8 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
West Branch State Park Campground features a dedicated equestrian camping area with primitive sites specifically designed for horse owners. The equestrian section accommodates both horse trailers and camping equipment, though in recent years tent campers have also been permitted in this area. Campers note that the horse camping area is located in the back of the campground with limited supervision. Horse campers have access to tie-ups for their animals and can enjoy the park's extensive bridle trail system. The campground hosts work to educate non-equestrian campers about horse safety and proper etiquette around the animals. Some horse owners express concern about tent campers being placed between horse camping sites, as this can create safety issues when horses spook.
Extensive bridle trails throughout West Branch State Park connect directly to the equestrian camping area, providing riders with miles of scenic routes. The park maintains approximately 20 miles of trails open to horses and snowmobiles, in addition to 12 miles of hiking-only paths. Beaver Creek State Park also offers equestrian camping options with 59 primitive sites on Sprucevale Road featuring vault latrines and tie-ups for horses. Twelve of these sites may be reserved in advance, while the remaining are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Both parks provide opportunities for day rides and overnight stays. Horse owners have suggested that equestrian campers should have access to the main campground's full hookup sites with electricity and water, similar to how tent campers can now use the horse camping areas.
"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"
"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
Check Availability"This campsite was close to an archery tournament for me. It is a huge campsite that is remote and peaceful. I will try to get this place again next year."
from $50 / night
Check Availability"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
Check Availability"The shortest distance is about 2 miles from the trailhead at the Kennerdell bridge, but there are other trailheads throughout the tract also."
"Couple beautiful walk in tent sites right on the water. Plenty of nice hiking trails. Great beach for kids."
"Located deep in a county park in the forested rolling hills of PA. Every site is huge and mostly private. Combination of paved main roads and gravel dirt camp loops."
"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
Check Availability"They have a large pool; a few llamas that the kids can feed and pet; a 27-hole disc golf course (recently expanded from 18 hole) primarily in the woods near and around the campground property; a small"
"Its become our goto campground that's only an hour away from Erie."
TravelerYou 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.
Traveler3 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!
TravelerFamily Campground on Leslie Road [map]
Equestrian Camp on Sprucevale Road
Group Camp on Sprucevale Road
LegendHere'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!
ScoutStayed 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!
GuideWe 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.
ScoutMy 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
LegendCampground Review
I can honestly say that Oil Creek Family Campground is the best private campground that we have ever camped at. Especially if you’re camping with kids, it offers everything that you would want for a ‘great American summer’ style camping experience, without being a cookie-cutter big-name private campground chain. They have a large pool; a few llamas that the kids can feed and pet; a 27-hole disc golf course (recently expanded from 18 hole) primarily in the woods near and around the campground property; a small pond for sunfish / bass fishing; a dog ‘playground’ (enclosed area with some obstacles); a well-maintained hedge maze; a pavilion with ping pong, a pool table, and foosball; a DVD rental program at the main office with about 300 movies; and a small camp store with a small selection of books that you can borrow. They also provide weekly entertainment for the kids, e.g. rock painting or special guests. This weekend, for instance was ‘Jungle Terry and his amazing exotic animal family.’ We don’t typically spend a ton of time actually AT the campgrounds when we’re camping, but we did this weekend - and we had a blast on the disc golf course, fishing in the pond, and playing ping pong. The kids had an awesome time in the pool for hours and running around with the other kids in the maze. And everyone agreed that it was a perfect way to wrap up the summer before the school year starts.
We have a pop-up and my parents (whom we were camping with for the weekend) use a tent, so we had two water+electric sites in the tent camping area away from the RVs: sites A7 and A8. The sites in this area are well-maintained and LARGE, with plenty of room for a pop-up or multiple tents plus one or two vehicles, plus lots of room around the fire ring. There are smaller bathrooms placed around the campground as well as a center bathhouse located adjacent to the pavilion with 2 shower stalls and an additional toilet per gender.
We chose this campground due to its proximity to Oil Creek State Park. The state park itself does not have a campground, and OCFC is right next door - in fact, the campground hiking trail loop has a very short connecting piece to the 36-mile Gerard hiking trail that runs through the park. The park is beautiful with a lot of history (it is the site of the world’s first commercial oil well, and where the oil industry began in the United States around 1860) and Oil Creek - which is really a river - runs right down the middle of the park. It is a stocked creek and it’s great for both trout and bass fishing. Some parts of the creek also have a lot of northern water snakes (we saw 4 near the Blood Farm day use area) which was cool to see.
Overall: fantastic campground in a beautiful part of Pennsylvania - and we will absolutely be back.
Product Review
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get occasionally receive products to test or gift cards for new companies to check out. Over the past weekend, we tried out one of the Mountain House favorites, freeze-dried Lasagna with Meat Sauce in the #10 can. Lasagna is not exactly a typical camping food, so the fact that we could easily make enough lasagna to feed a group of six people (4 adults and 2 kids) just by heating up some water was wonderful! We made the entire can (boil 8 cups of water, pour it into the can itself, stir a lot to mix up all of the freeze-dried ingredients, and let it sit for ten minutes - EASY) along with some crescent-roll wrapped hot dogs over the fire and it was like a gourmet camping meal. Everyone loved the lasagna - even the two picky kids!
GuideI live near by to this state park and have spent much time exploring the entirety of it.
The trails are all nice, nothing too strenuous, and each have something unique compared to the others in the park. During the spring the Salamander trail is filled with thousands of Trilliums, a truly majestic experience. Lots of flowing water to enjoy throughout the park, some are off the trails but never hard to reach. A good park to enjoy with family and friends because you can fish, kayak, bike, skate, hike, horseback, and picnic. In addition, there are numerous historical cabins, locks, shelters, and a water run mill to sight-see. Then for those in search of a bit of spookiness, Gretchen’s Lock is notoriously a haunted location with certainly eerie vibes.
The family campground is small, but the park as a whole is not far from civilization so if any supplies are needed it is not a far endeavor.
I do not horseback, so I cannot comment on that campground, but many of the trails are friendly for horses to travel.
OH! And if you are there on the weekends the Wildlife Center is a must! The staff are so nice, it is by donation to visit so is in everyone’s price range. An astounding display of animals and nature information! You can even hold the snakes and see a bee hive in action.
West Branch State Park offers equestrian camping options near Mercer, Pennsylvania with dedicated facilities for horse owners. The park maintains over 20 miles of bridle trails open to horses during warmer months and snowmobiles in winter. The equestrian camping area includes primitive sites specifically designed to accommodate both horses and camping gear, with convenient access to the extensive trail system.
Trail riding access: West Branch State Park Campground provides direct trail connections from the equestrian camping area to the bridle trail network. "The park maintains approximately 20 miles of trails open to horses and snowmobiles, in addition to 12 miles of hiking-only paths," notes one experienced rider.
Fishing opportunities: Mosquito Lake State Park offers excellent fishing options for those who bring horses but also want to cast a line. "Great lake to take the kayaks on," shares Linda R., while another camper mentions "We came with my father in law on a spur of the moment fishing trip... we were able to find a great site. It was plenty big. We didn't have water access but they had plenty of sites with access and a boat ramp."
Hiking with equestrian views: Two Mile Run County Park features hiking trails that pass through areas where you might spot horses. "Plenty of nice hiking trails. Great beach for kids," notes Joanie B., making it ideal for mixed groups where some want to ride and others prefer to walk.
Private campsites: Moraine State Park gets high marks for its secluded group tent camping areas. "It was very quiet and secluded feeling, yet not far from the restrooms, bike trail, water/fishing area," writes Alice M. These more isolated sites work well for horse owners concerned about disturbing other campers.
Clean facilities: Horse owners appreciate the well-maintained facilities at Beaver Creek State Park, which offers equestrian camping options. "Probably the nicest pit toilets I have experienced and while we didn't use it, the sun shower building would give anyone privacy if they had packed a portable shower," notes Aaron B., highlighting facilities that accommodate the unique needs of equestrian campers.
Spacious sites: Equestrian campers need extra room, and reviews praise the large sites at many parks. "The sites in this area are well-maintained and LARGE, with plenty of room for a pop-up or multiple tents plus one or two vehicles, plus lots of room around the fire ring," shares Danielle V. about Oil Creek Family Campground, which provides good options for horse owners.
Reservation requirements: Some equestrian camping areas require advance booking. At Beaver Creek State Park, "Twelve of these sites may be reserved in advance, while the remaining are available on a first-come, first-served basis." During peak season, equestrian sites fill quickly.
Primitive conditions: Most equestrian camping areas offer basic amenities. Danner Primitive Campground exemplifies this typical setup: "There are vault toilets that were clean and well maintained, with hand sanitizer. There is a spring for water which says to boil before drinking," reports Casey L.
Trail conditions: Trail quality varies throughout the year. "If I were to go back I would definitely kayaking if the water is at the right level," notes one Beaver Creek visitor, illustrating how seasonal changes affect recreational options for both riders and non-riders alike.
Playground access: Families with both horse enthusiasts and young children appreciate campgrounds with play areas. "The kids had an awesome time in the pool for hours and running around with the other kids in the maze," shares a parent about Oil Creek Family Campground, noting amenities that entertain children while adults tend to horses.
Educational opportunities: Take advantage of historical features when visiting equestrian camping areas. "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," writes Shay D. about Beaver Creek, offering educational experiences between trail rides.
Water activities: Mosquito Lake State Park balances equestrian needs with family fun. "Great park! Sites are spacious and level. Very clean park. There are several full hook-up sites. Electric sites near the lake. We stayed at site #96. New Bathrooms are under construction. Campground is flat and great for bike riding. Nice playground for kids," reports Heidi B.
Site leveling challenges: RVers with horse trailers should prepare for uneven ground at some parks. "We were only off 2 inches side to side but front to back we had to lower the front 15 inches. The jack was down as low as it would go and we were still off by 1.5 inches," warns Andrea F. about West Branch State Park.
Access restrictions: Some parks have roads unsuitable for RVs and horse trailers. "There is a road in the park (Echo Dell Road) that RV's/Trailers can't go on so make sure you approach this campground from Leslie Road!" advises a reviewer about Beaver Creek State Park.
Water limitations: Check water availability before arrival. "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!" cautions a Beaver Creek visitor, particularly important for RVers traveling with horses that need reliable water sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Mercer, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Mercer, PA is Group Camping and Cabins — Moraine State Park with a 4.2-star rating from 9 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Mercer, PA?
TheDyrt.com has all 8 equestrian camping locations near Mercer, PA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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