Best Equestrian Camping near Portland, OR

Easy distance from Portland on the Sandy River. Down a steep hill (important if you're biking). Nothing that incredible, but nice enough for one night or a weekend away.

We tent camped two nights at Silver Falls. Tree lined campgrounds were well maintained. Sites are close together and the grounds are very social (which we like). Ranger led evening program was educational and interactive. The highlight of the trip was the 8+ mile hike to explore 10 different waterfalls. The hike was easy enough for our seven year old to complete, but tough enough to wear us out. We very much enjoyed a swim with other families in one of the final falls. The drive from Portland was gorgeous! It was nice to get a glimpse of rural Oregon.

Battleground is a nice and well loved state park not far from Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington. The part itself centers around a clear caldera lake with tent camping, RV camping, cabins, trails, group sites, and the like. The lake is also frequently stocked, and fishing is popular. Not motorized boats, but plenty of kayaks and rafts. There is a small camp store with snacks and fishing supplies on-site. Campground is well appointment with showers, water, etc.

Hiking around the lake is fun. And well a crowded park, it is easy to sneak away to a quiet spot. Some cabins and campsites have nice views overlooking the lake. The town of battleground is nearby with restaurants, grocery stores, and any you might have forgotten.

This makes a nice weekend or day trip from Portland. They have a cool volcanic lake with a swimming area and great fishing. Its like a mini crater lake. I mean mini like pond size. I only rated what I did because it has one loop trail that goes around the lake so there really isn't much to explore. But if you're looking for a quick place for a picnic a swim or an overnight. This might be it. The campground is nice spacious and they have a few cabins.

The park just added two nature playgrounds that are pretty fantastic. One of the new playgrounds, right before the boat launch, features a trail with a mud kitchen, two a-frame tents and a big area where you can use fallen logs and branches to build shelters.

The other nature playground is right across from the old playground (still in use) and has a wooden water course with a hand pump and an elevated wooden plank course.

Camping can be a little loud since it's a popular spot and there are no pets allowed, but it's barely 30 minutes away from Portland and right on the Sandy River.

Husband and I spent this past weekend camping in Oxbow Regional Park and thoroughly enjoyed it! Given it's late October and a bit chilly out, the campground was pretty quiet with only a few other campers around. We were able to hike the area and enjoy a serene weekend in nature. Clean campsite with the basic amenities, conveniently only a 30-minute drive from Portland (but doesn't feel like you're near the city at all when you're there). Because of COVID, the facilities (e.g. Welcome Center, restrooms, showers) were all closed, but that was okay for us given the short weekend trip. Overall had a great weekend!

This is a great park to visit and camp at- it's far enough away from Portland to allow for peace and beautiful stars at night, yet close enough to be a quick trip back to civilization. I stayed here for 2 nights while visiting Portland. I found this to be the closest campground to Portland that wasn't specifically for RV's. I stayed on a Thurs& Fri night in September and it wasn't crowded at all- most sites were empty. The bathrooms here are really clean and warm, they have showers with hot water, and best of all- security at night! The park gate closes at 8pm and a security guard is on duty for the night. This level of security offers a real peace of mind. There is no service available here, allowing for true un-plugging. They also have life jackets hanging near entries to water which I found to be a nice amenity. The park itself is nice enough but my 5-star rating is really for the camping- I would certainly recommend this campground for anyone looking to camp close to Portland.

BGLSP is a really lovely park not too far from Portland with camping and rustin cabins. Most of the campsites are large enough for 2 tents, and there were many RVs and popups - good size driveways/parking areas. Cabins C17 and C21 were the most private, though C13 and C15 had a partial view of the lake. Campsites 19 and 20 were really tucked back and adjoined such that two groups could spread out. There is only one bathroom for the entire camping/cabin area, and it got pretty dirty/crowded at times, so that wasn't ideal. I would also recommend checking out the water quality information before going if you plan to do water sports or swimming. There was a high bacteria advisory when we went, so swimming was discouraged. We ended up going to nearby Klineline Pond to swim instead. There is a nice little concession stand, though, and they offer SUP and kayak rentals that looked nice.

We stayed here for about 5 days while we tested out our new trailer prior to a longer cross country trip. We are from Portland and this is a short drive from home.

Sites here are spacious and have picnic tables and firepits. We had room for our 28 foot trailer plus 2 pickups (extra charge for extra vehicle though).

Shower facilities were ok - typical campground facilities in my opinion, but at least it was an actual toilet and hot water in the showers.

Not a ton of privacy at each site, but got some shade during each day and plenty of space to stretch out and cook/eat outside or just sit and chill.

There are miles of hiking trails that are family friendly and the dog park has one of the best views I've ever seen from a dog park.

The camp host we met was super friendly and very helpful. They sell firewood and ice every evening.

My friend and I had a great three day weekend here at one of the walk-in sites. Sites fill up quick and I recommend reserving online in advance. Important takeaways:

1. There are no lakeside camp sites. I enjoyed this because it means more privacy and quiet.
2. The main beach gets very busy on the weekends with day visitors. However, there are several small private coves just off the lake trail if you are willing to walk a bit.
3. The lake is pretty warm for the PNW and does not allow motor boats, making for a very family friendly swimming hole.
4. Regarding the walk-in sites, the sites are between 1/4 to 1/2 mile from parking. There are supposed to be wheelbarrows available near the parking lot, but people often keep them at their site. If you have a lot of gear and are coming on a weekend, I recommend bringing your own wagon if you can.
5. The sites have toilettes and water spikets. There are also restrooms with running water, showers, and a convenience store near the main parking lot.

Just 45 minutes from Portland, sans traffic, this is an awesome weekend camping spot. I would also love to go on a weekday when it is less busy.

Great place to camp. It has wonderful hiking trails. There is swimming available in the warmer months in the Clackamas River. Horse trails for equestrians and fishing!

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.

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 came here for a one night mid-week in summer to spend my birthday. 

Note: There are two campgrounds in Beacon Rock State Park. I stayed in the lower RV park and this review is for that. 

The campground is set a ways back from main day use area. You go under a railroad bridge to get there. It's a narrow entrance and the only way in and out. There are 5 RV sites with water and electric. There's also bathrooms and shower facilities. 

The Pros

Beacon Rock is a beautiful park, right on the Columbia River not too far from Portland and Vancouver. There's a big huge field and a paved trail around it, a great place to walk your dogs. You can get to the river in several places, including at the boat launch--where there are a few primitive tent sites. The area where the RV sites are is pretty, under some big pines, although there is no privacy between sites. I was the only camper the night I was there. 

The Cons

When I planned to stay here, I knew about the train traffic. I thought it wouldn't bother me, in fact, I thought I would rather enjoy the romantic whistle of the train. What I didn't account for is that the train track was about 10 feet behind my rig and that my whole van would shake each time one went by and rattle me from my sleep. And they went by a lot!

The other thing to consider is the entrance to this campground. I got a little paranoid in the middle of the night--probably train noise-induced anxiety--that someone would come in the night and block the narrow entrance and trap me inside. Probably not something most people will worry about, but as a solo camper, I felt a little vulnerable.

If you want to camp in Oregon this is the place to go. There are several waterfalls and hiking trails. You can see wildlife and you can't beat the beauty. You can tent camp and they also have yurts.

This is hands down one of my favorite campgrounds, because the spots are large, far apart from the other sites, and very quiet. It is not too far from the Portland area, I would recommend getting last minute supplies before getting off the highway. The campground is a horse campground, but I reserved on the Monday before arrival and it was still very empty so no fear about taking a spot from equestrians. The spot I had (Spot 4) was huge, plenty of room for a larger party, felt like a quarter of an acre. There were no neighbors on one side of the spot and only the water spigot on the other. All the spots in the campground had plenty of space between spots. There was lots of dead, dried out wood laying all around the site that after a couple hours of collecting I had plenty to keep a fire all weekend, and still left a pile of wood when I left. The campground is close to many trails in the area, mainly Romano Falls Trail. There are views of Mt. Hood, peeking out through the trees here and there.

Additional Stay, Different Year
-A few more trees have been knocked down due to winter storms, but this is still a great campground.

Smaller, but we were able to switch sites away from an area with two families/lots of little kids (so the area is easy for people who don't camp a lot). Beautiful river, lots of horses and fisherpeople, great trails, tall trees, lots of shade, close to Portland. Plus you can reserve sites ahead of time.

A large state park located near Estacada on the banks of the Clackamas River, Milo McIver is a well-loved Oregon state park. Because it's close to Portland, it is very busy. The main campsite area is set for tents as well as RVs with electric and water hookups available. Campsites are kind of close together but well appointed with bathrooms/showers available. There is a small tent-only area also available but the sites are kind of cramped and they all spin off a common parking area with little privacy.

The park overall has lots of different open spaces for hiking, interpretive programs, disc golf, fishing, areas for horse riding, and a great overlook on the Clackamas River.

If your travels take you near Portland OR. and you need a nice spot to camp or horseback check out this park, it’s an easy 30 miles east of PDX and has over 900 acres to explore including a frisbee golf course. The park is located on the Clackamas river with some views of Mt. Hood to the east. There are many trails for horses and corrals.

Campground Review: Something for everyone! 

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 biking trails 
• Full hook-ups, cabins, equestrian sites, and walk-in tent sites

Product Review: As a Ranger for The Dyrt, occasionally I get to test products. At this campground, I tested Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier and the Liquid I.V. Sleep night time drink mix. I really liked both products. They are portable, have natural ingredients, taste good and I found them to be effective! Additionally, Liquid I.V. has an incredible social justice cause donating millions of their products to people around the world who are in need of proper hydration. I love that this is a company AND products I feel good about! 

Pros: 

• Portable 
• Natural ingredients (vitamins, electrolytes, potassium, sodium, glucose) 
• Rapid absorption 
• IT WORKS!! 
• Amazing cause 

**Cons: **

• It’s pricey 
• I wish the Sleep night time drink mix came in another flavor without lavender
• Contains more sugar than I would like 

Overall, I give the product 4.5 stars

This was a great camping spot close to Portland. Only 45 mins from my house. The campground is on the popular Clackamas River where lots of day-users come to float and kayak. The day use areas can get overrun. The campground is very close to the lake which is a great spot to put in a kayak or SUP or go swimming. 

The sites were forested, spacious and private. The actual park is huge. Lots of people riding horses on trails. There's a big off leash dog area and a disc golf course-that I did not play. A nice overlook area to have a picnic, see three mountains and watch the people float down the river. 

The dump station could use an upgrade.

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. Well maintained full hookup sites with 50amp, most 63' long. The park has recently renewed trail signage.

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.

This campground is huge. Two levels of full hookups. And a loop with corals for horses. Miles of horse trails, bike trails, hiking trails.