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Battle Ground Lake State Park Campground accommodates horses with dedicated corrals in a separate equestrian area. The park features miles of horse-friendly trails circling the volcanic lake, with both high forested paths and lower water-access routes. Horses are welcome throughout the park's trail system, though riders must clean up after their animals. The campground offers tent sites, RV spots, and cabins, with the equestrian area specifically designed for campers with horses. Bathroom facilities with showers are available, and the park maintains picnic areas near the horse trails. The park's natural setting provides a serene environment for both horses and riders, with the lake offering additional recreational opportunities. Several sites remain available even during peak summer weekends.
L.L. Stub Stewart Memorial State Park's Hares Canyon Horse Camp provides equestrian-only camping with single and double sites, each equipped with corrals. Located 45 minutes from Portland, this horse campground connects directly to miles of riding trails through forested terrain and offers full hookups, ADA facilities, showers, toilets, and trash service. Manure bins, shovels, and brooms are available for required cleanup after horses. Camp Wilkerson offers another option with horse corrals at designated sites and multiple trail systems for riding, including the Liahona trail which provides the most straightforward route. Milo McIver State Park Campground also features horse trails traversing the Clackamas River, providing excellent walking opportunities even for non-riders. Reservations are recommended for all equestrian sites, especially during summer months when these specialized campgrounds fill quickly.
"Hiking around the lake is a great way to start and/or end you day while staying at Battle Ground Lake SP. Horses are welcome. There are cabins available also. Several sites overlook the lake."
"Battle ground lake is a perfect getaway!"
"Clean and generally friendly, the Jantzen Beach RV Park is right inside of Portland (at the northern end, close to Vancouver, Washington)."
"Jantzen Beach RV Park feels like a real-world stop straight out of a Subway Surfers World Tour—a lively, convenient, and colorful place where travelers pause, recharge, and enjoy the surroundings before"
from $40 / night
Check Availability"Close proximity to Multonomah Falls. Pros - bathrooms with electric outlets, free showers, deer come close and are fun to watch, quiet & fairly private stay."
"There is distance between you and other guests but if you want to meet your neighbors you can. They have ADA sites, a lake, play grounds and a welcome center."
from $25 / night
Check Availability"The upper area encircles a large open are perfect for games and running around. There is a nice disk golf course and a lot of large paths for waking and biking."
"And a loop with corals for horses. Miles of horse trails, bike trails, hiking trails."
from $32 - $57 / night
Check Availability"It has wonderful hiking trails. There is swimming available in the warmer months in the Clackamas River. Horse trails for equestrians and fishing!"
"A short hike will take you right to the river and there’s plenty of nice trail to explore. If stepping around occasional horse poop isn’t your thing, maybe skip the hike though."
from $8 - $126 / night
Check Availability"I love Seaquest for their beautiful campsites and the proximity to a wonderful forest to bathe in."
"I gave this park a high rating primarily because of its location."
"Not only is the campground itself a woodland wonderland with winding paths through tall old growth forest areas, but the surrounding area of the park itself is impressive with exciting things to do around"
"We didn’t have any issues at the site, but noticed that spots RV4 and RV5 were relatively distanced from each other, while spots RV1-RV3 were pretty close to each other."
"Across the road is a horse camp that the PCT goes through. There is a spur from the PCT directly into the campground for easy access. There is a beautiful view of Mt."
"Some camp sots are better situated then others, so do research before making reservation."
from $25 - $45 / night
Check Availability"There are 8 walk in sites and one drive up site, all first come first serve discovery pass required. Some sites are larger than others, but in ours we were able to fit two 6ptents and one 2p tent."
"Discover pass required Merrill Lake, just outside of Cougar, WA feels very remote, despite its relatively close proximity to the Portland/Vancouver area."
TravelerHiking around the lake is a great way to start and/or end you day while staying at Battle Ground Lake SP. Horses are welcome. There are cabins available also. Several sites overlook the lake.
Fishing and swimming are common here, but the lake often closes to swimming later summer season due to bacteria etc. in the water.
ScoutBattle ground lake is a perfect getaway!
GuidePros:
Battle Ground Lake State Park Campground has a wonderful choice of campsites. I hiked in with a group of 4 and we looked at all the different campsites. Some campsites had a beautiful view, some had smooth ground, some had nice hikes around it, and some had more! We chose one with a beautiful view, smooth ground, nice hikes, and a perfect place for a hammock! There was also a very nice beach right next to it that you could swim and fish in.
Cons:
When we got there, we were told that the water can be quite dirty. But we saw everyone still swimming! So we did a little swimming to see what it was like and the water was fine! So if they tell you that, just swim anyway. Also, the bathrooms were disgusting. They do have showers that were fine, but some of the toilets were gross.
All in all, Battle Ground Lake State Park Campground was a pretty nice place!
Review by Fraser Barnes (Age 10)
RangerWe opted for the walk-in sites which require you to hike about 1/4 mile in to get to them. There you will find some nice semi-private spots under a canopy of pine and maple trees. Picnic Table available at each site as well.
Battle Ground State park is a great park for floating and fishing in a lake. It will be packed on weekends with day trippers visiting.
GuideBattle Ground Lake is a lovely campground, improved and organized, not wild. But perfect for quick 'base camp' getaways.
The lake is popular and provides lots of activities. I saw people fishing kayaking and more.
I camped at site 46 and had a *wonderful* pair of trees for my hammock rig.
Currently, fires are permitted, but wood isn't available for purchase, so you need to plan ahead and bring it in.
GuideWe love it! For a lot of reasons. Part of the reason is it’s close, so that’s part good. Driving up there the way we drive (from Vancouver) you go up through ranching/farming territory and it’s nice and green and pretty, so it’s nice getting there. You do have a lot of options, in that the first time we went up there was with our hiking club, and we went up there for a hike around the calderas so it’s easy to do a day trip in a car. Part of our discovery was while we were there is that the food place is really good and very nice. The kids playground was great for the grandkids.
As far as the camping, while it’s open, for the most part you do have a limited amount of privacy in the campground. The campsite we picked was a mix of things: just far enough away from the restrooms where we don’t get all the traffic there, but close enough so it’s not too far either. We were within easy walking distance to two restrooms/showers.
One thing that always looked intriguing is they do have the cabins, so maybe one of these times we’ll rent one. Another thing that some people might like is that they do have horses and some of the trails around the lake you can have horses on, plus a separate area/campground where you can have your horses, which are fun to see.
It’s a small lake but big lake, meaning they do not allow motors on the lake, even electric motors, so it’s all floats, kayakers, etc. A lot of people grab the big inter-tubes and go with that. And of course fishing up there is generally pretty good, especially when they stock it. The trails around the lake are kind of fun also because you have a high trail (very forested) and you also have a certain amount of low trails right on the water where you could have your own spots to fish and swim.
Like most campgrounds, it has its peak season and its off-season, but you can go there year-round if you choose to. The beach area isn’t big, but that’s okay. Wherever you’re heading (from the campsites down to the water, to the playground, to the food shack) you always have different trails and options for how to get from one place to another if you want to explore. If there’s anything you forgot (groceries, fishing gear etc.) you can be in the small town of Battle Ground within 5 miles.
LegendFive springs feed this little volcanic anger management issue. There are tons o' fish - including a nine-foot sturgeon - and although it's officially 60 feet to the bottom in most parts of the lake, you'd sink a lot lower in the spongy ash. The lake's tumultuous past, however, has led to this serene, family-friendly wellspring. This site fills up with lots of kids (and lots of good parents), especially on the weekends, so party people can come by then. Those seeking more solitude and a fantastic swimming hole should consider weeknights. There are 10 miles of hiking trails as well, including maybe a mile version around the lake itself. The campsites go around too and the cabins look cool. The tall trees and abundant green overlays make this a wonderfully self-contained oasis five miles from the 16,000-strong town of Battle Ground and a few miles further from I-5.
LegendCampground Review: Poopy Water and Good Times at the Walk-in Sites
We've stayed several times at Battle Ground State Park before in their regular camp sites, but this is the first time we've ever tried out the walk-ins, which were all-in-all pretty fun. Just $12/night including parking, we showed up at about 3 pm on a Sunday in the middle of the summer to find four open camp sites. Once we selected our spot, we paid in the main office and started making multiple trips back and forth to our site (we way over packed). Camp sites varied greatly. Some were level, some had slight views of the lake, while others were tiny and back in the woods with crazy slopes. Definitely worth it to check out the sites in person if possible. Our site (#44) was definitely one of the good ones. The furthest site back from the parking lot is .4 miles, and we were about 4 1/2 minutes from the parking lot, so honestly not too bad if you're taking 2-4 trips.
When we arrived we were notified that the lake wasn't closed, but was under a beach warning for elevated levels of bacteria (poopy water). We decided to go swimming anyway along with 100 or so other people. I've heard this happens often in August , so if you don't want to swim in fecal matter, definitely call first since there were no warnings listed on the website.
Pros:
Tiny beach, nice swimming area, beautiful water and tree-filled camp sites
Cons (besides the poopy water):
We had some loud, annoying neighbors several sites over and there didn't seem to be anyone at night keeping people quiet, but they eventually went to sleep.
Gear Review: Gregory Maven 35
As part of the dyrt ranger program, I was super excited to pick out a Gregory backpack to review, so when my new Gregory Maven 35 showed up on a Thursday, we decided to take it for a spin that weekend. We're normally car campers with way too much stuff, but with the Maven 35 I wanted to test its capacity and comfort on the walk-in sites at Battle Ground State Park. While the site was just 4/10 of a mile or so from the parking lot, we had to make so many trips back and forth that we covered 7 miles total in 24 hours with the pack stuffed full of all kinds of random food, clothes, and camping gear.
First Impressions:
I chose the Maven 35 because it's small enough to do double duty as an airplane carry-on, but large enough for a 1-3 day hiking/camping trip. But when the bag first arrived I was worried that it wouldn't hold very much. There's one main compartment with access from top and bottom, plus two zip pockets on top and a stuff sack on the outside (plus spaces for water bottles, sun glasses, hip pockets, etc.), but in general at first glace it looked too small to hold enough for a multi-day trip. Some of the adjustable features threw me for a loop as well. For example, you can move the pack up and down for back size, but the adjustment seemed way too easy (with velcro) and I was dubious it would really fit correctly.
Seven Miles Later:
Man I love this pack! All my worries quickly went away as soon as I started actually using it. We hauled absolutely everything strapped on all kinds of crazy ways and shoved in every possible space, and the Gregory Maven held up. Most trips I averaged 30 or so pounds of gear and it felt like nothing. I slept well that night and did it all again the next day with no worries or complaints. It holds way more than I ever thought it would (see the video with this review) and the various straps add even more to the capacity.
Room for Improvement:
Overall this is an amazing backpack. I plan to take it out several more times in the next month and will write up further impressions, but so far, it has exceeded all my expectations. There's a few things I'm still getting used to. For example, the pinch/pull straps where you tighten the top of the bag are so far super-easy to close but I struggle with easily opening them. I also am not so sure about the separate rain cover that comes with the bag. It seems like it takes up a lot of room, but I'm also excited to test it out and see how it works. These are fairly tiny questions though that are mostly about getting used to the pack. So far, it's pretty perfect.
ScoutGreat place to camp. It has wonderful hiking trails. There is swimming available in the warmer months in the Clackamas River. Horse trails for equestrians and fishing!
Battle Ground, Washington sits at the foothills of the Cascade Mountains with elevations ranging from 200-600 feet, providing moderate temperatures year-round. The area's volcanic lake origins and mixed Douglas fir forests create distinct camping environments with particularly good conditions for equestrians and horses. Summer temperatures typically reach 75-85°F during July and August with cooler evenings around 50-55°F.
Trail riding at L.L. Stub Stewart State Park: Located about 45 minutes from Portland, L.L. Stub Stewart State Park offers extensive equestrian trails through dense forest. The park's Hares Canyon Horse Camp connects directly to a network of riding paths. "The park has many hiking, biking and equestrian trails. I had a nice run on the Bumping Knots Loop," notes Stephanie Z., while Nathan R. adds, "There are communal fire rings in the back section (which is great for groups!)."
Volcanic lake activities at Battle Ground Lake: The 28-acre volcanic crater lake provides swimming, fishing, and non-motorized boating. "They have a cool volcanic lake with a swimming area and great fishing. It's like a mini crater lake. I mean mini like pond size," reports Ashley Y. The lake is stocked with trout and has bass and bluegill populations making it popular with anglers.
Mountain biking and disc golf: Many parks in the region maintain multi-use trails suited for mountain biking. Milo McIver State Park features both riding trails and disc golf courses. "Home of the annual Beaver State Fling, a PDGA sanctioned National Tour event, Milo McIver is an excellent host for the international players that come to the Pacific Northwest," explains Steve C. The park's varied terrain makes it ideal for mixed outdoor activities.
Private wooded sites: Beacon Rock State Park Campground offers secluded camping spots within dense forest. "Sweet little campground with lots of beautiful trees and greenery. Still had spots available on a busy weekend," says Corinna B. Another visitor mentions that "Camp sites are kind of small, with most in forested areas. A few are slightly more exposed and some are split-level, in that you park up top and walk a few steps down to your camp site."
Easy access to water: Many campers appreciate proximity to lakes and rivers. At Oxbow Regional Park, visitors enjoy the Sandy River setting. "Easy distance from Portland on the Sandy River. Down a steep hill (important if you're biking)," notes Ben W. Krupa adds, "We were able to hike the area and enjoy a serene weekend in nature. Clean campsite with the basic amenities, conveniently only a 30-minute drive from Portland."
Reasonable availability: Several campgrounds maintain good availability even during peak season. "Rolled in January 1st. Self pay. About 5 sites with power and water. We got a nice level one. There are only 5 other sites in the whole campground occupied," reports Chris J. about Battle Ground Lake State Park during winter months, highlighting the year-round accessibility.
Walk-in tent site logistics: Some campgrounds require short hikes to reach tent sites. At Panther Creek Campground, "The tent pads are a typical woodsy mix of pine straw, leaves, and loose gravel. Sleeping pads are a blessing, but so are nicely stacked leaf piles in a pinch. Tent stakes require a little oomph, I just use the ball of my shoe to push it into the ground," explains Nathan R.
Horse-specific requirements: Equestrian camping near Battle Ground requires planning for horse waste management. Camp Wilkerson has designated horse corrals and specific cleanup rules. "Bring your horses and ride the trails and stay at the horse camp," suggests Schona K., while also noting, "If you do not reserve your spots you can only stay one night and there is an additional $5 transaction fee to pay on site."
Limited connectivity: Most campgrounds have minimal cell service. "No cell service (occasionally 1 bar LTE AT&T). Too heavily forested for Starlink. Had to leave early Monday morning since we were working and needed internet," reports Kim G. about Seaquest State Park. Plan accordingly by downloading maps and entertainment before arrival.
Playground access: Seaquest State Park Campground provides dedicated play areas for children. "My kids loved the addition of a playground. Many parks don't have this and it kept them entertained for hours," reports Mary C. Another camper notes, "There is a huge playground area as well as a day use site with covered shelters within the park."
Junior Ranger programs: Several state parks offer educational activities for children. "At night the campground had a great Junior Ranger program with a very enthusiastic park ranger that kept the almost 50 people/kids entertained. She was great at engaging all the kids and teaching them about the park," shares Ashley B. These programs typically run during summer months.
Beware of wildlife encounters: Food storage practices matter for family safety. "There are no food storage lockers, you cannot leave food out on the tables. You are still in the wilderness, and you are in bear/cougar territory. Hang your bags, or go throw your food back in trunk of your car," advises Nathan R., highlighting the importance of proper camping protocols with children.
Hook-up availability: Camp Wilkerson provides varied site options for different RV needs. "We brought a pop up camper and was able to get it set up nicely. Water and toilets are available," mentions Don H. The campground offers electric, water, and sewer connections at select sites.
Site selection strategies: When choosing RV spots, consider privacy needs. "We stayed at the Woodward full hook up sites. Only a small number of them so felt spacious and secluded. Close to a busy train track and you can hear some highway noise but overall we felt secluded," observes Joe C. about Beacon Rock State Park. Sites below number 40 typically provide more shade and privacy.
Dump station considerations: Factor in dump station fees when budget planning. At Seaquest State Park, a camper notes, "Electric and water, dump station included in fee which was $40/night. If not camping here, it is $5 to dump." Most state parks maintain on-site dump stations, while national forest campgrounds may require travel to nearby facilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What horse trails are available at Battle Ground?
Battle Ground offers several equestrian-friendly trail options. Around the lake at Battle Ground Lake State Park, you'll find trails suitable for horseback riding that loop through forested areas. For more extensive equestrian trails nearby, Milo McIver State Park Campground features dedicated horse trails through diverse terrain. Another excellent option is Kalama Horse Camp Campground, which provides access to miles of designated horse trails through beautiful Pacific Northwest forests. These trails vary in difficulty, offering options for both beginners and experienced riders.
Are horses allowed at Battle Ground Lake State Park?
Yes, horses are welcome at Battle Ground Lake State Park Campground. The park features trails that accommodate equestrians alongside hikers. While the main campground doesn't have specific horse facilities, the park's trail system is designed to be horse-friendly. For a dedicated equestrian experience near the area, consider visiting Hares Canyon Horse Camp — L.L. Stub Stewart Memorial State Park, which is exclusively for equestrian campers with proper facilities for horses.
Do I need a permit for horseback riding in Battle Ground?
For horseback riding at Battle Ground Lake State Park, you'll need a Washington State Discover Pass for parking, which costs $10 for a day-use or $30 annually. No additional specific horse permit is required for trail riding, but all standard park rules apply. For comparison, at Riley Horse Campground, you'll need a Northwest Forest Pass when using the trails. At Clatsop State Forest Northrup Creek Horse Campground, an Oregon state forest recreation permit is required. Always check current regulations before your visit as requirements may change seasonally.
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