2 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Limited equestrian camping exists near Malvern, Pennsylvania, with most facilities lacking dedicated horse corrals or stalls. Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area in Elkton, Maryland provides the closest horse-friendly camping options, approximately 23 miles from Malvern. The park features extensive trails but requires visitors to bring portable corrals or highlines for their horses. Hibernia County Park in Coatesville has campsites arranged in two loops—Lake Loop and Fiddler's Loop—neither of which provides specialized equestrian facilities. The sites are wooded with each containing a picnic table and fire ring with built-in grill, but no designated areas for horses.
French Creek State Park Campground in Elverson offers multiple camping loops with various accommodation types including tent, RV, cabin, and yurt options, but no specific horse facilities. The park maintains hiking trails where horseback riding is allowed on designated routes. Trails are labeled as "more difficult" and connect to the larger state park system. Trailer parking is limited in many camping areas due to the 45-foot length restriction on parking pads. Sites in loops can be narrow with drop-offs at pad edges, making horse trailer maneuvering challenging. Campers seeking equestrian-focused amenities may need to arrange day-use riding at nearby private stables instead of overnight horse camping.
"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."
Available this weekend
from $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
"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 kindly escorted to our site (a nice refreshing change from having to wander around to find the sites ourselves), which was the one farthest away from the entrance."
"Close by to a couple of nice state parks. Cute sheep and goats that wander about during the day! Sweet little spot, we'll definitely be back!"
"Starlight is a nice campground to relax or explore central Pennsylvania."
"The campground is in a great location with easy access to Lancaster, Hershey and many other places to explore."
"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
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
Camping options near Malvern, Pennsylvania span across three states with elevations ranging from 200 to 800 feet above sea level. The region contains portions of the Piedmont Plateau characterized by rolling hills, mixed hardwood forests, and numerous waterways. Camping season typically runs from April through October, with July and August temperatures averaging 75-85°F during the day.
Kayaking and canoeing: At French Creek State Park Campground, visitors can enjoy two lakes for water activities. According to one camper, "There are two lakes, Scotts Run Lake and Hopewell Lake that you can fish, 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."
Hiking opportunities: Lums Pond State Park Campground offers well-maintained trails around the pond. A visitor noted, "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."
Fishing access: Multiple lakes and ponds in the area provide fishing opportunities within a 30-minute drive from Malvern. At Hibernia County Park, "The lake is about a 3 minute hike down the clearly marked trails... The children's pond is a short ways away for well stocked fishing."
Private campsites: At French Creek State Park, sites offer good separation between neighbors. One reviewer mentioned, "As long as you don't stay right across from the bath houses you will find ample shade at your site. There are so many trees and brush in between most sites you can't even really see your neighbors."
Clean facilities: Mountainview Campground maintains high standards of cleanliness. A camper reported, "The property is well kept and campsites are a good distance from each other. Plenty of open field as well as wooded areas."
Quiet atmosphere: For those seeking solitude, Blackbird State Forest Campground offers a peaceful experience. A reviewer stated, "The camp sites are spaced out a good amount so each site has good privacy. There are multiple port a potties here but some sites are a bit far from them. Each site has a fire pit, a grill, and two tables with a decent amount of space for tents."
Limited horse facilities: For those seeking equestrian camping near Malvern, Pennsylvania, options remain limited. Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area provides primitive camping with access to equestrian trails but has restrictions. A reviewer notes: "There are two primitive youth group camping areas. There are specific rules that need to be followed and the guidelines are on the website."
Site selection matters: At French Creek State Park, site features vary significantly. "Loop C is the only loop that allows pets. I expected it to be much noisier than it was. All of the dogs were well behaved, and we didn't have any problems as we took our walks around the loop."
Seasonal availability: Some campgrounds operate with limited schedules. Hibernia County Park is only "open on the weekends, in season. Sites can be reserved on line, by phone, or by 'first come, first served' self-registration."
Playground access: Starlite Camping Resort offers family-friendly amenities. A visitor reported: "Starlite offers a wide variety of amenities such as a community pool, general store, snack bar, playground area, toilets, indoor shower stalls, daily activities, pets permitted, water/electric utilities and laundry units."
Swimming options: French Creek State Park provides multiple water-based activities for children. "There is a huge lake where you can rent canoes and kayaks. A huge pool that has a beautiful view overlooking the lake."
Kid-friendly fishing: Hibernia County Park offers specialized fishing areas for children: "The children's pond is a short ways away for well stocked fishing."
Site leveling considerations: At French Creek State Park, RV sites have varying degrees of levelness. "All sites have a paved level area which made set up a breeze. Sites were not on top of each other. Bathrooms were very nice and clean with large showers."
Utility hookups: Lums Pond State Park offers excellent RV accommodations. One RVer mentioned: "We paid $46 per night plus fees for a FHU 50 Amp Back-in site(#56)... Beautiful park setting with fantastic site— spacious, level, good-working hookups, and paved."
Navigation challenges: Mountainview Campground has some access limitations. A camper noted: "The drive to our site had some inclines and was relatively rocky and some vehicles would surely struggle."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Malvern, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Malvern, 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 Malvern, PA?
TheDyrt.com has all 7 equestrian camping locations near Malvern, PA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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