West Branch State Park Campground includes an equestrian camping area in Wayland, Ohio. Tent campers and horse campers share this designated section in the back of the campground. The equestrian area offers primitive camping without electric hookups, allowing riders direct access to bridle trails. Recent changes in campground management now permit regular tent campers to use sites in the horse camping section, creating a mixed-use environment. Multiple horse campers note this has led to increased site use by non-equestrians, sometimes causing safety concerns with children and unfamiliar campers around horses that may spook.
Located approximately 40 miles from Gates Mills, the horse camping area connects to several miles of designated bridle trails through wooded terrain. The campground provides basic amenities including drinking water, toilets, and trash collection facilities. No corral systems are permanently installed, so horse owners must bring portable containment solutions. The equestrian sites require advance booking during peak seasons, especially for weekend stays. Trail conditions vary seasonally, with well-maintained paths generally accessible from spring through fall. Camp hosts in the equestrian section help educate non-horse campers about safe practices around horses, though experienced riders suggest selecting weekday visits for a quieter experience with fewer non-equestrian campers.
$30 - $52 / night
"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"
$27 - $80 / night
"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."
"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. "
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.
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.
ScoutMy family has been going to this camp for years! It’s been updated a few times over the years, for the better! It has everything you need. Boat ramps for the lake in the campground, multiple shower houses, large and small campsites with full and primitive options! Tent and pull through RV sites as well. They have a few miles of hiking trails even horse trails! They do events through out the year. Our favorite Halloween! Camper decorate their sites and do trick or treating for the kids. They even do a haunted trail where volunteers set up to scare everyone! We had a spot on the trail for years lol
West Branch State Park equestrian camping area offers primitive camping approximately 40 miles from Gates Mills, Ohio. The camping section sits at an elevation of around 950 feet above sea level in the glaciated Allegheny Plateau region. The area experiences distinct seasonal variations with humid summers, cold winters, and moderate rainfall throughout spring and fall camping seasons.
Kayaking and water access: At West Branch State Park Campground, campers can launch kayaks directly from lakefront sites. "We can launch our kayaks right from our campsite. There are many inlets to explore or fish," notes Alisa G., who visits the park annually.
Dog park visits: The park features a newer dog park located near specific intersections. "There is a newer dog park near the intersection of Rock Spring and Esworthy roads," mentions Alisa G., highlighting this amenity for campers traveling with pets.
Beach swimming: Both lakefront camping areas and dedicated swimming beaches provide water recreation options. "Beach is right next door too! Great trails, clean facilities, no complaints," writes Rino S., who enjoyed a lakefront site without hookups.
Private shower facilities: Mosquito Lake State Park Campground receives positive feedback for its bathing facilities. "Newer showers were nice. They are doing some improvements around the campgrounds," reports Samantha J., who appreciated the updated amenities despite camping during wet conditions.
Waterfront site options: Campers consistently mention the appeal of lakeside camping. "Great site! Shades lots of space semi private area. Right off the water with area to tie boat for easy water access," Katelyn P. shares about her West Branch experience.
Clean restroom facilities: Bathroom cleanliness stands out as a common positive. "Best bathrooms around! Showers great. Bathrooms great. Lots of 'lakefront' spots," Kim B. notes about West Branch State Park, also mentioning its proximity to Cuyahoga Falls National Park.
Site leveling challenges: Some camping areas require equipment for proper setup. "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," Andrea F. explains about her West Branch State Park experience.
Water fill station design issues: Practical infrastructure elements may present challenges. "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," Andrea F. reports, noting this was adequate for a weekend but problematic for longer stays.
Limited facilities at some parks: Amenity distribution varies between campgrounds. "Only bad are no real bathrooms except at the front of the park. No place to wash dishes. Rough if you're tent camping," Courtney C. mentions about Mosquito Lake, though she still returns for the spacious sites.
Look for campground activities: Mosquito Lake State Park offers family-friendly programming. "If your kids are 8 and under they'll love the nature playground and nets provided to catch critters," Joe F. recommends from his first camping trip with a trailer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Gates Mills, OH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Gates Mills, OH is West Branch State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 66 reviews.
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