Best Equestrian Camping near Jacksboro, TX

Fort Richardson State Park offers equestrian campsites with basic pens for horses near the historic fort. The equestrian camping area features five long, narrow sites with 20-, 30-, and 50-amp electrical hookups and water connections, though sites lack privacy with minimal space between them. Each site includes picnic tables and fire rings, with a small dumpster available in the loop. The equestrian area includes only a couple of small pens that accommodate horses, explaining why many equestrians might not frequently visit. The area sits within sight of the historic Fort Richardson buildings, providing convenient access to the grounds and self-guided tours.

The park connects to a well-maintained crushed gravel trail system ideal for horseback riding, including access to the Trailway that extends into Jacksboro and beyond to Lost Creek Reservoir. No bathroom facilities exist in the equestrian loop, requiring campers to use facilities at the main campground down the road. Horses have access to Lost Creek, which runs through portions of the park providing natural water sources. The trail system includes both paved and unpaved routes with varying difficulty levels suitable for different riding experiences. Coyotes can be heard at night throughout the park, and wildlife including deer and wild turkey frequently appear in the evenings. The equestrian sites remain accessible by standard vehicles, including those pulling horse trailers, with 2WD access sufficient for reaching all camping areas.

Best Equestrian Sites Near Jacksboro, Texas (13)

    1. Fort Richardson State Park Hist. Site and Trailway

    15 Reviews
    Jacksboro, TX
    1 mile
    Website
    +1 (940) 567-3506

    $15 - $45 / night

    "We stayed one night at the equestrian camp on our way through the area. We prefer leaving the equestrian spots for horse owners but it was the last one available in the park."

    "A few times a year, the City of Jacksboro opens its arms to an influx of campers and schools from around the state eager to see one of the unique reinactments at the historic location of Fort Richardson"

    2. Lake Godstone

    8 Reviews
    Graford, TX
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (940) 275-0908

    $125 - $500 / night

    "Easy access to the docks and to deer blinds to watch the deer come out (no hunting)."

    "The Apache Park and Trail Camping is amazing free games. The site is tidy and well-organized. inexpensive and tidy."

    3. Thousand Trails Bay Landing

    10 Reviews
    Bridgeport, TX
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 707-1477

    "We had our own private access to the lake that was secluded by trees at our site. Picnic table and fire ring. The tent only sites was basically a big field with a parking lot nearby."

    "Caution- Google Maps has no idea where the entrance to this campground is. Entry was very easy and the Ranger on duty was extremely helpful."

    4. Plateau — Lake Mineral Wells State Park

    12 Reviews
    Mineral Wells, TX
    28 miles
    Website
    +1 (940) 328-1171

    $24 / night

    "Late in the day we stopped at Lake Mineral Wells State Park, TX. We weren't sure where to go as the gate was unmanned at our arrival."

    "Walk right up to lake. Spots to our right had kayaks to put in right at campsite. Dump site on the way out. Spotted a Texas bobcat."

    5. Possum Kingdom State Park Campground

    23 Reviews
    South Bend, TX
    33 miles
    Website
    +1 (940) 549-1803

    $10 - $135 / night

    "This park was definitely out in the middle of nowhere, with a long peaceful drive full of wildlife. We made it to the park entrance, check in was quick."

    "We arrived around midnight. There was a warm breeze blowing. Big ants strolled nearby but are easily avoidable. The place is right on a lake. The restroom is close by. It was a great experience!"

    6. Cross Timbers — Lake Mineral Wells State Park

    10 Reviews
    Mineral Wells, TX
    27 miles
    Website
    +1 (940) 328-1171

    $16 / night

    "Been to this park a couple of different times it has rock climbing boating,fishing, trails for walking, hiking. separate camping loop for tents and also separate one for horses."

    "Lake mineral wells state park was great for biking, hiking, swimming and fishing. We had something fun for all 6 of us. My husband and I stayed in our tent, while rest of family stayed in their RV."

    7. Lake Arrowhead State Park Campground

    13 Reviews
    Wichita Falls, TX
    40 miles
    Website
    +1 (940) 528-2211

    $10 - $22 / night

    "Water Electric , dump station close by, all rv sites seem to have a picnic table with an awning. Lake is close by, but we could feel a breeze most nights."

    "Campground Review:

    To Check Out Lake Arrowhead State Park CLICK HERE

    To See My Full VIDEO Review Of Lake Arrowhead State Park [CLICK HERE](https"

    8. Black Creek Lake NF Campground

    6 Reviews
    Alvord, TX
    33 miles
    Website
    +1 (940) 627-5475

    "A lot of people, depending the on the lakes level will also use this side for swimming."

    "small RV park on the lake, quiet and shaded"

    9. LBJ Lyndon B Johnson National Grasslands

    8 Reviews
    Alvord, TX
    35 miles
    Website

    $5 - $10 / night

    "It’s free and close to DFW. There’s cattle roaming around and a lot of stocked ponds to fish in and some hiking through the different areas."

    "Ground is kind of hard to drive a stake into. No water or restrooms that we saw but I know wherever the group site is there is supposedly a restroom."

    10. Hillbilly Haven Recreational Vehicle Park

    7 Reviews
    Mineral Wells, TX
    39 miles
    Website
    +1 (817) 341-4009

    "There was a port a potty near the primitive area. It is right next to the highway so there is noise from that but it did not bother us at all."

    "We ended up walking most of the way since the river was very low in most spots or wasn’t flowing much."

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Equestrian Camping Reviews near Jacksboro, TX

110 Reviews of 13 Jacksboro Campgrounds


  • Ari A.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 28, 2021

    Fort Richardson State Park Hist. Site and Trailway

    Equestrian camp small but good location near fort

    We stayed one night at the equestrian camp on our way through the area. We prefer leaving the equestrian spots for horse owners but it was the last one available in the park. Although, of the 5 sites in this loop, none of us had horses!

    With only a couple of small pens and not much space, we could see why equestrians might not flock here. Hard to say from one night though.

    The sites are long and narrow without much space between them. Road nosie is noticeable during the day but quiet at night.

    There are no bathroom facilities in this loop, so be aware of that. There is a small dumpster available. The bathroom/shower facilities and dump station are down the road at the main campground. You do have 20-, 39- and 50-amp electric plus water hookup at your site.

    The good part about this loop is that you're camping within site of the historic Fort Richardson and visiting the grounds is a short walk. The buildings are only open from about 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., but you're welcome to wander the grounds and look in the windows. Make sure you grab a self-guided your brochure at check-in.

    This was fine for a night or two, but for longer we'd encourage a stay at the main campground instead.

    Phone service was good: Verizon 4 bars / T-Mobile 4 bars.

  • Crystal C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 15, 2018

    Fort Richardson State Park Hist. Site and Trailway

    Reinactments and History what more could you ask for in a camping facility

    A few times a year, the City of Jacksboro opens its arms to an influx of campers and schools from around the state eager to see one of the unique reinactments at the historic location of Fort Richardson.

    While you can visit during other times of the year, these times make for some of the most popular and thus most busy camping experiences.

    7 different types of campsites are available including group sites, equestrian sites, full hook up and primitive sites for RV and tent campers. Sites range from $10-$25 depending on the area and amenities.

    For someone like myself who prefers primitive tent camping or less amenities I found $10 tent sites were about a 3/4 mile hike in and $20 limited amenity campsites were my best options. The benefits to the $20 North Loop site was pretty obvious in restrooms and typical state park fire rings and picnic tables. Primitive sites include only fire rings and because of their remote location in warmer months can be more of a questionable location as taller grass can Harbor more snakes, specifically in this area Rattlesnakes and Copperheads.

    These fees were in addition to standard park admission which is $3 per day for adults. All of these fees are due upon entrance at the entry station where you will be greeted by a park ranger and given a map.

    While there is a lake, hiking and areas for horseback riding my focus upon my visit was one of the reinactments events held near Christmas. “Ghosts of Christmas Past” is an event set to showcase the period of the fort days and tell the story of how soldiers spent the time, what it might have been like on those cold winter nights and create a vision of fort life. It was a great educational visit and a great way to see a bit more of the State Park.

    With this being a short drive for me from my home, I find this campsite and full facilities to be very exciting to return for other events. Well maintained and with friendly staff it is well worth the trip.

  • Susan L.
    Apr. 22, 2022

    Fort Richardson State Park Hist. Site and Trailway

    Another great Texas State Park

    Even though a tornado touched down in the nearby small town of Jacksboro during my stay, I enjoyed this state park and all it has to offer. Thankfully no one was killed, although there was a great deal of property damage. It was humbling to see mother nature in all her fury! I was in site 35 which had water and electric (30 amp), no sewer hookups, but dump in the state park. This site backed up to Lost Creek and was set up on the rocky hillside with access to the Rumbling Spring trail right from the site. 

    The campsites on this side of the creek are spaced fairly well apart with green space between them. I was spoiled for 3 days as one of only 2 campers in this section. This is when the wildlife came out. I saw deer and wild turkey every evening, an armadillo and lots of birds.

    The trails are great with something for everyone. I especially enjoyed the Trailway which was well maintained crushed gravel and made for an easy ride into Jacksboro and beyond to the reservoir.  Nice points of interest along the way.

    Not to be missed is the fort which offers self guided tours through the open buildings at specific times only (at the time I was there). If you don't go at the tour time, then the buildings are closed, expect for the old barracks restrooms. 

    The park has a small store and there's trout fishing in the quarry lake. I'll definitely return. Shout out to the park rangers who went above and beyond during the bad weather!

  • Cris B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 30, 2025

    Plateau — Lake Mineral Wells State Park

    Clean, beautiful and serene

    Late in the day we stopped at Lake Mineral Wells State Park, TX. We weren't sure where to go as the gate was unmanned at our arrival. We missed the turn to the campground, but a friendly and helpful Texas State Park Officer directed us how to get there. He helped us with how to make payment as well. 

    The campground was beautiful. It was quiet, the bathrooms were clean, and the lake was serene. There are at least 3 campgrounds, including shelters, equestrian, a loop for tenters, and a loop for larger rigs.  We stayed in the Plateau loop. Even though we only stayed one night, I would go back.

  • UnnamedAdventures  The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 20, 2021

    Tadra Point Trailhead & Campground

    Easy access with hiking/horse trails

    We enjoyed our overnight stay near the trailhead. We weren't sure about the accessibility to the trailhead road with our 23 foot travel trailer so we opted to stay off road 904, where the horse trailers park, since there were some nice flat spots. Since we were just staying overnight as we were traveling back to the Midwest we didn't check out the other options. We did call the park Ranger and he said the trailhead is a great place to camp and easy to access with a trailer. Our hot spot on our cell phone was slow since we only had a couple bars, but we were able to get our work done. I would stay here again. We enjoyed a nice hike in the morning before we headed out.

  • Duane S.
    Feb. 3, 2022

    Cross Timbers — Lake Mineral Wells State Park

    Nice local campground

    Been to this park a couple of different times it has rock climbing boating,fishing, trails for walking, hiking. separate camping loop for tents and also separate one for horses. We have camped there in February, in June and also October

  • LaRee S.
    May. 6, 2022

    Possum Kingdom State Park Campground

    Don't expect a quiet night's sleep

    Tent sites are walk-in to the other side of the end of the lake, and can be pretty rickety with loose rocks getting there. Was good practice for backpacking, since parking is closeby, but not very convenient. P008 is probably the only site suitable for hammock camping. Everything else is flat and exposed, next to the shore.

    We were woken up by loud boats trolling the shore and men shouting around midnight both nights we were there, and could hear conversations from the RV area.

  • a
    Feb. 12, 2022

    Possum Kingdom State Park Campground

    1st road-trip!

    This park was definitely out in the middle of nowhere, with a long peaceful drive full of wildlife. We made it to the park entrance, check in was quick. We arrived on a week day and they ranger informed us the camp store was closed until weekend and no firewood. Closest store with firewood was 30min away. They lake was beautiful. We were right beside the restroom and shower facilities which was great! We came to stay for one night, we had a roof top tent so the site we had was nice and would make a perfect side for a RV but for us it could’ve been wider for our ladder but we were close to the restroom which we wanted. The restrooms were clean, could use a little update, and water was warm but not hot. Lots of wildlife around! I would stay again but I don’t think it’s the best place to go for a winter camping trip. Thank you Texas state parks!

  • Ashley M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 9, 2022

    Plateau — Lake Mineral Wells State Park

    Beautiful

    Beautiful little spot, only stayed a night. Walk right up to lake. Spots to our right had kayaks to put in right at campsite. Dump site on the way out. Spotted a Texas bobcat.


Guide to Jacksboro

Horse camping in Texas offers a unique blend of outdoor adventure and equestrian-friendly amenities, making it an ideal choice for riders looking to explore the great outdoors with their horses.

Tips for equestrian camping near Jacksboro, Texas

  • At Fort Richardson State Park Hist. Site and Trailway, you'll find spacious sites that provide a sense of privacy, perfect for relaxing after a day of riding.
  • The park features well-maintained trails suitable for horseback riding, allowing you to immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the area.
  • With amenities like drinking water and sanitary dump stations, Fort Richardson State Park ensures a comfortable stay for both you and your horse.

Equestrian campgrounds include Lake Godstone

  • Lake Godstone offers a serene environment with electric hookups and picnic tables, making it a great spot for horse camping.
  • The campground features a group area that is ideal for families or friends traveling with multiple horses, providing ample space for everyone.
  • With a focus on cleanliness and organization, Lake Godstone is well-reviewed for its welcoming atmosphere and well-kept facilities.

Campers appreciate these amenities for horses

  • Cross Timbers — Lake Mineral Wells State Park provides designated camping loops for horses, ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for equestrians.
  • The park features trails that are perfect for riding, with scenic views and opportunities for fishing and hiking nearby.
  • With clean restrooms and showers, Cross Timbers offers a well-rounded camping experience for horse lovers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Jacksboro, TX?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Jacksboro, TX is Fort Richardson State Park Hist. Site and Trailway with a 4.4-star rating from 15 reviews.

What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Jacksboro, TX?

TheDyrt.com has all 13 equestrian camping locations near Jacksboro, TX, with real photos and reviews from campers.