Best Equestrian Camping near Denver, PA

I’m sure one point in time this use to be a 4-5 star campground. It is a far stretch from that today.

PROS:

AT&T / Cricket cell service Paved loops good for bicycles

CONS:

The large pool you see in pictures, is not operating.

The kayak/canoe rentals is not operating.

It is prohibited to take a swim in the lake.

A majority of the campsites are small and stacked right on top of each-other. Ours, C15, was a rocky terrain making it difficult for our children to walk around.

Loop A has many parking pads that are on a significant sloop making it very difficult to level your camper/rv

The bathrooms don’t seem to be well maintained or cleaned.

No camp store

No place to buy firewood

THE WORST PART - The park rangers are on the boarder-line of harassment. They constantly patrol the area and seek out reasons to write tickets. We have witnessed them rummaging around peoples campsites when they were away from their sites. It doesn’t take much to do something wrong. Your vehicle tires must be on the pavement pad, they cannot be touching the grass. If your vehicle cannot fit it must go in “over flow parking” which isn’t close by. Any evidence of alcohol is surly a fine.

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS: Hopewell Furnace Historical Site Birdsboro Preserve St. Peters Classic Auto Mall Museum Ryerss Farm for aged equestrians

This is a wonderful little campsite primarily catering the seasonal RVer. With that said they do have primitive camping spots next to the putt putt course and water only tent sits at the upper feild. There are also water/electric sites in a loop behind the honeymooner cabins, and they have teh best shade and set up for hammock camping.

The ferry here is real, and has been in operation for the last 100+ years

There is a small goat petting zoo, with very friendly pigmy goats and the camp is extremely pet friendly as long as they are on a leash.

There is the typical camp store, and in addition there is the icecream store next to the river. Across the street is a local winery with the best views of the river around.

The campsite fills quickly on the weekends, kayakers and fishers, and motorboats use this as the weekend home and mini family vacation spots.

The showers are located in the RV section of the campground, so you will have to walk a bit if you are tent camping.

There are horse stable available as well on site.

This is a nicely laid out campground with 4 loops and many site choices - non-electric, electric and full hookup sites (water, sewer and electricity); a couple yurts; and 3 camping cottages. (There are cabins elsewhere in the park.) We just showed up on a Wednesday in early October but I'm sure you'd need a reservation on a weekend.

Activities

• See the photo that shows 35 miles of hiking trails. It's an excellent brochure! Some trails are hiking only; others allow mountain biking in addition to hiking, and there are equestrian trails.

• Boating and fishing

• Swimming pool by Hopewell Lake

• Disc golf

• Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site is on your way to the campground.

The Sites

• See photo of the campground map along with typical site photos.

• 4 loops: no electricity in A and D, mix of electric and non-electric sites in B, and a mix of full hookups, electric and non-electric sites in C. Loop C is the only loop open all year with no guarantee of access in the winter.

• Asphalt pads are all supposed to be 45 feet.

• The sites looked level but many of the pads in Loop A were just a bit downhill as you back in. That means our heads are downhill for sleeping unless we turn our teardrop trailer, so we just looked until we found a level site. If you're into leveling a camper, it's not a big deal. We can adjust our back end, but we don't mess around with anything else. It is what it is!

• There are water spigots around the loops and recycling/trash disposal and a dump station on your way in/out.

• Site map shows some ADA accessible sites.

New Restrooms Are Worth Noting

• See photos.

• Push button showers. You can't adjust the temperature and you have to keep pushing the button every 30 seconds or so. I guess this saves water.

• Two utility sinks outside the restrooms are a good addition.

Pet Owners: Pets are only allowed in loop C.

A Couple Warnings

• PA state parks do not allow alcoholic beverages at all. That's what they say.

• Hunting is permitted in most of the state park. That would put a real damper on my hiking at certain times of the year because the hiking trails run right through these areas.

This PA state park felt, upon first impression, very tightly spaced and had an overall crowded feel in loop C, the only dog friendly electric loop. The sites that aren’t ADA have more space between them than we did.  Our site C41 was full hookup as are several others (1-7, 39-47). This is an ADA site, there are several of them. Perhaps this is why it’s crowded so they could fit extra ADA sites? They are very level and have paved pads, but also a paved picnic pad, and paved fire ring pad. Non ADA full hookup sites appeared to be the nicest though they were narrow and some weren’t level side to side. There were a lot of rocks embedded in the ground around and on many sites. Non ADA sites have only a paved pad for the RV. The picnic table and fire ring were behind our RV and when sitting at them, we were within view of sites 37, 39, and 40. I felt like I was in a townhouse setting. Non ADA sites varied as to where picnic and fire rings were set. Also many sites looked like there was quite a drop off at the edge of the already narrow pad so that you had a big step down off your last RV step. Site C42 is ADA and is a nice, semi private, spacious site. Though I’d choose from sites  #1-7 next time. ALL parking pads are 45’ long.

Loop B has a mix of electric and non electric but doesn’t allow pets. That loop was more spacious and had trees between some  sites so it felt  more private. The sites appeared level. There are Yurts and mini cabins outside Loop C that had lots of space around them. Loop A is a pet loop but no electric. However, it’s closed now for what appears to be renovations. Loop D is non electric, no pets.

The campground had no vacancy on this particular weekend. One car allowed per site and most had to park perpendicular. Sites were short (45’ long). 2nd cars are $5 a night but wouldn’t fit in most sites.

The day use areas have frisbee golf, boat rentals, fishing, hunting, hiking, and a pool that overlooks the lake. Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site is adjacent to the park but was not fully open due to covid. It’s a large state park. The pool was nice looking but not open until Memorial Day. Boat rentals are available weekends in May and Sept. and daily all summer. These amenities were far from the campground and would require driving your car. Hiking trails were plentiful but most were labeled as “more difficult.”  Horse back riding is allowed on some trails. I didn’t see any trails that started at the campground loops. 

Overall, it’s an adequate campground but not my favorite.

General: Four loops with a total of 200 campsites. Two of the loops allow pets (A, C) and two do not. Loop D offers no hookups while Loops A-C offer a mix of no hookups, water/Electric, and full hookups. We had no problem securing a site on a weekday in October with no reservation. There are also two yurts and three cottages. 

Site Quality: We chose a non-electric site in the B Loop, so this review focuses on this loop. There are abundant trees separating the sites. The pads were paved and B12 was very long. A picnic table and fire ring complete the site. Because the loops are on a slight slope, not all of the sites are completely level, something that would be difficult to determine if making reservations ahead of time. 

Bathhouse: Pennsylvania state parks get high marks for their modern, clean restrooms and this park (at least the B Loop) was no exception. Hot showers were no additional charge and generous in size. 

Activities: 35 miles of hiking trails. Be aware that the Hopewell Lake Loop is not very well marked (it appears to be a work in progress) although blazes on trees are abundant for most trails. Canoes and kayaks are available for rent during the summer season, and there is a boat dock for your own boat for fishing (either from a fishing pier or on your boat). There is a huge pool available from Memorial Day through Labor Day (there is an additional fee for this). Some of the trails allow horseback riding. Nearby Hopewell Furnace is accessible via hiking trails, or you can drive there. Other activities include orienteering and disc golf. Make sure you wear blaze orange during the fall hunting season as you will hear hunters! 

In general, it is obvious Pennsylvania invests in its state park campgrounds and the price is reasonable ($27 for a non-electric site during the week with a $4.50 senior discount). My only complaint is that the dumpsters are a hike from the loops, but this is a minor complaint.

 We had a great family camping weekend at Starlight and will definitely return in the future. Yes, it is quite hilly throughout the campground, but the individual sites are very level to park the camper with almost no blocks needed. 

We had two sites this trip with water and electric, but they do have quite a few full hook-up sites. Overall the sites were large, with trees between, providing additional privacy. Except for the Plateau sites, which have the amazing view, the rest of the campground had a great tree cover! Too often private campgrounds attempt to squeeze as many sites as possible and end up with campers on top of their neighbors, but at Starlight, the sites felt very secluded. Water pressure and electric were both great throughout the stay. There is no internet, but we had good cell phone service. 

The employees in the camp store are amazing and go out of their way to make you feel welcome! I felt everyone went above and beyond to help me from the reservation process through check-in. The camp store is well stocked and also serves hand-dipped ice cream. 

Starlight is a nice campground to relax or explore central Pennsylvania.

PROS 

Reserved 328 days prior to arriving

$13.50 senior discount 

Immediately greeted by Loop C camp host who was extremely friendly and helpful 

Site C3 parking pad level asphalt 

Metal frame wooden picnic table that was moveable 

One hook lantern pole 

Metal fire pit which was cleaned out upon our arrival 

Some vegetation between sites provided a bit of privacy from neighbors sites 

Park is 21 miles from Valley Forge National Historical Park. Catch National Park Service 90 minute trolley tour at the Visitor Center. 

Shady Maple Smorgasbord...authentic Pennsylvania Dutch cooking…largest buffet in the USA…16 miles from French Creek SP 

CONS

$6.50 reservation fee for making my own on-line reservation 

Horrible signage along PA-345. Never saw very small sign when we where intensely searching 

Such a large overall park, but camping loop sites are jammed together

Pitiful low water pressure  in Loop C

Site sewer connection is high; needs to be knocked down to ground level 

Short length of site caused creative tow vehicle parking 

Loop C women’s toilet/shower building a big nasty mess Saturday 

Trash dumpsters are on the main road near the campground check-in station (not walkable) 

Noisy campground; 9pm quiet hour not enforced

Lots of barking dogs 

No wood sales in park 

No WiFi 

1 bar Verizon

Campground Review

French Creek State Park is a 7,526-acre Pennsylvania state park in North Coventry and Warwick Townships in Chester County and Robeson and Union Townships in Berks County which is approximately 15 miles southeast of Reading. This is a beautiful state park with so many wonderful activities. There really is something for everyone here and if you can’t find it you aren’t looking very hard. We LOVE camping here as the campsites are not right on top of one another. There is a lot of shade and the campground is laid out well. There are three separate loops to camp at, Loop C is the only loop that allows pets, plus an area for large group camping which can accommodate anywhere from 30 to 60 people. All sites do not have a water hook up but there is water available and some sites have electric. For an electric site it was the standard State Park fee of 33.50 per night. Also, since this is a State Park there is no alcohol allowed. The Park Rangers drive by regularly which is nice in case you are having any problems or just have general questions about the park. Another feature about this campground which is nice is that they have campground hosts. These are volunteers who stay at the site long term and help out changing tags at sites, cleaning up trash, helping campers with problems or questions, etc. You get to camp for free by being a host so if you are interested in this there is information available on their website. We had some friends who camped with us so we were able to rent two sites aside of each other which was great. We had sites #32 & #34 in Loop B and the kids had a lot of room to run and play between the two sites. We were able to book our sites online which was also a nice feature. The website is very easy to use and you can also call a phone number and they can help you book your stay at any State Park. All sites have a flat paved area for your camper. If you have a large camper or 5th wheel you may need to double check what sites can accommodate your RV to ensure you have enough room. It was nice to just be able to back up our camper and have it mostly level already. Mostly every site that I saw also had a grassy area which is fantastic when you have young kids. I am not a fan of all gravel sites! Our picnic table was definitely in need of replacement. If you leaned on it the wrong way the whole thing would shift and the benches were coming off. The other table at the other site was sturdier and much newer.

The bathroom at the campground is very nice and new however it is a little on the dirty side. I don’t know if they have anyone who goes around to clean the bath houses but it certainly was in need of cleaning. There are two large showers as well with very warm water. I was able to shower with my infant daughter and had no issues with trying to maneuver around while holding her. There is a very nice playground situated conveniently between the loops of the campground. It had some slides, a bridge, lots of monkey bars, ladders to climb on and the best feature was the zip line. All kids and adults agreed it was the most fun! If you don’t want to hang around the campground there are two lakes, Scotts Run Lake and Hopewell Lake that you can fish at, kayak, canoe or just relax by. There are several warm water fish in the lakes including northern pike, chain pickerel, bass, walleye, muskellunge and several types of panfish. Ice fishing is also allowed at both lakes and the ice thickness is monitored. There is also a pool and another playground near the park office. Not to mention the many trails for walking, hiking or biking as well! There are a ton of picnic tables too so you can take a lunch and just sit by the lake to relax and have a bite to eat. We have also attending an Orienteering event here which was nation wide and really exciting. People came from all over the country to attend which was really a great experience. There is also a frisbee golf course in the woods to make it even more interesting and competitive. The trees definitely make it harder! I have come to realize that I am not good at golf, frisbee or regular. Oh and don’t forget about the horseback riding! Please bring your own horse - no rentals available. If you are local I would recommend bringing some of your own firewood. There is not a camp store where it is available for purchase. You can find some for sale from the neighboring homes but it’s not always a guarantee. If you can’t find enough to keep you busy at the campground or park there are a few attractions nearby. There is the Reading and Berks County Visitors Bureau and Chester County Visitors Bureau, State Game Lands 43, Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site and Daniel Boone Homestead.

We really enjoyed camping here again and look forward to our next overnight trip. We like it so much here we take day trips here. It is such a beautiful area with all of the trees and natural beauty. I would give this campground a 4.5 rating since there were a few things that definitely needed some upkeep and cleaning.

Product Review

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time. This trip I was testing some gear from Matador Packable Adventure Gear. I tested out three products, The large nano towel, the droplet wet bag and the daylite 16 backpack. All products are very small in size. For example, the backpack and towel were not much bigger than a playing card and the droplet bag was about the size of a half dollar. The only issue I had ordering from their website was what product to choose!

Matador Day Light 16 Backpack

Pros:

1. The size is definitely a bonus as you can store this bag inside of another bag, purse, backpack, etc. to have in case you need it for more storage. It is extremely light weight and has a small bag to carry it in when not in use. It really wasn’t much bigger than a water bottle when it was all folded up.
2. I was skeptical at the size of the pack and wondering how much could this pack really hold. We went for a small hike around the lake - we were toting three kids, one of which was in a stroller. I was able to fit 5 diapers, a large bottle of suntan lotion, a pack of wipes, snack container, travel changing pad, Matador large NanoDry towel, Matador droplet wet bag and a bottle of milk on the side in the drink pocket. There was still plenty of room to spare.
3. I was concerned with the strap size of the backpack as I have learned over the years I don’t like thinner strapped packs as they tend to dig into my armpits and shoulders. The straps were very thin as well as they are designed to be lightweight and breathable.
4. The bag is waterproof! The zippers are water resistant and seal keeping the wet out and the dry in. When we were hiking it was very warm and I was definitely sweating. My bag stayed dry and so did everything in it. When we were packing up a severe thunderstorm rolled through. The bag was in the rain and I was surprised that everything inside was dry! The rain just rolled right off!
5. It is very portable, light weight, the material is puncture proof, weather resistant and overall a great day pack for hiking, shopping, going to the beach, perfect for an amusement park or extra storage. It is extremely versatile.
6. There are two side compartments for water bottles which are deep and stretchy. They definitely keep your bottles in tack and can even handle an umbrella without worry of it falling out.

Cons:

1. I have broader shoulders and since it was a smaller pack it was a little bit of a struggle to get it on. I managed to shuffle myself into it with minimal struggle.
2. The material is very slippery. It did make it a little difficult to fold it down and pack back into the pouch. Once you get it so small it would just start slipping around. After a few tries we got it back in with no problem.
3. The thinner straps definitely started to dig into my armpits. I liked the breathable straps but think they should be a little wider.
4. It would be nice if there was an inside pocket. I guess you could use the pouch it gets stored it when not in use but it would flop all around if your pack wasn’t full.
5. There is not a lot of structure to the bag. Since the material is pretty thin whatever you pack in there you will feel sticking you if you don’t pack correctly.

Overall, I was very happy with the bag. It exceeded my expectations and am looking for any excuse to use this bag again!

Matador NanoDry Large Shower Towel

Pros:

1. The size of the silicone travel case is extremely convenient. You could throw this in any bag on your way to the beach, gym, pool or shower. The towel itself folds down very easily and folds back into the silicone case with ease.
2. I was absolutely AMAZED at the amount of water this towel can hold! I was able to shower and be completely dry - no damp areas whatsoever - and then I wrapped up my hair to dry. It held every drop of water - no leaks. I couldn’t believe how well it worked and will definitely be looking to purchase more! Plus, it was extremely quick drying! This towel is super duper thin. Once I hung it up it didn’t take long at all to dry!
3. I love, love, love that it is antimicrobial too! It will stay fresher longer.
4. The size of this towel is comparable to a normal shower towel. It is large enough to wrap around your body. Plus, it is extremely light weight. Once you open up your towel you will be amazed at how much it weighs. It is amazing how something so thin can absorb so much water!
5. The carrying case has a carabiner clip to hang up or clip to your gear for convenience and maximum portability. There is a snap loop on the towel to hang up or use to wrap your hair up and clip to hold. Plus it is machine washable.

Cons:

1. Even though the towel is a nice size it could still be a little bigger. My husband is 6’3” and he felt like he was using a dishcloth to dry himself off. It worked very well, but could offer an XXL possibly.
2. The carabiner seemed a little cheaply made. I would definitely make an upgrade to a little heavier duty clip.

Honestly, this was the product that I had the most doubts about its performance and it turned out I ended up loving this the most. I love it so much in fact I will be purchasing more in the future. It’s Christmas in July right?

Matador Droplet Wet Bag

Pros:

1. In real estate they say it is LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. When you are backpacking I think it is about the SIZE, SIZE, SIZE. Well, your problems have been answered with the droplet bag. This thing is tiny but packs a huge punch. This is small enough to fit on a keychain! It has a silicone pouch the bag fits into that you can carry virtually anywhere!
2. The drawstring closure is a nice feature. Some drawstrings have bulky string that gets too bunched up and doesn’t allow the bag to fully close. That was not the case in this situation. The bag closed up tightly and even though the string is thin it seems strong.
3. It keeps the wet in or out - depending on your needs. I used the bag to put our daughter’s wet diaper and onesie in after she splashed around in the lake. I then threw the bag into our Matador DL 16 backpack and it didn’t leak or get anything else in the bag wet. We also tried keeping the wet out. We went to an amusement park and went on the Sploosh ride. You know - basically the giant log flume ride but in a boat. So we had our phones and money in the droplet bag and went on the ride. WE WERE SOAKED! It was a lot of fun and our phones and money were safe and dry!

Cons:

1. This is a key chain however the ring is very, very small. I have large hands for a girl - I can palm a basketball - and I had a very hard time trying to attach the ring to my bag. I would definitely recommend a little larger of a ring.
2. I had to fold and refold the bag a few times in order to get it back into the droplet shaped case. It took me a couple of tries but I finally succeeded! It doesn’t look as nice as it did when it arrived but it works.
3. The drawstring clip is a little small. (Remember, I have large hands for a girl) It kept slipping out of my fingers as I was trying to push the button down so I could draw the bag shut. I think you would have a hard time fitting a larger clip into the droplet bag once it is all folded up.

I definitely love the convenience of this product as you can clip it anywhere and go. You never know when you may need to keep something dry or have a bag for something wet. There is a large bag as well available which looks like it would be great for a family. I am overall extremely impressed with the quality, convenience, compactability and overall everyday use of Matador products. I look forward to expanding my collection for our future adventures! Please also check out my reviews on Macaroni Kid Reading under the Guides Tab / Day Trips and Destinations.

Campground Review: French Creek State Park Campground is located in Elverson, Pennsylvania and sits adjacent to Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. There are 200 individual sites in four loops, some with full hookups for RVs, some with electric only but mostly primitive sites. There are also several cottages, cabins and yurts available as well.

For this trip, my husband and I camped alongside our friends, which included three other couples and their children, so we took up two electric sites for the tent campers and two full hook up sites for our friends with RVs. We stayed in Loop C, which is the only dog friendly loop in the campground, on sites 35, 37, 39,& 40. Thankfully, a short walk to the bathroom facilities for us tent campers.

Normally site 35 would have been way too small for our usual gear– a behemoth 9X15 tent- but it was a perfect fit for the tent I was reviewing on this trip. Our friends, who have the same large tent as us, stayed on site 37 and had plenty of space to pitch it, but many of the sites surrounding ours were very rocky and left little option for a larger than normal sized tent so keep this in mind if you have a large family sized tent. I’ve included a few photos of the surrounding sites for future reference. The bath/shower house in this loop was adequate and includes two dish washing stations outside. The showers had good pressure and hot water. It was cleaned often throughout the weekend, however it is definitely in need of an update.

We also checked out the other loops for future use and found Loop A to have very spacious, less rocky sites, however, there was little shrubbery between each site, making them less private than the sites in Loop C.

There are two lakes in French Creek, Hopewell and Scott's Run and each contain many species of fish. We spent Saturday afternoon fishing but not catching anything at Scott's Run. It’s a beautiful location and it was still a fun way to spend the day with the kids away from the site.

We found several places nearby to purchase wood, besides the supermarket and a nursery in town, there are a few residents that sell it right on their front lawn so be on the look-out en route to the park entrance.

Generally, we camp in the off season, and usually have the whole place to ourselves, so I had some concern prior to arrival that every site in every loop was booked for the whole weekend and expected it to be noisy, however, I was pleasantly surprised. It was quiet and our neighbors were respectful of the quiet hours and our space. It was a wonderfully peaceful weekend for us all and we will definitely visit again soon.

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Product Review: Wenzel Ivanhoe 6 Tent

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I am occasionally offered the opportunity to test new outdoor products. For this trip I tested the Wenzel Ivanhoe 6 Tent https://wenzelco.com/ivanhoe-6/.

Generally, my husband and I use a larger ez up tent, but I liked this tent specifically for the design which is reminiscent of the tent my parents used when I was a child and figured it would be a good option for shorter weekend trips, rather than our 9X15 ez-up.

The set up was relatively easy, although one person might have some difficulty. It held up well during an evening thunderstorm, but for a small seam leak near the door. We believe this is a result of the fact that our site was slightly uneven and that particular corner was not as evenly pitched with the other corners of the tent which resulted in a bit of a gap in the roof.

The airflow is great, with the small vent in the rear, two side windows and the full screen door. There are also two smaller vents at the top- though neither seem seem to add that much airflow,- perhaps a design flaw or more likely the uneven ground it was pitched on.

I love the fact that there are awnings over the side windows, but in order for them to be effective one must stake out three guy lines on each side, plus the one on the front and the back. Knowing this I had purchased some small lights to hang on the lines to prevent tripping on them at night and it worked out perfectly.

The front doors are secured closed from wind and rain by velcro strips, rather than the standard ties. There are four side pockets and a handy troubleshooting guide sewn into the interior wall for any issues you experience while in use, such as leaking, condensation, or a faulty zipper.

I am very happy with this tent. For the two of us it was the perfect size for our ten inch high queen size air mattress and some minimal gear. The peak height was just over 6 foot, so we were both able to stand upright without issue.