Looking for a place to camp near McKinney with your horse? Whether you own a horse or are joining a tour group, equestrian camping is an adventurous and unique way to experience the city. Search nearby equestrian campsites or find top-rated spots from other campers.
This recreation area is part of Ray Roberts Lake
East Fork Campground, on the southern shores of Lavon Lake, is a popular escape for city dwellers in the Dallas, Texas area or for any visitors passing through the Northern Texas region. The campground boasts everything including RV campsites, tent campsites, equestrian campsites, a group shelter and a swimming beach to keep visitors entertained during their stay.
Boating and fishing are consistently popular activities for lake-goers. Horseback riding and hiking is great along the Trinity Trail, with a trailhead beginning adjacent to the East Fork campground.
Boating and fishing are consistently popular activities for lake-goers. Horseback riding and hiking is great along the Trinity Trail, with a trailhead beginning adjacent to the East Fork campground.
Lavon Lake, in northern Texas, flows from the East Fork tributary of the Trinity River. Its surface area spans 21,400 acres and the maximum lake depth of around 59 ft..
The Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary features natural history exhibits and nature trails.
$30 / night
This recreation area is part of Ray Roberts Lake
Lavonia Campground is a scenic Texas getaway just beyond the Dallas metropolitan area. Visitors can camp, swim, fish, boat or use the day use area.
Visitors of all ages can enjoy activities like camping, fishing, boating and picnicking. Anglers seek species like channel catfish, crappie and striped bass.
The Lavon Lake, in northern Texas, spans 21,400 acres and stems from the East Fork of the Trinity River.
For facility specific information, please call (877) 444-6777.
The paved Sister Groves Trail at Sister Grove Creek is a hot spot for biking and hiking.
$30 / night
Experience the adventures of a nature get-a-way without venturing far from the metroplex. On the west shore of Joe Pool Lake, Loyd Park covers about 791 acres of native Texas landscape. Loyd Park is in a peaceful tree-filled setting right on the lake but is centrally located - camping is conveniently close to major DFW attractions. Individual campsites are large (avg 1000 sq ft.), and each one has a picnic table and pavilion, grill, fire ring, and more Texas tranquility than you can handle!
$17 / night
Isolated camping spot in the Serene backwoods of Blue ridge, bring your horses your RV tent camping or whatever and camp on 35 acres on the Indian River creek. Two ponds hunting fishing and wildlife viewing, all that nature has to offer. Great spot for families or parties or get togethers
$75 / night
This recreation area is part of Lewisville Lake
Nestled among the trees, Dove Hill RV Park is a newly completed park with 38 lots located Southeast of Farmersville off Hwy. 78 and just 5.8 miles from Lake Lavon. Just off the beaten path, Dove Hill RV Park is a scenic, quiet, safe and secluded park with a beautiful view of rolling hills. Spacious lots, full hookups with 50amp, 30amp, 110v, complimentary basic Wi-Fi with upgrade capability and onsite management. Pet friendly! Short and long-term campers welcome!
Guide
There are few campers here in December. Restrooms were clean. Campsites, large and private.
GuideBeautiful Lake, lucky to have a site right on the beach. Huge facility.
Traveler
Pros: Great views of the water and wildflowers in the meadows. Reasonable price. Everything works and the shaded picnic tables are a plus. 5G plus signal on ATT for anything you might need online. Downsides: It looks like there could be a lot of water pooled on and behind our site with a heavy rain. The pad has definitely broken up over time and isn't level. The fire pit is also sitting at an angle. We noticed two groups of campers with 4-6 extra cars having gatherings last night, so that might have been distracting if we were right next to them.
Legend
Jake from the Dyrt here! We're excited to have this campground on the Dyrt and ready for you to book, check them out and make sure to leave a review!
Scout
Loyd Park is a wonderful destination for anyone looking to escape the city and enjoy the natural beauty of Texas. I highly recommend a visit to Loyd Park for anyone looking for a peaceful and relaxing camping experience. You should go there territorial io. The facilities are clean and well-maintained, the staff is friendly and helpful, and the location is unbeatable.
GuideVery hot and not heavily wooded or shaded. Sites are basic but fine. Bathrooms were nice and clean. Area is pretty snd some sites have view of the lake.
LegendThe campground is nice and well maintained and sites are well spaced with lots of grass, trees and/or open areas. The park staff were very friendly and helpful. This was our second stay in site 78, this time for 4 days in late March. There is no WiFi, cable or sewer hookup at the camp sites and the dump station can get a little busy around checkout time and is a goodly distance from the CG if you plan to use a portable waste cart. Restrooms and showers were clean and the shower was nice and hot. There is a nice paved 2.25 mile trail through the CG and the surrounding area.
AT&T coverage was not as good as the last time we stayed here a couple of yeas ago, with generally 1 Bar of 5G service and speeds up to 1 MB/s. We had an unobstructed view of the sky and so we were able to receive all 3 SW Dish satellites and good Starlink coverage with speeds between 2.5 and 4 MB/s. We didn’t try to load any OTA channels.
You do have pay a daily$7/person entrance fee or purchase a Texas State Parks Pass for$70 if you don’t already have one, which did add considerably to the cost of our stay.
RangerFlat site right on the lake. Short though so shorter rigs. Great VZ 5G speed for streaming. 2nd time here will return.
GuideTook my dog here for a long weekend excursion. I try not to go for lake based campsites because I don't fish, and I don't have a boat. I was pleasantly surprised at the breadth and quality of the activities in the park. The MTB and hiking trails are first rate, there's a paved walking path around the whole park, and there's a strong geocaching community based near there.
The walk from the parking lot to the campsite was not too long, but long enough to make the site feel more secluded. While I was there, I saw lots of deer - with some of them even wandering into my campsite.
I will say, that due to the size of the lake, the winds whipping off of it can be quite intense. Bring a windbreaker if you're going to hike there.
ScoutGreat campground, electric and water. Only issue is the grass is always one high so bring a weed whip. We have family in the area, so we visit regularly and every time we stay here the grass is ridiculous otherwise I would give a 5 star!
Traveler
First, the good. The free wifi is pretty strong and the TV reception was excellent. Communication with the owners through email was promptly answered. We stayed a month and the electricity was decently priced. For the month in the Texas heat, our bill was about$75. It is a new park so all the utilities were functioning as they should.
The bad. To get there, you travel a rough dirt road that has had some oil put on it near the few houses that are there but that stops about halfway to the site. Otherwise, it is a dusty, rough road. It appeared that the campground doesn't have any sites that approach level. It is covered solidly with rocks, not gravel and some were quite large. A few of the campers had to have their back wheels off the ground in order to get level! The are no restrooms, showers, picnic tables or any other amenities, not even an office. The monthly is $550 for a"deluxe" site plus 3.5% processing fee when you pay with a credit card. The"deluxe" sites are the pull throughs and those that back up to the"pond", accessed by climbing up a steep incline. The pond appears to just be a stock tank. I've never stayed at a campground with sites as bad as this one and of course, I won't be back.
GuideOverall the lake and wooded areas are good for a day’s enjoyment however the facility is not maintained. The bath houses are completely neglected. The light in the ladies BH is flickering so badly it was disorientIng, one shower did not work at all, toilets have no “seat”, and it is overrun with bugs (more than the normal campground). The gate entrance attendant is rude and unhelpful. No sewer hook ups at site so “community” dumping is necessary. The community dump is run down too with broken equipment and bent connections. Finally, for the camp charges $10/car/day. We have a drivable RV and rented a car so not only did we pay for the site but then paid more to have our car. Not going to stay here again.
GuideOverall the lake and wooded areas are good for a day’s enjoyment however the facility is not maintained. Also the entire park is huge so things are not within walking distance so if you don’t have wheels you’ll have to unhook for hike a good long distance to amenities. The bath houses in Loop E are completely neglected. The light in the ladies BH is flickering so badly it was disorientIng, one shower did not work at all, toilets have no “seat”, and it is overrun with bugs (more than the normal campground). The gate entrance attendant is rude and unhelpful. No sewer hook ups at site (E loop) so “community” dumping is necessary. The community dump is run down too with broken equipment and bent connections. Finally, for the camp charges $10/car/day. We have a drivable RV and rented a car so not only did we pay for the site but then paid more to have our car. Not going to stay here again. After dealing with E loop for a couple days we requested to move to A loop. A loop was much better but we were charged $20/day for the “upgrade”. A loop bath house was definitely better but still unimpressive. Office staff was friendlier and helpful (not gate employee).
GuideThe only reason I’m giving this campground 4 stars is because: the grass was tall at the campsite, could have been maintained better, RV pads are asphalt and not very level, only one bathroom has showers. Overall, we had a lovely Memorial Day weekend at this campground. It’s close to town just in case you need to make a quick trip for something. This lake is great for boating. There was a nice swim area and overall the campground was clean and quiet. There weren’t a whole lot of trees and none over the RV pads, so keep that in mind as far as the sun beating down on the camper. I’d still recommend this campground to a friend.
TravelerI stayed at the Wild Plum (primitive) camping area with my son in early spring. The trail path to the campsites is further than indicated or implied on the website, which isn't a problem if you're packed light, but if you're car camping with heavy equipment you will be surprised how far it is. I was packed somewhat medium in gear and it was quite a trek to carry all of it with a young child who is basically worthless at lifting things.
If you're picking a site in this camp area, #117 is right off the trail and nearest to the community restrooms. I did not stay at this spot but did not that it has a great natural spot for a hammock. Sites 119-122 (maybe 123) are right on the lake so you can see ducks and do some bank fishing without needing to go anywhere.
Wildlife were very quiet and the stars were bright on a clear night. Sites are far enough away that you have to shout at your neighbors, so feel free to stretch out and be yourself without worrying about being too noisy (within reason). There's also a great little park near the boat ramp area. You can swim there, use pavilions for a large group, or fish out on a pier.
RangerWe camp in the Wild Plum (walk-in) area a lot when we don't want to travel far from home or want to test new gear. Campsites are roomy and level with convenient water access. Sunset is gorgeous from site 126. Feels very secluded in site 130-131, but those sites can be closed during rainy season due to flooding. Lots of hammocking trees. Plenty of wildlife to keep you company (hang your food bags on the hooks).
Lots of easy hiking and very kid-friendly.
Ranger
Doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles but does have sewer, lake views, wide open spaces, and clean! Great food places nearby. Only drawbacks are I level sites and front gates don’t open til 10am every morning so can’t get back in if you go get breakfast.
Traveler
Stayed here for only a night, but it was so idyllic—definitely wish I could’ve stayed longer!
The site I stayed at wasn’t on the edge by the lake, but I was okay with that. I still had a great view of the water and sunset; I wasn’t wanting to swim or fish so I was happy where I was!
Lots of families and groups coming to camp here, but everyone seemed to have a shared respect for each other. I felt like I was at summer camp again.
The sites are so well manicured and like the other reviews stated, they’re cut in a way that gives you privacy. The sites are fairly close together but the grass makes it feel like you have your own little oasis.
Overall, it was well-organized, easy to contact the office, and a great experience.
Note: Most campsites have a lengthy walk-in distance so be prepared! Bring a cart; it’ll speed things up massively. And definitely bring a canopy or tarp; there isn’t much cover here. But at night, the temperature was quite comfortable, albeit windy.
GuideBeautiful park with views to the lake. Very clean showers, nice trails…very family friendly. Enjoyed our quick overnight.
TravelerHad a great time here. Found our site and got setup quickly. All gravel pad and site. Aluminum picnic table.
Clean grounds, bathroom, showers. Firewood for sale.
ATT Service Spotty
TravelerWe had the best time here. The camp was clean and well Kept. Beautiful views and easy check in process. I would highly recommend. It can be a bit of a trek carrying all your gear to your site but that’s the only downfall I think.
Guide68 year-old solo camper getting ready to travel around the country, car/tent camping primarily. Haven't really camped since 1973, so I drove out to Lake Ray Roberts for a one-night trial for some new gear and knock off the rust.
This was a terrific choice – Hawthorn Area #9, wooded area, 4th on the path from the Hawthorn parking lot to the other nine campsites on this loop (150 steps from campsite to car and restrooms, a little over 100 yards). As most (maybe all) of the campsites here, this was walk-in to the campsite from a common parking lot.
I walked around the rest of this loop and the adjoining one (16-40). Each campsite had a tent pad, picnic table, fire pit and lantern post. Mine was one of the more private in that I couldn't see another picnic table. However, with the trees and in some places tall grass, I would rate most of the sites as private.
The next morning there were about half-dozen deer roaming around the area between my camp and the parking lot. There was only one other car in the parking lot overnight and they camped in one of the other areas. One of the lots (I think it was #13) actually had lake front. Others had views of the water.
Depending on exact location you could see the dam and except for a few hours of the deepest night you could faintly hear the drone of road noise. But the near-full moon lit the area so well I walked to my car about 4:30 in the morning without a light and could see very well – it was really nice and bright.
The Isle du Bois unit is at the far southeast corner of the lake, near the eastern end of the dam. The Hawthorn area is one of the first sites from the entrance, maybe a 5-minute drive.
GuideOK. I’ve gonna say it. I ALMOST didn’t stay here because of the reviews although it’s convenient and there aren’t many other places to stay…. I’ve been full-timing for 2 years. I think I do a decent job of giving a place a decent review(good or bad). THIS PLACE IS A GOOD PLACE TO CAMP! Sure, the roads have some potholes… but I would rate the entire Dallas metroplex as WORSE. There is absolutely NO REASON not to camp here. The folks at the front gate were helpful. I avoided any rough spots in the road and arrived at a LONG and roomie site with a beautiful view of the lake. Although my rig is completely self contained, I checked out the water flushing toilets and they were spotless. I was so happy with this campground, I booked another night. There was some water around the water connection, but I stepped around it. The water worked perfectly. The Electrical hookups were properly wired. I backed in and used my extension power cord because the box was located midway from the rear. Since the space was so long… I could have pulled up a bit. I enjoyed my camping experience here. Any size rig will have plenty of room. It was quiet, had lots of space to walk the dog, the sites are spread out, the lake is RIGHT THERE, and all I can say, I’m glad that I made the decision to‘check it out’…
GuideWe camped here with some friends and had a nice experience overall. We didn't realize the spot didn't have much shade, but will be better prepared for that next time. The site was clean, waterfront and separated from the next site by brush and tall grass which was well kept. Water onsite btw our camp spots was convenient, but the walk from the site to our car and bathroom was a long one, so happy we brought our wagon to transport our items back and forth. Onsite beach area on nice and fishing hole for this kids was nice. Regardless, we will be back.
Legend
Amazing and Great for trail riding
Sites: 26 family with electric and water
35 equestrian with hookups
3 equestrian tent sites no hook ups
1 day use shelter with electric
Reservations only: 877-444-6777 or recreation.gov
No camp host Flush and pit toilets, showers, drinking water, trash, picnic table, dump station, boat ramp, dock
Great for horseback riding, fishing, hiking, fishing, hunting, and boating. Beautiful rolling hills with mature trees. Great shade especially in the equestrian area. Well maintained. Wonderful lake views with amazing sunsets.
LNT
BTYFI
Travel safe.
TravelerWe had site 68 with view of the lake. There was a short trail to the water. We could have paddleboarded had we brought the air pump. No ants, no spiders, no mosquitoes. A few bees. Loved it! Very peaceful.
GuideWide open spaces and beautiful lake views. The sites are far apart and lots of green space. Pavement is old and a little rough, but workable. The park host is extremely nice and helpful.
Horse camping in Texas offers a unique opportunity to explore the great outdoors while enjoying the company of your equine friends. With a variety of campgrounds catering to horse enthusiasts, you can find the perfect spot to set up camp and ride the trails.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near McKinney, TX?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near McKinney, TX is Isle du Bois — Ray Roberts Lake State Park with a 4.7-star rating from 35 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near McKinney, TX?
TheDyrt.com has all 12 equestrian camping locations near McKinney, TX, with real photos and reviews from campers.
