Hares Canyon Horse Camp, near Buxton, Oregon, is a unique spot tailored for equestrians but welcoming to all who seek a bit of adventure. This campground offers full hookups and clean facilities, including hot showers and restrooms, making it a comfortable base for your outdoor escapades.

The camp is set up in a loop with spacious sites, each equipped with picnic tables and fire pits. Visitors have raved about the friendly rangers who keep an eye on things, ensuring a pleasant experience for everyone. One camper shared, “The horse camp comes complete with full hookups, a full bathroom with showers, and corrals for the horses,” highlighting the thoughtful amenities available.

For those who enjoy stargazing, the park offers a stunning view of the night sky, perfect for catching meteor showers. The nearby Banks-Vernonia Trail provides over 15 miles of paved paths for biking and walking, making it easy to explore the beautiful surroundings. 

While primarily designed for horse campers, others have found it a great place to set up camp, even without a horse. The atmosphere is friendly, and the unique experience of staying in an equestrian camp adds a special touch to your visit. Whether you're riding the trails or just soaking in the natural beauty, Hares Canyon Horse Camp is a solid choice for your next getaway.

Just 33 miles west of Portland, the park offers camping, picnicking, disc golf, horseback riding, mountain biking (cross-country and freeride), a fenced off-leash dog area, hiking, orienteering course, and Discovery Depot Visitor Center.   
Over 20 miles of natural surface trails within the park provide access to the paved 21- mile Banks-Vernonia State Trail.   
Year-round Day-Use Fee Park; valid OPRD Day-Use permit or camping permit, annual or two-year pass must be displayed in vehicle when parked.   
Check-in time is 4pm, early check-in is not permitted for Cabins. Check-out is 1pm.  
  
MAKE SURE YOUR SITE MEETS YOUR CAMPING NEEDS   
Before reserving, please become familiar with the particulars of your chosen site, including the size of the tent pad area and the type of equipment that you may bring to the park. Site details and tent pad sizes can be viewed online by clicking on the site name.

This park may be confused with Joseph Stewart County Park, which is located in Southern Oregon.  
  
**Only one vehicle is included with standard camp fees. A second vehicle kept at a campsite (or alternate parking area) is subject to a nightly Extra Vehicle fee.  
The nightly Extra Vehicle fee is currently $7.00. The extra vehicle fee will increase to $10 on July 1, 2025.**    
  
Both of the Disc Golf Courses are closed for the season effective July 1, 2024 through approximately April 2025. This closure is directly related to the active forest health thinning operations currently underway in the park.  
  
Parking is extremely limited. There is no parking near the campsites for visitors coming out to visit for the day. Day Use parking available at Hilltop Day Use area.   
Reservations do not cover the per vehicle day use parking fee. All vehicles must display valid OPRD pass or permit that covers parking fees. Daily permits available for purchase on site.   
  
Both campground loops:   
Sites are spacious and open. There is not a lot of vegetation between the sites.   
Tents may be put up in each site however metal tent stakes must be used. The tent pad area is packed gravel and plastic stakes will not work.   
All equipment must be contained within the gravel site, including tents and shade covers.   
Check-in is allowed at 4:00 pm or later, Check-out is by 1:00 pm for campsites -11:00 am for cabins and is strictly enforced.  
  
Smoking is permitted in campsites, camping units, and inside personal vehicles only. Smoking in Cabins not permitted.   
  
For information on discount programs call the OPRD Information Center at 1-800-551-6949 or visit us online at [stateparks.oregon.gov](https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=visit.faq).

Hares Canyon Horse Camp — L.L. Stub Stewart Memorial State Park

Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Buxton, OR has a lot to offer. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. Get the dirt on all the best camping near Buxton. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.

Buxton

The Best Camping Near Buxton, Oregon

Hares Canyon Horse Camp is one of three campgrounds in Stub Stewart State Park and unlike other horse camps which often allow the overflow of tenters and rv'ers without horses, this horse camp is equestrian only.

  
The Campground is set up in one loop and offers both single and double sites, ADA facilities, showers, toilets, and trash. Each site has a picnic table, fire pit, and a corral. There is a double corral on the double sites.

  

You must clean up after your own horse. Manure bin as well as shovels/brooms are provided onsite.

  

In mid May, the sites were very wide open.

Equestrians Only

I don’t have a horse but I still stayed here! We were in the area, struggling to find a place to camp. After 7 pm, the campground let us set up camp in an empty equestrian campsite. Unique experience!

I don’t have a horse

I have been here several times and always have a good experience. During the main season when the whole place is open you can usually find a spot last min. This year with covid it's been harder to find a spot last min and they would only let you reserve 30 days in advance so planning something in advance was impossible. I bring my R-Pod trailer and every RV spot has full hook-ups. Lots to do with the Banks / Vernonia trail running through the camp that has over 15 miles of paved walking / biking trails. Weekends get busy on the trail during the summer, but still plenty of distance to use the trail safely during Covid. Camp host have always been nice.

Great place close to Portland

We've enjoyed previous stays at L.L. Stub Stewart State Park in our tent and in one of the cozy cabins in the past.  This time, we stayed overnight in our camper van at the top of the hill in Hares Canyon Horse Camp. Experiencing several of the many long trails on horseback was an unforgettable experience. The horse camp comes complete with full hookups, a full bathroom with showers, and corrals for the horses. Friendly rangers patrol the camp regularly to make sure there are horses occupying each site.

Full Hookups Available

The top of the park shows a vast section of sky which is perfect for meteor shower watching.   

Excellent location for Stargazing

When we came back from the shower my wife and I observed a dark shadow darting from the table around the back corner of the tent. Figured it was a raccoon or something. Half an hour later I went behind the tent to get a Pepsi, and there it was, a cat. A bobcat to be exact. I yelled at the cat for some time it wouldn't leave it sat there and stared me down. My wife and I took turns holding a light on it. Eventually I threw some gravel at it and it ran away.. I thought. We were cooking dinner about 5 minutes later and I turned around and the damn thing was behind us. We tried calling the state park the Rangers and anyone else who would listen, but they wouldn't. There was no one to call. When I dialed the park ranger I got Oregon State Park Services which was closed. Seeing Wildlife like that up close is really cool. But I'm from the country and I know what to do, kind of. A lot of people would have needed assistance, probably from people with firearms, just to get their camping gear back out of that campsite. All in all it's a nice park though showers are good and hot and clean. The Park host is always around when you need a bag of is always around when you need a bag

Photos of Hares Canyon Horse Camp — L.L. Stub Stewart Memorial State Park

Real photos from real campers