Hares Canyon Horse Camp in L.L. Stub Stewart Memorial State Park provides equestrian-focused camping 35 miles northwest of Ridgefield, Washington. The dedicated horse camp features sites specifically designed for horse trailers with adjacent corrals for keeping horses secure overnight. Campsites include picnic tables, fire rings, and easy access to water for horses. The park maintains well-kept equestrian facilities with manure disposal areas and ample space for trailer parking. Campsites accommodate both tents and RVs with electric and water hookups available. The campground remains clean and well-maintained with properly spaced sites offering good privacy for campers and their horses. Trail riders note the excellent camping conditions with level parking for horse trailers.
The extensive trail system connects directly from the horse camp to over 20 miles of multi-use trails throughout L.L. Stub Stewart State Park. Riders access both forest service roads and single-track trails suitable for various skill levels. Trails wind through old-growth forests and connect to viewpoints overlooking the surrounding countryside. Horses have access to natural water sources along several trail routes, though riders should bring additional water during dry summer months. The trails accommodate both experienced and novice riders with options ranging from short loops to longer day rides. The park's location provides strategic access to additional regional bridle paths and connecting trail systems. Most trails remain accessible year-round, though some sections may become muddy during the rainy season. Regular trail maintenance ensures safe riding conditions throughout the equestrian areas.
"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."
$40 / night
"Clean and generally friendly, the Jantzen Beach RV Park is right inside of Portland (at the northern end, close to Vancouver, Washington)."
"The park's location is very convenient, with easy access to downtown Portland and nearby attractions."
$24 - $39 / night
"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."
$5 - $50 / night
"Stayed the night in one of thier small cabins, very nice sat outside by the fire and just watched the stars, this is a primary horse camp and is surrounded by trails, seen a heard of elk on one of my hikes"
"Since the camp is planned predominantly as a youth recreation center, I was a bit worried that it would be a pretty loud campsite due to lots of kids running around. That was not the case for us!"
$25 / night
"Great access to the river to keep cool in summer. Nice sandy beaches. Park also has a lot of sheltered picnic areas and playground.
Multi-use trail great for short runs and apparently horses.""Close proximity to Multonomah Falls. Pros - bathrooms with electric outlets, free showers, deer come close and are fun to watch, quiet & fairly private stay."
"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."
$39 / night
"Hares Canyon Horse Camp is one of three campgrounds in Stub Stewart State Park and unlike other horse camps which often allow the overflow of tenters and rv'ers without horses, this horse camp is equestrian"
"I don’t have a horse but I still stayed here! We were in the area, struggling to find a place to camp. After 7 pm, the campground let us set up camp in an empty equestrian campsite. Unique experience!"
$8 - $78 / night
"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."
$33 - $39 / night
"In the middle of a mountainous forest with lots of hiking, paved path & mtb biking, disc golf, horse trails and more. Well maintained full hookup sites with 50amp, most 63' long."
"Dairy Creek is clean and well maintained, and has great access to the trails and disc golf around the park. If you're in an RV this is a good set up."
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!
LegendHares Canyon Horse Camp is one of three campgrounds in Stub Stewart State Park and unlike other horse camps which often allow the overflow of tenters and rv'ers without horses, this horse camp is equestrian only.
The Campground is set up in one loop and offers both single and double sites, ADA facilities, showers, toilets, and trash. Each site has a picnic table, fire pit, and a corral. There is a double corral on the double sites.
You must clean up after your own horse. Manure bin as well as shovels/brooms are provided onsite.
In mid May, the sites were very wide open.
GuideI don’t have a horse but I still stayed here! We were in the area, struggling to find a place to camp. After 7 pm, the campground let us set up camp in an empty equestrian campsite. Unique experience!
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.
LegendBeacon Rock is an incredible, tall hill in the Columbia River Gorge and a Washington State Park. 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. Easy day-use area and there is also a popular campsite nearby with hiking trails.
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. Bathrooms and water on-site. It is close to Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington and very popular and busy.
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.
LegendThere are at least four different campgrounds within Beacon Rock state park including the main camping site, an equestrian area with two spaces large enough for horse trailers, a group camp site that can hold up to 200 people, and a small 2-tent and 5-RV space down by the boat launch (at the base of Beacon Rock). This review is for the main "Beacon Rock" campground, which has 28 sites nestled in the woods including two walk/hike-in only sites. From the main road, head north directly across from Beacon rock until you come to a parking lot on the right that's the trailhead for Hamilton Mountain, Whispering Pool and others. Just past the parking lot (which also has a nice day-use picnic area and shelter) and on the right you'll come to the entrance of Beacon Rock campground.
Sites are a good size with lots and lots of beautiful trees, though the size and privacy varies greatly depending on which site you get. Ones on the right when you first enter are smaller since they butt up next to a ridge. For the most part the sites on the inside of the loop and especially the back side (it's a one-way counter-clockwise loop) are larger. Sites are first-come, first-served, and even on Memorial Day weekend there were several still available at 5pm on Sunday. Not sure if that was a fluke or we just got lucky. The campground and day use areas were built by the CCC in the 1930s so there's some beautiful rock work here and there, but it was not built with RVs in mind, so most people had tents, though a smaller trailer or pop-up might work depending on maneuverability.
Pros: Sweet little campground with lots of beautiful trees and greenery. Still had spots available on a busy weekend.
Cons: Best for tents only or a smaller trailer. Some sites are definitely better than others.
GuideI love Seaquest for their beautiful campsites and the proximity to a wonderful forest to bathe in. But don't go for the RV sites, which are laid out in a parking lot setting with no real distance from neighbors and not surrounded by trees. Unless that's your jam. It was definitely not ours, tent camping alongside some friends with a trailer who liked nothing more than to hang out at said trailer, and walk through the campground to look at other.. trailers. I don't think they even stepped foot in the 7+ miles of forest trails which is a few steps away. If you can step away from the hookups and get a real campsite off the RV pad, it is a stunning experience. Each site is surrounded by trees, creating privacy and serenity. Another great option is the yurts. We stayed in Yurt 2 (the only pet friendly yurt) and loved it.
For those with RV's, trailers, campers - look into the regular sites because I think some of them even have hookups and can accommodate most sizes. Just steer clear of RV sites T1-T16.
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.
L.L. Stub Stewart Memorial State Park and surrounding areas offer diverse equestrian camping options within 35 miles of Ridgefield, Washington. The region features a mix of forested terrain at elevations between 1,000-2,000 feet with moderate rainfall patterns typical of the Pacific Northwest. Trail systems connect to both state and federal lands, providing varied riding experiences in all but the most severe winter conditions.
Disc golf courses: The park maintains multiple disc golf courses for when you're not on horseback. "They have a cool volcanic lake with a swimming area and great fishing... I only rated what I did because it has one loop trail that goes around the lake so there really isn't much to explore," notes Ashley Y. about nearby Battle Ground Lake State Park Campground.
Horseback swimming areas: During summer months, access points allow horses to cool off in designated areas. "Short walk to the lake to fish. Beautiful and quiet... And 25 degrees," says Chris J., highlighting the access to water at Battle Ground Lake State Park Campground.
Astronomical observation: Certain areas within the parks provide exceptional stargazing opportunities due to minimal light pollution. "The top of the park shows a vast section of sky which is perfect for meteor shower watching," reports Jeff H. about Hares Canyon Horse Camp.
Private corrals: Individual corrals at each site keep horses secured while allowing them to move comfortably. "Each site has a picnic table, fire pit, and a corral. There is a double corral on the double sites," explains Stephanie Z. about the equestrian camping facilities.
Manure management: Designated areas for waste disposal maintain campground cleanliness. "You must clean up after your own horse. Manure bin as well as shovels/brooms are provided onsite," notes Stephanie Z. from her experience at Hares Canyon Horse Camp.
Varied accommodations: Options range from primitive sites to full hookups depending on preference. "As we had been here before, it was an easy drive in on US-26 to the campground. The pad starts with asphalt and then goes to gravel, where you actually park the rig," explains MickandKarla W. about their stay at L.L. Stub Stewart Memorial State Park.
Wildlife encounters: Be prepared for potential wildlife interactions at night. "When we came back from the shower my wife and I observed a dark shadow darting from the table around the back corner of the tent... A bobcat to be exact. I yelled at the cat for some time it wouldn't leave it sat there and stared me down," cautions Patrick G. about his experience at Hares Canyon Horse Camp.
Trail conditions: Some trails become muddy during wet seasons, particularly in low-lying areas. "I thought at first there would be a lot of traffic and noise when I got there. But, I was amazed that the Park is clean, quiet... Beautiful area secluded lots of trees," mentions Eric S., though noting "owners don't clean up after their horses that go on the trail."
Cell service limitations: Reception varies significantly throughout the camping areas. "We got 3 bars LTE on Verizon. There is a good variety of sites for RVs, large and small," explains MickandKarla W., indicating that service is possible in certain areas but not guaranteed throughout.
Educational programs: Many parks offer junior ranger activities during summer months. "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. about her experience at Seaquest State Park Campground.
Playgrounds: Several campgrounds feature dedicated play areas for children. "My kids loved the addition of a playground. Many parks dont have this and it kept them entertained for hours. There is a bathroom and extra parking right next to the playground," recommends Mary C.
Walking distances: Consider campsite location relative to amenities when traveling with young children. "The tent sites were also secluded and flat. (But a far walk to the bathrooms/showers)," mentions Lindsey T. about her stay at Milo McIver State Park Campground.
Site selection: Choose sites numbered below 40 for more shade and privacy in certain campgrounds. "Very nice campground. Large, clean sites. Lots of hiking and mountain biking trails within the park and a regional rail to trail runs through it. I really appreciated other Dyrt reviews that said the shadier, more private sites are numbered below 40," advises Annie B.
Water pressure variations: Be prepared for potential low water pressure at some campgrounds. "The water and sewer hookups were in the middle of the site, with electric being at the back of the pad. The water pressure was not very good at around 35 psi," notes MickandKarla W. about their RV setup at L.L. Stub Stewart Memorial State Park.
Alternative options: Consider non-equestrian campgrounds during off-peak times. "I don't have a horse but I still stayed here! We were in the area, struggling to find a place to camp. After 7 pm, the campground let us set up camp in an empty equestrian campsite," shares Cameron D. about his experience at Camp Wilkerson, demonstrating flexibility during less busy periods.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Ridgefield, WA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Ridgefield, WA is Battle Ground Lake State Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 40 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Ridgefield, WA?
TheDyrt.com has all 24 equestrian camping locations near Ridgefield, WA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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