Best Equestrian Camping near West Union, OH

Shawnee State Park includes two equestrian camping options near West Union, Ohio. The Equestrian Campground within Shawnee State Park provides primitive camping specifically for horse owners with direct trail access. Ben's Happy Trails Horse Stable & Campground offers electric hookups, drinking water, picnic tables, and camping accommodations including tent sites, RV spots, and cabins. Both locations permit pets alongside horses. The campgrounds feature basic toilets and trash collection, with Ben's Happy Trails also providing shower facilities. Neither location offers horse corrals, requiring campers to bring portable corrals or highlines for containing their horses. Campfires are allowed at both facilities, making evening relaxation possible after a day of riding.

The extensive trail system within Shawnee State Park gives riders access to over 70 miles of bridle trails through the rugged terrain known as Ohio's Little Smokies. Trail riders frequently note the challenging elevation changes that provide both scenic views and physical workout for horses. Water access points along the trails allow for horse hydration during longer rides. The primitive nature of the equestrian camping areas means visitors should prepare thoroughly, bringing all necessary feed, water buckets, and containment systems. Cell service throughout the region is limited or non-existent, particularly at the Equestrian Campground, requiring riders to plan routes carefully before setting out. The area's remote location contributes to peaceful camping experiences with minimal crowds even during peak seasons.

Best Equestrian Sites Near West Union, Ohio (13)

    1. Shawnee State Park Campground

    20 Reviews
    Friendship, OH
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (740) 858-6652

    $24 / night

    "Right on the border of Kentucky, in Ohio, you are in the small town almost South.

    Beautiful countryside, fortunately I was on Rt 125 when I lost all clue where the park entrance was."

    "Unlike many Ohio State parks I've visited, the Shawnee campground has a variety of great tent sites.   Several of these are hidden in the trees at the top of some steps and up a short path. "

    2. East Fork State Park Campground

    65 Reviews
    Concord, OH
    35 miles
    Website
    +1 (513) 734-2730

    $29 - $30 / night

    "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. "

    3. Carter Caves State Resort Park Campground

    46 Reviews
    Olive Hill, KY
    37 miles
    Website
    +1 (606) 286-4411

    $20 - $120 / night

    "This is a beautiful state park with breathtaking views of creeks along the roadway, wonderful landscape designed by nature, good hiking trails, peaceful campground, and a nice lodge."

    "We liked that we could walk to the bathrooms and not have to drive there. We stayed at site 100 and really enjoyed the shade trees."

    4. Pike Lake State Park Campground

    11 Reviews
    Latham, OH
    31 miles
    Website
    +1 (740) 493-2212

    "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."

    5. Twin Knobs Recreation Area

    42 Reviews
    Salt Lick, KY
    48 miles
    Website
    +1 (606) 780-7818

    $31 - $128 / night

    "Stayed here for one night on a road trip to the Great Lakes. It’s basically in the middle of nowhere but nestled nicely on a lake with pretty water and nice scenery."

    "It is close to the water. We left our boats down on the bank. You have a "private" restroom and shower house. Occasionally you will get a hiker or someone coming through the trails that will use it."

    6. Cowan Lake State Park Campground

    28 Reviews
    Wilmington, OH
    45 miles
    Website
    +1 (937) 382-1096

    "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. "

    7. Greenbo Lake State Resort Park

    19 Reviews
    Greenup, KY
    41 miles
    Website
    +1 (606) 473-7324

    $19 - $44 / night

    "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."

    10. Ashland Huntington West KOA

    17 Reviews
    Grayson, KY
    48 miles
    Website
    +1 (606) 929-5504

    "Didn't appreciate the grill in the next site (thought it was too close to us). We were in Site #8. Not sure what all is around here."

    "We stayed on the upper end by the veterans cemetery, even though it's close to the pool and playground, it was pretty quiet. Sites were a bit unlevel, but easy to back into."

Show More
Showing results 1-10 of 13 campgrounds

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented byToyota Trucks

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win


Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near West Union, OH

3 Photos of 13 West Union Campgrounds


Equestrian Camping Reviews near West Union, OH

259 Reviews of 13 West Union Campgrounds


  • Dave B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 27, 2024

    Cowan Lake State Park Campground

    Large Campground

    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. Had to wait for rvs in front of me to register.

  • Shelly S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 6, 2017

    Shawnee State Park Campground

    Preparation is key

    Shawnee State Park was totally without any phone signal. Right on the border of Kentucky, in Ohio, you are in the small town almost South.

    Beautiful countryside, fortunately I was on Rt 125 when I lost all clue where the park entrance was. Then I saw the Shawnee Range and kept on driving. Definitely get a map because the whole park offers a lot of out door opportunities.

    Backpack trail, 23 and 40 miles loops with 7 camping areas, register and enjoy. Equestrians get 70 miles and primitive camping.

    The camping area is small ( a good thing ) the restrooms are clean and basic. Showerhouse and laundry. The attendant was super helpful and knowledgeable.

  • j
    Sep. 12, 2024

    A.J. Jolly Park & Campground

    AJ Jolly campground

    Expensive for what it has to offer. At 48.00 bucks a night yes they do have WIFI in the RV section. They do have concrete pads. It’s a shame they are worthless they are to small to park the average RV on an are on the wrong side of most rigs unless you pull in 1/2 the sites the electric is on the wrong side. The sites are gravel and not level the rest rooms are new and nice. The horse stalks are very nice. If you have a large horse trailer type camper your screwed the sites are small so that only leaves you with the RV sites that are a few 100 feet away from the stables If you want to walk threw the drainage ditch add about 300 ft if you don’t want to walk threw the muck. It’s a shame when they paved the entry road they didn’t spend a little more. “Grant money “ or tax money an do it properly. The main play ground is extremely nice. About 1/3 Mile walk. They do have a small playground in the rv section. For horses again they have a nice setup for big RVs it Sux they have a dump station. Situated in between the entry road to the Fkatwood rv section and equestrian area The main lake is nice you can rent kayaks canoes. Or use your own boat. The boat ramp is nice the other end of the lake at the flat wood rv section. Is t really a lake it’s a back water shallow mud hole depending on the time of the year. Mosquitoes the size of jet fighters. Will rather eat you alive or carry you off. “Lol sorry could t resist “ it gets bad the park is clean and well maintained Except for the camp sites

  • K
    Jul. 1, 2021

    Cowan Lake State Park Campground

    Big Improvements Happening

    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.  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.

  • J
    Jul. 25, 2021

    A.J. Jolly Park & Campground

    Aj jolly

    Campgrounds we’re designed for pop up campers limited sites for RVs an Travel Trailers electric was dependable water at most sites plenty of tent sites. They have some equestrian sites and one or two trails For what it is a the location it’s not a bad place. We have camped there. Many many times. Really a good campground for new campers. Close to what ever you may have forgotten or need

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 26, 2024

    East Fork State Park Campground

    HUGE state park with many activities

    General: 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.

  • S
    Aug. 16, 2021

    Cowan Lake State Park Campground

    Cowan Lake Campground Site B09

    I'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!

  • Jay T.
    Aug. 11, 2025

    Shawnee State Park Campground

    Attractive campground with variety of sites and amenities

    Unlike many Ohio State parks I've visited, the Shawnee campground has a variety of great tent sites.   Several of these are hidden in the trees at the top of some steps and up a short path.  We stayed in 12.  If you don't mind hauling your gear a short distance from your car, sites like this are perfect as they're  for tent campers only.  The campground had fun amenities for kids, like a very small mini golf course and an outdoor screen for movie nights.  The shower houses were clean and the small camp store convenient.  All the Shawnee State Park staff I met were super friendly and helpful.

  • K
    May. 31, 2019

    East Fork State Park Campground

    Campground

    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.  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.


Guide to West Union

Horse camping in Ohio offers a unique blend of outdoor adventure and equestrian-friendly amenities, making it an ideal choice for horse enthusiasts looking to explore the state's beautiful landscapes.

Equestrian campers like these nearby activities

Campers appreciate these amenities for horses

  • Shawnee State Park Campground provides well-maintained facilities, including picnic tables and fire rings, ensuring a comfortable stay for both horses and their owners.
  • At A.J. Jolly Park & Campground, campers can find concrete pads and designated areas for horse trailers, making it easier to manage your equestrian gear.
  • Carter Caves State Resort Park offers a variety of amenities, including a camp store and playground, ensuring that both horse campers and their families have everything they need for a fun-filled stay.

Most campgrounds have horse-focused amenities like trails and facilities

  • Pike Lake State Park Campground features trails that are accessible for horseback riding, allowing campers to explore the natural beauty of the area on horseback.
  • The East Fork State Park Campground includes equestrian camping loops, providing a dedicated space for horse campers to enjoy their stay while being close to riding trails.
  • Greenbo Lake State Resort Park is known for its spacious sites and proximity to trails, making it a popular choice for those looking to combine camping with horseback riding.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near West Union, OH?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near West Union, OH is Shawnee State Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 20 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 13 equestrian camping locations near West Union, OH, with real photos and reviews from campers.