Equestrian Camping near Dawson, PA

6 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.

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    Beaver Creek State Park Campground offers specialized equestrian camping on Sprucevale Road with 59 primitive sites without electricity. The equestrian area features tie-ups for horses and a vault toilet system. Only 12 of these sites can be reserved in advance, while the remaining 47 operate on a first-come, first-served basis. The separate family campground on Leslie Road includes 6 electric and 44 non-electric sites but doesn't have designated horse facilities. The terrain surrounding the park provides scenic forest riding opportunities with moderate elevation changes. The campground maintains year-round accessibility for riders seeking winter trail experiences.

    The North Country National Scenic Trail passes directly through the park, offering riders extensive trail access with connections to regional riding networks. Beaver Creek's trail system features multiple creek crossings and valley views, particularly appealing for day riders and overnight equestrians. Water access points along Beaver Creek allow horses to drink and cool off during summer months. Most equestrian campers bring portable corrals or use the tie-up areas, as there are no permanent stalls available. The park prohibits filling RV water tanks from the limited well water supply, so riders should bring sufficient water for themselves and their horses. The natural creek that runs behind sites on the northern campground loop creates ideal conditions for summer rides but contributes to increased insects at night.

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    Best Equestrian Campgrounds near Dawson (6)

      1. Beaver Creek State Park Campground

      4.3(18)12mi from Dawson47 sitesRVs, Tents, Cabins

      "Portals/parks/PDFs/parks/Maps/Beaver_Creek/beavercreekcampmap.pdf)

      • 6 electric sites
      • 44 non-electric sites
      • Dump station
      • No showers; no flush toilets
      • Pets are permitted on all sites

      Equestrian"

      "I live near by to this state park and have spent much time exploring the entirety of it."

      from $23 - $50 / night

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      2. Group Camping and Cabins — Moraine State Park

      4.2(9)25mi from DawsonCabins

      "It is right next to the bike trail and has access to the lake. I have enjoyed my time at Moraine and will enjoy it every time I visit."

      "In fact my family used to own property near by. This park has an awesome trail system for walking or biking"

      3. West Branch State Park Campground

      4.6(66)48mi from Dawson196 sitesRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "The bathrooms are clean and include a laundry and sinks outside to wash your dishes. Campground hosts and staff are friendly and helpful. Sites are roomy and clean. Lots of variety."

      "There is no WiFi and barely one bar of cell service; your best internet access is at the nice public library 7 miles away in Ravenna Sand beach is an easy walk from all camp sites and boat trailers can"

      from $30 - $52 / night

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      4. Jefferson Lake State Park Campground

      4.0(7)27mi from Dawson44 sitesRVs, Tents

      "This smaller campground has a mix of equestrian sites and tent/RV sites. There are no showers, but the vault toilets were cleaned thoroughly ever morning."

      "Tucked away in southeastern Ohio is a gem of a park for camping, hiking and horse camping. Clean water, restrooms, playground, sand volleyball and basketball court."

      from $23 - $33 / night

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      5. Hidden Hollow Campground — Fernwood State Forest

      4.2(11)32mi from DawsonRVs, Tents

      "Very well kept, completely free 1st come campground just outside the very small town of Bloomingdale, OH. Pit toilets and no source of safe, clean water anymore."

      "The campground is situated near shooting ranges so the gunfire lasts late into the evening and begins early in the morning disrupting the serenity a bit. The best part - it's free!"

      6. Mosquito Lake State Park Campground

      4.2(26)47mi from Dawson224 sitesRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "The group next to us seemed a little rowdy when we first pulled in, but by 10:00 there was no noise anywhere near us. "

      "Wood is dry and cheap right outside the park entrance. Bass fishing is top notch on the lake. I would definitely come back here again and again."

      from $27 - $80 / night

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    Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near Dawson, PA

    1 Photos of 6 Dawson Campgrounds


    Equestrian Camping Reviews near Dawson, PA

    137 Reviews of 6 Dawson Campgrounds


    • K
      Jun. 25, 2021

      Jefferson Lake State Park Campground

      Quiet and Beautiful

      This smaller campground has a mix of equestrian sites and tent/RV sites. There are no showers, but the vault toilets were cleaned thoroughly ever morning. You need to be careful when booking, especially if you are trying to pitch a tent, as some sites are quite sloped. Our site was huge and right next to the water spigot.

    • Theresa Tittle R.
      Sep. 7, 2020

      Jefferson Lake State Park Campground

      Quiet little campground

      Tucked away in southeastern Ohio is a gem of a park for camping, hiking and horse camping. Clean water, restrooms, playground, sand volleyball and basketball court. Dump station and 18 miles of multi use trails! Small lake for wading with the kiddos, fishing near the dam or skip rocks in the creek. But be sure to pack a picnic and relax and enjoy! Only a few electric sites available. Mostly flat shaded sites most perfect for tents or trailers.

    • B
      Jun. 1, 2019

      West Branch State Park Campground

      Camper friendly

      You need to make reservations well in advance for the “primo” sites. The bathrooms are clean and include a laundry and sinks outside to wash your dishes. Campground hosts and staff are friendly and helpful. Sites are roomy and clean. Lots of variety. If you’re into hiking, disc golf, kayaking, fishing, equestrian pursuits, etc, this is the park for you.

    • R
      Sep. 28, 2021

      West Branch State Park Campground

      Quiet park with nice amenities

      3 Immaculate bath houses all with laundry facilities, all sites have electric (no f-ing generators) and many have have water and sewer hook ups. There is no WiFi and barely one bar of cell service; your best internet access is at the nice public library 7 miles away in Ravenna Sand beach is an easy walk from all camp sites and boat trailers can be parked on your camp site Boat launch has a big trailer parking lot, too. There are hiking, equestrian and mountain biking trails in the park and launching off paddle boards is ok at the boat launch or the nearby beach Friendly staff and camp hosts!

    • Tracy H.
      Jul. 14, 2018

      Beaver Creek State Park Campground

      3 different campgrounds, primitive tent/RV, group camp and equestrian camp

      Family Campground on Leslie Road [map]

      • 6 electric sites
      • 44 non-electric sites
      • Dump station
      • No showers; no flush toilets
      • Pets are permitted on all sites

      Equestrian Camp on Sprucevale Road

      • 59 primitive sites (no electric)
      • Vault latrines
      • Tie-ups
      • 12 sites may be reserved; the remaining are first-come, first-served.

      Group Camp on Sprucevale Road

      • Two group camp sites
      • Can accommodate organized groups up to 30 people
      • Available by reservation
    • Erin H.
      Jul. 31, 2016

      West Branch State Park Campground

      Great Find!

      Here's what's great about this campground situated at an easy drive from major cities like Columbus and Cleveland...its scenic, a fully loaded campground with bathhouses, parks, hiking paths, swimming resivoir with boat rental...we highly recommend renting a pontoon for the day and hanging out in the resivoir for swimming and lounging! It's both relaxing and nice to get away from the beach crowd!

    • Jennifer D.
      Sep. 20, 2021

      West Branch State Park Campground

      Clean, private oasis

      Stayed in two different areas of West Branch State Park while visiting Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Very impressed with large, clean bath houses, including fully private showers. Sites were very large and spread out, visit bing lots of nice privacy. Though we did not take advantage, the park also offered horse bridle trails, mountain biking and water activities on the lake. What a gem!

    • G
      Jul. 21, 2023

      Mosquito Lake State Park Campground

      Great State Park Campground

      We just got back from our first trip to Mosquito Lake State Park Campground. All in all, it was a great experience. 

      We stayed in site 67, which is a waterfront site, with electric. The water is about 25 yards from the pad, but is visible from the entire site. The site was spacious, but not as private as some of the others. There is some woods between this site and the sites on either side, but other sites are visible. The fire pits and picnic tables were staggered, so it created some distance to make it feel more private. 

      The campground as a whole, was very quiet. We stayed from Wednesday to Friday. The group next to us seemed a little rowdy when we first pulled in, but by 10:00 there was no noise anywhere near us. 

      Most sites seemed pretty level from side to side, but where we were, several had a slope from front to back. Away from the waterfront, most sites looked pretty level. The amount of space between sites varied from site to site. Some sites had woods on both sides, while others were pretty open. Some had nice large grassy areas, others were much smaller. Sites from 214-224 are in a cul de sac and are water front, but they were pretty close together with very little privacy between sites, if any. They are very close to the water though. 

      There are bathrooms and water scatter about, but from what I saw there was only 1 shower house. 

      Wal-mart and other shopping and restaurants were about 3 miles away. Park was easy to get to, only one turn for us off the highway. Lake was great for kayaking and paddleboarding. Very nice dog park in a different part of the park. There is a boat launch accessible from inside the campground. 

      Dump station has 2 lanes which was nice when checking out. Fresh water fill up was also located near the dump station.

    • Zach C.
      Apr. 16, 2020

      West Branch State Park Campground

      It’s great!

      My family has been going to this camp for years! It’s been updated a few times over the years, for the better! It has everything you need. Boat ramps for the lake in the campground, multiple shower houses, large and small campsites with full and primitive options! Tent and pull through RV sites as well. They have a few miles of hiking trails even horse trails! They do events through out the year. Our favorite Halloween! Camper decorate their sites and do trick or treating for the kids. They even do a haunted trail where volunteers set up to scare everyone! We had a spot on the trail for years lol


    Guide to Dawson

    Beaver Creek State Park offers horse-friendly camping options located 36 miles from Dawson, Pennsylvania. The park sits in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains with elevations ranging from 700 to 1,100 feet. Trail riders often experience moderate temperature variations between valleys and ridges, with creek-side areas typically 5-10 degrees cooler than upland trails during summer months.

    What to do

    Trail riding on North Country Trail: Access extensive trail networks directly from Beaver Creek State Park Campground where "direct access to the North Country National Scenic Trail and trails through main park" creates multiple route options for riders of all skill levels.

    Fishing in stocked waters: Cast a line in Beaver Creek where "Bass fishing is really fun because we caught a few nice ones!!" according to visitors at Beaver Creek State Park Campground.

    Visiting historic Pioneer Village: Explore original structures near the camp office as "The best part about the area was the history that surrounds it. There is a pioneer village near the park office that offers some picnicking areas around it. It also has original buildings from the pioneer days (church, school, etc)."

    Geocaching adventures: Several hidden caches can be found throughout the trail system at West Branch State Park Campground where campers report "We also played some disc golf and went geocaching."

    What campers like

    Pine-covered campsites: Find natural shade at tent-friendly areas where "I suggest the pine sites for any tent or hammock campers. I stayed in one of the first set of 3 pine sites numbered 43, 44, and 45."

    Dark night skies for stargazing: Away from urban light pollution, campsites at Jefferson Lake provide exceptional star viewing as "The sky was dark enough to see far more stars than you'd see near any larger towns or cities. To cap it off, we laid in our tent dozing off to the sounds of owls and coyotes!"

    Spacious waterfront sites: Reserve early for premium locations at West Branch State Park Campground where "Waterside sites fill up quickly! West Branch has private, spacious, shady sites. We can launch our kayaks right from our campsite."

    What you should know

    Limited water availability: Several campgrounds restrict water usage as "They are on a well so there is limited water and they don't allow you to fill up your on board tank. Make sure you fill up before you go!"

    Access road limitations: Some parks have route restrictions for larger vehicles as "Also, there is a road in the park (Echo Dell Road) that RVs/Trailers can't go on so make sure you approach this campground from Leslie Road!"

    Reservation requirements vary: At Hidden Hollow Campground, sites operate on a different system where "Self-register with cards located at pit latrine building. 14 days every 30. No problem getting 40' skoolie in and parked in mostly level spots."

    Seasonal maintenance issues: Trail conditions fluctuate with weather as "Unfortunately, it had been raining a lot so we weren't able to explore the trails. The campground is nice– the toilets are just pit toilets and they do have a sun shower."

    Tips for camping with families

    Playground-adjacent sites: Strategic site selection enhances family camping as "We got a site near the playground, which my 3 year old enjoyed. The campground wasn't busy and we had a lot of privacy."

    Kid-friendly amenities: Facilities at Group Camping and Cabins — Moraine State Park accommodate various activities where "It offers many camping styles including Group Tenting, Adirondack shelters for backpacking, and Cabins" and "Kayaking/Canoeing, Motor boating 15hp or less, Sailboats, Bike Trail, Great Fishing Spots, Swimming Area."

    Educational opportunities: Historical features provide learning experiences as "The camp ground was nice except there is no running water. We took advantage of some of the hiking trails around and they were good in some areas, but definitely needed to be kept up on more often."

    Wildlife viewing chances: Children can observe native species as campers report "we laid in our tent dozing off to the sounds of owls and coyotes!"

    Tips from RVers

    Site leveling challenges: Prepare for uneven terrain at Jefferson Lake where "Perfect for our little Scamp trailer. Only 5 big electric sites, no showers or potable water."

    Limited hookup options: Electricity availability varies significantly between parks as "We're at site 160. No electricity, no hookups, but a HUGE lakefront site. We're in a self contained RV so it's not a problem for us."

    Water fill precautions: Water systems present challenges at Jefferson Lake State Park Campground where "All water full up towers only have those spigots that are not threaded. Had to hold hose over spigot about 20 min to fill 35 gal. We were later told by staff the maintenance building had a threaded spigot."

    Dump station locations: Not all facilities offer sanitary dumping, so plan accordingly as "Electric is a little far behind pad. We almost needed extension cord."

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Dawson, PA?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Dawson, PA is Beaver Creek State Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 18 reviews.

    What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Dawson, PA?

    TheDyrt.com has all 6 equestrian camping locations near Dawson, PA, with real photos and reviews from campers.