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Equestrian Camping near Colonial Beach, VA

2 campgrounds with availability this weekend

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    Cedarville State Forest is one of the most accessible horse campgrounds near Colonial Beach, Virginia, approximately 45 minutes away. While the campground does not offer dedicated horse corrals, it provides designated equestrian trails that wind through the forest's 3,510 acres. The camping area consists of a single loop with 27 sites that can accommodate tents and smaller RVs up to about 30 feet in length. Electric hookups (30-amp) are available at sites on the inner loop. Horse owners frequently note the sound and smell of horses can be detected from several campsites, indicating the proximity of equestrian activities. The family campground offers clean restrooms with showers, drinking water from spigots positioned around the loop, and fire rings at each site. Firewood is available for purchase at $5 per crate through an honor system.

    The extensive trail system at Cedarville State Forest attracts riders throughout the region, with multiple color-coded paths suitable for horses. Trails are well-maintained with excellent signage, making navigation straightforward for visitors. Equestrians should be aware that ticks are abundant, particularly during summer months, with multiple reviewers mentioning the need for thorough tick checks after riding. The forest shares boundaries with hunting areas, so wearing bright colors during hunting seasons is advisable for safety. The campground remains open from April through October, with reservations recommended on weekends. Horse trailers can be accommodated at larger sites, though calling ahead to confirm specific site dimensions is recommended. Sites are moderately priced and positioned within reasonable distance from Washington DC, making this a practical weekend destination for urban-based equestrians seeking nearby horse camping with direct trail access.

    Best Equestrian Campgrounds near Colonial Beach (4)

    Filters    Tent onlyRVCabinGlampingPetsEquestrian

      1. Pohick Bay Campground

      4.1(37)31mi from Colonial Beach150 sitesRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "We have been camping here for nearly 20 years. Each military tour brought us back to this area so Pohick became our second home. Our kids kayak now older but used to walk the trails as little kids."

      "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."

      Available this weekend

      from $150 / night

      63 Sites Available

      2. Cedarville State Forest

      3.8(17)29mi from Colonial BeachRVs, Tents

      "We 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."

      "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."

      from $30 / night

      Check Availability

      3. Bull Run Regional Park

      3.9(44)46mi from Colonial Beach142 sitesRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "There's plenty of room around the camper, and although there are other campsites and cabins nearby, the trees provide a lot of separation."

      "We 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."

      Available this weekend

      from $34 - $90 / night

      31 Sites Available

      4. Lichtman Camp 1 — Prince William Forest Park

      5.0(1)31mi from Colonial BeachTents, Cabins, Glamping
      Check Availability
    View all 4 campgrounds

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    Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near Colonial Beach, VA

    1 Photos of 4 Colonial Beach Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers

    Equestrian Camping Reviews near Colonial Beach, VA

    99 Reviews of 4 Colonial Beach Campgrounds

    • Christi G.
      Sep. 26, 2026

      Bull Run Regional Park

      Site #133 — Great site once you figure out the best way to get into it

      We stayed in site #133 with our 34'10" travel trailer/toy hauler. Overall, we really like the site. It's spacious, fairly level, heavily wooded, and feels surprisingly private. There's plenty of room around the camper, and although there are other campsites and cabins nearby, the trees provide a lot of separation. We had a nice large area for our chairs, fire pit, picnic table, and dogs. The biggest thing to know about #133 is the approach. We were instructed to pass the site, go around the loop, and then make a left turn into it. With our nearly 35' trailer, that would have required an extremely tight, almost 90-degree turn between the trees, and we did not feel we could safely make it. There is actually visible damage on one of the trees at the entrance, so it appears others may have had difficulty with the turn as well. Instead, we approached from the opposite direction and positioned the camper with our doors facing the main campsite area. That put the water and electric hookups on the opposite side, but our hoses and cord were long enough to run underneath the camper and reach without a problem. Once we figured that out, the site worked very well for us. I initially thought we probably wouldn't choose #133 again because of the awkward setup, but after spending the weekend here, I would. Now that we know how to approach and position our trailer, it really is a nice site. If you're bringing a longer travel trailer, just be prepared to do a little maneuvering and make sure your water hose and electrical cord have enough length if you decide to orient your camper the way we did.

    • Thiru Moorthy G.
      Nov. 27, 2025

      Bull Run Regional Park

      ⭐ 1-Star Review – Shockingly Rude, Misleading, and Embarrassing Experience

      I am writing this review because what happened to me at Bull Run Regional Park Campground was not just inconvenient—it was humiliating, unprofessional, and completely avoidable.

      I camp in my Tesla. I have already stayed at this exact campground before with no issue. Their online reservation system allowed me to book again—no warnings, no restrictions, nothing to indicate a problem. So I drove all the way from North Carolina to Virginia trusting that everything was fine.

      When I arrived to check in, the office staff was literally handing me the paperwork. Out of nowhere, a ranger barged in and bluntly told me: “You cannot camp in a Tesla. You need a separate rig.”

      His tone was rude, dismissive, and made me feel like I was doing something dirty or cheap. There was zero respect, zero empathy—just instant judgment. I felt like I was being treated as if I was trying to sneak in or break rules, even though they allowed the booking and accepted my reservation.

      If they have such a rule, why wasn’t I notified during booking? Why was I allowed to stay the first time? Why let me drive for hours only to embarrass me at the check-in counter?

      The office employee even tried to defend me, but he couldn’t convince the ranger. Instead, they told me I could not stay and promised an immediate refund.

      After a long drive, being spoken to like that was extremely disappointing. I’ve camped all over North Carolina and never been treated with such disrespect. Camping in a Tesla is clean, quiet, zero-emission, and safe, yet I was made to feel like I didn’t belong.

      To make matters worse, it has now been seven days and not a single dollar of the refund has appeared. When I called, the office representative didn’t even ask for my reservation details and seemed completely clueless. She first said she couldn’t do anything, then suddenly changed her story and said she would “leave a note.” When I asked to speak with someone who could actually help, she put me on hold and suddenly claimed the manager had “just refunded” me and that I would see the money in two business days.

      After everything that happened, it felt like another layer of indifference and incompetence.

      This entire experience—from the rude ranger to the unprofessional refund handling—left me feeling disrespected and upset. For a campground that charges over $75 a night after fees and taxes, the treatment I received was unacceptable.

      Guests deserve honesty, clear communication, and basic respect.

    • Stuart O.The Dyrt Pro User
      Apr. 18, 2025

      Bull Run Regional Park

      Expensive for what you get; and drainage problems.

      We have found municipal campgrounds in Northern Virginia are a bit spendy for being government sponsored.  Not as bad as South Carolina, but way more than Florida.  Fine.  Comes with the territory.  But Bull Run manages to goose you even more.  There are occupancy AND transaction fees that really add up if you're only there a few nights.  But the real kicker is a 2-night minimum stay.  Even mid-week.  In APRIL for gosh sakes!

      While we were here, there was a fairly heavy day of rain.  Couple inches, I suppose, but nothing Biblical.  The mouths of the metal culverts in our loop were bent downward from campers driving over them, which obstructed the flow.  Result was lots of standing water at our campsite.

      We're done with NOVA Parks campgrounds.  Better cost options exist with Fairfax County Parks.

    • Judy W.
      Sep. 19, 2024

      Bull Run Regional Park

      Noisy but Nice

      Pros - Clean Bathrooms, Camp store open 8am - 8pm, Sites 62 - 92 (except #74 and 88) are all pretty  good.  Security was great, patrol throughout the night.  Quiet hours are enforced and campers are polite.  Lots of activities, and nice hiking trails. Fabulous historical attractions, great visitor center. 

      Cons - Campground is in the flight path of Dulles Airport, so planes are flying over head at all hours of the day and sometimes late at night/morning.  There is a shooting range nearby. Some noise during range hours. (Not late at night!)  Because there had been so little rain, there was not great fishing in the park.  (I went to Silver Lake, that was great!)

      Traffic! Lots of local traffic on the main roads. (to be fair, it IS a suburb of DC ). Stores are all approx. 20 mins away. (Head towards Haymarket)

    • Jake C.The Dyrt Admin User
      Sep. 10, 2024

      Bull Run Regional Park

      Spacious Sites and family friendly

      I stayed here with my family this summer and the park itself is a perfect spot for nature near DC. My son loved the giant playground and full water park at the campground, they even had discounted entry to the water park for campers. We stayed in site 20 which is an easy pull through and had a direct trail to the water park and the full network of trails in the park.

    • Trees F.The Dyrt Pro User
      Jul. 16, 2024

      Pohick Bay Campground

      Excellent spot

      We loved staying at Pohick. We were here to visit DC and it was an excellent spot to stay. It was extremely hot as it was July but the sites had a lot of shade. Site 46 where we stayed was close to the bathrooms and nice and flat. The bathrooms were cleaner than any other campground we have stayed in and they have laundry and a nice stainless sink and counter for washing dishes if needed. About a 40 minute drive into DC and definitely worth it. Also, campers get a discount at the water park which was a very reasonable 5 dollars per person. The weekend tends to be a bit louder but during the week was very quiet.

    • A
      May. 29, 2024

      Pohick Bay Campground

      Good trip

      We have been camping here for nearly 20 years. Each military tour brought us back to this area so Pohick became our second home. Our kids kayak now older but used to walk the trails as little kids. The waterpark is new and loud so we avoid but nice if you have young kids. Careful low bridge on Route 1 exit ramp little warning when taking ramp off I95. Go around to next exit. The check in at the cap store is crowded and narrow even with renovations but our 34 ft makes it okay. Bring bikes. Long bike trail along road. Farmers markets in Lorton and things to do in DC. Park at Huntington or Springfield metro. Short boat ride straight across from Ft Belvoir new family campground. Ice cream shop in season by water docks. Bathrooms clean always hot water three stalls each. Sink outside for dishes. Playground buts up against inner circle which are the only sewer sites. Others are electric water. Careful some near steep drop off. Stick to main road or inner circle or first circle if in big unit. Must go round circle to get to those spots which can be annoying. Two speed bumps. Camp store sells smores ingredients, limited candy, no eggs or bacon get those off Rte 1. Past entrance on Rte 1 is a Food Lion, McDonalds. Gas stations along Rte one are tight so fill up before exiting to campground. If you are desperate there is gas 7/11 at corner of Pohick and Rte 1 but its sketchy. Up the road off Rte 1 is Fort Belvoir Access w a drivers license however cant shop without military sponsored ID. Great bbq at Telegraph Rd and greek at Olympians family restaurant. Movie theater on Telegraph is nice. Springfield Mall close. Take Onville Rd which is a backroad by Pohick Church to shortcut to Rte 1. Pohick Rd past camping turn deadends into private neighborhood. Do not pass camp entrance. Hard to turn around if you do. Near End of Pohick is a small walk with overlook. See birds at point. Drive a car not RV. Park at lot on right before road split deadend. Gunston Hall on left can see from campground and water. Tours are nice.

    • J
      May. 1, 2024

      Bull Run Regional Park

      First Camping Trip

      Took my family of 7 to the Bull Run regional park for our first camping trip and the experience was great! Didn’t want to stray too far from the house in the event that it was a nightmare, thankfully this local spot offered a soft opening to our family over the two days we spent there and all was good. The site was clean and well kept, bathhouse was close to the tent site and in ok shape (wasn’t expecting anything spectacular so wasn’t disappointed. Playground and trails were nice, kids really enjoyed the chance to take in nature. This experience was good and would recommend a visit for anyone looking for a soft intro to camping for their family!

    • Zach T.
      Nov. 19, 2023

      Bull Run Regional Park

      Great Facility

      Came to stay for a volleyball tournament and got way more. Christmas lights and just a festive atmosphere. Campsite was easy to pull into and hookup to. Overall a great experience

    Guide to Colonial Beach

    Cedarville State Forest provides horseback riding options for equestrians near Colonial Beach, Virginia, with a trail system spanning over 19 miles across 3,510 acres of mixed hardwood forest. Located in Maryland approximately 45 minutes from Colonial Beach, the forest maintains open riding access from April through October. Sites accommodate equestrian visitors with space for horse trailers at designated larger campsites.

    What to do

    Disc golf course: Bull Run Regional Park features an 18-hole disc golf course that draws visitors throughout the year. "I'd recommend taking in a game of disc golf on their 18 hole course," notes Rachel L. about nearby Pohick Bay Regional Park.

    Nature scavenger hunt: Family-friendly activities include guided explorations at several parks in the region. A camper at Bull Run Regional Park mentioned, "There are miles of trails and my gkids enjoyed the nature scavenger hunt. You even get a prize when you finish."

    Trail exploration: Multiple color-coded paths range from easy to moderate difficulty throughout the forest system. "We hiked the brown trail and it was a nice walk," reports Nurse N. about trails at Cedarville State Forest, adding practical advice about cell coverage: "We have AT&T and had two bars pretty consistently."

    What campers like

    Wildlife viewing: The area supports diverse animal populations visible from trails and campsites. "Saw a snake, alligator snapping turtle, and rabbits, before we even reached the gates," reports Ben J. about his experience at Cedarville State Forest.

    Waterfront activities: Several parks offer water recreation opportunities during summer months. "Boating in summer from kayaks to motorboats," mentions Anne K. about activities at Pohick Bay Regional Park, while another camper notes "Eagles everywhere!" as a highlight at the waterfront camping areas.

    Solitude during weekdays: Off-peak camping provides a quieter experience with fewer visitors. "We were 1 of 3 campers in this loop during our week-long stay. This made it peaceful and quiet," reports Kasey M. about mid-week stays at Cedarville State Forest.

    What you should know

    Tick prevention: Thorough tick checks are essential after trail activities throughout the region. Ben J. warns about Cedarville: "LOTS and LOTS of ticks. I got one, but my wife and dog got about a dozen each. Just bring tweezers."

    Airplane noise: Several campgrounds experience overhead air traffic due to proximity to major airports and military installations. "It's close to a Naval base, and therefore you constantly hear airplanes, and helicopters at all times," notes Kasey M. about Bull Run Regional Park.

    Seasonal closures: Most equestrian trails and camping areas operate on limited schedules. "Camp ground is nice. Check in was a breeze. The only drawback is that it is not quiet. There is a shooting range in the park. It is on a flight path for DCA. And, I66 is not that far away," reports Drew M.

    Tips for camping with families

    Plan for bathroom access: Facilities vary significantly between campgrounds in the region. "Bathrooms are with staying again alone. Locking doors, individual stalls... Best camping showers I've ever had," reports Yvonne B. about Bull Run Regional Park.

    Water park options: Summer visitors can combine camping with water attractions. "Pirate's Cove waterpark is definitely a highlight in summer," mentions Anne K. about family attractions near Pohick Bay campground.

    Weekend activities: Organized events occur regularly at several parks. A camper at Pohick Bay Campground reported, "We 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 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."

    Tips from RVers

    Site leveling: Prepare for uneven terrain at some locations. "My site had a slight slope, but was easily overcome using additional blocks on the low side to get the trailer level," advises Drew M. about camping at Bull Run Regional Park.

    Loop selection: Inner loop sites generally provide better access to amenities. "We got a site on the inner loop and it backed to the playground and the bathhouse. The site was spacious," notes Ben G., adding that "The bathhouse is standard but also has laundry and an outdoor dish washing station."

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Colonial Beach, VA?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Colonial Beach, VA is Pohick Bay Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 37 reviews.

    What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Colonial Beach, VA?

    TheDyrt.com has all 4 equestrian camping locations near Colonial Beach, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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