Best Equestrian Camping near Vancouver, WA
Searching for the best camping near Vancouver, WA? Enjoy the scenic camping, fun activities, and sights and sounds of Vancouver. Discover great camping spots near Vancouver, reviewed by campers like you.
Searching for the best camping near Vancouver, WA? Enjoy the scenic camping, fun activities, and sights and sounds of Vancouver. Discover great camping spots near Vancouver, reviewed by campers like you.
"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."
"Battleground is a nice and well loved state park not far from Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington."
$25 / night
"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."
$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."
$27 - $41 / 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."
"Beacon 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."
"There 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"
"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."
$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"
"Bring your horses and ride the trails and stay at the horse camp.
Tent and two RV sites are on the first right turn and there is even a stream to play at."
$33 - $41 / 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."
$33 - $57 / 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!"
We 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.
Beacon 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.
Great 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!
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 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.
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!
Battleground is a nice and well loved state park not far from Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington. The part itself centers around a clear caldera lake with tent camping, RV camping, cabins, trails, group sites, and the like. The lake is also frequently stocked, and fishing is popular. Not motorized boats, but plenty of kayaks and rafts. There is a small camp store with snacks and fishing supplies on-site. Campground is well appointment with showers, water, etc.
Hiking around the lake is fun. And well a crowded park, it is easy to sneak away to a quiet spot. Some cabins and campsites have nice views overlooking the lake. The town of battleground is nearby with restaurants, grocery stores, and any you might have forgotten.
This 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.
Discover pass required
Merrill Lake, just outside of Cougar, WA feels very remote, despite its relatively close proximity to the Portland/Vancouver area. This campground is best suited for tent camping, as there is only one RV site and sometimes it’s occupied by a camp host.
I met up with some folks who were in tents and occupied the tent spots and spent the night in the parking lot in my van. Several other folks did this as well. You're just a little ways from the campsites that have picnic tables and fire pits.
The lake is the real attraction here. Great for paddle boarding or kayaking. There's a boat launch. Best of all, it's free!
Site 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.
Horse camping in Washington offers a unique way to explore the great outdoors while enjoying the company of your equine friends. With a variety of campgrounds equipped with horse-friendly amenities, you can find the perfect spot for your next adventure.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Vancouver, WA is Battle Ground Lake State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 39 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 25 equestrian camping locations near Vancouver, WA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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