Best Equestrian Camping near North Tazewell, VA

Fox Creek Horse Camp provides five dollars-per-night camping with hitching posts at each site and direct access to an extensive trail network. Located in the Jefferson National Forest near Marion, this primitive equestrian campground features gravel/grass pads, picnic tables, and fire rings at each site. No hookups are available, but portable toilets and manure collection areas serve riders' basic needs. Sites can accommodate various trailer sizes with ample parking for horse trailers. The campgrounds remain well-maintained despite their remote setting, and most sites offer adequate space for both camping equipment and equine companions.

The Virginia Highlands Horse Trail connects directly to Fox Creek Horse Camp, offering extensive riding opportunities through the national forest. Riders access multiple connecting trails for day trips or longer excursions without needing to trailer horses between locations. Old Virginia Group Horse Camp, located nearby, provides an alternative for larger equestrian groups, accommodating up to 25 people and 25 horses for $50 per night. This group site features a natural stream where horses may drink, with enough space for multiple large trailers. Collins Cove Horse Campground in the George Washington & Jefferson National Forest offers another option with its distinctive horse corral facilities and toilets. Horse owners should bring their own water to these primitive sites, as potable water is typically unavailable at the equestrian campgrounds.

Best Equestrian Sites Near North Tazewell, Virginia (8)

Show More
Showing results 1-8 of 8 campgrounds

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented byToyota Trucks

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win


Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near North Tazewell, VA

3 Photos of 8 North Tazewell Campgrounds


Equestrian Camping Reviews near North Tazewell, VA

26 Reviews of 8 North Tazewell Campgrounds


  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 30, 2021

    Old Virginia Group Horse Camp

    Equestrian campground group site in national forest

    This is a group equestrian camp that can be reserved via Recreation.gov for$50/night for up to 25 people. There is no potable water available, so plan to bring your own. There is a stream at the site where the horses may drink. There's enough space for a number of trailers, including large ones, and up to 25 horses. There's a fair amount of grassy area and it's lined with rhododendron. Dumpster provided. No cell service.

    There are a number of horse trails that connect, starting with the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail nearby, so you don't need to trailer your horses to get to the trailhead

  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 1, 2021

    Chestnut Hollow Horse Campground — Grayson Highlands State Park

    Equestrian campground in beautiful Grayson Highlands

    This equestrian campground in a beautiful state forest allows for other campers to make reservations no more than 30 days in advance; priority is for campers with horses. This state park has wild horses of its own, but has numerous multi-use and equestrian trails and connects with additional trails in the area for up to 66 miles of riding. Chestnut Hollow is distinct from the Hickory Ridge campground.

    The campsites are back-in along a single spur with turn-around at the end. There are  bathrooms with showers and a sink for laundry. Fees are $20-23/night, slightly higher for out of state campers. There are open and closed stall options for an additional fee. These were clean and in good repair. Although the official season runs May - October, it is open for primitive camping March, April, and November.

    Site are long, gravel, relatively level with water/electric.

  • K
    Jun. 14, 2018

    Chestnut Hollow Horse Campground — Grayson Highlands State Park

    Bobcats, Black Bear, & Wild Horses

    Lot s of wildlife! We camped at an equestrian campgrounds, chestnut ridge perhaps? Saw a Family of black bear about a mile from camp then a bobcat in camp later that day! Great facilities and located very close to Wilbur ridge where the wild ponies are! The AT is very close and waterfall hikes can be accessed from camp.also lots of great bouldering in the area

  • Jennifer B.
    Jun. 20, 2019

    Mash Fork Campground — Camp Creek State Park

    Super Clean and Nice!

    Camp Creek State Park is well-managed and beautifully-maintained with an active foundation that raises money for cool stuff like the conversation fire pit with swings, located in the Mash Fork Campground, which is only 2-miles off the I-77 at exit 20 in Mercer County, WV.

    Mash Fork is one of four campgrounds at Camp Creek  State Park which all offer picnic tables, grills and fire rings.  Mash Fork has RV and tent sites:  9 sites with electricity, 8 sites with electricity and water, or 9 sites with electricity, water and sewer.  The bathhouses are super nice, there's free WiFi, and they sell exceptionally generous bundles of firewood which the camp host will personally deliver to your site.

    There's a small store in the Mash Fork Campground with camping supplies and some souvenirs.  Make sure you check the cooler for local free-range chicken eggs… Yum!

    If you're looking for more rustic tent camping, head to the Blue Jay Campground.  If you're a horse owner, the Double C Horse and Rider Camp has 2, 4, or 6 horse occupancy sites all within the 6,000 acre Camp Creek State Park and Forest.

    Camp Creek State Park has two beautiful waterfalls.  You can drive to both, but Mash Creek Falls is a short walk from the Mash Fork campground, so make sure you check it out. Campbell Creek Falls has a deep pool at the bottom where you can swim.  Camp Creek is stocked with trout in the spring, so expect to see lots of fishermen along the banks.

    If you have time, you can check out 33-miles of trails which are loaded with wildflowers in the spring.

    *A little local trivia:  Mash Fork gives you a hint about the area's moonshining past… wink, wink!

  • Robyn S.
    Apr. 4, 2017

    Mash Fork Campground — Camp Creek State Park

    Nice Campground, Trails and Waterfalls

    This was a convienent campground right off the highway, easy to get to, small but has a few full hookup sites. The site we stayed at had a small babbling brook right behind it and also a trail head that climbed up and back down right into the campground. Very nice trail for the dogs and I to get some exercise on. There are also more trails on the other side of the road and a waterfall fairly close by!

  • Jean C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 30, 2021

    Fox Creek Horse Camp

    Neat equestrian camp with easy trail access

    With a wide network of multi-use trails in this area, Fox Creek Horse Camp provides a nice base for exploring on horseback. Sites have a gravel/grass pads, picnic table, and fire ring. Portable toilets available. Bring your own water. No hookups provided. Hitching posts at sites. Manure collection available. At $5/night, it's hard to beat the price.

    Campers are frequently referred to Grindstone campground for potable water and showers, but as of 2021, the dump station and bath houses/water are off; if you need services plan to travel about 15 minutes to Hurricane Campground instead.

  • MickandKarla W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 8, 2021

    Mash Fork Campground — Camp Creek State Park

    Great Experience

    Camp Creek State Park was easy to find as our RV GPS and Waze brought us right to the Campground(CG). Check-in was quick at the little office right inside this small CG. We then proceed to back-in site 21 with FHUs, which was an easy back in. The site was nice and wide with plenty of space on each side. On the park map it was designated ADA(as was site 22) but we had booked online not seeing any restrictions. We did note after hooking into water that their water pressure was not very good at about 25 psi. The CG has WiFi but admittedly at the office its spotty at best. We got about 3 or 4 OTA channels, with one being a prime channel. We didn’t try satellite but could probably have gotten a signal. We also got 2 bars each on Verizon and AT&T. There are actually two campgrounds in this little state park, Mash Fork where we were and Blue Jay on the other side of the park that is tent camping. Both check in at the Mash Fork office. Site 21 was a nice site that had shade in the afternoon, which would be nice in warmer weather but when we were there first week of April, we had snow and freezing temps. The campsites that ran along the creek were water& 30 AMP and could only take an RV up to 35’. FHU sites were on the opposite side and middle of CG. Probably the best big rig campsite with FHUs with plenty of yard space and some creek view is 26. Both CGs have a large creek running adjacent to the CG. Trout fishing was very popular though I didn’t catch any. They do restock this time of year. There are quite a few trails to hike to include the Mash Fork Falls trail that goes to the Mash Fork Falls then around the mountain to the other side of the park. Its a difficult level hike up the side of the mountain, but once you get up its not too bad if you’re in somewhat decent shape. You don't have to take the difficult trail to see the Mash Fork Falls, there is a flat road next to the Mash Fork Campground that goes right down to the falls. They sell firewood and ice at the Mash Fork office and there’s laundry on the backside of the bath house with 2 washers($1.00) and 3 dryers($1.50). Nearest major amenities(Walmart etc.) are at exit 9 off I-77 South in Princeton, WV. As a point of reference, Camp Creek is exit 20. We enjoyed our stay and would go back again.

  • Scott B.
    Jun. 28, 2017

    Chestnut Hollow Horse Campground — Grayson Highlands State Park

    Come prepared

    This place is by far the windiest place I've ever camped in. We couldn't get a proper fire started due to the wind! It was blowing up all over the trails at some points! But it's all worth it. The views are amazing! The ponies are great, they're come right up to you and check you out. There isn't many places to get water so come prepared with enough. The windchill was a serious issue for some in our group so bring lots of layers and gloves. I'll be going back, hopefully when it's a little warmer!

    PS tons of pony poop everywhere. I would imagine it would be a real bummer if you step in it. Avoid at all costs.

  • Jessica D.
    Apr. 13, 2019

    Mash Fork Campground — Camp Creek State Park

    Great for rustic camping

    We had a nice site near a stream and close to the bathrooms however, even though the campground is open year round, the bathrooms are not. We were told there was one open bathroom however it was not made clear this was 1-2 miles away which was not exactly convenient. Rustic camping is fine when we have planned for it. Early in the morning (around 7) workers arrived to work on the closed bathrooms for the opening in a few weeks. The website information is not accurate so definitely call (we were told when we called that the website is several years out of date). It seems like it would be great during regular season.


Guide to North Tazewell

Equestrian camping near North Tazewell, Virginia offers riders access to an extensive network of forest trails through the Appalachian highlands. The region features elevations ranging from 2,000 to 4,000 feet with moderate humidity and temperature variations between seasons. Most horse camps remain open from April through late November when trail conditions are most favorable for riding.

What to do

Trail riding at Camp Creek State Park: The Double C Horse and Rider Campground provides direct access to riding trails through mixed hardwood forests with creek crossings. "Wild ponies, endless blueberries, spectacular view of wildflowers make this one of my go to spots to introduce someone to backpacking," notes Michael B. about the Grayson Highlands State Park area trails.

Waterfalls exploration: Several cascades accessible via horseback within the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. "The hiking is difficult in some areas but spectacularly beautiful," reports Julie B. about trails near Camp Creek State Park, where "waterfalls are a short walk from the campground."

Fall foliage viewing: October brings peak color to the highlands with prime viewing conditions for riders. "We stayed on the campgrounds at night and we were able to watch a beautiful sunrise while making breakfast," writes Heather L. about her experience in the area.

What campers like

Budget-friendly options: Primitive horse camps typically charge $5-$50 per night depending on group size and amenities. Jean C. describes Old Virginia Group Horse Camp as "a group equestrian camp that can be reserved via Recreation.gov for $50/night for up to 25 people," accommodating "up to 25 horses" with "enough space for a number of trailers, including large ones."

Natural water access: Many sites feature streams for watering horses. "There is a stream at the site where the horses may drink," notes Jean C. about Old Virginia Group Horse Camp, providing natural hydration for equine companions.

Hitching facilities: Dedicated posts and corrals available at most equestrian sites. At Fox Creek Horse Camp, "Sites have a gravel/grass pads, picnic table, and fire ring... Hitching posts at sites. Manure collection available," according to Jean C.

What you should know

Limited water availability: Most equestrian campgrounds lack potable water. Jean C. advises about Old Virginia Group Horse Camp: "There is no potable water available, so plan to bring your own."

Weather considerations: "This place is by far the windiest place I've ever camped in. We couldn't get a proper fire started due to the wind!" reports Scott B. about conditions at higher elevations. "The windchill was a serious issue for some in our group so bring lots of layers and gloves."

Cell coverage limitations: Jean C. notes there's "No cell service" at many forest campsites. Consider bringing alternative communication devices for remote areas.

Wildlife awareness: "We camped at an equestrian campgrounds... Saw a Family of black bear about a mile from camp then a bobcat in camp later that day!" shares Kelly C. about Chestnut Hollow Horse Campground.

Tips for camping with families

Pack for temperature fluctuations: Mountain elevations experience significant day-night temperature differences. "The campground staff was very friendly, and the amenities were clean and kept up," notes Julie B. who recommends adequate clothing layers.

Consider developed campgrounds for amenities: Jean C. explains that Mash Fork Campground offers "a mix of 30-amp, 30-amp with water, 50-amp with water and electric, and FHU sites" with "playground, basketball, volleyball, laundry... several hiking trails including trails to two waterfalls, and an ADA-accessible short trail."

Plan for noise factors: Hazel S. warns about Glen Lyn Town Park: "There is a train station nearby and the trains are loud. They come by every now and then night and day... Lots of freeway noise so the nightly fee is kinda stupid considering you won't get any sleep if you stay here."

Tips from RVers

Site selection strategy: Lee D. notes about Mash Fork Campground, "All camper pads are paved, have a generous camper pad length, and most are spread a decent amount of space apart."

Bathroom access planning: "Bath/Shower House was very clean. Instant hot water was appreciated at the tap (it was in the 30s when we were there in mid-October)," reports Lee D., while Jessica D. cautions about seasonal closures: "Even though the campground is open year round, the bathrooms are not."

Seasonal considerations: Nicole M. advises about connectivity: "No service for Verizon users... Sites have wifi but I could only get it to work 20% of the time."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near North Tazewell, VA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near North Tazewell, VA is Mash Fork Campground — Camp Creek State Park with a 4.6-star rating from 16 reviews.

What is the best site to find equestrian camping near North Tazewell, VA?

TheDyrt.com has all 8 equestrian camping locations near North Tazewell, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.