Best Equestrian Camping near Cowanesque Lake

Large camp sites have room for all your horses and horse paraphernalia. Call Finger Lakes National Forest to make sure trails aren’t closed due to weather, spring melt, etc. You need a permit to camp here but the permit and site are free. You can camp without having horses but get ready to smell them.

This is a great little campground with fairly large sites. We were initially going to stay at Blueberry Patch however our tent was too large for the sites available. We see a posting that there were sites at Backbone that were for people with or without horses. More than half of the camp is designated for horses but only one horse trailer came into the camp the entire time we were there. The fire pits and picnic tables are very nice. Sites are first come first serve. Payment of the low fee is on the honor system and check in / out is very flexible. We seen maybe three people pass through the three days /two nights we were there. A Sheriff's truck did drive through Saturday morning just to patrol.

Stayed with my husband last fall for our first camping trip and have zero complaints. This place was perfect has everything you need. The surrounding area is loaded with things to do as well if you feel like venturing out. Cherry Springs Dark Park is just up the road but the view from our tent was just as good. We also stopped at the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. Hiking trails were within walking distance from the tent. Looking forward to our next stay and some more camp food!

Stayed at this campsite, taking our pop-up camper on its maiden voyage to the Grand Canyon of PA. Was able to choose a location that worked best for us. The area we selected was not busy. Campsite appeared to have a lot of seasonal campers. My husband does not like staying in crowded campgrounds with people surrounding you and up all night screaming and singing. We go camping to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet. Not to listen to people pretending to relive their college days....lol. Area is open, not offering a lot of privacy, but we had shade and woods behind us, and the ground was grassy and level. The pool was nice and the rec center had a lot of activities for kids. The pond offered fishing and pedal boat rentals. We chose this campsite due to its proximity to the Leonard Harrison State Park. We had no issues here and would recommend.

We camped here and loved it. It's one of the most peaceful campgrounds we have stayed at. The only sounds at night is the wildlife moving about the woods. We saw our first porcupine in it's natural habitat! Plenty of wildlife to be seen both during the day and night.

The bathrooms are very well kept and the rangers are very friendly. Just be sure to stop in the office to check in for your site. Not all state parks require this. The 2 campground loops are small with nice sites. We stayed on sites 1 & 2 which both faced the woods. Even though we were at the entrance to the campground there wasn't much traffic to be bothersome.

We enjoyed the lake for swimming and kayaking. Be sure to have cash for the boat rental and snack bar. They do except cards but your card is ran through the Fox's pizza in town which I wasn't fond of that idea.

We are looking forward to visiting again!

Pretty quite spot with lots of activity. The site is actually quite near other campsites and is in the northern part of PA. This park we learned is actually open all year round, so if you come at the right season, it can be magically scenic.

We stayed here for a few nights and enjoyed the area because of it having ATV trails that lead out of the park.

We also had a boat that we brought out to go fishing (you can rent a boat, but will cost you). Pretty easy to catch some trout and blue gill. There are also 6 miles of hiking trails to clear your head if you need that.

Beautiful area all around. Up the road is cherry springs, known as our only Dark Sky Park in PA. The night sky is amazing. There is a lake to do many activities, and a beach there. ATV trails, hiking, beautiful overlooks. No cell service, so you really get to get away from everything.

It's a beautiful place to visit. Has some good fishing hiking camping. Great area to take long drives. Even if we're not staying there we usually ride over just enjoy the beautiful sights.

went here in October, so maybe that’s why I loved it so much, perfect weather. fun areas to hike around, beautiful, wildlife everywhere. if I remeber correctly the bathrooms had heat which was SO nice when it was cold at night/in the morning. very close to cherry spring which is the national dark park for star watching. We just kept an eye on the sky through the night and when it looked clear we’d pack up quick and head over to the cherry springs Look out area about 15-20 min away. would definitely reccomed

We booked a tent site, and there was only one small patch of grass where we could set up our tent. But the people next to us were in a big group and already had their tents set up very close to our grass, and we didn't feel comfortable camping that close to people. My brother had an RV site, so we went down to his and set up our tent there and it was much nicer. The fire pits are very nice, and the hiking trails in the park are great.

The sites are affordable, spacious, and they allow dogs. The campground is quiet at night and the stars are sensational. It's also super close to Cherry Springs if you want the full dark sky experience. The bathroom and showers were clean. Sink area outside for convenience, like a wash area, very handy. Little creek runs beside it for kids to play and explore. There's a beach with concessions stand and paddle boats on the lake with the prettiest skyline of surrounding the lake. Got an ATV? They have trails that run all over the place. Love this campground. Wish it was closer to home.

We had a lot of fun camping here. There are some great hikes in the area. The campsites are pretty close to each other but we ended up making friends. Make sure to bring your telescope!

Spread out site. Primitive amenities. Nice short hikes.

This is a small, fairly remote campground.  The sites are very small- some don't even have room for a pop-up canopy.  Sites have a fairly level parking pad for campers. Some sites lead you to believe they are on water (stream)- the stream is barely there and there is no access to it.  There are ATV trails all over the park which can get loud.  Tons of great hiking trails and a great beach.  Fishing and boat launch also available.

Sites are close together small  and in wooded areas. Close enough to the lake and beach which is clean but small. Bathrooms are well kept and clean workers keep trash picked up and grounds immaculate. Very close to Cherry Springs International Dark Sky  Park with its amazing views of the stars and Milky Way.

Spent a week here and loved it. Very remote wooded area with small stream. Sites are tight but worth it, gorgeous area. Bathrooms are clean and large, staff keeps the grounds immaculate. Lake and beach nearby.

Sites are pretty level and well kept. The bathrooms are great! Remote, cute little place! They maintain the place well! There are a few trails close by. Nothing crazy but nice to have something close. Not far from cherry spring. We stayed at site 25. We were right next to the bathroom. Convenient, but did hear some traffic from other campers but not bad.

Lyman Run holds a special place for me. It’s nestled within the gold level dark sky area. This means on a clear night and with a waning or new moon, one could see the arm of the Milky Way with millions of stars- more than most people see in a lifetime. The camp sites are a bit rough- there are two loops, with one loop catering to the mostly RV crowds and the remaining one for tents. There are a few really good and shaded tent sites in the RV loop. The location of the park is near Cherry Springs SP, which gets all the attention for the night sky viewing. We were able to use Lyman Run as a way station as we visited Kinzua, the PA Grand Canyon, and other sites in the PA Woods area. There’s even a chance to watch elk nearby. Each site has a fire ring, with wood available nearby. Amenities include a beach at a nearby lake, warm showers, and good hiking trails. There is a general store nearby, but the nearest town is almost 45+ minutes away. But hey, there’s a Fox’s Pizza there, so ... win? Since Cherry Springs (at the time of this writing) does not take reservations, we opted for the sure thing. Tent pads are well taken care of and the bathrooms are clean. This park is worth the time and view- you will not be disappointed.