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Knebal Springs Campground provides dedicated horse corrals for equestrian campers in the Mount Hood National Forest near Carson, Washington. The campground features picnic tables, toilets, and tent and RV sites specifically designed for horse owners. Trails around the campground connect directly to the broader Mount Hood trail system, offering extensive riding opportunities through diverse forest terrain. The large campsites accommodate horse trailers with ample parking space. Many riders appreciate the well-maintained corrals that keep horses secure overnight while camping. The campground operates seasonally, typically closing during winter months when snow makes access difficult.
Riley Horse Campground offers spacious campsites with spots measuring nearly a quarter acre, providing ample room for equestrian setups. Located on the western side of Mount Hood National Forest, this campground features drinking water, toilets, and trash collection. Horse trails connect directly to the Romano Falls Trail with views of Mount Hood visible through the trees. The campground remains relatively quiet even during peak season, with sites spaced far enough apart to provide privacy between camping parties. Dead, dried wood is often available around the sites for campfires. The campground is accessible for both day use and overnight stays, with reservations recommended, especially for weekend trips during summer months. Trail riders note the abundance of wildflowers in the higher elevation areas, particularly lasting into August.
"Located in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, just north of the town of Carson. Its about a 20 minute drive to the Columbia river, and 10 minutes to the small town of Carson."
"Deeply forested, gorgeous, well spaced sites, located up an easy road, nearest cell signal is about 4 toward Carson."
from $25 - $45 / night
Check Availability"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."
"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"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."
"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."
"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"It is not too far from the Portland area, I would recommend getting last minute supplies before getting off the highway."
"Secluded, open prime real estate: horse facilities abound here, but it works for everyone."
from $26 / night
Check Availability"A Lake or a pond is your front view, the back is cliffs, prairie, and wildlife. Spent the day with a Fishing Guide (1-509-860-7233). I hope the pictures show how great this place is."
from $15 - $39 / night
Check Availability"We stayed here (without horses) when we couldn’t find anywhere else to stay. It was completely empty in July, probably because people think you have to be a horse to stay here."
"We stayed at this horse camp in early April because all other area campgrounds were closed until May. What a lucky find! We were the only ones there. Pit toilets were clean enough."
from $15 / night
"There's no cell service in the campground, but 1-2 bars of AT&T 4G is available about 3 miles from camp, (1 mile up FS Rd. 8854, near the junction of FS Rd. 8851 and FS Rd. 24)."
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!
LegendGreat campground when nearby Timothy Lake campgrounds are full. The spot I had was large and not too close to other spots. The campground was full, so there was the early morning sounds of children playing. I was in spot 8 which looked onto Clackamas Lake. Which side note is not a "lake" but more of a marshy pond with reeds and grass around the edge. Still I was able to situate my tent to look onto the lake. This spot is in the horse section so there were corrals in each spot. Looked like a horse had camped in the spot a few days earlier cause there were large piles of fresh horse poop I had to keep my dog away from. The table/tent area was about 75 feet from my car so I had to make many trips to get all my stuff into the site. If you are extra adventurous and in shape you can walk from the campground, around Timothy Lake and back, be warned this is just over 18 miles. The trail around Timothy Lake is not strenuous, and offers amazing views of Mt Hood, and there is water about half way through, but again be ready for a long hike.
TravelerClackamas Lake is a great campsite. Fairly easy to find and navigate. Great for when you don't want to deal with the more crowded campgrounds.
While the camping sites are fairly close together, the site is usually lightly occupied. While we where there we only had one neighbor but the rest of the loop was empty.
For horse riders they have some equestrian only campsites.
There was plenty of trails in which to hike or ride, and a dock to go see the lake. You can also go swimming if your into Oregon lake or pond swimming.
Clackamas Lake itself is fairly small and in many ways feels more like a large and deep marsh then a lake.
Phone and internet reception (AT&T) is spotty at best.
LegendThis is hands down one of my favorite campgrounds, because the spots are large, far apart from the other sites, and very quiet. It is not too far from the Portland area, I would recommend getting last minute supplies before getting off the highway. The campground is a horse campground, but I reserved on the Monday before arrival and it was still very empty so no fear about taking a spot from equestrians. The spot I had (Spot 4) was huge, plenty of room for a larger party, felt like a quarter of an acre. There were no neighbors on one side of the spot and only the water spigot on the other. All the spots in the campground had plenty of space between spots. There was lots of dead, dried out wood laying all around the site that after a couple hours of collecting I had plenty to keep a fire all weekend, and still left a pile of wood when I left. The campground is close to many trails in the area, mainly Romano Falls Trail. There are views of Mt. Hood, peeking out through the trees here and there.
Additional Stay, Different Year
-A few more trees have been knocked down due to winter storms, but this is still a great campground.
LegendThis horse campground is near Takhlakh Lake. Its a small campground with about 6 sites and is first come first serve. All the other campgrounds in the area were full, but this one was pretty empty especially since it was visible from the road. I stayed twice over the summer and both times there were sites with horses in them. It is right next to the road, but there was a large pot hole in the road so people had to slow down or risk damage to their cars. The road all the way to the campground was very bad with holes, washouts, downed trees, huge dips, I recommend paying close attention when you are driving cause stuff will sneak up on you out of no where and low clearance cars could do damage. The campground was next to the creek and had multiple horse trails leaving from the campground. There were also a ton of wildflowers each time I went, since they are so high in elevation the wildflowers are still around into August.
The drive to Takhlakh Lake is only about 8 miles and takes about 20-30 minutes. Very easy day trip to enjoy the lake but then you can leave the crowds at the lake behind.
TravelerSite was nice and private, staff was very friendly, and the grounds were pretty clean! 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. Plenty of horses and dogs around.
GuideThis is my go-to campground when visiting the Gorge area. Located in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, just north of the town of Carson. Its about a 20 minute drive to the Columbia river, and 10 minutes to the small town of Carson. Its tucked away down a beautiful Forest road. You are nestled amongst towering old growth trees, wild ferns and thimbleberries, with Panther Creek running alongside the camp. The 2018 season had excellent campground hosts, I hope they return next year! They were very friendly and had helpful tips for trails in the area.
The pit toilets were clean, though heavy smell of ammonia which is not unusual at campgrounds like this. Each site has a fire pit and picnic table. There are potable water pumps, as well as garbage and recycling. Frequented mainly by families, and some PCT hikers, as it is located just of the PCT trail. They have first come first serve as well as reservable sites. It fills up quickly on the weekends, so if you dont have a site reserved I highly recommend getting there early. Each regular site is $18 a night. Enjoy!
LegendSmaller, but we were able to switch sites away from an area with two families/lots of little kids (so the area is easy for people who don't camp a lot). Beautiful river, lots of horses and fisherpeople, great trails, tall trees, lots of shade, close to Portland. Plus you can reserve sites ahead of time.
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.
Equestrian camping near Carson, Washington offers access to extensive trail networks within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The area sits at elevations ranging from 1,200 to 3,500 feet, creating diverse riding terrain through old-growth forest and volcanic landscapes. Summer temperatures typically reach 75-85°F during peak camping season with cooler evenings dropping to 45-55°F.
Trail riding near Mount Hood: The Pacific Crest Trail passes through several campgrounds in the area, offering direct access to extensive hiking and riding routes. "The PCT is just outside the campground. Water, pit toilets(clean) and firewood are available," notes Jeff K. about Panther Creek Campground.
Climbing Beacon Rock: This 848-foot monolith provides a challenging hike with rewarding views. "The climb up the rock is through a well-built trail. It can get narrow at spots and not for those who fear heights. The view at the top, however, is amazing," shares Brian C. about Beacon Rock State Park.
Paddling and fishing: Several campgrounds offer water access for non-motorized boats and fishing opportunities. At Merrill Lake Campground, "You can't use motorized boats and can only fly fish in the lake, but a very nice 1 mile hike is adjacent to the day use area," according to Brooke S.
Large, separated sites: Many campers appreciate the spaciousness at certain equestrian campgrounds. Ashley B. notes that at Riley Horse Campground, "The spot I had (Spot 4) was huge, plenty of room for a larger party, felt like a quarter of an acre. There were no neighbors on one side of the spot and only the water spigot on the other."
Natural features: The volcanic landscape provides unique geological experiences. Dan M. describes Merrill Lake Campground as "a great little campground, on the lake shore amidst a grove of Old Growth Cedar. Only 8 spaces for tents."
Access to water: Many sites offer swimming or fishing access. "So close to Panther Creek for swimming on a hot day, taking off to the PCT for a hike, or foraging for mushrooms in the fall," writes Candace about Panther Creek Campground.
Reservation requirements: Many campgrounds fill quickly during summer months. At Oxbow Regional Park, "You can book sites online up to 24 hours in advance, or you can show up to camp one night at one of the few non-reservable first come sites," advises Stephanie Z.
Limited connectivity: Cell service is spotty in the Carson area. Zach S. warns about Oxbow Regional Park: "Barely got 1 bar of 4g at the welcome center. There's a guest wifi in the parking lot there too but it's 2 miles further to the camp ground and texts hardly go through."
Seasonal considerations: Many campgrounds have limited accessibility during winter months. Marcia O. notes about Tillicum Campground: "We've stayed at Tillicum CG for more than 15 years. It used to be a very large CG, with water available; no water now."
Playground access: Some campgrounds offer dedicated play areas for children. Corinna B. says about Beacon Rock State Park: "The first day use area on the right as you enter also has a playground, while the second area on the left has great views of Beacon Rock."
Swimming spots: Look for campgrounds with designated swimming areas for safer water play. "They have a cool volcanic lake with a swimming area and great fishing. Its like a mini crater lake. I mean mini like pond size," shares Ashley Y. about Battle Ground Lake State Park.
Short hiking trails: Several parks offer kid-friendly trail options. Jess G. recommends Merrill Lake, noting it has "8 sites, some are more private than others. 2 vault toilets, fire rings and picnic tables! great lake to kayak on."
Site accessibility: Many horse campgrounds can accommodate smaller RVs despite their primary equestrian focus. Marcia O. shares: "We've stayed there in a 11 1/2' pickup camper, and now a 33' class A motorhome, and have had to trim a few limbs in order to get to campsite #12."
Hookup availability: For those needing electric and water connections, options exist but are limited. Joe C. reports about Beacon Rock State Park: "Stayed at the Woodward full hook up sites. Only a small number of them so felt spacious and secluded."
Parking considerations: Some equestrian campsites have specific parking arrangements. Shannon B. notes about Merrill Lake: "This is a tents only campground. Boats and boat ramps are right there. All sights are walk in. They are leveled out in a crushed rock space."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Carson, WA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Carson, WA is Panther Creek Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 20 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Carson, WA?
TheDyrt.com has all 21 equestrian camping locations near Carson, WA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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