Horse camping is the perfect way to enjoy Mertztown. If you're an equestrian lover who prefers nature-based adventure, yet still wants comfort, this is the perfect opportunity for you. Finding a place to stay in Pennsylvania while traveling with your horse has never been easier. Find our top-rated horse campsites from other campers like you. Plan the perfect trip in minutes.
In Pennsylvania, the once industrious geography of North Coventry and Warwick now serves as home to 7,730 acres of protected wilderness known as French Creek State Park. Right in the heart of the Schuylkill Highlands, the park’s boundaries make up the largest mass of forested space between anywhere in Washington D.C. and New York City. The diverse land consisting of forests, wetlands, marshes, and sleepy bluffs throughout have become a top destination for the people of southeast Pennsylvania to hike, fish, camp, and bike. At a point long ago, before the industrial revolution, the land was once dominated by ancient forests of American chestnut. Sadly, in 1771 foresters started to clear these trees, in order to create charcoal for the furnace at nearby Hopewell Furnace. However, the forests were still allowed to regrow, with routine clearing scheduled every 25 years thereafter. The furnace was in operation for 112 years until 1883, and its impact on the regional environment was undeniable. The once wooded hillsides, towering trees, and babbling brooks that once existed now appeared as a barren wasteland in many areas. The ecological outlook was looking dim, that is until President Roosevelt started the CCC in 1993 as a response to economic turmoil created by the Great Depression. During the same time, Governor Gifford Pinchot invited the CCC to assist in reclaiming this special land, and they subsequently worked to clear the forests and streams of brush. To commemorate the work, they began the restoration of the historic Hopewell Furnace as well as the creation of many of the facilities still in use today at the park. Among these facilities are several tent camping areas, two group camps, picnic shelters, two small dams and lakes, and even the extensive network of roads and trails that snake throughout the park. Today, the second growth has brought with it a rebirth of life and wonder to the region. This massive expansion of protected land is now home to a multitude of rare animals and plants, not commonly found in the region. For example, French Creek State Park is an Important Bird Area as designated by the National Audubon Society, and an Important Mammal Area as designated by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Pine Swamp is a State Park Natural Area. The park is now known for its diverse fishing, large abundance of wild game for hunt, and it’s plethora of outdoor recreation activities available within. Visitors to the park have a few options for overnight accommodations. The campground itself is well suited for both large and small groups, as well as individuals. In total, 201 modern sites accommodate thousands of visitors annually. The campground also boast a range of amenities, including a centrally located shower and toilet facility. Additionally, there are ten cozy cabins with heat and electricity. Finally, there are two historic group camping CCC Cabins available. The facilities include dining halls, central washhouses, and cabins for campers and staff.
$23 / night
The campground is open Friday and Saturday nights only. Two camping units are permitted at each site, one unit must be a tent. Sleeping in personal vehicles is not permitted.
$15 - $50 / night
A beautiful getaway that offers a plethora of activities. At Gulyan Farms you can stay the weekend in the cabin, have your wedding or party in the barn, and watch the animals graze the hills. All a mere hour outside of Manhattan. categories
$125 / night
Traveler
My first time camping trip in a few decades... So can't compare to others (yet).
My campsite was 34W, right next the reservoir. Nice location however the website said it was full shade. The picnic table was in shade. The spot for the RV was full sun.
Pros:
Reasonable cost from NJ state website. I paid $41 for 2 days.
Campsites well spaced apart.
Staff friendly.
Boats/Kayaks can be rented.
Cons:
Showers were cold water only and very cold at that.
Late at night you can hear the drone of a major highway.
Guide
Staying in C loop and here are some tips. If you want starlink, stay toward the entrance of the loop for a good view of the sky. If you want to be away from everyone and don't need a site that has good accessibility, stay in C27. You park at the top of the site and walk your tent and gear down a small slope where you can set up your tent. A little further down is a large-ish area with a fire pit and table. You can't see the roady from there and it looks like a great place to get away from it all!
Other sites around C27 have similar set-ups but not so far off the road.
TravelerBeen here many times over the years. Most recently stayed New Years Eve weekend. Had a homeless couple living in a pop up camper next to use but kept to themselves. Park Rangers drove through constantly at least 10 times a day slowly looking into our site. Sites are extremely close together in some areas. The layout sometimes had it where the sites next to your had their fire ring behind your camper while other sites you could be 50 yards from the next site. In winter only a couple loops open and water is turned off. Most sites around the back of the loops are very rocky terrain and get very muddy when it rains.
Scout
The park itself is beautiful.
First, there is absolutely no privacy. The campsites are right next to each other with hardly any trees. The more dense woods is on the other side of the trail. You can see everything other campers do any they can see everything you’re doing.
Second, The campground is ON the hiking trail so everyone doing the loop walks along the sites. Including people with dogs off leash.
Guide
Love this park
Traveler
Here on business but didn’t pull the camper up, (from Texas) Tent camped for a couple of weeks. The place is beautiful, and the sites are very nice. They have put a lot of effort in over many years out here. Each site RV or Tent is well thought out. Bathrooms/showers are always very clean as well as the grounds. Would Absolutely recommend !!
GuideGreat for families or solo
LegendGeneral: 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.
RangerInexpensive $15 a night, but you only get picnic table and fire ring. No hook ups. Great children's pond for 12 and under. Brandywine creek and Chambers Lake are there too. Great playground.
Traveler
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. Staff was very friendly! Loved the cleanliness and atmosphere as well!
TravelerCounty park so no booze but camp sites are under trees
GuideQuiet campground in a beautiful area of NJ. Sites were spacious. Electric and water hookups were a little far apart at site 27 so it was good we had long cables/hoses. Bathrooms were small but super clean. Camp wood that was sold was dry and did not smoke (which is rare to find)! Price was very reasonable. Would come back again.
TravelerOnly 8 electric sites. You basically pull off side of parking lot and camp there. Lake was closed so did not swim. If you get there on a day they clean the showers not bad. Very run down. Had to pick up trash from previous campers. AT&T great service.
RangerThis place is only for those that wish to relax and have peace which is exactly what we seek. Sites are huge and very private. You didn’t even know that there were people around you. Bathhouse was very very clean. First time here, but we will be back.
ScoutWe stayed in a RV and a tent. There were eight people in total sleeping on the site. We stayed July 1 and 2nd. The actual site was nice and was close to the bathrooms. There was plenty of shade as the sun moved throughout the day. The park used to be a swim attraction but the water is not safe to swim in because of a dangerous algae bloom. While walking around, it gave off an abandoned summer camp feel. There were maybe six structures (concessions, changing rooms, etc) that were all boarded up. Thursday night was quiet. We were able to sit outside and enjoy the sounds of nature. The next night, there were many more people there. In one site, campers set up at least five tents. They were very loud past the curfew time of 10. Quiet hours were not taken seriously on that night.
TravelerA group of us stayed here over Memorial Day weekend. The sites were super spacious and private. There was enough room for a full overlanding setup, three vehicles, a hammock, two dogs and a two person tent with plenty of room to spare. Good hiking trails were just a short walk away from our campsite. Would definitely go back again.
ScoutStayed at one of the primitive sites. Very clean and quite. Bath stalls and showers are basic but clean. Great spot for stargazing. Owners are very nice.
GuideGreat arrival experience—the office has their act together—but registration closes at 4pm. This was our second visit to the sleepy NJ park and campground and our first time renting a shelter along with a campsite to accommodate different levels of camping comfort. The shelter has two sets of bunk beds. Combining campsite 54 with the adjacent Shelter C gave us the opportunity to spread out and have a great area for all of our gear including our badminton set. Shelter C is surrounded by many lovely trees so there is lots of shade. Campsite 54 has no trees and is nestled up against a thicket of bushes which is home to many birds, rabbits, and deer—a great site if you bring your own shade.
This is a relatively rustic campground though it does offer a dishwashing station. The bathrooms need to be renovated—busted up fixtures—and are not well-tended/cleaned, though the staff is very friendly. (It didn’t seem like they were equipped with good cleaning equipment/products to achieve good results.)
Prices above are for NJ residents—$48 for shelter, $20 for campsite.
RangerWe stayed in the "Shelter" which was a nice little cabin with a wood stove, table w/benches and two bunkbeds (one of which was nestled behind a partition). There was a front porch w/awning, fire ring and picnic table.
Plenty of wood deadfall for the campfire to be found just behind the shelter. There are also lovely mature birch trees flanking the entrance road, stop there to grab the fallen branches for kindling. (Birch has natural flammable properties and will even burn when wet).
The bathrooms had a shower and outdoor dishwashing sink. They were clean and stocked with soap/toilet paper, but bring a towel to dry your hands if you don't want to use the air-dryer.
The grounds were well kept and the park rangers were non-intrusive and friendly. The campground area we were in was open and at night you could see right into our little cabin. Bring a sheet to hang over the windows.
There were some bugs in the wood stove that startled us the first night, they were also on the window and between the window and the screen. Looking them up online they appeared to be stinkbugs, but didn't smell, thankfully. Citronella essential oil on the window and a nice fire took care of them the first night...for the most part. They didn't bite or go after our food, they just fly a bit loudly and crash into the window, an unusual sound. A few spiders around, but that can be expected when you camp. No mosquitos, no ticks. As for the ticks, there were lots of deer around but we kept our ankles covered and avoided the higher grass in the morning when the dew was still making everything wet.
The boat rental was closed for the season. We went to Di Mola's Pizzeria and Restaurant the second night and the food was excellent - it was not crowded for sit down but tons of traffic for people coming in to pick up orders.
We went to the nearby Ken Lockwood Gorge after we checked out Sunday morning, this was beautiful. The road into the park had a lot of potholes, but we did ok with our "vintage" toyota camry. Where the road access ends are two small parking areas. Plenty of people were fly fishing or walking their dogs. The road continues to travel on foot along the river.
GuideSuch a refreshing experience to visit here. My friend and I both hadn’t camped in awhile so we aimed for this space to kick back and take it easy. Our space was very spacious with flat terrain without many twigs/rocks. We were right off the water which was soothing to see a sunset and sunrise over. We had very cold rain on our full day but utilized that time to stay at our campsite to play games and read. It was quiet with only a few other campers which provided further relaxation. The bathrooms were clean and had sinks available to wash dishes at. Only wildlife we ran into were some beautiful deer!
ScoutThis campground has friendly helpful staff and quiet spacious sites. We took our mini camper on its first outing here. The staff took us out to the site with our bundles of firewood and helped us back the camper into the perfect place. Our site was wooded and secluded with a fire pit and picnic table. Couldn’t see it here other campers from our site (#95). The cleanest port-a-potty and bath house I have ever used! My only criticism is that there are 2 bath houses for a very large campground so it is a trek from the sites at the far edge. Cute sheep and goats as you come in, playground for children, open fields for kids to run. We’ll be back!
Legend
Close to Jim Thorpe and tons of recreational activities. If you’re driving through the area, there’s a Cabela’s nearby that allows boondocking. Also very close to a few Appalachian trail heads.
There’s a cute river that flows through the campground and this one has a doggy park. Love this one!!
TravelerI have camped here on many occasions for Over ten years, beginning when I only had a tent. Then with a camper van, and now an RV. I love the water views, The sites are large, many have nice mix of sun and shade. You can launch your kayak easily from the shore.
I can not speak to the condition of the bathrooms, I stopped going into them 6 years ago as soon as I bought a cassette toilet to avoid them. This review would be 5 stars if only they would knock the present facilities down and rebuild really nice ones, that were kept clean. Also if all the sites had Water & electric hook ups. They don’t mostly, have hookups it’s a trade off because the sites on the water are just so nice. We luckily have some solar so we can go for awhile without running the generator. We fill our fresh water tank for and bring drinking water.
They do a great job of mowing the grass on the sites, and if you need to, you can go and request if they could cut your grass if it’s too long. They have been nice to come around and trim it when I had a site that got missed in the mowing.
There are some RV sites with water & electric which are not on the water, but in the parking lot. I would consider getting one on the water to enjoy the water and one in the parking lot to hook up the RV. It’s kind of worth it.
ScoutLike i said is a great app to use
ScoutStaff was friendly. Site was as expected. The only negative for us was they don’t provide electronic confirmations of reservations. It’s a small thing but added a bit of stress ensuring we kept all the info needed.
TravelerWe have been camping at Starlite with Dave and family for 15+ years. The campground is in a great location with easy access to Lancaster, Hershey and many other places to explore. 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. Add all of that to the best view we have seen and it’s a win win. We highly recommend!
ScoutThis is a smallish campground with many seasonal spots and some rental spots. Our spot was #27 and pretty spacious. The showers were free and clean with hot water and decent pressure. The landing for the camper was even with gravel and the rest of the site was mostly even. The power station was well intact with 15/20, 30, and 50amp. Overall it was a nice stay and served our purpose. We don’t need frills like a pool so we enjoyed it and would go again.
Horse camping in Pennsylvania offers a unique blend of outdoor adventure and equestrian enjoyment, with various campgrounds catering to horse enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Mertztown, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Mertztown, PA is French Creek State Park Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 75 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Mertztown, PA?
TheDyrt.com has all 8 equestrian camping locations near Mertztown, PA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
