1 campground with availability next weekend
Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area in Maryland offers trail access for equestrians across its maintained trail network. For riders seeking horse camping near Lancaster, this site stands out for its direct trail connections and dedicated horse areas throughout the property. The campground features electric hookups, picnic tables, and drinking water for both visitors and horses. The restroom facilities include toilets but no showers, and the grounds are equipped with trash collection and sanitary dump stations. The campground operates year-round and accommodates both tent and RV camping. Sites are kept clean with proper maintenance of both the facilities and the surrounding grounds.
The trail system connects directly to the camping area, allowing for convenient access to horseback riding routes without trailering. Water crossings along the trails provide natural watering points for horses during rides. All sites require advance reservations, particularly during peak season months when the campground fills quickly. The campground's location on 5,600 acres of managed land creates extensive riding opportunities with varying terrain. Riders should note that while pets are not permitted at the campground, horses have designated areas throughout the property. Trail maps are available at the park office, showing connections to longer equestrian routes that extend beyond the park boundaries.
"one of my favorite locations near Philadelphia, Reading and Lancaster. The bathrooms are ok, but the hiking, lake and location with nice sites makes it great for me either for rent or RV"
"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"
Available next weekend
from $20 - $75 / night
"Located between Hershey and all of the PA Dutch Lancaster County attractions."
"The campground is in a great location with easy access to Lancaster, Hershey and many other places to explore."
"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
"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."
Campground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $27 - $45 / night
"With that said they do have primitive camping spots next to the putt putt course and water only tent sits at the upper feild."
"Lots to do very close to water and many things to do in and around camp ground. Stayed for a few days would go back."
from $30 - $100 / night
from $10 / night
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.
TravelerThis is the most quietest campground. Perfect when you need to go somewhere to think. The people here are very nice. The wildlife is amazing
TravelerHarder to do with a large group due to the early quiet hours, but park is very nice and well kept
Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area offers dedicated equestrian camping in northeastern Maryland, just 20 miles from Lancaster. The 5,600-acre property sits along the Pennsylvania-Maryland border with varied terrain for trail riding throughout the year. Located near Elkton, this equestrian-focused campground connects directly to an extensive trail network specifically designed for horseback riding.
Trail riding access: Fair Hill's main attraction for equestrians is the direct trail access from campsites. "The trail system connects directly to the camping area, allowing for convenient access to horseback riding routes without trailering," confirms a visitor. Natural water crossings along trails provide watering opportunities for horses.
Fishing opportunities: French Creek State Park Campground offers multiple fishing spots with various species. "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," notes Jen R.
Water recreation: Multiple water activities await at Lums Pond State Park. "They have a large pond that you can rent paddle boats and small v-bottom boats! We did enjoy the paddle boats and saw a few cranes! They offer fishing at the pond which was also enjoyable!" states Amanda H., highlighting the diverse water activities available.
Private, wooded campsites: Hibernia County Park provides secluded camping in a forested setting. "We LOVE this campground. It's tiny (19 sites in Fiddlers loop), it's quiet, it's heavily wooded. There is NOTHING to do except walk or bike the beautiful trails, spend time on Chamber's Lake, spend time in the hammock and stare at the fire," says Jennifer S.
Clean facilities: Starlite Camping Resort maintains high standards of cleanliness. "The facilities are spotless and the campground is maintained to the highest standards I have seen. There are regular activities for all ages including bingo, crafts and live music," reports Elizabeth L., highlighting the well-maintained grounds.
River access: Ferryboat Campsites provides direct water access. "We enjoyed our stay here — but mostly because we liked being right on the water. The weather was hot so lots of tubing and fishing and kayaking in the river — we loved to sit out and watch the water go by," shares Melissa, emphasizing the riverside location.
Reservation requirements: Most equestrian campgrounds near Lancaster require advance booking, especially during peak seasons. Sites at Fair Hill fill quickly in spring and fall when trail riding conditions are optimal.
Bathhouse conditions vary: Campground bathhouses range from basic to modern across the region. "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," reports Jen R. about French Creek State Park.
Firewood availability: Policies on firewood differ between campgrounds. "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," advises Avery M.
Look for playground access: Several campgrounds feature dedicated play areas for children. "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," writes Jen R. about the recreation options.
Consider camp activities: Lums Pond State Park Campground offers numerous family-friendly options. "Our daughter really enjoyed the playground (which was excellent, by my standards). She fought us about leaving the playground, and really would have been content if that was all we did," shares Mark, highlighting the child-friendly environment.
Choose sites strategically: When camping with children at horse-friendly campgrounds, select sites with adequate space. "We were in the D loop which is rustic with no hookups. Quiet, very few people mid-week. Spacious sites," notes Cheryl K., emphasizing the importance of sufficient space for families.
Site leveling considerations: Many horse campgrounds have uneven terrain requiring preparation. "All sites have a paved level area which made set up a breeze. Sites were not on top of each other," shares Jen R. about French Creek State Park's RV-friendly layout.
Hookup locations matter: Pay attention to utility placement when selecting equestrian sites. "The site offered electric and water but they were on 2 different sides. This made it difficult to set up. Had to park the camper crooked to use both," warns Amanda H. about unexpected setup challenges at campgrounds.
Water access planning: For horse camping with RVs, water availability is crucial. "If you are coming in an RV, you should come with a full water tank. There is one spigot at the 'bathroom'," advises Jennifer S., highlighting the limited water access at some primitive equestrian campgrounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Lancaster, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Lancaster, PA is French Creek State Park Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 84 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Lancaster, PA?
TheDyrt.com has all 8 equestrian camping locations near Lancaster, PA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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