10 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Shawnee State Park Equestrian Campground offers primitive tent and RV camping specifically for horse owners. Located within the "Little Smokies of Ohio," this equestrian-only area provides basic accommodations with space for horse trailers and direct access to riding trails. While the equestrian campground lacks water hookups, electric service, showers, and toilets, it connects directly to an extensive network of bridle paths through the surrounding forest. The main campground facilities remain nearby for additional amenities when needed. Many visitors appreciate the peaceful setting and separation from other campers that the equestrian-specific sites provide.
Ben's Happy Trails Horse Stable & Campground combines horse stabling with camping options including tent sites, RV spots with electric hookups, and cabins. Trails connect directly to the surrounding woodland areas for daily riding excursions. The campground provides drinking water, picnic tables, fire rings, and basic toilets with shower facilities. Trailer parking accommodates various sizes, with ample room for turning and unloading horses. Reservations are recommended, especially during peak riding seasons when the bridle trails showcase seasonal foliage. Palmerosa Horse & Hike Campground offers an additional option with 44 campsites featuring thirty-amp electric hookups, water access, and facilities designed specifically for equestrian camping groups.
"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"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. "
"This is your standard Ohio State Park campground. It has the usual parking, water, restrooms, camp store, and activities. East Fork is rather nice as it has the lake and long trails. "
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"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"Primitive Site 22 was fantastic, tucked away from everyone and quiet. Greenbo just doesn't have a lot to do if you arent boating. And that's okay. We just wanted a lazy trip anyway."
"Plenty of shade and a huge hill behind our site. Bathrooms were clean. A lot of unsupervised children running around, in the stream and riding bikes."
from $25 - $55 / 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
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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!
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.
LegendThis is your standard Ohio State Park campground. It has the usual parking, water, restrooms, camp store, and activities.
East Fork is rather nice as it has the lake and long trails. Just be prepared if you go on hikes to get turned around. The park is huge so not everything is in the campground area. If you drive around to the other side and do some of the trails over there be aware that two trails use blue blazes. They could use more blazes on the trails in general but watch out for the two blue blazes in the same area as it got us turned around.
This is great when you want to get away from the city but you don't want a long drive.
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
TravelerGreat Park, several access points to the unlimited HP lake. Recently lucky enough to watch scull Rowing races . It is a big Park, and lots of campsites and very busy. Total of 34 miles trails. this is combined with horse, hiking and biking trails around the lake.
Pike Lake State Park Campground sits in a section of the Appalachian foothills known locally as the "Little Smokies" region. Located within 30 minutes of Sinking Spring, Ohio, this area features rolling terrain with elevations ranging from 700-1,200 feet. The horseback riding trails throughout the region often follow ridgelines and creek beds, with most parks offering 30-amp electric hookups for equestrian campers.
Horseback trails access: At Shawnee State Park Campground, equestrian campers connect directly to 70 miles of designated trails through the forest. "Equestrians get 70 miles and primitive camping," notes Shelly S., who recommends obtaining a trail map due to the park's size and trail network.
Lakeside activities: The small lakes at Pike Lake State Park Campground provide paddling opportunities for families with horses. "Nice little lake to fish or kayak," mentions Buck B., highlighting the quiet atmosphere that works well for families needing rest after trail rides.
Multi-use trail system: The trail networks connect many of the campgrounds, with most offering both dedicated bridle paths and multi-use trails. "Great hiking was great. Campground is small, some sites too small for our 20' trailer and truck," writes Mitch & Kristi N. about Pike Lake's combination of horse trails and hiking paths.
Secluded camping options: Ben's Happy Trails - Horse Stable & Campground offers more privacy than many state park equestrian areas. Nearby Shawnee State Park provides similar options with "some secluded sites back in the woods, so you don't feel like you are camping in a parking lot in a few places," according to Megan M.
Horse-friendly amenities: The dedicated facilities at Palmerosa Horse & Hike Campground have been upgraded significantly. "The new owners of the Palmerosa Campground have put a lot of time and money into this campground! Almost everything has been torn down and rebuilt... 28 new covered stalls have been built! They are amazing and plenty if room for larger horses," reports Chad B.
Year-round access: Most equestrian campgrounds near Sinking Spring operate seasonally, but some offer extended access. "We visited when the leaves were changing and it was absolutely gorgeous. Hiking was great," notes Mitch & Kristi N., highlighting the fall colors that attract many riders to the region.
Facility limitations: The Equestrian Campground — Shawnee State Park has basic facilities only. As Karen notes about nearby campgrounds, "Not much cell phone service in the campground. We didn't get service until we were on our hike on top of the hill."
Site selection matters: Choose your site carefully at horse campgrounds. "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," cautions Shannon G.
Shower facilities vary: Equestrian campgrounds typically have basic facilities. "The shower house at the office is great! You have your own shower, toilet and vanity in a locked room!" writes Chad B. about Palmerosa's upgraded facilities, which differ from the more rustic options at other horse camps.
Kid-friendly activities: Great Seal State Park Campground combines equestrian camping with activities for children. "Simple and safe... Fifteen reservable sites via online or phone. Equestrians, mountain bikers, and hikers seem to use this park often," notes Michael L., describing the multi-use nature that works for families with varied interests.
Water access considerations: When bringing children to horseback camping areas, consider sites near water features. "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," says Leon H.
Playground proximity: Some equestrian camping areas include playgrounds for children. "Site 57 - this site backs up to the ravine and is nice and large... right across the site is the playground. It's a little noisy but if you have kids, it works," advises Shannon G.
Parking constraints: Most horse campgrounds near Sinking Spring have limited space for larger rigs. "We got there and it was maybe 20-24" in length, with no wiggle room because one end was the park road/driveway, the other end a hill," warns Carrie S., recommending careful site selection for RVs over 25 feet.
Hookup sharing arrangements: Horse-focused campgrounds often have limited electrical options. "They have 14 water and electric sites with plenty of shade trees. 30 primitive tent sites also with plenty of shade!!" notes Chad B. about Palmerosa's setup, which has become the standard for equestrian campgrounds in the region.
Surface conditions: Be prepared for variable ground conditions when bringing an RV to equestrian areas. "It rained the first day we were there and people were literally bailing there sites out with buckets. The places that weren't flooded were very muddy," cautions Kristin L.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Sinking Spring, OH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Sinking Spring, 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 Sinking Spring, OH?
TheDyrt.com has all 10 equestrian camping locations near Sinking Spring, OH, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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