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West Branch State Park Campground includes a designated horse camping area in Wayland, Ohio, approximately 40 miles southeast of Willoughby Hills. This equestrian-friendly campground allows riders to camp with their horses in a separate section that provides direct access to approximately 20 miles of bridle trails shared with snowmobiles in winter months. The park spans over 5,000 acres with a 2,650-acre lake. Horse camping facilities have generated mixed reviews, with some visitors noting issues with tent campers being allowed in the horse camping section, creating potential safety concerns when children run near horses that may spook. Campers have expressed that horse camping should remain dedicated to equestrians for safety reasons.
Trail access from the horse camping area connects directly to the park's extensive bridle trail network. West Branch offers full amenities throughout the main campground including drinking water, sanitary dump stations, and toilets, though the horse camping area has more primitive accommodations. The bridle trails wind through the forested areas of the park, providing scenic riding opportunities. Horse campers should note that reservations are recommended, especially during summer months when the park experiences high visitor numbers. The campground is active year-round with seasonal activities including guided hikes and special events. Riders particularly appreciate the ability to access trails directly from their campsites without having to trailer horses to trailheads.
"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"
from $30 - $52 / night
Check Availability"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."
"They told me Ohio State Parks were voted #1 in the US. Well there is a reason for that. Beautiful, clean, great spots, not a bad site in the entire park."
from $27 - $80 / night
Check Availability
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.
GuideFirst time here. They told me Ohio State Parks were voted #1 in the US. Well there is a reason for that. Beautiful, clean, great spots, not a bad site in the entire park. Wood is dry and cheap right outside the park entrance. Bass fishing is top notch on the lake. I would definitely come back here again and again.
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.
West Branch State Park horse camping area provides dedicated spaces for equestrians 40 miles southeast of Willoughby Hills. The park offers approximately 20 miles of bridle trails that wind through forested terrain, connecting directly to campsites. Sites are spacious but vary significantly in levelness, with some requiring substantial adjustments for recreational vehicles.
Lakeside activities: West Branch State Park Campground features numerous waterfront sites where visitors can launch kayaks directly from their campsites. "We can launch our kayaks right from our campsite. There are many inlets to explore or fish," notes Alisa G. about the park's water access opportunities.
Hiking and disc golf: The park maintains several scenic hiking trails suitable for all skill levels. "We also played some disc golf and went geocaching," shares Andrea F. at West Branch State Park Campground. The trail system includes shorter routes accessible from the main campground area.
Archery practice: For equestrian camping near Willoughby Hills, Ohio, Mosquito Lake State Park offers alternative activities when not riding. "We like to bring our bows and use the archery range," mentions Karen D., highlighting recreation options beyond horseback riding.
Beach access: The campground beach at West Branch provides convenient swimming access. "Beach is right next door too! Great trails, clean facilities, no complaints," writes Rino S. about the lakefront camping experience at site 160.
Private, wooded sites: Many campsites at Mosquito Lake State Park Campground offer good separation between neighbors. "This park is one of my favorites in Ohio at this time. Most of the sites are somewhat private. There are many trails and even a fog park next to the lake," reports Jim L.
Clean facilities: The shower houses receive consistently positive reviews. "Best bathrooms around! Showers great. Bathrooms great. Lots of 'lakefront' spots. Dog park is pretty great, too!" reports Kim B., noting the well-maintained facilities at West Branch.
Site leveling challenges: Some campsites require significant leveling equipment. "Our site was labeled slight slope. That was a joke. We were only off 2 inches side to side but front to back we had to lower the front 15 inches," warns Andrea F. about site 190 at West Branch State Park Campground.
Reservation timing: During peak seasons, securing preferred sites requires advance planning. "Make reservations! (6 months in advance). Waterside sites fill up quickly!" advises Alisa G. regarding the competitive booking situation.
Water fill challenges: The water fill station design may cause issues for some RVs. "First 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," reports Andrea F., noting this design flaw.
Nature playground: Mosquito Lake offers specialized play areas for younger children. "If your kids are 8 and under they'll love the nature playground and nets provided to catch critters," shares Joe F. at Mosquito Lake State Park Campground.
Recreational equipment: Some parks provide recreational equipment for camper use. "The park office loans games and sports equipment to campers," notes Alisa G., mentioning the family-friendly services available.
Weekend activities: Scheduled events keep children entertained during weekend stays. "An ice cream social is held on Saturday evenings that my children always love to attend," shares Alisa G., highlighting one of the regular family activities.
Hook-up availability: West Branch offers various site types with different amenity levels. "No electricity, no hook ups, but a HUGE lakefront site. We're in a self contained RV so it's not a problem for us," notes Rino S. about site 160 at West Branch State Park Campground.
Site selection for RVs: Some campgrounds offer full-service sites suitable for larger rigs. "Sites are spacious and level. Very clean park. There are several full hook-up sites. Electric sites near the lake," reports Heidi B., detailing the RV-friendly options at Mosquito Lake.
Lake access considerations: Water levels and vegetation can impact shoreline activities for RV campers. "The algae was kind of thick, which made fishing impossible, so we stopped bringing the kayak," cautions Rose S., describing seasonal lake conditions that affected her camping experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Willoughby Hills, OH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Willoughby Hills, OH is West Branch State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 66 reviews.
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