Knebal Springs Campground offers the only dedicated horse corrals among Government Camp area campgrounds. Located in the eastern section of Mt. Hood National Forest near Dufur, this rustic campground accommodates both tent and RV campers with equestrian facilities. The campsites are positioned along a gravel road with moderate spacing between sites, providing room for horse trailers. While the campground lacks drinking water and showers, vault toilets are available for campers. The sites come equipped with picnic tables and fire rings, though firewood is not sold on-site. Sites are spread out, offering some privacy despite proximity to the access road. The relative lack of trees provides more sunlight than typical forested campgrounds in the region.
Several horse-friendly campgrounds provide access to Mt. Hood's extensive trail systems. Riley Horse Campground, situated on the west side of Mt. Hood National Forest, features large, well-spaced sites that accommodate horse trailers and camping equipment. This campground offers access to nearby trails including the Romano Falls Trail with views of Mt. Hood. The spacious sites, some measuring nearly a quarter acre, provide ample room for both horses and camping equipment. Drinking water is available via spigots throughout the campground. While primarily designated for equestrians, non-horse campers can often find availability except during holiday weekends when the campground is reserved exclusively for horse owners. Joe Graham Horse Campground near Government Camp provides another option with toilet facilities and drinking water, operating seasonally from May through mid-September.
$30 / night
"Clackamas Lake is a great campsite. Fairly easy to find and navigate. Great for when you don't want to deal with the more crowded campgrounds."
"Great campground when nearby Timothy Lake campgrounds are full. The spot I had was large and not too close to other spots."
$26 / night
"It is not too far from the Portland area, I would recommend getting last minute supplies before getting off the highway."
"Secluded, open prime real estate: horse facilities abound here, but it works for everyone."
$8 - $126 / night
"It has wonderful hiking trails. There is swimming available in the warmer months in the Clackamas River. Horse trails for equestrians and fishing!"
"A short hike will take you right to the river and there’s plenty of nice trail to explore. If stepping around occasional horse poop isn’t your thing, maybe skip the hike though."
$25 / night
"Close proximity to Multonomah Falls. Pros - bathrooms with electric outlets, free showers, deer come close and are fun to watch, quiet & fairly private stay."
"There is distance between you and other guests but if you want to meet your neighbors you can. They have ADA sites, a lake, play grounds and a welcome center."
$16 / night
"Campground Review An open, relatively unused campground next to a sleep-calling stream right in between the last forested part of Mt."
"Bonney Crossing campground is located in the Eastern most side of the Mt Hood National Forest. Our campsite provided us a quiet relaxing two nights of camping."
"Not only is the campground itself a woodland wonderland with winding paths through tall old growth forest areas, but the surrounding area of the park itself is impressive with exciting things to do around"
"We didn’t have any issues at the site, but noticed that spots RV4 and RV5 were relatively distanced from each other, while spots RV1-RV3 were pretty close to each other."
$25 - $45 / night
"Across the road is a horse camp that the PCT goes through. There is a spur from the PCT directly into the campground for easy access. There is a beautiful view of Mt."
"Some camp sots are better situated then others, so do research before making reservation."
"Driving up there the way we drive (from Vancouver) you go up through ranching/farming territory and it’s nice and green and pretty, so it’s nice getting there."
"Hiking around the lake is a great way to start and/or end you day while staying at Battle Ground Lake SP. Horses are welcome. There are cabins available also. Several sites overlook the lake."
$30 / night
ScoutGreat 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!
TravelerClackamas Lake is a great campsite. Fairly easy to find and navigate. Great for when you don't want to deal with the more crowded campgrounds.
While the camping sites are fairly close together, the site is usually lightly occupied. While we where there we only had one neighbor but the rest of the loop was empty.
For horse riders they have some equestrian only campsites.
There was plenty of trails in which to hike or ride, and a dock to go see the lake. You can also go swimming if your into Oregon lake or pond swimming.
Clackamas Lake itself is fairly small and in many ways feels more like a large and deep marsh then a lake.
Phone and internet reception (AT&T) is spotty at best.
LegendGreat campground when nearby Timothy Lake campgrounds are full. The spot I had was large and not too close to other spots. The campground was full, so there was the early morning sounds of children playing. I was in spot 8 which looked onto Clackamas Lake. Which side note is not a "lake" but more of a marshy pond with reeds and grass around the edge. Still I was able to situate my tent to look onto the lake. This spot is in the horse section so there were corrals in each spot. Looked like a horse had camped in the spot a few days earlier cause there were large piles of fresh horse poop I had to keep my dog away from. The table/tent area was about 75 feet from my car so I had to make many trips to get all my stuff into the site. If you are extra adventurous and in shape you can walk from the campground, around Timothy Lake and back, be warned this is just over 18 miles. The trail around Timothy Lake is not strenuous, and offers amazing views of Mt Hood, and there is water about half way through, but again be ready for a long hike.
LegendThis 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.
TravelerSite was nice and private, staff was very friendly, and the grounds were pretty clean! A short hike will take you right to the river and there’s plenty of nice trail to explore. If stepping around occasional horse poop isn’t your thing, maybe skip the hike though. Plenty of horses and dogs around.
LegendA 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.
LegendSmaller, 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.
GuideWe love it! For a lot of reasons. Part of the reason is it’s close, so that’s part good. Driving up there the way we drive (from Vancouver) you go up through ranching/farming territory and it’s nice and green and pretty, so it’s nice getting there. You do have a lot of options, in that the first time we went up there was with our hiking club, and we went up there for a hike around the calderas so it’s easy to do a day trip in a car. Part of our discovery was while we were there is that the food place is really good and very nice. The kids playground was great for the grandkids.
As far as the camping, while it’s open, for the most part you do have a limited amount of privacy in the campground. The campsite we picked was a mix of things: just far enough away from the restrooms where we don’t get all the traffic there, but close enough so it’s not too far either. We were within easy walking distance to two restrooms/showers.
One thing that always looked intriguing is they do have the cabins, so maybe one of these times we’ll rent one. Another thing that some people might like is that they do have horses and some of the trails around the lake you can have horses on, plus a separate area/campground where you can have your horses, which are fun to see.
It’s a small lake but big lake, meaning they do not allow motors on the lake, even electric motors, so it’s all floats, kayakers, etc. A lot of people grab the big inter-tubes and go with that. And of course fishing up there is generally pretty good, especially when they stock it. The trails around the lake are kind of fun also because you have a high trail (very forested) and you also have a certain amount of low trails right on the water where you could have your own spots to fish and swim.
Like most campgrounds, it has its peak season and its off-season, but you can go there year-round if you choose to. The beach area isn’t big, but that’s okay. Wherever you’re heading (from the campsites down to the water, to the playground, to the food shack) you always have different trails and options for how to get from one place to another if you want to explore. If there’s anything you forgot (groceries, fishing gear etc.) you can be in the small town of Battle Ground within 5 miles.
GuideTwo parties (all family) stayed the night Friday night. Additional family visited Saturday night (and were able to easily get into the campgrounds to park in our sites). LOTS of nice, wide horse trails for horse riding enthusiasts. We all made s'mores and sang campfire songs together in the evening after our day of hiking to the horse camp and up to the bat haven (a nice long nature walk for the kids). This park would have been even better later in the year (we went in May), as it sits along the Clackamas river, and is the river is easily accessible for rafting, tubing, swimming, or fishing. We rate this one an 8.2.
Mount Hood National Forest offers several equestrian campgrounds near Government Camp, Oregon, situated at elevations ranging from 3,000 to 4,500 feet. The east side features drier conditions with more open campsites, while western horse camps provide shadier spots under dense forest canopy. Seasonal operations typically run from late May through mid-September, with weather conditions determining exact opening dates.
Trail access for riders: Riley Horse Campground connects to numerous riding trails including Romano Falls Trail with Mount Hood views. "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," notes Ashley B.
Creek exploration: Panther Creek Campground provides stream access perfect for cooling off. "There are multiple access points to the creek and the PCT is just outside the campground," reports Jeff K. The stones in the creek display "a rainbow of metamorphic rock" according to Lawrence F.
Fishing opportunities: Several lakes near equestrian campgrounds offer fishing. At Clackamas Lake Campground, campers should note: "Timothy Lake itself is spectacular. Particularly since motorized boats are not allowed and on a sunny day Mt Hood is reflected in the water," shares Vera S.
Spacious horse sites: The size of equestrian sites stands out to campers. "The spot I had (Spot 4) was huge, plenty of room for a larger party, felt like a quarter of an acre," comments Ashley B. about Riley Horse Campground. "There were no neighbors on one side of the spot and only the water spigot on the other."
Less crowded alternatives: Horse camps often have availability when other campgrounds fill up. "We stayed here after we couldn't find any open spots at the Timothy Lake campgrounds. It was a nice and quiet spot," reports Alan L. about Clackamas Lake Campground, which serves as overflow camping for nearby destinations.
Mature forest settings: Bonney Crossing Campground offers a tranquil stream-side experience. "Sleeping next to the water is calming and the hikes are top notch," writes Cheryl P. The campground features sites "parallel to a nice clean looking river," according to Greg L.
Seasonal considerations: Bug activity increases during summer months. At Clackamas Lake Campground, Colby M. advises: "Seriously, bring bug spray and put it on the minute you get there." Another camper notes "Mosquitoes were pretty bad in early June, as might be expected."
Water access varies: Many campers misunderstand what "lake" means at certain sites. At Clackamas Lake, Thomas B. clarifies it's "more like marshland than a lake. The good news is that it's only a mile or so to from beautiful Timothy Lake." Another camper adds: "There is no more lake there it's just marsh out there."
Site selection strategy: Beacon Rock State Park offers varying site quality. Corinna B. notes, "Sites are first-come, first-served, and even on Memorial Day weekend there were several still available at 5pm on Sunday. Not sure if that was a fluke or we just got lucky."
Short hikes: Multiple family-friendly trails exist near horse camps. "The hike to Timothy like is short and scenic," writes Vera S. about Clackamas Lake area. At Panther Creek, campers can access "lots of multi-use trails perfect for hiking, mountain biking, or horseback riding."
Swimming spots: Battle Ground Lake State Park offers water recreation for families. "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," describes Ashley Y. The park includes "a swim area roped off, and a small sand area for the kids to play."
Playground access: Several campgrounds include play facilities. At Battle Ground Lake, Richard B. mentions, "The kids playground was great for the grandkids." The campground combines recreation options with easy access, as "wherever you're heading (from the campsites down to the water, to the playground, to the food shack) you always have different trails."
Size limitations: Horse campgrounds accommodate trailers but have varying size restrictions. At Knebal Springs Campground, sites are positioned "right off the road" according to Bjorn S., making them accessible for vehicles pulling horse trailers but offering "relative lack of trees" and less privacy.
Hookup availability: Most equestrian sites near Government Camp lack full hookups. Riley Horse Campground offers water spigots throughout the campground but no electrical or sewer connections. One camper notes "the horse pens were huge and we used them to help hang our hammocks."
Level sites: Many equestrian campgrounds feature leveled parking areas for trailers. At Panther Creek, Jeff K. reports "nice big sites with a level tent pad," while at Beacon Rock, sites are described as "well made" though some are "split-level, in that you park up top and walk a few steps down to your camp site."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Government Camp, OR?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Government Camp, OR is Clackamas Lake with a 4.2-star rating from 10 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Government Camp, OR?
TheDyrt.com has all 14 equestrian camping locations near Government Camp, OR, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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