trails were well marked and the camp hosts were very friendly. The nature center offered movies in the evening for guest," shares Andrea F. about East Fork State Park.
Lake access and beaches: Multiple parks feature swimming areas within walking or short driving distance from campsites. "There is a marina nearby where you can rent a John boat for pretty cheap too," mentions Renée C. about Cowan Lake State Park. Swimming beaches are typically open Memorial Day through Labor Day, with some parks offering separate camper beaches.
Horse amenities at Pine Creek Cabins & Camping Resort: Specialized facilities for equestrian campers with stall access and trail connections. "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," shares CampgroundKaren.
Limited cell service: Several parks have minimal or no connectivity. "There is no cell phone service - we didn't get service until we were on our hike on top of the hill," reports Shannon G. about Pike Lake. At Shawnee State Park, a reviewer notes, "absolutely no phone signal in the Campground. The lodge at the top of the hill has a weak signal."
Bathroom facilities vary widely: From modern shower houses to basic pit toilets. "The shower house at the office is great! You have your own shower, toilet and vanity in a locked room!" says Chad B. about the renovated facilities at Palmerosa Campground.
Seasonal flooding concerns: Some areas have drainage issues during heavy rains. "It rained quite a bit and many of the sites got flooded. The ground here doesn't drain well," warns Bob M. about Pike Lake State Park, while another camper mentioned, "people were literally bailing there sites out with buckets."
Site size considerations at Shawnee State Park: Campsite descriptions may not match reality for larger RVs. "We were told that the site we'd been assigned was room enough for 52'. Our RV is only 34' so that would be more than enough. We got there and it was maybe 20-24" in length," reports carrie S. Check site dimensions carefully when booking.
Look for campgrounds with dedicated kids' activities: Multiple parks offer organized events and recreational facilities. "The campground had fun amenities for kids, like a very small mini golf course and an outdoor screen for movie nights," says Jay T. about Shawnee State Park.
Choose sites near playgrounds but consider noise levels: Proximity can be convenient but sometimes disruptive. "Site 57 - this site backs up to the ravine and is nice and large. It has a lot of shade and grass. We were able to run a line between trees for a dog run. Great neighbors on both sides but right across the site is the playground. It's a little noisy but if you have kids, it works," advises Shannon G.
Plan for shower house distance when selecting sites with children: At some parks, bathrooms may be a considerable walk. "The campsites are so close together, which you think would at least mean the bathrooms were close, but no, they were a serious hike. Not good with kids," shares Jenny K. about Hocking Hills State Park.
Check site dimensions carefully: Many state parks have sites that may be challenging for larger rigs. "Not all the sites were as spacious as ours so be careful which one you choose. In fact, there was one so small, I'm not sure where a tent would go," warns Shannon G. about Pike Lake State Park.
Limited full hookup availability: Most parks offer electric only, with dump stations and water fill points. "Electric site only, full service all full. A bit rough getting RV setup, but pad is fairly level, so easily setup to use slides. Site 60, 46 feet max length, ours 39," reports Johnothan R. about Cowan Lake State Park.
Consider site material and drainage: Paved sites are common but may have flooding issues. "There was significant variety in the types of sites: some were quite wooded while others were full sun. The asphalt pad was decently level; a picnic table and fire ring were included," notes Kim H. about her experience at Cowan Lake State Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Cynthiana, OH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Cynthiana, OH is Pike Lake State Park Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 11 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Cynthiana, OH?
TheDyrt.com has all 10 equestrian camping locations near Cynthiana, OH, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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