Looking for a rustic and comfortable horse camping experience near Rose Hill? Camping with horses is a beautiful way to experience nature. With our help, you'll find the best Virginia equestrian campsites from scenic to easily accessible.
Choose your next adventure at Pohick Bay Campground in Lorton, Virginia. Bring the kids for a day of splashing and sliding at Pirate’s Cove Waterpark, spend a day on the bay with our canoe, paddleboard, stand up paddleboard and kayak rentals; or bring your own boat to our public boat launch ramp. Make a day of it by renting a picnic shelter or stay a little longer and reserve one of our cabins or campsites.
$30 - $60 / night
Bull Run Campground, located near Interstate 66, is a getaway that is not far from Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia attractions. Bull Run Park is only 27 miles from Washington, D.C. and 15 miles from the Vienna Metro Center Station. We are convenient for visitors to the Dulles area , Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum and Manassas National Battlefield Park. The variety of campsites available at Bull Run Campground are RV sites with electric only service, Electric RV sites with water, RV sites with full-service (which includes sewer, water and electric), tent sites, rustic cabins and group camping areas. There are two bathhouses in the campground that offer hot showers, sinks, toilets and laundry facilities. The camp store sells camping supplies, snacks, ice and firewood and is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
$30 - $95 / night
The lat/long on The Dyrt were updated 5/5/2022 to reflect what the State Forest site says is the CORRECT way to get into this campground.
Equestrian Camping
Campsites are primitive and a bathhouse is located in the center of the equestrian/special events camping loop. Equestrian Camping is roughly $30.00 per night per campsite. Make a reservation by calling 1-888-432-2267 (M-F 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) or online during the camping season (April through October). A horse is required to stay in this campground. Youth Group Camping
Youth group passes are honored. Youth group camping reservations can only be made by calling the Maryland Park Service Reservation Service at 1-888-432-2267 Make future reservations by calling 1-888-432-2267 or online. The Maryland Park Service reserves the right to restrict the maximum and minimum number of vehicles and individuals admitted under one youth group pass per visit.
Check out a map of the youth group and special event loops.
Family Camping
Family camping is available from April to October. Walk-ins are not permitted in office; same day reservations are made by calling 1-888-432-2267 (M-F 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) or online (24/7).
Check out a map of the Family Camping Area.
$30 / night
Eligible users of the Force Support Squadron activities are active duty military, military retirees, reservists, Department of Defense civilian employees and family members of military identification card holders.
$18 - $30 / night
Need wide-open space to unwind while enjoying some locally crafted wine and beer? We've got you! Our farm has 30 private acres of open fields, rolling terrain, wooded areas, and a running stream for wading and exploring. We are a scenic and easy 10 min drive from I-70 New Market, MD. Hang out with family and friends at your private campsite or enjoy music and libations at one of the many local wineries/breweries- most have weekend music festivals and food trucks during spring, summer, and fall months. Located in walking distance(1 mile) to Linganore Winery and Red Shedman Brewery, we are centrally located to eight other wineries and breweries that are an easy ten minute drive through scenic Frederick County farmland. Hiking more your thing? The Appalachian Trail is a mere 30 min drive and the historic C&O Canal(great for biking, jogging, hiking, and horseback riding) is a 30 min drive as well. Kayaking, tubing, rafting, and horseback riding are available in historic Harper's Ferry(35 mins) too. While there, you can check out the local shops, the C&O canal, hiking trails, and a self-guided tour of John Brown's Raid. There are plenty of local creameries(working dairy farms selling homemade ice cream, cheeses, and more) and farmer's markets for fresh farm to table fruits, veggies, and meats. Fine dining, history, and quaint antique stores more your thing? We've got you there too! Historic Mount Airy(10 mins) has lots of specialty shops and some farm to table restaurants, New Market(10 mins) has a plethora of quaint antiques stores, and Frederick(20 mins) has lots and lots of speciality shops and farm to table restaurants. Take a walk back in time with us when agriculture and farming reigned supreme!
$22 - $100 / night
Guide
Saw a snake, alligator snapping turtle, and rabbits, before we even reached the gates. Moderate privacy and space, especially considering how close it is to DC. There are some abandon camp loops around the open campground which makes for some cool walks with your dog. Very pretty area with lots of trails and overgrown roads to walk. Equestrian trails go deep into the woods if you want a longer trail. Bathrooms don’t look like much from the outside, but the inside is very nice. Clean, hot water, and good water pressure. The have a new dump station, but the hose has an anti-freeze up in the air with a pull cord valve. This means every time you pull to turn the water on, you get a shower. It was hot, so it was OK. Hahaha. They sell firewood, but they were huge pieces and getting them to start burning was tough. LOTS and LOTS of ticks. I got one, but my wife and dog got about a dozen each. Just bring tweezers. Each site had picnic table, fire ring, and pretty level parking spot.
GuideWe picked up the camping registration outside the office at the entrance, no need to speak with anyone. Then we just drove down to our campsite in the family camping loop. We could hear and smell horses when we got to our campsite, but it didn't last forever.
The site was mostly clean, had a few pieces of small trash scattered around when we arrived. The sites were decently spaced out from one another, it didn't feel like we were right on top of the people across and next to us. Our site was close to the restroom, it had a little path leading to the restroom, and it looked like there was little trail paths all around leading to the restrooms from the different parts of the loop. The path leading to the restroom from our site was gravel and easy to walk on. The restrooms were clean, but the floor was wet almost the entire time we were there (likely due to the showers).
If you need to buy wood it is $5 for 8 pieces and you call a number given to you in your registration packet. The ranger will then drive by and drop off the wood at your campsite. The inner ring of this loop has electricity, and the electric box was just on the far side of the picnic table in the corner.
Guide
Lots of trees to protect from hot Virginia sun
Woke up to sounds from gun range.
Scout
Pohick Bay Campground in Virginia offers a peaceful escape with beautiful views and a variety of outdoor activities like hiking and fishing. It's an ideal spot for families and nature lovers. Don’t forget to register dito sim to stay connected during your visit!
ScoutWe have lived in northern Virginia for over 30 years and never been to this campground until this month! Very nice campground with friendly staff and friendly campground hosts. Sites are comfortably sized and provide privacy as well as allow socializing. Restrooms are extremely clean and the showers are well designed. Only real drawback is the shooting range but honestly it’s not that loud and becomes background noise you don’t notice pretty quickly. The weekend activities were a nice surprise, especially the pancake breakfast. We will definitely be back and anticipate that the campground will be our local go to for future trips.
GuideWe were here for just one night during September. Our first time camping in the area and since COVID. Check in process was relatively simple, just pull up and pop out of your car to check in, with mask of course. We got a quick run down, some wood and a brochure with maps and area info. We were at site 133, non electric non water. I feel like the spots at the end of each loop might have slightly more privacy, but our site was fine. It included a picnic table and probably the best fire pit with grill that I've had in a while. It rained the night before we came, and the night we were there so the ground was pretty wet. Bathrooms had a sign for taking care with COVID precautions, and to wear your mask. Bathrooms were ok, but floors were a mess from muddy feet. Not much to be done about that. There were showers, and a dishwashing sink, plus laundry available. It's nice to know we've got a close spot to escape to if we don't have time to go far. This is a pet friendly campground. There's a lot to do out at the whole park, and its worth exploring (we just didn't have time). I'm sure its so pretty out near the water.
ScoutMy partner and I camped here in the middle of February '23. Great campground, clean comfort stations. Comfort station 1 is newer and more renovated that comfort station 2 but both were clean and well kept! it was very warm in the comfort station ( a plus in the winter) with hot water. There are a few trails here, a marina, waterpark & mini golf when in season. great for families. The staff at the camp store were nice and very accommodating. This was our first trip so when we booked our site we had no idea how close the RV sites were. I mean, zero privacy, barely any trees in between. So the camp store clerk allowed us to change our site to a more private one. Site 11 seemed very private for anyone looking to book.
also, just to mention, all sites that back up to the playground have no buffer or trees. You will be exposed to the playground but that may be what you're looking for.
All in all, a great stay!
ScoutWorkers are nice, campground is decent. After hours ranger was really helpful and sweet helping spot me backing in. The trails to the bay are fun. Whoever designed the comfort station in the front needs to refund the park. You have to be on the toilet to close the door, there isn't an inch of extra space in the stalls. The laundry machines are positioned as inefficiently as possible. The second comfort station smells badly of sewage and the grate in the showers is painful on my feet, and I'm a barefoot gravel walker. Try to get a spot with full hookups to avoid the bathrooms.Other than the bathrooms, it's okay.
ScoutWe were traveling with our daughter and have had a long day. Pohick bay was on our list and Owen at the camping office did such a great job making sure that everything goes well for us. The bathrooms are clean and very well kept. We will definitely stay here again!
TravelerNice camping spot close to DC with hiking nearby
TravelerWe loved our site B56 which is a deep, private spot with lots of tent sites. The trees are pretty and the laurel adds to the privacy. We were there in November, so the leaves were off the trees, but it still felt private. There were a few parties in the campground which is strange given we are in the midst of a Pandemic. The noise carries here perhaps because there are valleys. There are a lot of shallow campsites close together. Make sure you check the length of the site. We originally had B46 which was directly across from the bathroom, right beside the road, and across from the playground. The wonderful staff allowed us to move. The camp store firewood was very dry and burned nicely. The staff patrol the park quite a bit but maybe not at night. There are several beautiful trails and kayaking nearby. There is also a water park which likely adds to the noise in the summer.
GuideGreat regional park with lots to do - trails, biking, boating.
Sites are spacious and decently level (depends on the site I’m sure).
Plenty of playgrounds and trails nearby to keep the family busy.
Amenities and such are what you’d expect - clean but not new.
We would definitely stay again.
TravelerGreat if you’re looking for a quick escape from DC and with a lot of activities—paddling, hiking, and a 5 minute drive from Meadowood for mountain biking. I camped at the non-electric area and it was nice to play some disc golf across the street before dark. The hiking is nice—15 minutes on the trail to get to the water—and a quick walk to the marina/boat rentals.
Campsites are well-equipped, but depending on which you will not have privacy and/or enough flat space for more than 1 tent. Most sites are right next to each other and no trees or other natural separation, and some saw did not have much space for tents. I had 141 which was good; 138 was the best that I saw; and if you want to get 2 for a bigger group try to get 112/113.
TravelerStayed here for 2w while visiting friends in Alexandria. Took me 25-30m to get there so you are far away from bustle of city but not so far that going in to enjoy breakfast or the sights is a feat. Nice and quiet here during winter more so during week than weekends.
TravelerWe had spot 84 which was great for privacy and location to the laundry! The staff was nice. It was a bummer to have no water hook-up (we did know this before booking) but that would have made it perfect. WATCH OUT for poison oak - our electrical cord must have come in contact with it as we did not hike through the woods yet we both got poison oak on the inside of our arms (from holding the cord) and it has spread down both our arms. The laundry facility was clean and it’s $2 to wash and $2 to dry. Easy 45 minute drive to DC. Overall, would stay again if passing through.
GuideI found it expensive for a tent site. No electric or water and was over $40. Out of area fee and a transaction fee (I even paid cash) If your traveling looking for a cheaper place to park for the night, this is not it.
GuideReally enjoyed this park especially since it is so close to Washington DC. The sites were fairly level and shaded with a fire ring and picnic table. Verizon cell coverage was good. The comfort house with showers and flush toilets was clean. My only minor complaint would be during the weekend there are a lot of children making noise at the water park. It wasn’t bad but if you want peace and quiet, keep that in mind.
ScoutThis review is specific to the non-electric tent sites.
From a services available view, their staff is visible and around to help. Bathrooms, "Comfort Stations", could use some cleaning more frequently but I've seen a lot worse. Big trash bin near the comfort stations, convenient. Definitely a well stocked camp store, its obvious they cater to beginner and family camping. You are NOT permitted to use deadfall at this park, must bring locally purchased USDA wood yourself or buy from camp store.
There are comfort stations and trash bins close to every non-electric camp site, an easy sub-200 yard walk for me, but that fact is also where my disappointment starts. The non-electric camp sites in some cases, appear to share a single area, fire pits 10 feet apart from each other, one flat area, barely a full length truck can fit in the parking available at each site they are so close to the road. If you whisper, your neighbors will easily hear close. A big part of camping for me is the peace and quiet of nature. THIS IS NOT THAT CAMPSITE. It is extremely compact and close to each other. Snoring of your neighbor is definitely an issue no matter which site you choose, except for maybe 138 as was said in another review.
The gravel road into the campsites, is a RESIDENTIAL road. Yes, there are houses at the end of the road these campsites are ON. Not off of, on. Now mostly that wasn't a big deal, cars moving through during the day, early evening. But that one guy that sat with his high beams on pointed directly into my tent late night for a solid minute or two before loudly accelerating through was a bit irritating.
This was a weeknight trip, there was only one other camper in this small campground with me so all in all, not a terrible trip but definitely not worth the cost and will not be visiting here again.
ScoutThis is a nice family campground that is 30 minutes from DC. We like going there if we're in the mood to camp, but don't have time for a long drive. It's a fairly small campground, but several big/deep sites. There are also sites in the middle that back up into a playground, which is ideal for kids. It's very shaded and well-maintained. There is a disc golf course and mini golf course within walking distance. You can also walk on a trail to the "bay" I'm not sure what that body of water is, but there isn't really a swimming area. There is a small shop that rents paddle boats and kayaks. Overall a nice and simple campground with lots of shade!
ScoutThe campground was strangely quiet for pandemic season, but I was thankful for the small numbers of campers. The check-in attendant was masked and helpful with directions and a storm report. Hiking trails are well-marked. Best was the bay: a couple-minute drive from the campground (your camping fee covers the launch fee you'd have to pay for a day visit), with plenty of parking (weekdays anyway) and separate launch area for kayaks and SUPs (out of the way of the motorboats).
TravelerInitially disappointed by the tiny spot we got, but we were able to move. Majority of the spots are extremely close to the next and doesn't allow much privacy. Very few trees in between. We chose another spot that was available, however, we found out the first night that there is a boat area and bright light all night right behind us and the light came through the tent. Another dissapointment. We camped in a tent and did 3 nights, 4 days. (4th of July weekend) We loved the family friendliness that allowed us to walk right down the street/trail to take our kids to the water park. They give you a discounted price if you are camping. They also have mini golf and disc golf near by as well. If we come again, we will definitely be more particular about our spot. They also had bathrooms and showers not to far from our spot that were actually clean.
GuideMy friends were first time campers, so I brought them here. It was perfect. Easily accessible bathrooms and showers, fire ring with a rack, and nice greenery. The plethora of activities made it simple to keep my friends entertained. You can rent kayaks, go mini golf, and there are a couple very easy hiking trails.
ScoutThis was a great place to stay! Close t9 everything D.C. has to offer while being far enough away to be in the woods. We went during the fall, but the summer woukd be an ideal time to go so you can enjoy the water park and bay.
ScoutWe had a great time here over a long weekend in August. The check in is a breeze and the staff is super nice and helpful. They gave us a great intro to the park as we were first timers. They informed us that they had a scavenger hunt for the kids going all weekend, they had an outdoor movie scheduled for Friday night, a campfire story time scheduled for Saturday night and crafts scheduled for Sunday morning. This was music to our ears as we camp with our 3 and 1 year old. There is also a pool/water park in the park as well as a nice network of trails. There is plenty of things to do here to keep a family occupied.
We got a site on thr inner loop and it backed to the playground and the bathhouse. The site was spacious. We are tent campers but almost all our neighbors were in an RV or trailer. The site had water and electric which was nice. The bathhouse is standard but also has laundry and an outdoor dish washing station. The campground was quiet which is nice.
This was an amazing weekend for us and we will definitely be back. There is boat rental a short walk down the trsil from the campgrounds and the pool and disc golf course are another short trail walk away.
TravelerPohick Bay is my go-to weekend camping spot. Just a few miles outside DC, Pohick Bay is a hidden gem in the area. I’d recommend taking in a game of disc golf on their 18 hole course.
Guideloved staying here with family for vacation! the park for kids is fun. the bathrooms are very clean. the popup camper fit nicely on the site. respectful neighbors on the campgrouds and clean sites. we got there a bit early for the pool but it looked nice!
GuideWe stayed here for 3 nights at a back in with w/e. We enjoyed sitting around the campfire at night and walking the dogs down to the water. We were right next to a hiking trail that went down to the water and a beach area. We were working in Arlington/DC only a 25 min drive away and it was nice to come home to some nature.
Horse camping in Virginia offers a unique blend of outdoor adventure and equestrian-friendly amenities, making it an ideal destination for horse lovers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Rose Hill, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Rose Hill, VA is Pohick Bay Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 39 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Rose Hill, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 8 equestrian camping locations near Rose Hill, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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