Best Equestrian Camping near Youngstown, OH

I loved to camp in the Horse camping area but this year they are allowing tent campers to camp there and it is just not safe.  There are multiple tents, sometimes in between horse campers.  There are children running around and since this in the back of the campground with no supervision, the campers are leaving garbage at the sites and in the fire pits. 

There are two camp hosts in that area and they do the best they can to educate people on horses but most do not understand they were even booked in the horse camp nor do they understand that horses can spook.

The hosts are trying to clean up after these bad campers and reporting them but there does not seem to be anything they can do. They would never allow this kind of thing to happen in the main campground.

If the campers are allowed to camp in the horse camp then the horse campers should be allowed in the main camp.  I sure would  like a full hook up with electricity and water for my horse trailer. 

Whats fair is fair.  Why even designate a section just for Horse campers if you are going to allow primitive campers to camp there. 

Last year there may have been one or two tents here and there through out the season but this year the tent campers outnumber the horse campers.

Tucked away in southeastern Ohio is a gem of a park for camping, hiking and horse camping. Clean water, restrooms, playground, sand volleyball and basketball court. Dump station and 18 miles of multi use trails! Small lake for wading with the kiddos, fishing near the dam or skip rocks in the creek. But be sure to pack a picnic and relax and enjoy! Only a few electric sites available. Mostly flat shaded sites most perfect for tents or trailers.

You 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.

This smaller campground has a mix of equestrian sites and tent/RV sites. There are no showers, but the vault toilets were cleaned thoroughly ever morning. You need to be careful when booking, especially if you are trying to pitch a tent, as some sites are quite sloped. Our site was huge and right next to the water spigot.

West Branch is one of the best-known family campgrounds in NE Ohio. And it's not hard to understand why. Full amenities, clean facilities, and a nice lake round out the picture of a great place to get some family R&R.

Here's what you can expect:

1. It's Busy. 

Like, really busy. Be sure to book early as spots fill up often. Sites are fairly close to each other, but most people seem respectful of space and limits. 

2. It's Accessible.

West Branch is a quick drive from Akron, Canton, Cleveland, and Youngstown - hence the draw. if you live anywhere close, there's no reason NOT to check this place out!  

3. It's Fun (but a bit loud) 

If you're looking for quiet, West Branch might not be the place for you. Since the lake has not real HP limits, you'll hear boats motoring quite a bit throughout the day. 

4. It's got everything :) 

Seriously. There's nothing else you could want. Hiking trails, swimming, a fully stocked office for the essentials you forgot. 

Quick tip: Bring swimsuits. There are plenty of places to swim in the well-kept beaches or off a boat. West Branch is a great family getaway for summer swimming!

Family Campground on Leslie Road [map]

• 6 electric sites
• 44 non-electric sites
• Dump station
• No showers; no flush toilets
• Pets are permitted on all sites

Equestrian Camp on Sprucevale Road

• 59 primitive sites (no electric)
• Vault latrines
• Tie-ups
• 12 sites may be reserved; the remaining are first-come, first-served.

Group Camp on Sprucevale Road

• Two group camp sites
• Can accommodate organized groups up to 30 people
• Available by reservation

3 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!

Stayed 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!

My 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

I live near by to this state park and have spent much time exploring the entirety of it.

The trails are all nice, nothing too strenuous, and each have something unique compared to the others in the park. During the spring the Salamander trail is filled with thousands of Trilliums, a truly majestic experience. Lots of flowing water to enjoy throughout the park, some are off the trails but never hard to reach. A good park to enjoy with family and friends because you can fish, kayak, bike, skate, hike, horseback, and picnic. In addition, there are numerous historical cabins, locks, shelters, and a water run mill to sight-see. Then for those in search of a bit of spookiness, Gretchen’s Lock is notoriously a haunted location with certainly eerie vibes.

The family campground is small, but the park as a whole is not far from civilization so if any supplies are needed it is not a far endeavor. 

I do not horseback, so I cannot comment on that campground, but many of the trails are friendly for horses to travel.

OH! And if you are there on the weekends the Wildlife Center is a must! The staff are so nice, it is by donation to visit so is in everyone’s price range. An astounding display of animals and nature information! You can even hold the snakes and see a bee hive in action.

This state park has a lot to offer with the highlight being a large 2,650-lake that appeals to fishermen, boaters, and swimmers. The park is over 5,000 acres and not only has camping but hiking, volleyball, fishing, playgrounds, picnicking, hunting, horseback riding, and more.

The campground is divided into three loops with nearly 200 sites. Campsites include those with full hook-up (50 amp), electric only (50 amp), and some with no electric. This campground is suitable for everything from large RVs to tents. Sites and roads are paved and each site has a picnic table and fire pit. In loops where there is no water directly at the site, water spigots are scattered throughout. The restroom/bathhouses in our loop were really nice, modern, clean, and had laundry facilities which is a real plus at a state park campground. Campsites can be reserved online up to six months in advance. Since we were here in April, the campground was practically empty and getting a site was no problem. But, if you want one of the 29 full hook-up sites in the summer, you better book early.

We really enjoyed the hiking trails and being able to leave our campsite and be right on the trails. There are approximately 12 miles of hiking trails and an additional 20 miles that are open to horses and snowmobiles. (Be aware that hunting is permitted in certain areas.)

The park is about 15 miles from Cuyahoga Valley National Park which is a fantastic place to explore with a lot going on for the whole family! If you are interested in football, the National Football Hall of Fame is just down the road in Canton. The town of Hudson has a pretty, historic downtown with a fun old soda fountain.

We would definitely stay at this campground again. It was a perfect place to stay while visiting family in the nearby town of Hudson. Loved having a paved site with full hook-ups especially since there was a lot of rain while we were there. The lake was perfect for kayaking and had we been able to stay longer we would have spent more time on the water.

Beautiful area for a get away in Ohio. The beach is never too packed. You can take kayaks out and venture off around the shores.

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.

Ranger 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.

Not a huge campground, but as a result it was very quiet.

Some sites are small and very sloped. Others have lots of room to spread out. Highly recommend the one we booked! Very clean pit toilets and the campground overall was well maintained. Fire pits have a nice grate to flip over and cook on (this varied highly bw Ohio campgrounds).

Nice hiking trails and the lake is nice. Lots of geese and the expected goose poop. Plenty of solitude. 

Overall this is a pretty spot to relax and enjoy some time outdoors.

Booked a one night stay a day ahead of time on Ohio State Park site with full hookup.  when we arrived the site had been given away by staff to move someone from a noisy area.  Gave us the choice of a couple of other electric only sites.  Found one right near the water and couldn't have been happier!  Site 222 was on a cul de sac right across from the water.  Site is probably under water in early year.  Had a Pileated woodpecker visit us within 10 yards.

Can't say how nice Wilma from the park office was.  She was very apologetic and at the end of our stay gave us a gift card to use for another stay.  Both Wilam and the camp host checked on us to make sure we were happy.

Bring your kayaks and bikes.

This place wasn't bad but nothing really stellar about it either.  I visited on a Tuesday in early July and stayed the night with my 9 year old son.  Literally the park was abandoned - no visitors, hardly any employees to be seen (saw one guy mowing grass, that was it), and the park office itself closed except for on the weekends. We drove down to the main area of the park to check out the old mill, canal lock, ect.  Really cool looking and quaint, but again, everything locked up so you couldn't go inside or find out much more additional info.  The creek itself is very beautiful and the campground manager I talked to said a lot of people canoe or kayak down its length to the Ohio.  

Campground has limited well water and a one seater vault toilet with no sinks, showers, ect.  I stayed in spot 55 on the northern part of the campground which was pretty wooded, but not private.  All spots can see into other camps.  Small creek ran behind the end of the loop but it was mostly stagnant water which made it very buggy at night.  Overall like I said, not a bad place, but I wouldn't rush to come back unless I was on some type of canoeing trip.

Went with my father in law on a spur of the moment fishing trip. Didn't have much for walk in sites but we were able to find a great site. It was plenty big. We didn't have water access but they had plenty of sites with access and a boat ramp. The site was huge.

Lots of camping sites along the lake. Concert every Saturday during the summer. Great lake to take the kayaks on.

We come here at least once, sometimes twice per year - we travel about 2 hours to get there. A mix of shaded and open/grassy sites. Most are great for tenting. Some sites have access to the lake for kayaking/swimming/fishing. We like to bring our bows and use the archery range. Shower house available, but bathrooms throughout the site are primitive. Will do movie nights on the weekends.

The sites are huge. The dog park is amazing. Theres so much to do here. Swimming, boating, fishing. We love it. Only bad are no real bathrooms except at the front of the park. No place to wash dishes. Rough if you're tent camping. But we love the sites so much that we keep coming back.

I love this place. There is always something to do. Most people are friendly and respectful of other campers.

Great park! Sites are spacious and level. Very clean park. There are several full hook-up sites. Electric sites near the lake. We stayed at site #96. New Bathrooms are under construction. Campground is flat and great for bike riding. Nice playground for kids. Dog park nearby. Camp is near beach & marina. Also many shops and restaurants within a 10 minute drive. We will definitely be coming back to Mosquito Lake!

It was ok! Unfortunately our campsite was under water due the extensive rains recently this past week and spring overall. But the staff at the camp office gave us a list of all of the open sites that we could choose from so that we could still camp, Which was nice. Newer showers were nice. They are doing some improvements around the campgrounds. They offer quite a few wooded and shaded campsites. They offer activities up by the marina with some fconcession stands, but bring your bike or second vehicle marinas a trek.

Electricity is stable, sites are very wooded/shaded and most are medium to large. Most pads are very unlevel, almost every trailer I see is on many blocks. Some don't even have all their jack's down. Only a couple shower houses with flushing toilets, the rest are latrines. Camp store is actually open during all of this Covid crap. Amazing kids play area in the woods with a full blown obstacle course.

We stayed from Sunday thru Wednesday. We had a nice large full hook site. It was partly shaded but could've used better drainage. Most full hook up sites had wet spots. They are adding more full hook up sites.

We did not use the facilities so no review there.

We chose this state park because it was close and had good reviews. Overall our experience was very good. Great atmosphere and nicely wooded lots. Decent size too. Only negatives I have are some of lots are pretty uneven and the vegetation at all the shores edge . Had to have boat to get out and fish. Beach was great and there an epic playground for kids . If your kids are 8 and under they ll love the nature playground and nets provided to catch critters . We ll camp here again for sure .