Best Equestrian Camping near Cannon Beach, OR

Clatsop State Forest Northrup Creek Horse Campground offers equestrian-specific sites approximately 30 miles northeast of Cannon Beach. The campground accommodates both tent and RV camping with available electric hookups, water connections, and fire rings at each site. Trails connect directly to the surrounding forest, providing riders access to miles of logging roads and forest paths. The campground operates seasonally from May through November, making it ideal for summer and fall riding trips. Campground layout prioritizes space for horse trailers with ample parking areas adjacent to campsites. Despite the campground's forest setting, the facilities maintain a practical layout for trailers and larger vehicles.

Hares Canyon Horse Camp in L.L. Stub Stewart Memorial State Park provides another equestrian camping option about 45 miles east of Cannon Beach. The park features an extensive network of bridle trails that connect to the Banks-Vernonia State Trail, offering varied terrain for riders of different experience levels. Each site includes water and electrical hookups with access to manure disposal areas. Trailer parking accommodates various sizes, though reservations are recommended during peak summer months. The campground maintains good separation between horse areas and general camping sections, reducing conflicts with non-equestrian campers. Winter riding is possible but trail conditions can become challenging after heavy rainfall when some paths may require temporary closures due to erosion concerns.

Best Equestrian Sites Near Cannon Beach, Oregon (19)

    1. Nehalem Bay State Park Campground

    89 Reviews
    Manzanita, OR
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (503) 812-0650

    $25 - $69 / night

    "Minutes from Manzanita and just down the coast from Cannon Beach."

    "The beach is not far from the camping area and a lot less crowded than Cannon Beach and Seaside."

    2. Fort Stevens State Park Campground

    156 Reviews
    Hammond, OR
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (503) 861-3170

    $11 - $115 / night

    "Such a great place to stay on the Oregon coast! I love this campground because it’s on the coast, very beautiful and spacious. Great sites around to see including the mouth of the Columbia River."

    "There are many miles of hiking/biking trails through forest and beaches. The old fort is fun to visit ."

    3. Nehalem Bay Trailer Park

    2 Reviews
    Manzanita, OR
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (503) 368-6670

    "Location of resort is not where app indicates. The site is off North Fork as you come into Nehalem. We stayed two nights in the overflow and it was lovely."

    4. Dairy Creek West — L.L. Stub Stewart Memorial State Park

    39 Reviews
    Buxton, OR
    38 miles
    Website
    +1 (503) 324-0606

    $24 - $39 / night

    "Top reasons I love this campground:

    • So easy to get to from anywhere in northwestern Oregon; especially the Portland area 
    • Open year-round 
    • 18-hole disc golf course 
    • Great hiking and"

    "The upper area encircles a large open are perfect for games and running around. There is a nice disk golf course and a lot of large paths for waking and biking."

    5. Clatsop State Forest Northrup Creek Horse Campground

    4 Reviews
    Clatskanie, OR
    26 miles
    Website
    +1 (503) 325-5451

    $20 / night

    "This is a wonderful campground far enough off the beaten path and being listed has a horse camp most likely keeps the crowds down. "

    "While primarily a horse-friendly campsite, there are few RV/tent sites, but definitely not friendly for larger RVs."

    6. Jones Creek

    10 Reviews
    Tillamook, OR
    32 miles
    Website
    +1 (503) 842-2545

    $15 - $20 / night

    "Bathrooms were close to sites and decent. The site was pretty quiet. There are ATV trails nearby so lots of dirt bikers in the camp."

    "However, we continued up the road which wound its way around a mountain and found a lovely spot away from the busy campground below. So peaceful and relaxing. Dirt bike paths around too."

    7. Dairy Creek East — L.L. Stub Stewart Memorial State Park

    7 Reviews
    Buxton, OR
    39 miles
    Website
    +1 (503) 324-0606

    $33 - $39 / night

    "One of our favorite Oregon SPs. In the middle of a mountainous forest with lots of hiking, paved path & mtb biking, disc golf, horse trails and more."

    "Dairy Creek is clean and well maintained, and has great access to the trails and disc golf around the park. If you're in an RV this is a good set up."

    8. Snag Lake Campground

    7 Reviews
    Naselle, WA
    38 miles
    +1 (360) 577-2025

    "Two drive in sites the rest are walk in. A couple that are a short walk. Great fishing in the lake year round. The road up to campground is pretty rough. Lots of washboard."

    "There's a couple spots for a bigger truck camper like ours and a handful of secluded tent sites you can walk to from the parking area."

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

    6 Reviews
    Buxton, OR
    39 miles
    Website
    +1 (503) 324-0606

    $33 - $57 / night

    "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"

    "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!"

    10. Camp Wilkerson

    9 Reviews
    Vernonia, OR
    44 miles
    Website
    +1 (503) 366-3984

    $45 / night

    "Stayed the night in one of thier small cabins, very nice sat outside by the fire and just watched the stars, this is a primary horse camp and is surrounded by trails, seen a heard of elk on one of my hikes"

    "Since the camp is planned predominantly as a youth recreation center, I was a bit worried that it would be a pretty loud campsite due to lots of kids running around. That was not the case for us!"

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Equestrian Camping Reviews near Cannon Beach, OR

337 Reviews of 19 Cannon Beach Campgrounds


  • d
    Aug. 31, 2018

    Nehalem Bay State Park Campground

    never disappoints

    Bigger campground off a fabulous beach prime for kite flying and beaching. Minutes from Manzanita and just down the coast from Cannon Beach.

  • Alicia F.
    Oct. 29, 2018

    Fort Stevens State Park Campground

    Adventure Awaits!

    Such a great place to stay on the Oregon coast! I love this campground because it’s on the coast, very beautiful and spacious. Great sites around to see including the mouth of the Columbia River. Spacious sites you can reserve and electric/water etc. There is even an area for hiker and bikers. You’re close to Astoria, Gearhart, Cannon Beach and Portland is only an hour and a half away.

  • Rich M.
    Aug. 25, 2019

    Nehalem Bay State Park Campground

    Large beach campground

    Nehalem State Park is located just south of Cannon Beach in the town of Manzanita. There beach lends some spectacular views of the coast. The beach is accessable from several short trails.

    The campground has 265 campsites all of them include electrical and water hookups. There are also 18 yurts some with wheelchair ramps. There are also a number of walk-in and horse campsites. Each loop has a centralized bathroom/shower facility with hot water.

    The only place to put garbage is located at the entrance of each loop which can be far hike. Campsites are a bit close together with no real privacy. Due to the location of the playground and bathrooms we had a steady stream of people cutting through ours and other neighbors campsites.

  • K
    Aug. 22, 2018

    Nehalem Bay State Park Campground

    A great place to stay on the coast.

    What a great campground. The beach is not far from the camping area and a lot less crowded than Cannon Beach and Seaside.

  • Pj S.
    Sep. 29, 2018

    Fort Stevens State Park Campground

    Oregon State Park at its finest

    Fort Stevens State Park in Warrenton, OR is a clean and well maintained park for all levels of camping from tents to large RV’s. They even have Yurts, many which are pet friendly. There are many miles of hiking/biking trails through forest and beaches. The old fort is fun to visit . For those wanting to explore further, there is Astoria to the north and Seadide and Cannon Beach to the south. I highly recommend a visit.

  • Chanel C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 17, 2019

    Nehalem Bay State Park Campground

    SPECTACULAR wildlife all around

    [ PROS ]

    • We came during offseason (November) and camped at this State Park for 3 nights. Man, it was so amazing. It was super quiet and empty so we felt like we had the entire park to ourselves.

    • A family of deer visited us every single morning/night during our stay. We definitely didn't try to interact with them, but they were comfortable to roam right around our site which was a really magical experience

    • Nehalem Bay is such a beautiful area and the State Park is nestled in lots of beautiful, lush greenery. There are lots of birds, plants, and other wildlife to observe. We loved hearing coyotes yapping in evenings from the campground.

    • It's very peaceful and serene here. It's right by the beach and an easy walk to the coast. We also got to visit Manzanita for a little day trip and had lunch out there. Such a cute little coastal town worth checking out.

    • Free hot showers and really nice restrooms. I'm starting to realize that Oregon State Parks are SOOO much superior to California State Parks. The amenities at all the Oregon campgrounds I've visited are wonderful. We definitely got spoiled by camping in Oregon that it will be hard going back home to California

    • Very close to stores, restaurants, and gas stations if you need to pick up supplies.

    [ CONS ]

    • While it was a beautiful campground, the sites are rather small and close together. We obviously didn't experience this campground when it's crowded, but I can imagine how packed it would feel.
  • K
    Apr. 12, 2021

    Nehalem Bay State Park Campground

    Protected and perfect

    We loved staying at Nehalem Bay State Park during spring break. We stayed at site A 21 for 3 nights. The weather was better than expected but very windy, which made the protection of the jetty and dunes very welcome. Very clean and well maintained campground and bath facilities. They did run out of firewood so you may consider bringing your own.

    Our explanation took us north to Cannon Beach and south to Tillamook. A word of warning, the Tillamook factory can be a long wait, so long that we found a different place to eat. Highly recommend visiting The Blue Herron French Cheese and Bistro.

    The bike trail is a wonderful easy ride. We used our 7 speeds with no trouble.

  • Stephanie Z.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 3, 2019

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

    Equestrians Only

    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.


Guide to Cannon Beach

Equestrian campgrounds near Cannon Beach, Oregon provide access to forest trails and coastal riding experiences. L.L. Stub Stewart Memorial State Park and Clatsop State Forest both offer dedicated horse campsites with amenities designed for equestrian travelers. Trail networks range from gently sloping forest roads to steeper terrain requiring experienced riders.

What to do

Beachcomb and fish at Fort Stevens State Park: Located 20 miles north of Cannon Beach, this large campground offers diverse recreation options. One camper noted, "Such a great place to stay on the Oregon coast! I love this campground because it's on the coast, very beautiful and spacious. Great sites around to see including the mouth of the Columbia River." The park features the historic Peter Iredale shipwreck, accessible at low tide.

Visit the maritime museum: Fort Stevens offers proximity to regional attractions. "There is sooo much to do in this area! It's rich with history and we could have easily spent another week touring around. The Maritime Museum is up the road," reports one visitor. The museum provides context for the Columbia River's maritime importance and dangerous navigation history.

Camp and ride at Hares Canyon Horse Camp: Smaller than Clatsop's Northrup Creek facility, Hares Canyon offers full hookups specifically for equestrians. "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," notes one camper. Rangers regularly patrol to ensure horses occupy each site.

What campers like

Water recreation options: Nehalem Bay State Park provides both ocean beach and protected bay access. "Nehalem Bay is beautiful, and it's just down the road from two jetties. My family and I went crabbing just a ways away from the state park, and it was a beautiful day and a lot of fun," reports one visitor. Crabbing equipment rentals available seasonally in nearby towns.

Separation from crowds: Snag Lake Campground offers more secluded camping across the Columbia River in Washington. "Primitive, private campsites around a beautiful small lake. Only 2 camp sites are drive-in, rest are walk-in only so be prepared to haul in all of your gear," explains one camper. The lake contains numerous fallen trees creating habitat for stocked trout.

Trail networks: Equestrian trails at Camp Wilkerson accommodate riders looking for alternatives to coastal routes. One camper reports, "Stayed the night in one of their small cabins, very nice sat outside by the fire and just watched the stars, this is a primary horse camp and is surrounded by trails, seen a heard of elk on one of my hikes." The camp includes both horseback and hiking trails through forested terrain.

What you should know

Seasonal conditions matter: Late summer offers optimal riding conditions. "Oregon is well known for its magnificent state parks, and this is no exception. Unfortunately in May, the mosquitos were out in full force in the campground," reports a Fort Stevens camper. Spring and fall bring consistent rainfall that can create muddy trail conditions.

Trail maintenance varies: Smaller horse campgrounds may have less trail upkeep. "Mixedfeeling about this place, the trails are great however owners don't clean up after there horses that go on the trail," notes one L.L. Stub Stewart visitor. Carrying basic trail maintenance tools helps navigate occasional fallen branches.

Reservation requirements differ: Jones Creek Campground operates differently than reservation-based horse camps. "I showed up around 3pm on a Friday and was barely able to find a walk-in tent site. All the car-accessible sites were taken and the only reservable site is the group spot," explains one camper. First-come availability means mid-week arrival improves chances of securing desired sites.

Tips for camping with families

Choose beach-access campgrounds: Nehalem Bay State Park offers family-friendly camping with easy beach access. "We love this camp ground just the perfect little spot to have a base camp and explore the Oregon coast! Spots are nice pretty private as far as distance but there could be more trees between. It's the beach!" explains one visitor. Sites in loops closer to the beach tend to fill faster.

Explore historical features: Fort Stevens includes military history that interests children. "We brought the kids and expected to listen to their complaints the whole time, but they were intrigued by everything!" reports one family. The concrete gun batteries and interpretive displays provide educational opportunities.

Consider hike-in camping: Dairy Creek East at L.L. Stub Stewart State Park offers features for families not wanting to camp with horses. "Open feel, but sites are spacious. Nice playground for kids, fun disc golf course and wonderful access to biking (paved or dirt)," explains a visitor. The paved Banks-Vernonia trail accommodates family cycling through the forest.

Tips from RVers

Understand site configurations: L.L. Stub Stewart Memorial State Park provides different RV experiences between campgrounds. "Our spot was very spacious as the length was 45 feet deep on asphalt. It had a picnic table and a fire ring in a well-groomed gravel area about 30' x 30'. The back of our spot was against very high trees," notes one RVer staying at Dairy Creek East. Sites below number 40 typically offer more shade.

Check seasonal closures: Northrup Creek Horse Campground in Clatsop State Forest closes seasonally unlike some coastal campgrounds. "This is a wonderful campground far enough off the beaten path and being listed has a horse camp most likely keeps the crowds down. While this is a horse campground, only 8 of the sites are for horse campers, a small tent/RV camping loop of 3 sites is also available," explains one visitor. The campground typically opens May 1 depending on road conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Cannon Beach, OR?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Cannon Beach, OR is Nehalem Bay State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 89 reviews.

What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Cannon Beach, OR?

TheDyrt.com has all 19 equestrian camping locations near Cannon Beach, OR, with real photos and reviews from campers.