1 campground with availability this weekend
Lums Pond State Park Campground features equestrian-friendly sites with access to horseback riding trails around the 200-acre pond. The campground offers full hookup sites with concrete pads, water, electric, and sewer connections suitable for horse trailers. While the campground itself doesn't have dedicated horse corrals, it connects to an equestrian center where riders can access trails and facilities. Sites are spacious enough to accommodate larger rigs and horse trailers, with some measuring up to 45 feet in length. The campground maintains clean facilities with hot showers and restrooms. Loop sites back up to large grassy fields ideal for setting up temporary paddocks or highlines for horses.
Trail access from Lums Pond connects riders to miles of wooded paths surrounding the pond and extending to nearby natural areas. French Creek State Park, located within driving distance, offers 35 miles of hiking trails with some sections permitting horseback riding. Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area provides additional riding opportunities with extensive trail networks. Riders should bring their own containment systems as permanent corrals are limited in the area. Most equestrian campers set up portable electric fencing or use highlines at their campsites. The trails around Lums Pond feature varied terrain through wooded areas and along water features. Seasonal restrictions may apply on some trails, particularly during hunting seasons when blaze orange is recommended for both riders and horses.
"There are some equestrian and tent sites as well. Lots of boating (electric motors only) and kayaking on the pond and a decent amount of hiking."
"I took her older cousins to the fishing pier, and we didn't even get a nibble, but I think it was too cold for panfish that close to shore."
Available this weekend
from $27 - $45 / night
"We were looking for someplace close to the city but away from the hustle and bustle of our city life, this was the perfect little steal-away; relatively close by, great car camping spots, nice easy hikes"
"Campground Review: French Creek State Park Campground is located in Elverson, Pennsylvania and sits adjacent to Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $20 - $90 / night
"This campground has 2 small loops, the Lake Loop and the Fiddler's Loop. Lake loop is the bigger of the two, however the “sites” are smaller and it's more open. It is popular with group tenters."
"Large campsites at the Lake Loop. Map is a little deceiving- the sites are farther from the lake than I expected and there are no running water bathrooms. Very clean and wooded sites."
from $15 - $50 / night
"The only thing about this site specifically is the trail was close by so you’d occasionally see people walking by but not enough that it didn’t still feel secluded."
"I was only one in the forest ATM but saw some hikers occasionally throughout the day walking by."
from $25 / night
"Campsite decent size, but some don't have clear boundaries to neighbors, and sometimes not optimally configured (e.g., the site next door's fire pit was placed on the edge of its site/right next to my"
"First off, I will start by saying you have to drive a good amount of distance to get into the campground and that is something I really enjoyed!"
from $3 - $60 / night
ScoutRestrooms are filthy with mold and mildew.
Water puddled on the restroom floor.really gross.
Cabin was mostly clean. The windows were full of dirt and bugs on the tracks.mattresses were terrible.The fireplace was nice. Kitchen was clean.
Can t wait to move on to a cleaner park.
GuideBeautiful campground but made the mistake of going on a holiday weekend, the campgrounds next to us were screaming and blasting music all day and throughout the night so we ended up leaving early. A beautiful campground when there aren’t noisy capers ruining it.
ScoutFirst time at this campground really like it a lot will be returning. The bathrooms are always clean. The grounds are always kept up. Just a really nice place to stay. Most of the sites have some kind of shade.
LegendWe spent a weekend at French Creek State Park as our home base for the Chester County Balloon Festival. We stayed for 2 nights at a full-hookup paved site, which ran us $55.25 per night.
WHAT I LIKED:
Peace& Quiet: The state park itself was lovely, serene, and felt nice and spacious.
Prime Location: At just 30 minutes away from the balloon festival, this is the closest campground.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE SO MUCH:
The"Leveling" Challenge: We were at site#C-241, which had a pretty significant slope. It took a few boards under the rear wheels and fully extended jacks just to get us anywhere near level.
Tight Fit for Big Rigs: Even though there was plenty of open space behind our site, the actual driveway pad was too short to comfortably fit our motorhome and Jeep together. Compared to other state parks we’ve visited, the interior roads and layouts felt a bit on the tight side.
WOULD WE COME BACK?
LegendOverall, this is a nice, small (about 65 sites) state park with plenty of recreational opportunities inside the park. There is nice separation between sites so you don’t feel like you are on top of your neighbor. Tall trees are scattered about which provide shade at some sites but overall, the park is pretty open. Roads getting to the park are easy to navigate with any size RV. Within the park, roads are paved and free of potholes and there are no low hanging branches. Since the roads are one-way they are not very wide so backing in big-rigs can be a little tight and you might have to run over the grass.
All RV sites are full hook-up and there is a separate area for tents and there is one canvas yurt for rent. The tent sites are nice in that they are tucked along the wood line slightly away from RVs with more privacy and shade. The only downside is that they are pretty far away from the centrally located bathroom and showers. The bathroom has separate rooms for showers which is nice and private. They were tended to daily and very clean. Also, located in the center of the campground is a playground, camp store and laundry. The dumpsters and recycle bins are located in a separate area on the way out of the campground and were frequently full and overflowing. Campsites are paved and some have wide enough that the patio is paved but others have a narrow pad for the RV and gravel patio. We discovered that most sites are level but a few are not (like 22 and 24). The campground is very clean and camp hosts were diligent about picking up trash and cleaning out fire pits every day.
Across the pond (north of the campground) is where most of the amenities are located such as concessions, ball fields, horseshoe pits, disk golf, and more. For those wanting to fish there is a pier in the campground and a self-serve vending machine with bait in it. There are additional fishing piers located in other parts of the park and there are boats, canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards for rent. We stopped in at the Nature Center but it was a bust– just a few taxidermy specimens and not much information. One of the most popular areas of the park is Go Ape which is a ropes/zip line course through the canopy (which does require admission fee). There are nice trails that leave right from the campground– some 17 miles in all. There is a boat launch about a quarter mile from the campground entrance which is suitable for trailerable boats and paddle craft but there are no docks so you can’t leave your boat tied up there. There is an off-leash dog area but it is located far from the campground so it’s best to drive.
ScoutBathrooms are clean and staff is nice
TravelerThe camp site was amazing. Everything is neat and clean and really beautiful place so quiet.
GuideThis campground has everything. Conveniently located, short drive to Dover, Wilmington, Annapolis and Baltimore. The sites were very large and spacious. Sites can accommodate any type of trailer or vehicle. Plenty of site hookups, areas for tents. There is a camp store, several washer and dryers. The best private, individual shower booths and even a pond to go fishing in.
ScoutThis is our 3rd time at this park, it is one of our favorites. Well maintained, very quiet. We stay in Loop A (full hookup) pet friendly. Sites are spacious, generally large but they are all back-in sites.
Lums Pond State Park Campground provides a mix of equestrian camping facilities for riders exploring the Delaware countryside near Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania. The park features 200 acres of pond-centered terrain with miles of riding trails connecting to broader trail networks. Weather in this region follows typical mid-Atlantic patterns with summer temperatures averaging 80-85°F and winter lows reaching the 30s, affecting trail conditions throughout the year.
Trail riding around Lums Pond: Connect to the extensive trail system surrounding the 200-acre pond. "There is a huge lake where you can rent canoes and kayaks... There are trails for mountain biking or hiking, a frisbee golf course, playground at the campground and at the lake, and an amphitheater at the campground where they hold events and Sunday morning church services," notes a visitor at French Creek State Park.
Water recreation after rides: Combine riding with fishing or boating. "Lums Pond is about a 3 minute hike down the clearly marked trails. Each site has a large picnic table and a fire ring with a built in grill. Plenty of firewood to be found," shares a camper from Hibernia County Park.
Extended trail systems: Access nearby trail networks. "The trails were well marked, and the day we took a hike, we ended up on the equestrian trail that runs all the way around the pond. It was a long, but easy hike," explains a visitor at French Creek State Park.
Spacious sites for horse trailers: The campground layout accommodates larger rigs. "Sites are big and all were redone in the last few years with concrete pads, 30 amp service and full sewer. There are some equestrian and tent sites as well," shares a camper from Lums Pond State Park Campground.
Clean facilities near riding areas: Well-maintained amenities support equestrian camping. "The bath house was absolutely immaculate, and the design made even my public-bathroom-phobic sister-in-law comfortable and at ease," notes another camper at Lums Pond.
Direct trail access: Sites connect directly to riding paths. "We do Lums Pond at least twice a year if we can get reservations... Lots of boating (electric motors only) and kayaking on the pond and a decent amount of hiking. There's an off leash dog park, equestrian center and boat ramp. Book early because it fills up fast!" advises a regular visitor.
Reservation needs: Horse-friendly sites book quickly. "I understand why it is so difficult to get a reservation at Lums Pond. I don't know if it's the host campers or the management, but they're definitely doing something right," explains a visitor to the park.
Seasonal considerations: Trail conditions change throughout the year. "In February, about 1/4 of the sites were occupied. It was very quiet. The sites are large and well spaced. Many are in full sun. The bathroom facilities and laundry are clean and modern," notes a winter visitor at Lums Pond.
Nearby alternatives: Other equestrian camping options exist. "This is a good free state forest with maybe 10 (or less) designated tent-camping sites... Each campsite features a picnic table or two, and a fire pit, plus one bundle of firewood. The ground is dirt covered with woodchips and sometimes evergreen needles -- pretty easy to sleep in a tent," shares a camper at Blackbird State Forest.
Child-friendly water activities: Lakes provide additional family recreation. "The children's pond is a short ways away for well stocked fishing," mentions a visitor to Hibernia County Park.
Playground access: Multiple play areas keep children entertained. "Our daughter really enjoyed the playground (which was excellent, by my standards)," shares a family that visited Lums Pond.
Site selection for family privacy: Choose sites with natural barriers. "Only 8 sites in the campground, very spaced apart. Each site has lots of room, very much enjoyed our stay and will return!" notes a camper at Blackbird State Forest.
Hookup locations: Plan your setup carefully. "We paid $46 per night plus fees for a FHU 50 Amp Back-in site(#56). This place is a gem, even among nice state parks," recommends an RVer at Lums Pond State Park.
Site leveling for larger rigs: Prepare for varied terrain. "The site was fairly level, side-to-side, so I really only needed to level front to back. That was a bonus," notes another RVer at Lums Pond.
Proximity to services: Supply runs are convenient. "Close to shopping if needed," mentions a visitor to Brendan Byrne State Forest, another option for equestrian camping near Garnet Valley.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Garnet Valley, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Garnet Valley, PA is Lums Pond State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 53 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Garnet Valley, PA?
TheDyrt.com has all 6 equestrian camping locations near Garnet Valley, PA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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