Willow Prairie Horsecamp provides dedicated sites with corrals for equestrians in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest near Prospect, Oregon. This first-come, first-served horse camp features picnic tables, fire rings, and toilets. Riders have direct access to miles of forested trails through lush terrain. Sites include space for trailers and corrals for containing horses overnight. Camping fees apply during the main season from late spring through fall, with exact dates depending on snow levels and road conditions. The campground typically closes during winter months due to high elevation and snow accumulation.
Lily Glen Horse Camp at Howard Prairie Lake offers another option for equestrian camping in the region. The campground provides drinking water and toilet facilities with sites designed to accommodate horse trailers. Located about 25 miles from Prospect, this facility provides access to trails surrounding Howard Prairie Lake. Riders appreciate the well-maintained trails that connect to larger networks throughout the area. Both campgrounds require that horses be attended or properly secured at all times, with owners responsible for cleaning up manure. Neither facility offers electricity or full hookups, making them better suited for those prepared for more primitive equestrian camping experiences. Advance planning is recommended as these popular horse camps can fill quickly during peak summer weekends.
$15 / night
"Off highway 62 take the Natural Bridge turn off and follow the road to the campground."
"My wife and I stopped here after visiting Crater Lake. This campground is right on the Rogue river and is absolutely gorgeous. The sites are well maintained, and there are toilets."
$16 - $27 / night
"This campground was in a great location to go see crater lake (15 min drive or less) as well as nearby Hot Springs (30ish min drive) and waterfalls. The campground itself was wooded and very close to"
"Access to the campground was right off hwy 138, which is a few miles from the north entrance to Crater Lake. Our 28 ft travel trailer easily fit with room to spare in our site."
"There are only 3 campsites, which are all next to a gorgeous creek made of runoff from the spring. There is also a cabin, and an old barn the kids loved playing in."
$34 / night
"Nice classic Oregon state park with all the requisite facilities of electric hook-ups, RV dump station, ranger programs. Amphitheater and showers."
"Great rivers close by, nice hiking trails. Restrooms open and clean. Quiet during weekdays."
$26 - $50 / night
"The lake is clear and pristine, views for days. Not really a bad campsite. Pit toilets, no showers, no WiFi but Star Link works of course. Trails to hike, kayak, fish, boat."
"Great campground with spectacular views of Fourmile Lake and Mt. Mcgloughlin. Most of the campsites are quite roomy, some are private, and some are open. The camp host is very helpful and friendly."
"It is close to Hwy 5 so a lot of road noise. But most in this area are. Sites are tight like most KOAs. We chose an end spot and did alright. Plus it was quiet part of year."
"Hiking in the area is nice with a 3.5 mile loop to the lake and back. There’s additional trails and tracks across the road from Lily Glen."
$7 - $100 / night
"Incredible location in the Cascade Mountains,( northern corner of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument)."
"I picked a spot right on the lake where I chose a comfy log to sit and enjoy a book."
$15 / night
"The Wildcat Campground in Oregon is great, however it does get pretty busy during the summer months."
"Nice area located on a Resevoir. Potable water available. Outhouse. No hookups and no phone service."
GuideA fun little campground that is located right off Dead Indian memorial road. There are a few wooden stalls for horses and campgrounds are first come first served. Picture is from a nearby lookout we hiked to. Beautiful trails in the area.
LegendThis campground was in a great location to go see crater lake (15 min drive or less) as well as nearby Hot Springs (30ish min drive) and waterfalls. The campground itself was wooded and very close to diamond lake, it was a very beautiful location. There were lots of close by walking trails which was wonderful.
The amenities were nice enough, sometimes the showers are hot and others times was not. Most of the laundry machines were working with several out of service, and worked well enough.
The staff was helpful and gave suggestions for nearby hiking and Hot Springs. Sites included fire ring, a picnic table, and full hook ups. The stars at night were incredible.
ScoutIncredible location in the Cascade Mountains,( northern corner of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument). The campgrounds were well maintained and spaced so that they provided plenty of privacy from neighboring sites. Exception hiking, great wildlife sighting.
Another plus is that you are just 20 miles away from Ashland, easy drive allows one to take in a play at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival , return to your campsite and marvel at the star lit night sky.
LegendNice classic Oregon state park with all the requisite facilities of electric hook-ups, RV dump station, ranger programs. Amphitheater and showers. Camp sites a little on top of each other, especially in comparison to the nearby Williamson River Campground, but still a very nice and popular camp site near Crater Lake and Klamath Falls.
Across the highway there's the "Collier State Park Logging Museum" which we didn't get a chance to get to but looked like a lot of fun.
GuideWe stayed one night on August 17 through August 18, 2019, in campsite A5, the overnight cost was$24, there was no electrical or water service). The site was level, only needed 2 inch lift to level left side. The campground is at an elevation of 5180 ft.
Access to the campground was right off hwy 138, which is a few miles from the north entrance to Crater Lake. Our 28 ft travel trailer easily fit with room to spare in our site. Once we enter the campground, the asphalt pavement surrounds the campsites as we drove directly to our campsite, each campsite pad also asphalt. Weather was sunny upper 80's, the nights low 40's.
This is a very quite campground, there was no noise from main road entering the campground. Activities we enjoyed at the campground to keep busy was hiking and moutain biking. The restroom was a couple spaced down from our campsite. The free showers were also easy to find and had great water pressure. The lake is very nice, smooth water and a few mosquitos, but not that bad.
My wife and I enjoyed the campground, we will stay again next time we travel to Crater Lake, Oregon.
RangerThis is a very large campground with over 200 sites. I stayed overnight, July 3, 2023. I was a walk in . The ranger office was closed when I arrived and they did not have a list of available sites posted. I found a site, K11, without any reserved tag and spent a wonderful night. There was a very strong onshore breeze from the lake that kept the mosquitoes grounded and I didn't really need repellant.
The campground is two halves. In the upper half, the campsites are higher, above the lake. To the south or east, the sites are closer to the lake. Water was only available (non threaded faucets) outside the flush latrines, which were not very well kept (mostly due to the dead bugs). There is not electricity and I was only able to get 2 bars on Verizon. I could get a text through, but rarely a photo.
I have camped throughout Oregon and what impressed me as different were the large number of tent campers. More than half were tent camping, though the site would fit small to medium size rigs. I only saw one Class A and few trailers. Noisy neighbors can be a problem, as the sites though not exactly next to each other, are still close. The roads and parking for sites are paved, but some have very steep driveways. Be careful in your site selection if you have a long trailer or RV.
There are some nearby stores and gas station if you need, but very little else. A very beautiful spot with lots to do and see nearby.
ScoutWe loved this spot. The sites are clean as are the bathrooms and showered. We liked how spread out the sites were from each other. Most of the sites are pretty close to the lake but you have to book early to get a site right on the water. There is a general store close by where you can get most anything you might forget and you can rent bikes, boats,canoes, kayaks or paddle boards. It was great having access to so many trails close to the campground and we went on several of them. The only draw back for us was the mosquitos. I highly recommend camping here just be prepared for the mosquitoes.
RangerThe Wildcat Campground in Oregon is great, however it does get pretty busy during the summer months. My family and I visited this campground for a few days at the beginning of August and it was packed. Thankfully we went early on Friday morning and got a spot before the rush of people came. It is a "first come first serve" campground so you are not able to call ahead and reserve your spot. You just have to get their early! The campground is located in the Ochoco National Forest. It is definitely a beautiful place to camp. It is relatively close to town, which is why I think it gets busy during the summers. There were a lot of college aged students camping, which did make it pretty loud. My family has a camper, which is allowed in this campground. They have spots for campers, and spots for tents. Each campsite does have a picnic table which is nice. We always bring extra chairs because we are a family of 5 so the picnic table gets a little overcrowded. My family and I really enjoyed doing some hikes nearby (can't remember the names of the hikes), but we looked everything up beforehand. Gorgeous views, but lots of ticks on the hike. Thankfully we all wore tick repellent and smothered our dog in it as well. One thing I wish this campground had was a river/lake within walking distance from the campground.
GuideThere are so many sites here, that you could almost get lost. We almost gave up finding the camp host it was so big. We found a site along the lake, looking at the mountain. You could tell the people prior to us were slobs. There was garbage all over and they had their own bathroom spot in the woods adjacent to the site even though the bathroom was a short walk. There were a lot of black flying bugs around which swarmed our site and made doing anything nearly impossible.
The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest surrounding Prospect, Oregon features diverse terrain at elevations ranging from 2,000 to 7,500 feet. Summer temperatures typically reach 75-85°F during the day, cooling to 45-55°F at night. Most horse camping options in this area remain open from late May through mid-October, with accessibility dependent on snowmelt conditions in higher elevation areas.
Hiking to natural bridges: Access unique geological formations at Natural Bridge Campground where the Rogue River flows through underground lava tubes. "The 'Natural Bridge' is a short walk away and is really cool. Lots of informative signs along the path to describe what you are seeing," notes Joe V. The short trail loops around the formation, providing multiple viewpoints.
Stargazing on clear nights: The remote location allows for excellent night sky viewing. "We hiked to the natural bridge... and leads to an open area where we watched the Perseid meteor shower," reports Sony A. August typically offers the best meteor viewing opportunities.
Fishing in crystal waters: Trout fishing is productive in the upper Rogue River and nearby lakes. At Howard Prairie Lake's Lily Glen Horse Camp, anglers can access 3.5 miles of lakeside trails. A reviewer notes, "Hiking in the area is nice with a 3.5 mile loop to the lake and back. There's additional trails and tracks across the road from Lily Glen."
Privacy between sites: Many campgrounds offer well-spaced sites. At Natural Bridge Campground, Hattie R. appreciated that there were "lots of space between campsites- we couldn't see anyone else from ours." Sites often feature natural vegetation barriers providing additional seclusion.
River proximity: Riverside camping spots rank among the most popular. "The sites are well maintained, and there are toilets. The sites are right on the Rogue river and is absolutely gorgeous," reports Joe V. These water-adjacent sites fill quickly during summer weekends.
Forest immersion: Dense tree cover provides shade and creates a secluded forest atmosphere. "Great spot for $15/night or $7.50 with interagency pass. The site backed up to the river which was great," mentions Hattie R. Most forest service campgrounds in the area maintain similar pricing structures with federal pass discounts.
Limited connectivity: Cell reception is minimal to non-existent in most camping areas. "Zero cell reception in this area. The campground is first come first serve, and it's self-pay. No host on site," explains Laura M. Campers should download offline maps and make communications plans accordingly.
Wildlife encounters: Small animals frequently visit campsites seeking food. At Collier Memorial State Park, Jessica P. warns that "the chipmunks are everywhere and will steal food. Our dog was quite annoyed." Proper food storage in sealed containers helps prevent unwanted wildlife visits.
Weather variability: Mountain conditions can change rapidly, even in summer. At higher elevations like Fourmile Lake Campground, temperatures often drop significantly at night despite warm days. "The night sky was gorgeous," notes a reviewer at Lily Glen Horse Camp, highlighting clear conditions ideal for stargazing.
Educational opportunities: Several campgrounds offer learning experiences for children. "Down the easy 1mi. trail along the spring creek, they have a super cool old pioneer village and lumber museum. It's full of olde tyme cabins and era timber industry tools and equipment," describes a camper at Collier Memorial State Park.
Water activities: Lakes and gentle river sections provide recreational options for families. "The campsite was great, the views of the lake were stunning, minutes from crater lake NP," shares Candice B. about Diamond Lake, noting that "the showers and bathrooms were clean and well maintained."
Equestrian-friendly options: Multiple horse camps cater to families traveling with horses. A reviewer at Lily Glen Horse Camp mentions "wooden stalls for horses" with trails directly accessible from camp. For smaller children, some camps offer interpretive programs during peak season.
Site selection considerations: Most horse campgrounds have limited space for larger rigs. "Would be cautious bringing a huge rig up here as the roads are windy and sites are on the smaller side," advises Jules S. about Hyatt Lake Recreation Area.
Facility availability: Services vary widely between campgrounds. "Dry camping but there is water to fill up a tank and a dump station and showers," explains Adam B. at Diamond Lake, adding "beware of the showers as the water comes out like a sandblasting."
Road access challenges: Forest roads to remote campgrounds can present difficulties. Craig M. warns about Hyatt Lake: "The road up the mountain coming from I-5 was made of narrow switchbacks straight up along the side of a cliff. I white-knuckled it the whole way in my little car... not for the faint of heart."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Prospect, OR?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Prospect, OR is Natural Bridge Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 12 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Prospect, OR?
TheDyrt.com has all 13 equestrian camping locations near Prospect, OR, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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